Schauffele tries to forget Paris heartbreak as PGA playoffs begin

Schauffele tries to forget Paris heartbreak as PGA playoffs begin
Xander Schauffele leaves after completing the course in round 4 of the men’s golf individual stroke play of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Le Golf National in Guyancourt, south-west of Paris on August 4, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 14 August 2024
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Schauffele tries to forget Paris heartbreak as PGA playoffs begin

Schauffele tries to forget Paris heartbreak as PGA playoffs begin

WASHINGTON: Xander Schauffele will try to set aside Paris Olympics heartbreak as he plays alongside gold medalist Scottie Scheffler in the first two rounds of the PGA Tour playoffs.

World number two Schauffele, the Tokyo Olympics champion, and top-ranked Scheffler, who surged on the final day to win in Paris, will be together Thursday and Friday at the PGA St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.

Schauffele, who won his first two major titles at this year’s PGA Championship and British Open, shared the lead after the second and third rounds in pursuit of a gold medal repeat in Paris only to fire a 73 in the final round and finish seven strokes behind Scheffler.

“It was bad,” Schauffele said. “I was probably more tired than I thought I was.

“I was pretty bummed out. I went from thinking I could have a good look at gold to maybe silver, then to bronze, and then to, wow, I’m just spectating now.

“That’s sort of what happened the last seven, eight holes of that tournament. So that was a bit of a bummer, especially with how the fans were out there. It must have been such a cool feeling to be in the hunt with important shots coming down that stretch, 15 to 18.”

Schauffele said he has already tried to analyze the reasons for his flop to try and avoid them over the PGA’s three-week post-season run.

“Sort of identified what happened,” he said. “I don’t want to get back into my old habits that I’ve been trying to get out of in these last two or three months. I think some old ones sort of slipped in there. When I tried to put my foot down, it got worse, and I paid the price for it heavily.”

Schauffele had mixed feelings seeing a tearful Scheffler on the medal podium until the Olympic spirit took hold of him.

“It’s weird. I’m not going to lie. It’s the weirdest feeling,” said Schauffele.

“When Scottie was up there and our flag was raised and he started crying up there, I was butt-hurt about my own round, and then I was sitting there like, yeah, this is pretty cool.

“I felt so emotional in that state... It’s hard to explain, the swing of it. Then out here this week playing with him these next two days and we’re all just trying to beat our heads in. It’s a funny feeling.”

Schauffele stands second to Scheffler in the season points race entering the PGA FedEx Cup playoff events. This week’s 70-player field will be cut to 50 for next week’s event in Colorado and again to 30 for the Tour Championship in Atlanta.

“A sharp mental state just for these last three weeks is going to be the biggest thing,” Schauffele said. “Just being able to focus, and you expect your body to make the leaps with the heat and then the altitude and the heat again.

“But to me it’s part of our job. We’re supposed to be preparing for that during the off-season and all year long.”

Some players near the top of the points list skip an early event for more rest, but Schauffele won’t be among them.

“If you’re trying to win this thing, trying to be the best player over the course of this year, you’re going to just have to do better and be better than everyone else,” he said.

“I’m eating the right things, doing the right things to stay in good shape physically and mentally, but when push comes to shove, you’re going to have to be a dog at some point.”


Man City will ‘struggle’ to overcome injury crisis, says Guardiola

Man City will ‘struggle’ to overcome injury crisis, says Guardiola
Updated 19 sec ago
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Man City will ‘struggle’ to overcome injury crisis, says Guardiola

Man City will ‘struggle’ to overcome injury crisis, says Guardiola
  • Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, leads a stellar cast of absentees in Guardiola’s squad
  • Guardiola urged City not to make excuses despite their injury woes

LISBON: Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City will struggle to overcome a mounting injury crisis but encouraged the English champions to bounce back in Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Sporting Lisbon.

City travel to Portugal after consecutive defeats to Tottenham in the League Cup and Bournemouth on Saturday, which ended an 11-month unbeaten run in the Premier League.

Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who is out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury, leads a stellar cast of absentees in Guardiola’s squad that also includes Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, Jack Grealish and John Stones.

Kevin De Bruyne could make his first appearance seven weeks but is unlikely to start, while Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Jeremy Doku and Savinho are also not fully fit.

“You know the situation with Rodri, nominated the best player in the world,” said Guardiola at his pre-match press conference on Monday.

“We know we will struggle, and we have to accept that, and it is fine.

“The games will be difficult; in previous seasons it was smooth. Personal reasons, injuries, we won six Premier Leagues in seven years. Things change, we have to accept that.”

Guardiola will come against one of his future rivals as Sporting boss Ruben Amorim takes charge of the Portuguese champions for the penultimate time before beginning his role as Manchester United manager.

The sides last met in the last 16 of the 2021/22 Champions League when City romped to a 5-0 victory in Lisbon and on aggregate.

“They have changed players but have same manager and same mentality,” added Guardiola on the challenge Sporting provide.

“Winning the league for first time in 20 years and then doing it again last season shows what a good job he has done.”

Bernardo Silva scored twice in City’s 5-0 win over Sporting two years ago on his return to Lisbon, where he began his career at Benfica.

He urged City not to make excuses despite their injury woes.

“With a full squad we are stronger, there’s no denying that. We have a lot of unbelievable players missing,” said Silva.

“We have not been able to count on Kevin for six weeks. Rodri is out for the season and other players out shorter times. But we never find excuses. This club was never about that.”

Both sides are unbeaten in the new Champions League format with seven points from their opening three matches.


Neymar injured again as Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli maintain perfect records in AFC Champions League

Neymar injured again as Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli maintain perfect records in AFC Champions League
Updated 05 November 2024
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Neymar injured again as Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli maintain perfect records in AFC Champions League

Neymar injured again as Al-Hilal and Al-Ahli maintain perfect records in AFC Champions League
  • The Riyadh side defeated Esteghlal of Iran 3-0, while their Jeddah rivals thrashed Iraqi side Al-Shorta 5-1 in the 4th round of games in the league stage
  • Neymar, making only his second appearance in 13 months, came on early in the 2nd half but was withdrawn shortly before full time after pulling up as he stretched for the ball

Apart from another Neymar injury scare, Saudi teams enjoyed another great night in the AFC Champions League Elite on Monday, as Al-Hilal defeated Esteghlal of Iran 3-0 and Al-Ahli thrashed Iraqi side Al-Shorta 5-1.

Both teams now have four wins out of four and sit joint top of their 12-team league. Al-Hilal has a slight edge on goal difference but even at this early point, with four games left to play in the league stage, both sides are all-but guaranteed to be one of the top eight teams that advance to the knockout phase.

With Neymar seemingly picking up a muscle injury after 30 minutes of action in Riyadh, Aleksandar Mitrovic was the undoubted star for Al-Hilal, scoring all three goals in what was ultimately a comfortable win, although Esteghlal did almost shock the Blues early on. Gael Kakuta’s perfect cross from the right found the head of a diving Ramin Rezaeian, only for the ball to hit the post, with Yassine Bounou beaten.

After 15 minutes, however, the home side were ahead. A pass from Nasser Al-Dawsari evaded a number of players, both home and away, before finding its way to Mitrovic at the far post, where the Serbian striker made no mistake from close range.

As both teams continued to push forward, Salem Al-Dawsari and Abdullah Al-Hamdan forced the Esteghlal goalkeeper make saves but it was not long before the lead was doubled. Renan Lodi, who has been in fine form this season, with a number of impressive assists, broke free down the left side of the area just after the half-hour mark and pulled a low pass across goal to Mitrovic, who was waiting to take another poacher’s chance.

There were more cheers from the home fans 10 minutes into the second half when Neymar came off the bench for only his second appearance since picking up a serious injury in October 2023. The Brazilian superstar was soon treating fans to flicks and feints as Al-Hilal started to move the ball around even more.

