The Boston Celtics are not dead and buried despite going 2-0 down to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals on Friday, insists star forward Jayson Tatum.
Four-time All-Star Tatum posted team-high figures of 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists as the Celtics started Game 2 strongly at TD Garden, but it was not enough.
Jimmy Butler's 27 points helped the Heat rally to claim a 111-105 victory, with a game-ending 24-9 run from the visitors leaving the Celtics facing an uphill task to seal consecutive NBA Finals appearances.
Boston now approach back-to-back road games requiring a win to keep the series alive, but Tatum retains confidence in their ability to turn things around.
"It's tough. It's a challenge," Tatum said after Friday's loss. "They came in and won two games. They played well, you have to give them credit.
"But we're not dead or anything. We've got a great opportunity.
"I still have the utmost confidence. Everybody has the utmost confidence. We've just got to get ready for Game 3."
Grant Williams attracted criticism for his part in the Heat's fightback, after Butler said a heated fourth-quarter exchange with the Celtics forward provided him with additional motivation late on.
Addressing the incident, Williams said: "I think he said something and I just responded. I'm a competitor and I'm going to battle.
"He got the best of me tonight, and at the end of the day it's out of respect, because I'm not going to run away from it.
"You either come back before you die or you come back and get a win, and I'm not willing to die in this finals. I'm ready to get a win.
"I'm ready to come back and come into Game 3 with a better mentality, and I know this team is as well.
"We have a real, real decision to make, are we going to come back and really set the tone for the rest of this year and really make a statement?
"Or are we going to come out and lay down? I don't think this team is built for laying down."
Miami's Kaseya Center will play host to Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Tuesday respectively, with the Heat needing just two further wins to avenge last year's 4-3 Conference Finals defeat to Boston.
Tahiyra is “more likely than not” to take her chance in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas on Sunday week, trainer Dermot Weld has confirmed.
The daughter of Siyouni won each of her two starts as a juvenile last season, supplementing a debut victory at the Galway Festival with a Group One success in the Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Weld left it late before eventually committing to a run in the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket earlier this month and after being sent off a hot favourite, she was narrowly beaten by Saeed bin Suroor’s Mawj, with the pair drawing a long way clear of the chasing pack.
With connections responsible for a second contender for the Irish Guineas in recent Group Three runner-up Tarawa, Weld was initially hesitant to commit Tahiyra to the Curragh Classic – but speaking at Leopardstown on Friday evening, he revealed he is leaning towards running the Rowley Mile runner-up.
“We’ll make a decision next week, the same with Tarawa as well. It’s more likely than not, at this stage, that Tahiyra will run in the Irish 1,000 Guineas,” said the Rosewell House handler.
“The final decision will be made the middle of next week.”
Reflecting on Newmarket Tahiyra’s Newmarket performance, he added: “She ran a super race, they are two very good fillies who drew seven and a half lengths clear of the rest.
“She was carried a little bit across the track as well but full marks to the winner, she’s a very good filly. On the day she had the fitness and on the day she was slightly the better of the two fillies.”
Jimmy Butler said his bust-up with Grant Williams lit the fire within after leading the Miami Heat to a terrific comeback win over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Boasting a 96-87 lead midway through the fourth quarter at TD Garden on Friday, the Celtics looked set to level the series at 1-1, only for Butler to lead his team to a huge 111-105 victory.
Butler scored nine of his team-high 27 points after he went head-to-head with Williams in a heated exchange in the fourth quarter, with the Heat closing the game with a 24-9 run.
Asked whether that incident helped to instigate his strong finish to the game, Butler said: "Yes, it did.
"But that's just competition at its finest. He hit a big shot, started talking to me. I like that. I'm all for that.
"It makes me key in a lot more, it pushes that will that I have to win a lot more. It makes me smile. It does.
"When people talk to me, I'm like, 'okay, I know I'm a decent player if you want to talk to me, out of everybody that you can talk to'. It's just competition.
"I do respect him, though. He's a big part of what they try to do. He switches, he can shoot the ball. I just don't know if I'm the best person to talk to."
Heat guard Caleb Martin concurred, suggesting Williams picked the wrong man to provoke.
"I knew it was going to be good for us," Martin said. "Knowing Jimmy, at that point in the game, if you get him going… we'll take mad Jimmy any time!
"You could kind of see it in his eyes that he was ready to go after that."
