Andy Murray dug deep to secure a second win of 2024 with a 4-6 7-6 (5) 6-3 victory over Denis Shapovalov in the first round of the Dubai Open.

The three-time grand-slam champion has been forced to fend off retirement talk following a string of first-round defeats and looked set for another when Shapovalov, a former top-10 player, claimed the opening set.

Murray had struggled to breach the serve of his 24-year-old opponent, but produced a trademark gutsy display to edge a second-set tie-breaker and kept his composure to break twice in the decider to secure a much-needed win after two hours and 33 minutes.

The most recent meeting between the duo went to Murray, but that was in 2022 and he entered this match in torrid form with only one win this year.

Shapovalov signalled his intent with three aces in his opening service game before the duo traded a number of early holds.

The first break point opportunity did not occur until the ninth game and, while Murray saved it at 15-40 down, Shapovalov outlasted the Scot in a lengthy rally on the next point to move 5-4 up.

Murray let his frustration show after his wayward backhand gifted Shapovalov the initiative and chucked his racket at the court before the Canadian closed out the opener with two more aces.

Former world number one Murray produced a strong response at the start of the second set and remarkably produced three successful challenges on his serve.

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Buoyed by his eagle-eyes, Murray followed this up with a first break point opportunity and, while it came and went, the 36-year-old did break Shapovalov at the next time of asking to move 3-1 up.

Shapovalov had sent down two double-faults to aid Murray’s cause, but hit back immediately with a break of his own before he consolidated it after a 10-minute service game which included a 137mph ace.

Murray had to display his trademark battling skills to keep the second set on serve at 4-4 and a tie-breaker was ultimately required.

Several mini-breaks followed, but it was Murray who made sure the match went the distance after he edged a marathon 75-minute set with an excellent trade-off with Shapovalov after he came into the net.

Shapovalov’s serve had let him down towards the end of the second set and his struggles continued with two double-faults to begin the third.

It handed Murray the ascendancy and he was able to consolidate with a succession of quick holds to move within sight of a precious victory.

Murray had to work hard to hold in the eighth game of the decider and it broke Shapovalov’s resistance with the Canadian broken again to hand the Briton a confidence-boosting 500th hard-court win of his career.

Record-chasing Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe is adamant he will not allow thoughts of personal glory to muddy his thinking when he runs out at Italy’s Stadio Olimpico.

The 28-year-old moved within one of Stuart Hogg at the top of the Scots’ all-time try-scoring list after producing a magnificent, match-defining hat-trick in Saturday’s 30-21 Calcutta Cup victory over England at Murrayfield.

Van Der Merwe went into this year’s Guinness Six Nations as Scotland’s sixth most prolific player, with 21 tries.

However, his five championship touchdowns over the past month – two away to Wales plus his treble on Saturday – have taken him ahead of Chris Paterson, Tony Stanger, Ian Smith and his Edinburgh team-mate Darcy Graham into second place.

One more score in dark blue will allow Van der Merwe to equal Hogg, who holds the record with 27 tries from his 100 caps.

The South Africa-born wing, who has got to 26 in just 37 appearances for the national team, is well aware of the big opportunity beckoning him but he insisted he will not allow it to cloud his focus or his decision-making as the Scots prepare to conclude their campaign away to Italy and Ireland next month.

“It’s something I targeted coming into the Six Nations, to see if I could do it (catch Hogg) in the Six Nations,” said Van der Merwe. “I knew it was a big task and there’s obviously still two games left… But the most important thing is the team, it’s not about myself.

“If that means I have to chase box-kicks and not score tries or give the pass to someone else, then so be it. It’s all about the team and us getting the wins.

“We want to start winning stuff as a team and the next two games are massive for us.”

Asked if he had allowed himself to ponder the possibility of making history in the iconic Stadio Olimpico in Rome a week on Saturday, Van der Merwe said: “It’s probably in the back of my mind, but I wouldn’t say I’m going into the game just thinking about myself and thinking about how I can score as an individual.

