Alun Wyn Jones returned to British and Irish Lions action in a crushing 49-3 win over the Stormers as the tourists found form ahead of next week's first Test against the Springboks.
The man who was designated as captain for this tour, only to suffer a shoulder dislocation in the Murrayfield clash with Japan last month, has made a spirited recovery and played almost half an hour of a one-sided tussle in Cape Town.
Whether he now starts against South Africa remains to be seen, but Jones has given coach Warren Gatland food for thought, and he was hardly the only player to do that.
This seven-try demolition was a perfect response to the midweek defeat to South Africa A, with scrum-half Ali Price, hooker Luke Cowan-Dickie and second-rower Adam Beard among the standouts.
The Stormers snatched a 20th-minute lead with a penalty from Tim Swiel, but the Lions had threatened already by that stage and it was not long before their quality began to show.
Josh Adams powered into space out wide and made valuable yards before the ball was fed back for Beard to jog through a gap in the Stormers ranks.
The defensive effort again seemed sub-par when Cowan-Dickie scrambled through for the Lions' second try in the 34th minute. He picked the ball from back of a maul, after his lineout throw, and scurried through to just short of the line before the Stormers got close to him.
It was 21-3 by the break, with Price feeding Beard who quickly relayed the ball to Stuart Hogg, and the captain put in Jonny Hill to score in the left corner.
Lions debutant Marcus Smith booted the extras each time and the young Englishman played a key part in the fourth try when his quick pass found Price, who in turn offloaded to number eight Jack Conan to run in from 30 metres.
With the game safe, and an eye on next weekend, Gatland introduced Jones just after the 50-minute mark, the most-capped player in Test rugby replacing Beard. The coach was looking for a steely run-out from the captain who dislocated his shoulder just three weeks ago.
Jones was not shirking anything, and Gatland made good use of his bench as the match went on, with Price doing his hopes of a Test start no harm before making way for Gareth Davies as the hour approached.
Tadhg Beirne had a try disallowed after a forward pass, before a fifth score for the tourists arrived in the 68th minute when Zander Fagerson dived over from close range.
Fagerson's fellow replacement Louis Rees-Zammit bolted in off the wing to net the Lions' late sixth try.
Smith, who created the space for that try, was again immaculate from the tee, converting for a seventh time after Sam Simmonds dotted down a last-gasp effort.
NAME YOUR PRICE
Is Conor Murray inked into Gatland's Test team, or might Price have done enough to edge ahead of the Irishman? Scotland scrum-half Price was impressive here, scurrying busily and purposefully like the man on a mission that he is. Price has done himself the power of good on this tour, and the Springboks will have taken note of the Glasgow Warriors man's threat and quick thinking behind the scrum.
Tadej Pogacar was unable to secure a time trial victory on stage 20 of the Tour de France but will complete the formality of back-to-back general classification triumphs in Paris on Sunday.
On last year's penultimate stage, Pogacar overhauled a 57 second deficit to fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic to snatch the Yellow Jersey, completing one of the most staggering turnarounds in the history of the race.
Such drama was never on the cards on the 31 kilometre route to Saint Emilion, given UAE Team Emirates' Pogacar boasted a lead in excess of five minutes, which Jonas Vingegaard trimmed slightly but not significantly as the race heads to its ceremonial conclusion in the French capital.
As such, he never had to pursue the stage win and its associated undue risk, with victory going to Wout van Aert in a time of 35 minutes and 53 seconds.
The Belgian rider has enjoyed a superb Tour and this was his second stage win – a sharply contrasting success to him twice conquering Mont Ventoux on a historic stage 11.
“It is quite something, winning a Tour de France time trial has been one of the biggest objectives in my career," Van Aert told ITV. "I've been really focused on this day in the last couple of days and I'm so happy that I can finish it off. The course was perfect for me."
Van Aert's Jumbo-Visma team-mate Vingegaard came in third, consolidating second place in the general classification standings, while fellow Dane Kasper Asgreen was runner-up on the day, 21 seconds in arrears.
Pogacar rolled in 57 seconds shy of Van Aert's mark in eighth, having long made this year's Yellow Jersey his own.
STAGE RESULT
1. Wout van Aert (Jumbo-Visma) 35:53
2. Kasper Asgreen (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) +0:21
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +0:32
4. Stefan Kung (Groupama-FDJ) +:0:38
5. Nils Politt (EF Education-Nippo) +0:44
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 79:40:09
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +5:20
3. Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) +7:03
Points Classification
1. Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 304
2. Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) 269
3. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) 216
King of the Mountains
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 107
2. Wouter Poels (Bahrain Victorious) 88
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 82
What's next?
