Latest news with #PresidentCup
Daily Record
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Keegan Bradley admits major regret as he issues 'I don't care' Ryder Cup stance over LIV stars
The USA Ryder Cup skipper confesses he wishes he'd done things differently and talks about LIV hopefuls for Bethpage Honest Keegan Bradley admits regret at past bitterness towards success of his peers as he issued a 'I don't care' stance regarding his LIV stars such as Bryson DeCmabeau and Brooks Koepka. The Ryder Cup captain, who is getting ready to try and win a second PGA Championship, is relishing being the leader of his team as he gears up for September's scintillating showdown against Europe. Bradley sees the warmth within his close-knit USA stars and confessed that, having never been happy to see an opponent succeed in the earlier part of his career, he now wishes he'd seen things differently. He explained: 'Yes, I really regret early parts of my career. 'Who knows, maybe it helped me play well, but I look up to a lot of these guys in the way that they treat each other in that they are genuinely happy for their friend that wins or plays well. I never really felt that. I was always wanting to beat everybody. 'I think it's been great for me to get around those guys and feel that sort of joy that they have for their friends. As the captain now, I see a guy like Justin Thomas win and I feel like I'm in the car cheering. It's just so fun for me to have that feeling. 'I sort of feel like a big brother to a lot of these guys. I thank them for helping me see that side and I think it's a much better way to go about life on the Tour.' Bradley has surrounded himself with the squad in build up and had a dinner at the Truist Championship last week for members of the past Ryder Cup and President Cup sides. He explained the reasoning as he stated: 'It was amazing. It's always fun this time of year to get the guys all together under one roof and really start to celebrate a Ryder Cup year. 'We had that dinner the other week, but we're working every day every week for the guys. As a player I loved going to these meetings because it started to get real. 'Like this is coming, I really want to get on this team. Try to motivate the guys to be excited to play for our captains that we have and get excited to play at Bethpage Black. 'It's our dream to be on these teams and even getting invited to a meeting like that is special because it means you could make the team. We have we we want to make everyone feel comfortable and we're going to have an open line of communication. 'We invited Brooks and Bryson. They were in the points and they had played on the previous teams and it was great to have them there. It was exciting. This Ryder Cup and what comes with this, no-one cares about what's going on PGA Tour and LIV. 'We're trying to put the best team together and it could mean there's one LIV guy, two LIV guys, that doesn't doesn't matter. But it was really great to have them all together with the guys. It's been a while since we've been able to do that. 'One of my favourite things has been getting to know the guys better. I've known them all through the years of playing, but I've really gotten to know most of them much more and it's been really one of the highlights of my career. 'I don't know if this didn't happen, if I would have gotten to know these guys as well, so I'm just trying to get to know these guys exactly how they want to have the Ryder Cup, exactly how they like to be treated, how they like to be spoken to in the heat of the moment and really just having them feel comfortable with me and the other vice captains. 'I really enjoyed the process of really getting to know the guys a little better.' DeChambeau and Kopeka have limited chance to win points to the team due to their LIV status and Bradley says this week's PGA Championship is vital, especially given a lesser-standard of data available from the Saudi-backed tour. He explained: 'I think these majors kind of separate guys. You see a guy hanging there on Sunday, it's an impressive thing. 'There's a lot of points at stake here and the the movement on the points list can be a lot in these events, so you know, you see maybe a younger guy that stands up to the pressure and can feel this is as close as we're going to get to Bethpage, that you know the the pressure on Sunday is a lot in a major and you can you can see a lot there. 'Listen, these guys are playing in all four of the majors, so we'll have that and you know these guys that a lot of them are up in these leaderboards every major, so we'll see how the how the year shapes out. 'The data is a little less at LIV. We don't have quite the same stats that we have out here, but we have some and we know that winning and contending on any tour at any level is difficult. 'I don't care where you play. I played the mini tours, winning there was difficult. Winning on LIV is difficult and you can see guys, winning a LIV event is a big deal.'
