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Telegraph
18 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Players must be hit where it hurts to cure scourge of slow play
Officials judged JJ Spaun to have recorded a 'bad time' here at the 153rd Open Championship and the US Open champion's playing partners, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele, were not best pleased. Goodness knows how they identified Spaun alone. Rounds were taking beyond six hours by the end of the opening day – everybody was slow and they surely could not blame one player. Indeed, picking out Spaun in this trail of the slugs was akin to singling out an Irishman here for having the odd pint. In fairness, however, Spaun is not quick and clearly was not quick and in this respect, it is gratifying to witness the referees actually enforcing the rules, even if it was in an isolated case. Now let us see if they follow this through. Should Spaun record another 'bad time' in the second round, he will receive a penalty shot and an example would thus be made. If you pardon the pun, it would be long overdue. Despite the scourge of slow play raging all but unabated in the elite male professional game for the past decade there has not been a penalty in an individual event on the PGA Tour since Glen 'All' Day in 1995. In the majors, the most recent player to be hit with a sanction on the scorecard was China's Guan Tianlang at the 2013 Masters. And he happened to be a 14-year-old schoolkid. Otherwise, they want us to believe that the transgressions of the rulebook are so rare, it is difficult to catch the slowcoaches. That is nonsense, as the women's game is proving and, to a certain extent, LIV Golf as well. The LPGA Tour has issued four slow play penalties since March, including at the season's fourth female major – the Evian Championship – last week when another Chinese Yan Liu had two strokes added to her score for repeated infringements. On LIV, England's Richard Bland has twice fallen foul of the stop clock and it has cost him shots and money. Australia's Marc Leishman, a LIV member, made this point after his 72. 'Felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours,' he said. 'We've been on the course for three hours through eight holes. That was tough to deal with, especially coming from somewhere where we play in under four and a half hours every week.' There is mitigation. This is an immensely tough layout and the record-breaking crowds do not foster haste. Furthermore, the squalls meant players were clambering in and out of waterproofs at repeated intervals. That is all excusable. What is not is when the players wait for gusts to calm or when they simply take too long over a shot, either in the planning, the execution or most often, both. This is what occurred to Spaun on the 17th. The group had been 'put on the clock' and each player was being timed over each shot. At this stage, they usually pick up the pace. But on the penultimate hole, Spaun went over the allotted 50 seconds he was allowed as the first golfer to play (the other two in the threeball get 40 seconds). Thus his 'bad time' warning carries over into Friday. There were remonstrations against the rules official, with Rahm's caddie, Adam Hayes, reportedly particularly animated in a tense exchange. The referee stood his ground and should be applauded. John Wood, the well-known caddie who used to work for Matt Kuchar, was with the group as an analyst for USA TV and said the decision was perfectly correct. 'I've been with them for five holes,' Wood said, 'and I have not seen a group in front of them. They are definitely behind.' No, the trio were not the reason for the wretched pace of play. What is at fault is the culture on the PGA Tour and a belief among the entitled multi-millionaires that they will not get punished. The only way that the authorities will break that culture is by hitting the players where it hurts. Not in the wallet, but on the scorecard. More instances like Spaun will speed up the solution.
The Guardian
18 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Architect of PNG's successful NRL bid steps down amid corruption allegations
A key architect in the bid for Papua New Guinea's NRL team has stepped down from the new franchise's board in the wake of a media report detailing corruption concerns unrelated to the team. The Sydney Morning Herald reported on Friday of an alleged request from state-owned Kumul Petroleum to a Chinese firm it had given work, asking it to use a particular company as part of the arrangement. The company is owned by Wapu Sonk, the longtime managing director of Kumul Petroleum. Sonk was chair of the bid for a PNG team, which was granted a place in the NRL in December. The businessman was named on the new franchise's inaugural board last month. The PNG prime minister, James Marape, issued a statement on Friday describing the allegations as 'serious', and confirming Sonk has stepped down from the board. 'These allegations relate to business dealings during his tenure at Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited and while these matters are unrelated to the NRL bid, they raise concerns that cannot be ignored,' Marape said. 'I have spoken to Mr Sonk and, while he is currently overseas, I have requested that he step down from his role as a director on the PNG NRL franchise board effective immediately. He has agreed to do so.' The PNG team is due to join the competition in 2028, and players and staff will enjoy tax breaks to make a move to PNG more attractive. The bid was funded by a $600m, 10-year pledge from the Albanese government to develop rugby league in PNG and the Pacific amid escalating geopolitical competition. But the initiative has drawn concern for the size of the promise and how the money will be spent. The deal includes a provision allowing the Australian government to withdraw the funding at any time. The minister for Pacific island affairs, Pat Conroy, has been approached for comment. Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion Marape described integrity of the new franchise as 'paramount' and that 'this moment demands clarity, accountability, and the upholding of public confidence'. However, he said Sonk stepping down was 'not a presumption of guilt' and he 'is entitled to due process and the opportunity to clear his name'. 'Stepping down allows him the space to do so without casting a shadow over the franchise process or compromising the confidence of our partners,' Marape said. Sonk has been approached for comment. The prime minister sought to reassure the people of PNG, the Australian government and the Australian Rugby League Commission that the PNG government 'is committed to full transparency and cooperation with any relevant investigations'. 'The integrity of this national franchise is paramount,' he said. 'We will not allow it to be undermined by external controversy.'
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Reuters
France coach tees off at refereeing in All Blacks series
July 18 (Reuters) - France coach Fabien Galthie has complained about the refereeing in their series against New Zealand, airing grievances over the scrum while querying several decisions following defeats in Dunedin and Wellington. With the All Blacks looking to seal a series sweep in the third and final test in Hamilton on Saturday, Galthie told French media he expected neutrality from referees. "We need the scrum and the ball being carried to be properly refereed," he said. "I don't usually dwell on refereeing, but when I have expectations, I share them. "Clearly, we need to be officiated as if we were playing on neutral ground. Neutrality." Galthie highlighted two instances in the 43-17 loss in Wellington where he thought the French were short-changed. He said All Black Jordie Barrett had entered a ruck illegally in the second half as the French set up a maul and rumbled over the line, only for the ball to be held up. "Clearly, Barrett enters in an offside position, on the side. For me, that's a penalty try and a yellow card." He also took umbrage with an interception by All Blacks winger Rieko Ioane which stopped a French attack on the try-line near the right corner. "When he intercepts the ball on Leo Barre's last pass ... he is off-side the whole time. There is a penalty try and a yellow card. "I'm happy for there to be that difference in the score, but that's two tries and two yellow cards." Reuters has contacted global governing body World Rugby, which appoints test referees, for comment.
