Talor Gooch has claimed criticism of LIV Golf stars for sportswashing is not fair, explaining: "I'm not that smart... golf is hard enough."

Gooch has been named as one of 12 team captains for the new Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The two-time PGA Tour winner will captain Torque GC, with bigger names like Phil Mickelson – leading Hy Flyers GC – and Dustin Johnson – of 4 Aces GC – among his opponents.

All of those to abandon the PGA Tour for the new project have come in for scrutiny given the source of the huge financial backing the breakaway league has.

LIV Golf is being funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), linking the series to a country with a hugely concerning human rights record.

As with other PIF acquisitions, such as Premier League club Newcastle United, LIV Golf has been highlighted as an example of sportswashing for the Saudi regime.

But this suggestion was put to Gooch on Tuesday, as he faced the media at the event's launch.

"I don't think that's fair," he said. "Also, I'm a golfer. I'm not that smart. I try to hit a golf ball into a small hole. Golf is hard enough.

"I try to worry about golf, and I'm excited about this week."

Gooch has earned $9million over his entire PGA Tour career; a single win at one of these events would fetch almost half of that at $4m. Even the player in last place at each regular season tournament will receive $120,000.

Emma Raducanu lasted only seven games of her first-round match at the Nottingham Open, where she made her WTA Tour debut a year ago.

US Open champion Raducanu was back in Nottingham as she prepares for a second Wimbledon campaign.

The 19-year-old made a name for herself with a run to the fourth round at her home grand slam in 2021, before she sensationally triumphed at Flushing Meadows.

Having seemingly established herself as the next superstar of women's tennis, Raducanu has since not found life quite so straightforward.

"It has been a really tricky 12 months, to be honest," Raducanu told the BBC on Tuesday before her match against Viktorija Golubic. "It hasn't always been easy."

And this was anything but easy for the second seed, who required treatment on an apparent side injury as soon as after the third game.

Raducanu and Golubic had traded breaks before that medical timeout, and the Briton then quickly broke again.

But she continued to encounter problems and dropped serve twice – either side of further medical treatment – before finally retiring 4-3 down.

Raducanu is scheduled to play the Birmingham Classic next week but will first now have to consider her fitness just 20 days out from the start of Wimbledon.

All-time greats often aren't truly appreciated until after they have called time on their career. 

Following speculation he could hang up the cleats in the wake of the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl LVI triumph, Aaron Donald has ensured the NFL world will have more time to marvel at his remarkable talents.

It was revealed on Monday that the Rams had restructured Donald's contract to guarantee him $95m over the next three seasons. 

No years were added to Donald's deal, but the added guaranteed money will make the seven-time All-Pro defensive tackle the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

Eye-watering money, but the Rams won't have felt the need to look even twice at a contract that arguably represents the NFL's most expensive bargain.
 

Donald's outsized impact

Simply put, no non-quarterback has done more to impact the game than Donald since he entered the league.

Drafted 13th overall in 2014, Donald has amassed 98 sacks in his pro career, the most of any player in that time, with Chandler Jones his nearest challenger on 90.

Looking at tackles for loss, none of his contemporaries come close to matching Donald's production. He has racked up 150 tackles behind the line of scrimmage since 2014, 36 more than the second-placed player on that list, Cameron Jordan.

It is a similarly absurd gap between Donald and Jordan in terms of overall quarterback pressures.

Donald has racked up an astonishing 735 pressures since entering the NFL. Jordan (544) is the only other defender even above 500.

The title of most disruptive defender in the league is one Donald has monopolised, and he has done so despite the substantial energy opposing offenses have put into slowing him down.
 

Dominating double teams

Last season, no pass rusher was the subject of more double teams than Donald, who earned the attention of two pass protectors 182 times. 

Next on the list was DeForest Buckner (164) and the margin would likely have been greater if not for Donald's versatility, which allowed him to play 11 per cent of his snaps on the edge where double teams are less prevalent. Buckner played only 3.21 per cent of his snaps on the edge.

Despite the rate at which he was doubled, Donald still recorded a stunt-adjusted pass rush win rate of 63.83 per cent. Only one other pass rusher with at least 100 one on one pass-rush snaps, Myles Garrett (53.56), posted a win rate above 50 per cent.

