Ranking top 10 sports events July 25-31 you won’t want to miss:
NO. 1: GOLF: 98th PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Details/TV: At Baltusrol Golf Club in Springfield, New Jersey, Thursday-Sunday, TNT, CBS
Just two weeks after the British Open and within shouting range of the Olympic golf competition in Brazil, you’ll get some who question the logic of having to cram this fourth and final major into the PGA schedule at this point on the calendar. Does that take some shine off it? “Let the momentum carry over as soon as possible” from the Henrik Stenson-Phil Mickelson showdown at Troon, says CBS lead golf broadcaster Jim Nantz. “We have the stars of the game ready and a wider and wider audience for it. If they’re in their peak form like Stenson and Mickelson, why not relish coming back this soon?” Jason Day, winner of the 2015 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, is grouped with Mickelson, who won the 2005 PGA Championship last time it was at Baltusrol, and Rory McIlroy starting at 5:30 a.m. (PDT) Thursday. The star power of Day, McIlroy, Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth has all declined to go Rio for the Aug. 11-14 event, so this is where the last reward (and a $10 million purse) is for them. Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar, who are going to Rio to represent the United States, are also in this field. Also note that John Daly, 25 years after he put his name on the golf map by winning the PGA Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indiana and recently joined the PGA Champions Tour, exercised his option to be here.
TNT has the first two rounds Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and early coverage Saturday and Sunday (8-to-11 a.m.) CBS has the final two rounds Saturday and Sunday (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
Also: LPGA Tour British Open from the Woburn Golf Club in Buckinghamshire, England: Thursday-Sunday, Golf Channel, daily coverage begins at 6 a.m.
NO. 2: NFL: RAMS TRAINING CAMP OPENS
Details/TV: At UC Irvine’s Crawford Field; rookies report Tuesday, veterans report Thursday, first practice open to the public is Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
The Rams haven’t been in the OC for two decades, but their reality show begins with 16 practices open to the public at the UCI facility. Remember, the Anteaters don’t have a football team, so this could get sideways just figuring out where to paint the lines. And don’t get real close to Todd Gurley if you’re eating a double cheeseburger. More info: www.therams.com
NO. 3: VANS U.S. OPEN OF SURFING
Details/TV: At Huntington Beach Pier, Monday-Sunday, CBS SportsNet
Seriously, why isn’t surfing part of the Rio Summer Games coming up? Look at the roster of how many international surfers there are this weekend in Surf City. Perhaps the IOC fearful of what drug testing might turn up, and the contaminated water conditions near the beach volleyball venue?
CBS SportsNet has live coverage Monday (7:30 a.m.), Tuesday and Wednesday (9 a.m.), Thursday, Friday and Sunday (noon), plus a daily wrapup show from 4-5 p.m.
NO. 4: MLB: ANGELS vs. BOSTON
Details/TV: At Angel Stadium, Thursday-Sunday, FSW
David Ortiz (third in the AL at .332, fifth in HRs at 24 and second in RBIs at 81) will be making his Anaheim curtain call. The 40-year-old’s career marks at the Angels’ home facility since he arrived in 1997: Just a .204 average (38 for 186) with 11 homers, 29 RBIs, 24 walks and one caught stealing in 51 games. Not counting the four playoff series against the Angels. He recently went 4 for 10 with a homer against the Angels at Fenway Park when the Red Sox took two out of three (aside from a 21-2 loss).
The series: Thursday and Friday at 7:05 p.m., Saturday at 6:05 p.m., Sunday at 12:35 p.m.
Also this week: Angels at Kansas City, Monday-Wednesday, 5:15 p.m., FSW
NO. 5: MLB: DODGERS vs. TAMPA BAY
Details/TV: At Dodger Stadium, Tuesday-Wednesday, SportsNet LA
As long as they’re forcing the Dodgers to go interleague with all the AL East teams, why make the Rays stop by for a visit here? The Yankees, meanwhile, come to Southern California on Aug. 19-21 for an Anaheim stop and could have squeezed in two then. The Dodgers and Rays already played (and split) an obligatory two-game series in Tampa back on May 3-4. The only redeeming value to this is having Andrew Friedman getting a first-hand look at Rays trade bait like Chris Archer (5-13, 4.60 ERA, making $1.1 mil, and pitching Tuesday against Bud Norris) or Matt Moore (6-7, 4.31 ERA, making $3.1 mil and pitching Wednesday against Brandon McCarthy).
