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BUENOS AIRES — Lionel Messi arrived in Argentina on Friday (Saturday in Manila) ahead of his farewell game with the national team. Messi is set to play in a friendly match against Benin in Buenos Aires on Tuesday in a final appearance for the team he led to a World Cup title in 2022. The Argentine Football Association said the goal of the match is to ensure “the best player in the world gets the home send-off he truly deserves.” Messi, who announced his international retirement on Aug. 31, flew in from Miami on a private jet with his family, landing in his hometown of Rosario, 300 kilometers (about 190 miles) north of Buenos Aires. Several fellow 2022 World Cup champions will join the celebrations. However, Paulo Dybala and Nahuel Molina were unable to attend after Roma declined to release them. Messi’s decision brings the curtain down on a historic 21-year international career in the Albiceleste jersey, leaving behind a legacy that includes 125 goals and reaching two more World Cup finals — losing to Spain this year and Germany in 2014. Messi is not taking part in any of Argentina’s other games in this international window. The team beat Bolivia 4-0 on Wednesday and will also play Burkina Faso on Saturday.

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers expect superstar Shohei Ohtani to be nearing full strength when they take on the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series with an eye on a third straight World Series title. The four-time Most Valuable Player, who landed in the injured list with nagging left knee and right biceps injuries late in the regular season, has benefitted from five days off as the 100-win Dodgers enjoyed a first-round bye, manager Dave Roberts said. “I feel confident that you’re going to see the best version of Shohei of the last two months,” Roberts said. “I know that’s sort of a low bar given his injury, but I do think that he’s as healthy as he’s been in quite some time. “Every day from the training staff, it keeps getting better... he’ll be a threat in the lineup.” The Dodgers are chasing the first World Series three-peat since the New York Yankees won it all in 1998, 1999 and 2000. Tarik Skubal — the two-time reigning Cy Young Award-winner acquired from Detroit in August to bolster that bid — is expected to start game one of the best-of-five series against the Braves on Saturday. The Milwaukee Brewers, the top seeds in the National League after winning 103 regular-season games, will take on the San Diego Padres while in the American League the top-seeded Tampa Bay Rays face the New York Yankees and the second-seeded Cleveland Guardians meet the Chicago White Sox — who had the backing of lifelong fan Pope Leo XIV during their Wild Card win over the Houston Astros. The Braves topped the Philadelphia Phillies 2-1 in the best-of-three Wild Card series to book their sixth post-season showdown with the Dodgers. Atlanta have been buoyed by the dominant pitching of Chris Sale and a resurgent Tyler Mahle while the Dodgers, even with Ohtani unable to pitch, have a formidable rotation that includes Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow in addition to Skubal. “Everyone knows the Dodgers have a juggernaut, but we played well against them this year,” said Braves manager Walt Weiss, who was scrambling to get his roster settled as the team headed to Los Angeles after beating Philadelphia 6-2 on Thursday night to clinch their series win. “That doesn’t carry a whole lot of stock. Once the playoffs begin everybody starts at zero. The Dodgers are healthier now than they were when we saw them.” The Brewers finished with the best record in baseball for the second straight year and after falling short of the fall Classic in each of their past nine trips to the playoffs they’re determined to cash in on their regular-season capital. But they’ll face a red-hot team in the Padres, who clinched a playoff berth with a 16-5 record in September and swept the Chicago Cubs 2-0 in their Wild Card series.

IVINS, Utah — Austin Smotherman made 10 birdies Friday (Saturday in Manila) to match the lowest round of his PGA Tour career, a 9-under 62 that gave him a one-shot lead in a Bank of Utah Championship where making birdies is the only way to make up ground. Kevin Roy opened with a pair of 63s and broke by five shots his best 36-hole score. In perfect conditions at the Black Desert Resort, that left him one shot behind Smotherman. Smotherman, playing in his 100th PGA Tour event and still looking for his first victory, made all but two of his 10 birdies from inside 10 feet. His longest was a 20-footer on the par-3 17th, part of a birdie-birdie-birdie finish that gave his second 36-hole lead of the year at 17-under 125. He also led after 36 holes at the Cognizant Classic, where he tied for second. “It was just very steady — a lot of greens, a lot of fairways, a couple tight wedges,” Smotherman said. “It’s what you’ve got to do to shoot 9 under.” He also shot 62 at the Cognizant Classic in February and the Bermuda Open four years ago. Doug Ghim had another bogey-free round, this one a 62 that left him two shots behind along with Kevin Streelman, who had a 65. The late drama came from Jackson Koivun, the 21-year-old who finished at Auburn in June and was unbeaten in the Presidents Cup last week at Medinah. Koivun was outside the projected cut line for much of the afternoon and came to the par-5 18th needing birdie to assure playing the weekend. His drive found the bunker down the left side, slightly down because of the rake grooves. He still went with a 5-wood with lava rock down the left side. He cleared that and stayed short of more trouble, then hit a pitch-and-run to 6 feet for birdie and 67. That allowed Koivun to make the cut on the number at 6-under 136. Among those who missed the cut was Utah native Tony Finau. The Bank of Utah Championship is the second of eight tournaments that are part of the FedEx Cup Fall, where the top 100 in the standings at the end of the year keep full cards for next year. The top 60 are assured of getting into $20 million signature events at Pebble Beach and Riviera.

