Six things to watch at LIV Golf Jeddah

Special Six things to watch at LIV Golf Jeddah
Brooks Koepka is aiming for a third successive win at LIV Golf Jeddah this week. (Chris Trotman/LIV Golf)
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Updated 29 February 2024
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Six things to watch at LIV Golf Jeddah

Six things to watch at LIV Golf Jeddah
  • With Brooks Koepka eyeing a ‘three-peat,’ John Rahm makes first appearance in Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH: It is not an exaggeration to say that all eyes in the world of golf will be on LIV Golf Jeddah in Saudi Arabia this week.

The Public Investment Fund-backed league has done more than enough in the recent past to become one of the strongest tours in the world, but enticing Anthony Kim to return to professional golf is probably the coolest thing it has done so far.

It remains to be seen what sort of form the 38-year-old American will be in after his 12-year hiatus from the sport. He might take some time to get back into the groove but be prepared for the internet to go nuts if he has a good opening round on Friday.

Kim is the mystery man of golf, an almost mythical figure. His talent and his skills were unreal when he played regularly on the PGA Tour, winning three titles before he turned 25, but then he said goodbye to the game at the age of just 26.

Some have described his return to professional golf as being like “the resurfacing of the Loch Ness Monster,” others as a sighting of the golfing world’s “Yeti.”

Kim’s return to competition will certainly be one of the biggest storylines to follow during LIV Golf Jeddah this weekend, but here are six others that could ramp up the excitement at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club.

Jon Rahm’s first time in Saudi Arabia

World No. 3 Jon Rahm is the biggest signing in LIV Golf history and the mercurial Spaniard, a two-time major champion, including victory at last year’s Masters, is set to make his first appearance in Saudi Arabia this week.

Given the wind and length of the course at Royal Greens, and the peculiarities associated with a desert course, the venue should play right into Rahm’s hands. A phenomenal striker of the ball, he has spent the past decade based in Arizona and so is used to such conditions. He is also a two-time DP World Tour Championship winner in the neighboring UAE, on a similar style of course.

Koepka’s ‘three-peat’ attempt

Brooks Koepka, a five-time major champion, faced tough challenges to the last putt in Jeddah in 2022 and 2023, but emerged victorious from playoffs both times. He beat teammate Peter Uihlein in the inaugural season of LIV Golf, then got better of Talor Gooch last October.

The 33-year-old resident of West Palm Beach, who was the only LIV Golf player on last year’s Ryder Cup team, will be going for an unprecedented “three-peat” this week. Should he succeed, which is very much within the realms of possibility, it will set a hard-to-beat record in the relatively short history of LIV Golf so far.

The Crushers aim to bounce back

The 2023 Team Championship winners, the Bryson DeChambeau-led Crushers GC, have a point to prove in Saudi Arabia. They were cruising toward a team victory last year at Royal Greens, and DeChambeau looked like a lock for his third individual title of the season, when the unthinkable happened. The Crushers juggernaut came to a grinding halt during Sunday’s final round, they dropped to fourth place and DeChambeau slipped up to finish tied for 16th.

They will be keen to prove that the final round last year was nothing more than an aberration.

Niemann’s time to shine

Chile’s Joaquin Niemann is the LIV man in the news, having recently received a special invitation to play at this year’s Masters. It is just reward for all the chasing he has been doing lately, including victory in the Australian Open in December, fourth place in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January, and third in the International Series Oman last week. He also won LIV Golf Mayakoba this month, the season opener, which unfortunately did not earn him any world ranking points.

Niemann’s world-class talent is unquestionable and he is clearly fired up at the moment, which makes him a dangerous contender this week.

Saudi specialist DJ back in form

Koepka might be the flavor of the moment at Royal Greens thanks to his back-to-back LIV Golf wins there, but the original boss of the course is his close friend Dustin Johnson, two-time winner of the Saudi International there in 2019 and 2021, with a second place sandwiched between the victories. Even at the LIV Golf events in the past two years, his record is a respectable tie for fifth and a solo sixth place.

Now that the former world No. 1 has finally gotten over his short title drought with a win in Las Vegas this month, be prepared to perhaps see some fireworks once again from the big American.

