Rory McIlroy fears golf will remain “fractured forever” unless the opportunity to create a more global game is embraced now.

McIlroy recently laid out his dream scenario of a world tour incorporating “corporate America” and Saudi Arabian investment, but one which also elevates historic national Opens in the likes of Australia and South Africa.

The four-time major winner also suggested that LIV Golf could “turn into the IPL (cricket’s Indian Premier League) of golf”, with the Saudi-funded breakaway taking two months of the year to showcase team competition.

However, McIlroy acknowledged the difficulty of getting all factions in golf’s civil war aligned, with Sergio Garcia having already responded to his former Ryder Cup team-mate’s suggestion.

“I don’t think we want to be important for one month. We all deserve more than that,” Garcia said.

Asked about those comments ahead of his title defence in the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, McIlroy said: “Yeah, Sergio feels he deserves a lot of things.

“It’s [about] trying to align interests and I think right now it’s just very, very hard to align everyone’s interests in the game.

“I think what we need to do first is align interests of the players and the business and the fans and the media. And then once you do that, then you can move forward.

“It’s the aligning of interests which is the big key to trying to get to that dream scenario.

“If this global tour somehow comes to fruition in the next few years, could you imagine bringing the best 70 or 80 golfers in the world to India for a tournament?

“I think that would change the game and the perception of the game in a country like that.

“There’s so much opportunity out there to go global with it, and I’ve said this for the last few months, but golf is at an inflection point, and if golf doesn’t do it now, I fear that it will never do it and we’ll have this fractured landscape forever.”

McIlroy is seeking a record fourth victory in this week’s event after holding off Patrick Reed in controversial circumstances 12 months ago.

The pair had begun the week embroiled in a war of words after Reed threw a tee towards McIlroy after being snubbed by him on the practice range.

With McIlroy watching from the tee, Reed also became involved in another rules controversy in the third round when his tee shot on the 17th lodged in a palm tree.

The former Masters champion and rules officials used binoculars to identify the ball, allowing Reed to take a penalty drop near the base of the tree instead of having to return to the tee.

Reed insisted he was “100 per cent” sure that he could identify his ball, although television footage appeared to cast doubt on which tree it had landed in.

“I remember standing on the 10th tee [in the final round] and I think Patrick had just made eagle and I’m just like (dropping head), ‘Had to be him’,” McIlroy recalled.

“But I think just the mental fortitude I showed on that back nine to not let my emotions get the better of me and really stay focused, and yeah, just to make that birdie on the last to win by one, it meant a lot to me.”

Rory McIlroy has labelled the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award a “popularity contest” for which he forgot he was even nominated.

England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps won the accolade in December ahead of retired England cricketer Stuart Broad and world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

Wheelchair tennis player Alfie Hewett, jockey Frankie Dettori and McIlroy were the three other sports stars on the shortlist, but McIlroy did not attend the ceremony, provide a video message or give a live in-show interview.

Asked ahead of his title defence at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic if he was among those who question the relevance of the award, the Northern Irishman said: “Actually, whatever the results, I forgot I was nominated.

“So that’s how much I think about it. It’s a popularity contest and I think it’s just really not what it once was.”

Only two golfers have won the Sports Personality of the Year award in its 69-year history.

Dai Rees won in 1957 after captaining Great Britain to victory in the Ryder Cup at Lindrick and Nick Faldo came out on top in 1989 after claiming his second major title in the Masters.

Matt Fitzpatrick failed to make the shortlist despite winning the US Open in 2022, while McIlroy finished second behind Lewis Hamilton in 2014, a year in which he won the Open Championship and US PGA.

James Harden is wholly satisfied with life at the Los Angeles Clippers and is hoping to see the key players in the team stick together in the coming seasons.

The Clippers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 128-117 on Tuesday, winning nine of their last 11 games.

Paul George scored a season-high 38 points, while Harden and Kawhi Leonard chipped in with 16 points each.

Leonard this month signed a new three-year contract, reportedly worth $153million. However, that is less than he would have been eligible for, and Leonard claimed he took a lower offer in order to help the Clippers keep their other stars, like Harden and George.

For his part, Harden is extremely happy with his new team, and like Leonard, hopes to keep the core of the side together for years to come.

"I thought the same thing last year, last team I was on," Harden said when asked if he would like to see out his playing days with the Clippers. "That's why I did all those sacrifices.

