JPR One has a golden opportunity to provide Joe Tizzard with his first Grade One success as a trainer in the Betfair Henry VIII Novices’ Chase at Sandown.

The six-year-old has always been held in high regard by the Tizzard team and made a winning chasing debut at Newton Abbot in October.

JPR One was in the process of enhancing his reputation in supreme style in the Grade Two Arkle Trial at Cheltenham last month, before a stumble at the last saw him unseat Brendan Powell with the race at his mercy.

He now has the chance to gain some big-race compensation and establish himself as one of the leading two-mile novice chasers heading into the second half of the season.

“It’s a nice race for him and he’s come out of Cheltenham really well,” said Tizzard.

“It’s not a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination, but on ratings he looks about right and I’m excited to run him in a Grade One.

“I think it happened at a stage at Cheltenham where we knew he was going to be impressive and I’ve been excited about running him over fences for a while now. It’s exciting that he can go there with a decent chance.”

Jamie Snowden has his string firing on all cylinders and has always felt Colonel Harry would eclipse his hurdles achievements once tackling the larger obstacles.

The course winner created a taking impression at Chepstow on his fences bow and is set to relish testing conditions at the Esher track on Saturday.

“He was obviously a very smart novice hurdler last season, winning twice and placed in two Graded races,” said Snowden.

“He’s always promised to be a better chaser and jumped really well down at Chepstow when beating Tahmuras, who had beaten him over hurdles in the Tolworth.

“Tahmuras probably disappointed that day, there is no doubting that, but we did a lot of things right and it has always been our plan to come here since.

“He handles testing ground and is a thorough stayer at this trip – and I thought his comeback run was great. Fingers crossed, he can run a big race.”

Iceo has 13 lengths to find with JPR One from when they met in the autumn, but he was an odds-on favourite that day despite conceding 15lb to the winner and is given the chance for revenge by Paul Nicholls at the scene of his impressive Imperial Cup triumph over hurdles.

“He was always going to be a chaser and made a lovely start over fences with a cosy success at Newton Abbot early in October, before finishing third giving plenty of weight to two decent horses at the same track three weeks later,” Nicholls told Betfair.

“I don’t think he was quite right that day, perhaps I ran him a bit too soon, and I’ve put a line though that run. He is fine now and I’ve always had this Grade One chase in mind for him.”

Dan Skelton’s Unexpected Party claimed the scalp of Ditcheat’s Knappers Hill at Chepstow before running a creditable fifth in a high-class renewal of the Paddy Power Gold Cup, while Petit Tonnerre picked up some pieces following the unseat of JPR One at Cheltenham, battling on for second.

The field is completed by Le Patron, who has won by a combined 30 lengths in two chasing appearances and Gary Moore hopes his stamina could prove an asset dropping back in trip.

“He’s probably an improving horse but whether he is up to that grade, I don’t really know,” said Moore.

“He will probably be better going a bit further but in soft ground, as long as they don’t get him at it down the back too much where the ground is a bit better, I think he will be OK. I see him coming into his own in the straight, hopefully.

“I just hope his jumping keeps him in the race.”

Gordon Elliott’s Coko Beach will bid to maintain his recent good form in the Boylesports Becher Handicap Chase at Aintree on Saturday.

The grey gelding may have been pulled up in the Grand National last season, but he was eighth the year before and has returned to action this term clearly in good heart.

His reappearance came in the Munster National at Limerick over three miles, where he was third when beaten just two and three-quarter lengths.

The eight-year-old then headed to Navan for the Troytown Chase and was the winner there from a field of 20, beating Limerick Lace and a whole host of Elliott stablemates in a tough staying victory.

Naturally, the handicapper has taken note and the gelding will now return to Aintree off a British mark of 162, a career-high that will see him carry top-weight of 12st.

Eddie O’Leary, of owners Gigginstown House Stud, said: “He’s got an awful lot of weight.

“He’s up to 161 now (in Ireland, running off 162 in UK) and that is going to be very tough because he’s far from that.

