Nikola Jokic has an uncanny ability to make basketball look simple yet miraculous, according to his Denver Nuggets teammate Aaron Gordon.
Jokic starred for the Nuggets as Denver held off a spirited comeback from LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday.
The Nuggets prevailed 132-126 to take the series lead, with Jokic registering 34 points, 21 rebounds, 14 assists - his third straight triple-double in the playoffs this season.
"He makes it [look] really simple," Nuggets forward Gordon said of his team-mate.
"[But also] he makes it look miraculous at the same time. It's ridiculous."
For fellow Nugget and former Laker Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who played with James during his stint in Los Angeles, there is not much to pick between Jokic and the NBA's record points scorer.
"I feel like the only difference is 'Bron can jump higher than Jokic," said Caldwell-Pope said.
"That's about the only difference that I can see. I just love playing with Jokic, willing passer, dominant big man down there.
"Just seeing him do what he does, gets everybody else going."
Denver coach Michael Malone added: "I thought when he felt there was one-on-one coverage, facing up and getting to the basket, [Jokic] used that understated athleticism to finish in traffic. That was great to see."
Jokic enjoyed a tussle with Anthony Davis, and sank a 28-foot 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter that even left his opponent smiling.
"Oh, sometimes luck is on our side," Jokic quipped.
"It's a crazy shot, of course. It's not something that I work on, but I'm glad it went in."
Matters did not go entirely Denver's way, with the Lakers forging a comeback and pulling within three twice in the fourth quarter, once on Austin Reaves' 3-pointer at 124-121 with 3:23 remaining and again on James' two free throws that made it 129-126 with 72 seconds to play.
"We'll be better," said James.
"We know we didn't play up to our capabilities in the first half, but you know we'll be better in Game 2, that's for sure."
Leon Edwards suspects Colby Covington is jealous of him as the UFC welterweight champion insisted any fight between the pair will only happen on his terms.
Covington has twice come up short when fighting for the 170lb title after losing on both occasions to Kamaru Usman, who Edwards dethroned as the division’s kingpin last August and then beat again in March.
Despite Covington’s most recent contest being in March last year, the American, who weighed in as the back-up option for Edwards-Usman II, has been installed as the Birmingham fighter’s next opponent.
Covington was indignant a July date in London was a non-starter for Edwards, who believes he has taken some of his rival’s star power and is adamant any future foe will have to dance to his tune.
Edwards told the PA news agency: “They were saying if Kamaru wasn’t champion, it would be Colby. That was the narrative he was trying to push but then when I went out there and did what I did, now I think the jealousy is coming in.
“Within a week (of beating Usman the second time), Colby was like ‘you need to fight me’. I was like ‘chill out’. It goes off my timing, I don’t work off him. He’s the contender, I’m the champion.
“He’s trying to fool everyone, like everything goes off what he says but it doesn’t. We’re still figuring out the next step and I’ll let him know when I’m ready.
“I’ve worked hard to be in this position to be able to call the shots and who I fight and when I fight. Now I’m here I should be able to dictate within reason who goes next and who makes the most sense.”
Covington’s recent inactivity – he has fought just three times since December 2019 and both his wins have come against now-retired fighters – meant Edwards was initially resistant to a showdown.
Edwards now seems to have warmed to the idea following Covington’s trash-talking and has his sights set on the fight taking place at UFC 294, which is set to take place on October 21 in Abu Dhabi.
Edwards said: “He’s definitely at the top of the list as far as who’s next. I just want to fight him because I don’t like him so that will be even more fuel for me in training.
“I think he’s a weirdo. He’s an alright fighter. But look at his resume compared to my resume.
“He hasn’t beaten anyone in the top five, he’s fought people at the back end of their careers and his last five fights are win-lose-win-lose-win, it’s not consistent.”
Edwards is unbeaten in his last 12 fights – with 11 wins and one no-contest against Belal Muhammad, who is also in the frame for a title shot after beating Gilbert Burns earlier this month.
Edwards said: “As far as skill-sets go, I truly don’t believe (Belal) is on my level. He’s a good fighter but I feel there are two different levels between me and him.
