Movie giants bring Hollywood stardust to Flying Roos
Australia's ocean dominance has got a Hollywood upgrade as Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds became co-owners of the country's three-times champion SailGP team, now rebranded as the BONDS Flying Roos.
The investment adds star power to the Australian outfit who have dominated the global sailing championship, winning a trio of titles in four seasons of the high-speed racing series.
"We're incredibly excited to set sail together in this new adventure," Jackman and Reynolds said in a statement. "Hugh brings a deep love for and pride in his home country as well as being an avid fan of sailing."
The move comes just days after Oscar winner Anne Hathaway sailed into sports ownership, joining a female-led consortium who acquired the Red Bull Italy SailGP Team in what circuit CEO Russell Coutts called "another significant milestone in SailGP's growth as a league".
Founded in 2019, SailGP pits national crews in identical 50ft foiling catamarans reaching speeds over 54 knots within metres of shorelines in iconic harbours worldwide.
"This is an incredible milestone for us and for our sport," said Tom Slingsby, who serves as driver, CEO and co-owner of the Flying Roos.
SailGP director Andy Thompson added: "Today marks a landmark moment not just for the Australia team, but for the trajectory of SailGP globally," highlighting the "extraordinary combination of global reach, vision, commercial nous" the Hollywood duo bring.
The newly minted Flying Roos will debut under their star-studded ownership at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix on June 7-8, where they aim to defend their position atop the championship leaderboard.
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The Advertiser
15 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Aussie Leishman on right track for US Open date
Marc Leishman appears to be finding form at the right time with his US Open date on the horizon. The Australian shot a four-under 67 at LIV Golf Virginia in Gainesville on Friday to trail leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Germany's Martin Kaymer by one stroke after the opening round. Leishman is in good knick after coming through qualifying at nearby Rockville by obtaining one of four slots available for next week's Open at Oakmont Country Club. Tied for third, Leishman went on a birdie blitz on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes before making another on the 10th at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Bogeys on the 12th and 15th stymied his progress before he rebounded with closing birdies on 17 and 18. Like Leishman, DeChambeau is also in good shape before the defence of his US Open title. He chipped in for an eagle and a birdie on his way to his 66 and shot up the leaderboard after a brief weather delay, eagling the par-5 14th and birdieing each of the next two holes. His chip at No.14 was a soft placement next to a slope, and his ball rolled from right to left right into the cup. At the par-4 16th, he missed the green and chopped his third shot out of some thick rough, only to watch his ball head straight to the pin and disappear again. "Man, what's nice is coming out into some soft conditions," DeChambeau said. "That little chip shot became a hell of a lot easier for me. So I just chipped it out to the right exactly what I saw. I don't know if you saw, but I was studying it before I left. "I was like this looks perfect, came out, still looks perfect, hit it exactly where I wanted it to land, and it went right in the frickin' hole." Leishman is tied for third with Phil Mickelson, who may play in his final US Open next week. Also on the same number are Spain's Jon Rahm, searching for his third career major win, Chilean Joaquin Niemann, who received the USGA's first special invite based on LIV performance, Indian Anirban Lahiri and Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. RangeGoats GC teammates Bubba Watson and Peter Uihlein are tied at three under with Patrick Reed and Belgium's Thomas Pieters, both of 4Aces. Australian Cameron Smith is at one under while compatriots Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are both at four over. RangeGoats lead the team competition at nine under par, two shots better than 4Aces and DeChambeau's team, Crushers GC. Marc Leishman appears to be finding form at the right time with his US Open date on the horizon. The Australian shot a four-under 67 at LIV Golf Virginia in Gainesville on Friday to trail leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Germany's Martin Kaymer by one stroke after the opening round. Leishman is in good knick after coming through qualifying at nearby Rockville by obtaining one of four slots available for next week's Open at Oakmont Country Club. Tied for third, Leishman went on a birdie blitz on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes before making another on the 10th at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Bogeys on the 12th and 15th stymied his progress before he rebounded with closing birdies on 17 and 18. Like Leishman, DeChambeau is also in good shape before the defence of his US Open title. He chipped in for an eagle and a birdie on his way to his 66 and shot up the leaderboard after a brief weather delay, eagling the par-5 14th and birdieing each of the next two holes. His chip at No.14 was a soft placement next to a slope, and his ball rolled from right to left right into the cup. At the par-4 16th, he missed the green and chopped his third shot out of some thick rough, only to watch his ball head straight to the pin and disappear again. "Man, what's nice is coming out into some soft conditions," DeChambeau said. "That little chip shot became a hell of a lot easier for me. So I just chipped it out to the right