Pressure? What pressure?
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Hello hello!
And happy WNBA Draft day — ICYMI, yesterday’s Scroll detailed everything you need to know before the Dallas Wings are on the clock with the No. 1 overall pick tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET. Passing the time until the orange carpet by scrolling through the latest from a major weekend in sports.
— 2025 Masters champion, Rory McIlroy, celebrating his monumental and long-awaited Augusta National win with his buddies from Northern Ireland. Chills.
The Masters
⛳ It’s all grand, and it’s all green
The GIST: Emotional, thrilling, and historic — yesterday was Rory McIlroy’s ultimate masterpiece. As you read, the Irishman beat England’s Justin Rose in dramatic fashion, draining a birdie putt on the first playoff hole to win his first-ever green jacket at the 89th Masters.
McIlroy becomes sixth player in Tour history to complete career grand slam: Eleven attempts, a 10-year Major drought, and a plethora of heartbreaking moments later, McIlroy finally did it, joining the likes of golf legends Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods who’ve won all four Majors — the US Open, the British Open, the PGA Championship, and the Masters — during their careers.
- McIlroy notably checked the first three Majors off early in his career, winning the U.S. Open in 2011, the PGA Championship in 2012 and 2014, and the British Open in 2014, but a Masters title had proven to be elusive…until now.
How he did it: In typical Rory fashion, McIlroy’s final round was an absolute roller coaster, a masterclass in both what to do and what not to do on golf’s biggest stage. Up by as many as five strokes during yesterday’s final round, it felt like the worst kind of déjà vu was imminent after he bogeyed the 18th hole, forcing a playoff with Rose.
- But McIlroy’s resilience and experience shined through in a perfectly played playoff hole that sealed his first Masters win in 17 attempts. Crying in the club(house).
Zooming out: McIlroy’s emotional win, one that he shared with long-time caddy and best friend Harry Diamond, catapults him onto the proverbial Mount Rushmore of golfers. And now that the pressure of winning a green jacket is off, this could be just the beginning of a tee-rrific year ahead.
LOVB Finals
🏐 Yee — and we can’t stress this enough — haw
The GIST: Crown them: No. 5 seed Austin is your inaugural League One Volleyball (LOVB) champion after sweeping No. 6 Omaha in three sets during yesterday’s title match. But Austin’s dominant win only tells half the story — here’s how the underdogs rose to the top in a playoff weekend filled with twists.
Opposite hitter Madisen Skinner leads Austin to Tiffany & Co. trophy: Anything can happen in the postseason, including the two lowest-seeded LOVB squads advancing to the championship after Austin and Omaha both pulled off unprecedented reverse sweeps in Friday’s semis, knocking out top dog Atlanta and No. 2 seed Houston, respectively.
- Finals MVP and three-time NCAA champ Skinner powered Austin’s tremendous run, following up Friday’s season-high 25 kills with another 17 in the final. Pressure? What pressure?
Zooming out: As one of three active pro women’s volleyball leagues in the U.S., the amped-up crowd at LOVB’s championship is a testament to the growing popularity of the sport, anchored by stars like Skinner making a seamless jump from the NCAA to the pros.
- And there’s more top-tier action where that came from. The Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) championship is just 25 days away, coming on the heels of massive viewership numbers during February’s historic All-Star Match broadcast on CBS in the U.S.
- Pro women’s volleyball is a movement, not a moment — aces.
Together With BMO
👀 Did you hear the news?
It’s finally here — the Northern Super League (NSL), the premiere women’s pro soccer league in Canada, makes its grand debut on Wednesday, and thanks to BMO, it’s easier than ever to support the women’s game.
- BMO is the official bank of the NSL and the league’s broadcast partner, making it possible for you to catch your favorite futbolistas in every single showdown. Yes, please.
BMO’s been committed to growing the beautiful game in North America for almost 20 (!!!) years, and helping the NSL come to life is furthering that promise. She shoots, she scores.
