Golf: North Oaks’ Frankie Capan III enters U.S. Open comfortable and confident — both in his game, and that he belongs

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Frankie Capan III was staying with a host family in Raleigh, N.C., the night before his U.S. Open qualifying tournament this spring.

The North Oaks native was asked how many players would advance from the qualifier into the major championship. Capan hadn’t looked. But he had an answer ready.

“I’m not sure what it is,” he told them. “But I’ll tell you one thing: I know the winner always gets through.”

The next day, the 24-year-old shot 6-under par in the 36-hole qualifier to claim medalist honors and punch his ticket to the U.S. Open for the second straight year.

Frankly, Capan never tees it up with an expectation to do anything but win the tournament. That remains true this week at Pinehurst No. 2, back in North Carolina.

There’s no reason to be anything but confident at this juncture, given how Capan is playing entering the event. Along with winning the qualifier, he has placed in the top 10 in four of his past six Korn Ferry Tour events. Capan is currently ninth in the season-long Korn Ferry Tour standings, with the top 30 at season’s end earning promotions to the PGA Tour.

After a three-week stretch that featured three tournaments and the 36-hole qualifier, Capan took last week off to receive treatment on his knee in Arizona, while also managing a wrist ailment. He enters this week fresh, confident and armed with valuable information regarding what to expect from the course and the experience.

In just his second year of professional golf, Capan said he continues to understand more about himself and how to get the most out of his game. He referenced the great Jack Nicklaus, who noted the importance of knowing your game, how you react in situations and what shots you have that day, and which ones you don’t.

Essentially, the more you know yourself as a player, the better positioned you are to succeed. Capan is an avid student of the game and himself.

“I think it’s just constant growth and learning, and that’s been the fun part for me. Learning is fun in itself,” Capan said. “You learn the most by losing, so I think just acknowledging that and implementing it, just seeing the growth come to fruition is the most exciting thing, and it makes me want to work even harder.”

For instance, last year he learned he can’t play tournaments for seven consecutive weeks — it’s draining physically and mentally. This season, Capan wants to cap himself at three straight tournaments, barring any special opportunities that may arise.

“Your brain is a muscle, and I think that’s probably the first thing that starts going. For me, i always like being sharp when I compete. I like being well rested and sharp mentally. When I take care of the right things and am in a good spot, the results take care of themselves,” he said. “I want to play and put my best foot forward and do my best to win every event I play in.”

Including this one. That may sound crazy. Capan isn’t yet on golf’s top professional tour, though he appears to be well on his way. This week, winning requires besting the likes of Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele. He understands that, and believes he’s good enough to do it.

Capan played in last year’s U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, and while he didn’t make the 36-hole cut, he got a front-row seat to view the game’s top talent. A pre-tournament stroll down the range last year led to sightings of McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka and even former NBA star Blake Griffin. He has seen many of the long-tenured pros hit balls up close.

“I know I can hit the shots that they’re hitting,” Capan said. “And, frankly, I think I have a unique skill that I’m blessed with, and I think I can hit a lot of better shots.”

His current form suggests as much. Capan is long off the tee and a top-10 putter on the Korn Ferry Tour, per the data. A weakness a year ago, Capan’s iron play has been pristine this season.

He’s now an elite ball-striker who knows if a few putts fall, he can find himself in the winner’s circle at week’s end. Frequent flushing has allowed Capan to card rounds of 58 and 62 in recent weeks on the Korn Ferry Tour.

The 62 on a third-round Saturday in Knoxville put him in the lead ahead of the final round. He shot a bogey-free 66 on Sunday, finishing in second after Harry Higgs buried a long eagle putt on the second playoff hole to win.

Even on that day, Capan noted he missed a number of makeable putts. He said he may have been overly focused on the results of the putt, rather than just rolling the rock and letting the results follow.

“There’s a lot of things I’ve learned from (that experience),” Capan said, “and I look forward to the next time I put myself in that position.”

Maybe as soon as this week?

“That’s the plan,” he said with a laugh.

The fact is, guys don’t win in their second career major start. And Capan wasn’t close to contention at this tournament a year ago. But he’s playing much better right now, and circumstances are far different. Capan said he may have overprepared at last year’s U.S. Open as he tried to cram for the unfamiliar test that was L.A. Country Club.

Pinehurst No. 2 is a different story. He has played the course maybe 30 times, even winning a USGA event there.

“I could almost play it without a yardage book,” Capan said. “I could tell you pretty closely what I’m going to be hitting off of every tee, almost every day. So I think just being a little bit more comfortable with that. I’ve been through a major before, so I’m more familiar with the feelings and what’s going to go on while we’re out there.”

Which provides a feeling of comfort that may allow his talents to take over.

“If I have a certain feel and want to hit a certain shot, just let my body react to it and not think too much about it. All I can do is hit the best shot that I’m trying to hit, and the rest isn’t really up to me,” Capan said. “I truly believe that I’m the best player, no matter what tournament I play in. No matter if that’s right or wrong, you’re not going to be able to change the belief I have in that.”