“I want to fight them all one day. They’re all similar fights, wrestling-based kind of guys. There’s no trickiness with the opponents.”
The Jamaica-born 31-year-old will be swapping the octagon for the football pitch after signing up for Soccer Aid at Old Trafford on June 11, where he will be in goal for a World XI against England.
The opportunity to be on the same team as Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and play against Paul Scholes is a dream come true for Edwards, who lived in the shadow of Villa Park when he first moved to the UK with his family aged nine.
He added: “To be able to share the pitch with people like that, for a kid like me it’s a dream come true. It’s a bucket list moment for me and my friends and team are excited.”
:: Tickets for Soccer Aid For UNICEF on Sunday 11th June 2023 are now on sale via www.socceraid.org.uk/tickets with a family of four able to attend for just £60 – two adults and two children
Formula One personnel have been told to stay away from the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, with adverse weather conditions placing doubts over this weekend’s race in Imola, the PA news agency understands.
Persistent rain in the region saw the paddock at the circuit in northern Italy evacuated on Tuesday because of the risk of flooding.
Although the track is not under water, the surrounding area is struggling to cope with the extreme weather and the rain is forecast to continue on Wednesday.
PA understands that if conditions do not improve, there is a risk the sixth round of the season could be cancelled.
F1 bosses remain in constant dialogue with the promoter and local authorities to see if it can press on with the schedule, with first practice due to start on Friday.
A final decision on whether the race can go ahead is expected to be announced later on Wednesday.
Victor Wembanyama is headed to the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs won the NBA draft lottery on Tuesday in Chicago, giving them this year's No. 1 overall draft pick and the opportunity to add a franchise-altering player in Wembanyama.
The 19-year-old French prospect – considered by some to be the best since LeBron James entered the league two decades ago – will almost surely be selected as the top overall pick during next month's draft.
San Antonio finished last season 22-60 and entered the lottery with a 14 per cent chance of claiming the No. 1 pick.
Wembanyama will be the latest in an esteemed line of big men taken atop the lottery by San Antonio.
The other two times the Spurs selected first overall, they picked David Robinson in 1987 and Tim Duncan in 1997 – both NBA champions and Hall of Famers.
Wembanyama will also follow in the legacy of countrymen Tony Parker and Boris Diaw by playing for the Spurs, an organisation known for embracing international players.
Playing in France this season, Wembanyama averaged 21.6 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks for the Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92.
"I believe he's going to be a hall-of-famer," said Will Weaver, an opposing French League coach and former assistant with the Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers.
"I coached Kevin Durant, Jarrett Allen. I've been around a lot of good, big men that have a lot of unique skills. I just see his professionalism and competitiveness."
The NBA has yet to acquire an official measurement of Wembanyama, but he is thought to stand anywhere from 7-foot-2 to 7-foot-5.
"He's an incredible young man," NBA commissioner Adam Silver told ESPN during its draft lottery broadcast.
"He's 19 years old and I didn't take out a yardstick or meter stick or whatever they use in France, but he seemed all of 7-4 to me. He clearly appears to be a generational talent."
Wembanyama uses his formidable size to protect the paint and block shots, while flashing ball-handling skills and shooting touch on the offensive end of the floor – a combination that has made him perhaps the most hyped prospect in NBA history.
San Antonio's elation is balanced by the relative disappointment of the other teams in the lottery.
The Charlotte Hornets were awarded the second overall pick. The Portland Trail Blazers will pick third, and the Houston Rockets fourth.
The Detroit Pistons, who finished the season with a league-worst 17-65 record, fell to No. 5.
While Wembanyama is clearly the coveted prize in this year's draft, the class also features several other promising young players, including embattled Alabama forward Brandon Miller and point guard Scoot Henderson, who played last season for the G League Ignite.
The 2023 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, June 22 in New York.
Smart ball technology will be used for the first time in a live match officiating capacity during the World Rugby Under-20 Championship next month.
Developed by Sportable and Gilbert, the ball is tracked in 3D and real-time with beacons positioned around the pitch to determine the exact position of the ball up to 20 times per second.
This enables officials to be provided with immediate feedback on every kick, pass and throw, World Rugby said.
