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Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
BRITISH OPEN ‘25: Tiger Woods and Tom Watson part of history at golf's oldest championship
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — A capsule look at key anniversary years at the British Open, including the AP story from those victories: 150 years ago (1875) Site: Prestwick. Winner: Willie Park Sr. Runner-up: Bob Martin. Score: 56-59-51—166. Margin: 2 shots. Winner's share: 8 pounds. Noteworthy: Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris did not play because the wife of Young Tom Morris died six days before the championship while giving birth. Young Tom Morris also died later that year. The Glasgow Herald: The annual competition for the golf championship of Scotland took place on Prestwick Links, and resulted in favour of Willie Park, of Musselburgh. The game consisted of 36 holes, and was completed by Park in 166 strokes. In the absence of the famous Morrises of St. Andrews, who are at present mourning a severe domestic calamity, only two representatives of the 'Kingdom' were present, but one of them, Bob Martin, won second place in the competition. 125 years ago (1900) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: J.H. Taylor. Runner-up: Harry Vardon. Score: 79-77-78-75—309. Margin: 8 shots. Winner's share: 50 pounds. Noteworthy: This was a period when Taylor and Harry Vardon had won five of the previous six British Open titles. AP story: J.H. Taylor won the open golf championship on the St. Andrews links today. Taylor's win was a popular one. His score was 309 for the four rounds, being thirteen strokes better than his victory on the same grounds in 1895. The weather was dull, but favourable for good scoring. By his victory at St. Andrews yesterday Taylor scores his third triumph in the English open championships. His first success was gained in 1894 over the same links, and it is a noteworthy fact that up to that time the title had never been won by an English professional. 100 years ago (1925) Site: Prestwick. Winner: Jim Barnes. Runners-up: Archie Compston and Ted Ray. Score: 70-77-79-74—300 Margin: 1 shot. Winner's share: 75 pounds. Noteworthy: This was the final British Open held at Prestwick. Troon replaced it as the links in the southwest of Scotland. AP story: The British open golf championship will be carried back to the United States by 'Long Jim' Barnes, who won it today. His score of 300 strokes for the 72 holes over links at Prestwick led all the others of the 83 competitors. His victory marked the fourth in five summers of the Americans in the historic tournament. The Britons, Edward Ray, champions of years ago, and Archie Compston of North Manchester, failed by but one stroke of equaling Barnes' winning score. Each scored a 301. They both missed final putts on the last green and lost their chance to tie Barnes. 75 years ago (1950) Site: Troon GC. Winner: Bobby Locke. Runner-up: Roberto De Vicenzo. Score: 69-72-70-68—279 Margin: 2 shots. Winner's share: 1,500 pounds. Noteworthy: Locke set the 72-hole scoring record, which he matched seven years later. AP story: Bobby Locke, walking as if the Troon fairways were carpeted with eggs, came up with a fourth round 68 today that won him the British Open Golf title for the second straight year and lowered a scoring mark that had stood since 1932. The South African finished with a 279 on rounds of 69-72-70-68 over the par 70 course. His aggregate wiped out the previous low winning total of 283 posted by Gene Sarazen 18 years ago. Behind Locke came Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina, who carded a 281 and also broke Sarazen's record. Only because it retained the championship for Locke did his hot round overshadow a sensational 66 which Frank Stranahan of Toledo, Ohio, fired in a vain attempt to place the open trophy beside the British amateur award he won earlier this spring. 50 years ago (1975) Site: Carnoustie. Winner: Tom Watson. Runner-up: Jack Newton. Score: 71-67-69-72-279 Margin: Playoff (Watson 71, Newton 72). Winner's share: 7,500 pounds. Noteworthy: This was the final 18-hole playoff at the British Open. It was changed to a four-hole aggregate playoff in 1985 (first used in 1989). AP story: Tom Watson, a 25-year-old who has blown chances in three major championships, kept his cool Sunday and won the British Open golf championship on the rainswept 18th hole of a playoff when Jack Newton missed a tying par putt by inches. Watson, who finished the extra round in 1-under-par 71, holed a 30-foot chip for an eagle on the 14th to take a one-shot lead, then bogeyed the 16th, putting him and his 25-year-old Australian challenger even going to the 18th. Watson parred. Newton blasted out of a greenside bunker and needed a 12-foot putt to stay alive. He just missed, and the title and the $16,500 first prize belonged to Watson. 