Alongside Pogacar's coronation in Paris, much of the focus will be on whether Mark Cavendish can sprint to glory on the Champs Elysees and go clear of the great Eddy Merckx with a 35th stage win of his career.
Max Verstappen inflicted more damage to Lewis Hamilton's Formula One title hopes as the Red Bull driver held on to win the inaugural sprint race at Silverstone.
Verstappen started in second in the trial event ahead of the British Grand Prix, but a flying first lap saw him overtake championship rival Hamilton by the first corner.
It was a lead which proved unassailable, the Dutchman cruising to a victory which sees him take pole position in Sunday's main race, as well as three championship points.
Hamilton and team-mate Valtteri Bottas ensured it was not all bad for Mercedes as they claimed second and third on the grid, while Fernando Alonso was unable to sustain a brilliant start.
Verstappen flew out of the blocks, with Hamilton unable to compensate when he attempted to skirt around the outside at the first corner, only to pull out of the manoeuvre.
Bottas was hot on the tracks of the duo, while Alonso charged up from 11th to fifth with a first lap just as impressive as Verstappen's effort.
The veteran Spaniard was unable to maintain it, though, dropping down to seventh as his soft tyres started to struggle.
Further ahead, Hamilton – who set a blistering time in Friday's qualifying session – was demanding more from his team over the radio, yet he could not close the gap on Verstappen, who held a 2.3 second lead heading into the 17th and final lap.
Hamilton managed to close in on the final straight, but Verstappen was the deserving victor in the first taster of F1's latest format tweak.
There was less luck for Verstappen's team-mate Sergio Perez, however, with the Mexican crashing on Lap 7, dropping down to 18th before Red Bull called him back to retire in the pits, meaning they have drivers bookending both ends of the grid.
Charles Leclerc came fourth, with Lando Norris capping a difficult week for him personally with an impressive drive to place himself fifth.
George Russell dropped to ninth, though faces an investigation for an early incident involving Carlos Sainz.
Louis Oosthuizen and Jordan Spieth will each continue their bids for a second Open Championship title amid fierce pressure at Royal St George's on Saturday.
The Kent links was once again bathed in sunshine as the 149th edition of golf's oldest major returned for the third round in Sandwich.
Firmer greens and tougher pin positions made life a little harder but the course still seemed nicely set up for low scoring, with Oosthuizen's 129 the lowest overall tally at the halfway stage of an Open.
The South African slept on a two-shot lead over Collin Morikawa and the 2010 Open champion will tee off alongside the 2020 US PGA Championship winner at 15:55 local time.
Oosthuizen has been remarkably consistent in majors since his Open triumph 11 years ago, finishing as runner-up an incredible six times.
Spieth, who claimed the Claret Jug in 2017 and is eight under, goes out with Oosthuizen's compatriot Dylan Frittelli in the penultimate group.
Rory McIlroy looked to be making a charge when he made the turn in 31, but three bogeys on the back nine meant he signed for a 69 and well out of the picture.
World number one Dustin Johnson will get a couple of holes in before the leader gets his third round up and running, with the American starting four shots back.
With pre-tournament favourite Jon Rahm moving to five under overall through three holes, the Spaniard is still in the mix, but reigning champion Shane Lowry's bogey at the fourth left him adrift.
Australia overcame a controversial fourth-minute red card for Marika Koroibete as they beat France 33-30 in a thrilling contest to take the Test series 2-1.
Les Blues claimed their first away win over Australia for 31 years in Melbourne last week to level the series, but they fell short in Saturday's tense decider at Suncorp Stadium.
The Wallabies had to defy the odds after wing Koroibete was harshly dismissed early on for a high tackle on opposition skipper Anthony Jelonch. It was their first Test red card since Tevita Kuridrani was dismissed against Ireland in November 2013.
France initially took full advantage of the extra man as Baptiste Couilloud crossed from close range to add to Melvyn Jaminet's earlier penalty.
But Australia responded almost instantly when Tate McDermott went over unopposed and Noah Lolesio touched down soon after – those tries sandwiching another Jaminet penalty – to swing the game in the hosts' favour.
After Cameron Woki went over the top of the Wallabies' defence and slammed down for France's second try, Lolesio kicked his second penalty to level up the game at 20-20 midway through.
France then put themselves in a strong position to complete a series win when Pierre-Louis Barassi raced through early in the second half to round off a sensational move.