exactly what I saw. I don't know if you saw, but I was studying it before I left. "I was like this looks perfect, came out, still looks perfect, hit it exactly where I wanted it to land, and it went right in the frickin' hole." Leishman is tied for third with Phil Mickelson, who may play in his final US Open next week. Also on the same number are Spain's Jon Rahm, searching for his third career major win, Chilean Joaquin Niemann, who received the USGA's first special invite based on LIV performance, Indian Anirban Lahiri and Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. RangeGoats GC teammates Bubba Watson and Peter Uihlein are tied at three under with Patrick Reed and Belgium's Thomas Pieters, both of 4Aces. Australian Cameron Smith is at one under while compatriots Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are both at four over. RangeGoats lead the team competition at nine under par, two shots better than 4Aces and DeChambeau's team, Crushers GC. Marc Leishman appears to be finding form at the right time with his US Open date on the horizon. The Australian shot a four-under 67 at LIV Golf Virginia in Gainesville on Friday to trail leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Germany's Martin Kaymer by one stroke after the opening round. Leishman is in good knick after coming through qualifying at nearby Rockville by obtaining one of four slots available for next week's Open at Oakmont Country Club. Tied for third, Leishman went on a birdie blitz on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes before making another on the 10th at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Bogeys on the 12th and 15th stymied his progress before he rebounded with closing birdies on 17 and 18. Like Leishman, DeChambeau is also in good shape before the defence of his US Open title. He chipped in for an eagle and a birdie on his way to his 66 and shot up the leaderboard after a brief weather delay, eagling the par-5 14th and birdieing each of the next two holes. His chip at No.14 was a soft placement next to a slope, and his ball rolled from right to left right into the cup. At the par-4 16th, he missed the green and chopped his third shot out of some thick rough, only to watch his ball head straight to the pin and disappear again. "Man, what's nice is coming out into some soft conditions," DeChambeau said. "That little chip shot became a hell of a lot easier for me. So I just chipped it out to the right exactly what I saw. I don't know if you saw, but I was studying it before I left. "I was like this looks perfect, came out, still looks perfect, hit it exactly where I wanted it to land, and it went right in the frickin' hole." Leishman is tied for third with Phil Mickelson, who may play in his final US Open next week. Also on the same number are Spain's Jon Rahm, searching for his third career major win, Chilean Joaquin Niemann, who received the USGA's first special invite based on LIV performance, Indian Anirban Lahiri and Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. RangeGoats GC teammates Bubba Watson and Peter Uihlein are tied at three under with Patrick Reed and Belgium's Thomas Pieters, both of 4Aces. Australian Cameron Smith is at one under while compatriots Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are both at four over. RangeGoats lead the team competition at nine under par, two shots better than 4Aces and DeChambeau's team, Crushers GC. Marc Leishman appears to be finding form at the right time with his US Open date on the horizon. The Australian shot a four-under 67 at LIV Golf Virginia in Gainesville on Friday to trail leaders Bryson DeChambeau and Germany's Martin Kaymer by one stroke after the opening round. Leishman is in good knick after coming through qualifying at nearby Rockville by obtaining one of four slots available for next week's Open at Oakmont Country Club. Tied for third, Leishman went on a birdie blitz on the sixth, seventh and eighth holes before making another on the 10th at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club. Bogeys on the 12th and 15th stymied his progress before he rebounded with closing birdies on 17 and 18. Like Leishman, DeChambeau is also in good shape before the defence of his US Open title. He chipped in for an eagle and a birdie on his way to his 66 and shot up the leaderboard after a brief weather delay, eagling the par-5 14th and birdieing each of the next two holes. His chip at No.14 was a soft placement next to a slope, and his ball rolled from right to left right into the cup. At the par-4 16th, he missed the green and chopped his third shot out of some thick rough, only to watch his ball head straight to the pin and disappear again. "Man, what's nice is coming out into some soft conditions," DeChambeau said. "That little chip shot became a hell of a lot easier for me. So I just chipped it out to the right exactly what I saw. I don't know if you saw, but I was studying it before I left. "I was like this looks perfect, came out, still looks perfect, hit it exactly where I wanted it to land, and it went right in the frickin' hole." Leishman is tied for third with Phil Mickelson, who may play in his final US Open next week. Also on the same number are Spain's Jon Rahm, searching for his third career major win, Chilean Joaquin Niemann, who received the USGA's first special invite based on LIV performance, Indian Anirban Lahiri and Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. RangeGoats GC teammates Bubba Watson and Peter Uihlein are tied at three under with Patrick Reed and Belgium's Thomas Pieters, both of 4Aces. Australian Cameron Smith is at one under while compatriots Lucas Herbert and Matt Jones are both at four over. RangeGoats lead the team competition at nine under par, two shots better than 4Aces and DeChambeau's team, Crushers GC.