“For me, the team is always first. If that means I have to give the pass and not score myself, then I have to do it. If I don’t score but we get the win, I’ll be a happy man.”

Van der Merwe became the first player to score a hat-trick for Scotland in a Calcutta Cup match on Saturday. Incredibly, he now boasts a record of having played four matches against England and won them all. In total, he has scored six tries against the Auld Enemy since his first appearance in the fixture in 2021.

“I don’t know what it is, but I obviously love scoring against England so it’s pretty special,” said Van der Merwe. “It’s four wins out of four for me in this fixture. What an achievement that is, and it just shows you where this team is going.

“It’s obviously very special to score a hat-trick for Scotland, even moreso against England, but the most important thing was for the team to get the win.

“I obviously finished off a few opportunities but I’d say I made a few mistakes here and there. I wouldn’t say I was at my best but being a winger, I have to finish off the opportunities I get and luckily I was able to do that.”

Van der Merwe first arrived in Scotland in the summer of 2017 when former England player and coach Richard Cockerill signed him for Edinburgh despite the fact he failed to pass a medical due to a long-running hip injury.

Now in his second spell at Edinburgh after a stint at Worcester, the swashbuckling back is proud of the level he has been able to take his game to since he first moved to Scotland from Montpellier.

“Richard must be kicking himself, thinking ‘I brought this guy over, now he’s scoring tries against England’,” laughed Van der Merwe.

“I’ve been here (almost) seven years now and I guess when I look back, it’s all about hard work and dedication.

“When I come in on the bus and see all our fans at the stadium, I always think about how I can give back because Scotland has done so much for me.

“I guess the only way I can give back is with my performances. I absolutely love our fans and I love playing for Scotland.”

Monbeg Genius, one of the leading fancies for this year’s Randox Grand National, is among 13 entries for Saturday’s bet365 Premier Chase at Kelso.

The British Horseracing Authority confirmed earlier this month the gelding would be permitted to run as he will not be affected by a restraint order placed on the assets of owners Baroness Michelle Mone and her husband Doug Barrowman.

Jonjo O’Neill trains the eight-year-old, who has not run since finishing third in the Coral Gold Cup back in December, with a setback scuppering any plans for a run subsequently.

Monbeg Genius is currently rated a general 16-1 chance for the National on April 13 and could clash with last year’s Premier Chase winner and fellow Aintree entry Empire Steel at Kelso.

Sail Away, Highland Hunter and Kinondo Kwetu also hold engagements for both races, while popular veteran Aye Right also features among the Kelso contenders.

Formby Novices’ Hurdle winner and third, Jango Baie and Cannock Park, headline 23 entries for the Grade Two bet365 Premier Novices’ Hurdle.

Last year’s bet365 Morebattle Hurdle victor Benson is set to carry top weight in this season’s renewal, which still has 26 entries.

Nicky Henderson’s Under Control and the Kerry Lee-trained Black Hawk Eagle currently lead the market.

Angels Dawn will return to the Cheltenham Festival seeking a Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup double after producing what was arguably a career-best effort when third in last month’s Thyestes Chase.

The nine-year-old gave trainer Sam Curling a day to remember last year when edging out Gavin Cromwell’s Stumptown at the end of the amateur riders’ contest.

She would go on to finish a well-held sixth in the Irish Grand National on her next start, but following two outings over timber at the beginning of the current campaign, was back to her very best at Gowran when beaten just over three lengths by Thyestes winner Ain’t That A Shame.

Angels Dawn is now primed for a repeat of her Cotswold heroics 12 months ago, with Curling once again calling on the services of crack amateur Patrick King to do the steering.

“She ran great at Gowran and she likes soft ground but the ground was probably a bit too heavy for her,” said Curling.

“I would say that was a career best considering the two horses that beat her raced wide and that was the place to be on the day. She went round on the inside and still managed to run well, so I would say it was definitely one of her better runs.