The change of schedule

In 2022, Koepka won the tournament with a 12-under-par total, and finished on 14-under when he successfully defended his title last year.

A major change to the tournament this year, however, is that it is being played in the first week of March, when the conditions will much cooler compared with the October scheduling of previous years. Royal Greens will therefore feel like a different course, with changed wind directions and slightly softer greens. Expect the scores to be lower, therefore, unless the Red Sea has different ideas and starts blowing high winds towards the course.


Man City beaten again at Brighton to open door to Liverpool

Man City beaten again at Brighton to open door to Liverpool
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Man City beaten again at Brighton to open door to Liverpool

Man City beaten again at Brighton to open door to Liverpool
City had not suffered defeat in the league for nearly a year prior to losing at Bournemouth last weekend
Pep Guardiola has lost four straight matches for the first time in his illustrious managerial career

LONDON: Manchester City slumped to a fourth consecutive defeat after blowing the lead to lose 2-1 at Brighton on Saturday, allowing Liverpool the chance to extend their lead at the top of the Premier League.
City had not suffered defeat in the league for nearly a year prior to losing at Bournemouth last weekend.
But after also exiting the League Cup to Tottenham and being on the end of a 4-1 thrashing by Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, Pep Guardiola has lost four straight matches for the first time in his illustrious managerial career.
The English champions looked set to bounce back from their chastening night in Lisbon on Tuesday when Erling Haaland prodded in his 15th goal of the season at the second attempt after his initial effort was saved by Bart Verbruggen.
City, though, were opened up at will in the second half and were finally punished by a pair of Brighton substitutes.
Joao Pedro fired in the equalizer after City failed to clear in a goalmouth scramble.
Matt O’Riley has had to wait for his Premier League debut after suffering a serious ankle injury days after sealing a move from Celtic.
The Danish international marked his bow in style when he slotted in from Pedro’s pass seven minutes from time.
Liverpool can stretch their lead at the top of the table to five points with victory over Aston Villa at Anfield later on Saturday.
Wolves ended a wait since April for a Premier League win by beating fellow strugglers Southampton 2-0 to move off the foot of the table.
Gary O’Neil was under huge pressure to deliver after a 13-game winless run in the top flight and got the perfect start when Pablo Sarabia swept home Matheus Cunha’s pass for Wolves’ fastest ever Premier League goal.
Cunha smashed home a stunning second goal himself early in the second period to give Wolves a vital three points, which sees Southampton replace them at the bottom of the table.
“He’s huge for us. He has such ability,” said O’Neil on Cunha’s influence. “A big win for us and Matheus Cunha had a big say in it.”
Fulham moved into seventh by inflicting more misery on Crystal Palace with a 2-0 win at Selhurst Park.
Emile Smith Rowe pounced on an error from Maxence Lacroix to open the scoring in first-half stoppage time.
The Eagles’ hopes of a fightback were hit when Daichi Kamada saw red for a wild lunge on Kenny Tete.
Harry Wilson came off the bench to score twice in stoppage time to secure a 2-1 win over Brentford on Monday and the Welsh international was an impact substitute again to wrap up the victory seven minutes from time.
Yoane Wissa scored a brace as Brentford twice came from behind to beat Bournemouth 3-2.
Twice the in-form Cherries led through Evanilson and Justin Kluivert.
But the Bees have taken 16 points from a possible 18 at home this season.
Brentford quickly levelled on both occasions through Wissa and Mikkel Damsgaard.
Wissa then completed the comeback with his seventh goal in eight league appearances this season.
West Ham and Everton did little to quell the discontent among both fanbases in a 0-0 draw.
There were loud boos at full-time at the London Stadium from the West Ham support, but a point does edge Everton four clear of the bottom three.