Doubled 95 times as a run defender, no player (min. 100 one on one run defense snaps) had a better double-team adjusted run disruption rate than Donald's 58.29 per cent. Lowering the threshold to 50 one on ones, Donald was still fourth in 2021.

The numbers don't always tell the entire story, but in Donald's unique case they are enough to encapsulate his value. He is a true unicorn who can impact the game at any point regardless of situation.

"It's not great news; it's phenomenal, outstanding, any nice adjective that you can place around it," Rams head coach Sean McVay told SiriusXM of Donald's restructure.

"It's a big deal, and he's earned it. And he truly is one of one, in my opinion. This means so much to me, to our organisation."

And Donald saved his best for the moments that meant most to the Rams last season.
 

Shining on the brightest stage

From the Wild Card Round rout of the Arizona Cardinals through to the nerve-jangling win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals, there was a clear theme that defined the Rams' surge to the Lombardi Trophy, one of their defensive front overwhelming opponents to tilt matters in Los Angeles' favour.

It was Donald who unsurprisingly led the charge, ably supported by Von Miller, whom the Rams will face when they raise their Super Bowl banner against the Buffalo Bills in Week 1 of the 2022 season, and Leonard Floyd.

Donald ended the postseason with 29 pressures while Miller recorded 27 and Floyd 22.

The depth of pass-rushing talent at the Rams' disposal prevented Niners quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Bengals star signal-caller Joe Burrow from knocking off the Rams in contests that went down to the wire.

It was fitting that the final say went to Donald, who ended the Bengals' hopes of sending the Super Bowl to overtime with a game-tying field goal by knifing past left guard Quinton Spain with his devastating hand speed and using his flexibility to flatten his angle to Burrow, flinging him to the turf as the quarterback's hurried desperation fourth-down heave fell incomplete.

A jubilant Donald pointed to his ring finger in celebration. He now has that Super Bowl ring secured, along with a contract that properly reflects his importance to the reigning champions.

Donald isn't the straw that stirs the drink for the Rams, he is the chief ingredient in a cocktail of premium talent that has propelled the Rams to the NFL mountain top.

Sure, the trade for Matthew Stafford provided the critical final seasoning for Los Angeles, but the mix doesn't work without Donald's ability to blow up the best-laid plans of their opponents.

Those foes had hoped talk of Donald's retirement would remove the headache of game-planning to try to stop him.

However, the Rams have put such hopes to bed and made sure offensive coordinators across the league will have sleepless nights for a few more years when preparing to face an all-time great who will continue to provide value for money for Los Angeles even at his new exorbitant price tag. 

Dustin Johnson has resigned from the PGA Tour in order to play in the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Invitational Series.

The two-time major winner is one of the biggest names to sign up for the new league, and his loss represents a significant blow to the PGA Tour, of which he had been a member since 2007.

Johnson's decision to turn his back on the PGA Tour means he will be unable to complete in the Ryder Cup.

"It's too early to speak on what the consequences will be, but as of right now, I resigned my membership from PGA Tour, I'm going to play here for now, that's the plan," he told reporters.

"But what the consequence are going to be, I obviously can't comment on how the Tour is going to handle it.

"The majors, again I can't answer for the majors, but hopefully they'll allow us to play. Obviously I'm exempt for the majors, so I plan on playing there unless I hear otherwise."

Adding on the Ryder Cup, he said: "The Ryder Cup is unbelievable and has meant a lot to me, but ultimately I decided this was best for me and my family.

"All things are subject to change, and hopefully at some point it will change and I will get a chance to do that again."

Mauricio Pochettino is not concerned by speculation around his Paris Saint-Germain future, having grown used to the repeated reports of his imminent dismissal.

After another season in which PSG failed to win the Champions League, it has been reported the club will move on from both coach Pochettino and sporting director Leonardo.

While a host of coaches have been mooted as potential successors to Pochettino, former Monaco and Lille chief Luis Campos is the favourite to come in as Leonardo's replacement.

As things stand, though, PSG have not removed either man from his position.

And Pochettino claims he is still expecting to lead the team into next season, telling Esport3: "I have one year left on my contract and there are a lot of rumours. Every week I am fired.

"PSG is causing this kind of thing. The club is trying to reinvent itself. The president will soon explain his new project, but I am calm."