However, Australia hit back once again through Taniela Tupou, who evaded a few opposition players to cross the whitewash, before Lolesio and Jaminet exchanged penalties.
Australia had a try for Brandon Paenga-Amosa ruled out for a knock-on, but France's ill-discipline would cost them as they conceded another penalty that Lolesio made no mistake in converting two minutes from time to settle the series.
The Phoenix Suns will be grateful to be back home as they attempt to respond when hosting the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Saturday.
Phoenix had headed out on the road holding a commanding 2-0 cushion after a pair of impressive wins in front of their own fans, increasing the belief that this could be the year the franchise finally secures a first ever title.
However, the trip to Milwaukee did not pan out as hoped. Back-to-back defeats have put the best-of-seven series level at 2-2, with the Bucks now aiming to stop the Suns – and their bench in particular – rising to the occasion upon a return to familiar surroundings.
"It's always tough winning on the road in this league – it's always tough winning, period. But them especially, they really, really feed off the crowd and get going," Bucks big man Bobby Portis told the media.
"All their supporting cast play well at home, so we've got to try to limit them as much as we can.
"Obviously, it's going to be a hostile environment, but that’s what we play this game for. That’s why we work so hard in the offseason, during the season. This is why we sacrifice so much – to be in this position to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy. I think everybody is locked in."
The key to the comeback for the Bucks has not just been about playing at home, though.
Phoenix had an offensive rating of 119.8 over the opening two games yet dipped to 104.6 across successive losses to a Milwaukee team determined to make a greater impact on defense.
Chris Paul had a combined 55 points in the Suns' wins but was stifled during the away trip. The veteran point guard managed just 10 points in Game 4, yet he insists experience has helped him quickly forget about such outings.
"In this league, when you play long enough – and I feel like I’ve played for at least a little while – you have to have a short memory. You can't dwell on it, win or lose," Paul said on Friday.
"You can win by 20 or lose by 20, you then start back at zero-zero and go from there. That's always been the mindset."
The Suns did lose by 20 in Game 3, before going down by just six points last time out. Their cause was not helped by shooting 30.4 per cent from deep in that most recent defeat, a statistic that needs to be a temporary blip rather than a set-in trend if they are to wrestle back the advantage, particularly when facing a Bucks team used to going the distance in these playoffs.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Phoenix Suns - Mikal Bridges
As Portis mentioned, the Suns were able to get contributions from a number of role players during the meetings in Phoenix. Bridges certainly played his part, too, scoring 41 combined points, including 27 in Game 2 as he played for over 37 minutes.
However, he struggled to have anywhere near the same impact on the road, taking just eight shots in total as he mustered 11 points. Phoenix needs him to get more heavily involved again in the offense again, particularly when it comes to outside shooting.
Milwaukee Bucks – Giannis Antetokounmpo
Who else, right? Antetokounmpo had 26 points and 14 rebounds in Game 4, yet his biggest play was the astonishing block on Deandre Ayton as the Suns center attempted a dunk.
The Bucks finished that contest shooting at a mere 40.2 per cent, in comparison to Phoenix's average of 51.3 per cent. Taking 29 free-throws (the Suns had 19) helped mask the deficit, but Milwaukee will be aware they must do better from the field, having landed just seven of their 29 three-point attempts on Wednesday.
New Zealand scored over 50 points in three successive Tests for just the second time in their history as the All Blacks ran out 60-13 winners over Fiji.
Richie Mo'unga and Sevu Reece were the stars of the show in Hamilton, the former racking up 13 points with the boot and assisting three tries – his most in a Test and just the second time he has made multiple assists in a single match – while the latter scored a hat-trick.
The All Blacks beat Tonga 102-0 before their 57-23 win over Fiji in Dunedin last week, and Reece had them ahead again in the 14th minute despite Ben Volavola's early penalty.
Reece had won each of the three previous Tests in which he had scored a try and there never looked any risk of New Zealand letting their grasp slip once he went over for his second in the 30th minute, with the wing completing his maiden hat-trick before half-time.
Ardie Savea and Will Jordan touched down either side of the interval as New Zealand clicked through the gears, though Peni Ravai did at least get a consolation try on the board for Fiji.
Rieko Ioane soon had the hosts' sixth score and Samisoni Taukei'aho helped himself to a double either side of Shannon Frizell's effort to round off the win for the All Blacks, who have won their past four Tests.
Next up for New Zealand is the Bledisloe Cup against Australia, with Auckland's Eden Park hosting the first match of the three-Test series.