It was no surprise when they sealed the victory 16 minutes from time. Joao Cancelo crossed the ball for that man Mitrovic to once again head home at the far post for his fourth goal of the tournament.

The only downside for Al-Hilal came when Neymar was withdrawn shortly before the final whistle, after pulling up as he stretched for the ball.

Over in Jeddah, Al-Ahli kept pace in the competition with their Riyadh rivals thanks to a convincing 5-1 win against visiting Al-Shorta. The home side have been inconsistent in terms of domestic form but perfect in the Asian campaign so far. And it did not take long for the hosts to take the lead.

With 14 minutes on the clock, Ziyad Al-Johani floated over a long ball from a deep position down the left. Roberto Firmino timed his run perfectly to break into the area and direct an equally perfect header into the top corner of the goal.

Ten minutes later, the men in white had the perfect opportunity to extend their lead and take total control of the tie but Franck Kessie’s effort was saved by Ahmed Basil.

Then, just before the half-hour mark, Al-Shorta were suddenly level as a result of some slack defending that ended with Mohammed Dawood feeding the ball through to Sajad Jassem, who rounded goalkeeper Abdulrahman Al-Sanbi to score.

However, Al-Ahli went in at the break with their lead restored. Deep into added time, Firmino, who had just missed another glorious chance, grabbed his second of the game from close range after Firas Al-Buraikan skipped past the goalkeeper and fed the ball to the former Liverpool star, who found the back of the net from close range.

Firmino returned the favor eight minutes after the restart, delivering a low cross from the right that bounced all the way through to the far post where Al-Buraikan made no mistake.

Just after the hour mark, the Saudi international once again turned provider to feed Riyad Mahrez on the right corner of the area, and the Algerian fired his shot into the opposite corner. In the 65th minute, Al-Johani produced another perfect pass from the left, which Mahrez latched onto to grab his second and complete the 5-1 win.

Al-Nassr, who have two wins and a draw from their first three games in the competition, can move into third place in the group on Tuesday with a win against defending champions Al-Ain, who are second bottom with just one point after two defeats and a draw.


NEOM Beach Games opens with Supertri event

NEOM Beach Games opens with Supertri event
Updated 05 November 2024
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NEOM Beach Games opens with Supertri event

NEOM Beach Games opens with Supertri event
  • 1,000 international triathletes, coaches, team officials attend

NEOM: The NEOM Beach Games launched its third edition on Sunday with the much-anticipated Supertri NEOM event, which drew 1,000 international triathletes, coaches, and team officials.

The opening competition featured Olympic gold medalists Cassandre Beaugrand and Alex Yee, who claimed victory in the women’s and men’s Supertri NEOM categories.

The event served as the season’s finale of the Supertri League, with Georgia Taylor-Brown and Hayden Wilde emerging as champions for 2024, while Crown Racing triumphed in the teams category.

Jan Paterson, managing director of NEOM Sport, highlighted the significance of this year’s event, saying: “The launch of NEOM Beach Games for the third consecutive year reflects NEOM’s commitment to providing a unique environment that enables emerging and competitive sports talent.

“It fulfills NEOM’s aspirations to build a global, multicultural society, with sport acting as a bridge between peoples and cultures. The success of Supertri NEOM highlights its aspiration to become a premier destination for high-performance sports.”

As part of NEOM’s broader mission to support the development of triathlon, Supertri partnered with local initiatives like the Stars of Tomorrow program, allowing young Saudi athletes to train alongside elite Olympic and world champions.

Race weekend activities included school visits, clinics with professional triathletes, and training sessions for officials, underscoring NEOM’s commitment to empowering the Saudi Triathlon Federation and fostering homegrown talent in the sport.

Supertri CEO and co-founder Michael D’hulst praised the event’s success, saying: “(It) was a fitting conclusion to a spectacular season, delivering thrilling racing in an incredible setting. It has been a brilliant Supertri League season, and I am very happy that we were able to finish it again in NEOM, bringing a unique blend of entertainment and inspiration.