Areas it will cover at the tournament trial in South Africa include whether a ball has been passed forward, whether the ball is over the try-line, whether the ball has been touched in flight, where touch has been found and whether a lineout throw was straight.
A direct feed will be made available to the television match official, who will use information to inform the referee.
It is not anticipated, though, that the smart ball will feature at Rugby World Cup in France later this year in terms of supporting officials.
This is due to “the emerging nature of the technology and the need to undertake a full review of outcomes before determining next steps,” World Rugby added.
World Rugby’s director of rugby Phil Davies said: “A fast game is a good game, and it is right that we explore technology that has the potential to help aid the flow of the game, reduce stoppage time and speed up match official decision-making.
“Rugby refereeing is perhaps the most difficult officiating job in sport.
“There are multiple decisions or non-decisions that are made at any given moment, and the advancement of broadcast and social media means that such decisions are poured over long after the event.
“The evolution of smart ball technology opens the door to assist match officials in reaching accurate decisions more quickly, removing subjectivity and reducing the chance of error.”
Nikola Jokic notched another triple-double with 34 points, 21 rebounds and 14 assists but the Denver Nuggets barely held off the visiting Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
Jokic had his third straight triple-double and sixth of these playoffs, while Jamal Murray added 31 points for the Nuggets, who led by as many as 21 points in the third quarter before the Lakers stormed back, with Denver ultimately holding on for a 132-126 win.
Los Angeles pulled within three twice in the fourth quarter, once on Austin Reaves' 3-pointer at 124-121 with 3:23 remaining and again on LeBron James' two free throws that made it 129-126 with 72 seconds to play.
After sinking two from the line and seeing Murray make a huge steal on James with 18 seconds left, Jokic sank another free throw, effectively ending the Lakers' comeback.
Anthony Davis had 40 points and 10 rebounds, James fell just shy of a triple-double with 26 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists and Reaves keyed the late charge with 11 of his 23 points coming in the final quarter.
Jokic became the first player since at least 1997 to have a dozen or more boards and at least five assists in any quarter of an NBA playoff game.
Game 2 takes place on Thursday in Denver, where the top-seeded Nuggets are 7-0 in the playoffs.
Graceful Thunder gave owners Amo Racing their eighth juvenile winner from 19 runners when showing plenty of determination to land the Chasemore Farm British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Sandown.
Trained by George Boughey, the daughter of Havana Grey knew her job on debut, breaking well under Kevin Stott in the five-furlong contest.
Though a little keen early from a wide draw, she settled and travelled well as Miss Show Off set the pace on the far rail.
Having hit the front inside the final furlong, the 7-2 shot was immediately challenged by Flora Of Bermuda, yet knuckled down well to score by a neck from long-time leader Miss Show Off, with Say Hello staying on in eyecatching fashion to snatch third, just a head further back.
Royal Ascot now beckons, as Boughey explained.
“She had only done two or three bits of work since she joined us, but she has pleased us with what she has done. It was not a huge surprise that she won, but we had not asked her any serious questions at home,” he said.
“Drawn where she was looked an inconvenience, but she jumped well from the gate and she showed a super attitude which is something Havana Grey seems to be putting into them.
“We could have gone for an easy option up north and won by four lengths, but these horses need to learn if they are going to go to the Royal meeting and she will have learnt more winning like that today.
“She looks to have plenty of pace and looks a five-furlong filly. We will take it one step at a time, but I’d say we will be looking at the Queen Mary with her and I don’t think there is any point seeing her again before that.”
Cinnodin (3-1) came from last to first under David Egan to take the Athlone Handicap.
Winner of two low-grade all-weather handicaps at Southwell and Wolverhampton, he was foiled by half a length in his hat-trick bid at Wetherby last time, but bounced back to winning ways in style for trainer Richard Hughes.
The 11-8 favourite Roost left his race at the start, when his head was caught over the adjacent stall and when finally extracted by Hector Crouch, his rivals had already gone almost a furlong ahead.
Steven Seagull set the pace before being passed by Enochdhu with two furlongs to race, but Cinnodin lengthened well and swept by to score going away by two and a half lengths.