Arab News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Yuri Cesar the hero as Shabab Al-Ahli beat Sharjah to take President's Cup
DUBAI: Brazilian winger Yuri Cesar emerged as the hero for all-conquering Shabab Al-Ahli as his brace of goals secured a come-from-behind 2-1 President's Cup final victory against Sharjah and the fourth trophy of an unforgettable campaign. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport Paulo Sousa's troops walked out at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium on Friday fresh from securing ADNOC Pro League glory with three matches remaining, adding to their UAE-Qatar Challenge Shield and Emaar Super Cup triumphs. But their latest pursuit of glory got off to a tricky start when UAE utility player Marcus Meloni slotted in an early cross for The Kings, led by Cosmin Olaroiu. Ex-Flamengo youngster Cesar levelled in stunning fashion deep into first-half injury time with a superb free-kick, before a dizzying solo run and precise low strike from the edge of the penalty box proved decisive just past the hour mark. Sousa told Abu Dhabi Sports: 'Myself and my staff decided to come here (last summer) because we felt we had the ambition from the club, then we built it up. We deserve all these treasures; it was amazing. 'It's a very difficult team to play (Sharjah). They are really mature; without too many things they create lots of difficulties because they are really compact and determined in individual challenges.' Under the guidance of Sousa — and including the likes of Iran's superstar Sardar Azmoun and emerging UAE goalkeeper Hamad Al-Meqbaali in their ranks — Shabab Al-Ahli have been this term's dominant force. They were only denied a clean domestic sweep after suffering a 2-1 defeat against Al-Jazira in last month's ADIB Cup showpiece. Shabab Al-Ahli are now the President's Cup's most successful team with 11 titles, one more than Sharjah. Friday's clash represented another near miss for their opponents, who are on course to finish a distant second in the top flight.
The National
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Paulo Sousa says Shabab Al Ahli 'deserve this win' after adding President's Cup to trophy collection
Paulo Sousa's dream debut season at the helm of Shabab Al Ahli got even better Friday as his side clinched a 2-1 win over Sharjah to win the President's Cup. Yuri Cesar scored twice either side of half time for Shabab Al Ahli after Marcos Meloni had put Sharjah in 2front with a 14th minute strike. It was the Dubai club's fourth title under the Portuguese this season having already won the Super Cup, UAE-Qatar Super Cup and the Adnoc Pro League in which they have taken an unassailable 11-point lead with three games left. Sousa's men fell short of a clean sweep of domestic trophies when they lost to Al Jazira in the ADIB League Cup final last month. 'I mentioned this team was the best this season at the pre-match conference and now it got better with the President's Cup triumph,' the former Fiorentina and Poland manager said. 'It was a tough game against Sharjah but that's expected in a final. We deserved this win as we were the better side on the night with better possession and more chances created.' Friday's victory in Abu Dhabi also saw Shabab Al Ahli move out on their own as the President's Cup's most successful team with 11 titles, one more than Sharjah. 'It really was a momentous moment for the club, fans, players and also for me in my first season,' Sousa added. 'Personally, I couldn't have wished for a better first season here. Full credit to my staff and the players who gave everything on the pitch and for the fans who stood behind us at every game.' Cesar's equaliser two minutes into first half added time - a superb free kick - was crucial. The Brazilian struck again on 64 minutes to put Shabab Al Ahli ahead, a lead they would not relinquish. 'That equaliser indeed was the game changer,' Sousa said. 'That goal set the platform for us to get back in the game. It wasn't that we were not in the game with a goal down but going into half time provided us that extra bit of energy and motivation.' Bogdan Planic, Shabab Al Ahli's Serbian centre-back, said facing Sharjah was always tough. 'Like every game we played against them this season they have proved a very hard team to beat, and it was a very good game again,' he said. 'Like it was one of our big days, they too were waiting for this moment. They used their counter-attacks to good effect but I think we had good control against their play. 'We had the good fortune to score the equaliser just before the half time and then take the lead soon after the break. I think we deserved this win, as we have been playing extremely well throughout the season.' Planic said there was no panic in the Shabab Al Ahli ranks after Sharjah took the lead. 'We have done that on many occasions throughout the season,' he said. 'We were one or two goals down in some games but we came back strongly to win them. It was similar when Sharjah took the lead. We bid our time and were confident. 'The only disappointment this season was losing the ADIB League Cup in which we couldn't raise our game.'
