The Florida State football team returned to the practice field on Tuesday afternoon after the Easter holiday. This was the Seminoles' sixth practice of spring camp.

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It'll be Byrne's first time on campus to our knowledge.
https://floridastate.rivals.com/news/top-new-york-prospect-to-visit-florida-state-this-week

Olesh was offered three weeks ago. He is a Penn State lean right now but a good first impression from FSU might allow them to make up ground.

https://floridastate.rivals.com/new...ntrigued-by-offense-at-fsu-recaps-first-visit

FSU sports information:

When Charlotte Heath, Mirabel Ting, and Lottie Woad step onto the first tee box at the Champions Retreat Golf Club on April 3, the trio of Seminole golfers will extend one of the greatest streaks in the history of the program to five consecutive years.

Their participation in the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur marks the fifth consecutive year the Seminoles will have at least one golfer play in the event which has quickly become one of the top events for amateur women’s players in the entire world. When Heath, Ting and Woad hit their first tee shots to begin play, the Seminole women’s golf program becomes one of the 12 collegiate programs in the nation to have at least one player in each of the first five ANWA Championships.

“The 12 schools included on that list – Florida State, Arizona State, Auburn, Duke, Florida, South Carolina, Stanford, Texas, UCLA, USC, Virginia, and Wake Forest – represent the best of the best, the bluebloods of women’s golf,” said Head Coach Amy Bond. “For our program to be included on that list in the same breath with the ANWA is very special. It’s humbling. But it’s something that we’ve worked very hard to accomplish for our program.

“Hats off especially to all of our players who have played in the ANWA. The players are selected based on their tremendous results at Florida State as well as their world rankings. Their dedication to becoming better golfers and their success throughout the year is a credit to our players.”

Starting with Amanda Doherty and Beatrice Wallin in 2019, the Seminoles have become regulars in the 54 hole event which culminates with a final round of 18 holes played on the famed Augusta National Golf Course. The international field of 72 of the best women’s amateurs players in the world will compete over 54 holes of stroke play for the championship. A cut will be made after the first 36 holes sending the top 30 golfers to a practice round and final round of stroke play at Augusta National on April 5 and 6.

Heath, a senior who will earn her bachelor’s degree in social sciences from Florida State in May, makes her second AWNA appearance. She advanced to the final round in her Augusta debut in 2023, finishing 25th.

In her first appearance at Augusta, Heath was in a tie for 13th place after a first round 72 and made the cut in 14th place with scores of 72-72 for a 36-hole total of 144. She qualified to play at Augusta for the first time in her career and finished the championship with a three-round total of 222.

“I’m super excited to have my parents and two of my coaches from home come to Augusta to watch me play,” said Heath. “I’m obviously excited to play Augusta National, but having everyone there will make it more special.”

Woad, a sophomore majoring in sport management, also makes her second appearance at Augusta after finishing in 13th place in 2023.

Woad played her best golf in the second and third rounds of the 2023 ANWA with scores of 69-72 which allowed her to finish in the top-15 of the standings. Her score of 69 in the second round with a birdie on her final hole allowed her to make the cut as one of the top 30 golfers in the field. Woad’s score of 72 in the final round moved her into 13th place in the final standings. She played her final 13 holes of the championship at three under par.

“I’m very excited to play in the ANWA again this year,” said Woad. “I’m looking forward to playing both courses and competing against the best players in the world on the biggest stage.”

Ting, who earned All-American honors as a freshman at Augusta University in 2023, is one of 29 players making their ANWA debut in 2024. She is in her first season at Florida State and already has one victory on her Seminole resume – at the Valspar Augusta Invitational in March.

As a freshman at Augusta, she earned All-American Second-Team honors with six top-seven finishes including a win in the Moon Invitational in her first career start. In her first season at Florida State, Ting is averaging 71.17 strokes in four events and the individual championship at the Valspar Augusta Invitational in March.

“This coming week will be a week to be remembered for a lifetime,” said Ting. “I’ll definitely have some nerves, but to be able to do it with my sister, our Florida State coaches, Charlotte, and Lottie will be even more special. I can’t wait for the week, just being out there soaking up and enjoying all those moments I’ll have.”

With 10 participants in the first five years of the ANWA, Florida State is one of just 10 schools nationally which has had at least 10 entries during the event’s short history.