The Advertiser
15 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Postecoglou loses Tottenham job but keeps his pride
Ange Postecoglou will walk away from Tottenham Hotspur with his pride and his reputation intact and his place in the club's heritage assured after an eventful two-year stint in north London. Ending the club's 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League made sure of that. The Australian delivered on his claim of always winning a trophy in his second season at a club, but few could have envisaged the circumstances in which it happened. From the ruins of a nightmarish Premier League season, Tottenham ground out a backs-to-the-wall victory against one of the worst Manchester United sides in decades with a display at odds with the club's 'to dare is to do' motto. Earlier in the season, after Tottenham beat United 4-3 in a rollercoaster League Cup quarter-final, Postecoglou railed against studio pundits who criticised his expansive style. "Are you not entertained?! What do you want? Do you want a scrambly 1-0? The studio's probably going into meltdown over my lack of tactics but I love the fact we go out there and take it to opposition," he bristled. A few months later, Tottenham did just that, beating United 1-0 with a messy goal and a second half display in which they had 19 per cent of the ball and barely crossed the halfway line. Postecoglou had only to point to the euphoric scenes in the stadium to answer those who sneered at Tottenham's glory night. In a parallel universe it could have heralded the ignition point for a Postecoglou dynasty at Tottenham, just as Manchester United's 1989 FA Cup win did for Alex Ferguson. Instead, it just marked the end of another brief chapter in the club's history, albeit a memorable one, as he became the fifth full-time manager to be sacked in little over five years. When Postecoglou arrived in 2023 with his swashbuckling 'Ange-Ball' style he seemed the perfect fit for a club worn down by the joyless reigns of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Twenty six points from his opening 10 Premier League games in the 2023-24 season was more than any other manager in his first season in the competition, eclipsing the likes of serial title winners like Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. It was Tottenham's best start to a top-flight season since their last title-winning campaign in 1960-61. Then the wheels fell off. His 11th game, at home to Chelsea, offered an early clue as to what would become his eventual downfall. The mood was ecstatic as Spurs scored early but then they suffered two big injuries and were reduced to nine men by the 55th minute when Destiny Udogie joined Cristian Romero in receiving a rash red card. Even two players down, and with the score at 1-1, Postecoglou insisted his team play a high defensive line and go for goals and, while it was compelling viewing, they eventually subsided to a chaotic 4-1 defeat. That loyalty to his attacking philosophy was admirable and earned him staunch support amongst the club's fans, but it also exposed a lack of tactical pragmatism. Tottenham limped to fifth in Postecoglou's first term, securing continental football in the Europa League, and there were high hopes that his second season would see him mould a team capable of mounting a title challenge. Instead, Tottenham endured their worst top-flight season since they were relegated in 1977, ending in 17th place with 22 defeats and 65 goals conceded. There were mitigating circumstances. A chronic injury list took out central defenders Romero and Micky van de Ven, strikers Dominic Solanke and Richarlison and keeper Guglielmo Vicario for long periods and with no danger of relegation he put all his eggs in the Europa League basket. He will also argue that the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mikey Moore promise a bright future. He will not, however be the one to benefit with chairman Daniel Levy deciding that the Europa League triumph was the anomaly, rather than the 22 league defeats. The biggest criticism of Postecoglou was that his insistence on high defensive lines and playing out from the back, even when the players obviously could not execute it, exposed the team's soft underbelly and made them easy to beat. Relegated clubs Leicester City and Ipswich Town both beat Tottenham whose only league win in their last 12 games was against woeful bottom club Southampton. Yet set against their Premier League slide, Postecoglou conjured a parting gift for the long-suffering fans and they do not care how it was achieved. He leaves having changed the narrative around the club but whether the it can