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McKINNEY, Texas: Jordan Spieth thought the course for his hometown Byron Nelson would play more difficult after yielding more birdies in its debut than any other tournament on the PGA Tour last season.
The three-time major winner says he couldn’t have been more wrong, and is frankly surprised over how little he thinks was done the first two days to make TPC Craig Ranch a stiffer test.
Ryan Palmer, one of the Dallas-area players in the shadow of Spieth and Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, shot a 10-under 62 on Friday and was tied at 15 under with Sebastián Muñoz and 40-year-old tour rookie David Skinns.
Muñoz, a Colombian who lives in the Dallas area and went to college at North Texas, was even through 13 holes coming off his second 60 of the season — a first on the PGA Tour — before birdies on three of four holes for a 69. Skinns shot 63.
Justin Lower, another older tour rookie at 33, was alone in fourth, a shot behind the leaders after a 66.
“I mean, a 60 yesterday and a lot of 8s (under) and 7s all over the board,” said Spieth, who shot 65 and was three shots off the lead in a group that includes defending champion K.H. Lee.
“It’s just, a lot of tees are up, it was very surprising,” Spieth said. “I think they were looking at the weekend as a lot less wind and so they used more of the easier pins the first two days because I can only name one or two pins on this golf course that were not the easiest two locations that are on the greens. I’m a little surprised at how, on a not-so-difficult golf course they have also set it up a little easier for us, too.”
The Nelson was the only 2020-21 tournament with more than 2,000 birdies (2,007). There were 38 eagles in the first round Thursday, the most for a single round this season.
Charl Schwartzel had one of the Friday eagles in a round of 65 that put him at 13 under. The 2011 Masters winner drove into a greenside bunker on the 316-yard, par-4 14th and holed out from there.
The top-ranked Scheffler, who came in with four wins in six individual events capped by the Masters victory, shot a 68 and was 9 under after two rounds alongside his fellow former Texas Longhorns in Spieth and Lee.
Palmer, who finished his opening round with an eagle on the par-5 18th, started on the back nine and birdied six of the last seven holes on that side, then added four more on the front in a bogey-free round.
The 45-year-old hasn’t won an individual event since 2010 in Hawaii. Palmer lives in nearby Colleyville and is a member at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, where the tour returns in two weeks after the PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
Palmer had a two-shot lead halfway through his last Texas stop in San Antonio in early April before shooting 7 over on the weekend. He is a four-time winner, including the 2019 Zurich team event in New Orleans with Jon Rahm.
“I spent 19 years doing this, unbelievable that I’ve been here that long, and these young guys ... you got to play such great golf to beat ‘em,” Palmer said. “We’re in position again and we’ll learn from what we learned in San Antonio and try and do it here.”
Lee won the rain-plagued Craig Ranch debut at 25 under while Spieth tied for ninth, his personal best in a tournament he badly wants to win because of his remarkable pro debut at the Nelson as a 16-year-old Sunday contender in 2010.
There’s no hint of rain this time in McKinney, about 30 miles north of downtown Dallas, and the wind was brisk the first two days. Combine that with the expectation of the rough being more of a factor a year after a February deep freeze wiped it out, and Spieth figured scores would be higher.
Instead, he found himself calling out the moved-up tee box on the par-5 ninth, which played just 474 yards and an average nearly three-quarters of a stroke below par Friday. It was the easiest hole on the course.
The Tom Weiskopf-designed course also has wide fairways and large greens.
“Some familiarity to me with some of the courses I played back in South Africa,” said Schwartzel, who tied for third at 21 under last year. “I don’t feel claustrophobic off the tee. It gives me a bit of space, and once I can get it in play, iron play is not much of a problem. So just really comfortable.”
Skinns, an Englishman with no top-25 finishes in 20 PGA Tour appearances spread out over nearly a decade, had five consecutive birdies starting on the par-3 seventh in his career-best round.
Lower hasn’t finished higher than tied for 15th in an individual event. He paired with Dylan Wu to tie for 10th in the team event in New Orleans.
The ninth-ranked Spieth and No. 17 Joaquin Niemann, also at 12 under, lead the list of 10 among the world’s top 30 in the field.
