Gauff upset at Finals, Pegula back on track

Manila Times - Nov 11, 2026

LOS ANGELES, California — Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova upset Coco Gauff to storm into the last four of the WTA Finals at Indian Wells on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) as Jessica Pegula reignited her challenge with victory over Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk. Czech eighth seed Noskova took advantage of a shaky serving performance by Gauff to complete a 6-3, 6-3 victory in group one to book her place in the semifinals. Noskova broke Gauff’s serve four times on her way to claiming the first set, and then grabbed the decisive break early in the second before sealing victory with her ninth ace of the match. “I’m very happy, obviously every win counts in this competition,” Noskova said afterward. “Coco is a big competitor so I had to be ready for everything that would come my way today. “You have to play to the very last point with Coco because she can always help herself out with her serve and fighting spirit. I felt like I played great to put some pressure on her,” added Noskova, who defeated Ukraine’s Kostyuk in her opening group match on Sunday. The defeat leaves Gauff and Pegula vying for the last remaining semifinal berth from group one. Pegula, beaten by Gauff in her opener...

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Nov 11, 2026

McIlroy welcomes DeChambeau to Tour

WHAT came across as criticism in July sounded a lot more like a compliment on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) when Rory McIlroy contemplated the nebulous future of Bryson DeChambeau. DeChambeau was theatrical as ever when he protested a two-shot penalty for improving the path of his swing while stomping around in waist-high grass at the British Open. There were questions whether he would withdraw and rumors he was planning to call President Donald Trump. It led to players having to wait until nearly midnight to get Saturday tee times. “I think a lot of it is performative,” McIlroy said at Royal Birkdale, making clear he was not a big fan of DeChambeau. And now? DeChambeau is searching for a new home after the demise of LIV Golf, which on Tuesday in New Jersey filed a joint Chapter 11 bankruptcy plan. The PGA Tour typically has a one-year ban of players dating to their most recent LIV Golf appearance, which could be longer if there are other disciplinary considerations (such as DeChambeau being part of the antitrust lawsuit against the tour). He has the option of joining the European tour from winning a major in the last five years. That was the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst No. 2 when he got up-and-down with a 55-yard bunker shot to win by one over McIlroy, who peeled out of the parking lot without a word. DeChambeau already was planning to play the Nedbank Golf Challenge in South Africa, which the European tour co-sanctions, on Dec. 4–7. He has until Sunday to inform the European tour whether he wants to take up membership. It’s that “performative” nature that makes McIlroy believe DeChambeau would be a positive addition to the European tour. “I think a name like Bryson DeChambeau and everything he brings with him, good and bad, he brings eyeballs, which is a good thing for tournaments,” said McIlroy at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. “And honestly — look, I’m certainly not in his shoes, and nor would I ever want to be — but it doesn’t seem like he’s got many options,” McIlroy said. “If he wants to play competitive golf, it doesn’t seem like he’s got many options.” There’s always YouTube, which has given DeChambeau plenty of eyeballs. He has more than 3 million subscribers. DeChambeau has suggested he could devote time to YouTube and play the four majors, though it’s always hard to tell if he’s serious. In his first public comments since the breakaway golf league announced it would shutter rather than launch a new version, DeChambeau in a social media post on Sunday expressed no regrets for his last four years on LIV Golf and offered no clear details what was next for him. He also invoked Arnold Palmer in saying the golf universe doesn’t revolve around him.