seize the moment and build a sustained challenge for regular silverware remains to be seen. Ange Postecoglou will walk away from Tottenham Hotspur with his pride and his reputation intact and his place in the club's heritage assured after an eventful two-year stint in north London. Ending the club's 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League made sure of that. The Australian delivered on his claim of always winning a trophy in his second season at a club, but few could have envisaged the circumstances in which it happened. From the ruins of a nightmarish Premier League season, Tottenham ground out a backs-to-the-wall victory against one of the worst Manchester United sides in decades with a display at odds with the club's 'to dare is to do' motto. Earlier in the season, after Tottenham beat United 4-3 in a rollercoaster League Cup quarter-final, Postecoglou railed against studio pundits who criticised his expansive style. "Are you not entertained?! What do you want? Do you want a scrambly 1-0? The studio's probably going into meltdown over my lack of tactics but I love the fact we go out there and take it to opposition," he bristled. A few months later, Tottenham did just that, beating United 1-0 with a messy goal and a second half display in which they had 19 per cent of the ball and barely crossed the halfway line. Postecoglou had only to point to the euphoric scenes in the stadium to answer those who sneered at Tottenham's glory night. In a parallel universe it could have heralded the ignition point for a Postecoglou dynasty at Tottenham, just as Manchester United's 1989 FA Cup win did for Alex Ferguson. Instead, it just marked the end of another brief chapter in the club's history, albeit a memorable one, as he became the fifth full-time manager to be sacked in little over five years. When Postecoglou arrived in 2023 with his swashbuckling 'Ange-Ball' style he seemed the perfect fit for a club worn down by the joyless reigns of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Twenty six points from his opening 10 Premier League games in the 2023-24 season was more than any other manager in his first season in the competition, eclipsing the likes of serial title winners like Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. It was Tottenham's best start to a top-flight season since their last title-winning campaign in 1960-61. Then the wheels fell off. His 11th game, at home to Chelsea, offered an early clue as to what would become his eventual downfall. The mood was ecstatic as Spurs scored early but then they suffered two big injuries and were reduced to nine men by the 55th minute when Destiny Udogie joined Cristian Romero in receiving a rash red card. Even two players down, and with the score at 1-1, Postecoglou insisted his team play a high defensive line and go for goals and, while it was compelling viewing, they eventually subsided to a chaotic 4-1 defeat. That loyalty to his attacking philosophy was admirable and earned him staunch support amongst the club's fans, but it also exposed a lack of tactical pragmatism. Tottenham limped to fifth in Postecoglou's first term, securing continental football in the Europa League, and there were high hopes that his second season would see him mould a team capable of mounting a title challenge. Instead, Tottenham endured their worst top-flight season since they were relegated in 1977, ending in 17th place with 22 defeats and 65 goals conceded. There were mitigating circumstances. A chronic injury list took out central defenders Romero and Micky van de Ven, strikers Dominic Solanke and Richarlison and keeper Guglielmo Vicario for long periods and with no danger of relegation he put all his eggs in the Europa League basket. He will also argue that the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mikey Moore promise a bright future. He will not, however be the one to benefit with chairman Daniel Levy deciding that the Europa League triumph was the anomaly, rather than the 22 league defeats. The biggest criticism of Postecoglou was that his insistence on high defensive lines and playing out from the back, even when the players obviously could not execute it, exposed the team's soft underbelly and made them easy to beat. Relegated clubs Leicester City and Ipswich Town both beat Tottenham whose only league win in their last 12 games was against woeful bottom club Southampton. Yet set against their Premier League slide, Postecoglou conjured a parting gift for the long-suffering fans and they do not care how it was achieved. He leaves having changed the narrative around the club but whether the it can seize the moment and build a sustained