Green Falcons arrive in Melbourne for World Cup Asian qualifier against Australia

Green Falcons arrive in Melbourne for World Cup Asian qualifier against Australia
Updated 09 November 2024
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Green Falcons arrive in Melbourne for World Cup Asian qualifier against Australia

Green Falcons arrive in Melbourne for World Cup Asian qualifier against Australia
  • Team begin preparations with closed training session on Sunday
  • Saudi ambassador to Australia welcomes players at Melbourne Airport

MELBOURNE: The Saudi national football team will train in Melbourne behind closed doors on Sunday in preparation for their 2026 World Cup Asian qualifier match against Australia next Thursday.
The Green Falcons arrived in Melbourne on Sunday morning and are scheduled to face off against Australia on Nov. 14 at AAMI Park as part of the fifth round of Asian qualifiers for the World Cup.
Saudi Ambassador to Australia Sultan bin Fahd bin Khuzaim welcomed the national team upon their arrival at Melbourne International Airport.
Yasser Al-Misehal, president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Saudi Embassy for the warm welcome and the facilities provided to the delegation since their arrival.
The Green Falcons delegation left Riyadh on Saturday morning from King Khalid International Airport. They will begin their preparatory program on Sunday with a closed evening training session at 6 p.m. within Melbourne’s Lakeside Stadium.


Vinícius nets hat trick in win as three Real Madrid players go down injured

Vinícius nets hat trick in win as three Real Madrid players go down injured
Updated 09 November 2024
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Vinícius nets hat trick in win as three Real Madrid players go down injured

Vinícius nets hat trick in win as three Real Madrid players go down injured
  • Madrid had heard jeers in their previous two home games
  • Vinícius got his second hat trick of the season

BARCELONA: Vinícius Júnior scored a hat trick to lead Real Madrid a 4-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday in a much-needed victory that was dampened when teammate Éder Militão left on a stretcher.
Madrid had heard jeers in their previous two home games — a 4-0 loss to fierce rival Barcelona and 3-1 defeat to AC Milan.
But the easy victory may have come at the high price.
Militão was taken off after the central defender crumbled to the turf and clutched the back of his right knee shortly before halftime. Rodrygo and Lucas Vázquez also were unable to continue after apparently sustaining muscle injuries in the first half.
Vinícius, who felt overlooked when the Ballon d’Or went to Spain’s Rodri last week, got his second hat trick of the season and took his overall tally to 12 goals. Jude Bellingham added a goal to make it 2-0.
Madrid are in second place in the Spanish league at six points behind leader Barcelona.


Waring holds one-shot Abu Dhabi lead as McIlroy struggles

Waring holds one-shot Abu Dhabi lead as McIlroy struggles
Updated 09 November 2024
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Waring holds one-shot Abu Dhabi lead as McIlroy struggles

Waring holds one-shot Abu Dhabi lead as McIlroy struggles
  • A day after setting a course record 61, the 39-year-old Waring was the only player among the top-29 on the leaderboard to post an over-par score for a total 18-under par 198
  • Fast-rising Dane Niklas Norgaard Moller hit a third round 69 to cut Waring’s five-shot overnight lead