The former Tottenham manager is confident he has overcome the noise generated by PSG's Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, having subsequently won Ligue 1.

"PSG are desperate to win the Champions League," he said. "The goal is to win it, and it is normal for 'storms' to be generated, but we reversed it by winning the league, just as [Manchester] City won it in England.

"With the expectations and the dressing room we have, it has been a continuous learning. We were one step away from eliminating Madrid – as were Chelsea, City and Liverpool.

"We won the same [at PSG] as [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Laurent] Blanc and other coaches, but there is a lot of impatience at the club."

Pochettino has been linked with the Barcelona job, now held by Xavi, throughout his coaching career, but he explained why that move could never happen.

"Neither my children nor my wife would have let me," he said, "and I have such strong ties to Espanyol that it would be impossible."

"One of one" Aaron Donald has earned his record-breaking contract with the Los Angeles Rams, says coach Sean McVay.

A restructuring of Donald's deal in LA will see him guaranteed $95million over the next three years, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

However, for the defending Super Bowl champion Rams, it is a price worth paying.

Donald is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and played a vital role in the Super Bowl LVI win over the Cincinnati Bengals last year.

Given the uncertainty that followed that victory, with Donald hinting at a possible retirement, McVay is simply delighted to be getting his best defender back.

"It's not great news; it's phenomenal, outstanding, any nice adjective that you can place around it," McVay told SiriusXM.

"It's a big deal, and he's earned it. And he truly is one of one, in my opinion.

"This means so much to me, to our organisation.

"I think the respect that he's garnered around this league from guys that have done it at such a high level, what he's accomplished through his eight years is unparalleled.

"And so [we] wanted to be able to find a solution to get him taken care of and have him continue to lead the way for our team, for our defense.

"We had a feeling it was trending in the right direction when he was at our wedding on Saturday night. A lot of good things have happened the last couple days for me."

As well as earning an unprecedented salary, Donald now has the freedom to retire in 2024 without any financial consequences.

First, though, the 31-year-old is "locked back in to go get us another ring", as he said in a video released by the team.

And that pursuit would be aided by the Rams also bringing back Odell Beckham – another attendee at the McVays' wedding, even if Sean claimed he "crashed" the event.

"He was a baller," McVay said of a receiver who signed for the Rams last November but was out of contract after tearing his ACL against the Bengals.

"We want to try to be able to get him back. I would love to work with him every single day."

The Boston Bruins have taken the "extremely difficult decision" to fire coach Bruce Cassidy despite reaching the playoffs in each of his six seasons.

Cassidy was appointed as coach in February 2017 – initially on an interim basis – having served as assistant since the start of the 2016-17 season. He had previously led the AHL Providence Bruins.

The Bruins made the former Washington Capitals coach their permanent hire in April of that year, and Boston made the playoffs.

The team had been missing from the postseason in the previous two seasons but would go on to be regulars with Cassidy behind the bench.

He took the Bruins all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2019, only to lose to the St. Louis Blues.

Despite the Bruins continuing to make the playoffs, that was as close as Cassidy would come to adding a seventh championship, this year losing in the first round to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Cassidy leaves Boston having overseen 399 regular season games, the fifth-most in team history. With a record of 245-108-46, he is tied third for most Bruins wins.

General manager Don Sweeney explained his dismissal, saying in a statement: "Today I informed Bruce Cassidy that I was making a change.

"After 14 years working with Bruce, this was an extremely difficult decision.

"I want to thank and acknowledge Bruce for all his work and success with the Bruins organisation. His record for the Bruins is impressive, and we are appreciative of Bruce both professionally and personally.

"After taking some time to fully digest everything, I felt that the direction of our team for both this season and beyond would benefit from a new voice."

The Los Angeles Angels tied their longest single-season losing streak in franchise history, going down 1-0 at home to the Boston Red Sox on Monday.

Michael Wacha pitched for his first shutout in five years, extending the Angels' losing streak to 12 games, matching the run to end the 1988 season.

Wacha pitched the full nine innings for only the second time in his career, giving up only three hits and striking out six over 105 pitches.

In a thin silver lining to a rather sizeable cloud for the Angels, Mike Trout went one-of-two off Wacha to end a hitless streak of 26 at-bats, the longest in the 30-year-old's career.