"But I'm here, home. We have an opportunity. I want to be able to keep the core together for a few years and I haven't had those opportunities the last few years. So things are going well and I'm happy."

Leonard believes the majority of the Clippers lineup are planning on staying with the team next season.

"With the conversation that I have with them about it, I think for the most part everybody is coming back," he said.

"So with me signing an extension, I think it gives us a chance to sign both of those players."

The Clippers sit fourth in the Western Conference with a 26-14 record.

They found themselves 79-77 down at the end of the third quarter against the Thunder, but they lodged a comeback in the fourth.

Coach Tyronn Lue said: "We responded well. To hold onto the lead and make our own run says a lot about our team."

Jamie George has been named England captain for the Guinness Six Nations but there is no place in Steve Borthwick’s squad for Kyle Sinckler or Billy Vunipola.

George, who has previously led the Lions and Saracens, takes the role for the first time following Owen Farrell’s decision to sit out the championship in order to prioritise his and his family’s mental wellbeing.

There are seven uncapped players in the 36-man squad, but their presence is overshadowed by the omission of Sinckler and Vunipola – two stalwarts of the team for the previous two World Cup cycles.

George has won 85 England caps, plus three for the Lions, and is Borthwick’s first choice hooker.

“Last week Steve asked me to be captain for the upcoming Six Nations and I accepted with huge gratitude and enthusiasm,” George said.

“I love playing rugby for England. I hope that everyone has seen how much it means to me, I have never shied away from that.

“I am so excited about where this team can go and bringing the fans on that journey with us is something that I care about deeply.

“I believe I’m at the stage of my career where I can give my all to the captaincy and give my best on the pitch.

“I don’t underestimate the challenge ahead. Owen is a fantastic motivator and tactician, and we will undoubtedly miss his leadership.

“But I have got brilliant people around me, many of whom have won major tournaments, and utilising the great experience we have within the group is going to be crucial.”

Eydon is pencilled in to make his long-awaited debut for Andrew Balding in next month’s BetUK Winter Derby.

The five-year-old was previously trained by Roger Varian, winning the 2022 Feilden Stakes before finishing fourth to Coroebus in the 2000 Guineas, beaten just four and a quarter lengths.

However, Eydon has not run since that Classic date two years ago, with a series of injury setbacks keeping him on the sidelines before he moved to the care of Balding ahead of the 2023 campaign.

The son of Olden Times missed his intended first start for the yard at Sandown in September, but Balding reports him to be in good form ahead of the February 24 contest at Southwell.

He said: “Eydon has a very high level of form, although it has been some time since he was last on the track. He has had a few niggles, but we are really pleased with him at the moment and the Winter Derby is very much the plan.

“The intention is to go straight there without a run – we feel that is the right thing to do.”

Balding also has Dante Stakes winner The Foxes and Teumessias Fox in the Group Three, but neither appear likely to run in the Winter Derby.

The trainer added: “I am very happy with The Foxes. Our preferred option for him is the Saudi Cup meeting, but he is likely to run in the Winter Derby Trial at Southwell on January 25 as a prep. We will see how that goes and then make a decision on what to do next.

“Our other entry Teumessias Fox will stay in handicaps for the time being. He has ability and we felt it was worth giving him the option, just in case the race cuts up.”

Last year’s winner and multiple Group One scorer Lord North is one of 22 entries for the race, which will be taking place at Southwell for the first time.

Previously run over a mile and a quarter at Lingfield since its inception in 1998, the switch to Southwell has prompted an increase in distance to 11 furlongs.

David Attwood, Southwell’s clerk of the course, said: “We do not have a 10-furlong start and, when we looked at whether we could introduce one, it was only about 20 yards from the start of the bend.

“It also would have meant coming on and off the track via the turf course, which was not viable, so the British Horseracing Authority kindly allowed us to change the race distance to a mile and three furlongs.

“It is exciting because the BetUK Winter Derby will be the first Group race run here at Southwell, while the same card also features the Listed BetUK Hever Sprint.”

Lord North is one of five entries for John and Thady Gosden, along with Lion’s Pride and Middle Earth, who both enjoyed Listed success on their latest starts, 2021 Winter Derby winner Forest Of Dean and progressive handicapper Vaguely Royal.