25 years ago (2000) Site: St. Andrews GC. Winner: Tiger Woods. Runners-up: Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn. Score: 67-66-67-69—269. Margin: 8 shots. Winner's share: 500,000. Noteworthy: Woods played the ninth hole during the practice round with a replica of a gutta percha. He hit driver and 5-iron just over the back of the green and got up-and-down for par. AP story: Five hundred years of legend and lore hardly prepared golf's hallowed home for Tiger Woods. On the same linksland that Old Tom Morris nurtured and Jack Nicklaus conquered, along came a 24-year-old with a keen eye for history. Woods not only became the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam, he completed it faster than any of the four greats who did it before him. The final piece came Sunday, when Woods held the silver claret jug under the cool, grey skies of St. Andrews after another record-breaking performance to win the British Open. Challenged briefly by David Duval, Woods pulled away for an eight-stroke victory. It wasn't quite as overwhelming as his 15-stroke victory in the U.S. Open last month, but it was the largest in 87 years of golf's oldest championship. 20 years ago (2005) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: Tiger Woods. Runner-up: Colin Montgomerie. Score: 66-67-71-70-274 Margin: 5 shots. Winner's share: 720,000. Noteworthy: Jack Nicklaus missed the cut in his 164th and final major championship. Woods won each of the four majors Nicklaus played for the final time. AP story: Sunday brought yet another grand crossing over the Swilcan Bridge: The defiant return of Tiger Woods. Two days after Jack Nicklaus bade an emotional farewell to the majors, Woods took another step toward the Golden Bear's record with another ruthless performance at St. Andrews, closing with a 2-under 70 to win the British Open for his 10th career major. He won by five shots, the largest margin in any major since Woods won by eight at St. Andrews five years ago. This one also had a sense of inevitability, with Woods taking the lead on the ninth hole of the first round. No one caught him over the final 63. He joined Nicklaus as the only players to win the career Grand Slam twice, and Woods completed his own version of the slam that shows how their careers are so indelibly linked — he now has won all four majors that Nicklaus played for the last time. 10 years ago (2015) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: Zach Johnson. Runners-up: Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman. Score: 66-71-70-66—273 Margin: Playoff (Johnson 3-3-5-4; Oosthuizen 3-4-5-4; Leishman 5-4-5-4). Winner's share: 1,150,000 pounds Noteworthy: Rory McIlroy was the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 who did not defend his title because of an ankle surgery from playing soccer. AP story: Zach Johnson cradled the silver claret jug in his arms. Jordan Spieth let it slip through his fingers. Spieth was right where he wanted to be in his spirited bid for the Grand Slam — tied for the lead with two holes to go in the British Open, right after making a 50-foot birdie putt that made it feel as though he were destined to win at St. Andrews for his third straight major. And he was still there at the very end Monday, but only as a spectator. The slam gone, Spieth graciously returned to the steps of the Royal & Ancient clubhouse to watch Johnson finish off a sterling performance of his own. Johnson rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that got him into a three-man playoff, and he outlasted Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman to win the British Open. ___ AP golf:
Fox Sports
an hour ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
BRITISH OPEN '25: Tiger Woods and Tom Watson part of history at golf's oldest championship