Hughes said: “I don’t normally like going a mile and three-quarters with a three-year-old this early on, but he would get two miles tomorrow as he is an out-and-out stayer.
“He is pretty one-paced, but I think he will get quicker as he gets stronger. He was getting a stone off the top two, but at the same time I love the way he devoured the hill.”
Derby entrant Artistic Star showed a very willing attitude to take his record to two from two and enter the Epsom picture with victory in the Darley British EBF Novice Stakes at Sandown.
The Ralph Beckett-trained, Jeff Smith-owned Galileo colt was making his three-year-old bow after winning a Nottingham maiden in October.
Stepping up to a mile and a quarter from the extended mile of that run, he saw out every yard under Rob Hornby to readily hold off Torito by a length and a quarter as the the 9-4 favourite.
Beckett – who saddled Westover to be an unlucky-in-running third in last year’s Derby – said: “He is a smashing horse. He is a May 27 foal and he has only just been ready for this now.
“We will see how we go with him, but whatever we do next we will have a load of sport with him because he is still a horse in the making I feel.
“Jeff, David (Bowe, racing manager to the owner) and I will have a chat in a fortnight’s time and see how we feel.
“We wanted to go to Lingfield (for the Derby Trial) and that opportunity was taken away from us so this was a really good spot for him.”
As well as the Derby, the winner holds an engagement in the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Beckett added: “It is not a bad shout, Ascot, as Jessie Harrington had the full-sister (Forbearance) and she was adamant she needed fast ground and so if we did get into our heat of summer the King Edward VII might seem like a target.
“I’d be a little bit concerned it is only two and a half weeks until Epsom and he might just bounce.”
Slipofthepen had to settle for third, as Captain Winters was given a superb, enterprising ride by Neil Callan to cause an upset in the Listed Heron Stakes at Sandown.
Royal runner Slipofthepen – who came into the race unbeaten after landing two all-weather mile races at Kempton – was sent off the 4-9 favourite under James Doyle to win for the King and Queen.
However, the John and Thady Gosden-trained Night Of Thunder colt was a stride or two slow from the stalls and was still last of the quartet turning for home.
Though he appeared to travel well as the keen Grey’s Monument set the pace, Slipofthepen did not pick up as expected.
Callan stole a march on the Kevin Ryan-trained 12-1 outsider approaching two furlongs out and with Finn’s Charm – who had beaten him 10 lengths at Musselburgh – folding quickly, it was left to the long-time leader to keep up the challenge.
Though Captain Winters tired near the line, he just had enough to score by a fast-diminishing nose.
Graceful Thunder gave owners Amo Racing their eighth juvenile winner from 19 runners when showing plenty of determination to land the Chasemore Farm British EBF Fillies’ Novice Stakes at Sandown.
Trained by George Boughey, the daughter of Havana Grey knew her job on debut, breaking well under Kevin Stott in the five-furlong contest.
Though a little keen early from a wide draw, she settled and travelled well as Miss Show Off set the pace on the far rail.
Having hit the front inside the final furlong, the 7-2 shot was immediately challenged by Flora Of Bermuda, yet knuckled down well to score by a neck from long-time leader Miss Show Off, with Say Hello staying on in eyecatching fashion to snatch third, just a head further back.
Royal Ascot now beckons, as Boughey explained.
“She had only done two or three bits of work since she joined us, but she has pleased us with what she has done. It was not a huge surprise that she won, but we had not asked her any serious questions at home,” he said.
“Drawn where she was looked an inconvenience, but she jumped well from the gate and she showed a super attitude which is something Havana Grey seems to be putting into them.
“We could have gone for an easy option up north and won by four lengths, but these horses need to learn if they are going to go to the Royal meeting and she will have learnt more winning like that today.
“She looks to have plenty of pace and looks a five-furlong filly. We will take it one step at a time, but I’d say we will be looking at the Queen Mary with her and I don’t think there is any point seeing her again before that.”
Cinnodin (3-1) came from last to first under David Egan to take the Athlone Handicap.
Winner of two low-grade all-weather handicaps at Southwell and Wolverhampton, he was foiled by half a length in his hat-trick bid at Wetherby last time, but bounced back to winning ways in style for trainer Richard Hughes.