NAGOYA, Japan — A gold medal for two South Korean golfers at the Asian Games would mean more than a chunk of metal to dangle around their necks. For Kim Joo-hyung and Kim Seong-hyeon, winning gold at the Asian Games — in the men’s individual or team event — would excuse them from mandatory military service at home. Kim Joo-hyung goes by Tom Kim when he plays on the PGA Tour, and Kim Seong-hyeon goes by S.H. Kim. Under any name, they got a good start in the first round on Wednesday toward landing the exemption. The final round is Saturday. “I am 100% nervous,” S.H. Kim said. “A lot of pressure.” He added he’s struggling with knee and back injuries and was not optimistic about his chances in the individual event. “Team gold is easier,” he said. Japan led the men’s team competition after the first round, with South Korea and China two strokes behind. In the individual event, Wang Wei-hsuan of Taiwan and Kazuki Higa of Japan were tied at 5-under 65 atop the leaderboard at Kasugi Country Club. Mun Do-yeob, the third member of the South Korea team, was tied with four others at 4-under 66. Unlike his teammates, 35-year-old Mun doesn’t need the exemption. In South Korea most men serve 18-21 months of military service. “I already finished my military service so I don’t really think about the military (exemption)”, Mun said. “But I want to play good, so we make our team get a gold medal ... to make sure they don’t go to the military.” The format is 72 holes of stroke play. The teams are made up of three players, but only the best two scores count each day toward the team total.

MEDINAH, Illinois — Jackson Koivun crushed his tee shot on No. 18 and twirled his driver in the air as he strutted toward the fairway. The 21-year-old Koivun looked quite comfortable in his Presidents Cup debut. More like a seasoned veteran than the youngest player on the US team. The former Auburn star defeated Si Woo Kim 2 up in singles, part of an epic rally for the Americans in a 17-13 victory over the International squad. He went 2-0-1 in his three matches at Medinah Country Club in suburban Chicago. “I put him in a big spot today, a really big spot,” US captain Brandt Snedeker said. “That was a massive match. If we were going to have any chance today, he had to win that match. The guys were cheering in the room last night when we made that decision to put him in that spot. The whole team went crazy because they knew they wanted the kid to go up against Si Woo, and he delivered today in a big way.” Koivun led the Tigers to the NCAA title in June. Almost two months later, the California native won the 3M Open in his third professional start, holding off Scottie Scheffler on the way to the victory. Despite his lack of experience, Koivun was selected by Snedeker for the American team. He became the first player since Jordan Spieth in 2013 to start a year without a tour card and play in the Presidents Cup. “I had some goals, but for it to come this quickly is definitely shocking, and I’m just thankful and grateful for the trust the captains put in me to put me out in three of the five matches,” Koivun said. Koivun teamed with Justin Thomas for a 4-and-3 victory over Corey Conners and Nico Echavarria in fourballs on Thursday. He rested during Friday’s foursomes — a 5-0 sweep for the International team — before playing with Thomas again on Saturday in a fourballs match against Min Woo Lee and Sungjae Im that was halved. “He’s really just — he gets it. He’s very mature,” Thomas said. “It just was really cool to kind of just watch him do his thing. I’ll never in my life forget the smile he had on his face when he put the tee in the ground on Thursday morning and he was about to hit.” Koivun fell behind at the beginning of his singles match against Kim, losing two of the first four holes. He got one back when he made an 18-footer for birdie on No. 5, a 480-yard, par-4. But Kim restored his 2-up lead when he birdied No. 9 and Koivun missed a 6-footer. Koivun rallied with an impressive finish, winning five of the last eight holes. He tied the match with a 12-footer for birdie on No. 12. He opened a 2-up lead on No. 15, when he hit it into 7 feet and Kim missed a 6-footer. Up one going into No. 18, Koivun showed no signs of any nerves. He blasted a 310-yard drive into the fairway and an 8-iron from 159 into 8 feet, punctuating each swing with a twirling club and a confident walk toward the green. Koivun’s victory guaranteed at least a tie for the US, and the Americans closed it out from there. Koivun was one of the first players to hold the Cup during the closing ceremony, capping a valuable experience for the phenom. “Yeah, I think I’ll just take a lot of knowledge that I can be out here and I can compete,” he said. “It’s just exciting being able to call these guys my friends, and now when I go to tournaments it’s not like, ‘Oh, there’s so and so.’ It’s like, ‘I was on a team with them and we won the Presidents Cup.’”

