SUN 16
U.S. Open, final round (1 p.m., Fox-32): Wasn’t Pebble Beach supposed to chase players around the Monterey Peninsula, kicking their butts all the while? Instead, England’s Justin Rose fired an opening-round 65 to tie Tiger Woods’ record low round at a Pebble-hosted Open. Unlike Woods in 2000, though, Rose had a whole bunch of top-tier players — including two-time defending Open champ Brooks Koepka — go unexpectedly low with him.
TUE 18
White Sox at Cubs (7:05 p.m., NBCSCH): It’s Year 23 of the Crosstown throwdown, with the Sox holding a narrow 60-58 overall lead — though the Cubs went 3-1 in 2017 and 4-2 in ’18 and boast (inasmuch as a home team can boast about) a 30-29 edge at Wrigley Field. Hard to believe, but true: This is the first time the Cubs have held bragging rights for two years running.
WED 19
White Sox at Cubs (7:05 p.m., Ch. 7): But let’s not waste any more time sifting through past results. For the next game is always what matters most when the South Siders and North Siders meet, each team facing its very biggest rival (not counting every division opponent and various other AL and NL foes, respectively). There is no love lost (in the stands, anyway) when the Black and the Blue collide! All the same, Tim Anderson and Javy Baez really should co-star in a buddy movie after the season is over.
THU 20
U.S. vs. Sweden, Women’s World Cup group play (2 p.m., Fox-32): You can’t spell “pffft” without the “Fs” — as in the ought-not-be-controversial-at-all Group F. The Americans caught a ton of grief for winning their opening match by a score of 13-0 over Thailand, but that’s only a two-possession game in football the last time we checked. No joke: Goal differential matters in group play, and the Swedes are a top 10 side in FIFA’s world rankings. Ball out for 90-plus, ladies.
NBA draft (6 p.m., ESPN): With the seventh pick in the 2019 NBA draft, the Chicago Bulls select … wait! Is that Zion Williamson tying his shoes? Look at him — such a specimen — as he crosses loops! Whomever the Bulls nab at No. 7, national analysts won’t make much of a fuss. North Carolina point guard Coby White? Virginia forward DeAndre Hunter? Duke wing Cam Reddish? Fact is, any one of them would make the sorry Bulls better.
FRI 21
NHL draft (7 p.m., NBCSN): Jonathan Toews probably can’t play forever (though it would be nice if he would at least try). Maybe a center — Alex Turcotte? Dylan Cozens? — can shore up that position for seasons to come. Then again, the Blackhawks need defense in the worst way, which might mean a hello to Bowen Byram. It’ll be one of those three guys … unless it isn’t. You heard it here first.