Jake Cronenworth recorded the second cycle of the 2021 MLB season as the San Diego Padres won 24-8 over the Washington Nationals on Friday.
Cronenworth hit a double in the second inning, a triple in the third, a home run in the fifth and a single in the sixth to record the third cycle in Padres' history.
In a high-scoring game, the Padres raced to a 10-3 lead after two innings, before Cronenworth hit a line ball to drive in Fernando Tatis Jr.
In the fifth inning, Cronenworth hit a fly-ball home run, before racing to first after hitting a soft ground ball to short stop.
Meanwhile, Tatis produced some spectacular fielding, throwing to first base from center at the bottom of the first inning.
Wil Meyers also got the 'Slam Diego' moniker going, with a grand slam in the second inning opening up the 10-3 lead, his 11th home run of the season.
As the runs piled on, the Padres claimed a record with the most runs scored in team history, with Meyers getting a second homer with seven RBI.
Indeed, since RBI became an official stat in 1920, no team had scored 24 runs in a game, had a player hit for the cycle (Cronenworth), had a player with seven RBI in a game (Myers) and had a player with five runs in a game (Tommy Pham) all in the same season, let alone on the same night.
Lowrie walkoff, Yaz double
Jed Lowrie hit a home run to clinch a thrilling 5-4 walk-off win for the Oakland Athletics over the Cleveland Indians.
Mike Yastrzemski hit two home runs as the high-flying San Francisco Giants won 7-2 on the road at the St Louis Cardinals.
Eduardo Rodriguez starred on the mound with eight strikeouts as the Boston Red Sox knocked off the depleted New York Yankees 4-0 in a delayed start to their series.
And the Los Angeles Dodgers piled on five runs in the first inning, including a Chris Taylor home run, as they won 10-4 against the Colorado Rockies.
Diamondbacks downed again
The NBA's Phoenix Suns are garnering a lot of love in Arizona but across town the Diamondbacks are having a tough time right now, going down 5-1 at home to the Chicago Cubs. The Diamondbacks (26-67) have lost their past three games, giving up 34 runs in the process.
Guerrero reaches 30 home runs
Vladimir Guerrero Jr continued his All-Star MVP form with two home runs as the Toronto Blue Jays won 10-2 against the Texas Rangers. Guerrero, who now has 30 homers this season, also had four RBI. He is second for homers this season behind only Shohei Ohtani (33).
Friday's results
Philadelphia Phillies 5-2 Miami Marlins
San Diego Padres 24-8 Washington Nationals
Boston Red Sox 4-0 New York Yankees
Pittsburgh Pirates 4-1 New York Mets
Toronto Blue Jays 10-2 Texas Rangers
Milwaukee Brewers 11-6 Cincinnati Reds
Tampa Bay Rays 7-6 Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins 7-0 Philadelphia Phillies
Houston Astros 7-1 Chicago White Sox
Kansas City Royals 9-2 Baltimore Orioles
San Francisco Giants 7-2 St Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Dodgers 10-4 Colorado Rockies
Seattle Mariners 6-5 Los Angeles Angels
Chicago Cubs 5-1 Arizona Diamondbacks
Oakland Athletics 5-4 Cleveland Indians
Astros at White Sox
Two of the top sides do battle for the second time in their series as the Chicago White Sox host the Houston Astros on Saturday.
Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams is bullish that Chris Paul will respond in Saturday's Game 5 after an uncharacteristic display with five turnovers in Game 4's defeat to the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Bucks squared up the NBA Finals at 2-2 with Wednesday's 109-103 win over the Suns, with Williams ruing his side's 17 turnovers which led to 24 Milwaukee points.
Paul was guilty of five turnovers, including a crucial late error allowing Khris Middleton to score as the Bucks raced away in the final quarter after trailing by six points at three-quarter time.
The 36-year-old Suns guard also only managed 10 points for the game, shooting at 38.5 per cent from the field and failing to hit one three-pointer but Williams backed him to respond in Game 5 back in Arizona.
"A blip on the screen, that's how I would term it," Williams told the pre-game news conference. "You're not going to see Chris having those kinds of games frequently.
"I've been around long enough and coached against him long enough. I'd term it a blip on the radar."
He added: "There's not a person in our locker room that's not expecting to not come out and play really well the next game."
Williams added that Paul, who has battled hand and shoulder injuries during the postseason, was fine physically and fully focused.
"I just see Chris being Chris," Williams siad. "He's always intentional about everything, he's focused.
"I find myself struggling when I can't help him. That's what we've talked about the last couple of days.
"Chris is fine. He's focused. He's all about winning. The conversations are all about basketball right now. We know what's in front of us."