With Miami set to assume home advantage for Game 3 on Sunday, head coach Erik Spoelstra said the Heat's ability to find new ways to win has been a key feature of their postseason run.
"It feels like this has just been our existence all year long," Spoelstra said. "I guess nobody is really paying attention.
"But every single game… it felt like for weeks on end, every game was ending on the last-second shot, whether we're shooting it or the other team is shooting it.
"You develop some grit from that. Whether that turns into confidence or not, sometimes you don't have the confidence, but at least you have that experience of going through stuff and you understand how tough it is."
Brett Howden banked the puck off a scrambling Jake Oettinger from behind the net 1:35 into overtime to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 4-3 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.
William Karlsson scored his sixth and seventh postseason goals for Vegas, while Teddy Blueger netted his first playoff goal since August 5, 2020.
Roope Hintz and Jason Robertson each had a goal and an assist for the Stars and Jamie Benn's goal with 1:59 remaining in regulation forced the extra period.
Hintz upped his playoff totals to 10 goals and 12 assists in 14 contests and Robertson's goal ended an eight-game stretch without one.
Adin Hill made 33 saves to improve to 4-1 this postseason and Oettinger dropped to 8-6 after turning aside 33 of 37 shots.
Game 2 will take place on Sunday in Las Vegas.
The Miami Heat faced a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter but as long as Jimmy Butler is around, there does not seem to be a cause for concern.
Butler scored nine of his 27 points in the fourth quarter and the Heat rallied for the second consecutive game for a 111-105 road win over the Boston Celtics in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Caleb Martin came off the bench to score 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting and Bam Adebayo added 22 points, 17 rebounds and nine assists to help the eighth-seeded Heat take a 2-0 lead back to South Beach for Game 3 on Sunday.
Jayson Tatum had 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists but the Boston star went 0 for 3 with two turnovers in the fourth quarter.
Jaylen Brown scored 16 points on 7-for-23 shooting and was 1 for 5 with a turnover in the final quarter, when the Heat outscored the Celtics 36-22.
Miami fell behind by as many as 12 points in the fourth quarter and trailed 96-87 with 6:41 remaining.
Butler, however, ignited a game-ending 24-9 run with five straight points before Grant Williams made a jumper to put Boston up 98-92.
Adebayo then sank two from the line and assisted on Duncan Robinson's layup, making it a two-point game.
Grant Williams dunked with 3:56 to play but that would be the Celtics' final field goal of the game. Adebayo made another two from the line and Butler hit a 17-foot jumper and a short fadeaway 26 seconds apart to give Miami the lead for the first time since midway through the third quarter.
After Max Strus made one of two free throws, Adebayo scored on a putback dunk to make it 105-100 with less than a minute left.
Tatum converted three free throws to close the gap, yet Gabe Vincent and Strus took matters away from the Celtics in the closing seconds.
Rory McIlroy pledged to take an aggressive approach after surprisingly finding himself in contention for a third US PGA title at Oak Hill.
Despite continuing to struggle off the tee, McIlroy carded a second round of 69 for a halfway total of level par to lie just five off the lead shared by Scottie Scheffler, Corey Conners and Viktor Hovland.
First round leader Bryson DeChambeau and fellow American Justin Suh were two shots off the lead, with England’s Callum Tarren – who only secured a place in the field on Friday – another stroke back after a superb 67.
Masters runner-up Brooks Koepka was alongside Tarren on two under thanks to a 66 which included four birdies in the last seven holes.
Justin Rose hit just two fairways but somehow conjured up a second round of 70 to lie one under, with McIlroy and former Open champion Shane Lowry on level par.
“I think with how terribly I’ve felt over the ball, the fact I am only five back… I’m not saying it could be up there with one of my best performances but when I holed that (birdie) putt on the last I thought I can’t believe I’m only five back.
“If I can get the ball in play off the tee I’ll have a shot and at this point I might just tee it high and bomb it everywhere. I may as well just swing it hard and go for it.”
Quote of the day
“I feel like I’ve got the game this week to compete, to tell you the truth”
Club professional Michael Block was not content simply to make the cut after two rounds of 70 left him five off the lead.
Shot of the day
Rory McIlroy was two over par for the day and perhaps starting to worry about making the cut when he holed from 45 feet for birdie on the ninth.
Round of the day
Brooks Koepka birdied five holes on the back nine, including the difficult 17th and 18th, to card a superb 66.
Statistic of the day
Rory McIlroy may not have won a major since 2014, but he continues to pile up some impressive numbers.