No. 13 Hideki Matsuyama was 11 under, a shot better than eighth-ranked Justin Thomas, who spent the first two days in the group ahead of Spieth, his good friend and house guest for this week.
No. 11 Dustin Johnson was 7 under, and 12th-ranked Xander Schauffele rallied from 3 over for the tournament early in the second round with eight birdies over 10 holes to make the cut on the number at 5 under.
The rest of the top 30 players missed the cut: 10th-ranked Sam Burns, the runner-up to Lee at the Nelson last year; Will Zalatoris (28th), another player in his hometown event; and Kevin Kisner (30th).
The world’s most prestigious tennis tournament was on Friday set on a collision course with the sport’s global governing bodies after Wimbledon had its ranking points stripped by the ATP and WTA Tours over excluding players from Russia and Belarus. The move by the men’s and women’s tours will reduce Wimbledon to an exhibition event but the AELTC, organizers of the Grand Slam, repeated their stance that the ban was the only viable option under British government guidance. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) also said it will not grant ranking points to Wimbledon this year for junior and wheelchair tennis events. The AELTC decision to impose the suspension on Russian and Belarusian players at this year’s championships due to Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is the first time players have been excluded on grounds of nationality since the immediate post-World War Two era when German and Japanese players were banned. The AELTC on Friday said they were considering their options and were in discussions with their Grand Slam colleagues. “In addition, we remain unwilling to accept success or participation at Wimbledon being used to benefit the propaganda machine of the Russian regime,” the AELTC said in a statement. “We therefore wish to state our deep disappointment at the decisions taken by the ATP, WTA and ITF in removing ranking points for The Championships. “We believe these decisions to be disproportionate in the context of the exceptional and extreme circumstances of this situation and the position we found ourselves in, and damaging to all players who compete on Tour.”
Ranking integrity The ATP and WTA have themselves banned Russia and Belarus from international team competitions following the invasion, which Moscow calls a ‘special operation’, but allowed players from the two countries to compete as neutrals. “The ability for players of any nationality to enter tournaments based on merit, and without discrimination, is fundamental to our Tour,” the ATP said in a statement. “The decision by Wimbledon to ban Russian and Belarusian players from competing in the UK this summer undermines this principle and the integrity of the ATP Ranking system. It is also inconsistent with our Rankings agreement. “Absent a change in circumstances, it is with great regret and reluctance that we see no option but to remove ATP Ranking points from Wimbledon for 2022.” WTA chief Steve Simon said the tour believes athletes participating in an individual sport “should not be penalized or prevented from competing solely because of their nationalities or the decisions made by the governments of their countries.” “The recent decisions made by the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to ban athletes from competing in the upcoming UK grass court events violate that fundamental principle,” Simon said. “As a result of the AELTC’s position that it will not honor its obligation to use the WTA Rankings for entry into Wimbledon and proceed with a partial field not based on merit, the WTA has made the difficult decision to not award WTA ranking points for this year’s Wimbledon Championships.”
Ban slammed Wimbledon’s ban on Russian and Belarusian competitors has been slammed by top players such as 21-times Grand Slam champion Rafa Nadal who labelled it unfair, while world number one Novak Djokovic said he did not support the decision. “Our rules and agreements exist in order to protect the rights of players as a whole. Unilateral decisions of this nature, if unaddressed, set a damaging precedent for the rest of the Tour,” the ATP added. “Discrimination by individual tournaments is simply not viable on a Tour that operates in more than 30 countries. “We remain hopeful of further discussions with Wimbledon leading to an acceptable outcome for all concerned. “More broadly, we believe this matter again highlights the need for a united governance structure across professional tennis so that decisions of this nature can be made in a joint manner.”
Tune-up events Britain’s Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) also reciprocated the Wimbledon ban by excluding players from the two countries from its tune-up tour events. However, the WTA said its tournaments at Nottingham, Birmingham, and Eastbourne would go ahead with ranking points on offer as “alternative and comparable playing and ranking point opportunities exist in the same weeks.” The ATP had also said earlier this week that its events at Queen’s and Eastbourne will proceed as normal, offering full ATP ranking points. While the LTA tournaments will continue to offer full ranking points, the British governing body is under review for sanctions from the ATP and WTA. The ITF justified its decision not to award ranking points to Wimbledon this year for junior and wheelchair tennis events by saying it undermines the integrity of the competition. “The ITF has determined that Wimbledon’s entry criteria banning Russians and Belarusians compromises the integrity of its international competition, in particular its ranking system, as there is a lack of alternative equivalent opportunities for players to compete for ranking points and prize money,” the ITF said.