The National
08-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
UAE President's Cup: Paulo Sousa says Shabab Al Ahli must be 'fearless' against Sharjah
The top two teams in the Adnoc Pro League – Shabab Al Ahli and Sharjah – will go head-to-head when they clash in the President's Cup final at Mohamed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Friday. Shabab Al Ahli, the runaway leaders, arrive with the league title freshly secured. They enjoy an unassailable 11-point advantage over second-placed Sharjah with three games left. The Dubai Club and Sharjah also share the record of winning the President's Cup on 10 occasions each. Shabab Al Ahli won the Super Cup and were edged out of the ADIB League Cup by Al Jazira, while Sharjah will be determined to round off their campaign by claiming silverware and depriving their rivals of a league and cup double. 'I am very happy to speak about the most beautiful and the most talented team this season and looking forward to a positive result,' said Shabab Al Ahli's Portuguese manager Paulo Sousa at Thursday's pre-match press conference. 'We want to be the best team this season and the next. We need to be a team that is brave, passionate and have the ambition to be the winner. Having said that, we'll not undermine our opponents who have a manager with an outstanding track record. 'We are aware of Sharjah's strength. They are very good in defending and quite determined in all their attacks. There is a lot of balance in the competition between the two teams. We will play fearless football.' Cosmin Olaroiu led Sharjah to successive President's Cup titles in 2022 and 2023 and will be aiming to add a third at the club. 'We are in the final and it's already an achievement for us with a young team,' said the Romanian, who has agreed a two-year deal to coach the UAE national team. 'We will play our best as always. This obviously is a big occasion for our club and for our fans, and we have the experience of playing in the President's Cup finals, which we'll use to our advantage. 'Obviously it's a difficult game but with the right approach and mindset, we can pull it off. I think the teams know each other and hopefully we can provide the fans a show on the night.' Sharjah will also have the chance to lift continental silverware when they face Singapore's Lion City Sailors in the AFC Champions League 2 final on May 18.
Arab News
21-02-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
RB Kingmaker claims Al-Mneefah Cup crown in thrilling finish at Saudi Cup meet
RIYADH: RB Kingmaker showcased his class and determination as he claimed victory in the $1.5 million Al-Mneefah Cup, presented by the Ministry of Culture, at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse on Friday, the opening day of Saudi Cup weekend. The six-year-old gray purebred Arabian, trained by Helal Alalawi and ridden by jockey Cristian Demuro, surged widest of all in the home stretch, fending off a late challenge from Nabucco Al Maury to win the 2,100 meter contest on turf by a length, in a time of 2 minutes 20.298 seconds. Home hope Asfan Al Khalediah was another half-length back in third. Breaking from post 12 in a 13-runner field, RB Kingmaker was kept wide throughout the race but finished with a powerful late surge to secure his second career Group 1 victory. His previous top-level win came in February 2024 at the President Cup in Abu Dhabi. Friday's win was a triumphant return to form for the horse after a series of tough defeats in recent months, including a runner-up finish to Al Ghadeer in the Qatar Arabian World Cup on Arc Day at ParisLongchamp in October, and a failed defense of his title this month in the The President Cup. For trainer Alalawi, who heads the National Stables in the UAE, the victory marked a breakthrough after several near-misses in elite company. 'There are no words to tell you how I'm feeling,' said an emotional Alalawi as he reflected on the significance of the win. 'To be honest, this has been a dream that has now come true. 'It's been a hard situation for our stable this season. As you've seen, we keep finishing second in the World Cup and third in the Emir's Sword, and we lost the President Cup in Abu Dhabi. It's not easy for a local stable like us. 'Today is one of the biggest achievements we have in our career. Cristian executed the race exactly how we asked him to and was perfect. He knows the horse and, as you saw, we saw the real Kingmaker today.' Demuro, who has ridden RB Kingmaker throughout his career, delivered a perfectly judged ride, anticipating the moves of his rivals before striking late. 'He finished second to Al Ghadeer in the Qatar Arabian World Cup on Arc Day,' Demuro said. 'He is not an easy horse but today he had the perfect race. 'I anticipated the moment they would quicken, as I know the Al Khalediah horses. So I always had my eye on them. If you don't attack, they always get away. I surprised them a little and my horse responded well. 'He is a horse I have always ridden and I know him well. It is fabulous to win this race. It is a Group 1 race and this also opens the doors for Dubai and elsewhere.' Runner-up Nabucco Al Maury also made a strong late charge but fell just short. Jockey Christophe Soumillon praised his mount's performance. 'I saw that Cristian was going really easily when we entered the straight and so I rode him to finish second. My horse finished the race really well … and he was very courageous. We are very happy with him,' he said. RB Kingmaker's victory cements his place among the top purebred Arabians in the world and opens the door to further elite-level opportunities, with Dubai now a potential next stop for the talented grey. The two-day Saudi Cup meet concludes on Saturday.