Paul has averaged 18.7 points per game and 8.6 assists per game this postseason, shooting at 48.5 per cent from the field.
Star point guard Damian Lillard denied reports he will request a trade from the Portland Trail Blazers in an offseason of ceaseless speculation.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Olympic Games as a member of Team USA, Lillard said he has yet to make a decision about his future despite rumours of an impending trade request emerging on Friday.
"I woke up to those reports, a lot of people reaching out to me," said Lillard. "But it's not true. I'll start off the rip and say it's not true.
"A lot of things are being said. It hasn't come from me. I haven't made any firm decision on what my future will be."
The comments from the six-time All-Star came hours after TrueHoop's Henry Abbott reported Lillard would be formally requesting a trade in the coming days.
Lillard also insisted he "expects to be" with Portland when the 2021-22 season tips off but reiterated that he does have some concerns about the Trail Blazers' title chances.
"I think if you look at our team as it is, I don't see how you say this is a championship team," Lillard added.
“My intention and my heart is set on being in a Trail Blazers uniform for my entire career. But over time … you want to win it all. And we have to make strides to do that.”
Portland has played in eight straight postseasons, including a run to the Western Conference finals in 2019 that ended in a sweep at the hands of the Golden State Warriors.
After first-round exits in the last two playoffs, Portland replaced long-time head coach Terry Stotts with Chauncey Billups, the first of perhaps many moves in a pivotal offseason for the Blazers.
Lillard is scheduled to meet with Billups and general manager Neil Olshey in Las Vegas before the Tokyo Olympics begin to discuss the future of the organisation.
Portland is 12-16 over the last three postseasons, despite Lillard averaging 28.3 points and 7.2 assists while shooting 39.6 percent from three-point range, leading many to believe it is time for him to seek a stronger supporting cast.
Lillard, who celebrated his 31st birthday on Thursday, is under contract for the next four seasons for $176.3 million.
"The best way to put it is be more urgent," Lillard said. "Be urgent about our next step and how we move forward. We've made the playoffs all these years. We're not a bad team, we're a good team.”
"It's a lot of positives. But we've reached that point where it's not enough.”
French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova marched through to the Prague Open semi-finals following a straight-sets victory over doubles partner Katerina Siniakova.
The in-form second seed has six titles to her name this season; three of which have come alongside Siniakova in doubles events.
Together, they have triumphed at Roland Garros – adding to Krejcikova’s singles success – as well as in Madrid and the Gippsland Trophy.
However, this was their first singles meeting at Tour level, which went with the form book as Krejcikova claimed her 18th win in 19 matches after comfortably prevailing 6-3 6-0.
The home favourite, who is still to drop a set in the Czech capital, will play Wang Xinyu in the semi-finals after the world number 147 beat Grace Min 6-3 6-3.
Lewis Hamilton paid tribute to the Silverstone crowd after beating Max Verstappen in qualifying for the British Grand Prix and securing top place on the grid for Saturday’s inaugural F1 Sprint.
Trailing Verstappen by 32 points in the Drivers’ Championship, Hamilton has the momentum at Silverstone after pipping the Dutchman to victory in Friday's qualifying session by a tenth of a second.
Mercedes have won seven of the last eight races on this track with six of those triumphs going to Hamilton, who claimed his first pole here back in 2007.
After finishing fourth in Austria, the seven-time World champion is aiming to avoid consecutive finishes outside the podium for the first time since 2017.
And inspired by the raucous home crowd, he made the ideal start in ensuring he will head the grid in the F1 Sprint.
Stefanos Tsitsipas will head into the Tokyo Olympics on the back of a disappointing quarter-final exit at the Hamburg European Open.
The world number four made a fast start to his match against Filip Krajinovic, winning the opening five games, but fell away to lose in three sets after an hour and 59 minutes.
Tsitsipas is due to represent Greece at the behind-closed-doors Games in Japan, where he will be among the medal favourites.
His racket bizarrely fell apart in the second set against Krajinovic, with Tsitsipas left clutching just the handle as the head broke off when he attempted a backhand.
Despite reaching for a replacement racket, Tsitsipas could not get the better of his 44th-ranked Serbian opponent.
Krajinovic said, according to the ATP website: "He started really well, really aggressively. I could not find my game, could not find my serve, he was overpowering me. But at the end of the first set, I started to feel better, I was going for my shots.
"It paid off in the end. I am happy to beat Tsitsipas, he is an amazing player. I always play well here, and I hope I keep playing well here."