“She ran a very good race and jumped super and she’s off a nice weight to get back in the Kim Muir and we’ll go back there now.

“It’s going to be a bit harder for her and she’s going to be at least 10lb higher this year, but she seems to be going well and improved from last year. She was quite busy last year, but has not been as busy this year so she will be going there a bit fresher.

“It was a brilliant day last year for us considering we just have a small team of horses and it will be great to go back there again with a bit of a chance.”

Angels Dawn also holds an entry in the Randox Grand National, but currently sitting 66th in the handicap and with a reduced field of 34 heading to post at Aintree for the first time, she is unlikely to make the cut for the Merseyside showpiece and therefore full focus has been placed on a Festival repeat.

“I would say she would have no chance of getting in there, so I would say it will be Cheltenham and then back to Punchestown and try for something there,” continued Curling.

“She’s going well, so we will head back to Cheltenham and see how we get on there.”

LeBron James and Darvin Ham were left frustrated with the officiating after the Los Angeles Lakers went down to the Phoenix Suns.

The Lakers lost 123-113 in Arizona on Sunday, with Los Angeles awarded just eight free throws in contrast to Phoenix's tally of 19.

It was a season-low for the Lakers, who averaged 24.7 free throws per game heading into the game.

Of those eight free throws, none came in the second half, and James was left exasperated.

"A lot of people, a lot of coaches, a lot of teams are like, 'That's all the Lakers do is get to the free throw line,'" James said.

"It's like this narrative out there that that's all we do is get to the free throw line. I mean, we have attackers. That's what we do. We have attackers. Yeah, we shoot the ball from the perimeter, but we're not shooting 40 to 50 3s a game. We're not that team. We don't have the luxury of being that team. So, working it into the paint, that's what we're really good at.

"To have eight free throw attempts is definitely not us. I know, definitely, I got hit a couple of times when I got to the paint tonight that wasn't called. But it is what it is."

Lakers coach Ham, though, was left reserved.

"I'm not one to use referees as an excuse," he said.

"But it's becoming increasingly tough because of the inconsistency. I'm seeing our guys get the same contact on them as we're supposedly committing. And the whistle is not being blown."

Anthony Davis did not record a single free throw attempt for the first time in a game this season.

He added: "We live on getting to the line. We attack the basket.

"Especially how much we struggle from the 3, we're kind of up and down, so we try to live in the paint and get to the line.

"I'm not sure if it was just the refs missing it or they weren't fouling. I felt I got fouled a couple of times. But that's part of our identity, our DNA, is getting to the line and guys catching rhythms like that and then playing from there."

While the Suns are sixth in the Western Conference after the win, the Lakers are in ninth, with a 31-28 record.

In other news on Sunday, the NBA banned five players – including Jimmy Butler – for their involvement in an on-court spat in Friday's meeting between the Miami Heat and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Butler, Nikola Jovic and Naji Marshall were each suspended for one game without pay, while Jose Alvarado and Thomas Bryant were slapped with three-game bans.

The Philadelphia 76ers supporters may have jeered Doc Rivers, but the Milwaukee Bucks coach took the hostile reception in his stride as his new team won big on Sunday.

Rivers was dismissed by the Sixers eight months ago following a disappointing end to a season in which Joel Embiid was named the NBA's MVP.

Yet Rivers came out smiling after his return to Philadelphia on Sunday, with the Bucks having run out 119-98 victors.

Giannis Antetokounmpo (30) and Damian Lillard (24) combined for 54 points as the Bucks followed up their win over the Minnesota Timberwolves with a statement victory over a rival in the East.

And while Rivers received a frosty reception, he was all smiles after the game.

"I didn't even hear it, to be honest. That means I was back at home," he quipped.

"It was awesome. Really. I had three good years here, not talking about basketball, just in life. I enjoyed my stay here and made friends for life here.