challenge for regular silverware remains to be seen. Ange Postecoglou will walk away from Tottenham Hotspur with his pride and his reputation intact and his place in the club's heritage assured after an eventful two-year stint in north London. Ending the club's 17-year trophy drought by winning the Europa League made sure of that. The Australian delivered on his claim of always winning a trophy in his second season at a club, but few could have envisaged the circumstances in which it happened. From the ruins of a nightmarish Premier League season, Tottenham ground out a backs-to-the-wall victory against one of the worst Manchester United sides in decades with a display at odds with the club's 'to dare is to do' motto. Earlier in the season, after Tottenham beat United 4-3 in a rollercoaster League Cup quarter-final, Postecoglou railed against studio pundits who criticised his expansive style. "Are you not entertained?! What do you want? Do you want a scrambly 1-0? The studio's probably going into meltdown over my lack of tactics but I love the fact we go out there and take it to opposition," he bristled. A few months later, Tottenham did just that, beating United 1-0 with a messy goal and a second half display in which they had 19 per cent of the ball and barely crossed the halfway line. Postecoglou had only to point to the euphoric scenes in the stadium to answer those who sneered at Tottenham's glory night. In a parallel universe it could have heralded the ignition point for a Postecoglou dynasty at Tottenham, just as Manchester United's 1989 FA Cup win did for Alex Ferguson. Instead, it just marked the end of another brief chapter in the club's history, albeit a memorable one, as he became the fifth full-time manager to be sacked in little over five years. When Postecoglou arrived in 2023 with his swashbuckling 'Ange-Ball' style he seemed the perfect fit for a club worn down by the joyless reigns of Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte. Twenty six points from his opening 10 Premier League games in the 2023-24 season was more than any other manager in his first season in the competition, eclipsing the likes of serial title winners like Mourinho and Pep Guardiola. It was Tottenham's best start to a top-flight season since their last title-winning campaign in 1960-61. Then the wheels fell off. His 11th game, at home to Chelsea, offered an early clue as to what would become his eventual downfall. The mood was ecstatic as Spurs scored early but then they suffered two big injuries and were reduced to nine men by the 55th minute when Destiny Udogie joined Cristian Romero in receiving a rash red card. Even two players down, and with the score at 1-1, Postecoglou insisted his team play a high defensive line and go for goals and, while it was compelling viewing, they eventually subsided to a chaotic 4-1 defeat. That loyalty to his attacking philosophy was admirable and earned him staunch support amongst the club's fans, but it also exposed a lack of tactical pragmatism. Tottenham limped to fifth in Postecoglou's first term, securing continental football in the Europa League, and there were high hopes that his second season would see him mould a team capable of mounting a title challenge. Instead, Tottenham endured their worst top-flight season since they were relegated in 1977, ending in 17th place with 22 defeats and 65 goals conceded. There were mitigating circumstances. A chronic injury list took out central defenders Romero and Micky van de Ven, strikers Dominic Solanke and Richarlison and keeper Guglielmo Vicario for long periods and with no danger of relegation he put all his eggs in the Europa League basket. He will also argue that the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray and Mikey Moore promise a bright future. He will not, however be the one to benefit with chairman Daniel Levy deciding that the Europa League triumph was the anomaly, rather than the 22 league defeats. The biggest criticism of Postecoglou was that his insistence on high defensive lines and playing out from the back, even when the players obviously could not execute it, exposed the team's soft underbelly and made them easy to beat. Relegated clubs Leicester City and Ipswich Town both beat Tottenham whose only league win in their last 12 games was against woeful bottom club Southampton. Yet set against their Premier League slide, Postecoglou conjured a parting gift for the long-suffering fans and they do not care how it was achieved. He leaves having changed the narrative around the club but whether the it can seize the moment and build a sustained challenge for regular silverware remains to be seen.
