logo
Golf: Scheffler takes one-shot lead into British Open third round - Omni sports

Golf: Scheffler takes one-shot lead into British Open third round - Omni sports

Al-Ahram Weekly7 days ago
Scottie Scheffler will take a one-shot lead into Saturday's third round of the British Open at Royal Portrush under the expectation to "dominate", according to his playing partner Matthew Fitzpatrick.
The world number one eased to a magnificent seven-under par 64 in the second round to edge ahead of Fitzpatrick as he bids for a first Claret Jug, which would complete the third leg of a possible career Grand Slam.
Scheffler, who sits at 10-under for the tournament, will tee off at 3:35 pm local time (1435 GMT) alongside England's Fitzpatrick.
"He's going to have the expectation to go out and dominate. He's an exceptional player. He's world number one, and we're seeing Tiger-like stuff," said Fitzpatrick.
"I think the pressure is for him to win the golf tournament."
Fitzpatrick, on nine-under overall, is a shot ahead of 2023 champion Brian Harman and China's Li Haotong, who make up the penultimate group.
With no other player within four strokes of the lead, the pressure is on the chasing pack to make the most of excellent scoring conditions in Northern Ireland and cut the gap.
Home favourite Rory McIlroy will need something spectacular to get back into contention for a second British Open title, getting his third round under way seven shots back.
There were plenty of birdies on offer for the early starters, with Canadian Corey Conners carding a five-under 66 in the first group on the course to reach four-under overall.
But Scheffler will be a strong favourite to close out his fourth major victory.
The American arrived at Portrush following a run of 10 successive top-10 finishes, featuring three wins including the PGA Championship.
Fitzpatrick is hoping to become the first English winner of the British Open since Nick Faldo won his third title in 1992.
He described a missed cut at the Players Championship earlier this year as the lowest point of his career, but has found some form in recent weeks.
The 2022 US Open champion carded a 66 on Friday, rolling in a 23-foot par putt on the 18th.
Harman is targeting a second British Open in three years following his six-shot triumph at Hoylake in 2023.
Li, who finished third on debut at the 2017 British Open, is still in the hunt to become the first Chinese man to lift a major title.
"Definitely want to be comfortable... Will be a lot of pressure for sure, but just have to find a way to deal with that," said Li, playing in his first major since 2022.
(For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.)
Follow us on:
Facebook
Instagram
Whatsapp
Short link:
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Newcastle boss Howe confident Isak will stay despite transfer talk - World
Newcastle boss Howe confident Isak will stay despite transfer talk - World

Al-Ahram Weekly

time16 minutes ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

Newcastle boss Howe confident Isak will stay despite transfer talk - World

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe insisted Saturday that Alexander Isak is still a Newcastle player despite speculation around a move to either Premier League champions Liverpool or Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia. Isak has not travelled with Newcastle for their pre-season tour of Asia, apparently because of a minor thigh injury, but Howe said the 25-year-old Swedish striker was a key part of his plans. "Of course, there are always going to be things going on behind the scenes," Howe told reporters in Singapore, where Newcastle play Arsenal on Sunday. "He is aware he's in the news every day, which I'm sure is not easy for anyone in that situation. "Conversations between Alex and the club or with me will stay private for obvious reasons. We do share a good relationship," Howe added. Isak, who scored 23 Premier League goals last season, has been "magnificent for us for as long as he has been with us," said Howe. "And he is very comfortable in the dressing room." Isak did not travel with the Magpies after the thigh injury kept him out of Newcastle's friendly defeat to Celtic last week. "He mentioned before the Celtic game that it would be very minimal and nothing too serious," said Howe. "But he left training very early and didn't feel right. So, he's now back in Newcastle getting that injury assessed." Howe remained confident that Isak will be wearing black and white when the new season kicks off next month. "I said after the game against Celtic that I was confident he would stay. I don't see anything that is going to change that opinion of mine at the moment. "It's football," he added. "And who knows what the future may bring." The Magpies ended their 70-year trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup and finished in fifth place in the Premier League last season to secure a return to the Champions League. "I think once you've experienced that feeling of winning, you want it again. So, we want to do it again as soon as possible, in all the competitions we are in," said Howe. "We set the bar very high, and there's a lot of ambition within the team." (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

Tennis: Top seed Fritz falls as Raducanu and Fernandez win at DC Open - Omni sports
Tennis: Top seed Fritz falls as Raducanu and Fernandez win at DC Open - Omni sports

Al-Ahram Weekly

timean hour ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

Tennis: Top seed Fritz falls as Raducanu and Fernandez win at DC Open - Omni sports