"The fans were good, too. There were a couple of hilarious comments. One guy told me that Larry David was looking for me to golf. I thought that was pretty funny."

Reflecting on his tenure in charge of the Sixers, Rivers added: "I'm happy with it overall, I just wish we could've gone further.

"I wish we could have had a chance to have Joel healthy in the playoffs.

"But overall, Joel became an MVP, and we established this team as a championship contender. That wasn't said the year before.

"You think about it, we had the James Harden trade, the Ben [Simmons] stuff. Some was under my control, some was out of my control, but overall, for me, if you don't win a title, you're never exactly happy. That's why we all do this."

The Bucks are 5-7 under Rivers, who replaced Adrian Griffin in January. Antetokounmpo, though, is relishing the challenge under his new coach.

"I love him," Antetokounmpo said. "It's been incredible playing for him. He just explains to me, what he wants from me.

"You respect him because he's been 25 years in the league. You've got to respect what he's done in the league, won a championship, won a lot of games, but when he comes in the locker room, he keeps it simple."

The Bucks are third in the East, four wins ahead of the 76ers with a 37-21 record.

"I thought we were consistent," Lillard said. "We got into the paint, we were willing to make the extra pass to find the open guy and we got quality looks.

"To play good offense you find quality shots and have a lot of mix. I thought that’s what we did."

Rivers added: "We had been putting such an emphasis on defense.

"The last few games we’ve been terrific. When you have Giannis on your team, if you can get stops and get him in transition, Giannis in transition is a problem for everybody."

Shark Hanlon is set to make a decision later this week on who will partner his stable star Hewick in the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Jordan Gainford is the nine-year-old’s regular rider and steered him to a hat-trick of big-race victories in 2022, landing the bet365 Gold Cup, the Galway Plate and the American Grand National.

However, injuries have meant the young rider has not been on Hewick’s back competitively since his fall two fences from home in last year’s Gold Cup, with Rachael Blackmore steering him to a subsequent win at Sandown and Gavin Sheehan in the saddle for his most recent triumph in the King George at Kempton.

Having been sidelined since suffering damaged vertebrae in a fall at Naas in mid-December, Gainford made his return aboard the unplaced Fury Road in Saturday’s Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse and also had two rides for his boss Gordon Elliott at Naas on Sunday, but without success.

With the Cheltenham Festival now only a fortnight away, Hanlon is clearly keen for Gainford to enjoy a confidence-boosting success before making a final call on whether he will be recalled.

“We’re going to leave it until later on in the week, we’ll see if Jordan can ride a winner or two before we make a decision,” the trainer said on Monday morning.

“I was talking to the owner last night and that’s what we decided.”

Myles Turner scored a season-high 33 points and the Indiana Pacers pulled away in the fourth quarter to end the Dallas Mavericks' seven-game winning streak with Sunday's 133-111 victory.

Tyrese Haliburton added 17 points and 10 assists for Indiana, which broke open the game with a 20-4 run in the fourth quarter to earn a third consecutive win and hand Dallas its first defeat since Feb. 3.

The Mavericks got 33 points from Luka Dončić and 29 from Kyrie Irving, but failed to get late stops as the Pacers shot a sizzling 63.2 per cent from the field over the final 12 minutes.

Dallas cut an 11-point deficit early in the fourth quarter down to four when Irving got a jumper to fall with 8:56 to go to bring the Mavs within 104-100. 

The Pacers then caught fire from beyond the arc, as they hit 5 of 7 attempts from 3-point range during the pivotal spurt Haliburton capped with a layup that gave Indiana a commanding 124-104 lead with 4:15 to go.

Rookie Ben Sheppard scored nine of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and went 5 of 5 on 3-point attempts to lead Indiana's reserves. The Pacers also received a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double from Bennedict Mathurin, while Turner grabbed eight rebounds in addition to finishing 10 of 15 from the field. 

