Monday, 16 February 2026
COLLIN MORIKAWA DROPPED SOME MASSIVE NEWS FOLLOWING HIS VICTORY AT PEBBLE BEACH
Collin Morikawa ended the drought and started a new chapter in life and his career at Pebble Beach.
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| Collin Morikawa poses with the trophy following his win at the 2026 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images |
It was a monumental weekend for Collin Morikawa. Immediately after sinking his winning putt at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he announced that he and his wife, Katherine Zhu, are expecting their first child. Could this be a harbinger of what’s to come?
An emotional message to the fans, and his future baby, from Collin ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6uqTqLWSUQ
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2026
When at his best, Morikawa is arguably the best ball-striker in the world. He has put that on display on the biggest stages before, winning both the 2020 PGA Championship and the 2021 Open Championship.
Now, Morikawa has eight professional wins, but make no mistake: his most recent victory at Pebble Beach was his most triumphant. Before Sunday, Morikawa hadn’t won on the PGA Tour in over two years. For someone who burst onto the scene with multiple major championships early in his career, the absence from the winner’s circle caused some to question if he would ever return to elite form.
While the world No. 5 eventually showed he can still beat the best the PGA Tour has to offer, the tournament didn’t begin the way he had hoped. Morikawa had a relatively quiet start, playing alongside Sepp Straka and amateur Geoff Yang. On Thursday, he played it safe and carded a modest 69, leaving him tied for 39th.
His amateur partner helped the team score on Friday, but Morikawa himself didn’t move the needle much, shooting a 68 and climbing only eight spots to 31st place.
On Saturday, something shifted. With the amateur portion concluded and his coach, Rick Sessinghaus, urging him to be more aggressive, Morikawa exploded with a 10-under 62. He hit all 18 greens in regulation, and he didn't just hit them. He was tucking shots so close to the pin that many of his birdies were tap-ins. This historic round vaulted him into second place.
On Sunday, Morikawa remained poised under pressure, battling Scottie Scheffler and Sepp Straka all afternoon. On the 15th hole, he drained a clutch 30-foot birdie putt, a massive moment for a player whose putting has long been considered his Achilles' heel.
He capped off the day by flushing a 235-yard 4-iron on the 18th, despite waiting nearly 30 minutes due to a rules issue in the group ahead. He tapped in to seal a one-shot victory at 22-under par.
Worth the wait 🏆
For the first time in 847 days, @Collin_Morikawa is a champion @ATTProAm. pic.twitter.com/suhXNQ4Nkz
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2026
It was a special weekend for the Southern California native in more ways than one. If Morikawa can maintain this blend of aggressive iron play and newfound putting confidence, there is literally and figuratively, new life in his career.
- Joe Dombro
RADUCANU BEATEN BY LUCKY LOSER
British number one Emma Raducanu has been knocked out of the Dubai Tennis Championships in the first round.
She recovered from a set and a break down against Antonia Ruzic to force a decider but the Croatian prevailed, winning 6-1 5-7 6-2.
Ruzic is ranked 67th in the world and was one of seven lucky losers from qualifying to fill the main draw after several players pulled out through injury, illness or a schedule change.
Raducanu's initial opponent Elisabetta Cocciaretto was ruled out with a thigh problem and Ruzic won the first set in 30 minutes having twice broken Raducanu.
The world number 25 then sought medical attention, just as she did last week at the Qatar Open when she had to retire from her first-round match.
Despite falling 5-3 down after being broken again in the second set, Raducanu fought back to claim two breaks and make it a set apiece.
The Briton won six consecutive games at the end of the second set and start of the third to go 2-0 up in the decider, but Ruzic won the next six to clinch victory.
- Ben Collins
BARCELONA CIRCUIT TO REMAIN ON FORMULA 1 CALENDAR UNTILL 2032
Formula 1 has confirmed an extension of its race contract with the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which will see the Spanish venue remain on the calendar on a rotational basis with Spa-Francorchamps until 2032.
The new deal will see F1 race at the Spanish circuit in 2028, 2030 and 2032, with the same slot being occupied by the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps in 2027, 2029 and 2031.
Both the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Spa-Francorchamps are also on this year’s calendar.
The news follows Madrid’s arrival on F1’s schedule under the title of the Spanish Grand Prix in September this year as part of an annual deal that runs until 2035.
The new race in Madrid raised questions over the F1 future of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which had hosted the Spanish Grand Prix since 1991, but under the terms of the new deal the race will be called the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.
It means F1 will have two rounds in Spain in 2028, 2030 and 2032.
“Barcelona is an incredible city, and the Formula 1 fans there always welcome us with such passion, so I am delighted that we will continue to race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for years to come,” F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said.
“The team have invested heavily in the circuit and hosted fantastic fan festivals in recent years, so we look forward to seeing how they continue to develop the experience, both for attendees at the race and for the city as a whole.”
The news follows the recent announcement of the return of the Portuguese Grand Prix at Portimao in 2027 and 2028.
- Laurence Edmondson
EFE AJAGBA STOPS FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION CHARLES MARTIN IN FOURTH-ROUND IN STATEMENT VICTORY IN LAS VEGAS
Efe Ajagba beats fomer IBF heavyweight title holder Charles Martin in a fourth-round knockout win; Ajagba continues to consolidate his top 15 world heavyweight ranking; Martin suffers a fourth defeat in eight fights
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| Efe Ajagba cemented his status as a top contender in the heavyweight division |
Efe Ajagba overpowered former world champion Charles Martin in a ruthless fourth-round stoppage win in Las Vegas.
The Nigerian (21-1-1, 15 KOs), who put on 15 pounds of muscle in his training camp, followed two early knockdowns with three vicious right hands, prompting referee Thomas Taylor to wave off the fight as Martin sagged against the ropes.
After a fairly evenly contested first round edged by Ajagba's hard hitting rights, it was former IBF title holder Martin who looked sharper in the second, landing multiple lefts as he displayed more speed than his bulked up opponent.
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| Former heavyweight champion Charles Martin suffered his fifth professional defeat |
The third round, though, saw Ajagba start to take control when a vicious right hook sent Martin to the ground, following the knockdown with a flurry of punches which left Martin on the ropes.
A second knockdown in the fourth teed up Ajagba to finish Martin off and secure a statement victory that cements his status as a real contender for the world title.
Martin meanwhile, is dropping further and further out of the picture as he suffers a fourth loss in his last eight fights.
"I'm ready to fight anyone in the division," Ajagba said after the fight. "I'm ranked in the top 10, but no one is saying my name.
"I'm putting the heavyweight division on notice."
- Noah Langford
Sunday, 15 February 2026
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