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US Women's Open golfer strikes bird during tee shot in bizarre 1st-round scene

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US Women's Open golfer strikes bird during tee shot in bizarre 1st-round scene

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Hitting birdie putts is what every U.S. Women’s Open golfer is trying to do this week, but Isi Gabsa had a different experience with a birdie on the 12th hole during her first round from Lancester Country Club. 

Gabsa teed up on the par-3 12th hole hoping to get in good position to lower her score, which sat at 2-over par through her first round. When she made contact, the ball was heading right for the green, which is exactly what she wanted. 

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However, as the ball landed, it struck a bird that was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. The bird was motionless, as the ball squirted a few feet away on the green. 

Isa Gabsa tees off during the first round of the LPGA Marathon Classic at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, Ohio. (Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

An official ended up walking over to the green to check on the bird, and after giving it a look, he picked the bird up and carried it away. 

It’s unknown if the bird perished from being struck by the golf ball. 

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Gabsa would finish the hole with a par after missing the birdie putt. Her first round would conclude with a 3-over 73, putting her tied 67th after one round. 

Isi Gabsa lines up a putt during the first round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club on May 30, 2024, in Pennsylvania. (Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

Lancester Country Club was full of odd happenings in Thursday’s first round, including the top-ranked golfer in the field, Nelly Korda, shooting a 10 on the same 12th hole. Korda’s round was in shambles after that, as she finished 10-over on the day. 

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The course is playing hard for the top women golfers in the world, as the leading score was only 2-under par by Japan’s Yuka Saso at the time of writing. 

So, while Korda will have some work to do in Friday’s second round to make the cut, Gabsa is certainly still in the running with how close everyone’s scores were in the first round. 

Isa Gabsa during the JTBC Classic presented by Barbasol at Aviara Golf Club on March 26, 2022, in Carlsbad, California. (Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

But she may be paying attention to what might be in the way of her golf ball moving forward after this unfortunate run-in with a bird. 

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LIV Golf stars commit to staying put after Brooks Koepka’s departure, return to PGA Tour

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LIV Golf stars commit to staying put after Brooks Koepka’s departure, return to PGA Tour

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Brooks Koepka may have returned to the PGA Tour following a stint at LIV Golf, but do not expect the Saudi-backed league’s other biggest stars to join in.

Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Cameron Smith all committed to staying put when speaking to reporters on Tuesday at a preseason press conference.

“I had no idea, no idea that that would happen.” DeChambeau said. “No idea what the penalties would even be. Right now, I’ve got a contract. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do at LIV Golf this year.”

 

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Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm walk to the eighth green during the first round of the Memorial Tournament at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 2, 2022.  (Adam Cairns/The Columbus Dispatch)

“I made a decision to come out here and spend more time at home, and I’m not giving that away. I’ll be on LIV for years to come,” added Smith, who won the 2022 Open Championship shortly before officially committing to LIV.

DeChambeau and Smith each left in 2022, but Rahm was perhaps the biggest surprise. Once very outspoken against LIV, he joined the league in December 2023.

In August 2024, he shut down rumors of buyer’s remorse to Fox News Digital, and that still appears to be the case.

“I’m not planning on going anywhere. Very similar answer to what Bryson gave. I wish Brooks the best. As far as I’m concerned, I’m focused on the league and my team this year, and hopefully we can repeat as champions again,” Rahm said.

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Koepka’s decision came weeks after he revealed he would be leaving the rival series.

“I want to thank my family and my team for their continued support throughout every step of my professional career,” he wrote on social media. “When I was a child, I always dreamed about competing on the @PGATOUR, and I am just as excited today to announce that I am returning to the PGA TOUR. Being closer to home and spending more time with my family makes this opportunity especially meaningful to me.

Brooks Koepka, of the United States, acknowledges the crowd on the 5th green during the first round of the British Open golf championship at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, July 17, 2025. (Peter Morrison, File/AP Photo)

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“I believe in where the PGA TOUR is headed with new leadership, new investors, and an equity program that gives players a meaningful ownership stake,” he continued. “I also understand there are financial penalties associated with this decision, and I accept those.”