Florida State’s Wallin finished in a tie for fourth place in ANWA in 2022 becoming the first player in the history of the tournament to finish in the top-10 of the standings at the ANWA (tied for seventh in 2019, tied for 10th in 2021 and tied for fourth in 2022).

“I’m so proud of Amanda, Beatrice, Amelia (Williamson), Charlotte, Lottie and Mirabel for earning the opportunity to play in the ANWA during their careers,” said Bond. “It’s such a memorable event and a magical moment in their careers. My wish for them is to have fun with their families and friends, take in all of the amazing things the tournament offers, and to play well.”

Four-star 2025 linebacker Tarvos "TJ" Alford committed to Ohio State on Saturday. The commitment to the Buckeyes didn't come as a surprise but with Florida State getting his last unofficial visit prior to his announcement it did give the Seminoles that best chance to make the last impression.

The rising senior considered three other schools; Tennessee, UCF and Miami in addition to FSU and Ohio State before committing to the Buckeyes.

Alford took unofficial visits to both Ohio State and Tennessee prior to his trip to Tallahassee. He told the Osceola a little over a week ago that he would be accompanied by his father on all of these trips in an effort to get his feedback as he got ready to make his decision.

Despite his commitment to Ohio State the battle for Alford will likely roll into the 2024 season. He will take an official visit to Ohio State on May 31st. and to Miami on June 21st. It is expected that he will take an official visit to FSU as well.

After five FSU football spring practices, I examined one player in each position group who has been a pleasant surprise so far this spring for the Seminoles.

I reached out to PJ tonight to confirm he was still planning on visiting FSU on Tuesday as he had told us several weeks ago. He confirmed that he is.

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Hayward was offered on his Junior Day visit earlier this year.

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FSU sports information:

The No. 18 Florida State softball team (24-9, 7-2) looks to continue their winning ways against the McNeese Cowgirls (23-13, 8-1) in a two-game, midweek series at JoAnne Graf Field. The two teams will play at 8 p.m. on both Tuesday and Wednesday with both games being televised by the ACC Network. Tiffany Greene (Play by Play) and Carol Bruggerman (Color) will have the call.

Noles Starting to Heat Up

• After losing four out of five to the likes of Alabama, Duke and Texas, the Seminoles have rattled off six consecutive wins, most in dominating fashion.
• FSU has outscored their opponent 64-21 and are averaging 10.66 runs per game during their win streak.
• Four out of the six wins have come via run rule.
• FSU has scored at least eight runs in all six of the games. This is the first time that they have scored eight or more runs in six consecutive games since 2019 when they scored eight or more runs in eight games from Mar. 19-31, 2019.
• FSU currently sits second in the ACC standings behind Duke.

Sister, Sister

• It will be a family reunion at The Plex on Tuesday and Wednesday as sisters Isa Torres and Mariana Torres will face off with each other.
• Mariana is a senior at McNeese who has started 25 games for the Cowgirls.

Coming Up in the Clutch

• When the pressure is on, freshman Isa Torres has come up big on multiple occasions for the Seminoles.
• Torres has hit two walk-offs in the bottom of the seventh this season to lead the Noles to victory.
• Torres hit a two-run walk-off home run against NC State on Mar. 28 to put the Seminoles on top 8-6. Torres was the first true freshman to hit a walk-off home run since Jessi Warren in 2015 against Notre Dame.
• Torres also hit a two-RBI walk-off single against Texas Tech on Feb. 9 to win the game for the Noles.

Torres' Red-Hot Weekend Against the Wolfpack

• Isa Torres hit a walk-off home run in the series opener against NC State, but that was just the start of a career weekend for Torres.
• Torres went 7-for-8 (.875) with six RBI, a home run, three doubles and a 1.625 slugging percentage.
• Four out of Torres' seven hits were for extra bases.
• Torres also had a spectacular weekend in the field, recording seven assists and two putouts to post a perfect fielding percentage.
• Torres is currently in the middle of a five-game hitting streak and five-game RBI streak.

Wait, They're Only Freshmen?!?!?!