ABU DHABI: England’s Paul Waring shot a one-over par 73 and held a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Abu Dhabi Championship on Saturday as Ireland’s Rory McIlroy continued to struggle.
A day after setting a course record 61, the 39-year-old Waring was the only player among the top-29 on the leaderboard to post an over-par score for a total 18-under par 198.
Fast-rising Dane Niklas Norgaard Moller hit a third round 69 to cut Waring’s five-shot overnight lead.
World number three Rory McIlroy dropped a big number in his closing holes for the second day in a row, this time a double bogey on the par-5 18th after an errant tee shot found water on the left side, to sit five shots off the lead.
On Friday, the Northern Irishman had made a triple bogey on the par-3 17th.
“If you’d given me a one-shot lead going into the final round at the beginning of the week, I would have snatched your hand,” said Waring, who is looking for his first win since the 2018 Nordea Masters.
“A little disappointed, because I felt like I could have really moved forward today and put myself out of sight.
“You’ve got to have an average day, don’t you?“
Three shots back, Ireland’s Shane Lowry (66), the 2019 tournament winner, was tied for third with Englishman Tommy Fleetwood (71), Dane Thorbjoern Olesen (71) and Swede Sebastian Soederberg (68) at 15-under par.
With the wind picking up toward the afternoon and the greens becoming firmer and faster, the conditions were challenging after two benign days.
Waring had taken advantage of the conditions with rounds of 64 and 61 and started the day at 19-under.
An early birdie extended his advantage, but a three-putt bogey on the par-3 fourth hole frayed his nerves, after which he struggled to get his speed and line right with the putter.
British Masters champion Norgaard made his first bogey of the tournament on the ninth hole, but three birdies on the back nine kept him in the hunt for a second title this year.
“Very satisfied with today,” said the 32-year-old, who is almost guaranteed a PGA Tour card next season as one of top-10 players from the DP World Tour’s Race to Dubai rankings.
A disappointed McIlroy closed with a three-under-par 69 and dropped to tied 13th position on 13-under-par 203.
He still felt confident of getting his hands on the trophy in Abu Dhabi for the first time in his career.
“Playing the last two holes two-over two days in a row is not ideal. Cost myself a few shots there,” said McIlroy, who is seeking to secure his sixth DP World Tour Order of Merit crown next week in Dubai and match the legendary Spaniard Seve Ballesteros.
“The leaders weren’t getting away, which was nice and I was making a little bit of a charge. And yeah, just one mistake, that drive on 18, and with it playing so much into the wind.
“It was an untimely mistake, just like yesterday on the 17th, and I dug myself a little bit of a hole to get out of, but depending on what the leaders do, I can still go into tomorrow feeling like I have half a chance.
“I just need to put it all together and play the way I’ve been playing and keep the big mistakes and big numbers off my card and if I can do that and post a score, you never know.”


Cycling great Cavendish announces retirement

Cycling great Cavendish announces retirement
Updated 09 November 2024
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Cycling great Cavendish announces retirement

Cycling great Cavendish announces retirement
  • “Sunday will be the final race of my professional cycling career,” wrote the 39-year-old British sprint legend
  • “Cycling has given me so much and I love the sport“

PARIS: Cycling great Mark Cavendish announced his retirement from the sport on Saturday, writing on social media that his final race will be Sunday’s Tour de France Singapore Criterium.
“Sunday will be the final race of my professional cycling career,” wrote the 39-year-old British sprint legend, the record stage winner on the Tour de France with 35, in a post on Instagram.
“Cycling has given me so much and I love the sport. I’ve always wanted to make a difference in it and now I am ready to see what the next chapter has in store for me.”
Cavendish made Tour de France history last July when he eclipsed Eddy Merckx’s record which had stood since 1975, having matched the Belgian’s mark in 2021.
“I am lucky enough to have done what I love for almost 20 years and I can now say that I have achieved everything that I can on the bike,” the rider from the Isle of Man said.
“I love this sport I always have loved this sport I want to make a difference on the bike I always have wanted to make a difference in it that will not change whether I’m on the bike or not.”
Cavendish made his Tour de France debut in 2008 before becoming world road race champion three years later. He won an omnium silver medal at the 2016 Olympics.
Since turning professional in 2005 he had won 165 races, including 17 stages in the Giro d’Italia and three in the Vuelta a Espana.
Last month, he had said that he “will see” about racing in next year’s Tour de France, explaining that he “saw things a bit differently” despite previously vowing not to compete in it again.
He refused to discuss his retirement after finishing third at the Saitama Criterium in Japan last weekend.
“I’d rather not talk about my future,” he told reporters, shortly after defending Singapore Criterium race champion Jasper Philipsen suggested that the Manxman would be calling it quits after the race.
Cavendish finished second behind Philipsen in last year’s race and the Belgian said the Briton would pose the biggest challenge to his title defense in Singapore.
“It’s always difficult to repeat and definitely with this being Mark’s last race, I think he’s very motivated as well to show off his amazing career that he had for the last time here in Singapore,” said the 26-year-old, ahead of Cavendish’s own announcement.
“So it will be a tough, tough competition I think.”
The race will feature 36 cyclists from nine teams including four-time Tour de France champions Chris Froome of Britain, four-time Vuelta Espana Primoz Roglic of Slovenia, and rising Eritrean star Biniam Girmay, who beat Roglic and Cavendish to win last week’s Criterium in Saitama.
They will complete 25 laps of the 2.3-kilometer circuit in Singapore’s historic Civic District.