The series: Tuesday at 7:10 p.m., Wednesday at 12:10 p.m.
Also this week: Dodgers vs. Arizona, Dodger Stadium, Friday at 7:10 p.m., Saturday at 6:10 p.m., Sunday at 1:10 p.m., SportsNet LA
NO. 6: SOCCER: 2016 INTERNATIONAL CHAMPIONS CUP
CHELSEA vs. LIVERPOOL
Details/TV: At the Rose Bowl, Wednesday, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
LEICESTER CITY vs. PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN
Details/TV: At StubHub Center, Saturday, 9 p.m., ESPN
Is this really a case of EuroSnobbery coming to Southern California? At least come on over and find out more about this incredible long shot Leicester City that won the EPL against most odds.
Also on Wednesday: Bayern Munich vs. AC Milan from Chicago, 6:30 p.m., ESPN2; Real Madrid vs. Paris Saint-Germain at Columbus, Ohio, 4:30 p.m., ESPN2. Also on Saturday: Liverpool vs. AC Milan at Santa Clara, 7 p.m., ESPN2
NO. 7: SOCCER:
21st MLS ALL-STAR GAME: MLS STARS vs. ARSENAL
Details/TV: At Avaya Stadium in San Jose, Thursday, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
CHIVAS GUADALAJARA vs. ARSENAL
Details/TV: At StubHub Center, Sunday, 6 p.m.
Giovani dos Santos is the Galaxy’s lone representative on the 26-player roster for the MLS against the touring English Premier League team. And don’t forget, Stan Kroenke is the Arsenal majority shareholder. If you’re not wearing a new Rams jersey around L.A., Stan would suggest the Arsenal kit.
NO. 8: MLS: GALAXY at SEATTLE
Details/TV: At CenturyLink Field, Sunday, 1 p.m., ESPN
Coming off an impressive road win at Portland last weekend, defeating the defending champion Timber, the Galaxy(9-3-8) go back to Seattle — they posted a 1-0 win there back on July 9 on Robbie Keane’s first-half goal — and have a chance to make the local Sounders fans sound off even more about how poorly this team (6-12-2) is functioning lately under coach Sigi Schmid. Just recently, the Galaxy rallied to defeat the Sounders, 4-2 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals in Carson, and the Sounders are coming off a 3-0 thumping in Kansas City, even with Clint Dempsey back in the lineup, which some say marks the rock-bottom mark for the franchise.
NO. 9: MEN’S BASKETBALL EXHIBITION: U.S. vs. VENEZUELA
Details/TV: At United Center in Chicago, Friday, 6 p.m., NBATV
First, a pit stop in Oakland so the three Warriors on Team USA can show off Kevin Durant’s teamwork against China (Tuesday, 7 p.m.) before this exercise against Venezuela, who they will face in the Olympic group stage on Aug. 8.
Also: U.S. women’s basketball team vs. Select Team, Monday at 7 p.m., NBATV; vs. France at Newark, Del., Wednesday at 4:30 p.m., NBATV; vs. Canada in Bridgeport, Conn., Friday at 4 p.m., NBATV.
NO. 10: E-LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP
Details/TV: At the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Friday-Saturday, TBS
If this facility is rocking, don’t bother knocking it. The conclusion of this video game eSports league premiere season, sponsored by Turner Sports and WME-IMG, happens as teams play the Counter-Strike Global Offensive game. Semifinals are Friday (2 p.m. and 7 p.m., TBS) with the final on Saturday at 1 p.m. on TBS. More info: www.e-league.com