• Yes, some of Florida State's best production has come from a freshmen class that was ranked the No. 3 overall class by softball America.
• Jaysoni Beachum (.470) and Isa Torres (,382) hold the top two batting averages on the team.
• In the circle, Ashtyn Danley has recorded a team-high 13 starts and her 59 innings are the second most on the team.
• All five freshman hitters have recorded a hit this season with Torres, Beachum and Kennedy Harp all recording 10+ hits.
• The six freshmen have made a combined 89 starts this season.
• 105 out of the team's 309 (34%) hits have come from freshmen.
• 72 out of the teams 243 RBI (38%) have come from freshmen.
• 39% of the team's innings pitched have come from freshmen.

Youth in the Circle

• A program that has continuously put together one of the best pitching staffs in the country has faced a new challenge this year....youth.
• 69% of innings thrown this year have been from either freshman or sophomores.
• 39% of the innings pitched have been from true freshman.
• Freshman pitchers Ashtyn Danley and Mimi Gooden have combined to start in 17 out of the Seminoles' 33 games this season.

Coacha Approaching Win No. 900

• Head Coach Lonni Alameda is quickly approaching 900 career wins as a collegiate coach as she currently sits at 897 wins.
• Alameda will become the 20th active coach to reach 900 career wins.
• Alameda holds the seventh best winning percentage among active Division 1 head coaches who will have won 900 games or more (.710).
• Alameda has the ninth-most wins among active Power 5 coaches.

Offensive Explosion

• FSU put together one of their best offensive weekends in school history last weekend against Pitt.
• FSU scored 40 runs in three games which was the most runs ever scored by FSU in a three game series against an ACC opponent.
• It was the first time FSU has ever scored 10 or more runs in three consecutive games against an ACC opponent. It was only the fourth time in school history that FSU has had a streak of three or more games with 10 or more runs.
• FSU hit 15 home runs against the Panthers including seven in the series finale which tied a program record for most home runs in a single game.
• 10 different players hit a home run against the Panthers.

Get Hot, Stay Hot

• The Florida State offense has been one of the best in the country through the first 33 games of the season.
• FSU is averaging 7.83 runs per game which is fifth in the country. FSU is hitting .345 as a team which ranks 9th in the country.
• FSU has scored 259 runs through 33 games this season which is on pace to be a top five offense in school history and could break the school record of 459 runs scored by the 2016 team. The 2016 team scored 263 runs through 33 games.
• In 33 games, FSU has scored 8 or more runs in 21 games. In 69 games last season, FSU scored eight or more runs just 22 times.
• FSU has scored 10 or more runs in nine games so far this season after accomplishing that feat just eight times last season.

Dominance in the ACC

• Florida State has been on top of the ACC for the past decade.
• FSU has won eight out of the last nine ACC Tournament Championships and seven out of the last nine ACC Regular Season Championships.
• Since 2012, FSU has lost just three ACC road series and has not lost an ACC road series since 2019.
• FSU has lost just three ACC series in the last four seasons and have lost just five ACC series since 2012.

A True Home Field Advantage

• The Seminole Softball Complex has become one of the toughest places to play in the country in recent history.
• Since the start of the 2019 season, FSU is 139-22 at the Seminole Softball Complex.
• In the past two seasons, FSU is 51-9 at the Seminole Softball Complex.

My Oh Amaya

• Fans have known the name Amaya Ross for awhile but mainly for her insane speed on the base paths. Now, Ross has found herself in the FSU lineup for more than just her speed.
• Ross has started all 33 games this season after making just 18 starts the past two seasons.
• Ross has already surpassed her hit, RBI and home run numbers this season from the last two seasons combined.
• Ross had one of the best weeks of her career at the Dugout Club Classic.
• In six games, Ross recorded 10 hits in 15 at-bats (.667) with six RBI and three triples.
• Ross was involved in 17 out of the Seminoles 47 runs scored in the Dugout Club Classic and was a perfect 5-for-5 on the base paths.
• Ross's five triples is seventh in the country.
• Ross is 11th in the country and first in the ACC with 21 stolen bases this season.
• Ross is the only player in the ACC to steal 20+ bases without being caught. Only two players in the country have stolen more bases without being caught than Ross.
• Ross currently holds a .341 batting average with eight home runs which is second on the team.
• Ross leads the ACC and is fourth in the country in runs per game (1.33).
• Ross has stolen 48 bases in 51 attempts over the course of her career.