NEWCASTLE: Eddie Howe has concerns about three key first-team players ahead of Newcastle United’s final day trip to Burnley.
The Magpies head to Turf Moor knowing a win could have a huge say in the Premier League relegation battle — but not in the way many predicted when Howe took over.
United looked set to be right in the midst of the fight to remain in the top flight, but a remarkable run since January, which has seen the Magpies climb from 19th to 12th, has turned around their fortunes.
Their hosts, however, still need points to guarantee they will be a Premier League side come next season.
While Howe has said he will pick his strongest team and show the fixture the respect it deserves, he could well be without three key players, one of whom is former Clarets frontman Chris Wood, signed for $31 million in January.
“We’re going to try him in training and see how he looks,” the manager said. “At the time, we didn’t think it was a serious injury so fingers crossed he gets through training today.”
Another player who is touch-and-go for the encounter is Fabian Schar.
The Switzerland international, who signed a two-year extension to his United deal earlier this month, was forced off, having been knocked unconscious in the 2-0 home win over Arsenal on Monday.
And head injury protocols mean the player might have to sit out Sunday’s match.
“Fabian we haven’t seen,” Howe said. “We’re following concussion protocols. I believe he is going to do something outside but we’ll follow the protocols closely. I think there will be a late decision on Fabian.”
A player who was visibly upset as the squad circled the St. James’ Park pitch to say thank you to fans after the Gunners win was Ryan Fraser.
It left many wondering why — and now Howe has explained why.
“Ryan Fraser might be out of the game,” he said. “He came on but had slight awareness in his hamstring, I don’t think it’s a re-injure but there is awareness in his hamstring again.”
Meanwhile, Callum Wilson looks set to end the campaign leading the United line, a place he was so sorely missed for a large chunk of the season.
And Howe admits it has been a relief to have his top scorer and talisman back available.
“An immense performance when you consider how long he’s been out and the type of injury he had,” he said of Wilson on Monday night.
“To deliver that first game back, I can’t say enough positive words about that. When you see behind the scenes and you see how he’s conducted himself and how he’s worked, it doesn’t surprise me because I’ve seen it many times before but then you’ve got to back it up with the performance and I thought he gave a very good display that really helped the team. Full credit to him.”
PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino insisted Friday he has no idea where Kylian Mbappe will play his club football next season as the striker’s contract in the French capital comes to an end. Mbappe is expected to reveal in the coming days whether he will join Real Madrid or accept a lucrative offer to stay at PSG, with an announcement potentially being made in the hours after the French champions play their final game of the Ligue 1 season at home to Metz on Saturday. “I don’t know what his decision is. I think it’s a personal matter for Kylian and for the club,” Pochettino said at a press conference ahead of the Metz match. “There are lots of rumors going around but the player is the one who will have to talk about this. “If I knew what his decision was I wouldn’t be the one to talk about it.” Mbappe, who joined PSG from Monaco in 2017, last week won the Ligue 1 Player of the Year prize and comes into the final weekend of the season as the division’s top scorer with 25 goals. Rumours are swirling in France and in Spain about when he will confirm where his next contract will be. “Mbappe, end of the suspense on Sunday,” claimed the headline in French sports daily L’Equipe on Friday. Pochettino said he hoped the 23-year-old would remain at PSG even if uncertainty surrounds the coach’s own future despite the Argentine and his staff having a year left on their own deals. “I hope Kylian is still here for many years to come but I also can’t lie. I don’t know what is going to happen,” he said. “We have a year left on our contracts so we will potentially be here next season. I just hope tomorrow (Saturday) we can enjoy celebrating the club’s 10th league title.” One player who is definitely expected to move on is Angel di Maria, with the 34-year-old Argentine winger’s own contract expiring and PSG understood to be happy for him to leave. PSG have cantered to the Ligue 1 title, equalling Saint-Etienne’s French record for most league championships, but their season has been soured by defeat against Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 in early March. The Parisians were 1-0 up away to Madrid an hour into the second leg thanks to a Mbappe goal, and led 2-0 on aggregate, only to implode and go out to a Karim Benzema hat-trick. “I hope the best is still to come. I think everyone at Paris Saint-Germain wants to win the Champions League. That has become an obsession for this club and I hope we can win it,” Pochettino added. “That spell in the second half in Madrid saw us not get the result we wanted and created lots of questions and emotions that we have not been able to control in recent months. “Despite that the players deserve to be congratulated because they have shown the ability to lift themselves and finish the season.”
