Latest news with #professionalcareer
CBC
12-08-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Victoria Mboko just wants to enjoy the process
Victoria Mboko's professional tennis career just kicked into overdrive. The 18-year-old Canadian talent tells The National about her stunning with at the National Bank Open and how she's trying to ignore the expectations of what comes next and just enjoy the process.
Irish Times
10-08-2025
- Sport
- Irish Times
Robert Moran books Irish Open spot after finishing fourth at Killeen Castle
The grand victory may have evaded Robert Moran in the Irish Challenge at Killeen Castle in Co Meath, which was impressively won by French player Oihan Guillamoundeguy, but the fringe benefits for the Dubliner could potentially open up a pathway on his fledgling professional career. Moran finished in fourth place and, as the leading Irishman, picked up the Christy O'Connor Jnr trophy and, with it, an invitation into next month's Amgen Irish Open at The K Club. For the 20-year-old Guillamoundeguy, a breakthrough win on the Hotelplanner Tour propelled him to sixth on the Race to Mallorca standings and within touching distance of a full DP World Tour card for next season. Guillamoundeguy closed with a final round 70 for a total of 11-under-par 277 to finish three shots clear of runner-up Ronan Kleu of Denmark. READ MORE Moran's 69 for 282 for solo fourth came in spectacular fashion in a back nine run of 32 strokes. It saw him rebound from a bogey on the 10th by claiming an eagle on the 12th and then three birdies, on the 14th, 17th and 18th holes, to leapfrog Paul McBride for the leading home player honour and those additional benefits. Oihan Guillamoundeguy from France celebrates with the Irish Challenge trophy at Killeen Castle Golf Club in Dunsany. Photograph:On the 18th, Moran chipped in for the birdie which ultimately proved the difference in earning him the Irish Open exemption. 'I'm buzzing for that, grown up watching the Irish Open on TV. I was at The K Club in 2016 on the Wednesday, I got myself on to the range and was just in awe of everything so that is a really cool memory to have.' Moran added: 'I would watch the Majors [growing up] but if I was to play any other event it would be the Irish Open. Just the excitement of it all and whatever happens, happens that week. It's nice to be playing the next two Challenge Tour events as well.' McBride, playing on a sponsor's invite, closed with a 71 for 283 but his tied-fifth finish did at least earn him a place into the field for next week's Finnish Challenge. In the FedEx St Jude Championship on the PGA Tour, Shane Lowry suffered three bogeys in his last four holes for a final-round 71 for a three-over-par total of 283 which left him a distant tied-59th place. On the DP World Tour, Scotland's Grant Forrest claimed the Nexo Championship title at Trump International Aberdeen, where a final round 72 for a total of eight-under-par 280 gave him a four-strokes winning margin over Joe Dean. Conor Purcell, the only Irish player in the field, finished with a 72 for 294 in tied-42nd.
The Sun
08-08-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
World's youngest ever snooker star, 14, secures first pro win on same day legends with combined age of 118 do battle
A 14-YEAR-OLD snooker player secured the first win of his professional career on day one of the Saudi Arabia Masters. And at the other end of the age scale, Ken Doherty won the Battle of the Baize Oldies as he eliminated Jimmy White from the Jeddah tournament. 2 Polish teenager Michal Szubarczyk hit back-to-back breaks of 68 and 56 as he celebrated a 4-2 victory over English amateur Ryan Davies. It is a career milestone, one he will remember forever, given he only received his two-year Tour Card at the start of this season. In round two in the desert nation, Szubarczyk will play Hungarian world No.79 Bulcsu Revesz on Saturday. And the winner of that clash will then take on Essex cueist Stuart Bingham, who was champion of the world 10 years ago. The Eastern European – whose highest official break is 126 – took the 2025 European Championships in Turkey by storm, winning the under-16s and under-18s events before reaching the final of the open-age event. Mark Williams, the three-time world champion, watched that tournament live and said Szubarczyk was 'one of the best 14-year-olds I've ever seen in my life'. The Welsh sporting legend added: 'He's up there with Ronnie O'Sullivan at that age. 'Maybe not as good, but not far away. Every time I watched him he was knocking in 80s, 90s, 100s. It was frightening.' In April, dad Kamil told SunSport that his son modelled his game on seven-time world champion O'Sullivan. Kamil said: 'One of Michal's special skills is his ability to play with the audience and the cameras. Snooker fans baffled as star who's not won a match all year knocks in staggering 147 break 'Normal teenagers are tense and stressed. He is more motivated. 'He loves playing when he has an audience, and so I know that anything can happen during this tournament. 'From the first time Michał saw snooker on TV, his hero was Ronnie. It was also my idol. This hasn't been changed. 'And for both of us whenever Ronnie got knocked out of a tournament, we stopped watching it. 'That man played a key role in creating Michal's playing style. Mike was fascinated by how offensive Ronnie played all of his games. But he wants to be more than just offensive. 