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Koepka said he planned to be at the Farmers Insurance Open and the Waste Management Phoenix Open in the coming weeks.

PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Koepka’s return sparked the Returning Member Program for those who left the company and may decide to follow in Koepka’s footsteps.

Rolapp said Koepka agreed to a few conditions upon his return to the PGA Tour. It included a “five-year forfeiture of potential equity in the PGA Tour’s Player Equity Program, representing one of the largest financial repercussions in professional sports history, with estimations that he could miss out on approximately $50–85 million in potential earnings, depending on his competitive performance and the growth of the Tour,” according to Rolapp. Koepka will also make a $5 million charitable donation to an organization yet to be determined.

Brooks Koepka during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images)

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Koepka became the first person to return to the PGA Tour after defecting for LIV.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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Luka Doncic plays and scores 27 points as the Lakers rout the Hawks

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Luka Doncic plays and scores 27 points as the Lakers rout the Hawks

Luka Doncic and LeBron James were listed as questionable for the Lakers’ back-to-back game Tuesday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Doncic because of left groin soreness, James because of left foot joint arthritis and right sciatica.

Also, checking the stat sheet before the game, the Lakers were listed as one of the worst three-point shooting teams and one of the worst defensive shooting percentage teams in the league.

Well, Luka played and LeBron played and the Lakers shot lights-out from three-point range and were solid across the board on defense while i rolling over the Hawks 141-116 at Crypto.com Arena.

Doncic felt soreness in his groin when the Lakers played at Sacramento on Monday night and was unsure about playing Tuesday. But he played and delivered 27 points, 12 assists and five rebounds.

James didn’t play in the second game of a back-to-back game last week at New Orleans and San Antonio and said he will be listed as TBD, to be determined, in such scenarios. But James played against the Hawks and nearly produced a triple-double with 31 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

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Coming into the game, opponents were shooting 48.8% from the field and 37.4% from three against the Lakers, ranking them 28th and 26th, respectively, in the NBA.

The Hawks began the game ranked fourth in three-point shooting, making 37.4%, and they were ranked eighth in field-goal percentage, making 43.6%.

All of the above made for a bad recipe for the Lakers entering the game.

But when the game started, none of that mattered to the Lakers, who held the Hawks to 45% shooting and 28.3% from three-point range.

The Lakers shot 55.9% (19 for 34) from three-point range.

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The Lakers’ big lead was sliced to 11 points in the fourth.

But back-to-back three-pointers by James and Marcus Smart, both off passes from Doncic, and a Doncic basket gave them a 19-point lead, and they never looked back.

The Lakers scored 81 points in the first half, a season-high for points in a half, a half in which they opened a 23-point lead and had the Hawks reeling from the beginning.

Doncic missed just one of his six three-pointers in the first half. Gabe Vincent came off the bench and missed just one of his four three-pointers in the first half.

Rui Hachimura had missed the previous seven games with a right calf strain but was back in action against the Hawks. He had seven points and two rebounds in 18 minutes.

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ETC: The Lakers signed guard Kobe Bufkin to a 10-day contract Tuesday. The 6-foot-5 Bufkin played in seven games for the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers’ G League team, where he averaged 28.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists over seven games. He has appeared in 27 career NBA games over two seasons with the Hawks. “You know, during the stretch, we’ll have opportunities during this 10-day,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said…. Backup center Jaxson Hayes didn’t play against the Hawks because of left hamstring soreness. Redick said Hayes got some “imaging” Tuesday on his injury and that the Lakers will have “more information” going forward.

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Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach: reports

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Mike Tomlin stepping down as Steelers head coach: reports

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Mike Tomlin is stepping down as head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, according to multiple reports.

Tomlin’s decision on Tuesday came after a blowout loss against the Houston Texans in the AFC Wild Card Round of the playoffs. It marked the Steelers’ seventh straight postseason defeat.

This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.

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