Tallahassee Native Jaysoni Beachum Clicking On All Cylinders

• Jaysoni Beachum has continued to solidify herself as not only one of the best freshman in the country but as one of the best players in the country
• Beachum, a native of Tallahassee, leads the team with a .470 batting average and 47 hits.
• Beachum has hit seven home runs and driven in 33 runs which is second on the team.
• Beachum has recorded a hit in 25 out of the Seminoles' 33 games this season.
• Out of the 33 games this season, Beachum has had two or more hits in 18 games.
• Beachum has the highest batting average in the county among freshmen and has the seventh highest batting average in the country.
• Beachum has had two multi-home run games this season. Beachum is the first true freshman since Kalei Harding in 2021 to have a multi-home run game.
• Beachum has also locked down the hot corner for the Noles making 32 starts at the positions. Beachum has committed just two errors this season.

Ocho's Hot Start

• Kalei Harding or "Ocho" continues to be a consistent force for the Florida State lineup and is solidifying herself as one of the top hitters in program history
• Harding is currently hitting .366 with a team-high 40 RBI.
• In ACC play, Harding is hitting .500 with three home runs and 18 RBI. Her 18 RBI is tied for third in the conference.
• Harding also picked up her 200th career hit against the Blue Devils.
• Against UCLA, Harding recorded four hits in five at-bats which was tied for a career high. Harding was the first FSU player since Kaley Mudge in 2021 at the Women's College World Series against Alabama to record four or more hits.
• Her seven RBI game against Charlotte tied Anna Shelnutt (2017) for the school record for RBI in a single game.
• Harding is second all-time in school history for career doubles (54), fourth in school history for career home runs (39), fourth for career RBI (183) and eighth in school history for career slugging percentage (.572).

Torres Finds Groove in the Box and in the Field

• Replacing Josie Muffley is no easy task, but freshman Isa Torres has given her best shot and is off to a great start offensively and defensively for the Noles at the shortstop position.
• Torres is second on the team in batting average (.382) and has driven in 27 runs this season.
• Torres has continued to make jaw-dropping plays at the shortstop position this season and holds a .969 fielding percentage this season.
• Torres has come through in the clutch twice this season as she hit a walk-off home run against NC State on Mar. 28 and a walk-off single against Texas Tech on Feb. 10.

Reid Gaining Confidence in the Circle

• As one of the top freshman pitchers in 2023, Makenna Reid has begun to find her groove in the circle in 2024 after a tough start.
• Over the course of her career, Reid holds a 21-1 record for the Seminoles.
• In one of the best performances of her young career, Reid stifled one of the top offenses in Duke as she pitched a career high seven innings while allowing just three hits and not allowing a run.
• In 2023, Reid was one of just three pitchers last season to not suffer a loss joining Alex Storako and Nicole May from Oklahoma.
• Reid was one of just five players to post a sub 1.00 ERA last season.
• Reid was the first Seminole since Sarah Hamilton in 2009 to finish with a sub 1.00 ERA.

Danley Coming Alive in the Circle

• True freshman pitcher and outfielder Ashtyn Danley came to Tallahassee as one of the top recruits in the country and has begun to find her footing as a Seminole.
• Danley has made a team-high 13 starts for the Seminoles this season and holds a 5-2 record.
• In her last five appearances, Danley has allowed five earned runs while striking out 16 in 15.1 innings.
• Against one of the top offenses in the country in Texas, Danley threw three scoreless innings while striking out three.

Kerr Continues Hot Streak

• Redshirt junior Jahni Kerr is back for the Seminoles after a breakout season in 2023.
• In 2024, Kerr is hitting .364 with 22 RBI in 25 games. Kerr missed seven games this season due to injury.
• Against Pitt, Kerr hit three home runs in three games for the Noles.
• As one of the top recruits in the country coming out of high school, Kerr struggled in her first two seasons as a Seminole as she dealt with the implications of COVID and was recovering from a knee injury that she suffered her freshman season.
• The tide turned for Kerr in 2023, and it all started with a home run in a primetime ESPN slot against Alabama at the 2023 Clearwater Invitational. Kerr came into the game starting in just three out of the Seminoles nine games and was 2-for-10 at the plate.
• Kerr led the team with a .356 batting average while adding eight home runs and 40 RBI in 2023.
• Kerr earned First Team All-ACC honors for the first time in her career and was named to the Preseason All-ACC Team.

