Latest news with #AustralianMasters
The Age
15-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Inside golf's big coup: Why Rory McIlroy is coming to play the Australian Open
'We're absolutely delighted that the Victorian government's come to the party to support it.' Golf Australia had heard the Northern Irishman mention the courses in the odd interview and now had a person on their team, event organiser Antonia Beggs, who had worked on the European Tour for more than a decade. Beggs was connected to McIlroy through relationships established during that time. She set up conversations between golfing officials – who had already decided to revert to a men's only tournament in 2025 after flirting with a dual-gender format for three years – and McIlroy's people, including his manager Sean O'Flaherty. With McIlroy not using his Masters win to change the course of the negotiations and the sandbelt courses remaining the major appeal, the main cog to lock into place was the Victorian government, and more particularly, its use of the major events budget. Contrary to Sutherland's initial fear, McIlroy's Masters win was actually a boon. 'Fortunately, nothing changed when he won the Masters. It just became an even more compelling proposition,' Sutherland said. The win got the political wheels grinding more quickly as Premier Jacinta Allan knew there was no time to dither if the state wanted to secure the event and arguably the most popular golfer in the world at the top of his game. Nor did a potential bid from NSW to steal the event materialise. A Destination NSW spokesperson said there was no official bid lodged for Sydney to host. Victorian Sports Minister Steven Dimopoulos was happy to spruik the $1.3 billion golf tourism brings to the Victorian economy, but claimed commercial-in-confidence to keep the cost to taxpayers a secret. A spokesperson for the premier's office refused to comment on any of the machinations when contacted. Loading While no one would divulge what the offer was, one golf source said it was less than the $3 million Tiger Woods had received to appear in the Australian Masters in 2009. Whatever the cost, the sense from Golf Australia was that McIlroy's price was more than reasonable. His attraction to playing at the sandbelt was a deciding factor in luring him here and therefore ensuring Victoria would host the tournament for the next two years. 'He has for a long time expressed a desire to come here and play tournament golf on the sandbelt,' Sutherland said. McIlroy backed up Sutherland's comments. 'I'm proud to be committing to the Australian Open for the next two years, especially with it being played on the world-class Melbourne sandbelt, somewhere I've always wanted to play professionally,' he said. 'Melbourne is known for being one of the world's great sporting cities and I can't wait to be part of that atmosphere and soak in everything it has to offer, both on and off the course.' Sutherland is confident Australian stars such as Adam Scott, Cam Davis, Jason Day and Min Woo Lee, who play on the PGA Tour in the US, will be motivated by McIlroy's presence. LIV stars Cam Smith, Lucas Herbert and Marc Leishman and the emerging Elvis Smylie are likely to play too. Golf Australia expects 100,000 people to attend – ticket sales in the first two hours blew away targets, already exceeding 50 per cent of the total ticket sales for last year's tournament. The governing body is also in the throes of securing a naming rights sponsor. Golf Australia have their man and McIlroy gets to have a hit on the courses he has long looked at with envy. Though it will be his first competition on the sandbelt course, McIlroy has competed in the Australian Open before. He won the Stonehaven Cup in 2013 in a thrilling duel with Adam Scott at Royal Sydney and returned to try and defend it in 2014.