Bucks cruise past 76ers in Rivers' return to Philadelphia

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished just short of a triple-double while amassing 30 points as the Milwaukee Bucks made head coach Doc Rivers' return to Philadelphia a triumphant one by rolling to a 119-98 win over the host 76ers.

Rivers coached the 76ers for three seasons before being fired at the conclusion of the 2022-23 campaign after the team lost in the second round of the playoffs for the third consecutive year. The accomplished veteran was hired by Milwaukee after the Bucks dismissed Adrian Griffin on Jan. 26.

Antetokounmpo added 12 rebounds and nine assists to help the Bucks keep pace with first-place Cleveland in the Central Division. The Bucks remain a game behind in the standings after the Cavaliers defeated the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

Damian Lillard scored 11 of his 24 points in the first quarter as Milwaukee opened up a 35-21 lead after 12 minutes. Bobby Portis had 11 of his 17 points in the second as the Bucks stretched their advantage to 69-48 at half-time.

The 76ers, still without reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid due to a knee injury, cut into their deficit early in the second half and closed the gap to 93-82 near the end of the third quarter. They never got any closer, however, and dropped to 4-11 since Jan. 25.

Philadelphia shot just 37.1 per cent from the field for the game, while the Bucks connected on 54.1 per cent of their field goal attempts.

Tyrese Maxey paced the 76ers with 24 points and seven assists, while De'Anthony Melton had 16 points off the bench.

Jokic extends triple-double streak, leads Nuggets over Warriors

Nikola Jokić compiled 32 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists for his third consecutive double-double to help the Denver Nuggets earn a season sweep of the Golden State Warriors with a 119-103 win.

Behind another massive performance from Jokic and 27 points from Jamal Murray, the Nuggets recorded their fourth victory over Golden State in as many meetings in the season series between teams that have won the last two NBA titles.

The Nuggets overcame a 16-point second-quarter deficit in this latest matchup, as the Warriors failed to hold on to a 56-40 lead they held 5 1/2 minutes before half-time and saw their three-game winning streak snapped.

Denver got back in it by outscoring Golden State by a 21-5 margin to close out the first half. Murray accounted for 10 points during the surge, and his 3-pointer with 15.8 seconds left forged a 61-61 tie at the intermission.

The game remained tight into the fourth quarter before the Nuggets broke things open with a 10-2 flurry - capped by 3-pointers from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Christian Braun - that turned a three-point edge into a 105-94 advantage with six minutes remaining.

Golden State shot just 29.4 per cent in the final period as the Nuggets maintained a lead of at least nine points the rest of the way.

Klay Thompson led the Warriors with 23 points off the bench and Stephen Curry had 20 for Golden State, though the two-time NBA MVP made just 1 of 10 tries from three-point range on the night. 

Maria Sharapova used an article in Vanity Fair to announce she was “saying goodbye” to tennis, on this day in 2020.

Sharapova had struggled with chronic shoulder problems for some time and the five-time grand slam champion and former world number one had dropped to 373rd in the rankings.

The then-32-year-old said it would be a wrench to walk away, writing: “How do you leave behind the only life you’ve ever known?

“How do you walk away from the courts you’ve trained on since you were a little girl, the game that you love – one which brought you untold tears and unspeakable joys – a sport where you found a family, along with fans who rallied behind you for more than 28 years?

“I’m new to this, so please forgive me. Tennis – I’m saying goodbye.”

Having announced her talent by winning Wimbledon at the age of just 17 in 2004, Sharapova went on to establish herself as one of the greats of her era – among her contemporaries, only Serena and Venus Williams won more slam singles titles.

Sharapova added the US Open title in 2006 and the Australian Open in 2008 before twice lifting the trophy at Roland Garros, in 2012 and 2014. She is one of only 10 women to achieve the career Grand Slam.

Her impact on court was trumped by her profile off it, with the Russian the world’s highest-earning female athlete for much of her career.

In 2016 came the bombshell announcement that she had failed a doping test for the cardiac drug meldonium, which had been added to the banned list at the start of that year.

