Recent content from Jim Souhan
Souhan: Why Tiger Woods should keep swinging
Woods knows the end is near, but why rush toward it? Why not play, if you can still play? Tiger gave an answer with how he approached Sunday's final round at the Masters.
Souhan: Scheffler wins Masters again, shows what makes him special
Scottie Scheffler foot-shuffling swing doesn't look like the form of a champion. But the world's No. 1 player hasn't shot a round under par all season and now has two Masters titles.
Morikawa falters in final round at Masters
Two double bogeys derailed Collin Morikawa's opportunity at a third major championship.
Keeping up with the Joneses who helped design Augusta National's classic back nine
Robert Trent Jones Sr. helped Bobby Jones alter the final nine holes at Augusta to produce the memorable finishing stretch at the Masters each year.
Souhan: Masters delivers class, drama atop the leaderboards
Scottie Scheffler recovered to lead an ideal field as the Masters enters the final round with three untainted, even likable, players atop the famed leaderboards.
Former Gophers golfer Van Rooyen finds himself in a hole at the Masters
Erik Van Rooyen and his caddie, former U teammate Alex Gaugert, were tested by fast greens and swirling winds at the third round at Augusta National.
Masters morning report: Max Homa will battle the pressure
Homa is tied for the lead entering today's final round at Augusta.
DeChambeau sets himself apart at Masters, uprooting signpost for perfect shot
Bryson DeChambeau also explained inventing and 3-D printing his own irons to help correct his mishits with bolts to create the "gear effect" he desired.
Souhan: Tiger Woods works overtime to set Masters record
The 48-year-old legend made his 24th consecutive cut at Augusta but wants to get on the leaderboard.
Souhan: Milder DeChambeau takes first-round Masters lead
Bryson DeChambeau is a tinkerer, playing with irons he designed, and a provocateur in what he says or posts on social media. He put much of that aside at Augusta National on Thursday in shooting a 7-under 65.
Former U golfer finds success, learns acceptance at Masters
Erik van Rooyen experiences the variances of Augusta National on the first day of the Masters.
Masters will resume early Friday after Thursday morning rain delay
Tiger Woods was playing well but was one of the golfers unable to complete their opening round at Augusta National.
Souhan at the Masters: A group to watch (now that weather's cleared)
Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele will tee off just after noon. Somehow, those three exceptional players have combined for only one green jacket.
Souhan: Shaky putter, peculiar footwork? That's world's top player.
Scottie Scheffler will take on the best field to assemble in the United States since June 2023 at a momentous time in professional golf's history.
Former Gopher van Rooyen hoping to finally make cut at third Masters
Erik van Rooyen had a dramatic victory on the PGA Tour in November.
Souhan: Masters champ Rahm should pair red face, green jacket
Golf's cold war continues with defending Masters champion Jon Rahm returning to Augusta as an LIV convert.
Jim Souhan's Wednesday look at the Masters
A low-key day features the par-3 tournament, but no player interviews. Wednesday is the oddest day of the week at The Masters.
Tiger Woods says he thinks he can win Masters
The former golf superstar has played in only one tournament this year, however.
Jim Souhan's six things to know about The Masters
Yes, Tiger Woods is playing. Yes, there's a Minnesota angle. Yes, you can expect to hear about PGA vs. LIV with players from both tours in Augusta.
Souhan: A finish unlike any other gets 22-year-old into the Masters
Akshay Bhatia hit a birdie on the 18th hole to force a playoff at Sunday's Texas Open, injured himself while celebrating and then won his spot in the Masters.
Souhan: Do Vikings really need to trade up for a quarterback?
There will likely be a standout offensive lineman or defensive player available at the 11th pick, leaving their other first-round pick to take a QB. Is that a better move?
Souhan: The home opener's biggest story? Something that was missing.
Remember last week's Opening Day win by the Twins in Kansas City? Royce Lewis homered in his first at-bat and was injured running the bases after his second. That's a problem.
Souhan: In Wolves sale fight, who should fans be rooting for?
In this corner, there's Glen Taylor, the billionaire who saved the franchise from moving. In the other, a wildly successful entrepreneur and a former baseball superstar.
Souhan: Want the best of NCAA basketball? Watch the women.
The NCAA women's bracket is far more interesting than the men's, with superstar players, dynamic coaches and plenty of heavyweight programs showing off their skill.
Souhan: Vikings about to enter pivotal month in franchise history
General Manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and head coach Kevin O'Connell are about to make the decisions that will either get them fired or pave a road toward competitiveness and relative career longevity.
Souhan: Injury-plagued Twins opener still offers some reassurance
The Twins may have lost two players in one game, but it's the pair who didn't miss a beat that should offer injury-paranoid fans some relief.
Souhan: Crack of Twins' bats should be loud and lasting this season
The Twins' lineup could be strong enough for us to forget at times about all the concerns surrounding the pitching staff.