Associated Press PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — A capsule look at key anniversary years at the British Open, including the AP story from those victories: 150 years ago (1875) Site: Prestwick. Winner: Willie Park Sr. Runner-up: Bob Martin. Score: 56-59-51--166. Margin: 2 shots. Winner's share: 8 pounds. Noteworthy: Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris did not play because the wife of Young Tom Morris died six days before the championship while giving birth. Young Tom Morris also died later that year. The Glasgow Herald: The annual competition for the golf championship of Scotland took place on Prestwick Links, and resulted in favour of Willie Park, of Musselburgh. The game consisted of 36 holes, and was completed by Park in 166 strokes. In the absence of the famous Morrises of St. Andrews, who are at present mourning a severe domestic calamity, only two representatives of the 'Kingdom' were present, but one of them, Bob Martin, won second place in the competition. 125 years ago (1900) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: J.H. Taylor. Runner-up: Harry Vardon. Score: 79-77-78-75--309. Margin: 8 shots. Winner's share: 50 pounds. Noteworthy: This was a period when Taylor and Harry Vardon had won five of the previous six British Open titles. AP story: J.H. Taylor won the open golf championship on the St. Andrews links today. Taylor's win was a popular one. His score was 309 for the four rounds, being thirteen strokes better than his victory on the same grounds in 1895. The weather was dull, but favourable for good scoring. By his victory at St. Andrews yesterday Taylor scores his third triumph in the English open championships. His first success was gained in 1894 over the same links, and it is a noteworthy fact that up to that time the title had never been won by an English professional. 100 years ago (1925) Site: Prestwick. Winner: Jim Barnes. Runners-up: Archie Compston and Ted Ray. Score: 70-77-79-74--300 Margin: 1 shot. Winner's share: 75 pounds. Noteworthy: This was the final British Open held at Prestwick. Troon replaced it as the links in the southwest of Scotland. AP story: The British open golf championship will be carried back to the United States by 'Long Jim' Barnes, who won it today. His score of 300 strokes for the 72 holes over links at Prestwick led all the others of the 83 competitors. His victory marked the fourth in five summers of the Americans in the historic tournament. The Britons, Edward Ray, champions of years ago, and Archie Compston of North Manchester, failed by but one stroke of equaling Barnes' winning score. Each scored a 301. They both missed final putts on the last green and lost their chance to tie Barnes. 75 years ago (1950) Site: Troon GC. Winner: Bobby Locke. Runner-up: Roberto De Vicenzo. Score: 69-72-70-68--279 Margin: 2 shots. Winner's share: 1,500 pounds. Noteworthy: Locke set the 72-hole scoring record, which he matched seven years later. AP story: Bobby Locke, walking as if the Troon fairways were carpeted with eggs, came up with a fourth round 68 today that won him the British Open Golf title for the second straight year and lowered a scoring mark that had stood since 1932. The South African finished with a 279 on rounds of 69-72-70-68 over the par 70 course. His aggregate wiped out the previous low winning total of 283 posted by Gene Sarazen 18 years ago. Behind Locke came Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina, who carded a 281 and also broke Sarazen's record. Only because it retained the championship for Locke did his hot round overshadow a sensational 66 which Frank Stranahan of Toledo, Ohio, fired in a vain attempt to place the open trophy beside the British amateur award he won earlier this spring. 50 years ago (1975) Site: Carnoustie. Winner: Tom Watson. Runner-up: Jack Newton. Score: 71-67-69-72-279 Margin: Playoff (Watson 71, Newton 72). Winner's share: 7,500 pounds. Noteworthy: This was the final 18-hole playoff at the British Open. It was changed to a four-hole aggregate playoff in 1985 (first used in 1989). AP story: Tom Watson, a 25-year-old who has blown chances in three major championships, kept his cool Sunday and won the British Open golf championship on the rainswept 18th hole of a playoff when Jack Newton missed a tying par putt by inches. Watson, who finished the extra round in 1-under-par 71, holed a 30-foot chip for an eagle on the 14th to take a one-shot lead, then bogeyed the 16th, putting him and his 25-year-old Australian challenger even going to the 18th. Watson parred. Newton blasted out of a greenside bunker and needed a 12-foot putt to stay alive. He just missed, and the title and the $16,500 first prize belonged to Watson. 