“He’s going for the Becher because he will enjoy the fences, he’s run in the National the last twice and he just hasn’t quite got home.”

The burden he will carry is eased by the booking of jockey Danny Gilligan, who claims 5lb and has ridden Coko Beach in his two prior starts this season.

“Danny is taking 5lb off his back, which will help,” said O’Leary.

“There is no point in him running in something like the Savills Chase (at Leopardstown), because he’d get lapped.

“He’s a lovely horse, he’s only eight, he was second in a Fred Winter as a juvenile but unfortunately he’s got no chance competing against those good horses and his mark now is very tough in handicaps.”

Joe Tizzard has a real chance with The Big Breakaway, fifth in the Badger Beer Chase at Wincanton on his first run of the campaign.

The chestnut ran in the Grand National itself in April, but his bid was cut short when he fell at the second obstacle.

Tizzard believes he will have no issue taking to them this time around, however, and his chances are helped by the drop in his handicap mark to 147.

“I’m looking forward to running him over the Aintree fences and he was unlucky in the National, he just got knocked over at the second,” the trainer said.

“This has always been the plan with him, to get a run into him and then have a crack at these fences and make sure that he takes to them as we expect him to. He’s in lovely form at home.

“The handicapper has given him a chance, that is for certain, and for a horse who has only won one chase, we always felt he was a little bit high. That was a serious run at Chepstow (second in the Welsh National) and that sort of warranted his mark, but now he’s been given a bit of a chance.

“He’s a beautiful jumper of a fence at home and when he is on song. I think he will take to the fences well and if he gives us an answer to the question, then we will give him a proper Grand National campaign.”

Harry Cobden will ride instead of stable jockey Brendan Powell, who heads to Sandown instead, with Cobden having already taken the ride on the horse twice in his earlier career.

Tizzard said: “Harry won two Tophams for us and has actually ridden The Big Breakaway at Cheltenham in his novice days and has schooled him plenty of times, so it’s all worked out perfectly for me because I was worried I was going to have a headache and then got the phone call that Harry could ride all ours up there.”

Dan Skelton’s Ashtown Lad is the reigning champion in the race, having won by two and a quarter lengths from Gesskille in the contest last season.

He was pulled up in the Badger Beer when returning to action this season but has been well-fancied in the ante-post markets to return to form and retain his title.

Laura Morgan’s Percussion, second in the Grand Sefton over these unique obstacles, is another leading contender, alongside Philip Hobbs and Johnson White’s Celebre D’Allen and Fergal O’Brien’s Highland Hunter.

There will be a 7.30am inspection at Sandown on Saturday morning ahead of day two of the Betfair Tingle Creek Festival.

The going on the opening day of the meeting was described as soft, with good to soft places on the chase course and heavy, soft in places on the hurdles track, but there is significant rain forecast through the night and into the morning on Saturday.

Tomorrow’s card includes the Tingle Creek itself, along with the Henry VIII Novices’ Chase and the relocated Fighting Fifth Hurdle – all Grade One events.

Andrew Cooper, clerk of the course, said: “We have just been waiting for the latest weather outlook for tomorrow which does confirm that it looks like we are going to have a spell of potentially heavy rain from 4am until 9am.

“Most forecasts are giving around 10 millimetres in that time period, with some forecasts suggesting we could get either side of that.

“We have changed the hurdles course before the first race today to heavy, soft in places, while the chase course has been left as soft, good to soft in places.

“We are racing today on extremely soft ground and with the potential of a good volume of rain in the early hours, I think it is sensible to take stock and see what happens tomorrow morning.

“It can be hard to be too dogmatic as to what the tipping point is, as sometimes you are surprised how much rain the course will take and sometimes you are disappointed how little the course will take.

“My gut feeling is that we will be okay. It is a marvellous day of racing and we will do everything we can to race.”

Anticipated heavy rain has also prompted Chepstow to call a 7.30am precautionary check ahead of Saturday’s card, which features the Coral Welsh Grand National Trial.

The meeting at Wetherby has already been abandoned due to a waterlogged course.