Souhan: Green's return brings back rougher memories
Remember last spring's frustrated punches? The Wolves aren't angels, but it's been a while since anything like the antics from Draymond Green — or Wolves teams of yore.
Souhan: Eden Prairie's Leddy celebrates 1,000 against team that drafted him
It's been a long time since Nick Leddy played for a Minnesota team, but a homecoming for his 1,000th NHL game was an emotional moment in more ways than one.
Souhan: Face of the franchise? Edwards could steal Face of the NBA status.
"He's the closest thing I've seen, mentally and physically, to Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan," an ex-Wolves player and coach said. And how does Jordan feel about that?
Souhan: Going to Snell would have been great, gutsy move by Twins.
Only two things matter really in spring training: health and acquisitions. On Monday, it became clear the Twins don't have the former — and that they should have been better at exploring the latter.
Souhan: Two coaches who struggled at U win spots in March Madness
Richard Pitino and Dan Monson, who struggled before leaving Minnesota for schools in lesser conferences, have teams in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. How should Gophers fans feel about that?
Souhan: Critical QB test for Vikings GM is fair and career-defining
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah now sits on the hottest seat in Minnesota sports, and that seat no longer features a safety belt.
Souhan: Kaprizov & Co. need to get Wild out of this rut
The franchise can't afford to make another Suter-Parise signing. This summer's draft won't provide an immediate boost. Who can fix the Wild? Themselves.
Souhan: Best in the West? Wolves tumble from top of conference.
Sunday's loss to the Clippers raised a batch of issues and a revision of the columnist's power rankings in the Western Conference. Here's how it looks now.
Souhan: Gophers lucky to have player like Hawkins coming back next year
Elijah Hawkins sustained the Gophers' hopes of playing longer this season; the transfer portal product has been making the team his own.
Souhan: Wolves' Reid doesn't start, but he's still found a way to lead
Naz Reid is a force off the bench for the Timberwolves, and he has company. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kyle Anderson combine with Reid to form a tremendous reserve trio.
Souhan: Hockey fights and court storming. Make them go away!
Why do we need to wait until after someone -- a college basketball player, a hockey 'enforcer' -- gets seriously hurt before changes are made?
![Apple Valley head coach Zach Goring directs the team during the second half against Cretin-Derham Hall. ] (Aaron Lavinsky | StarTribune) Cretin-Derham](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/XX7I5VJWSV2JPRD325PBO4IOEU.jpg?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Souhan: Three-time state champion coach finds new joy as youth referee
Former Apple Valley coach Zach Goring won state titles with future NBA stars, but he's happiest these days adjudicating third-graders.
Souhan: How did 'Cousins will stay in Minnesota' become a hot take?
Speculation season is here, and it's spinning Kirk Cousins to Atlanta and everywhere else but Minnesota. Here's why that's unlikely.
Souhan: The Timberwolves franchise has never been better than right now
For all the success of the Kevin Garnett era, locking up point guard Mike Conley shows the Wolves not only plan to be great this season but far into the future.
Souhan: I'm saying there's a chance. U men can make March Madness.
If Ben Johnson can coax this team into the NCAA tournament, he should be in line for a contract extension for winning under the most difficult of circumstances.
Souhan: American's stunning win was another Minneapolis Miracle
The weekend World Cup event at Theodore Wirth Park in north Minneapolis was a success just by existing. Then 23-year-old Alaskan Gus Schumacher added a miracle on the snow.
Souhan: Dear NBA media, meet the Wolves. They're not the team you recall.
The national basketball media is in Indianapolis to cover the All-Star Game, which, strangely, features two Timberwolves players and their head coach. Here's a cheat sheet for them.
Souhan: Twins should be better … unless that least-favorite 'if' returns
Minnesota sports fans might be sick of hearing it, but it's so true for these Twins: If they can stay healthy, they'll be even better in 2024.
Souhan: Why Twins' pitching plan can be both unpopular, successful
You may want the team to sign a star starting pitcher. The Twins are taking the opposite approach in bolstering their bullpen, which could prove brilliant.
Souhan: Mahomes does it again as his legend continues to grow
Brady's still got the GOAT quarterback resume. But Souhan's backing Mahomes to beat it one day.
Souhan: Don't believe everything you read about Taylor and Travis
Publicity stunt? Political psy-op? A very serious Star Tribune investigation reveals a billion-dollar league and two megastar celebrities in obvious dire straits.
Souhan: Upon further review, should Hunter be in the Hall of Fame?
It didn't initially seem like Torii Hunter was a Hall of Famer, but he was one of baseball's best center fielders and also had hitting numbers that make him worthy of Cooperstown.
Souhan: Lynx search for 'next Whalen' goes on and on and on
The Lynx have tried plenty of point guard solutions since Lindsay Whalen retired six years ago. Here are two WNBA veterans looking to fill that role in 2024.
Souhan: Despite flaws, Wolves making this a season to remember
A flawed stretch and sloppy game can't detract from the Timberwolves' overall success this season.