25 years ago (2000) Site: St. Andrews GC. Winner: Tiger Woods. Runners-up: Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn. Score: 67-66-67-69--269. Margin: 8 shots. Winner's share: 500,000. Noteworthy: Woods played the ninth hole during the practice round with a replica of a gutta percha. He hit driver and 5-iron just over the back of the green and got up-and-down for par. AP story: Five hundred years of legend and lore hardly prepared golf's hallowed home for Tiger Woods. On the same linksland that Old Tom Morris nurtured and Jack Nicklaus conquered, along came a 24-year-old with a keen eye for history. Woods not only became the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam, he completed it faster than any of the four greats who did it before him. The final piece came Sunday, when Woods held the silver claret jug under the cool, grey skies of St. Andrews after another record-breaking performance to win the British Open. Challenged briefly by David Duval, Woods pulled away for an eight-stroke victory. It wasn't quite as overwhelming as his 15-stroke victory in the U.S. Open last month, but it was the largest in 87 years of golf's oldest championship. 20 years ago (2005) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: Tiger Woods. Runner-up: Colin Montgomerie. Score: 66-67-71-70-274 Margin: 5 shots. Winner's share: 720,000. Noteworthy: Jack Nicklaus missed the cut in his 164th and final major championship. Woods won each of the four majors Nicklaus played for the final time. AP story: Sunday brought yet another grand crossing over the Swilcan Bridge: The defiant return of Tiger Woods. Two days after Jack Nicklaus bade an emotional farewell to the majors, Woods took another step toward the Golden Bear's record with another ruthless performance at St. Andrews, closing with a 2-under 70 to win the British Open for his 10th career major. He won by five shots, the largest margin in any major since Woods won by eight at St. Andrews five years ago. This one also had a sense of inevitability, with Woods taking the lead on the ninth hole of the first round. No one caught him over the final 63. He joined Nicklaus as the only players to win the career Grand Slam twice, and Woods completed his own version of the slam that shows how their careers are so indelibly linked — he now has won all four majors that Nicklaus played for the last time. 10 years ago (2015) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: Zach Johnson. Runners-up: Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman. Score: 66-71-70-66--273 Margin: Playoff (Johnson 3-3-5-4; Oosthuizen 3-4-5-4; Leishman 5-4-5-4). Winner's share: 1,150,000 pounds Noteworthy: Rory McIlroy was the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 who did not defend his title because of an ankle surgery from playing soccer. AP story: Zach Johnson cradled the silver claret jug in his arms. Jordan Spieth let it slip through his fingers. Spieth was right where he wanted to be in his spirited bid for the Grand Slam — tied for the lead with two holes to go in the British Open, right after making a 50-foot birdie putt that made it feel as though he were destined to win at St. Andrews for his third straight major. And he was still there at the very end Monday, but only as a spectator. The slam gone, Spieth graciously returned to the steps of the Royal & Ancient clubhouse to watch Johnson finish off a sterling performance of his own. Johnson rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that got him into a three-man playoff, and he outlasted Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman to win the British Open. ___ AP golf:
Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
BRITISH OPEN '25: Tiger Woods and Tom Watson part of history at golf's oldest championship
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — A capsule look at key anniversary years at the British Open, including the AP story from those victories: 150 years ago (1875) Site: Prestwick. Winner: Willie Park Sr. Runner-up: Bob Martin. Score: 56-59-51–166. Margin: 2 shots. Winner's share: 8 pounds. Noteworthy: Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris did not play because the wife of Young Tom Morris died six days before the championship while giving birth. Young Tom Morris also died later that year. The Glasgow Herald: The annual competition for the golf championship of Scotland took place on Prestwick Links, and resulted in favour of Willie Park, of Musselburgh. The game consisted of 36 holes, and was completed by Park in 166 strokes. In the absence of the famous Morrises of St. Andrews, who are at present mourning a severe domestic calamity, only two representatives of the 'Kingdom' were present, but one of them, Bob Martin, won second place in the competition. 