Easiest hole
The reachable par-four 14th played to an average of 3.878, with 41 players making birdie.
Hardest hole
The 503-yard sixth hole was comfortably the hardest, with just three players making birdie, 24 making a double bogey and three faring even worse to lead to an average of 4.750
Weather forecast
An approaching low-pressure system and associated cold front will bring a band of rain to the area early on Saturday morning through the early afternoon before tapering off for the rest of the afternoon. Drier conditions return by Saturday evening with partly cloudy skies and mild temperatures expected for Sunday.
Key tee times (all BST)
1840 Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry
1910 Justin Rose, Michael Block
1920 Callum Tarren, Taylor Pendrith
1930 Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau
1950 Scottie Scheffler, Corey Conners
Rory McIlroy admitted he was tempted to throw caution to the wind after surprisingly finding himself in contention for a third US PGA title at Oak Hill.
Despite continuing to struggle off the tee, McIlroy carded a second round of 69 for a halfway total of level par to lie just five off the lead shared by Scottie Scheffler, Corey Conners and Viktor Hovland.
First round leader Bryson DeChambeau and fellow American Justin Suh were two shots off the lead, with England’s Callum Tarren – who only secured a place in the field on Friday after former champion Martin Kaymer withdrew – another stroke back after a superb 67.
Masters runner-up Brooks Koepka was alongside Tarren on two under thanks to a 66 which included four birdies in the last seven holes.
Justin Rose hit just two fairways but somehow conjured up a second round of 70 to lie one under, with McIlroy and former Open champion Shane Lowry on level par.
Lowry had stormed into contention with six birdies in the space of eight holes before dropping shots on the 17th and 18th in his 67.
McIlroy was among the later starters who took advantage of unexpectedly calm conditions and a course softened by several rain showers to cover his last 10 holes in three under par.
“I need to be patient the way I’m hitting it off the tee,” McIlroy said. “I stayed really patient and I think it was rewarded with a couple of breaks and birdies towards the end.
“I think with how terribly I’ve felt over the ball, the fact I am only five back… I’m not saying it could be up there with one of my best performances but when I holed that (birdie) putt on the last I thought I can’t believe I’m only five back.
“If I can get the ball in play off the tee I’ll have a shot and at this point I might just tee it high and bomb it everywhere. I may as well just swing it hard and go for it.”
World number one Jon Rahm shot 68 to make the halfway cut on four over par, but playing partner and US Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick bogeyed the last two holes to miss out by a shot.
Club professional Michael Block had earlier insisted he could contend for an extraordinary victory after a second consecutive 70 saw him on the same score as McIlroy and Lowry.
Block, who is one of 20 PGA professionals in the field in Rochester and the head pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in California, made the cut for the first time in seven majors, but was setting his sights considerably higher.
“I am having a great time,” Block, 46, said after a round containing four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on the fifth, which was the result of a dreaded shank off the tee.
“I have no pressure, I have a job and a pay cheque waiting for me at my club. I don’t have to make putts to pay for my mortgage. This is a beautiful thing I have here.
“I feel like I’ve got the game this week to compete, to tell you the truth. I feel like I could shoot even par out here every day. I feel at the end of the four days that might be a pretty good result.”
Block has the words “Why not?” stamped on the balls he uses as a reminder not to doubt his abilities when the pressure is on, something which stems from holing a putt to qualify for the 2007 US Open.
And asked what the ultimate “why not?” would be, he added: “To win, by far. As weird as it sounds, I’m going to compete. I promise you that.”
Anhelina Kalinina is into the first WTA 1000 final of her career but the Ukrainian refused to shake the hand of Russian opponent Veronika Kudermetova after a hard-fought match at the Italian Open.
Kalinina held her nerve after being taken to a decider to record a 7-5 5-7 6-2 victory in two hours and 51 minutes over the 11th seed and will next face Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina in the showpiece.
The 30th seed snubbed Kudermetova at the net in the latest example of a Ukrainian tennis player shunning post-match tradition towards a Russian because of the ongoing conflict between the countries.
“We didn’t shake hands because the girl is from Russia basically,” Kalinina said. “It’s no secret why I didn’t shake, because this country actually attacks Ukraine.
“This is sport, I understand, but it’s also kind of politician thing. It is nothing personal. But in general, yes, it’s not acceptable.”
Wimbledon champion Rybakina beat Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko 6-2 6-4 in a rain-interrupted match, battling back from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to win five games on the spin.