Edinburgh Live
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
BBC's iconic snooker commentator's colourful past as house repossessed and addiction
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info John Virgo, the quintessential voice of snooker and a BBC staple for over three decades, is ready to charm audiences once again at this year's World Snooker Championship at the Crucible with his trademark commentary. Eager fans can anticipate hearing an array of Virgo's celebrated catchphrases, not least the memorable 'where's the cue ball going?' throughout the duration of the tournament. A couple of years back, it seemed as if the now 79-year-old commentator would retire his mic permanently after revealing plans for a final season alongside Dennis Taylor. Yet, much to the snooker community's joy, BBC has retained both Virgo and Taylor, with Virgo sharing on the Snookered podcast the update that they're here "for the foreseeable future". READ MORE- Brooklyn Beckham's heartbreakingly 'sad' reason for feud with David and Victoria READ MORE - Meghan Markle's defiant Instagram post after Prince Harry's plea to King Charles "I spoke to one of the producers and I said 'well you know it'll be my last year'," Virgo recounted. "And he said 'no no no, we're not going to do that now. We're going to stay as we are for the foreseeable future', which was fantastic.", reports Wales Online. In his playing days, the Salford native clinched four professional titles, among them the 1979 UK Championship and remained within the Top 16 for seven seasons. Virgo's competitive streak saw him reach the final in both the 1980 Champion of Champions and the 1984 Australian Masters before he hung up his cue in 1994 after 18 years in the pro ranks. He would later enjoy a highly successful broadcasting career, having taken on a new role as co-presenter of the BBC show Big Break three years prior to his retirement from snooker. The programme - hosted by comedian Jim Davidson with Virgo acting as a referee - saw contestants pair up with professional players to compete in various snooker-related rounds for prizes. It was a massive success, running for 11 years with viewership peaking at nearly 14 million people. This led to other opportunities for Virgo, who signed book deals, made numerous pantomime appearances and even launched his own line of waistcoats. However, this came after the snooker star grappled with a gambling addiction that he confesses almost destroyed his life. As his tournament earnings began to dwindle, he started to gamble heavily and, at the peak of his addiction, he lost £10,000 betting on horses within a fortnight. Over six years in the 1980s, he borrowed more than £200,000 against his mortgage to fuel the addiction and "keep up the pretence that [he] was successful". It eventually resulted in his three-bedroom house in Surrey being repossessed, with Virgo handing the keys back to the mortgage lender. He confessed to the Mirror: "It was a vicious circle. I was doing commentary for the BBC and had exhibition work but if you're not winning you are not earning as much. And when you're seen as a successful sportsman, people assume you're earning a good living. "There was pressure on me to have the newest car, a more expensive holiday. It was all about keeping up appearances. When the results weren't coming on the snooker table, I tried to supplement things by gambling on horses even more. I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling." Virgo revealed. "It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruining my life," he admitted. "I was borrowing against the mortgage just to keep up the pretence that I was successful. Looking back, I see it was crazy. I think a lot of players may have had issues with gambling. "You are brought up in that environment – hustling in the snooker clubs to earn a few quid and, if there was no one to play, you'd go in the bookies." Discussing how he managed to quit gambling, he shared: "I stopped when I realised I was living beyond my means. I rarely bet these days. I did back the Grand National winner though." Virgo's struggle with addiction unfolded alongside personal troubles including two failed marriages, leading to his son, Gary, and daughter, Brook-Leah. Yet, romance blossomed anew when he tied the knot with publishing executive Rosie Ries in 2009, whom he had known for twenty years. "A mate tried to set us up years ago but then his girlfriend said she wouldn't be interested in me," he recounted. "I was so frightened of a knock-back, I didn't ask her for out for 22 years. By then I'd lived on my own for five years and I needed that time to re-centre myself. "But eventually we went on a date. I used my wit, charm and repartee on her and, blow me down, two months later we got engaged." Reflecting on his third trip down the aisle as the "best day of my life," he couldn't help but gush: "It's been absolutely wonderful."