125 years ago (1900) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: J.H. Taylor. Runner-up: Harry Vardon. Score: 79-77-78-75–309. Margin: 8 shots. Winner's share: 50 pounds. Noteworthy: This was a period when Taylor and Harry Vardon had won five of the previous six British Open titles. AP story: J.H. Taylor won the open golf championship on the St. Andrews links today. Taylor's win was a popular one. His score was 309 for the four rounds, being thirteen strokes better than his victory on the same grounds in 1895. The weather was dull, but favourable for good scoring. By his victory at St. Andrews yesterday Taylor scores his third triumph in the English open championships. His first success was gained in 1894 over the same links, and it is a noteworthy fact that up to that time the title had never been won by an English professional. 100 years ago (1925) Site: Prestwick. Winner: Jim Barnes. Runners-up: Archie Compston and Ted Ray. Score: 70-77-79-74–300 Margin: 1 shot. Winner's share: 75 pounds. Noteworthy: This was the final British Open held at Prestwick. Troon replaced it as the links in the southwest of Scotland. AP story: The British open golf championship will be carried back to the United States by 'Long Jim' Barnes, who won it today. His score of 300 strokes for the 72 holes over links at Prestwick led all the others of the 83 competitors. His victory marked the fourth in five summers of the Americans in the historic tournament. The Britons, Edward Ray, champions of years ago, and Archie Compston of North Manchester, failed by but one stroke of equaling Barnes' winning score. Each scored a 301. They both missed final putts on the last green and lost their chance to tie Barnes. 75 years ago (1950) Site: Troon GC. Winner: Bobby Locke. Runner-up: Roberto De Vicenzo. Score: 69-72-70-68–279 Margin: 2 shots. Winner's share: 1,500 pounds. Noteworthy: Locke set the 72-hole scoring record, which he matched seven years later. AP story: Bobby Locke, walking as if the Troon fairways were carpeted with eggs, came up with a fourth round 68 today that won him the British Open Golf title for the second straight year and lowered a scoring mark that had stood since 1932. The South African finished with a 279 on rounds of 69-72-70-68 over the par 70 course. His aggregate wiped out the previous low winning total of 283 posted by Gene Sarazen 18 years ago. Behind Locke came Roberto De Vicenzo of Argentina, who carded a 281 and also broke Sarazen's record. Only because it retained the championship for Locke did his hot round overshadow a sensational 66 which Frank Stranahan of Toledo, Ohio, fired in a vain attempt to place the open trophy beside the British amateur award he won earlier this spring. 50 years ago (1975) Site: Carnoustie. Winner: Tom Watson. Runner-up: Jack Newton. Score: 71-67-69-72-279 Margin: Playoff (Watson 71, Newton 72). Winner's share: 7,500 pounds. Noteworthy: This was the final 18-hole playoff at the British Open. It was changed to a four-hole aggregate playoff in 1985 (first used in 1989). AP story: Tom Watson, a 25-year-old who has blown chances in three major championships, kept his cool Sunday and won the British Open golf championship on the rainswept 18th hole of a playoff when Jack Newton missed a tying par putt by inches. Watson, who finished the extra round in 1-under-par 71, holed a 30-foot chip for an eagle on the 14th to take a one-shot lead, then bogeyed the 16th, putting him and his 25-year-old Australian challenger even going to the 18th. Watson parred. Newton blasted out of a greenside bunker and needed a 12-foot putt to stay alive. He just missed, and the title and the $16,500 first prize belonged to Watson. 25 years ago (2000) Site: St. Andrews GC. Winner: Tiger Woods. Runners-up: Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn. Score: 67-66-67-69–269. Margin: 8 shots. Winner's share: 500,000. Noteworthy: Woods played the ninth hole during the practice round with a replica of a gutta percha. He hit driver and 5-iron just over the back of the green and got up-and-down for par. AP story: Five hundred years of legend and lore hardly prepared golf's hallowed home for Tiger Woods. On the same linksland that Old Tom Morris nurtured and Jack Nicklaus conquered, along came a 24-year-old with a keen eye for history. Woods not only became the youngest player to win the career Grand Slam, he completed it faster than any of the four greats who did it before him. The final piece came Sunday, when Woods held the silver claret jug under the cool, grey skies of St. Andrews after another record-breaking performance to win the British Open. Challenged briefly by David Duval, Woods pulled away for an eight-stroke victory. It wasn't quite as overwhelming as his 15-stroke victory in the U.S. Open last month, but it was the largest in 87 years of golf's oldest championship. 