Successful professional athletes have plenty of talent, sure, but they also have an insatiable competitive drive. It's a big part of what keeps them going, year after year, tournament after tournament, and even practice after practice. Enter Martin Kaymer.
RELATED: 17 things you need to know about Martin Kaymer
The two-time major champ was going through his final tuneup for the Dubai Desert Classic on Wednesday when he accepted a challenge from his caddie, Craig Connelly, that he couldn't reach the par-5 18th at Emirates Golf Club with his second shot. Not only did Kaymer reach, he was so happy to prove Connelly wrong that he reacted as if he'd holed the long shot to win the tournament. Check it out:
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Good stuff, Martin, especially the “Oh, Babyyyyyyy!”
Connelly retweeted his boss' video (always a smart career move) with what we presume were his negative words (not always a smart career move) prior to Kaymer pulling off the shot:
https://twit..

Kevin C. CoxATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 24: Justin Thomas of the United States celebrates with the trophy on the 18th green after winning the FedExCup and second in the TOUR Championship as Xander Schauffele celebrates with the Calamity Jane trophy for winning the TOUR Championship after the final round at East Lake Golf Club on September 24, 2017 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)San Diego native Xander Schauffele returned to his hometown PGA Tour event this week as a conquering hero. He just didn't arrive in style like one.
RELATED: Meet the PGA Tour pro who buys golf shoes on eBay
On Tuesday, Schauffele accepted his Rookie of the Year Award from PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan after showing up to Torrey Pines driving the same “scuffed up” Toyota Camry he had before he found fame and fortune in 2017. But there's a simple, logical reason why the 24-year-old is still cruising in a Camry after earning approximately $7 million on the course since the start ..

Rocky WidnerSACRAMENTO, CA – JANUARY 11: Lou Williams #23 and assistant coach Sam Cassell of the Los Angeles Clippers smile during the game against the Sacramento Kings on January 11, 2018 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)There will be snubs. We knew that heading into Tuesday when both Oscar nominations and the NBA All-Star team reserves were revealed, but two particularly stand out. No I, Tonya for best picture? Out of NINE nominations?! Snub! And no Chris Paul in the All-Star Game?! Sure, he missed some time, but the Houston Rockets are basically undefeated when he plays! SNUB!
Then there was Lou Williams, who is having the best year of his career after being part of the off-season trade that sent Paul to the Rockets, averaging 23.3 points and 5.1 assists in 32.2 minutes on .451/.405/.904 shooting for the .500 Clippers. Williams wasn't the biggest snub to us, but he was to at least one person: Lou Williams. And he offered..

Nike isn't off to a particularly great start as the NBA's uniform supplier. The jerseys have torn easier than Janet Jackson's blouses, the designs have been quarter-assed at best, and they skipped Christmas altogether. The ace-up-the-sleeve was supposed to be the City Edition uniforms, but those rolled out last month with templates like this and, well, yeah…
FacebookPinterestOne team (mercifully) absent in that initial batch, however, was the Miami Heat. For no specified reason, one of America's most aesthetically distinct NBA markets was left hanging, wondering what fresh sartorial hell Nike had waiting for it. But on Tuesday, nearly a month after the first wave of City Editions, the world finally got a glimpse of the Heat's new alternates and, suffice to say, they were worth the wait:
FacebookPinterestFacebookPinterestFacebookPinterestInspired by the city's long love affair with neon-soaked nightlife, these retina-searing beauties are unabashedly, auth..

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) Joaquin Niemann wanted to make his last round as an amateur one of his best. He was so good Tuesday that he felt he could birdie every hole and closed with an 8-under 63 for a five-shot victory in the Latin America Amateur Championship.

And that means his amateur career is not over yet.

Next up for the 19-year-old from Chile: the Masters at Augusta National.

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Niemann lived up to his No. 1 world amateur ranking by playing a five-hole stretch in 6-under par around the turn at Prince of Wales Country Club. That carried him to a stress-free victory over Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico, a runner-up in the Latin America Amateur for the second straight year.

By winning, Niemann earns a spot in the Masters and would be exempt into the final stage of qualifying for the U.S. Open and British Open. He won’t be eligible for those exemptions because he plans to turn pro after the Masters.

”After I wake up, walking to my car I say to myself, `Let’s m..

SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) Joaquin Niemann of Chile lived up to his No. 1 ranking by winning the Latin America Amateur Championship to earn a spot in the Masters.

Niemann played a five-hole stretch around the turn at 6-under par on his way to an 8-under 63 on Tuesday for a five-shot victory over Alvaro Ortiz of Mexico. It was the low score of the week at Prince of Wales Country Club.

Ortiz finished runner-up for the second straight year.

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Niemann finished at 11-under 273. His victory gets him into the Masters, and into the final stages of qualifying for the U.S. Open and British Open. He also is exempt into the U.S. Amateur and British Amateur.

Niemann has been No. 1 in the world amateur ranking since May.

We are just over two weeks from the start of the 2018 Winter Olympics, and so far the build-up—partly because no one is psyched about watching curling at 6am and partly because the the Jamaican men's bobsled didn't qualify—has been a little tepid. On Monday night, however, the Olympic hypetrain finally grumbled into gear thanks in large part to a pair of gloves and, well, Dumb & Dumber.
Wait, let us explain.
You see, after Team USA unveiled their rustic, Ralph Lauren-designed Opening Ceremony uniforms on the Today Show, Twitter's fashion police quickly put out an odd APB: Rawhide tassels, wanted for questioning.
https://twitter.com/bailsofhemp/status/955653221640531968
But the gunslinger look, notable (and definitely 'Merica enough) on its own, didn't really catch fire until a few fine folks stumbled upon its true spiritual muse: Lloyd Christmas, Aspen, circa 1994.
https://twitter.com/FuckingChach/status/955487420832735232
https://twitter.com/Amosis/status/9554..

Barry KingLOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 15: A general view of atmosphere at the premiere of Fox Searchlight Pictures' 'The Shape Of Water' at Academy Of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences on November 15, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Barry King/Getty Images)It’s become an annual cliché to complain about the announcement of the Best Picture nominees, to sigh about how most folks haven’t seen many of the nominated films, how the nominated films represent an elitist niche corner of the industry, and how they wouldn’t recognize the nominated films if the nominated films smacked them in the face with a fish. With that said, we’re about to do all of that whining anyway, but we’re going to feel a little bad about it. (I read the full list of nominees and legitimately got down to Logan in Best Adapted Screenplay before being all like HEY, I SAW THAT ONE, until I realized that I hadn’t actually seen that one, but definitely did put it on my Wish List. But several members ..

Wilson Golf's “Driver vs. Driver” second season will include NHL star Jeremy Roenick as a judge, to air in October 2018

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we’re embarrassed to say we actually believed the Jags were going to beat the Patriots. Thanks a lot, John Malkovich. While this Giants fan tries to find some reason to get excited (read: some gambling angle) for a Super Bowl between the Patriots and Eagles, I'm at least glad this year’s break before the big game allows another sporting event to get the full spotlight it deserves. Tiger Woods is officially returning to the PGA Tour, folks. And golf fans don’t need any fancy teaser by CBS to get us hyped to watch.
FacebookPinterestGina FerazziThat said, we wouldn’t mind CBS pulling out all the stops to promote its weekend coverage at Torrey Pines. Provided, of course, Tiger Woods makes it to the weekend. OK, here's what else has us talking.
WE'RE BUYING
Jon Rahm: A year ago, Rahm arrived at Torrey Pines ranked No. 137 in the Official World Golf Ranking. Now he’s all the way up to No. 2 following a playoff win over Andrew Land..