Flaherty Returns to Lead the Noles in the Infield and On the Base Paths

• No one was more dangerous on the base paths last season than Florida State's Devyn Flaherty.
• Flaherty stole 31 bases on 32 attempts which led the ACC.
• Flaherty cracked the all-time top 10 list for most career stolen bases in school history. Flaherty has 93 career stolen bases which puts her tied for eighth in school history.
• Flaherty was one of four players in the NCAA in 2023 to steal 30 or more bases while only being caught once.

A True Utility

• No one has embraced the utility role more in her career than Kalei Harding.
• Harding, who was recruited as a catcher, has played all but three positions (Pitcher, catcher, second base) during her career at Florida State.
• Harding is one of just three active players in the NCAA to have played six or more positions in their career.
• This season, Harding has already played left field, right field, third base and first base.

Ms. Mudge Hopes to be Ms. Consistent Again for the Noles

• When she's not on the Congress floor talking Name, Image and Likeness, Kaley Mudge has been a consistent force at the top of the lineup for the Seminoles.
• After an offseason surgery, Mudge is back to being healthy and has found herself back at the top of the Seminoles' lineup where she was in 55 out of the 69 games last season.
• Mudge has come on strong the last two weeks as she is hitting . 407 in conference play with two home runs and 3 RBI.

Edenfield Looking to Build Off Hot Start as a Seminole

• After redshirting her freshman season, Michaela Edenfield has taken the sport by storm and has been one of the nation's best power and clutch hitters.
• In her first two seasons, Edenfield has recorded two 50+ RBI seasons. Edenfield is one of just six Seminoles who have ever recorded two 50+ RBI seasons as a Seminole.
• Edenfield joined Jessi Warren and Sydney Sherrill as the only Seminoles to have 50+ RBI in their first two seasons in the Garnet and Gold.
• Edenfield will look to join Warren as the only two Seminoles who have recorded three 50+ RBI seasons. Warren had four 50+ RBI seasons as a Seminole.
• Last season, Edenfield was phenomenal when it mattered most. In 2023, 25 out of her 39 hits (64%) resulted in a run being scored. So far in 2024, 15 out of Edenfield's 31 hits (48%) have resulted in a run being scored.
• Edenfield is hitting .369 this season after having not finished with above a .300 batting average in her first two seasons as a Seminole.
• Edenfield hit her first career walk-off against Nicholls as she hit a single to score a run for the Noles to win the game. Later that day, Edenfield hit a walk-off home run to end the game in the fifth inning against Nicholls.
• Edenfield currently sits fourth in FSU history with 38 career home runs.
• Edenfield has had a great start to the 2024 season as she has hit a team-leading nine home runs and has driven in 26 runs.
• Staying Patient at the plate
• Last season, FSU was one of the best teams in the country at staying patient at the plate and this year doesn't seem to be any different.
• Last season, FSU drew 249 walks which ranked third in the country.
• In 33 games, FSU has drawn 137 walks which is currently ranked 14th in the country.

Speed, Speed and More Speed

• FSU's offensive formula was pretty simple in 2023, get on base and cause chaos on the base paths and nothing has changed in 2024.
• So far this season, FSU has stolen 57 bases on 67 attempts which ranks 34th in the country and third in the ACC.
• FSU led all Power Five schools with 134 stolen bases in 153 tries in 2023.
• FSU's 134 stolen bases ranked ninth in the country and were the fifth-most in school history and the most since the 2018 National Championship team.
• 113 out of the Seminoles 134 stolen bases were by returning players.

Pitching by Committee

• No one has embraced a pitching committee more than Coach Alameda in the last several seasons.
• In 2023, seven different pitchers saw action and five pitchers logged over 40 innings.
• All six of FSU's pitchers have seen action this season.

Doubles on Doubles on Doubles

• No one in the country was better at hitting for extra bases last season than the Florida State Seminoles, and the Seminoles are once again one of the best teams in the country at hitting for extra bases.
• So far in 2024, FSU has hit 57 doubles this season which is the second-most in the ACC and 19th in the country.
• FSU hit a school record 122 doubles in 2023 which was the fifth-most in NCAA history.
• FSU also hit 13 triples last season.
• Kalei Harding led the way with 22 doubles last season which was the second-most in school history.
• Kaley Mudge also hit 18 doubles which was tied for fifth in school history.

With a win tomorrow vs. Jacksonville, the FSU baseball team would match last year's win total at the exact halfway point of the regular season.

I dove into the numbers to see exactly how much better this FSU team is than the last few years. Spoiler alert: A lot better.