Huntingdon passed a second inspection on Friday morning ahead of Sunday’s Peterborough Chase card.

Officials initially inspected on Thursday afternoon after the track was waterlogged earlier in the week, but conditions had improved with another check called ahead of declarations.

The track was found to be raceable, with the going reported as soft, heavy in places with further rain possible ahead of the fixture.

Kelso is due to stage Sunday’s other jumps action, with the Scottish Borders National the highlight, but the course will have to pass a 4.30pm precautionary inspection on Saturday due to forecast rain.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he is an “active legal exchange with the FIA” after the governing body launched an investigation into claims of an alleged conflict of interest with his wife, Susie.

The FIA has since dropped the controversial probe, which arose after a report in Business F1 magazine claimed that other team principals were concerned Wolff was benefiting from information shared by his wife, who is the managing director of the F1 Academy.

A day after the FIA announced its compliance inquiry, the sport’s other nine teams said they had not complained about the relationship between the Wolffs and, on Thursday night, the FIA said there is “no ongoing investigation”.

But on Friday the saga took another twist, when Wolff, who has overseen six of Lewis Hamilton’s record-equalling seven world championships, said Mercedes are considering legal action.

“We understand that there is significant media interest in the events of this week,” said the Austrian, 51.

“We are currently in active legal exchange with the FIA. We await full transparency about what took place and why, and have expressly reserved all legal rights.

“Therefore we ask you for your understanding that we will not be commenting officially for now, but we will certainly address the matter in due course.”

Forty-eight hours after the FIA said its compliance department was “looking into” the allegations, the federation said on Thursday that it “can confirm that there is no ongoing investigation in terms of ethical or disciplinary inquiries involving any individual”.

But Susie – who had already vehemently denied the allegations – calling them “intimidatory and misogynistic” – took another swipe at the FIA shortly before her husband’s statement.

Susie, who, in her role as boss of the all-female series, reports to F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, said: “When I saw the statement issued by the FIA yesterday evening, my first reaction was: ‘Is that it?’

“For two days, insinuations have been made about my integrity in public and through background briefings, but nobody from the FIA has spoken to me directly.

“I might have been collateral damage in an unsuccessful attack on somebody else, or the target of a failed attempt to discredit me personally, but I have worked too hard to have my reputation called into question by an unfounded press release.

“We have come a long way as a sport. I was extremely thankful for the unified support of the Formula 1 teams. I have worked with so many passionate women and men at F1 and the FIA, who have the very best interests of our sport at heart.

“However, this episode has so far taken place without transparency or accountability. I have received online abuse about my work and my family. I will not allow myself to be intimidated and intend to follow up until I have found out who has instigated this campaign and misled the media.

“What happened this week is simply not good enough. As a sport, we must demand, and we deserve, better.”

Mercedes driver Hamilton is due to face the media later on Friday at the FIA’s prize-giving gala in Baku.

LeBron James quipped he was not too old to put his body on the line for the $500,000 per player cash prize that goes to the NBA's in-season tournament winners.

James' comment came after he played a starring role in the Los Angeles Lakers' 133-89 demolition of the New Orleans Pelicans in Thursday's semi-final.

Just over three weeks away from his 39th birthday, James finished with 30 points, eight assists and five rebounds at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

He also got in the way of a Zion Williamson charge in the first quarter. Asked if he was too old to be risking a serious injury, James smiled: "Listen man, not for that 500, I ain't."

Each player on the winning side of the inaugural final, in which the Lakers will take on the Indiana Pacers, will receive a $500,000 bonus.

James was weighing up retirement after last season, but is thrilled to still be on the court.

"If you decide to retire, or whatever the case may be, you're not a part of it anymore, so it wouldn't be me leaving it on the table because I would have never had the table set," James told ESPN.

"But I'm happy that I'm here; this is a pretty cool moment, and let's see if we can capitalise on it. It's been good. It's been dope.

"We've got to finish our breakfast on Saturday. That's the most important thing."