Australian Group One winner Dubai Honour and Mujtaba have been entered by William Haggas, with Jean-Claude Rouget’s Glaer another eyecatching possible.

The first day of Lingfield’s Winter Million Festival has been cancelled due to a frozen track.

Officials inspected at 8.30am on Wednesday ahead of Friday’s jumps card, which was set to be headlined by the Grade Two Download The Racing App Lightning Novices’ Chase.

Despite covering the whole track with fleece last Saturday, there are frozen areas under the covers and with temperatures not forecast to rise sufficiently before the meeting, the seven-race card has been cancelled.

The Winter Million is a three-day fixture, with Saturday’s card featuring Flat racing on the all-weather track and Sunday seeing jumps action, including the richly-endowed Fleur De Lys Chase.

That card will now be further enhanced, with the British Horseracing Authority announcing the Lightning will be rescheduled for Sunday, with original entries standing but new declarations to be made on Friday morning.

There will be no National Hunt action in Britain on Thursday with Ludlow abandoned due to a frozen track following an inspection on Wednesday morning. The other scheduled meetings at Wincanton and Newcastle were cancelled earlier in the week.

Friday’s card at Market Rasen is also now subject to a precautionary check at noon on Thursday, but Wednesday’s Southwell jumps fixture did get the go-ahead following a morning check.

Wednesday’s meeting at Southwell goes ahead as planned after the track passed a precautionary inspection.

The course was raceable under the fleece covers on Tuesday, but officials felt it prudent to check conditions on raceday morning due to the prospect of freezing overnight temperatures.

An inspection was planned for 8am but clerk of the course David Attwood was able to give the go-ahead an hour earlier than that.

Southwell is the only jumps card to take place on Wednesday, with Newbury already called off.

Emma Raducanu will hope to maintain the same air of calm that accompanied her grand slam comeback when she takes to the court again for her second-round match at the Australian Open.

The 19-year-old was handed a kind draw against American Shelby Rogers, who was playing her first competitive tennis for six months, but negotiated the hurdle with a minimum of fuss in a 6-3 6-2 victory.

Raducanu’s spell out of the sport following triple surgery has given a chance for the circus surrounding her to die down, while she has a new yet familiar coach in the shape of Nick Cavaday, who she first worked with as a 10-year-old.

 “I think it’s pretty calm now,” she said. “It’s nice to be with Nick. I’ve known him since I was a kid, feel very comfortable there. Just all aspects really of my life I feel like are calming down and settled.

“Obviously when you come back after eight months, have experienced three surgeries, you’re just really grateful to be able to move freely.”

The 21-year-old has not been beyond the second round at a slam since her US Open triumph in 2021 but has a good opportunity here against 94th-ranked Chinese player Wang Yafan, where she will again be on her favourite 1573 Arena.

Should she win that one, she could find herself facing fellow British star Katie Boulter, although she has a tough draw against the top Chinese player, 12th seed Zheng Qinwen.

There was nothing straightforward about Jack Draper’s first Melbourne win, the 22-year-old struggling physically against Marcos Giron before fighting back to triumph in five sets and then immediately vomiting into a bin at the side of the court.

He later said that he thought the issue was largely related to the stress of performing on the big stage, something he hopes will change with experience.

Raducanu, who grew up alongside Draper as the big hopes of British tennis, believes it is a double-edged sword, saying: “I’ve been in situations serving out the US Open, serving out sets at the US Open in probably the most high-pressure scenarios you’ll ever get.

“It really doesn’t get easier, to be honest. I think you always are going to have an element of nerves, always going to have that stress.

“I think, the more matches you play, the more comfortable you feel in those scenarios because the more experience you have to anchor and pull back your feelings from.

“I think just getting on a roll of matches helps. I think I deal with match scenarios pretty well. I keep my cool.”

Draper was optimistic of recovering well for his next match, where he will be reunited with American 14th seed Tommy Paul.

The pair have met twice before, both in Adelaide, with the most recent match coming last week, when Draper triumphed 6-1 6-4.

“He’s obviously a great player,” said Draper. “First tournament of the year, maybe guys aren’t quite finding their game yet. The match I played against him, I was really solid. I played great tennis. But obviously five sets is different.

“It seems like he does well in the slams pretty regularly. He’s always in the fourth round, or I think he made semis here last year. He’s obviously playing well and likes the conditions.