“I am proud of the work we’ve done together with NEOM to grow and develop the sport in the Kingdom and look forward to continuing to build on this legacy.”

The action continues this week with the FIBA 3x3 World Tour NEOM 2024, which is set to begin on Thursday.


Sabalenka beats Paolini in straight sets to reach last four of WTA Finals

Sabalenka beats Paolini in straight sets to reach last four of WTA Finals
Updated 05 November 2024
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Sabalenka beats Paolini in straight sets to reach last four of WTA Finals

Sabalenka beats Paolini in straight sets to reach last four of WTA Finals
  • Top-ranked Sabalenka cruised in the first set after building a 4-0 lead, then saved two set points in the second to advance at the year-ending tournament
  • Sabalenka has won 22 of her last 23 matches, and three of the last four tournaments in which she played

RIYADH: Aryna Sabalenka reached the semifinals of the WTA Finals with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Jasmine Paolini on Monday for a second straight victory in the group stage.
The top-ranked Sabalenka cruised in the first set after building a 4-0 lead, then saved two set points in the second to advance at the year-ending tournament for the top eight ranked players.
Sabalenka will face already eliminated Elena Rybakina on Wednesday in the final group match of the week.
Sabalenka has won 22 of her last 23 matches, and three of the last four tournaments in which she played.
Another round-robin win will secure her the year-end No. 1 ranking for the first time in her career.
In the other Purple Group match, Zheng Qinwen defeated Rybakina 7-6 (4) 3-6, 6-1 to maintain chances of advancing.
It was Zheng’s first career win over Rybakina in three tries.
Rybakina sits at 0-2 and can’t advance to the semifinals. She lost to Paolini on Saturday, while Sabalenka eased to a straight-set victory over Zheng in the opening match in Saudi Arabia.
Zheng and Paolini will play each other on Wednesday, with the winner advancing to her first WTA Finals semifinal to face the winner of the Orange Group.


NEOM Sports Club appoint Alex Leitao as CEO

NEOM Sports Club appoint Alex Leitao as CEO
Updated 04 November 2024
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NEOM Sports Club appoint Alex Leitao as CEO

NEOM Sports Club appoint Alex Leitao as CEO
  • New boss says he is delighted to join club at ‘significant phase’ in Kingdom’s sporting evolution
  • Team currently tops Saudi First Division

NEOM: NEOM Sports Club has appointed Alex Leitao as their new CEO, the club said on Monday.

The former boss of Brazil’s Club Athletico Paranaense and Major League Soccer’s Orlando City joins NEOM as they continue to progress through the ranks of Saudi football.

The club said Leitao would focus on driving the team’s performance, development and brand in alignment with the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.

Moaath Alohali, who was the club’s CEO since its acquisition by NEOM in June last year, will transition to an advisory role. Under his leadership, the club secured the services of several top players and coaching staff and won the Second Division title.

Alohali also established a women’s team, which is currently seeking promotion to the Women’s Premier League, and a youth development program to nurture the next generation of Saudi players.

Club Chairman Mishari Al-Mutairi said: “As part of our development efforts to elevate the club’s sporting standards, we are pleased to welcome Alex Leitao as the club’s CEO and to benefit from his extensive experience in leading global clubs.

“The performance achieved by the club thus far reflects our commitment to attracting the best talents and coaches to NEOM, aligning with our goals of reaching the highest levels. We are currently looking forward to new seasons filled with success.”

Leitao said he was delighted to be a part of Saudi Arabia’s rapidly evolving sporting landscape.

“As we enter a significant phase with the Kingdom’s transformation into a global sports hub, I am delighted to join a sports club to contribute to achieving its sporting and social objectives, adding further distinction to its national journey.

“The rapid growth of NEOM Sports Club, with a focus on professional football as the club’s core sport, is a key factor that enables us to compete, support promising talents, and enhance community engagement in this pioneering region.”

NEOM Sports Club are currently top of the First Division, the second tier of Saudi football.