The King’s Cup final between Al-Hilal and Al-Feiha on Thursday was a dramatic and tense encounter. After 90 minutes it was 1-1, with Salem Al-Dawsari putting Al-Hilal ahead on the stroke of halftime and Ramon Lopes equalising midway through the second half. The scoreline remained the same after extra time and Al-Feiha triumphed in the penalty shootout. There were plenty of talking points and here are just five:
Al-Feiha had to fight for everything and were rewarded with a first major trophy in their history. They were second best in terms of possession and chances, but were always in the game and made it hard going for the league champions. Perhaps the game started more openly than coach Vuk Rasovic would have liked with Al-Hilal having chances early but then Al-Feiha settled and kept it tight for most of the two hours.
Despite falling behind, the men from Al Majma’ah kept calm, got back on level terms and then defended as if their lives depended on it. It remains to be seen whether this marks the start of a new era for the victorious team, but whatever happens, it is a night that will go down in Al-Feiha’s history.
This was a real team performance achieved through hard work, organization and fierce defending. Rasovic obviously knows how to play against Al-Hilal and his players followed his instructions to the letter, at least after the opening 10 minutes when the Riyadh giants had some good chances.
From then, it became a battle. Al-Feiha have played Al-Hilal three times this season and have conceded just one goal. Despite the loss, the champions will be happy that they will not have to face this opponent for a while.
2. Al-Ittihad will be delighted
While this game was always going to define the season for Al-Feiha, that was never going to be the case for Al-Hilal, who lifted a record fourth Asian title last November. Casting a shadow over the encounter was next Monday’s Classico against Al-Ittihad, which will go a long way to deciding where the Saudi Pro League title ends up. And this was the perfect situation for the Tigers, who were able to sit back and watch their closest challengers have a tough match and then go into extra time.
Al-Hilal’s squad may be the best in Asia, but it was already stretched due to injuries and suspensions. Now there is an extra layer of fatigue that has been added and you could see the demands of a long season taking its toll.
As befits the King’s Cup final, the team from Riyadh picked their strongest possible team and it is a team now more tired than ever. At some point on Monday, it is quite possible that the Al-Hilal players will start to feel the effects of Thursday. Al-Ittihad in contrast have had more than two weeks in which to rest. Perhaps the best sight of the night for the league leaders was Salem Al-Dawsari going down with cramp in the second period of extra time. The smiles must have been very wide all over Jeddah.
3. Al-Feiha were right about Al-Hilal’s weakness
Before the game, Al-Feiha boss Rasovic rightly spoke at some length about the attacking talent that Al-Hilal have at their disposal and how it was going to be the toughest of games. The Serbian did, however, point to what he saw as the champions’ vulnerability: A problem dealing with crosses from wide. That was certainly the case for the equalising goal when a simple low ball into the area from the right side caused panic in Al-Hilal’s defence. Ali Al-Bulaihi fell over and Jang Hyun-soo was slow to react, which gave Ramon Lopes the second he needed to get a shot off.
Even so, the Brazilian’s effort was straight at Abdullah Al-Mayouf and, it seemed, at catchable height. However, the goalkeeper could only push the ball up and into the net. The Blues continued to look uncomfortable whenever the ball was sent into the area. It would not be a surprise to see Al-Ittihad doing something similar on Monday.
4. Al-Hilal’s tired stars have to dust themselves down
There was no doubt that Al-Hilal’s big names are feeling the effects of a long season and multiple competitions, but they have no rest before the huge title decider on Monday against Al-Ittihad. The likes of Matheus Pereira looked a little flat.
