Two newcomers with nerves of steel, Thomas Pieters of Belgium and Spain’s Jon Rahm, are both handily placed Saturday to create an upset as the Masters third round begins. Pieters, 25, ranked 35 in the world, is in a four-way share of the lead with Rickie Fowler and Charley Hoffman of the United States and … Read more
Australian amateur Curtis Luck insists he is just out for a good time at the Masters, his last tournament before he turns professional. Luck, 20, from Perth, is one of five amateurs in the Masters draw but is unique in that he managed to qualify twice, as both the US Amateur champion and the Asia-Pacific … Read more
South Korea’s Kang Sung scorched the Tournament Course at the Golf Club of Houston on Friday, firing a nine-under par 63 for a record-setting second-round lead at the Houston Open. The 29-year-old, who entered the week ranked 202nd in the world, opened the second round one shot off the lead held by American Rickie Fowler. … Read more
Five-time major winner Phil Mickelson and Jordan Spieth, the 2015 Masters champion who bungled a repeat bid, begin play Thursday at the PGA Houston Open with the Masters looming next week. Also in the field a week before the year’s first major championship at Augusta National are England’s Justin Rose, Australia’s Adam Scott, reigning British … Read more
Ex-England international Josh Lewsey Wednesday said the British and Irish Lions had a great chance to overturn the All Blacks this year with the rebuilding world champions not at the “peak of their powers”. Lewsey, speaking at the official launch of next month’s Hong Kong 10s tournament, said the timing was good for Warren Gatland’s … Read more
Second-ranked Rory McIlroy was eliminated from title contention on Thursday at the World Golf Championships-Dell Match Play after group rival Gary Woodland withdrew and Soren Kjeldsen won his second consecutive match. Denmark’s Kjeldsen, barely in the field at 62nd in the world rankings, defeated Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo 4 and 3 to end McIlroy’s hopes a … Read more
Defending champion Jason Day broke down in tears after withdrawing from the WGC Match Play in Texas to be with his mother who has lung cancer. The Australian, 29, was three down after six holes of his opening match against Pat Perez when he conceded, prompting speculation that he had suffered another injury. But Day … Read more
While their American and European peers twisted and shouted to The Beatles in the 1960s, in Cuba childhood sweethearts Gisela and Hector kept their Beatlemania a naughty secret. Now, still Beatles-crazy after all these years, but with the communist island’s Cold War-era censorship of rock music a thing of the past, they are making up … Read more
Rory McIlroy believes he will carry a psychological edge into his duel with Gary Woodland after being drawn to face the American in the opening round of the World Golf Championship-Dell Match Play tournament. The charismatic Northern Irishman defeated Woodland in the final of the event two years ago when the tournament was staged in … Read more
Swede Alexander Bjork and Scot Scott Jamieson shared the Tshwane Open second-round lead Friday, but South African Thomas Aiken stole the show with a nine-under 62. Aiken carded halves of 31, and at one stage the course record of 60 appeared under threat as the three-time European Tour winner unleashed a birdie blitz. On the … Read more
Five-time major-winner Phil Mickelson was enjoying the challenge of the high-altitude Chapultepec Golf Club Thursday as he seized a share of the first-round lead in the WGC-Mexico Championship. The 46-year-old American, seeking his first victory since the 2013 Open Championship, posted six birdies with two bogeys, capping his four-under 68 with a 16-foot birdie putt … Read more
Rory McIlroy showed no ill effects from his recent rib injury Thursday as he launched his WGC-Mexico Championship campaign with a three-under par 68. The Northern Ireland star, competing for the first time in seven weeks after recovering from a stress fracture, had two birdies and an eagle with one three-putt bogey at Chapultepec Golf … Read more
Peter Moore will replace Ian Ayre as Liverpool CEO, the Premier League side announced on Monday. Liverpool confirmed last March that Ayre will vacate his role at the end of his contract, which expires in May. And Liverpool have turned to Moore, who is currently chief competition officer at Electronic Arts (EA). The 61-year-old will … Read more
Kazakhstan’s Zhanat Zhakiyanov survived two first-round knockdowns to upset Rau’shee Warren by split decision on Friday and claim the World Boxing Association bantamweight world title. On the same card in Toledo, Ohio, unbeaten Robert Easter retained his International Boxing Federation lightweight title with a unanimous decision over Puerto Rico’s Luis Cruz. Warren, making his first … Read more
Tiger Woods is on the verge of his second missed cut in a week after shooting five over par 77 in the opening round of the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on Thursday. The 14-time Major winner, who is making only his third appearance following a 15-month injury lay-off, carded three outward bogies and two on … Read more
Former Beatle Paul McCartney sued Sony Corp’s (6758. T) music publishing arm on Wednesday in a federal court in New York, seeking to get back the copyrights to music of his former band, court records show. Starting in October 2008, McCartney sent notices to Sony/ATV Music Publishing stating his desire to reclaim the copyrights to … Read more
Thierry Henry netted some memorable goals for Arsenal down the years, with the Frenchman plundering a club-record 228 in total. Those efforts came across two spells, with the legendary Frenchman most noted for his eight seasons spent in north London between 1999 and 2007. That stint included 226 goals of his iconic haul, including spectacular … Read more
Andy Murray, Mo Farah, Lee Pearson, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Katherine Grainger are all honoured British tennis champion Andy Murray and athlete Mo Farah have been knighted in the Queen’s New Year Honours list. Paralympic dressage rider Lee Pearson also becomes a Sir, while heptathlete Jessica Ennis-Hill and rower Katherine Grainger are made dames. There are … Read more
The Queen will say she draws strength from “ordinary people doing extraordinary things” in her annual televised Christmas Day address. Volunteers, carers, community workers and good neighbours are unsung heroes whose quiet dedication makes them special, she will say. She will also praise the achievements of the UK’s Olympians and Paralympians. The address was recorded … Read more
The Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike have lost their baby, their spokeswoman has said. The couple were expecting their second child in the late spring – the baby would have been the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh’s sixth great-grandchild. The spokeswoman said: “Very sadly, Zara and Mike Tindall have lost their baby. … Read more