The Advertiser
15 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Aussie twosome hot on leaders' heels in Champions Tour
Thomas Bjorn and Darren Clarke have combined to shoot a 12-under-par 59 to grab the early advantage at the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison. Friday's four ball (best ball) format, which takes the lower score of a pairing of two golfers on each hole, is predisposed to the proliferation of lower scores, and indeed, every coupling of golfers competing was under par on the day. Clarke, of Northern Ireland, and Denmark's Bjorn were a dynamic duo on the first day of the tournament's debut at TPC Wisconsin, with each accounting for seven birdies across 12 different holes. But they have Australian twosome Richard Green and Mark Hensby in hot pursuit, just two behind them. "Certainly for me knowing Thomas's game so well made it so much easier for me to go out there and free it up today," Clarke said. "I really enjoy playing with him because I know he's there if I mess up, and likewise I try to be there for him. "We have, it's like a 'no sorry' policy. We're both trying as hard as we can and we both hit a lot of really good shots today and made the most of our opportunities." Each got on individual hot streaks, nabbing birdies on four straight holes. Overall, Clarke pocketed birdies on Nos.2, 4-7, 9 and 14. Bjorn had birdies at Nos.4-5, 11 and 15-18. "I think we were tactically very, very sound today and did the right things when we had to," Bjorn said. "When we had two balls in the fairway or two balls on the green, we could be aggressive and that's why we holed more putts than we probably normally would, and we could take on a little bit more flags." Seven duos are within four strokes of the leaders. Green and Hensby at 10-under 61, were good for second place. Hensby had the rougher day of the two with a pair of bogeys, but six birdies by Green kept them in contention. "I think we just both really enjoy the golf course, and the conditions are beautiful," Green said. "It's a lot of fun to play and hit the right shots required on this golf course. I felt comfortable out there." Defending champion Ernie Els of South Africa and his partner Tim Herron are tied for third at nine under alongside Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Australia's Brendan Jones. Tied for fifth at eight under are Australians Cameron Percy and David Bransdon, fellow Australians Stuart Appleby and Michael Wright, South Korea's K.J. Choi and Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita and Americans Gene Sauers and Glen Day. Saturday will switch things up with a scramble format - golfers choose the best lie of the two shoots they take from each location along the hole until the hole is completed - before reverting to best ball format on championship Sunday. Thomas Bjorn and Darren Clarke have combined to shoot a 12-under-par 59 to grab the early advantage at the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison. Friday's four ball (best ball) format, which takes the lower score of a pairing of two golfers on each hole, is predisposed to the proliferation of lower scores, and indeed, every coupling of golfers competing was under par on the day. Clarke, of Northern Ireland, and Denmark's Bjorn were a dynamic duo on the first day of the tournament's debut at TPC Wisconsin, with each accounting for seven birdies across 12 different holes. But they have Australian twosome Richard Green and Mark Hensby in hot pursuit, just two behind them. "Certainly for me knowing Thomas's game so well made it so much easier for me to go out there and free it up today," Clarke said. "I really enjoy playing with him because I know he's there if I mess up, and likewise I try to be there for him. "We have, it's like a 'no sorry' policy. We're both trying as hard as we can and we both hit a lot of really good shots today and made the most of our opportunities." Each got on individual hot streaks, nabbing birdies on four straight holes. Overall, Clarke pocketed birdies on Nos.2, 4-7, 9 and 14. Bjorn had birdies at Nos.4-5, 11 and 15-18. "I think we were tactically very, very sound today and did the right things when we had to," Bjorn said. "When we had two balls in the fairway or two balls on the green, we could be aggressive and that's why we holed more putts than we probably normally would, and we could take on a little bit more flags." Seven duos are within four strokes of the leaders. Green and Hensby at 10-under 61, were good for second place. Hensby had the rougher day of the two with a pair of bogeys, but six birdies by Green kept them in contention. "I think we just both really enjoy the golf course, and the conditions are beautiful," Green said. "It's a lot of fun to play and hit the right shots required on this golf course. I felt comfortable out there." Defending champion Ernie Els of South Africa and his partner Tim Herron are tied for third at nine under alongside Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Australia's Brendan Jones. Tied for fifth at eight under are Australians Cameron Percy and David Bransdon, fellow Australians Stuart Appleby and Michael Wright, South Korea's K.J. Choi and Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita and Americans Gene Sauers and Glen Day. Saturday will switch things up with a scramble format - golfers choose the best lie of the two shoots they take from each location along the hole until the