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Newsweek
6 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
The Open Makes Brutal Changes to End Old Tactics Used by Players
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Royal Portrush proved to be a true test of grit and adaptability as the 153rd Open Championship entered its third round on Saturday. With Ryder Cup captains watching closely ahead of the Bethpage Black showdown in September, players are not only chasing the major title but also fighting for a captain's pick. However, the R&A is not handing out easy routes to the top. And we say that for a reason. In an effort to eliminate outdated tactics used by golfers, The Open officials have introduced some of the most unforgiving drop zones this year, targeting a controversial strategy known as "backboarding." A claret jug flag flutters in the stiff breeze during practice ahead of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush golf club in Northern Ireland on July 14, 2025. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP)... A claret jug flag flutters in the stiff breeze during practice ahead of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush golf club in Northern Ireland on July 14, 2025. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images) More Getty Images Traditionally, players who hit their ball into grandstands or behind leaderboards were granted free relief, often from those manicured areas that offered a clean line to the pin. This led to a cheeky workaround, where shots were intentionally fired long into temporary structures to avoid hazards and earn a favorable drop. But this time the tables were turned. The R&A's new drop zones are tucked into awkward lies, sometimes in thick rough or uneven terrain, making players think twice before aiming for the grandstands. the Open seems to be dialing up its nastiest set of drop zones yet. ohh you want a free drop from the grandstand? for sure man. toss one down in the bushes over there — Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) July 16, 2025 "The dropping zones provide an additional free relief option to the standard free relief under the Local Rule for temporary immovable obstructions," the R&A told "We don't want hitting the ball toward a grandstand to be a bail-out option and therefore, where possible, we ensure that the dropping zones are not overly generous," the statement read. "It is worth emphasizing that taking relief into the dropping zone is not mandatory. The player will always have an alternative relief option under the TIO (temporary immovable obstructions) Local Rule." This isn't the first time The Open has taken a hard stance At Royal Troon last year, similar drop zone placements were used when Xander Schauffele won the Claret Jug with a final score of 275 (-9), edging out Justin Rose and Billy Horschel by two strokes. US golfer Xander Schauffele kisses the Claret Jug, the trophy for the Champion golfer of the year after winning the 152nd British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon on the south west coast of Scotland... US golfer Xander Schauffele kisses the Claret Jug, the trophy for the Champion golfer of the year after winning the 152nd British Open Golf Championship at Royal Troon on the south west coast of Scotland on July 21, 2024. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images) More Getty Images Speaking to Golf Digest, former R&A chief referee David Rickman explained the philosophy behind the setup, saying, "We've certainly seen comments that the infrastructure that can be built around a golf course can provide something of a backstop, a bailout, however you want to describe that. "We're always trying to maintain the integrity of the event when we're trying to, I suppose, make arrangement so if somebody does hit it into the grandstands where drop zones are marked, we give them a fair shot that is a reasonable approximation of what they would have." As Round 3 unfolds under gusty Portrush winds, tension is high and the leaderboard remains tight. Big names like Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Shane Lowry are battling not just the course, but the unforgiving relief rules that have reshaped strategy across the field. And the new drop zones certainly haven't made their life any easier. More Golf: Bryson DeChambeau comes clean about nearly giving up after brutal round
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
The Open Player Complains About '12 Hours' Round after Playing at LIV Golf
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. One of the most frustrating aspects of golf tournaments, for both players and spectators, is slow play. Despite years of backlash and debate, the issue remains unresolved, and it resurfaced again at this year's Open Championship, testing patience across Royal Portrush. Flags fly beside the 18th green and scoreboad during practice ahead of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush golf club in Northern Ireland on July 14, 2025. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) /... Flags fly beside the 18th green and scoreboad during practice ahead of the 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush golf club in Northern Ireland on July 14, 2025. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN/AFP via Getty Images) More Getty Images Among those voicing frustration was LIV Golf pro Marc Leishman, whose post-round comments quickly went viral. "Felt like we were on the golf course for about 12 hours," Leishman told reporters after the six-hour-long round. "We've been on the course for three hours through eight holes. That was tough to deal with, especially coming from somewhere (LIV Golf) where we play in under four and a half (hours) every week." Leishman's group teed off in the second half of the day, where delays were compounded by rain and wind. The first group began at 1:35 a.m. ET, with three-ball pairings going off every 11 minutes until the final group at 11:16 a.m. ET. One of the most notable delays came in Rory McIlroy's group, which teed off at 10:10 a.m. ET and didn't finish until 4:04 p.m., clocking a five-hour, 54-minute round. It was a slow one out there today. — Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) July 17, 2025 The final group, featuring George Bloor and OJ Farrell, wrapped up in near darkness. Leishman wasn't alone in expressing frustration "I thought six hours in a practice round the other day was a long time. I didn't think six hours in a tournament," said Robert MacIntyre, per his post-round transcripts. "We couldn't have gone any faster. ... I was speaking to the guys, and they're saying pretty much everybody's five hours 55. I guess golf courses are too long." Aaron Rai also weighed in, telling the reporters, "It was a little on the slow side. But naturally, with the challenging course, pace of play is going to be a little bit slower than normal." But it wasn't as if the R&A ignored the issue. The slow pace led to disciplinary action against newly crowned U.S. Open champion JJ Spaun. He was given a "bad time" warning on the 17th hole for exceeding the 50-second limit on his approach. Playing alongside Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele, the group took 5 1/2 hours to complete their round on Thursday. Under Open rules, Spaun won't be penalized unless he receives another warning in Round 2, which would result in a one-stroke penalty. Fortunately, as Round 2 got underway Friday morning, conditions were smoother, offering some relief after Thursday's long day. More Golf: Scottie Scheffler Makes Mockery of Scottish Open 418-Yard Par-4
ARN News Center
11-05-2025
- Sport
- ARN News Center
Newcastle beat 10-man Chelsea to move closer to Champions League
ANDY BUCHANAN/ AFP An early goal from Sandro Tonali and a late Bruno Guimaraes effort gave Newcastle United a 2-0 home win over Chelsea on Sunday that moves the Magpies a step closer to Champions League football next season. The match saw Chelsea striker Nicholas Jackson dent his side's hopes by getting sent off in the first half. The win leaves Newcastle in third spot on 66 points, three ahead of Chelsea, who hold the fifth and final Champions League spot with two games to play. Aston Villa are level with Chelsea on points, with Nottingham Forest, who face already-relegated Leicester City later on Sunday, two points further back. Midfielder Tonali ghosted in at the far post to steer home a pass from Jacob Murphy in the second minute, and the home side's task appeared to become easier when Jackson had his initial yellow card upgraded to a red in the 35th minute following an elbow to the head of Newcastle defender Dan Burn. Despite going down to 10 men, Chelsea dominated for much of the second half, forcing Eddie Howe to make a number of changes to bolster the home side's defence, and Guimares sealed the three points with a shot from outside the box that deflected off a defender before sailing into the net in the 90th minute.
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arsenal held by Everton, Wolves push Ipswich closer to relegation
Arsenal were held to a draw at Everton as their title hopes fade (ANDY BUCHANAN) Arsenal's faint hopes of catching Premier League leaders Liverpool are almost over after their 1-1 draw at Everton, while Wolves pushed Ipswich closer to relegation with a 2-1 win on Saturday. Leandro Trossard's opener for the Gunners was cancelled out by Iliman Ndiaye's penalty to leave Arsenal trailing 11 points behind Liverpool, who travel to Fulham on Sunday. Advertisement Liverpool now need just 11 points from their remaining eight games to secure a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title and first since 2020. With just two wins in their last six league matches, Arsenal have tamely surrendered in the title race and are destined to go another year without their first English crown since 2004. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had said the best preparation for his side's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid would be to win at Goodison Park. But the Spaniard showed he had one eye on the visit of the European champions with his team selection. Advertisement Bukayo Saka was forced to wait for his first start since December as the England international was left on the bench alongside Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey. "This is a very tough place to come, a team who is very physical and direct. If you don't deal with it, it's hard to get momentum. The start of the second half was very poor," Arteta said. Arsenal's weakened line-up struck first in the 34th minute when Raheem Sterling picked out Trossard and his low shot took Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford by surprise as it squirmed into the net. Everton were unable to stop Liverpool's march to the title in midweek when