Lakers coach Darvin Ham, meanwhile, believes the NBA's in-season tournament has injected fresh life into the early stages of the season.

"This time of the year you tend to, you don't want to admit it, but teams tend to sleepwalk through some of these games," Ham said.

"So for the league to infuse this tournament at this point and time of the year, I thought it was brilliant.

"Now being here in Vegas, it's definitely a really thick electricity that's happening that's reverberating all the way through the arena, through the teams. Everybody is excited to try to give it their best shot.

"We are just trying to build a rhythm and be the best team we can be and put our best foot forward on a daily basis. The tournament just happens to align with what we got going on in general."

It was another tough game for Pelicans talisman Williamson, who finished with only 13 points.

"I got to be better," Williamson said. "I got to be more aggressive in finding my shot. I got to do more things to get my team going. I think I was too laid back tonight."

Giannis Antetokounmpo insists the players must shoulder the blame after the Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the in-season tournament semi-finals.

The Pacers won 128-119 in Las Vegas to take their place in the final of the inaugural competition. Indiana will face the Los Angeles Lakers in that show-piece game.

Milwaukee were the favourites heading into Thursday's matchup, but Antetokounmpo criticised the team's lack of organisation.

However, he was adamant the players, not the coaches, must take responsibility.

"The talent level we have is incredible," said Antetokounmpo, who finished with a double-double of 37 points and 10 rebounds. "But we have to be more organised.

"I feel like sometimes we're not organised at all. We don't know what we try to get from our offense, or sometimes defensively we're not sprinting back.

"We don't shoot a lot of early 3s. At the end of the day, you have to protect the ball. You have to know where the ball is. We had a lot of situations today that they got a lot of dunks, open 3s, early 3s. We have to be better.

"Nobody is going to give you anything. Like sometimes I feel like we expect just because we have great players out there, that Tyrese Haliburton or Myles Turner or Aaron Nesmith, somebody is not just going to give us the game.

"We have to be better. We have to go out there and take it. You know at the end of the day, I think we are great players, but if we don't go out there and compete, they are not going to respect us. They played their best against us.

"The players play the game. We play the game, you know? Coaches can say whatever they want to say and put us in the position to be successful, and you hope that they do that for you. But you've got to make the plays.

"It's not the coaches' fault you don't sprint back. If you're not able to execute down the stretch and you turn the ball over and you throw it to your opponent's hands, it's not the coaches' fault. You just have to take that."

Bucks coach Adrian Griffin, though, said the onus is on him.

"I've got to do a better job of getting them into some certain sets down," he said. "But we put ourselves in a position [to win].

"The first half was rocky. We made some good adjustments, but we've got to close out in the fourth quarter, which we've done very well. We just couldn't pull it off tonight."

Rory McIlroy believes the rules on Ryder Cup eligibility will have to be rewritten in the wake of Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf.

McIlroy stated on numerous occasions that he did not think LIV players should be available for selection for this year’s Ryder Cup in Rome, where he and Rahm played starring roles in helping Europe to a convincing victory.

However, the world number two believes the deal between the DP World Tour, PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has “legitimised” LIV and wants Rahm on Luke Donald’s side when they attempt to retain the trophy at Bethpage Black in 2025.

“Jon is going to be in Bethpage in 2025 so, because of this decision, the European Tour (DP World Tour) are going to have to rewrite the rules for the Ryder Cup eligibility, absolutely,” McIlroy told Sky Sports News.

“There’s no question about that – I certainly want Jon Rahm on the next Ryder Cup team.

“I’m going to miss competing against him week in and week out. He’s got so much talent, he’s so tenacious, he’s a great team-mate in the Ryder Cup.

“Is it disappointing to me? Yes. But the landscape of golf changed on June 6, when the framework agreement was announced and I think because of that it made the jump from the PGA Tour to  LIV a little easier for guys.

“They let the first guys really take the heat and then this framework agreement legitimised basically what LIV was trying to do, then I think it’s made it easier now if that’s really what you want to do.”