20 years ago (2005) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: Tiger Woods. Runner-up: Colin Montgomerie. Score: 66-67-71-70-274 Margin: 5 shots. Winner's share: 720,000. Noteworthy: Jack Nicklaus missed the cut in his 164th and final major championship. Woods won each of the four majors Nicklaus played for the final time. AP story: Sunday brought yet another grand crossing over the Swilcan Bridge: The defiant return of Tiger Woods. Two days after Jack Nicklaus bade an emotional farewell to the majors, Woods took another step toward the Golden Bear's record with another ruthless performance at St. Andrews, closing with a 2-under 70 to win the British Open for his 10th career major. He won by five shots, the largest margin in any major since Woods won by eight at St. Andrews five years ago. This one also had a sense of inevitability, with Woods taking the lead on the ninth hole of the first round. No one caught him over the final 63. He joined Nicklaus as the only players to win the career Grand Slam twice, and Woods completed his own version of the slam that shows how their careers are so indelibly linked — he now has won all four majors that Nicklaus played for the last time. 10 years ago (2015) Site: St. Andrews. Winner: Zach Johnson. Runners-up: Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman. Score: 66-71-70-66–273 Margin: Playoff (Johnson 3-3-5-4; Oosthuizen 3-4-5-4; Leishman 5-4-5-4). Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Winner's share: 1,150,000 pounds Noteworthy: Rory McIlroy was the first player since Ben Hogan in 1953 who did not defend his title because of an ankle surgery from playing soccer. AP story: Zach Johnson cradled the silver claret jug in his arms. Jordan Spieth let it slip through his fingers. Spieth was right where he wanted to be in his spirited bid for the Grand Slam — tied for the lead with two holes to go in the British Open, right after making a 50-foot birdie putt that made it feel as though he were destined to win at St. Andrews for his third straight major. And he was still there at the very end Monday, but only as a spectator. The slam gone, Spieth graciously returned to the steps of the Royal & Ancient clubhouse to watch Johnson finish off a sterling performance of his own. Johnson rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that got him into a three-man playoff, and he outlasted Louis Oosthuizen and Marc Leishman to win the British Open. ___ AP golf:
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Is Taylor Swift releasing a new album? Deleted ‘Seismic Rumblings' note sparks TS12 hype
Taylor Swift is up to something, or maybe it was just a glitch. On Tuesday, Swifties went into a frenzy when HITS Daily Double, a well-known music tracker website, hinted that the Cruel Summer singer might be dropping a brand-new album soon. But just as the buzz picked up, the line was edited within minutes. Swift, for her part, hasn't announced anything new. Her last album was The Tortured Poets Department, and her Reputation re-recording is still on hold. She recently said she needs more time to prepare after reclaiming her masters. So, is TS12 on the horizon? The original report on the site read, 'Seismic rumblings of a new Taylor set keep the Republic [Records] team as aggressive as ever.' That one line was enough to convince fans that Swift's 12th studio album is locked and loaded, with the Republic crew ready to hit the ground running. What's got everyone buzzing even more is Swift's usual pattern, she's dropped lead singles in August before a Q4 album launch more than once. 'TS12 we are ready,' one fan posted. Another wrote, 'THE WORLD ISN'T READY FOR HER.' A third said, 'Taylor Nation (Swift's biggest fan page) made some calls. The album is coming.' Also read: Taylor Swift drops 7 major updates on Reputation and music masters; paid jaw-dropping amount But within hours, that one promising sentence was edited out of the article. It was replaced with a far vaguer line: 'And there's always Taylor,' without any context. That tiny edit was enough to deflate the buzz and confuse fans. But the sudden change made many of them even more convinced that something was going on behind the scenes. Some speculated that Taylor's PR team or Republic Records may have reached out for damage control, especially since she's been known to keep her drops ultra-secretive. One fan even wrote, 'That must mean it's really coming and Tree told them to get rid of it!' referring to Taylor's longtime publicist, Tree Paine. Also read: Taylor Swift finally owns all her master recordings: the story, and why this is significant Back in May, Taylor Swift bought back the masters to her debut catalogue, something she's been fighting for for years. To mark the win, she posted a long, emotional note to fans. And in classic Taylor fashion, she didn't miss the chance to sneak in a clue: she spelled the word 'this' with exactly 12 i's. 