There was plenty of fanfare last summer when Al-Hilal beat a host of European clubs to the signature of the Brazilian playmaker, but while he has had his moments, he has yet to really take a big game by the scruff of the neck, and against such a determined and organised opponent, the final was crying out for a touch of class.
Moussa Marega worked hard, but neither he nor Ighalo could find a breakthrough. Abdullah Otayf was taken off early in the second half as coach Ramon Diaz tried to find a way through. It just did not happen in the end, but there is no time to dwell on the defeat as the big games keep on coming. Now Al-Hilal have to find a way to bounce back and take on their rivals in a title decider.
From 1986 to 2018, only five clubs lifted the King’s Cup: Al-Hilal, Al-Ittihad, Al-Shabab, Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli. Yet, the domination of the big clubs, which is also the case elsewhere such as in England, has started to erode of late. Al-Taawoun won in 2019, Al-Faisaly lifted the trophy in 2021 and now it is the turn of Al-Feiha. It shows that the so-called smaller teams are improving, and while they still may struggle to live with the big boys over the course of a long season, in one-off encounters they have what it takes to win.
This is a positive development for Saudi Arabian football. When there is a path to glory then there is incentive for everyone to aim as high as possible and this helps raise the standard all over the country. And then there is the Asian Champions League. Al-Faisaly and Al-Taawoun have enjoyed their experiences on the continent which can only stand them in good stead for the future. Next year it will be the turn of Al-Feiha to cross swords with international rivals. They have what it takes to shine in a tournament setting.
LONDON: Three of the UK’s biggest women’s golf stars have been confirmed for the Aramco Team Series — London presented by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, taking place at the Centurion Club on June 16-18.
Georgia Hall, Charley Hull and Bronte Law, all part of victorious Solheim Cup campaigns in recent years, will headline the $1 million Aramco-backed team and individual event that returns to London for a second successive year on the Ladies European Tour.
Last year’s debut event saw some of the biggest names in women’s golf compete, including Lexi Thompson and Atthaya Thitikul, with stars from the LET.
Top-ranked British player Georgia Hall has enjoyed a strong 2022 thus far with a commanding victory at the Aramco Saudi Ladies International in March, and a strong showing on the LPGA.
Last year’s ATS — London event saw Hall shoot 64 to break the course record in her second round.
“Any time you get to tee it up on home soil it’s very special indeed, so an opportunity to win individually or with my team in London at the Aramco Team Series is something that would obviously be a massive season highlight,” she said.
“I love the concept and a chance to play and win with a range of different players with some good memories from last year.
“Women’s sport and UK golf is booming at the moment, so fun and exciting events like this on the LET provide a massive opportunity for more women and girls to get inspired to play.”
Hull, ranked 31 in the world and second in England, has enjoyed two top-10 finishes to date this season, and returns to the ATS after a stellar 2021 where she had finishes of third, fourth, first and 13th in the individual events.
This season’s ATS will also see a revised format, with the team event taking place over the first two days, and the third and final round for individuals making the cut in a last-day shootout.
“I’ve performed well individually at the Aramco Team Series events, so I think this new format suits me,” said Hull, who impressed again in the ATS last week, playing in its debut Bangkok leg.
“It’s an exciting way to start a big summer for us, with events the players all look forward to in terms of profile, fun and great prize money opportunities.”
Talal Al-Marri, general manager of public affairs at tournament sponsor Aramco, said: “With a world-class field and affordable tickets, our London tournament can inspire golf fans and newcomers to the sport.
“We’re committed to supporting players and empowering women and girls through golf at all levels — leaving a positive impact at every country the Aramco Team Series visits.”
The ATS is golf’s first team event series on any professional tour, with visits this season to Bangkok, London, Sotogrande, New York and Jeddah.
The format, which includes a player-led draft at each event, gives more golfers tournament opportunities, helped by teaming up with the best players on the planet.
The teams will feature three LET players and an amateur fourth member — a position open to all golfers in the UK for the ATS — London event through the tournament’s “Team Up” competition, in association with VPAR.