Krajinovic advances to take on a fellow Serbian, Laslo Djere, in the semi-finals, after Djere swept to a 6-2 6-2 win over Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Spanish second seed Pablo Carreno Busta prevented a third Serbian reaching the final four, beating Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (7-4) 6-3, and he will face Federico Delbonis on Saturday.
At the Nordea Open in Bastad, Sweden, top seed Casper Ruud had his path to the semi-finals smoothed by the withdrawal of scheduled opponent Henri Laaksonen due to injury.
That walkover means Norwegian Ruud will next tackle Roberto Carballes Baena, who beat Slovakian Norbert Gombos 6-4 6-2.
Chilean second seed Cristian Garin bowed out, beaten 6-4 4-6 6-2 by Argentinian Federico Coria. Coria's semi-final opponent will be Germany's Yannick Hanfmann, a 6-4 6-3 victor over French qualifier Arthur Rinderknech.
Louis Oosthuizen did not realise he had broken an Open Championship record until he got off the course at Royal St George's on Friday.
The South African carded a 65 to move to 11 under, with his overall score of 129 the lowest after 36 holes at golf's oldest major.
It left the 2010 Champion Golfer of the Year two strokes clear of Collin Morikawa, with Jordan Spieth one stroke further back.
But Oosthuizen, who has finished second in two majors already this year, had no idea he had just made history when he sunk a par putt at the last.
"I only heard that when I walked in, so I wasn't aware of what it even was before," he conceded after fine conditions made the Kent links ripe for low scoring, with playing partners Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry shooting 64 and 65 respectively.
"To have any record at the Open or part of any record at the Open is always very special.
"I think I've played really good the last two days. It was as good a weather as you can get playing this golf course. All of us took advantage of that.
"I think in our three-ball we had a 64 and two 65s, which you don't really see around a links golf course."
The 38-year-old has had a succession of close calls since he claimed the Claret Jug at St Andrews 11 years ago, with a remarkable six runner-up spots in majors.
Asked if there was an issue with getting it over the line, he replied: "I don't know. I think in a few of them I needed to play just that little bit better coming down the stretch.
"It's just I don't think I would have done a lot different in a lot of them.
"Right now I think where my game is at, I just need to put myself in position, and this year is the best I've been putting, and I just need to hit greens and give myself opportunities for birdies."
It was moving day at The Open Championship on Friday but the sunshine refused to budge.
While Louis Oosthuizen recovered the overnight lead that he had lost to Collin Morikawa earlier in the day, a few fans' favourites ensured they will be around at the weekend.
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry both did enough to make the cut and world number one Dustin Johnson surged up the leaderboard.
But our man on the ground also had an eye on events on the fringes of the action...
BUTTER FINGERS!
When the players walk off the 18th green they pass under the grandstand that surrounds the putting surface.
Above them will often be a gaggle of fans trying to get their attention so they might throw a golf ball their way.
But when that chance comes you have to be ready to take it, and one young fan's hopes were dashed when Tommy Fleetwood tossed a ball within his grasp but he let it slip.
When a marshal picked it up to throw it back to the waiting fans, it was a different young hopeful who managed to seize the opportunity.
MERRY CHRISTMAS?
Lucas Herbert's caddie had fans in a festive mood, despite it being the middle of July.
Nick Pugh sports a bushy white beard and, as he made his way from the 15th green to the 16th tee, one cheeky fan asked if the jovial Scot had received his Christmas list.
Pugh saw the funny side and retorted: "Ho ho ho!"
BEERY ME...
They are not compulsory, but some spectators are choosing to wear face masks in these coronavirus times.
That is all well and good, but it's important to remove your mask before attempting to drink your beer.
One fan probably won't need to learn that lesson again after inducing much mirth following a botched attempt to take a swig from his pint with his face mouth covered.
Louis Oosthuizen holds a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the 149th Open Championship after posting a record 36-hole score at golf's oldest major.
The South African, who claimed the Claret Jug in 2010, continued his stunning form at majors in 2021 with a 65 on Friday, with 129 the lowest total after two rounds at this event.
Tournament debutant Collin Morikawa, who had earlier carded a 64 at a sun-drenched Royal St George's, is Oosthuizen's closest rival on nine under, with 2017 winner Jordan Spieth one stroke further back.
Oosthuizen finished in a tie for second at the US PGA Championship in May and was outright runner-up at the U.S. Open the following month.
He faces stiff competition from a chasing pack that also includes world number one Dustin Johnson following his 65 to move seven under, while Brooks Koepka is on five under.