As things stand, Rahm will be eligible for the Ryder Cup as long as he remains a DP World Tour member, which requires him to play in four regular tournaments per season.

He will also earn points towards qualification through major championships, but faces fines and suspensions for playing in LIV tournaments without the required “conflicting event” releases from the DP World Tour.

In April this year, an arbitration panel ruled that the Tour had the right to sanction players for such “serious breaches” of its code of behaviour, a case sparked by 12 players appealing against fines of £100,000 and suspension from the Scottish Open for playing LIV’s inaugural event in June 2022.

It is understood that fines and suspensions are assessed on a case-by-case basis, with former LIV player Bernd Wiesberger currently serving a ban after paying all of his fines in order to regain his DP World Tour membership for the new season.

Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood resigned their memberships in the wake of the arbitration panel’s decision, while Henrik Stenson was sacked as Ryder Cup captain after joining the Saudi-funded breakaway.

The Las Vegas Raiders made the right decision when they fired head coach Josh McDaniels last month and have got their "swagger" back under interim coach Antonio Pierce.

That is the view of three-time Super Bowl-winning safety Duron Harmon, who hopes Pierce gets a shot at leading the team on a full-time basis next season.

The Raiders parted company with coach McDaniels and general manager David Ziegler in early November, having made a 3-5 start to McDaniels' second season with the franchise.

Pierce has overseen something of an upturn since taking the reins, with the Raiders overcoming the New York Giants – with whom Pierce won Super Bowl XLII during his playing career – and the New York Jets before losing difficult games against the Miami Dolphins and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Harmon, who was with the Raiders last year, believes the team are already seeing their decision pay off, telling Stats Perform: "I think [the owner] Mark Davis did the best thing. 

"I have a lot of respect for Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. They allowed me to go out there and play and I enjoyed my time there. But you could just tell the team wasn't responding to the coach. 

"So they did the right thing by letting him go and hiring somebody on an interim basis, like Antonio Pierce, another man who's a great leader, a leader of men who could just kind of get the juices going back throughout the locker room.

"I think they've done that. They played the Dolphins tough. They beat the Jets, they beat the Giants, I believe. 

"Then they ran into the Chiefs [last week], which is a tough test for everybody. Amik [Robertson] and Devante [Adams] came out and said that basically, they beat themselves. When you watch the tape, you could probably agree with them. 

"The idea that they have this type of confidence now, it shows that they have a head coach that is giving them that swagger that they need."

The 5-7 Raiders are outside the playoff picture in the AFC with five games to play, but Harmon does not think the prospect of a postseason run is completely unrealistic. 

"Hopefully, they can maybe get on a little run and maybe sneak into playoffs," he added.

"I have a lot of great relationships over there, and I still talk to a lot of guys over there and they can't talk highly enough about the energy shift that has been since Antonio has taken over. 

"So, I wish those guys the best of luck. I think if all goes well, hopefully, they give AP a good hard look to make him not only the interim but the head coach for the future."

Cleveland Browns safety Duron Harmon says the team cannot dwell on injuries to key players Nick Chubb and Deshaun Watson, saying they must find a way to "win at all costs".

The Browns have lost several key players this season, starting with star running back Chubb as he suffered a gruesome knee injury in Week 2, which has required two separate surgeries. 

That injury put even greater responsibility on quarterback Watson, but he was forced to undergo season-ending surgery after sustaining a fracture in his throwing shoulder last month.

Despite their absences, the Browns approach their Week 14 matchup with the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 7-5 record and are one of three teams from the AFC North currently in a playoff position.

Speaking exclusively to Stats Perform, Harmon – who signed to Cleveland's practice squad in November – said they cannot afford to dwell on those injuries, remaining bullish about their Super Bowl hopes.

Asked what the Browns' mentality would be for the rest of the season, Harmon said: "Find a way to win. it's not about making excuses. 

"It's not about talking about who could be there, who's not going to be there, who might be there. It's about just finding a way to win. 

"We're at the point of the season where everybody has, or is dealing with, some type of injuries on their team.