The 11-8 favourite Roost left his race at the start, when his head was caught over the adjacent stall and when finally extracted by Hector Crouch, his rivals had already gone almost a furlong ahead.
Steven Seagull set the pace before being passed by Enochdhu with two furlongs to race, but Cinnodin lengthened well and swept by to score going away by two and a half lengths.
Hughes said: “I don’t normally like going a mile and three-quarters with a three-year-old this early on, but he would get two miles tomorrow as he is an out-and-out stayer.
“He is pretty one-paced, but I think he will get quicker as he gets stronger. He was getting a stone off the top two, but at the same time I love the way he devoured the hill.”
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from May 16.
FootballPablo Zabaleta reminisced.
Real Madrid were heading to Manchester to face his old team.
Liverpool were still celebrating their win over Leicester.
The Reds were also looking back.
Tyrone Mings and Aston Villa introduced the world to a special fan.
Manchester United announced they were heading to Scotland.
Tottenham have been finalising their summer plans too.
Inter Milan were getting ready for a huge Champions League derby.
TennisIt’s all starting to come back to Serena.
CricketKP protested his innocence.
Did Kohli pass the test?
CyclingGeraint Thomas kept dry.
AthleticsKatharine Merry cleared the garden.
BoxingNicola Adams reflected on a fun night out.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from May 16.
FootballPablo Zabaleta reminisced.
Real Madrid were heading to Manchester to face his old team.
Liverpool were still celebrating their win over Leicester.
The Reds were also looking back.
Tyrone Mings and Aston Villa introduced the world to a special fan.
Manchester United announced they were heading to Scotland.
Tottenham have been finalising their summer plans too.
Inter Milan were getting ready for a huge Champions League derby.
TennisIt’s all starting to come back to Serena.
CricketKP protested his innocence.
Did Kohli pass the test?
CyclingGeraint Thomas kept dry.
AthleticsKatharine Merry cleared the garden.
BoxingNicola Adams reflected on a fun night out.
Sports stars and clubs across the world continue to provide an insight into their lives on social media.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the best examples from May 16.
FootballPablo Zabaleta reminisced.
Real Madrid were heading to Manchester to face his old team.
Liverpool were still celebrating their win over Leicester.
The Reds were also looking back.
Tyrone Mings and Aston Villa introduced the world to a special fan.
Manchester United announced they were heading to Scotland.
Tottenham have been finalising their summer plans too.
Inter Milan were getting ready for a huge Champions League derby.
TennisIt’s all starting to come back to Serena.
CricketKP protested his innocence.
Did Kohli pass the test?
CyclingGeraint Thomas kept dry.
AthleticsKatharine Merry cleared the garden.
BoxingNicola Adams reflected on a fun night out.
Denmark’s Magnus Cort won a three-man sprint finish to win stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia in Viareggio and complete a career grand slam.
The 30-year-old EF Education–EasyPost rider edged out Canada’s Derek Gee (Israel Premier Tech) and Italy’s Alessandro De Marchi (Team Jayco-AlUla) to triumph in adverse weather conditions.
Cort has added his latest Grand Tour stage win to the six he has won at the Vuelta Espana and two at the Tour de France.
He is the second Dane at the 2023 Giro d’Italia to achieve a stage win in each Grand Tour after Mads Pedersen.
Cort said: “I’m extremely happy to complete my trilogy, winning a stage of the Giro d’Italia after the Tour de France and La Vuelta.
“But it’s been one of the hardest days I’ve spent on the bike. Firstly I had to get back to the front.
“Then my radio wasn’t working because of the rain so I was never sure where the chasing peloton was. But we kept pushing hard. It was worth it. It’s hard to believe that it happened though.”
The trio had been part of a four-man breakaway, which also included Italy’s Davide Bais, 60 kilometres into the 196km-stage which started in Scandiano.
After Bais fell away, the breakaway group extended their lead over the peloton to four minutes, 30 seconds with 106km to go and although that closed to just 46 seconds with 10km remaining, they held on to their advantage entering the closing stages.
Race leader Geraint Thomas, who finished over 11 minutes behind Cort, retained his two-second advantage over Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) in the general classification, with fellow Briton and Ineos Grenadiers team-mate Tao Geoghegan Hart five seconds behind in third.