Favourable weather on the Kent coast meant the course was set fair for low scoring and 2020 US PGA Championship winner Morikawa took full advantage.
His round included a run of five birdies in seven holes before a bogey at the 15th – the tricky par four playing at an average of 4.4 – halted his progress.
Oosthuizen did not go out until the afternoon but quickly made his intentions clear with a birdie at the first, though the highlight of his round was an eagle three at the 14th.
Reigning champion Shane Lowry also enjoyed a fine day as he shot 65, while pre-tournament favourite Jon Rahm went one better to keep his slim hopes alive.
Rory McIlroy birdied the last to ease any lingering fears of missing the cut, while 2018 champion Francesco Molinari did not make the weekend after a 74 that included a quadruple-bogey seven at the sixth, where he took three shots to get out of a bunker.
SHOT OF THE DAY
There was joy for Englishman Jonathan Thomson as he hit the first ace at the 16th en route to a 67.
CHIPPING IN
Rory McIlroy: "I felt a little nervous going to that 18th tee. I knew I needed a par at least, but birdie to at least be comfortable."
Jonathan Thomson: "The hole-in-one was obviously awesome. It was a real confidence booster after what had been up until that point a real grind."
A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME...
- Jordan Spieth's halfway score of 132 is the American's second lowest at a major.
- Emiliano Grillo shot a 64, which was six strokes better than his opening round.
- Phil Mickelson improved on his opening effort by eight strokes, but still missed the cut at 12 over.
Damian Lillard believes changes need to be made by the Portland Trail Blazers if they are to end their now 44-year wait for an NBA title amid swirling speculation about his future.
A report on Friday suggested star point guard Lillard will request a trade from the Blazers having spent his entire NBA career in Portland.
He will reportedly address those claims during a media availability session for the United States' Olympic basketball team on Friday.
Lillard has been named an All-Star six times in his career and has helped the Blazers reach the playoffs in each of the past eight seasons.
It is his clutch shooting that has consistently kept Portland in the mix and, since he entered the league in 2012, only Stephen Curry (2,460) and James Harden (2,125) have made more three-pointers than Lillard's 2,051.
Portland reached the Western Conference Finals in 2019 but were swept by Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
However, this season's exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets in six games was their fourth first-round elimination in five seasons and led to the Blazers parting ways with head coach Terry Stotts. Chauncey Billups is the man now tasked with leading them to a first NBA Finals since 1992 and a first championship since 1977.
Asked by Yahoo Sports if the Blazers have matched his commitment to the franchise, Lillard said: "To make it to the NBA, I had to give it everything I had.
"I was going to do what needed to be done to win games. I didn't come into the league worrying about what others were doing in the organisation. I didn't come in with that type of mentality.
"But I've been active in probably 95 per cent of the games in my career. I've played through injuries, and I've been a part of two rebuilds. I feel like I've experienced everything with the Trail Blazers, and I've worn that jersey as a badge of honour and with a lot of pride and care.
"I never felt like my job was to go in and critique what other people were doing in the organisation. My job was to make sure the team is functioning and trying to lead them to the best results. I've always assumed everybody’s mentality was the same.
"Even when I'm playing well and we come up short at the end of the season, I go home and the first thing I do is look in the mirror and tell myself we didn't win a championship. Or if I didn't play as well as I should have, I've had to look in the mirror and tell myself that my performance was unacceptable and I have to do better. And then you go do better.
"I think that's the stage we're at as a team where we all, not just me, not just my team-mates, not just our new coaching staff, the front office, everybody in this organisation must look in the mirror because we've constantly come up short.
"We have to look in the mirror and say I have to be better because whatever it is we're doing is not working and it's not giving us the shot to compete on the level that we want to compete on."
On why he feels this is a pivotal juncture in his career, Lillard added: "There are a few reasons: One being I'm not getting any younger. Our environment has always been great.
"We're not losing a lot, but we were eliminated by a shorthanded Denver team that I felt we should have beat. I just walked away from that really disappointed. I was like, 'Man, this just isn't going to work'.
"We're not winning the championship, but we've got a successful organisation. We're not a franchise that’s just out here losing every year and getting divided.
"We have positive seasons; we just don't end up with a championship. So I feel like at this point, I basically made the decision that if you do what you've always done, you'll always be where you've always been.
"Just like I hold myself accountable for a bad performance or hold myself accountable to make sure that I work my a** off when I’m training, I must be accountable for saying what needs to be said even if it's not popular. And that just comes with age.