"The teams who just find a way are the teams that are going to be there in the end competing for that Lombardi. So we've just got to find a way to win at all costs."

The Browns had another injury scare last week as defensive end Myles Garrett was seen with his arm in a sling following the team's 29-12 loss to the Denver Broncos, though he was able to suit up for their road game against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 13 – a 36-19 defeat.

Harmon believes Garrett, who ranks fifth in the NFL for sacks this year with 13, is the standout athlete in the league.

Asked what makes the star edge rusher special, Harmon said: "I think just his motor, his get-off, his athletic ability. Myles Garrett is truly one-of-one. 

"I was talking to a team-mate yesterday and I was like, 'Myles Garrett might be the best athlete in the NFL'. 

"Just as a pure athlete, and he looked at me and said, 'There's no might about it, he is'. Just watching how he practices, watching how he goes about his day, how he treats his profession, how he works on his craft daily. It's no surprise he is where he is. 

"It's no surprise he's going to continue to get better and terrorise quarterbacks. He takes the right approach every day. The success coming his way is because he works for it and he's earned it."

Huntingdon passed a second inspection on Friday morning ahead of Sunday’s Peterborough Chase card.

Officials initially inspected on Thursday afternoon after the track was waterlogged earlier in the week, but conditions had improved with another check called ahead of declarations.

The track was found to be raceable, with the going reported as soft, heavy in places with further rain possible ahead of the fixture.

Kelso is due to stage Sunday’s other jumps action with the Scottish Borders National the highlight but the course will have to pass a 4.30pm precautionary inspection on Saturday due to forecast rain.

Anticipated heavy rain has also prompted Chepstow to call a 7.30am precautionary check ahead of Saturday’s card which features the Coral Welsh Grand National Trial.

Rob Cross believes he is playing the best darts since his 2018 title as he targets another World Championship crown.

Cross announced himself in style five years ago as he stunned Phil Taylor in the final to become world champion in his maiden outing at Alexandra Palace.

He has not been able to reach the same heights since, as he suffered a self-diagnosed “low period”, but he is looking back to his best in 2023, getting to two major finals.

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Although the silverware has eluded him, he thinks he is in the best shape he has ever been to claim a second title.

“It is the pinnacle of the game, when you win it you realise that,” Cross told the PA news agency.

“For me to win it again, I couldn’t put it into words. It’s that big. After winning it before, to lift it again would just mean everything really. This is the tournament when people look back and say how many World Championships did this guy win. It would mean everything for me.

“I would always like to win more, we are all pretty greedy and want to win. You can’t win them all.

“I’ve probably had a low period for 18 months and two years, so I could have done better there. But the way I have played this year, my performances seem to be getting better and I am in a better place than I was a couple of years ago.

“I am enjoying the game more and looking forward to it. This year for consistency I suppose and what I have achieved, I have played some really good darts.

“Performances are better, I believe I have played the best I have played since winning the worlds, since 2018 this is the most consistent.”

The 33-year-old Englishman would have had a major title to show for his form this year had he not run into an unstoppable Luke Humphries at the Grand Slam of Darts last month.

Humphries, 28, has also won the World Grand Prix and the Players Championship and will head to Alexandra Palace as the favourite.

Cross said: “I think he is favourite overall. Luke is very wise and is definitely up there with the best in the world.

“He will take everything in his stride, he is a great guy. He is calm and collected, I can’t see him going in there and panicking. He is playing too well. Whoever is going to beat him will have to play well.”

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This year’s tournament will see sponsors Paddy Power donate £1,000 to Prostate Cancer UK every time a 180 is thrown, and with over 900 thrown last year, Cross reckons 1,000 will be reachable.

“For me this campaign is just thrilling for everyone and the support you can give for such a good charity,” he added.

“We will try and hit as many 180s as we can, we always do. It usually goes up every year so it will be exciting if we can get up to 1,000, which would be a £1million.

“In this case I don’t think there is the awareness of it, one in eight men will suffer from prostate cancer. It will be great to get that reach out, it is a great cause.”

