Day: September 13, 2025

When a sports moment captures the world, it transcends its sport and becomes a cultural touchstone. Whether it is Michael Jordan’s tears, Dell Curry’s genetics or the NBA’s avatar-building that turns its players into symbols and paragons, there are moments in the game that are so awe-inducing that they leave everyone in attendance—from athletes to spectators—in disbelief, amazement and utter joy.

Viral sports moments are a rare thing indeed and can take many forms, from an athlete’s impromptu dance-off to a sports league mascot going bonkers or a star athlete showing some skin on social media. But there are certain criteria that any viral sports moment must meet to be considered one of the best. These include the Awe Factor, the Ubiquity Factor, the Holy Shit! Factor and the Will You Talk About This in 25 Years? Factor.

This Olympic Games was no exception, with head-scratching moments all over the place. From the casual Turkish shooter to the polarizing performances of Rachael Gunn, this year’s Olympics has had plenty to get people talking.

There were also a few off-field moments that went viral this year, including a darts player’s drunken antics and the slapdown between former heavyweight champions Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. Trying to pick the best ones is a tough task, but these wacky moments captured the lighter side of sport and got people talking.

The Masters leaderboard is stacked as the top-10 players in the world are within six shots of Justin Rose at Augusta National. That means the dream of a Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler winning three green jackets before turning 29 is very much alive.

Overnight rain softened the conditions at Augusta National for Round 2 on Friday, and the players took advantage of a course that yielded low scores all around. Overnight leader Justin Rose had to work for his 1-under 71, but he managed to hold on to the top spot.

McIlroy, seeking to complete a career Grand Slam at the Masters, flipped the script on Thursday’s second-nine meltdown by firing a second-round 6-under 66. The defending champion made six birdies and had one of the best iron shots in the tournament on No. 13, a 4-iron from the pine straw that wasn’t meant to go straight at the flag but did and barely found the green.

He is tied with Corey Conners in third at 6 under, while U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau is one back after posting a second-round 4-under 68. The two-time Masters winner is in contention after battling a rib injury, and his bid to win a third green jacket before turning 29 has the look of a major classic.

There are plenty of other names to watch for, too, including Viktor Hovland and Jason Day at four under through 15 holes. Hideki Matsuyama, Collin Morikawa and Patrick Reed are in the group at five under. All three are former Masters champions, and Matsuyama and Reed have both won majors this year. If no player wins the Masters after 72 holes, a sudden-death playoff begins on the 18th hole and then moves to the 10th if needed.