"When I was younger, I felt like maybe I'll be out of place, but I feel like I've earned the right to say we must do better. We must do better if we want to win on that level."
Mark Cavendish could not secure a 35th Tour de France stage win to break Eddy Merckx's record as Matej Mohoric prevailed on stage 19 to claim his second victory of this year's race.
Cavendish, 36, was tipped to break the all-time record for stage wins, set by Merckx in 1975, but he will now have to wait for the opportunity on the Champs-Elysees in Paris on Sunday.
Under 48 hours after Bahrain Victorious had their team hotel and bus raided, Mohoric's triumph – his second and the team's third win at this year's Tour – resembled a procession as he cruised home with a near one-minute advantage.
A sprint finish in Libourne to conclude the 207km route seemed perfect for Cavendish to create history, yet his team, Deceuninck-QuickStep, did not manage the breakaway effectively this time.
Mohoric was part of the initial group to break clear inside the final 100km before that section of riders halved in size with 30km to go.
Five kilometres later, the Slovenian seized the initiative as he produced another long-range attack to secure the lead, remaining untroubled as he eased to the finish.
With Cavendish back in the peloton, it was Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) and Casper Pedersen (Team DSM) who claimed second and third respectively in the sprint.
Yellow jersey holder Tadej Pogacar had an easy time of it, as his procession into Paris gets well and truly underway.
Barring any problems in Saturday's time trial, Pogacar is a certainty for the general classification, king of the mountains and young rider triumphs.
STAGE RESULT
1. Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious) 4:19:17
2. Christophe Laporte (Cofidis) +0:58
3. Casper Pedersen (Team DSM) +0:58
4. Mike Teunissen (Jumbo-Visma) +:1:02
5. Nils Politt (Bora-Hansgrohe) +1:08
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 79:40:09
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +5:45
3. Richard Carapaz (INEOS Grenadiers) +5:51
Points Classification
1. Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick-Step) 304
2. Michael Matthews (Team BikeExchange) 269
3. Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) 216
King of the Mountains
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) 107
2. Wouter Poels (Bahrain Victorious) 88
3. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) 82
What's next?
A shorter and flatter route than last year’s ride to La Planche des Belles Filles, the 31km time trial towards Saint Emilion will suit the specialists in this discipline and is unlikely to be as dramatic as the last Tour’s equivalent test, which saw Pogacar snatch victory from Primoz Roglic.
Collin Morikawa feels has the right mindset to cope with the pressure of majors after he took the lead at the Open on Friday with a fine 64.
The debutant surged up the leaderboard with a tremendous second round, moving to nine under for the tournament.
A stunning card from the 2020 US PGA Championship winner showed just one bogey and he could have even moved further clear had a putt on 18 not skirted the cup.
Morikawa made seven birdies as he took advantage of fine early conditions at Royal St George's.
As well as his US PGA win, Morikawa, 24, also has a 2021 top-10 finish to his name at that tournament, as well as coming fourth at the U.S. Open last month.
"Yeah, I look at them as obviously they're starred," he said of his success at majors so early in his career.
"We have four of them a year, and you're trying to definitely win these four because they're that big.
"Talking about last year's PGA, I had seen every single guy before, I had played with every single guy, and that doesn't make anything different.
"It's just the stage that we're on, more media, more spectators, more people around.
"But that's everything outside that I could control. For me, it's just let's go figure out this golf course Monday through Wednesday like I have been the past couple years and figure it out on what I need to do to play well.
"This style of golf is very different, but playing last week at the Scottish Open helped tremendously."
Morikawa posted a 67 in round one but believes his play was similar across the first two days.
"Just sticking to what I've been doing," he said of his Friday success.
"On Thursday I thought I played really well, just wasn't hitting as many fairways. Was able to hit a few more fairways early on in the round this time."
Morikawa ended his round three clear of overnight leader Louis Oosthuizen, who was joined at six under by fellow South African Daniel van Tonder as well as Emiliano Grillo, Marcel Siem and Jordan Spieth.
A flying start from former champion Spieth, who birdied his first two holes on Friday, meant he was promptly up to seven under and within two of his American compatriot, though he then dropped a shot at the third.
Birdies on 17 and 18 meant Grillo matched Morikawa with a 64, while Siem also gained two shots in the final two holes to sign for an impressive 67.
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, all but ensured he will finish above the cut line with a crucial birdie on 18.
The Northern Irishman is level par for the week after a second straight 70.
In an up-and-down round two, he recovered nicely from consecutive bogeys to start his day but then bogeyed 16 and 17 before improving his position once more at the last.
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