Thomas took the leader’s pink jersey on Sunday after previous leader Remco Evenepoel withdrew from the race after testing positive for Covid-19.
It was Thomas’ first day in the jersey after Monday’s rest day, and he said: “It was nice but obviously not ideal conditions to be leading the Giro.
“It was a solid day with lots of attacking. It was pretty cold on top of the hill and crazy in the descent. I’m happy with getting through this stage alright. In this race anything can happen, especially with the weather.”
Belgian Evenepoel had reclaimed the pink jersey hours earlier after edging out Thomas by a second in the stage-nine time trial.
Such were the adverse weather conditions before the stage-10 start, race organisers discussed with riders whether the route would be shortened.
Freezing temperatures at the top of the main climb, the Passo delle Radici, plus high winds and rain gave cause for concern, but the stage went ahead as planned.
Russia’s Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe), who started the day in overall sixth place, struggled in the early stages on Tuesday and became the ninth rider to pull out after testing positive for Covid.
Doc Rivers became the latest coaching casualty after his team underachieved in the playoffs.
The Philadelphia 76ers fired Rivers on Tuesday, two days after the team's Game 7 loss to the Boston Celtics, which saw them blow a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Overseeing a talented roster led by 2022-23 MVP Joel Embiid, Rivers had coached the 76ers for three seasons and only the Phoenix Suns (160) and Milwaukee Bucks (155) racked up more regular-season wins than Philadelphia (154) over that time.
Each of those Sixers' seasons, however, ended with an exit in the conference semis.
Sunday's ouster was the second time Philadelphia was eliminated with a Game 7 loss, in addition to 2021, when the top-seeded 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks.
Rivers is 6-10 all-time in Game 7s. No other NBA coach has more than five such defeats.
In Sunday's 112-88 loss, Philadelphia was outscored 57-36 in the second half and managed just 10 third-quarter points to tie an NBA playoff record for fewest points in a quarter in the shot clock era.
This came after the Sixers were outscored 24-13 in the fourth quarter of a 95-86 home loss in Game 6.
Rivers joins Mike Budenholzer, the 2019 coach of the year and 2021 title-winner with the Bucks, and Monty Williams, the 2022 coach of the year with the Suns, to be fired in the last two weeks after their teams were knocked out of the playoffs.
Rivers won the NBA title as coach of the Celtics in 2008, and was named coach of the year with the Orlando Magic in 2000.
He also coached the Los Angeles Clippers and has amassed a 1,097-763 (.590) record in the regular season over his 24 seasons as a coach.
Despite his regular-season success, he has not coached a team past the conference semifinals since 2012.
Nick Kyrgios is expected to be fit for the grass-court season as he continues his recovery from knee surgery.
The 28-year-old is yet to play a match this season, having pulled out of the Australian Open on the verge of the tournament with a cyst in his left knee that required an operation.
The hope at that point was he could be fit to return in Indian Wells at the start of March but, more than two months on, Kyrgios is still working his way back.
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A vocal hater of clay, he had planned to play the French Open for the first time since 2017, citing his girlfriend’s wish to go to Paris, but he will not be ready in time.
The PA news agency understands Kyrgios is, though, on course to be fit for his favourite part of the season, the grass-court swing, and could make his return at the BOSS OPEN in Stuttgart beginning on June 12.
Last year Kyrgios had the best season of his career, establishing himself as a grand slam contender and reaching his first singles final at Wimbledon, where he was beaten by Novak Djokovic.
The Australian also reached the quarter-finals of the US Open before pulling out of his most recent tournament in Tokyo last October with knee pain.
Jon Rahm hopes he can “ride the wave” of his brilliant form this season to more major success.
Rahm has won four times in 11 events in 2023, the most recent seeing him replace Scottie Scheffler as world number one after succeeding the American as Masters champion at Augusta National.
The former US Open champion is now halfway to completing a career grand slam and, with the majors coming thick and fast since the US PGA Championship moved from August to May in 2019, Rahm admits he is relishing the prospect of adding to his tally at Oak Hill this week.