FSU sports information:

The Florida State Seminoles (24-9, 7-2) showcased their dominance in both offense and defense, securing a series sweep with a resounding 8-5 win over NC State (18-16, 1-11) on Saturday afternoon.

In a gripping start to the game between the Noles and NC State, both teams found themselves locked in a battle of defenses as they couldn't manage to score in the first inning.

However, in the bottom of the second inning, the Noles gained momentum. Amaya Ross reached on an error and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Isa Torres laid down a perfect bunt to third and used some head's up baserunning to advance to second for a double. Kennedy Harp's fly ball was deep enough to bring Ross home giving the Noles a 1-0 lead over NC State.

A walk and a hit by pitch set the stage again for Torres who continued her hot weekend with a two more RBI to put the Noles up 3-0. Harp then added her second RBI of the day to give the Noles a commanding 4-0 lead.

The Wolfpack fought back with a run in the bottom of the fourth, putting them on the scoreboard. Ashtyn Danley successfully prevented NC State from scoring again in the bottom of the fourth inning, allowing FSU to maintain their momentum.

FSU's offensive explosiveness continued in the bottom of the fourth inning. After a Mudge reached base in the bottom of the fourth inning by a hit to center field, Kalei Harding then crushed her eighth home run of the year into left field, paving the way for Mudge to score and earning her 40th RBI of the season to give the Noles a 6-1 lead after four innings.

Katie Dack added two more runs for the Noles in the bottom of the fifth with her second home run of the season to give the Noles a commanding 8-1 lead.

NC State hit two home runs in the top of the seventh, but the Noles held on for their sixth consecutive win.

Ashtyn Danley picked up the win for the Noles and was terrific as she pitched five complete innings while surrendering just one hit and one run whole striking out three.

Torres was the standout player for the Noles in this series as she recorded seven hits in eight at-bats (.875) with five RBI including the walk-off home run on Thursday.

A two-game home series with McNeese awaits Florida State. The teams will play on Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m. with both games being televised by the ACC Network.

With respect to Beyoncé, this is Texas.
The PGA TOUR heads back to Houston for the Texas Children’s Houston Open at Memorial Park Golf Course where Tony Finau is the defending champion.
However, he’ll have to hold off world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler – returning to action after back-to-back wins on the PGA TOUR.
This tournament was last held in November 2022, and with the PGA TOUR returning to a calendar-year schedule for 2024, it was not held in 2023.
So, with the tournament’s return, here’s everything else you need to know as the TOUR begins its Texas two-step in Houston.
FIELD NOTES: Scottie Scheffler returns to action after his dramatic win at THE PLAYERS Championship. Scheffler has won two events in a row on the PGA TOUR (the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard prior to his triumph at TPC Sawgrass) and has not finished outside the top 20 in any event so far this season. He’s looking to become the first golfer to win three straight events on the PGA TOUR since 2017. Scheffler has notched back-to-back top-10s in Houston and shares the course record at Memorial Park, an 8-under 62… Wyndham Clark, who fell one lipped-out birdie try short of tying Scheffler at THE PLAYERS, is back in action. Clark, a winner already this season, finished 16th at Memorial Park in 2022 – his best career finish in Houston… Tony Finau looks to become the first person to successfully defend his title in Houston since Vijay Singh in 2004-05. Finau has made seven of eight cuts so far this season. He’s had a mixed bag of results at this golf course, with a T24 and a missed cut the other finishes at Memorial Park… Texan Will Zalatoris is hoping to rebound from an early exit at THE PLAYERS. Zalatoris had two top-five finishes in a row at Signature Events before missing the cut at TPC Sawgrass. This is Zalatoris’ tournament debut in Houston… Peter Malnati is back in action after finding the winner’s circle at the Valspar Championship. Malnati’s triumph just outside Tampa was his first TOUR title in more than 3,000 days… Other notables in the field include Sahith Theegala, Jason Day, and Nick Dunlap… This is the final week prior to the world top-50 cutoff to qualify for the Masters. Amongst those in the field this week in Houston and needing an excellent finish to get to Augusta National include TOUR winners Tom Hoge (No. 57) and Mackenzie Hughes (No. 63) plus 10-time DP World Tour winner Alex Noren (No. 64).