'A flashback sequence of all the times I daydreamed about, wished for, and pined away for the chance to get to tell you this news. All the times I was thiiiiiiiiiiiis close, reaching out for it, only for it to fall through,' she wrote. Swifties immediately clocked that as a breadcrumb, TS12 was in the works. She doubled down at the Grammys, rocking earrings with exactly 12 pearls. Then came the surprise performance at Brooklyn Bowl in Nashville, where she brought back her country twang singing Shake It Off, hinting at a possible return to her roots. Most of her tracks have been breakup-heavy, but fans are betting this one will be different, maybe even dedicated to NFL boyfriend Travis Kelce, after the two were spotted spending July 4th tucked away in Montana. For Swift, downtime usually means she's plotting something big. And in the end, all it took was one line in a music blog to spark a global guessing game.
Scoop
8 hours ago
- Business
- Scoop
Financial Complaint Numbers Show No Sign Of Easing, Says The Financial Ombudsman Service, FSCL
Complaints about financial services remain at historically high levels, according to new annual statistics from the Financial Ombudsman Service, Financial Services Complaints Limited (FSCL) — reflecting ongoing financial pressure on small businesses and households. For the year ending 30 June, FSCL received 1,469 complaints, up from 1,426 in the previous year, and double the amount recorded five years ago. "We're not yet seeing signs of complaints reducing since increasing rapidly two years ago in the wake of Covid-19," says Financial Ombudsman, Susan Taylor. "What's changed is the spread. Complaints are now more evenly distributed across a broader range of financial services, rather than being concentrated in just a few areas like non-bank lenders." Lenders accounted for the largest share of complaints at 38%, but many of these were resolved before escalating to a dispute needing formal investigation. Dispute numbers rose by 4% overall, with a noticeable shift in the types of issues and sectors involved. Of the 366 cases that were formally investigated, complaints about financial advisers — including mortgage and insurance brokers, as well as wealth advisers — made up the largest proportion at 23%, followed by complaints about lenders at 20%, and insurers at 17%. One emerging trend is a rise in complaints from small businesses, especially about loans and insurance products. "This likely reflects the tough trading environment many small business owners are facing," says Ms Taylor. "They're under pressure — and we're seeing that come through in the disputes they bring to us." In a recent case, a woman discovered she had been added as a guarantor on her husband's business loan, without her knowledge or consent. The business later defaulted on the loan, and she faced the consequences of a guarantee she never agreed to give — including putting the family home at risk of a mortgagee sale. In this case, the lender offered to put the matter right for the woman by agreeing to extinguish her guarantee and release their security from the woman's half share of the family home. 'The case highlights the importance of giving clear explanations and proper disclosure to all parties to a loan, including guarantors of business debt, especially when small businesses are borrowing under stress. "Many of these issues could be prevented altogether with clearer and personal communication by the lender to the guarantor. "We're here to help when things go wrong — but also to feed insights back into the system so things go better next time,' concludes Ms Taylor. About FSCL – a Financial Ombudsman Service FSCL's role is to resolve consumer complaints about financial service providers who are participants of the FSCL scheme. This includes non-bank lenders, credit unions, insurance companies, financial advisers, including mortgage brokers and insurance brokers, corporate trustees, fund managers, transactional service providers, and card issuers. FSCL was established in 2010 following the approval of the then Minister of Consumer Affairs under the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008 (FSP Act). It is not-for-profit.