The Red Sox confirmed a fifth consecutive victory, moving past .500 ball at 28-27, but they remain fourth in the American League East.

Escobar and Carrasco lead Mets to series-opening win

The New York Mets kicked off a three-game series with a victory over fellow National League contenders in the San Diego Padres, winning 11-5.

After splitting the four-game series in their high-profile National League matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Mets scored a combined seven runs in the opening and closing innings to pick up the win on Monday.

Eduardo Escobar went four-of-five at the plate, including a home run and six RBIs, while Carlos Carrasco pitched seven innings, striking out 10 and giving up five hits over 105 pitches.

Mariners beat AL West leaders

In Monday's divisional ball, the Seattle Mariners defeated the AL West-leading Houston Astros in a heated contest.

Mariners manager Scott Servais was ejected after the benches cleared when Astros reliever Hector Neris zipped a pitch into the back of Ty France.

Rookie center-fielder Julio Rodriguez hit a two-run home run in the ninth inning, while Cal Raleigh added four RBIs in the win.

Retired Real Madrid and Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario has made true on his promise to cycle from Valladolid to Santiago de Compostela following their promotion to LaLiga.

The 45-year-old, who also owns his first professional club Cruzeiro, bought a controlling 51 per cent stake in the club in 2018 and has overseen their return to the Spanish top flight as president.

To help Ronaldo on the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage made by thousands each year, he is riding an electric bike.

Commencing his trek from Valladolid's Estadio Jose Zorrilla with girlfriend Celina Locks, the 'poorly conditioned' World Cup winner insisted he is happy to follow through on that promise.

"When we were relegated, I knew we had to do a lot of work to get back to the Primera Division," Ronaldo said.

"I made the promise, we have done a very good job, especially at the beginning of the year with all the changes we made, all the philosophy we have changed.

"It will be beautiful. I know that I will suffer physically, but it will be an unforgettable experience."

The Pucelanos earned automatic promotion back to LaLiga a year after they were relegated from LaLiga, finishing equal on points with title-winning Almeria.

They booked their place in the Spanish top flight on the final day of the league season, leapfrogging Eibar and beating them to automatic promotion by a point, after they lost in injury time to Alcorcon.

Retired Real Madrid and Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario has made true on his promise to cycle from Valladolid to Santiago de Compostela following their promotion to LaLiga.

The 45-year-old, who also owns his first professional club Cruzeiro, bought a controlling 51 per cent stake in the club in 2018 and has overseen their return to the Spanish top flight as president.

To help Ronaldo on the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage made by thousands each year, he is riding an electric bike.

Commencing his trek from Valladolid's Estadio Jose Zorrilla with girlfriend Celina Locks, the 'poorly conditioned' World Cup winner insisted he is happy to follow through on that promise.

"When we were relegated, I knew we had to do a lot of work to get back to the Primera Division," Ronaldo said.

"I made the promise, we have done a very good job, especially at the beginning of the year with all the changes we made, all the philosophy we have changed.

"It will be beautiful. I know that I will suffer physically, but it will be an unforgettable experience."

The Pucelanos earned automatic promotion back to LaLiga a year after they were relegated from LaLiga, finishing equal on points with title-winning Almeria.

They booked their place in the Spanish top flight on the final day of the league season, leapfrogging Eibar and beating them to automatic promotion by a point, after they lost in injury time to Alcorcon.

Artturi Lehkonen helped the Colorado Avalanche secure a series sweep over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday, scoring in overtime for a 6-5 win.

Lehkonen ultimately secured the 4-0 Western Conference finals win for the Avalanche in fortunate circumstances, left with a simple finish after his elevated stick helped the puck elude Oilers goaltender Mike Smith.

With a tightly contested game heading to OT, Cale Makar's shot from the face-off was picked up by Lehkonen with what was argued to be a high stick. The puck deflected off Smith and left the 26-year-old with a simple finish to win the game and series and following a review, the goal was allowed.

Despite the fortune that came with the eventual winning goal, the Finnish winger cited his team's ability to fight back a 3-1 deficit in the third period as equally important.

"Cale took the shot and I've got to say, it landed straight on my blade and I basically had an empty net in front of me," Lehkonen told TNT post-game.

"It was a great comeback win, for sure. We were talking during the second intermission that we just had to find our game and we could pull through this."