Souhan: Five steps the Vikings need to take this offseason
Let's start here: If the Vikings are sincere about wanting to re-sign Kirk Cousins (and Cousins is sincere about wanting to stay in Minnesota) there's an easy deal to be made.
Souhan: Seven reasons trading Polanco makes sense for the Twins
Yes, the trade will annoy fans. But it also served a purpose when you look at what the Twins infield should look like in 2024 (and beyond).
![Headed to the Baseball Hall of Fame, sooner or later: Joe Mauer.
] CARLOS GONZALEZ • cgonzalez@startribune.com – June 19, 2018, Minneapolis,](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/CTM5LXWLQ5A7XBREES4IX46H6E.JPG?h=120&w=180&fit=crop&bg=999&crop=faces)
Souhan: 7 things I'll remember about Mauer, St. Paul's Hall-worthy star
Don't allow anything — not "bilateral leg weakness," a career-altering concussion or a lack of home-run power — to obscure the heart of Joe Mauer's incredible story.
Souhan: Turns out injury made Cousins more valuable to Vikings
The Vikings couldn't find a suitable fill-in and didn't make the playoffs, which reframed the team's QB conversations for the future..
Souhan: Minnesota star on the message the PWHL sends girls: 'It's just so cool'
As a kindergartner, Grace Zumwinkle forced her way into hockey. The new pro league issues an invitation.
Souhan: How long would Bud Grant last in today's NFL?
The coaching carousel is spinning into a blur as NFL franchises pivot and pivot again. Yesterday's coaching legends had luxuries of time and patience that are extinct in modern pro football.
Souhan: Gophers promising season gets cold hit of reality in loss to Iowa
The Hawkeyes' backdoor kept opening at The Barn, leaving Gophers coaches frustrated and leading to yet another trap-door loss.
Souhan: Battle-tested big shot honors Gophers alums
Sophomore Amaya Battle saw her work pay off with a clinching three-pointer against Nebraska in front of former Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen and 97 other alumni.
Souhan: Vikings could have had Harbaugh, or Carroll, or Tomlin or ...
The Vikings are in good hands with Kevin O'Connell. That doesn't stop the "what might have been" thoughts from rolling in as coaching news rolls out.
Souhan: Rodgers should go on a long walk to the end of the Earth
And ESPN's Pat McAfee is proving himself just as worthless, after the two combined again to spread lies over the air. Time to change the channel.
Souhan: Here is my ranking of the four possible Vikings QB outcomes
Kirk Cousins again? Draft a rookie? How 'bout both of those things? The Vikings have a fascinating QB decision awaiting them.
Souhan: Paranoid about Jefferson leaving the Vikings? Don't bet on it.
Justin Jefferson had 12 receptions for 192 yards and a score in the season finale against Detroit. He deserves a new contract and the Vikings will need to pay whatever it takes.
Souhan: Built to win, devastated by injuries, this year's Vikings leave fans apathetic
"Next man up" only works if the next man up can actually do the job well.
Souhan: Tyus Jones is exactly the roster upgrade the Wolves need
Apple Valley alum and former Timberwolf Tyus Jones would give the Wolves two smart, starting-caliber point guards.
Souhan: New Year's resolutions for Minnesota sports fans and teams
The Minnesota sports programs all have some work to do. As fans, if you don't like the results on the scoreboard you can at least bask in the venues.
Souhan: I wanted Jaren Hall to be the Vikings QB. My bad.
The Vikings' embarrassing loss to Packers elevates Kirk Cousins' value as another backup bungles a game.
Souhan: O'Connell, LaFleur head for another lesson on importance of QBs
The Vikings and Packers coaches will send Jaren Hall and Jordan Love into an important game instead of Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers.
Souhan: Give me anyone but Mullens at quarterback for the Vikings
After the game, Nick Mullens called himself a "very good quarterback." Mullens must be confusing himself with someone else.
Souhan: Vikings stuck in the middle of standings, QB search
The top teams in the AFC and NFC have taken different approaches at quarterback, leaving the Vikings with more questions than answers.
Souhan: Who needs the Lakers? This season, not Minneapolis
For the first time, the Wolves have it better in almost every way.
Souhan: Tush push? Lumbar lunge? Ban play that dumbs down football.
It isn't a real football play. The tush push, or whatever you want to call it, should be illegal for a number of reasons. It also bit the Vikings in the butt during their loss to the Bengals.
Souhan: Did Vikings lose because of bad pushes or Mullens' bad picks?
It's time for the Vikings to try another quarterback. Come on down, Jaren Hall.
Souhan: Vikings defying odds, for now, with their many quarterbacks
Nick Mullens is the Vikings' fourth starting quarterback. Can he be their fourth quarterback to earn a win in a season that is affirming some NFL truths?
Souhan: Wilfs need to do whatever it takes for Vikings to keep Flores
Brian Flores, the Vikings' first-year defensive coordinator, has become the best reason to believe this team can make the playoffs. They need to keep him beyond this season.
