Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 6-7-23.

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Jun 7

Written By Ryan Stanzel

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MUST READ (I hate it when writers do this) at Pulltab Sports:

I had such an awesome time meeting inspiring athletes at the Hendrickson Foundation’s National Hockey Festival last weekend.

NBA Finals Game 3 tonight. Miami/Denver tied 1-1.

Lynx at Liberty tonight. Aurora at home versus the Chicago Dutch Lions.

PGA Tour Merges with LIV Golf

Don’t ever think that money doesn’t win.

We heard for two years how “money isn’t everything” (not true), and “Saudis don’t care about human rights” (true). But we all woke up to news yesterday that the PGA Tour essentially merged with LIV Golf, meaning the PGA Tour (aka a non profit “owned by the players”) is now under rule of the Saudi Public Investment Fund.

There are a lot of questions that are yet unanswered. There will still be two tours. LIV Golf will definitely be team golf. This well written ESPN piece details many things, like the fact the Saudi Public Investment Fund now becomes a major sponsor of the PGA Tour. The PGA Commissioner was in a meeting with the PGA player’s committee Sunday, along with the USGA, and didn’t mention this merger.

Oh didn’t I mention that? This move blindsided nearly every player on both tours. Many PGA players are not happy, players that skipped away for nearly two full seasons will likely just be welcomed back. It’s amazing to me that this was kept quiet. In PR you usually flat some really “big” news to see which way public sentiment is. If it’s that bad, you just do the right thing. No, this thing was kept SO CLOSE to the vest, literally no one knew.

Twins Outclassed in Tampa

One of the Twins’ big three playing in each game isn’t going to do much besides keep them around the .500 mark.

Byron Buxton headed to the injured list, Royce Lewis was held out after the scary collision Sunday, and Carlos Correa went 1-for-4 to RAISE his average to .208 as the Twins were outclassed by Tampa, the best team in MLB, 7-0.

Louie Varland gave up seven runs in six-plus innings. Pablo Lopez toes the rubber tonight for the Twins. He’s struggled as of late, especially when you realize the guy he was traded for is hitting .401.

Vegas Two Wins from Stanley Cup

All the talk headed into the Stanley Cup Final was could Vegas handle the physicality of the Florida Panthers. Turns out, the Golden Knights are plenty physical too.

Vegas has beat up - literally and figuratively - Florida through two games including a 7-2 rout on Monday in Game 2. The series shifts to Sunrise for Game 3, but the Panthers are up against it.

The Golden Knights’ best players have been their best players. Florida? Matthew Tcachuk has one goal and a trio of 10-minute misconducts. Their goalie, Sergei Bobrovsky, has actually been fine. His defensemen are not only not moving Vegas players out away from the net so he can see the puck, they’re standing right in the way. Paul Maurice put in Baudette’s Alex Lyon, who actually started the playoffs as the No. 1, but I’d be shocked if Bob wasn’t back in the net for Game 3 on Thursday.