they lost 1-0 in the Merseyside derby at Anfield. Advertisement And David Moyes' men did their arch rivals another favour as they drew level in the 49th minute. Myles Lewis-Skelly fouled Jack Harrison and Ndiaye stroked home from the penalty spot four minutes into the second period to put Liverpool within touching distance of the title. - Ipswich facing relegation - Wolves effectively sealed their survival and left Ipswich on the brink of relegation with a 2-1 win at Portman Road. Vitor Pereira's side trailed to Liam Delap's 16th-minute goal as the striker swept in Dara O'Shea's knockdown. But Pablo Sarabia drilled into the bottom corner to haul Wolves level in the 72nd minute, before Jorgen Strand Larsen prodded home on 84 minutes for his fourth goal in his last three games. Advertisement Fourth-bottom Wolves are now 12 points clear of third-bottom Ipswich with just seven games left, leaving Kieran McKenna's side almost certain to return to the Championship after just one season. Wolves' victory also means bottom of the table Southampton will be relegated if they lose at Tottenham on Sunday. Crystal Palace beat Brighton 2-1 despite finishing with nine men in a bruising battle featuring three red cards at Selhurst Park. FA Cup semi-finalists Palace went ahead thanks to Jean-Philippe Mateta's third minute curler, before Danny Welbeck's close-range effort in the 31st minute dragged Brighton level. Advertisement Daniel Munoz blasted Palace's winner in the 55th minute, but the Eagles had to dig deep for the win. Palace striker Eddie Nketiah was sent off for two bookings in the space of nine minutes, then team-mate Marc Guehi was dismissed for picking up a second yellow card in the 90th minute. In a frantic finale, Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke was shown a red card for his foul on Daichi Kamada. Evanilson scored twice as Bournemouth drew 2-2 with West Ham at the London Stadium. The Brazilian opened the scoring in the 38th minute and bagged Bournemouth's equaliser with 11 minutes left after Niclas Fullkrug and Jarrod Bowen had put West Ham ahead. Aston Villa host third-placed Nottingham Forest in Saturday's late game, with both teams pushing to secure qualification for next season's Champions League. smg/nf
Yahoo
05-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Arsenal draw at Everton to edge Liverpool closer to Premier League title
Arsenal draw at Everton to edge Liverpool closer to Premier League title Arsenal's Premier League title challenge stumbled once more in a 1-1 draw at Everton (ANDY BUCHANAN) Arsenal's small remaining hope of a first Premier League title for 21 years was further diminished after a 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday. Leandro Trossard's opener for the Gunners was cancelled out by Iliman Ndiaye's penalty to leave Arsenal still 11 points behind Liverpool, who have a game in hand. Advertisement The Reds now need just 11 points from their remaining eight games to secure a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had said the best preparation for his side's Champions League quarter-final, first leg against Real Madrid would be to win on Merseyside. But the Spaniard showed he had one eye on the visit of the European champions with his team selection. Bukayo Saka was forced to wait for his first start since December as the England international was left on the bench alongside Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Jurrien Timber and Thomas Partey. Despite also missing Gabriel Magalhaes, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus to long-term injuries, Arsenal were still the dominant force in the first 45 minutes. Advertisement However, it was from a rare Everton attack that the visitors took the lead on the counter-attack. Raheem Sterling drove through midfield and fed Trossard who drilled an accurate low finish beyond Jordan Pickford for his first league goal since January. Arsenal's title bid, though, has been undone throughout the season by not scoring enough goals, even when Havertz and Jesus were fit earlier in the campaign. Saka and Martinelli were introduced to add more firepower at half-time, but within seconds of the restart Everton were gifted a route back into the game. Myles Lewis-Skelly was penalised for a foul on Jack Harrison and referee Darren England pointed to the spot. Advertisement Ndiaye was made to wait by a lengthy VAR check to confirm the penalty award, but coolly sent David Raya the wrong way to level. Raya was then forced into a fine save from Abdoulaye Doucoure's powerful effort as Everton threatened to turn the game around. But David Moyes' men were ultimately grateful for a point as they sat back in the closing stages and relied on Arsenal's wasteful finishing to cling on for a draw. Arteta also threw on Odegaard in the search for a winner and the Norwegian should have done better when he turned Kieran Tierney's pass wide. Another inviting delivery from Tierney then found Mikel Merino, but Arsenal's stand-in centre-forward's goal streak came to an end as he headed wide. Advertisement Everton's only defeat in their last 11 league games came in a bad-tempered 1-0 Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday. But despite the bad blood between the clubs, The Toffees did their local rivals a favour to edge Liverpool ever closer to sealing the title. A point edges Everton up to 14th, now 15 points clear of the relegation zone. kca/nf
