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What were the 10 biggest storylines in sports in April?

April is one of the busiest months and arguably the most eventful time of the year on the sports calendar. This past April was no different. Championships were determined in the first week of the month, while the NBA and NHL playoffs began shortly after. Some of the top storylines in sports last month extended […]

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What were the 10 biggest storylines in sports in April?

April is one of the busiest months and arguably the most eventful time of the year on the sports calendar. This past April was no different. Championships were determined in the first week of the month, while the NBA and NHL playoffs began shortly after.

Some of the top storylines in sports last month extended beyond on-field matters, too. The NFL and WNBA held their annual drafts in April, with each bringing plenty of surprises along the way.

So, which sports stories were the biggest in April? Let’s take a look: 

10 biggest storylines in sports in April

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The Team Penske driver picked up his first win of the 2025 season at Talladega Superspeedway in April, beating out Ryan Preece (who was disqualified following technical inspection) and Kyle Larson by a hair.

From FOX Motorsports Insider Bob Pockrass:

Cindric will just appreciate winning a race at a drafting track. At these tracks, he’s often been in contention, but victories have seemed tough to come by (except in the 2022 Daytona 500).

He didn’t have to survive a late-race caution. All he had to do was be out front and in position.

“For that to go green at the end, have a car capable, a team capable, have it all come together, it’s really gratifying,” Cindric said.

“It’s definitely a relief, given how a lot of these have gone. It doesn’t make me any special or different. These things go up in flames for most. I’m super grateful for the opportunity to be able to come through and win.”

9. Kyle Kirkwood wins Long Beach Grand Prix

Alex Palou has dominated the 2025 INDYCAR season so far, winning three of the first four races ahead of the Indianapolis 500 later in May. But Kirkwood offered a reprieve from Palou’s dominance at the Long Beach Grand Prix. He defeated Palou by a few seconds in that race, holding off this season’s top driver to pick up his third career win.

From FOX Motorsports Insider Bob Pockrass:

Kirkwood made it look relatively easy. He won the pole and led 46 of the 90 laps. He didn’t deviate from strategy, as other drivers tried to pit on different laps to potentially gain spots. On his final stop in the caution-free race, Kirkwood blended onto the track ahead of Palou and held him off — ending the Palou quest for three consecutive wins to open the season.

“We really didn’t have that ultimate speed that the 27 car [of Kirkwood] had,” Palou said. “They did an awesome job throughout the weekend, qualifying and the race.

“He was managing. Every time I was having a small chance, he just had a little bit more pace. Shame that we couldn’t really make it more interesting for the fans, but I’m super happy to be here.”

8. Nebraska wins the inaugural College Basketball Crown tournament

Fred Hoiberg has had an impressive stint at Nebraska, and he added to it in April. He led the Cornhuskers to four straight wins in the first-ever College Basketball Crown tournament, notching three double-digit victories. 

7. Joaquin Niemann wins fifth career LIV Golf Tournament, tying Brooks Koepka for most all-time

In the first-ever LIV Golf Mexico City event, Niemann continued his hot start to the season. He shot 6-under in the final round of the tournament to win by three strokes and get his third victory of the year. It also gave Niemann five career wins in LIV Golf, tying Koepka for the most. 

6.  Paige Bueckers is selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft

UConn women’s basketball had a pretty eventful April. After capping off her historic college basketball career earlier in the month, Bueckers became the sixth player in program history to be selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, extending the Huskies’ record for most ever. Bueckers was the consensus national player of the year in the 2020-21 season and regained her elite form after an ACL tear sidelined her for the 2022-23 season. The three-time first-team All-American joined a Wings team that finished with the second-worst record in the WNBA last season.

5. Alex Ovechkin breaks Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goals record

A record that many thought would never be broken did just that in April. Ovechkin scored his 895th career goal in the Washington Capitals’ loss to the New York Islanders on April 6, breaking the longstanding all-time goals record set by the “Great One.” The moment was accompanied by a pause in the game as Ovechkin’s landmark achievement was celebrated. 

4. Florida wins men’s NCAA Tournament; UConn wins women’s

Of course, the bulk of March Madness didn’t take place in April, but the Final Four in the men’s and women’s tournaments did. In the women’s tournament, Bueckers finally got over the hump, helping Geno Auriemma and UConn win their first national championship since 2016 with blowout wins over UCLA and South Carolina in the semifinal round and national championship, respectively.