“I’m confident. I feel good,” Rahm said. “It’s been a great year. It’s been an amazing year. I’m just hoping to keep adding more to it. It’s been a lot of fun, and hopefully I can keep riding that wave.
“There’s always little things we all want to improve, but I think at the end of the day it’s all what’s going on between the ears on the golf course more than technique at this point of the season.
“It doesn’t happen often that a player wins more than one major in a year, so it would be amazing to be able to join my name to that list. Latest to do it that I can remember was Brooks (Koepka), was it 2018?
“Before that Jordan (Spieth) in 2015. It just doesn’t happen often so I would love to.”
Spieth needs to win the US PGA to complete a career grand slam, although he is doubtful this week with a wrist injury, while Rory McIlroy’s latest attempt to become the sixth player to have won all four majors ended with a dispiriting missed cut in the Masters.
Asked about his own prospects of joining golf’s most exclusive club, Rahm said: “Obviously if I were to win this week or the Open Championship it really becomes a true reality, but winning two majors is not easy, and picking which ones you win is a little ludicrous to think about.
“I think obviously winning the grand slam would absolutely be amazing, but I think, without sounding too conceited or arrogant, I’d rather focus on the number of majors you win than having the grand slam per se.
“Obviously it would be amazing, but the more you put yourself in the position to be able to win majors, the more likely you might be to get it done.
“But it’s a very small number of players to do it, last one being Tiger (Woods). It’s obviously not an easy thing to accomplish.”
Breeders’ Cup fourth Midnight Mile and Fillies’ Mile runner-up Novakai head a strong Yorkshire-trained challenge for the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes at York.
Richard Fahey trains Midnight Mile, who lost her unbeaten record but still ran with credit in the Juvenile Fillies Turf having been slowly away, after previously landing the Oh So Sharp Stakes at Newmarket.
From the family of Quarter Moon and Yesterday, who were both second in the Oaks, Midnight Mile does not hold an entry for the Classic but given her connections, it would not be a surprise if she was added to the Epsom field should she run well.
“We are very pleased with her. She has wintered extremely well and we are very happy with her,” said Fahey.
“She has filled out and I should imagine this trip will probably suit her well. But this is a good Musidora, a very good race and it will be a good filly who wins it.
“She started late last year and she took a little time to come to herself, so I haven’t rushed her this year.
“We skipped the Guineas and all that carry on and decided this was the route to go.
“She got some nice experience last year and we’ve always felt she would make a better three-year-old, so fingers crossed.
“I’ll tell you after the race where we think she’ll get to!”
Novakai, who was also second in the May Hill Stakes, is much the highest-rated filly in the field.
Trained by Karl Burke, the daughter of Lope De Vega chased home the now-retired Commissioning in the Fillies’ Mile and is bred to improve for middle distances this season being out of a Nathaniel mare.
While the two aforementioned fillies bring plenty of Pattern form to the table, the favourite is Sir Michael Stoute’s Infinite Cosmos, a Newmarket maiden winner.
Andrew Balding’s Sea Of Roses has also only won a maiden, but she beat Infinite Cosmos on that occasion and has finished second in a French Group Three already this term.
Jack Channon’s Gather Ye Rosebuds won her only start to date by nine and a half lengths on soft ground at Newbury.
The form has not been tested as yet, but she could not have created a better impression.
“It was a great result first time and she put in what looks like an outstanding performance. She’s comfortably beaten a well-touted field, albeit on softer ground than she’ll encounter on Wednesday. But she couldn’t have been more impressive,” said Channon.
“I feel like, mentally and physically, she’s improved from that run. And if she can replicate that sort of level of form, then you’d like to think that she goes there with a great chance.
“She’s a big filly that’s maturing day in, day out. She hadn’t quite lost her coat at Newbury, but she’s really shining now. She’s started to flourish in the last three weeks and I couldn’t be happier with the way all her work and everything like that’s gone.
“She hasn’t proven she’s stakes class yet, albeit it being a very impressive maiden win. So she’s got a lot of questions to answer – but hopefully she’s got the answers.