Mikko Rantanen stunningly put the Avalanche ahead with 5:14 remaining in regulation, in what was a four-goal period for the Western Conference's first seed.

After the Oilers let a 3-1 lead slip with their season on the line, Leon Draisatl and Connor McDavid combined to equalise, capitalising on Danell Nurse's defensive play to spring them into transition.

Advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time since 2001, the Avalanche will now face the winner of the series between the Tampa Bay Lightning and New York Rangers.

Luka Modric was relieved his 150th cap was not marked with a loss against a familiar foe, following Croatia's 1-1 draw with France in Split on Monday.

The home side equalised in the 83rd minute via Andrej Kramaric, who sent Mike Maignan the wrong way from the penalty spot, following Adrien Rabiot's goal in transition in the 52nd.

Following a disappointing second-half in their opening Nations League defeat to Austria, Croatia finished the stronger of the two teams following the introductions of Nikola Vlasic and Luka Sucic.

With the Vatreni having never beaten France at senior international level, including World Cup final and semi-final defeats, Modric was thankful his side could salvage a draw.

"Irrespective of the result, thank God we didn't lose," Modric said after the game. "But we can be content with the performance we displayed. We played well, compactly, bravely and that's what we were after.

"I think the players who came in gave us a new energy. They gave us a freshness and aggression, and in the end we scored, we can be pleased as a result. And if we scored with [Ante] Budimir's chance in the first half, the match might have gone in a different direction.

"Then again, we showed we can hold our own against France, for whoever you put in that team, they're always going to be competent, with enough players for three teams."

Playing in his native Dalmatia, Modric became the first player to ever receive 150 caps for Croatia on Monday, following their readmission as a nation by FIFA in 1992.

Also receiving a gift from the France team pre-match to mark the occasion, the 36-year-old was dignified in response.

"This is a phenomenal feeling," he said post-match. "I'm happy and proud that I was able to reach this achievement with Croatia. I really didn't expect this, but there you go, I'm very proud and happy to have done so.

"Thanks to the crowd for their reception. It's enough to make your hairs stand up. Thanks to them for that, and to the French and Deschamps for their gift. I didn't expect that either but it was a beautiful gesture from them."

Fielding an inexperienced side, Didier Deschamps insisted he will continue his search for optimal balance following France's 1-1 draw away to Croatia on Monday.

Following their opening Nations League defeat at home to Denmark, Les Bleus could only manage a point at the Poljud, with Andrej Kramaric equalising from the penalty spot following Adrien Rabiot's opening goal.

Deschamps went back to 4-4-2 after the opting for a 3-5-2 against Denmark, with several starting players under 10 caps including Moussa Diaby, Matteo Guendouzi, Christopher Nkunku and William Saliba.

With that relative lack of experience in mind, Deschamps was buoyant following his side's performance against the other 2018 World Cup finalist.

"We had overall control with two chances for 2-0 but we conceded a few too many situations to this Croatian team at the end," he said post-game. "The lines were stretched, but it was consistent overall. We could also have avoided the loss of possession at times. I can't be completely satisfied even though there are a lot more positives.

"We must also take into account the merit of the opponent. We also gave them the opportunity to equalise with this penalty. There are also all the changes at the end of the match. There were less than 200 caps in the team selected against Croatia. This is no excuse, but there are fewer automatisms."

The Vatreni finished the stronger of the two sides in Split, with chances falling to Luka Sucic and Nikola Vlasic upon their introductions.

France ended the game with a cumulative xG of 0.69 from seven shots in comparison to Croatia's 1.55 from eight, speaking to their growing inability to turn possession into something substantial in front of goal.

With one point out of a possible six, Deschamps insisted that while Les Bleus are not out of Nations League calculations, November's World Cup in Qatar requires experimentation in preparation for their title defence.

"We are in contention," he said after the match. "But with one point out of six, we are not in the best of moods. They are also preparation matches in anticipation of what awaits us at the end of the year. You have to see different things, different players and different systems.

"There were a lot of forced changes with worries and injuries. Compared to my starting lineup, I still have the same concern to put each player in the best conditions.

"We can always improve in defensive animation, but we can have problems with three, four or five [in defence]. I'm not frozen for the next game. But that doesn't mean I'm going to give up. I want to have more answers."