US top seed Taylor Fritz dropped an early Saturday morning marathon to Spain's Alejandro Davidovich-Fokina while Britain's Emma Raducanu and Canada's Leylah Fernandez reached the semi-finals of the ATP and WTA DC Open. World number four Fritz, two points from victory in the ninth game, dropped the last five games in falling to the 26th-ranked Spaniard 7-6 (7/3), 3-6, 7-5 after three hours and five minutes in a match ending just before 2:00 am. Davidovich-Fokina advanced to a Saturday semi-final against US fourth seed Ben Shelton, who beat sixth-seeded hometown hero Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7/2), 6-4. Fritz, who had 20 aces and six double faults, served for the match in the ninth and was up 30-0 but lost, then failed to take advantage of three double faults by Davidovich-Fokina in the 10th game. The other men's semi-final will send French lucky loser Corentin Moutet against Australian seventh seed Alex De Minaur, who eliminated American Brandon Nakashima 6-4, 6-4. Moutet withstood leg cramps to eliminate eighth seed Daniil Medvedev 1-6, 6-4, 6-4. "I tried to survive every point because it was hard physically," Moutet said after fighting off leg cramps. "I'm just proud of myself." Raducanu reached the brink of her first WTA final since winning the 2021 US Open, ousting Greece's Maria Sakkari 6-4, 7-5. And Fernandez, whom Raducanu beat in that Flushing Meadows championship match, reached the other semi-final by dispatching American Taylor Townsend 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). Raducanu, who missed most of 2023 after hand and ankle surgery and part of last year with a left foot injury, reached her first WTA semi-final since last year at Nottingham by dispatching Sakkari in sweltering conditions of 95F (35C). "It was one of the toughest matches conditions-wise I've ever played in," Raducanu said. "Those points in the second set, I was getting a bit wobbly I'm just happy I could close it out and it was two sets. "I think the humidity here, as well, it just makes it feel completely like you have just opened an oven and it just stayed open and your head is in there. That's how it feels." Left-hander Fernandez overcame leg cramps in the second set in advancing to face third seed Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, who beat Polish fifth seed Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-3. Raducanu will next face Anna Kalinskaya, who defeated Danish fourth seed Clara Tauson 6-3, 7-5. Raducanu, Britain's first women's Grand Slam singles champion since Virginia Wade in 1977 at Wimbledon, beat four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the second round before downing Sakkari after a medical timeout in the second set. "Brutal conditions. Right in the peak heat of the day. It was incredibly difficult," Raducanu said. "I had to call a doctor on. Wasn't feeling too good in the second set. "When it's at that stage you know you're going to suffer and you have to just go until you physically can't anymore. It could be a little dangerous but you just leave it all out there on the court as an athlete." 'Benchmark' win Raducanu rallied to win the final five games of the match, calling it a "big benchmark" to reach the semis. "You get to a point where you're so tired that you don't really know what you're doing anymore, and I think maybe that helped," Raducanu said. Fernandez called it a "good steppingstone" to reach the semis, fight off leg cramps to break Townsend on her eighth chance in the 10th game to reach 5-5 on the way to victory. "It was definitely an adventure," Fernandez said. "This was the first time I've had to go through this. I'm proud I was able to stay mentally tough." (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

MLS suspension of Messi and Alba is ‘draconian': Inter Miami owner - World
MLS suspension of Messi and Alba is ‘draconian': Inter Miami owner - World

Al-Ahram Weekly

time2 hours ago

  • Al-Ahram Weekly

MLS suspension of Messi and Alba is ‘draconian': Inter Miami owner - World

The owner of Inter Miami called Major League Soccer's suspension of Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba for skipping the All-Star Game a 'draconian' punishment. 'They don't understand the decision,' owner Jorge Mas said Friday of the one-game suspensions. 'They don't understand why not attending an exhibition match leads directly to a suspension.' Messi and Alba did not suit up for the match between the MLS and Liga MX of Mexico despite being voted to the game. Messi did not play to rest amid a packed schedule and Alba was dealing with a previous injury. Mas said the club made the decision for Messi and Alba to sit out of the All-Star Game. Per MLS rules, any player who doesn't participate in the All-Star Game without prior approval from the league is ineligible to compete in their club's next match. The players will miss Miami's home match Saturday against FC Cincinnati, which sits atop the Eastern Conference standings. Both Messi and Alba practiced with the club on Friday in anticipation of playing in Saturday's match before MLS announced the suspension. 'I know Lionel Messi loves this league,' said MLS Commissioner Don Garber. 'I don't think there's a player — or anyone — who has done more for Major League Soccer than Messi. I fully understand, respect, and admire his commitment to Inter Miami, and I respect his decision. 'Unfortunately, we have a long-standing policy regarding participation in the All-Star Game, and we had to enforce it. It was a very difficult decision.' Garber added that the league will re-evaluate the policy and work with players to 'determine how the rule should evolve.' Mas said Inter Miami expressed its disagreement over the suspension and the rule. Mas also noted there were six MLS games Friday night less than 48 hours after an All-Star Game. 'That's not right,' Mas said. 'That's not right to the players.' (For more sports news and updates, follow Ahram Online Sports on Twitter at @AO_Sports and on Facebook at AhramOnlineSports.) Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store