“I think it definitely does help, though, having played him twice and obviously won twice. If that was me, then I would be a bit more fearful. But it will be a tough match, and he’ll be wanting to get some revenge on me for sure.”

British number one Cameron Norrie also has revenge on his mind ahead of his second-round clash with Italian qualifier Giulio Zeppieri.

Their only previous meeting came on clay in Rome back in 2020, when Norrie won just four games.

The 28-year-old has moved his career on hugely since then but remains wary, saying: “He’s a young, talented player, lefty. I watched the end of his match. He played really well.

“He competes really well. Kind of plays a little bit similar to me. But it’s definitely going to be a tough match. Looking for some revenge from last time, because he beat me really easily.”

Joel Embiid had 41 points and 10 rebounds and got the best of fellow superstar Nikola Jokić in the Philadelphia 76ers’ 126-121 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

In a matchup of the last two NBA MVPs, Embiid had his 18th straight 30-point game, tying Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor for the sixth-longest streak in NBA history.

Jokic had 25 points and 19 rebounds, including 11 offensive boards.

Embiid converted a 3-point play with 5:30 remaining to extend Philadelphia’s lead to 118-113 and followed with his third 3-pointer of the game for an eight-point advantage.

Tyrese Maxey scored 25 points and Tobias Harris added 24 for the 76ers, who have won three straight after a three-game skid.

Michael Porter Jr. had 20 points and Jamal Murray finished with 17 and 10 assists for the Nuggets.

Suns stun Kings with furious comeback

Kevin Durant made two free throws with 1.8 seconds left and the Phoenix Suns stunned the Sacramento Kings with a game-ending 23-4 run in a 119-117 victory.

Grayson Allen matched a franchise record with 9 3-pointers and scored 29 points for the Suns, who faced a 113-96 deficit with just over five minutes to play.

Allen sparked the run with a 3-pointer and Durant hit a pair from deep before Eric Gordon drained consecutive 3-pointers to forge a 115-all tie.

Durant’s free throws with 30 seconds to play put the Suns ahead 117-115 but De’Aaron Fox tied it with a jumper with 19 seconds remaining. But he then fouled Durant, who was attempting a long jumper.

Domantas Sabonis notched his 11th triple-double of the season with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for Sacramento.

George scores 38 in Clippers’ win

Paul George scored 18 of his season-high 38 points in the fourth quarter and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder, 128-117 for their ninth win in 11 games.

Kawhi Leonard each added 16 points and Mason Plumlee had a season-best 14 in his first start of the season for the Clippers, who won their sixth straight at home.

Jalen Williams scored 25 points and Lu Dort and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander contributed 19 apiece as Oklahoma City dropped its second in a row after a 9-3 stretch.

England’s World Cup-winning captain Martin Johnson announced his retirement from international rugby as a player on this day in 2004.

Johnson, who led England to their World Cup triumph in Australia the previous November, was 33 when he called time on an illustrious 10-year Test career.

He confirmed his widely-anticipated decision by releasing a statement during Leicester’s Heineken Cup win against Ulster at Welford Road on January 17, 2004.

Johnson said: “This has not been an easy decision to make. After talking to my family and friends – and after a lot of thought – I have decided to retire from international rugby with immediate effect.

“It has been a privilege to play for England, alongside some great players and with a great coaching staff.

“It has, of course, been a massive honour for me to captain my country.”

Johnson won 84 caps and led his country 39 times, including the thrilling extra-time World Cup final victory over Australia in Sydney and a Six Nations Championship Grand Slam the same year.

He was also the captain on two Lions tours, inspiring a 1997 Test series triumph in South Africa and being at the helm in Australia four years later.

On the domestic front, he skippered Leicester to 2001 and 2002 Heineken Cup triumphs and oversaw four Premiership title wins in as many seasons.

Fittingly, his final England appearance was the World Cup final when host nation and holders Australia were defeated in one of rugby union’s classic matches.

Under Leicester’s talisman second-row forward, England produced some unforgettable moments.

They beat Australia twice Down Under in the same year and defeated New Zealand away for the first time in 30 years before landing rugby union’s ultimate prize.

In the summer of 2008, Johnson was unveiled as England head coach.