hole is completed - before reverting to best ball format on championship Sunday. Thomas Bjorn and Darren Clarke have combined to shoot a 12-under-par 59 to grab the early advantage at the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison. Friday's four ball (best ball) format, which takes the lower score of a pairing of two golfers on each hole, is predisposed to the proliferation of lower scores, and indeed, every coupling of golfers competing was under par on the day. Clarke, of Northern Ireland, and Denmark's Bjorn were a dynamic duo on the first day of the tournament's debut at TPC Wisconsin, with each accounting for seven birdies across 12 different holes. But they have Australian twosome Richard Green and Mark Hensby in hot pursuit, just two behind them. "Certainly for me knowing Thomas's game so well made it so much easier for me to go out there and free it up today," Clarke said. "I really enjoy playing with him because I know he's there if I mess up, and likewise I try to be there for him. "We have, it's like a 'no sorry' policy. We're both trying as hard as we can and we both hit a lot of really good shots today and made the most of our opportunities." Each got on individual hot streaks, nabbing birdies on four straight holes. Overall, Clarke pocketed birdies on Nos.2, 4-7, 9 and 14. Bjorn had birdies at Nos.4-5, 11 and 15-18. "I think we were tactically very, very sound today and did the right things when we had to," Bjorn said. "When we had two balls in the fairway or two balls on the green, we could be aggressive and that's why we holed more putts than we probably normally would, and we could take on a little bit more flags." Seven duos are within four strokes of the leaders. Green and Hensby at 10-under 61, were good for second place. Hensby had the rougher day of the two with a pair of bogeys, but six birdies by Green kept them in contention. "I think we just both really enjoy the golf course, and the conditions are beautiful," Green said. "It's a lot of fun to play and hit the right shots required on this golf course. I felt comfortable out there." Defending champion Ernie Els of South Africa and his partner Tim Herron are tied for third at nine under alongside Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Australia's Brendan Jones. Tied for fifth at eight under are Australians Cameron Percy and David Bransdon, fellow Australians Stuart Appleby and Michael Wright, South Korea's K.J. Choi and Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita and Americans Gene Sauers and Glen Day. Saturday will switch things up with a scramble format - golfers choose the best lie of the two shoots they take from each location along the hole until the hole is completed - before reverting to best ball format on championship Sunday. Thomas Bjorn and Darren Clarke have combined to shoot a 12-under-par 59 to grab the early advantage at the American Family Insurance Championship in Madison. Friday's four ball (best ball) format, which takes the lower score of a pairing of two golfers on each hole, is predisposed to the proliferation of lower scores, and indeed, every coupling of golfers competing was under par on the day. Clarke, of Northern Ireland, and Denmark's Bjorn were a dynamic duo on the first day of the tournament's debut at TPC Wisconsin, with each accounting for seven birdies across 12 different holes. But they have Australian twosome Richard Green and Mark Hensby in hot pursuit, just two behind them. "Certainly for me knowing Thomas's game so well made it so much easier for me to go out there and free it up today," Clarke said. "I really enjoy playing with him because I know he's there if I mess up, and likewise I try to be there for him. "We have, it's like a 'no sorry' policy. We're both trying as hard as we can and we both hit a lot of really good shots today and made the most of our opportunities." Each got on individual hot streaks, nabbing birdies on four straight holes. Overall, Clarke pocketed birdies on Nos.2, 4-7, 9 and 14. Bjorn had birdies at Nos.4-5, 11 and 15-18. "I think we were tactically very, very sound today and did the right things when we had to," Bjorn said. "When we had two balls in the fairway or two balls on the green, we could be aggressive and that's why we holed more putts than we probably normally would, and we could take on a little bit more flags." Seven duos are within four strokes of the leaders. Green and Hensby at 10-under 61, were good for second place. Hensby had the rougher day of the two with a pair of bogeys, but six birdies by Green kept them in contention. "I think we just both really enjoy the golf course, and the conditions are beautiful," Green said. "It's a lot of fun to play and hit the right shots required on this golf course. I felt comfortable out there." Defending champion Ernie Els of South Africa and his partner Tim Herron are tied for third at nine under alongside Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee and Australia's Brendan Jones. Tied for fifth at eight under are Australians Cameron Percy and David Bransdon, fellow Australians Stuart Appleby and Michael Wright, South Korea's K.J. Choi and Japan's Hiroyuki Fujita and Americans Gene Sauers and Glen Day. Saturday will switch things up with a scramble format - golfers choose the best lie of the two shoots they take from each location along the hole until the hole is completed - before reverting to best ball format on championship Sunday.