The men’s Final Four had a bit more drama. Florida edged out fellow SEC foe Auburn in the national semifinal, while Houston had a thrilling comeback to defeat Duke. In the championship game, it was Florida’s turn to make a furious comeback. The Gators rallied from a 12-point deficit to win, making it the third-largest second-half comeback in NCAA national championship history. Houston had a chance to tie or win the game on the final possession, but Florida’s defense prevented the Cougars from getting a shot off. 

The Tennessee Titans grabbed who they hope will be their quarterback of the future when they unsurprisingly selected Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. There was a twist when the Cleveland Browns were on the clock with the No. 2 overall pick, though. The Jacksonville Jaguars moved up from the fifth overall pick to No. 2, trading a 2026 first-round pick, among other assets, in order to get two-way star Hunter. 

2. Shedeur Sanders drops to the fifth round of the NFL Draft

Very rarely is there a non-first-round pick who winds up gripping the sports world, but Sanders drew unprecedented attention to the later rounds of the 2025 NFL Draft. The Browns eventually took Sanders in the fifth round of the draft, but it came after they surprisingly picked Dillon Gabriel in the third round. Sanders was also the sixth quarterback off the board this year, which was a major shock considering most draft analysts ranked him as the second-best player at his position in the class. Many mock drafts projected Sanders as a first-round pick, too. 

Sanders’ slide brought in other subplots as well. He was one of the handful of prospects who received prank calls during the draft. Speculation also emerged over why he might have fallen as far as he did. 

No matter what the theories are about Sanders, though, there’s no denying that there was great interest surrounding where he got drafted as Day 3 of the draft set ratings records.

McIlroy finally got the Augusta-sized monkey off his back to put on a green jacket in April, but it didn’t come easily. After holding the lead for much of the final round, McIlroy struggled on the back nine and missed a putt to win the tournament on the 18th hole, forcing him to go to a playoff. He avenged his missed putt on the first hole of the playoff, sinking a short putt after an impressive second shot to defeat Justin Rose. The win made McIlroy the sixth golfer to have ever completed a career Grand Slam and the first one from Europe. 

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2025 PGA Championship purse, prize money: Payouts and winnings

Another classic is complete at Quail Hollow Club, where the world’s best golfers competed not only for the prestigious Wanamaker Trophy but also for a massive payday. The 2025 PGA Championship features a $19 million purse, continuing the trend of record-setting prize funds at golf’s major championships. While Scottie Scheffler took away his winner’s share […]

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2025 PGA Championship purse, prize money: Payouts and winnings

Another classic is complete at Quail Hollow Club, where the world’s best golfers competed not only for the prestigious Wanamaker Trophy but also for a massive payday. The 2025 PGA Championship features a $19 million purse, continuing the trend of record-setting prize funds at golf’s major championships.

While Scottie Scheffler took away his winner’s share of over $3 million, even those who made the cut walked away with a significant check, reinforcing the tournament’s status as one of the most lucrative and competitive events in the sport.

Let’s take a look at the complete 2025 PGA Championship prize money breakdown, including the total purse and payouts for each position in the field.

PGA Championship Winner: PGA Tour Player or Liv Golfer?

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2025 PGA Championship prize money, purse, payouts