Sharapova was banned for two years, reduced to 15 months on appeal.

She returned to action in April 2017 but was unable to reach her previous heights, peaking at a high of 21 in the rankings and reaching just one more grand slam quarter-final.

In July 2022, Sharapova became a mother with the birth of her son Theodore and has taken up pickleball in her post-retirement life.

Earlier this month, she partnered up with John McEnroe to take on Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf – in Pickleball Slam 2 – losing out on the one million USD (£789,000) prize.

The Columbus Blue Jackets got three second-period goals and a sensational 38 saves from Elvis Merzlikins to end the New York Rangers' 10-game winning streak with Sunday's 4-2 victory.

Jack Roslovic scored the tie-breaking goal during the second-period surge and added an assist to help the Blue Jackets, the last-place team in the Eastern Conference, prevent the conference co-leading Rangers from establishing a new franchise record for consecutive wins. Kirill Marchenko and Dmitri Voronkov also had a goal and an assist for Columbus.

After the Rangers tied the game at 2-2 on Adam Enstrom's goal with 8:49 left in the second period, Roslovich put Columbus back ahead just 46 seconds later when he buried a pass from Johnny Gaudreau past New York goaltender Jonathan Quick on a 2-on-2 rush.

Roslovich later set up Ivan Provorov's goal with 1:25 left in the period that extended the margin to 4-2, and Merzlikins made the lead stand by coming up with 18 saves in the third period.

Voronkov's power-play goal 4:34 into the contest gave the Blue Jackets an early advantage, but the Rangers drew even later in the first period on Artemi Panarin's 33rd goal of the season.

Columbus went back ahead when Marchenko scored off a behind-the-net feed from Voronkov just 18 seconds into the second.

Quick finished with 37 saves and had a personal four-start winning streak snapped.

Red Wings' Kane scores overtime winner in return to Chicago

Patrick Kane capped his return to Chicago with a dramatic goal 1:43 into overtime as the former Blackhawk great lifted the surging Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 come-from-behind win over his ex-team.

Kane added an assist on a game-tying goal in the third period by Alex DeBrincat - another former Blackhawk - in the nine-time All-Star's first appearance in Chicago since being traded by the Blackhawks to the New York Rangers almost exactly one year ago.

The 35-year-old Kane spent the first 15-plus seasons of his NHL career with Chicago and was part of three Stanley Cup champion teams.

DeBrincat's goal on a bad-angle shot tied the contest at 2-2 with 4:16 left in regulation, and the forward later found Kane all alone for a breakaway that the veteran finished with a shot over the shoulder of Chicago goaltender Petr Mrazek that gave the Red Wings a fifth consecutive win.

Chicago, which has now lost four straight and 12 of 13 (1-9-3), took a 2-1 lead on second-period goals by MacKenzie Entwistle and Nick Foligno after Daniel Sprong's power-play tally late in the first period put Detroit ahead.

James Reimer recorded 33 saves for the Red Wings, while Mrazek stopped 28 shots.

Crosby's four points help Penguins hold off Flyers

Sidney Crosby recorded a goal and three assists and the Pittsburgh Penguins scored three times in the third period to earn a wild and much-needed 7-6 win over the rival Philadelphia Flyers.

Bryan Rust added two goals and an assist to help Pittsburgh to its second straight victory as it continues to fight for a playoff berth. The Penguins currently sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and are nine points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for the final wild card spot.

The Flyers were dealt a third loss in four games despite receiving two goals and an assist from both Tyson Foerster and Scott Laughton. Philadelphia was outshot by a 32-21 margin, however, as the Penguins prevailed despite a shaky 15-save performance from goaltender Tristan Jarry.

Pittsburgh struck twice early in the third period to take a 6-4 lead, as Drew O'Connor blasted a close-range shot past Philadelphia goaltender Cal Petersen 6:41 into the session and Rickard Rakell deposited a Crosby feed into the Flyers' net less than two minutes later.