Masters champion Jon Rahm has joined LIV Golf in a massive coup for the Saudi-funded breakaway.

The 29-year-old becomes the second current major champion on the LIV circuit after US PGA champion Brooks Koepka.

In a conference call on Thursday, Rahm looked to explain the reasons behind a decision which is set to again cause controversy within the sport.

“Every decision I feel like we make in life there will be somebody who agrees and likes it and somebody who doesn’t, right,” Rahm said.

“I made this decision because I believe it’s the best for me and my family and everybody I’ve been able to talk to has been really supportive of me, so I’m very comfortable with my decision.

“I’m no stranger to hearing some negative things on social media or in media. It’s part of what it is, we’re public figures but you just learn to deal with it right? This certainly won’t define who I am or change who I am.”

Following confirmation of his switch to LIV, Rahm added in an official press release statement: “I am proud to join LIV Golf and be part of something new that is bringing growth to the sport.

“I have no doubt that this is a great opportunity for me and my family and am very excited for the future.”

Rahm played a leading role in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory in Rome this year – but joining LIV places his future in the contest in serious jeopardy as he needs to remain a DP World Tour member to be eligible.

Former LIV player Bernd Wiesberger recently rejoined the DP World Tour, but only after paying hefty fines and serving a lengthy suspension.

On his Ryder Cup future, Rahm said in the conference call: “My position with the Ryder Cup stands as it’s always been. I love the Ryder Cup.

“I’ve explained many times how meaningful it is to me and I surely hope I can be in future editions of the Ryder Cup.

“That’s not up to me right now, but if it was up to me, I’ll be eligible to play so I surely hope I can keep up the good golf, keep playing good golf and give them a reason to have me on the team.”

“It’s a big risk to take, but I’ve had it in consideration and again, I’m hopeful that I can be part of the team again.”

Rahm expressed his “fealty” to the PGA Tour in February 2022 and, in September that year, rubbished rumours that he would jump ship in reply to a post on Twitter which claimed he was about to sign for LIV.

The Spaniard had gone on record to state “my heart is with the PGA Tour”, but later admitted players felt a sense of “betrayal” at the secret deal which was negotiated between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV Golf.

Speaking ahead of the 2022 US Open at Brookline, the week after LIV had staged its first event, Rahm also said the 54-hole format held no appeal and hinted that he had turned down an offer of 400million US dollars (£315m) to switch circuits.

However, after signing on with LIV, the Spaniard said: “Obviously the past two years there’s been a lot of evolving on the game of golf, things have changed a lot and so have I.

“Seeing the growth of LIV Golf, seeing the evolution of LIV Golf and innovation is something that has really captured my attention.

“I think the growth that I’ve seen and how it’s become a global business, right, and how we can impact golf globally, and in a much meaningful way, is something that’s been very enticing.

“For all those things that I like about this movement, there’s always going to be some things that are not perfect, but that’s the situation in everybody’s life.

“With that said, it’s an ever-growing and ever-changing machine, right. So I’m hopeful that the leaders of LIV Golf might listen to some of my advice and maybe see some changes in the future for the better of the game.”

The New England Patriots ended a five-game losing streak with a 21-18 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

A week after failing to reach the end zone against the Los Angeles Chargers, New England’s offence finally found some form behind quarterback Bailey Zappe.

He threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, while Pittsburgh’s Mitch Trubisky was held to just one passing touchdown and 190 yards in the air.

The Steelers were under pressure almost immediately when Zappe found Ezekiel Elliott in the end zone within the first minute.

Pittsburgh were able to steady the ship slightly through kicker Chris Boswell’s 56-yard field goal, but back-to-back Hunter Henry touchdowns to open up the second quarter saw New England stretch their lead to 18.

Trubisky was eventually able to reduce that deficit to 11 before the end of the first half, but it took until the fourth quarter for the scoreboard to tick over again.

A one-yard run from Trubisky at the start of the quarter kept the game alive for Pittsburgh, but the New England defence was ultimately able to hold on for the Patriots to pick up just their third win of the year.