Alexandria Enriquez won a silver medal in the jiu-jitsu competion to add to the Philippines' haul in the 2026 Asian Games, which now stands at 29 medals as of Saturday, October 3.

MANILA, Philippines — Refusing to buckle under pressure, Jhonnel Ababa staged a dramatic late-round comeback on Friday, birdieing the final two holes to edge Jeffren Lumbo by one shot and capture the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge title with a scintillating 63 at the Iloilo Golf and Country Club. The seasoned campaigner and former Order of Merit champion unleashed a furious closing charge, pulling level with Lumbo on the 17th before sinking another clutch birdie on the 72nd hole. The electric finish ignited roaring cheers from the large crowd gathered around the 18th green. Ababa’s closing surge capped a remarkable stretch-run battle after Lumbo, who finished with a 67, had appeared firmly in control entering the final round. The 30-year-old Lumbo had opened a three-shot cushion over Ababa and Francis Morilla following a near-flawless third-round showing on Thursday, putting himself in prime position to claim his second career victory. But Ababa refused to let the gap dictate the outcome. Under sweltering conditions, the multi-title campaigner steadily chipped away at Lumbo’s advantage while a host of contenders, including Morilla, Reymon Jaraula, Clyde Mondilla, Ira Alido, and Rupert Zaragosa, also tried to stay within striking distance. With the field gradually running out of holes, Ababa made his move. A stirring birdie-birdie-eagle surge from No. 12 brought him level with Lumbo at 13-under with four holes remaining, setting up a tense, nerve-wracking duel between two determined contenders. Lumbo answered with a clutch birdie on No. 15 to regain the outright lead and appeared to have stemmed Ababa’s charge. But the veteran refused to blink. Ababa stayed composed down the stretch, then delivered the decisive blow on No. 17, sinking another birdie to draw level once more and set up a winner-take-all finish on the 18th. With the title hanging in the balance, Ababa delivered one final clutch shot, setting himself up with a four-foot birdie putt after Lumbo’s approach finished some three pins away. When Lumbo agonizingly missed his birdie attempt, the door was wide open for Ababa. He took his time, carefully reading the break and judging the distance, while keeping his composure and resolve firmly intact. Then, with confidence, Ababa stroked the putt. The ball rolled true and disappeared into the hole, completing a stunning comeback and securing a one-stroke victory over Lumbo on a closing seven-under card and a 14-under 266 total worth P440,000. Lumbo closed with a three-under card to settle for his third runner-up finish of the year at 267 and pocketed P287,500, while Jaraula fired a 66 to snatch third place at 270 after one of the fiercest four-day duels in Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) history. Mondilla carded a 67 to tie Morilla, who shot a 69, for fourth at 272, while Zaragosa posted a second straight 68 to finish sixth at 273. Negros Occidental leg winner Art Arbole rallied with a 68 to tie Alido, who matched par with a 70, and Japan’s Miki Ryoma, who slipped with a 71, for seventh at 275. The victory marked Ababa’s 14th PGT title. Ever humble and magnanimous in victory, Ababa attributed the unlikely triumph to Divine providence, admitting he never expected to win after trailing Lumbo by a wide margin. "God really granted this victory to me. I didn't expect to win here because Jeffren had a big lead. So He truly blessed me with this," said Ababa, who dedicated the victory to his family, including his late wife, Mailyn, and their sons, John Michael and Samuel. Despite being two shots down with seven holes to play, Ababa knew the match was far from over. Rather than dwell on the deficit, he focused on executing the basics and giving himself a chance. "I didn't feel pressured. I just told myself to hit the fairway and green, and maybe I'd get lucky. On No. 17, the line was good," he said. With a playoff as his immediate goal, Ababa stayed patient and waited for an opening. "I was really just aiming for a playoff to give myself a chance. But he missed his putt, and I made mine in one," he added. No sudden death ensued as Ababa seized the opportunity with a clutch approach. His solid drive on the 18th left him just 50 yards from the pin. He pulled out his trusted 60-degree wedge and stuffed it to within four feet, setting himself up for the winning putt. The victory underscored Ababa’s experience and composure under pressure, as he transformed a three-shot deficit into a dramatic closing triumph with a fiery four-under card over three holes and back-to-back birdies when it mattered most. It was also a major redemption for him after his third-place finish in Negros Occidental last year, where he slugged it out with Arbole through the first three rounds before fading on the final day, enabling Lumbo to seize runner-up honors. For Lumbo, the rising Sarangani star who also finished second at Pinewoods, the defeat came after he had controlled much of the tournament and appeared poised to add another title to his young professional career. Instead, it was Ababa who owned the final stretch — turning the 17th and 18th into the decisive holes and walking away with the ICTSI Iloilo Golf Challenge crown. TMT