'Ronnie is still motivating Michal to be better and better.' On Friday evening in the Kingdom, two veterans of the sport took to the baize, though disappointingly only a few people bothered to watch from the stands at the Green Halls. Former world champion Doherty, 55, took on White, 63, and he prevailed 4-1, hitting a 96 break in frame two. They had rekindled a rivalry that began in 1991 and saw them battle it out at the World Championships and Masters. The duo, who have a combined age of 118, are nowhere near their best these days but it is commendable and shows their genuine love for the sport that they are continuing to play professionally. Doherty, who now plays Latvian Zizins Artemijs in round two on Saturday evening, has now won 17 of their 30 meetings. Elite players such as Ronnie O'Sullivan, Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson will enter the competition – which has a £500,000 top prize – in round five on Tuesday. List of all-time Snooker World Champions BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year. The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport. The first World Championships ran from 1927 - with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport. Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period. Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each. 1969 - John Spencer 1970 - Ray Reardon 1971 - John Spencer 1972 - Alex Higgins 1973 - Ray Reardon (2) 1974 - Ray Reardon (3) 1975 - Ray Reardon (4) 1976 - Ray Reardon (5) 1977 - John Spencer (2) 1978 - Ray Reardon (6) 1979 - Terry Griffiths 1980 - Cliff Thorburn 1981 - Steve Davis 1982 - Alex Higgins (2) 1983 - Steve Davis (2) 1984 - Steve Davis (3) 1985 - Dennis Taylor 1986 - Joe Johnson 1987 - Steve Davis (4) 1988 - Steve Davis (5) 1989 - Steve Davis (6) 1990 - Stephen Hendry 1991 - John Parrott 1992 - Stephen Hendry (2) 1993 - Stephen Hendry (3) 1994 - Stephen Hendry (4) 1995 - Stephen Hendry (5) 1996 - Stephen Hendry (6) 1997 - Ken Doherty 1998 - John Higgins 1999 - Stephen Hendry (7) 2000 - Mark Williams 2001 - Ronnie O'Sullivan 2002 - Peter Ebdon 2003 - Mark Williams (2) 2004 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (2) 2005 - Shaun Murphy 2006 - Graeme Dott 2007 - John Higgins (2) 2008 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (3) 2009 - John Higgins (3) 2010 - Neil Robertson 2011 - John Higgins (4) 2012 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (4) 2013 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (5) 2014 - Mark Selby 2015 - Stuart Bingham 2016 - Mark Selby (2) 2017 - Mark Selby (3) 2018 - Mark Williams (3) 2019 - Judd Trump 2020 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (6) 2021 - Mark Selby (4) 2022 - Ronnie O'Sullivan (7) 2023 - Luca Brecel 2024 - Kyren Wilson 2025 - Zhao Xintong 7 - Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan 6 - Ray Reardon, Steve Davis 4 - John Higgins, Mark Selby 3 - John Spencer, Mark Williams 2 - Alex Higgins
The Herald
01-08-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Motherwell's Kwayiba aiming high after Pirates move
Growing up under difficult circumstances in Motherwell, Gqeberha, Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates forward Sinoxolo Kwayiba's faith and discipline have seen him soar to the highest level in South African professional football. The former Chippa United forward, at only 25, has already donned the green and gold colours of the national team, earning five caps thus far under the tutelage of Bafana Bafana head coach Hugo Broos. Kwayiba has played two seasons in the country's top-flight league, the Premier Soccer League, as his professional career started taking shape at Chippa United. After an impressive showing for the Chilli Boys, the youngster recently penned a multiyear contract with SA's biggest club, Orlando Pirates. He is the second Motherwell-born youngster to become a Buccaneer in recent times after left-back Bongani Sam blazed the trail a couple of years ago. In an exclusive interview, Kwayiba opened up about how he was able to carve a successful professional career despite early life struggles. He attributed his success to faith and discipline as he defied the odds on his way to signing for the Soweto giants. 'I had a strong belief in God and my ability to play at the highest level. 'I knew that if I wanted to turn my life around, I needed to work harder than any soccer player,' Kwayiba said. 'I made a decision very early that football is the only work I want to do. I ensured that I focused on my schoolwork and football.' Having joined Pirates in the transfer window, Kwayiba travelled with the team to Spain for the preseason. He described his move to Pirates as a dream come true and said he hoped this would give him the best chance of representing the country in the African Cup of Nations and Fifa World Cup. 'Joining Orlando Pirates is a dream come true. I hope and pray that it gives hope to all the children of Motherwell and Gqeberha,' Kwayiba said. '[Signing with Pirates] has changed my life and my family hugely, and the boys [back in Motherwell] should keep working hard in achieving their dreams, be it soccer or any other sport. 'I wish to make the Bafana Bafana Afcon team in Morocco as well as the World Cup team, and for me to achieve that, I need to continue to maintain my goal-scoring form and be consistent.' The 2025/2026 Premier Soccer League is set to get under way on Saturday with the MTN8 competition. Pirates will get the tournament rolling when they face Polokwane City at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto. A week later, the Betway Premiership will also get under way. — SportsBoom