🏀 NBA playoff picture officially set after yesterday’s season finale
The chips have fallen in the NBA — and we’re in for a real treat with four high-stakes Play-In games slated for tomorrow and Wednesday. As expected, the Western Conference caused the most chaos over the weekend, and it was Steph Curry’s Golden State Warriors who drew the short end of the stick, finding themselves in the Play-In Tournament for the second consecutive season.
- But tomorrow’s high-stakes hoopla isn’t the only entertainment on the way: Keep an eye on your inbox for a special edition preview ahead of tip-off.
🏒 NHL postseason taking shape in final week of the regular season
For the first time in league history, the Boston Bruins, NY Rangers (who won the Presidents’ Trophy just last season), and Pittsburgh Penguins will not compete in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. That means your pro men’s hockey bracket — stay tuned for more deets from yours truly later this week — will probably look a bit different this season.
- Meanwhile, the new(er) kids on the block haven’t had the same woes: The Winnipeg Jets clinched the top seed in the Western Conference (and their first-ever Presidents’ Trophy) while the Vegas Golden Knights won their fourth Pacific Division title in the franchise’s eight-year existence.
🇨🇦 Canada falls 2–1 to archrival USA in IIHF Women’s World Championship group play
Yesterday’s hotly contested loss to an all-too-familiar American squad doesn’t feel great — with the exception of a lamp light courtesy of hockey’s favorite couple — but let’s keep everything in perspective. It’s only group play, and though the Canadians won’t finish atop Group A, they can secure second-place with a win over host Czechia in today’s 1 p.m. ET opening round finale.
🏎️ McLaren’s Oscar Piastri dominates Bahrain Grand Prix
The Australian driver became the first repeat winner of the season, cruising from pole position to a calm, cool, and collected 15-second victory over Mercedes’ George Russell and securing the team’s first-ever win in Bahrain. Piastri’s McLaren teammate Lando Norris rallied from a sixth-place start and a five-second time penalty to round out the podium.
- With the win, Piastri moved within three points of Norris in the World Drivers’ Championship standings while a frustrating day for Red Bull saw Max Verstappen finish sixth in the race, dropping him to third in the overall standings.
Together With BMO
👋 Soccer fans, screenshot this. The first two games of the inaugural NSL season are this week, and BMO, the official bank of the league, doesn’t want you to miss a minute. Here’s what to add to your calendar:
1️⃣ Watch the league’s first-ever match, Vancouver vs. Calgary, Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on TSN.
2️⃣ Then it’s the East Coast’s turn. On Saturday, Toronto hosts Montreal at 4 p.m. ET, also on TSN.
With six teams to support, who you cheer for is up to you — but you can always count on BMO to back the growth of soccer in North America, just as they have for almost two decades. Level up your soccer fandom and check out our BMO-sponsored Soccer Help Desk today.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
👟 What to snag
The adidas AE 1 “3SSB” dropping soon, just in time for the NBA Playoffs. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards’ first signature kicks are court-to-cookout certified.
🎉 Who to cheer for
One of the NSL’s six founding clubs, of course. From Vancouver to Halifax, there’s a team for everyone in the NSL, which is sponsored in part by BMO. Golazos.*
🍻 Where to go
The bar. Women’s sports bars are taking over, with even more opening in 2025. Cheers to that.
*P.S. This is a sponsored post. Kickin' it.Question of the Day
So many sports, so little time. Of the many highlights from the weekend, which of the following was your fave? Vote below or reply to this email with your top pick.
⛳ Rory McIlroy winning the Masters
⚽ NJ/NY Gotham striker Esther González’ first goal of the season
🏐 LOVB Austin winning the first LOVB championship
⚾ San Diego Padres pitcher Michael King throwing a complete game shutout
Today’s email was brought to you by Alessandra Puccio, Lisa Minutillo, Lauren Tuiskula, Katie Kehoe Foster, Marga Sison, and Briana Ekanem. Editing by Laura Pastore. Fact-checking by Marga Sison and Rachel Fuenzalida. Ops by Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Lauren Tuiskula and Alessandra Puccio. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.