SPONSOR EXEMPTIONS: Sam Bennett, the 2022 U.S. Amateur champion, will make his 2024 PGA TOUR debut. Bennett, a Texas A&M alum, has played five events on the Korn Ferry Tour this season with three top-25 results… Cole Hammer, the University of Texas alum, will also make his PGA TOUR debut in 2024 this week in Houston. Hammer has made six starts on the Korn Ferry Tour this season with two top-10s. He finished 27th at Memorial Park last season… Texan Ryan Palmer will make his 502nd start on the PGA TOUR and his 16th appearance in Houston. He has one top-10 result at this tournament in his career… Kris Ventura will tee it up on the PGA TOUR for the first time since September 2021. Ventura, who lost in a playoff at the 117 Visa Argentina Open presented by Macro on the Korn Ferry Tour earlier this month, was part of the 2018 NCAA Championship-winning team at Oklahoma State alongside Viktor Hovland… Padraig Harrington is back in action on the PGA TOUR. Harrington won the Hoag Classic on PGA TOUR Champions Sunday by one shot, his seventh PGA TOUR Champions title… Adam Long, Dawie van der Walt, and Jimmy Walker round out the sponsor exemptions.
SIGNATURE EVENT STORYLINES: Peter Malnati’s win saw him jump 29 spots in the Aon Next 10 standings from No. 35 to No. 6. The win means he’ll be exempt for the remaining Signature Events in 2024 regardless of where he finishes over the next few weeks… Shane Lowry was bumped from No. 9 to No. 11… The next Signature Event on the PGA TOUR schedule is the RBC Heritage in mid-April. The Aon Swing 5 standings for that event started with the Puerto Rico Open and continues through the Valspar Championship, the Texas Children’s Houston Open, and Valero Texas Open… With his win at the Puerto Rico Open, Brice Garnett remains on top of the Aon Swing 5 race… With his T3 at the Valspar, Chandler Phillips moved up 50 spots in the FedExCup standings and is now inside the Aon Swing 5 qualifying mark… Carl Yuan and Ryan Moore finished T5 at Innisbrook and also joined the Aon Swing 5 qualifying group after two events.


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Play Video
Peter Malnati sees family dream come true with win at Valspar

COMCAST BUSINESS TOUR TOP 10 UPDATES: Nick Taylor jumped back into the TOUR TOP 10 with his T64 at the Valspar Championship bumping Brian Harman to No. 11 after Harman missed the cut at Innisbrook Resort… The rest of the TOUR TOP 10 remained the same after the final event of the Florida Swing… Valspar winner Peter Malnati jumped all the way to 16th in the standings, about 150 points back of Taylor at No. 10… Two players have remained inside the TOUR TOP 10 for every week so far this season: Chris Kirk and Byeong Hun An.
FEDEXCUP: Winner receives 500 FedExCup points.
COURSE: Memorial Park Golf Course, par 70, 7,435 yards. A municipal course that can trace its origins to 1912, it underwent a dramatic recent renovation in 2019 via Tom Doak before welcoming the PGA TOUR back after nearly 60 years. Holes were both lengthened and shortened and trees and bunkers were removed and re-worked.
72-HOLE RECORD: 264, Tony Finau (2022)
18-HOLE RECORD: 62, Ron Streck (3rd round, 1981 at Woodlands CC), Fred Funk (3rd round, 1992 at TPC Woodlands). Golf Club of Houston record: 63, Johnson Wagner (1st round, 2008), Adam Scott (1st round, 2008), Jimmy Walker (1st round, 2011), Phil Mickelson (3rd round, 2011), Scott Piercy (1st round, 2015), Sung Kang (2nd round, 2017).

• Memorial Park Golf Course record: 62, Scottie Scheffler (2nd round, 2021), Tony Finau (2nd round, 2022)

LAST TIME: Tony Finau’s steady 1-under 69 Sunday was enough for him to cruise to a four-shot victory. Finau took the lead after the opening round and never looked back. It was his fifth PGA TOUR title. After an opening-round 65, Finau pressed the gas pedal with an 8-under 62 at Memorial Park tying his career-low score on the PGA TOUR. After a third-round 68, Finau had an eight-shot advantage at one point Sunday and ended with a four-shot win and a 16-under 264 for the week – a tournament scoring record. Tyson Alexander finished second at 12 under while Ben Taylor was third at 11 under.