He believes he belongs on this stage.

“Last year, I may have thought I need to play perfect. I have to hit all these good shots to beat these guys. But everyone is going to hit a bad shot now and again. It happens. So I think just allowing myself to be out there and have fun, hit golf shots,” Capan said. “I feel pretty confident in my game and the way I’ve been playing, to where I’m not going to go out there and try to do anything different than what I’ve been doing, just because I don’t believe I need to.”

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Report: Differences between gay and straight spouses disappear after legalization of gay marriage

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Same-sex spouses were typically younger, had more education and were more likely to be employed than those in opposite-sex marriages, although many of those differences disappeared after the legalization of gay marriage in 2015, according to a new report released Tuesday by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Almost 1.5 million people lived with a same-sex spouse in the U.S. in 2022, double what it was in the year before gay marriage was legalized, according to the bureau’s American Community Survey.

A 2015 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court made same-sex marriages legal in all 50 states. In the year before that ruling, same-sex marriages had been legalized in just over a third of states through legislation and lower court rulings.

The 2015 Supreme Court decision proved to be a watershed, with around 41% of same-sex spouses reported in 2022 getting married within four years of the ruling. By comparison, 14% of those in opposite-sex marriages were married between 2015 and 2019, according to the Census Bureau report.

When just comparing marriages after the 2015 Supreme Court decision, many of the differences — including employment status, length of marriage and education levels among women — disappeared between same-sex spouses and opposite-sex spouses, the report said.

In addition, those in a same-sex marriage were older than their counterparts in opposite-sex marriages if they got married after 2015, a flip flop from all marriages regardless of the timeframe.

Any differences between gay and heterosexual marriages before the Supreme Court decision reflect the fact that same-sex marriage wasn’t recognized in all states until 2015, according to the report.

“Generally, same-sex spouses and their households resemble those in opposite-sex couples,” the report said.

Regardless of when couples got married, opposite-sex spouses were more likely to have children and have larger households, and female same-sex spouses were more likely to have kids than male same-sex spouses. Same-sex spouses were more likely to share a home with roommates, according to the report.

___

Follow Mike Schneider on X, formerly known as Twitter: @MikeSchneiderAP.

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Lynx star Napheesa Collier ready to contribute for Team USA at 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

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Lynx star Napheesa Collier joked that when she played for Team USA in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, she would have been content simply getting water for some of her veteran teammates. Just one year into her WNBA career out of UConn, she was just happy to be on the team, so she wasn’t too surprised that she played sparingly during the team’s run to a gold medal.

It’s a little bit different this time around as Collier, 27, prepares for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Now the Lynx’s best player, the 6-foot-1 forward officially was announced as a member of the 12-player Olympics roster on Tuesday, and figures to be a key contributor for Team USA in its the quest for yet another gold medal.

“The goal is the same: To win gold,” she said. “No matter what that looks like for me, that’s what I want the result to be.”

The selection is very much deserved for Collier, who has taken her game to another level as of late. She is averaging 21.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals through 11 games this season, and has the Lynx near the top of the league standings as a result. She currently is the only player in the WNBA this season to produce more than 200 points, 100 rebounds, 35 assists, 20 steals and 15 blocks.

Those stats speak for themselves as Collier has continued to take consistent steps forward throughout her career.

“I’m a better overall player, and I  think my basketball IQ is higher,” she said. “Hopefully I can showcase those skills.”

As for the level of competition worldwide, Collier promised that Team USA would not take any opponent lightly. Never mind that the Americans have dominated for decades, winning every Olympic gold medal in women’s basketball over the past 28 years — in 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2020. That doesn’t guarantee anything for 2024 as far as Collier is concerned.

“It’s going to take a lot,” she said. “The talent gets better and better every year. You want to knock down the person who’s on top, and we’ve been on top for so long, I know everybody is coming for blood.”

Team USA roster

Napheesa Collier (Minnesota Lynx)
Kahleah Copper (Phoenix Mercury)
Chelsea Gray (Las Vegas Aces)
Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury)
Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty)
Jewell Loyd (Seattle Storm)
Kelsey Plum (Las Vegas Aces)
Breanna Stewart (New York Liberty)
Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury)
Alyssa Thomas (Connecticut Sun)
A’ja Wilson (Las Vegas Aces)
Jackie Young (Las Vegas Aces)

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What you need to know before you go to a national park this summer

posted in: Adventure | 0

Thinking about visiting a national park this summer? You’d better take a look to see if there are any new rules for visiting, such as advance reservations to enter or drive the most popular roads.

The National Park Service has tightened access at the most popular of the 63 national parks to reduce crowding and traffic jams, which have become worse as visitor counts have soared.

A timed-entry reservation system has been put into effect, with the goal of spreading out visitation throughout the day, to avoid nightmare traffic jams and gruesomely long waits, officials said.