Cam York's goal with 9:50 remaining got the Flyers back within one, but Kris Letang restored Pittsburgh's two-goal cushion by firing a loose puck by Petersen with 4:47 left to play.

Foerster's power-play score with 2:03 to go cut the deficit to 7-6, but the Flyers were unable to get a shot on goal over the final stages.

Goals from Crosby and Rust that followed Laughton's first of the day gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 edge after one period, but Foerster scored just 55 seconds into the second to tie the game.

Rust and Emil Bermstrom scored 2:23 apart later in the period to put the Penguins up 4-2, though the Flyers would answer with two quick goals of their own before the intermission. After Travis Sanheim rocketed a shot past Jarry off a faceoff win, Laughton converted a chance with Philadelphia shorthanded to knot the score at 4-4 just 1:03 after Sanheim's goal.

Petersen finished with 25 saves.

Rookie Jake Knapp held on to claim his maiden PGA Tour title, despite seeing his four-shot overnight lead wiped out early in the final round of the Mexico Open.

The 29-year-old American’s level-par 71 was enough to hold off the challenge of Finland’s Sami Valimaki, who hit a closing 69 to finish two shots back.

Knapp saw his four-shot buffer halved as he bogeyed two of the first three holes, Valimaki moving within one with a birdie on the fourth.

The Finn eagled the short par four seventh to draw level as Knapp claimed his first birdie of the day.

He added just one more on the 14th, but Valimaki had dropped three shots by then and could not close the gap again.

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre finished six shots back in a tie for sixth after a closing 69, but England’s Matt Wallace – who shared the halfway lead – slipped to tied 33rd with a 74.

Knapp’s win earns him a place at the US Masters, PGA Championship and the five signature events remaining on the PGA Tour.

Andy Farrell feels a “top drawer” defence is fuelling Ireland’s pursuit of successive Grand Slam titles as he turns his attention to nullifying England’s new blitz approach.

The reigning Guinness Six Nations champions limited Wales to a penalty try during Saturday’s 31-7 success in Dublin after nilling Italy 36-0 in round two on the back of beating France 38-17.

Ireland, who have scored 15 tries across the three bonus-points wins, travel to Twickenham on March 9 seeking to keep their championship clean sweep quest on track before hosting Scotland on the final weekend.

Head coach Farrell expects England to “go harder” as they get to grips with adopting an aggressive defensive strategy orchestrated by coach Felix Jones, who joined Steve Borthwick’s staff after helping South Africa retain the Rugby World Cup in the autumn.

“It’s the South African defence and I know that Felix will constantly try and put his stamp on implementing that,” said Farrell.

“There’s always going to be teething problems at the start but they’ll go harder because that’s their philosophy.

“Our defence is top drawer, there’s no doubt about that.

“It has been for quite some time now.

“It was unbelievably fitting that we kept them (Wales) out because of the fight and want to be able to do that.

“I thought our defensive shape wasn’t very nice at times but our intent certainly on the line said a lot about how much they love defending for one another.”

Following two Twickenham defeats in the first year of the Farrell era, Ireland have beaten England four times in a row.

Borthwick’s men were minutes away from reaching the World Cup final in October but have made an unconvincing start to the championship with narrow wins over Italy and Wales followed by Saturday’s 30-21 Calcutta Cup loss in Scotland.

While Ireland will be favourites in south-west London, Farrell is aware matches can quickly change course after seeing Wales briefly gain the upper hand at the Aviva Stadium having trailed 17-0 at the break.

“Going to Twickenham, everyone knows how difficult a task that is,” he said.

“It’s not just as simple as saying we need to be better to win.

“Of course we always want to play better but the game is what it is, from minute one.

“For example, we’re winning the penalty count hands down at half-time (against Wales) and then all of a sudden within minutes of the second half, it has evened up.

“That could happen in two weeks’ time, role reversal. The game takes its own shape but there’s parts of our game we obviously need to improve.”