HOW TO FOLLOW: (all times ET)​

Television:

• Thursday-Friday: 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel)
• Saturday: 1-3:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 3:30-6 p.m. (NBC)
• Sunday: 1-2:30 p.m. (Golf Channel), 2:30-6 p.m. (NBC)

PGA TOUR LIVE:

• Main Feed: primary tournament-coverage featuring the best action from across the course
• Marquee Group: new “marquee group” showcasing every shot from each player in the group
• Featured Groups: traditional PGA TOUR LIVE coverage of two concurrent featured groups
• Featured Holes: a combination of par-3s and iconic or pivotal holes

Radio on SiriusXM and FREE at PGATOUR.com/liveaudio:

• Thursday-Friday: 1-7 p.m.
• Saturday-Sunday: 1-6 p.m.

Congratulations again to last week's winner @FSUdawg

With that win, @FSUdawg extends his overall season lead.



Second to last stop before Augusta. Good luck to everyone

FSU is in the top 10 of the Baseball America poll, also moves up in DI baseball rankings. Plus a few news and notes on the Seminoles:

Interesting facts about the death penalty in the US. It's interesting that due to the availability of lethal injection drugs or nitrogen gas many states still authorize other means as an alternative.


Both Florida and Tennessee explicitly authorize lethal injection and electrocution, but state that, if those methods are found unconstitutional, prisoners may be executed by any constitutional method of execution.

NOTE: [Brackets] around a state indicate that the state authorizes the listed method as an alternative method if other methods are found to be unconstitutional or are unavailable/impractical. Click on the state to obtain specific information about the methods authorized.

FSU ended up 21st at the NCAAs. They left some points in the pool, but overall they did well. They didn't score any diving points, otherwise they would have been higher. The program has been somewhat stale since the pandemic, but this demonstrates improvement for coach Studd.

FYI, FSU swimming alumni Bob Bowman (Phelps former coach) won the NCAAs to give Arizona State its first ever swimming championship.
A remarkable situation given ASU canceled the swimming program back in 2008.
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Mike Norvell and the Florida State staff started with a young team in 2020, gradually developed high school signees and added transfers with experience who brought production and leadership. This moment was bound to happen, with accumulated experience (the likes of Jordan Travis, Trey Benson, Keon Coleman, Johnny Wilson, Jaheim Bell) and others moving on to the NFL.

FSU’s coaches knew they had a challenge on their hands but also an opportunity to build the roster in their image, through relationships they built with high school prospects as well as those in the transfer portal (and many of those relationships existed years ago when they were in high school, too).

In the next two days we’ll take a look at a few pleasant surprises on offense and defense. Some are newcomers. Some are likely starters. Others are young and likely backups. A few could have featured roles.

Here's the first part of our series breaking down one player at each offensive position who has been a pleasant surprise so far this spring.

Cal Fisher homered in his first career start, the FSU bullpen finished off a dominant week and the Seminoles beat Louisville 9-4 Saturday afternoon to win the series and finish off a 3-1 week.

It’s not about what was done to him, it’s about what he did for us!

FSU sports information:

Freshman Isa Torres hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to help the No. 18 Florida State softball team defeat NC State 8-6 on Thursday night at the Seminole Softball Complex

After a scoreless first inning, Jahni Kerr led off the bottom of the second inning for the Noles (22-9, 5-2 ACC) with a leadoff triple to right field. Torres delivered with her first RBI of the night with a double to bring home Kerr to give the Noles a 1-0 lead.

NC State (18-14, 1-9) struck back with four runs in the top of the third, but FSU began to claw their way back as Kalei Harding singled for her 32nd RBI of the year to cut the lead to two.

A double, a single and a walk loaded the bases for Harding in the bottom of the fourth, and she hit a bases-clearing double to give the Noles a 5-4 lead. Michaela Edenfield followed Harding with a double of her own to bring one more run across for the Noles.

NC State tied the game up with a two-run home run in the top of the sixth, but Makenna Reid responded by retiring the Wolfpack in order in the top of the seventh to set the stage for the Seminole offense.

Amaya Ross walked to lead off the bottom of the seventh and stole second to put a runner in scoring position. After a strikeout, Torres stepped in and blasted a ball over the right field fence for her second walk-off of her young career. Torres finished the night with three hits in four at-bats with three RBI.

FSU will look to take the series Friday at 6 p.m. on ACC Network Extra. Friday will serve as FSU's annual Paint It Pink game.