Total purse: $19 million

  • 1st: Scottie Scheffler ($3,420,000)
  • T2: Bryson DeChambeau ($1,418,666.67)
  • T2: Harris English ($1,418,666.67)
  • T2: Davis Riley ($1,418,666.67)
  • T5: Jhonattan Vegas ($617,036.66)
  • T5: Taylor Pendrith ($617,036.66)
  • T5: J.T. Poston ($617,036.66)
  • T8: Joaquín Niemann ($454,781.11)
  • T8: Ben Griffin ($454,781.11)
  • T8: Denny McCarthy ($454,781.11)
  • T8: Ryan Gerard ($454,781.11)
  • T8: Joe Highsmith ($454,781.11)
  • T8: Matt Fitzpatrick ($454,781.11)
  • T8: Keegan Bradley ($454,781.11)
  • T8: Jon Rahm ($454,781.11)
  • T8: Si Woo Kim ($454,781.11)
  • T17: Matt Wallace ($290,925.00)
  • T17: Alex Noren ($290,925.00)
  • T19: Sam Burns ($193,442.22)
  • T19: Corey Conners ($193,442.22)
  • T19: Beau Hossler ($193,442.22)
  • T19: Aaron Rai ($193,442.22)
  • T19: Harry Hall ($193,442.22)
  • T19: Taylor Moore ($193,442.22)
  • T19: Cam Davis ($193,442.22)
  • T19: Adam Scott ($193,442.22)
  • T19: Tony Finau ($193,442.22)
  • T28: Xander Schauffele ($115,820.00)
  • T28: Marco Penge ($115,820.00)
  • T28: Viktor Hovland ($115,820.00)
  • T28: Alex Smalley ($115,820.00)
  • T28: Ryan Fox ($115,820.00)
  • T33: Daniel Berger ($89,192.50)
  • T33: Thorbjørn Olesen ($89,192.50)
  • T33: Maverick McNealy ($89,192.50)
  • T33: Max Greyserman ($89,192.50)
  • T37: Richard Bland ($75,422.50)
  • T37: J.J. Spaun ($75,422.50)
  • T37: Ryo Hisatsune ($75,422.50)
  • T37: Lucas Glover ($75,422.50)
  • T41: Nicolai Højgaard ($60,676.66)
  • T41: Tommy Fleetwood ($60,676.66)
  • T41: Eric Cole ($60,676.66)
  • T41: Nico Echavarria ($60,676.66)
  • T41: Michael Thorbjornsen ($60,676.66)
  • T41: Matthieu Pavon ($60,676.66)
  • T47: Rory McIlroy ($49,190.00)
  • T47: Cameron Young ($49,190.00)
  • T47: Robert MacIntyre ($49,190.00)
  • T50: Kevin Yu ($40,674.00)
  • T50: Collin Morikawa ($40,674.00)
  • T50: Christiaan Bezuidenhout ($40,674.00)
  • T50: Tom McKibbin ($40,674.00)
  • T50: Wyndham Clark ($40,674.00)
  • T55: Chris Kirk ($32,138.00)
  • T55: Brian Campbell ($32,138.00)
  • T55: Michael Kim ($32,138.00)
  • T55: Rafael Campos ($32,138.00)
  • T55: Garrick Higgo ($32,138.00)
  • T60: Brian Harman ($27,014.25)
  • T60: Justin Lower ($27,014.25)
  • T60: Sam Stevens ($27,014.25)
  • T60: Luke Donald ($27,014.25)
  • T60: Max Homa ($27,014.25)
  • T60: Tyrrell Hatton ($27,014.25)
  • T60: David Puig ($27,014.25)
  • T67: Sergio Garcia ($24,926.66)
  • T67: Austin Eckroat ($24,926.66)
  • T67: Rasmus Højgaard ($24,926.66)
  • 70th: Stephan Jaeger ($24,240.00)
  • 71st: Tom Kim ($23,940.00)
  • T72: Bud Cauley ($23,655.00)
  • T72: Elvis Smylie ($23,655.00)
  • 74th: Byeong Hun An ($23,420.00)



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Scottie Scheffler pulls away from Jon Rahm on back 9 to win 2025 PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler has claimed another major tournament championship, but his first outside of Augusta. Scheffler won the 2025 PGA Championship on Sunday, shooting par in the final round to finish the tournament 11 under at Quail Hollow. While Scheffler was able to ride his dominant Round 3 on Saturday into a victory, there was a […]

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Scottie Scheffler pulls away from Jon Rahm on back 9 to win 2025 PGA Championship

Scottie Scheffler has claimed another major tournament championship, but his first outside of Augusta. Scheffler won the 2025 PGA Championship on Sunday, shooting par in the final round to finish the tournament 11 under at Quail Hollow.

While Scheffler was able to ride his dominant Round 3 on Saturday into a victory, there was a brief moment of doubt surrounding his win in the final round. Jon Rahm quickly climbed the leaderboard, making up the five-stroke difference between him and Scheffler by the 11th hole. 

Two holes later, Rahm nearly shot a birdie that would’ve given him the lead. 

However, Scheffler was able to regain control on the back nine after recording three bogeys on the front nine. He birdied the 10th, 14th and 15th holes, en route to victory, practically mirroring the 4 under he shot on the back nine of Saturday’s Round 3. Rahm, meanwhile, shot 5 over in the final three holes to completely fall out of the picture. 

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For Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player, the PGA Championship title marks his third major tournament victory. The 28-year-old has been one of golf’s most dominant players over the last couple of years, winning eight tournaments since the start of the 2024 season. But, outside of his two wins at the Masters, in 2022 and 2024, he has struggled to get over the hump at the three other major tournament championships (PGA Championship, US Open, and British Open), recording 10 top-10 finishes at those three events since 2020.

Scheffler’s win also came a year after his arrest at the PGA Championship at Valhalla in Louisville. He was arrested for a traffic incident ahead of Round 2 of that tournament before finishing tied for eighth. 