“Whether she’s good enough or not, it’s exciting to at least have a horse that you feel like you might be able to compete a bit with the big boys. It’s just nice to hopefully have something good enough to highlight the fact, given the opportunity with the right stock, that you can produce the goods.”
John and Thady Gosden’s Soul Sister finished last of 12 in the Fred Darling at Newbury and is expected to appreciate the better surface on the Knavesmire.
“She won well first time at Doncaster on her debut at the back end of last season and obviously the ground at the Greenham meeting at Newbury was very, very testing indeed,” said Thady Gosden.
“She didn’t handle the ground, as many didn’t. We’ve always thought she is a filly with plenty of class and obviously it is a very competitive race, but she should like the track.
“We certainly think she’ll take a step forward.”
Lambada represents Aidan O’Brien, winner one of her three starts so far and a relatively rare Dubawi runner for the Ballydoyle team.
“I have a lot of time for a few of these, and obviously I rode Infinite Cosmos to win her maiden in decisive fashion at Newmarket earlier in the month and she is a filly I rate, but hopefully Lambada can hold her own,” her jockey Ryan Moore told Betfair.
“I haven’t ridden her in a race before but she won a decent maiden over an extended nine furlongs at Gowran Park in good style on her reappearance and the further they went, the better she looked there.
“We are obviously dealing with a lot of unexposed fillies here, so it is hard to be anything other than hopeful, but the trip certainly looks as if it will suit.”
David Simcock’s once-raced Empress Wu completes the field.
A subdued Rory McIlroy admitted he has been working on lowering his expectations ahead of the 105th US PGA Championship following his miserable Masters experience.
McIlroy spoke confidently of having all the ingredients to win a green jacket and complete the career grand slam ahead of the year’s first major at Augusta National, with Tiger Woods even claiming it was just a matter of time.
Yet while Woods played through the pain barrier to make a record-equalling 23rd consecutive cut before being forced to withdraw, McIlroy made an early exit without speaking to reporters following a second round of 77.
The world number three then withdrew from the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, meaning he missed his second ‘designated event’ of the year on the PGA Tour and lost 25 per cent of his Player Impact Program bonus (£2.4million).
McIlroy felt the break was necessary for his “mental and emotional wellbeing” after a taxing 12 months in which he juggled on-course competition with his role as an unofficial spokesman for the PGA Tour in its battle against LIV Golf.
And he tellingly revealed that he had allowed himself to think about becoming just the sixth player to have won all four major titles after shooting five under par on the back nine of his Wednesday practice round at Augusta.
It was a complete contrast on Tuesday at Oak Hill, where questions related to LIV Golf received short shrift but he tellingly revealed what he was working on with regards to the mental side of the game.
“Less expectations,” McIlroy said. “Just sort of trying to be in a good spot with taking what comes and not thinking about things too much, not getting ahead of myself.
“Just trying to go out there, play a good first hole of the tournament, and then once I do that, try to play a good second hole and just sort of go from there.
“Golf is golf, and it happens and you’re going to have bad days. It wasn’t really the performance of Augusta that’s hard to get over, it’s just more mental aspect and the deflation of it and sort of trying to get your mind in the right place to start going forward again, I guess.
“I think I’m close. I think I’ve made some good strides even from Quail Hollow a couple weeks ago.
“I’m seeing some better things, better start lines, certainly just some better golf shots. A little more sure of where I’m going to start the ball and sort of a more consistent shot pattern.
“But yeah, we’ll get out there and see and play. If I can execute the way that I feel like I can, then I still believe that I’m one of the best players in the world and I can produce good golf to have a chance of winning this week.”
McIlroy is a two-time US PGA champion and finished eighth in defence of his title at Oak Hill in 2013, since when he married Rochester native Erica Stoll and became a member of the golf club.
The 34-year-old is also a fan of the recent renovation of the East Course and believes discipline will be the key to success as he bids to end a major drought stretching back to the 2014 US PGA at Valhalla.
“You’ve got to keep it out of those fairway bunkers. They’re very, very penal,” McIlroy added.
“It’s a long golf course, and power and length is going to be an advantage. But I think even more of an advantage is making sure that you’re hitting into these greens from the fairways.
“It’s a combination of everything, but I think discipline is going to be a huge factor this week.”
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