Newsweek
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
Tiger Woods Hits Career Low Point on PGA Tour amid Achilles Injury
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. Tiger Woods, the longest-reigning World No. 1 player in the Official World Golf Ranking, has been facing a barrage of setbacks since the beginning of this year. The golf legend's troubles started with the loss of his mother, Kultilda Woods, a pillar of strength for the golf superstar, back in February. This personal loss forced him to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational, his scheduled PGA Tour debut event of the season. The golfing world was understanding of his situation, patiently awaiting his return at the Masters. However, fate had other plans. MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Tiger Woods of the USA looks dejected after missing a putt during day two of the Australian Masters at The Victoria Golf Club on November 12, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia.... MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Tiger Woods of the USA looks dejected after missing a putt during day two of the Australian Masters at The Victoria Golf Club on November 12, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by) More Getty Images A sudden left Achilles surgery derailed Woods' plans, and the golf world is still waiting for the 15-time major winner to tee off in PGA Tour events or Majors. Sadly, challenges for the 82-time PGA Tour winner have not vanished yet. Due to all the setbacks, Tiger's Official World Golf Ranking has plummeted to an all-time low. The 49-year-old now sits at No. 1,341, barely beating his previous worst ranking of 1,328th in November 2023, per a Twitter post by Golf Digest. The last time Woods was seen competing in a PGA Tour event was The Open Championship in July 2024. Unfortunately, his performance was underwhelming, as he missed the cut with a 14-over-par 156. However, the golf legend never stopped making headlines. Last year, we also saw him putt with his son Charlie Woods during the PNC Championship. Recently, he was also spotted with the World No. 1 Nelly Korda. During a promotional day on the practice ground for TaylorMade, Tiger Woods and Nelly Korda teamed up to demonstrate strategies for various scoring opportunities from within 100 yards. Short game magic all around. Defending champ @nellykorda and @tigerwoods share their scoring zone secrets from inside 100 yards in the full video. Watch here: — TaylorMade Golf (@TaylorMadeGolf) April 23, 2025 Additionally, his performance in the TGL has been notable, with fans impressed by his charisma and aura despite his worst putt at Sofi Centre, when Woods hilariously misjudged the yardage by mistake. As Woods navigates the challenges of his career, the question on everyone's mind is whether the golfing legend can now overcome his injuries and rise to the top rankings again. Especially nearing his retirement age. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below! More Golf: PGA Tour Pro Goes Shirtless, Farmer's Tan Turns Heads at Zurich Classic
Yahoo
15-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Insane': Bryson's bizarre balcony move
If good vibes counted for much it should be Bryson DeChambeau topping the leaderboard in Adelaide. The reigning US Open champ has been a beaming beacon of enthusiasm since touching down for the third LIV event in Australia, feeling the love and dishing it out with effusive praise for everything Aussie. Having first played in Australia as an amateur in 2015, finishing second as 'old fart' Peter Senior 'beat my butt' at what turned out to be the final Australian Masters, DeChambeau and his big-bombing ways have struck a chord with local fans. He did driving range 'shoeys' in 2024, even handing over his socks to a few lads, just because they asked. But his comfort levels in Australia went to new levels on Saturday when he left the course and found his way into a house overlooking the 13th hole at Grange Golf Club, and onto a balcony, needing the extra height to get a yardage after his tee shot went so far right he thought it would be gone. Bryson DeChambeau just used the balcony of a neighbouring house to get a yardage after a bad drive. It's never boring! 😂 — Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) February 15, 2025 He said a few hellos, pointed his rangefinder at the pin and hastily made an exit back to his ball on the ground, nearly making what would have been a miraculous par, much to the amusement of his playing partner Abraham Ancer, who finished with a share of the lead. 'I was in the middle of the fairway, and he blocked it right, and off the tee you can't really see where that would land because there's some trees,' he said. 'Myself and DJ (Dustin Johnson) were in disbelief like where did he find that ball. He ended up hitting it in the middle of the fairway from the bush, and I think he almost made par, which would have been insane. 'Then I see him in the house on the balcony. I had no idea what was going on.' DeChambeau's venture off course came after another engaging effort at the par three 12th, the 'Watering Hole' where he got fans 'riled up', embracing what he called the best LIV event of every year. 'I love getting them riled up. It's fun. The Australians, they're a fun bunch,' he said. 'Anytime I can get them excited, it's a thrill. Just everywhere I looked, everybody was screaming at the top of their lungs, and it was fun to showcase a little emotion on the 12th hole because that's what that hole is meant to be. ' 'It's a joy coming back here with the fans and the people and the atmosphere. This is what LIV Golf is about. This is what we all thought it was going to be every single week, and it's going to get there. We're going to work to continue to make that happen. 'But this is what we want every single week. So it's a lot of fun. It's a lot of fun playing out here.'
