Major number two well within McDowell’s reach July 13, 2010 THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP FROM TOMORROW – 9.00AM BBC1/BBC2 RESCUING punters from their post-World Cup withdrawal, at 6.30am tomorrow morning the sound of club-on-ball will signal the start of the 139th Open Championship from St Andrews. There are few surprises at the top of the betting, with favourite Tiger Woods available at 11/2 on Betdaq ahead [...]
TOP BRITISH CONTENDERS July 13, 2010 LEE WESTWOOD THIRD place in both last year’s Open and USPGA, and second in the US Masters, Westwood is the nearly man of Majors golf. The chances of the world No3 finally breaking his duck, however, have been hampered by a calf injury which has forced him to pull out of the Irish Open in [...]
Open hopefuls go in pursuit of elusive 62 to break 37-year Majors’ record July 13, 2010 WHEN Johnny Miller shot a closing 63 to win the 1973 US Open, it was to prove the beginning of a long-lasting legacy. Since that day, not one player in any of the four Major championships has broken the magical 63 ?– giving players that little extra incentive to fire their way into the history [...]
Tiger is cracking value at a venue where he is peerless July 13, 2010 TIGER Woods is again the favourite to win a third successive Open on the St Andrews course although his odds of 11/2 to lift the famous Claret Jug are the biggest he’s been to win an Open since 2004. When you consider Tiger had been just 2/1 to win this tournament 12 months ago it [...]
Foot injury rules Bell out of Pakistan Test series July 13, 2010 ENGLAND batsman Ian Bell has been ruled out of the forthcoming Test series with Pakistan after undergoing foot surgery. Bell fractured a metatarsal in Saturday’s one-day defeat to Bangladesh in Bristol and had a routine operation on Monday evening. The foot is encased in a protective boot and Bell is expected to make a full [...]
Wiggins’ Tour chances rocked July 13, 2010 TEAM Sky’s Bradley Wiggins has admitted he may have to settle for a top-10 spot in the Tour de France after losing major ground on the leaders in yesterday’s ninth stage. The Englishman finished almost five minutes behind stage winner Sandy Casal and now lies more than seven minutes behind new race leader Andy Schleck. [...]
Aussies pegged back by Pakistan July 13, 2010 CRICKET: Australia squandered a healthy start to their first Test with Pakistan at Lord’s, slipping from 171-2 to finish day one on 229-9. Aussie batsmen Simon Katich and Michael Clarke hit 80 and 47 respectively and enjoyed a third-wicket stand that reaped 120 runs. But fast-bowler Mohamed Asif struck three wickets in seven balls either [...]
Yankees chief Steinbrenner dies July 13, 2010 BASEBALL: George Steinbrenner, the owner who turned the New York Yankees into a sporting superpower, died yesterday aged 80. Steinbrenner, who bought the franchise in 1973 and oversaw 11 Major League titles and seven World Series wins, suffered a massive heart attack. His family paid tribute in a statement, calling him “a visionary and a [...]
Powell inks one-year Wasps deal July 13, 2010 RUGBY UNION: Wales No8 Andy Powell has signed a one-year contract with Wasps after being released by Cardiff Blues. Powell, whose arrest for drink-driving a golf buggy on the motorway in February contributed to his Blues exit, is reunited with Wales defence coach Shaun Edwards at Wasps. “This is a pure rugby decision,” said the [...]
REIGN IN SPAIN July 12, 2010 SPAIN enjoyed a heroes’ welcome yesterday as legions of ecstatic fans and the country’s top dignitaries alike clamoured to greet the returning world champions. Around a million supporters lined the streets of Madrid to cheer the team, who celebrated a maiden World Cup triumph with an open-top bus parade. King Juan Carlos and Prime Minister [...]