While Scheffler’s main competition throughout Round 4 was Rahm, fellow LIV golfer Bryson DeChambeau hit 1 under on Sunday to salvage a second-place finish. DeChambeau put himself in a good position for the weekend after hitting 3 under on Friday, his best round of the tournament. In that stellar Round 2, he hit three birdies on the front nine, and avoided bogeying throughout the back nine. 

He took that momentum into Saturday, finding three more birdies on the front nine and then moving into the top spot after a birdie on the 15th hole.

His lead didn’t last long, though, as he bogeyed on 16 and double-bogeyed on 17. 

DeChambeau fell down to as low as sixth place, but a steady Sunday helped him climb back to second. He hit for birdie on the 15th hole for the third time in four tries to cap off a noteworthy PGA Tournament performance.

 Here’s a full look at how the top 10 shaped out.

Final round results

1. Scottie Scheffler -11
T2. Bryson DeChambeau -6
T2. Davis Riley -6
T2. Harris English -6
T5. J.T. Potson -5
T5. Taylor Pendrith -5
T5. Jhonattan Vegas -5
T8. Joaquin Niemann -4
T8. Ben Griffin -4
T8. Denny McCarthy -4
T8. Ryan Gerard -4
T8. Joe Highsmith -4
T8. Keegan Bradley -4
T8. Matt Fitzpatrick -4
T8. Jon Rahm -4
T8. Si Woo Kim -4

How LIV golfers performed at PGA Championship

While Rahm likely had the best shot to win the PGA Championship outside of Scheffler, DeChambeau had the best weekend among the LIV golfers in the tournament. He shot 6 under for the weekend, finishing 1 under in Sunday’s final round. It ties his best finish ever at a PGA Championship as he also finished second in last year’s tournament before winning the U.S. Open for the second time in his career.

Joaquin Niemann also had an impressive day Sunday, shooting 3 under to join the nine golfers who finished tied for eighth. David Puig, on the flip side, struggled. He shot 8 over to finish the tournament 6 over par. Tyrell Hatton also struggled in the fourth round, shooting 6 over to finish 6 over par. 

As for the other LIV golfers who made the cut, Richard Bland shot 1 under on Sunday to finish the tournament 1 over. Tom McKibbin shot 2 over on Sunday to finish the tournament 4 over. Sergio Garcia shot 2 under in the fourth round following his 8 over on Saturday to finish the tournament 7 over.

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Jon Rahm, back in mix, is ‘hungry’ for 1st major championship since joining LIV Golf

Jon Rahm is back in contention at a major championship. He joked that he would have had an even better chance to win the third of his career had the spectator he hit in the head with an errant approach shot at the PGA Championship on Saturday been a little better soccer player. Rahm shot […]

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Jon Rahm, back in mix, is ‘hungry’ for 1st major championship since joining LIV Golf

Jon Rahm is back in contention at a major championship. He joked that he would have had an even better chance to win the third of his career had the spectator he hit in the head with an errant approach shot at the PGA Championship on Saturday been a little better soccer player.

Rahm shot a 4-under 67 to get to 6-under-par 207 for the tournament, leaving him five shots behind leader Scottie Scheffler, who played the final five holes in 5 under to reach 11 under.

Rahm won the U.S. Open in 2021 and the Masters in 2023. But this is the first time he’s been anywhere near being in contention for a major championship on the final day since announcing he was joining LIV Golf in December of 2023.

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In the four majors since, he’s not finished within eight shots of the lead.

“I mean, it’s hard to express how hungry I may be for a major — about as hungry as anybody can be in this situation,” the Spanish star said. “Very happy to be in position again. Don’t know where I’ll be. … But that’s a great position. This golf course is tricky and one shot is nothing on 18 holes.”

One shot was something on No. 11.

Rahm’s approach shot on the par 4 sailed to the left and his ball hit a fan in the head, sending it careening across the green and into the rough on the other side. Rahm left his chip short and took two putts for one of his two bogeys on the day.

The fan was not injured.

As he approached the green, Rahm walked over to check on him anyway. They shared a few laughs, he signed a golf glove for him and they embraced before he went on with his round.

“I told him, if he was European and grew up playing soccer, and he just aimed a little bit better, maybe just get it closer to the hole,” Rahm said with a laugh.

Rahm knows it won’t be easy to catch Scheffler.

Still, he likes how he’s striking the ball.

“Very happy with the state of my game,” Rahm said. “I think today was the round that I knew I was capable of. Those first two rounds felt very confident, and just did everything a little bit better. So just very excited again to be in this position.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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