During his tenure, the Red Rose won the 2011 Six Nations Championship, their first triumph since Johnson captained them to glory eight years earlier.

Johnson left his post later that year following England’s World Cup quarter-final exit to France in Auckland and has since worked as a television pundit.

Ryan McLeod snapped a tie with 3:05 left in the third period and the Edmonton Oilers rallied for their franchise-record 11th straight win Tuesday, 4-2 over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Goals by Auston Matthews – his league-leading 34th - and Morgan Rielly gave the Maple Leafs a 2-0 lead before Leon Draisaitl got Edmonton on the board with 4:09 remaining in the second period.

Derek Ryan scored the equaliser early in the final period before McLeod whipped a close wrist shot past Martin Jones to give the Oilers their first lead of the night.

Evan Bouchard added an empty-net goal and Edmonton improved to 19-3-0 in its last 22 games.

Toronto has lost a season high-tying four in a row (0-3-1)

Connor scores in return as Jets rebound

Kyle Connor scored an empty-net goal after a 16-game absence and Mason Appleton ended a 25-game scoring drought to lift the Winnipeg Jets to a 4-2 win over the New York Islanders.

Gabriel Vilardi and Neil Pionk also scored and Connor Hellebuyck stopped 35 shots for the Jets, who bounced back after their eight-game winning streak and 14-game point run was halted with Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Philadelphia.

Winnipeg tied Vancouver with 62 points for the league lead.

Anders Lee had both goals as the Islanders dropped to 1-5-0 in their last six games.

Avalanche score 4 in 3rd period to beat Senators

Mikko Rantanen scored twice and the Colorado Avalanche tallied four unanswered goals in the third period in a 7-4 win over the Ottawa Senators.

Ottawa took a 4-3 lead into the third period, but Miles Wood scored 4:04 into the frame and Sam Malinski’s power-play goal 4:10 later put Colorado ahead for good.

Samuel Girard had three assists and Devon Toews added a goal and an assist as the Avalanche improved to 10-2-1 in their last 13 games.

Ridly Greig scored a pair of goals for Ottawa, which has dropped six of seven.

Teenage star Mirra Andreeva produced a stunning performance to demolish Ons Jabeur in the second round of the Australian Open for the loss of only two games.

The 16-year-old was devastated to lose in the girls’ singles final last year but quickly made an impression in the senior game with runs to the third round of the French Open and the fourth round of Wimbledon.

Andreeva counts Jabeur as her idol but she was utterly ruthless under the roof on Rod Laver Arena, defeating the sixth seed and two-time Wimbledon finalist 6-0 6-2 in just 54 minutes.

Jabeur could only smile in astonishment at some of the shots Andreeva played, while she celebrated like an underdog when she finally won a game at the start of the second set.

She was unable to stall Andreeva for long, though, with the young Russian branding it the best match she has played.

“In the first set I played really amazing tennis, I didn’t expect that from myself,” said the teenager.

“I’m happy I played with Ons. It was one of my dreams to play against her, because I really like the way she plays. It meant a lot, this match that I won.

“She’s so nice. Now, after the match, she came to me, she wished me luck. I just know that she is who she is and she never changes.”

Andreeva is projected to rise inside the top 35 as a result of her run here despite being severely restricted in how many tournaments she can play because of her age.

She is trying not to be in too much of a hurry, saying: “I don’t think that I achieve something incredible, so I have time still to do that. Sometimes when I’m lying in bed, I can overthink a little bit, but the next morning I’m totally fine.

“I’m 16. Why do I have to think about the rankings? I’m going a bit higher, and so my goal is to go higher and higher. I just try not to think about that and just to think about tennis.”

Another young Russian making waves in Melbourne is 20-year-old qualifier Maria Timofeeva, who is playing in the main draw of a grand slam for the first time and ended former champion Caroline Wozniacki’s comeback.

The Dane retired here four years ago and is back with her two young children in tow but she could not build on a strong start, losing 1-6 6-4 6-1.

Wozniacki has other responsibilities now but she could not hide her disappointment, saying: “I would like to say that in my mind I can just kind of brush it under the carpet but it sucks just as much.

“Losing now and losing back then, it doesn’t really change. As a competitor, you want to win everything. When you have the family here and you bring everyone, you want to win even more because you want to stay longer and not have to move around.

“I felt like this was my match to win, and I didn’t.”