Arches National Park is among the national parks that now require reservations. (AP Photo/Beth Harpaz)

Typically, reservations are required during peak visitor hours, such as 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. (If you arrive before or after those hours, you won’t need one.) Check the National Park Service website for each park for details.  And if you already have camping or other permits or activity reservations, entrance reservations aren’t required.

Sometimes timed entry tickets are required to get into historic homes, to board ferries or to drive specific roads, such as the Going-To-The-Sun Road in Glacier National Park. Each park has its own rules.

Here are the national parks and monuments requiring reservations at this writing, though you should really check the website to make sure there haven’t been any changes. (And note that some state parks and recreation areas have also jumped on the bandwagon. See details below.)

Acadia National Park, Maine
Adams National Historical Park, Massachusetts
Arches National Park, Utah
Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico
Ellis Island Part of Statue of Liberty National Monument, New York
Ford’s Theatre, Washington, DC
Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida (Ferry ticket)
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, Washington, DC
Gateway Arch National Park, Missouri
Glacier National Park, Montana (Going-to-the-Sun Road eastbound, the North Fork, and Many Glacier areas)
Haleakalā National Park, Maui, Hawaii (for sunrise viewing only)
Independence National Historical Park, Pennsylvania
Mount Rainier, Washington
Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial, Ohio (Memorial Deck only)
Redwood National and State Parks, California (required only for Gold Bluffs Beach and Fern Canyon)
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site (Theodore Roosevelt House) New York
Statue Of Liberty National Monument, New York
Thomas Edison National Historical Park (To visit Edison home) New Jersey
Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Utah (Cave tour required)
Washington Monument, Washington, DC (elevator to the top. Some same-day passes available)
Yosemite National Park, California

Perhaps interestingly, you won’t need a reservation to visit Yellowstone National Park, at least not as of this writing.

Clouds hang below the summit of Haleakala volcano in Haleakala National Park on Hawaii’s island of Maui, Monday, Jan. 23, 2017. Park officials say the sunrise on Haleakala attracts over a thousand people a day, resulting in an overload of visitors and creating a safety hazard. As a result, anyone wanting to see the sunrise on the summit will now be required to make reservations in advance and pay a small fee. (Photo by Caleb Jones, The Associated Press)

And, while we’re on the subject, note that you may need a special advance permit to visit certain overcrowded attractions, such as the popular Angels Landing hike at Zion National Park in Utah. You don’t need a timed ticket to get into Zion (although you do have to ride a shuttle bus), however if you want to make this popular hike, you’ll need a permit in advance.

In addition to your timed entry ticket, you’ll also need to pay the fee is for that particular park on arrival, or have a pass that enables you to enter free, such as a senior, military, disabled or 4th grader pass.

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, MO. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

How to reserve a timed-entry National Park ticket

These are available in advance on the Recreation.gov website or mobile app. It’s a good idea to get one as soon as your plans are firm.

There will be a limited number of last minute timed-entry tickets made available at 6 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time on the night before. These will probably go quickly, so be ready.

Glacier National Park in Montana now requires reservations as a way of managing crowds. (AP Photo/Beth J. Harpaz)

How to book: Go to the Recreation.gov website or app (you must create an account) or call the reservation line at 877-444-6777. Reservations cannot be booked at park offices.  It costs $2 to make a reservation. This is not refundable.

What about National Forest sites?

Yes, it’s true. We haven’t finished listing all the types of places you might need a reservation. At the most popular National Forest fun spots, expect to find that you’ll also need to book in advance. For example, at the Coconino National Forest in Arizona, the Fossil Creek Wild and Scenic River trails and waterfall require advance booking on Recreation.gov.

It’s not a bad idea to double check, so you don’t get shut out.

Mount Rainier National Park in Washington now requires resrevations. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Reservations for state parks

And even some particularly popular state parks are now requiring advance reservations. You’re not getting in without one, so take heed. The downside is that you have to pay for the reservations. The upside is that you’ll be able to find a place to park.

Here are a few of the most popular:

Hawaii

Reservations cost $5 per person, plus $10 parking. They can be made up to 30 days in advance. (Make a reservation here: gostateparks.hawaii.gov)

 Waiʻānapanapa State Park and its black sand beach along the Road to Hana in Maui.
Īao Valley State Monument,  Maui
Diamond Head State Monument. Oahu
Hāʻena State Park, Kauai

Texas

Advance purchase day passes are not mandatory but parks do fill up, so these “Save The Day” passes are highly recommended. Texas has 84 state parks. Here are some of the most heavily visited. (Reserve here: tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/reservations or call 1-512-389-8900.)

Balmorhea State Park
Brazos Bend State Park
Cedar Hill State Park
Dinosaur Valley State Park
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
Garner State Park
Inks Lake State Park
McKinney Falls State Park
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
Ray Roberts Lake State Park

Nevada requires $5 advance day use reservations only for the Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area. In Tennesee, only the Cummins Falls State Park requires a $6 access permit. So it goes without saying that if you’re planning to see a state park or national forest recreation area that you know is popular, it’s never a bad idea to find out if you need  to book it in advance.

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