Jiu-jitsu"s Alexandria Enriquez secured the Philippines" ninth silver medal in the 2026 Asian Games to cap the country"s campaign -- its best performance in the Asian Games since 1962.

MANILA, Philippines — The young pair of Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara gifted the Philippines its first-ever Asian Games medal in beach volleyball. Progella and Pagara copped a historic bronze medal in the 2026 Asian Games beach volleyball event after outlasting China’s duo of Shuting Cao and Jie Dong, 21-13, 21-23, 15-13, on Friday at the Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Aichi, Japan. This is the first time the Philippines has earned a podium finish in beach volleyball since the sport was introduced in the Asian Games in 1998. Progella, 20, and Pagara, 21, are both beach volleyball standouts of the University of Santo Tomas. The young guns made sure to earn a medal finish after the exit of Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons on Wednesday, when the two Alas veterans fell to Thailand’s Worapeerachayakorn Kongphopsarutawadee and Taravadee Naraphornrapat, 17-21, 21-12, 13-15, in the quarterfinals.

Kieffer Alas powered Ateneo de Manila past National University and to the top of the UAAP Season 89 men's basketball standings with an 87-76 win at the PhilSports Arena Saturday. Alas unleashed 10 of his 18 points in the final canto including the dagger trey in the last 15 seconds, as the Blue Eagles erased a 17-point, 19-36 first half deficit to rise to 3-1. Alas added five rebounds, four assists, and three steals to his name while Andrew Bongo aided him with 16 points. Shawn Tuano and Travis Roberts poured 14 points apiece while EJ Kapihe chipped in 12. Tebol Garcia poured 18 points and three rebounds for the Bulldogs, who dropped to third with a 2-2 slate.

UAAP Season 89 Men’s Basketball Tournament Ateneo def. NU, 87-76 Kieffer Alas Player of the Game #UAAPSeason89

The Philippine Blu Girls failed to make the podium and settles for fourth place in women’s softball at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The Cebuana Lhuillier-backed Philippine team bowed to Chinese Taipei, 12-2, at the Anjo Softball Ground on Saturday in their battle for the bronze medal. While the Blu Girls narrowly missed a place on the podium, their run here saw the team overcoming early setbacks, stringing together crucial victories and making its way into medal contention.  Chinese Taipei established control early, scoring four runs in the opening inning before adding eight in the second.  The Blu Girls, however, refused to go away quietly, responding with two runs in the third inning.  Nicole Adra Hammoude delivered both RBIs, recording a hit and scoring once, while Mylia Isabel Perez also crossed home plate.  Ma. Angelu Gabriel and Reyae Mae Villamin added a hit apiece as the Philippines finished with four hits against Chinese Taipei's 13.  Amateur Softball Association of the Philippines (Asa-Phil) president Jean Henri Lhuillier commended the national team for the fight and determination it showed throughout the Asian Games.  “Of course, we wanted to see the Blu Girls come home with a medal, but this campaign gave us many reasons to be proud. They faced some of the strongest teams in Asia, fought their way back after a difficult start, and never stopped competing for the flag. That resilience is what defines this team,” said Lhuillier, who is also president and CEO of Cebuana Lhuillier. “We will continue to support them, build on everything we learned here, and keep working toward the day Philippine softball finally reaches that Asian Games podium.”  The bronze medal game brought an end to a campaign marked by resilience from the Blu Girls in this 8-nation tournament.  With another high-level international campaign behind them, the Blu Girls leave Japan with valuable experience to build on as they continue their pursuit of a breakthrough Asian Games medal for Philippine softball.