“I’m happy to win,” Rybakina said. “It was a really tough day overall with all the rain delays. I came without any expectation because I knew the other years were really tough for me playing here.
“I’m just happy that I got so many matches now before the French Open.”
Captain Kyle Steyn admitted Glasgow Warriors will take some time to recover from the disappointment of failure on two fronts after they were beaten 43-19 to Toulon in the final of the EPCR Challenge Cup at the Aviva Stadium.
The defeat in Dublin came on the back of bowing out of the BKT United Rugby Championship in the quarter-finals after they slipped up against Munster at their Scotstoun fortress.
Tom Jordan’s sending off proved costly as the Warriors surrendered a 17-match unbeaten run at home when the Irish province prevailed 14-5 earlier this month.
And in Dublin, Steyn scored two tries and Sebastian Cancelliere also crossed but the game was essentially lost in the first half when the Warriors went into the interval 21-0 in arrears.
Toulon scored three tries in each half and were always in control to win the Challenge Cup for the first time.
“It’s disappointing and a pretty tough one to process,” Steyn said.
“We weren’t where we needed to be in the first 20 minutes, but credit to Toulon – we were too soft.
“To come this far, and progress the way we have, and then to come unstuck in two play-off games will take some time to get over.
“We had enough belief that we could get this done. I thought there were lessons we could have learned against Munster that would have put us in a position to win this, but we didn’t react enough to them.
“I’m proud of the way the boys kept on fighting. We created chances, but in play-off rugby you have to take your chances.
“At the start of the season we said we wanted to play rugby in a way that inspired people to follow us and support us and with the number of people following us in Dublin it felt as though we had done that to some degree.”
Toulon’s victory earned them a ticket into next season’s Heineken Champions Cup – a competition they won three years in a row between 2013-2015.
Toulon director of rugby Franck Azema said: “We learned a lot last year when we lost in the Challenge Cup final for a fourth time. This must now be the start of something and the next job is to build on it.
“We were consistent and efficient and we scored quickly. We never switched off and it was nice to finish with that final try in the last few minutes.”
The game was the last in European competition for the 39-year-old Italian number eight Sergio Parisse, who scored Toulon’s second try.
“I knew I was going into one of my last games, but I tried to treat it as just another game. I really enjoyed it,” said Parisse.
“We tried to dominate physically, played well and dominated from the first minute. We showed from the start that we wanted to take control.
“I’m just happy to be playing with this group and to be finishing my career at Toulon. It was a long day, but I enjoyed every minute of it.”
Three second-half tries from Glasgow Warriors were not enough to stop Toulon making it fifth time lucky with a 43-19 victory in the EPCR Challenge Cup final at the Aviva Stadium.
After four final defeats, the French side hit Glasgow for six with three tries in each half as they eased to victory to give retiring Italian number eight Sergio Parisse a title-winning send off.
Toulon were quickly into their stride and looked confident from the off as they chased their first Challenge Cup title at the venue where they won their first Heineken Champions Cup crown in 2013.
They lost Wales fly-half Dan Biggar with a head injury after only four minutes, then saw Australian centre Duncan Paia’Aua go off for another HIA in the 32nd minute.
They also lost influential scrum-half Baptiste Serin in the final move of the opening 40 minutes with a left knee injury that required a third change to their starting back division.
There was a fourth alteration at the start o the second half when Mathieu Bastareaud came on to replace wing Gabin Villiers, who also failed an HIA.
By then, though, Serin has sparked his side into life with two tries as they sped into a 21-0 interval lead.
Toulon quickly recovered from the loss of Biggar and two minutes later, with Ihaia West on to replace the Welshman, Serin produced a moment of magic to get the scoreboard moving.
After taking the ball from a ruck on the Glasgow 22 he dabbed the ball through the defensive line, regathered and just managed to touch down despite the efforts of Ollie Smith to turn him on his back over the line.
The scrum half added the extras and then picked out 39-year-old Italian legend Sergio Parisse for a try at the posts after more pressure from the Top 14 outfit after Glasgow had lost a line-out.
Serin added the extras and then picked up the third try after 25 minutes. Glasgow lost another line out on their 10-metre line and Toulon skipper Charles Ollivon drove on.
Fijian centre Waisea Vuidravuwalu carried on strongly and when he was brought down on the line, Serin picked up and dotted down before adding a third conversion.
Glasgow started the second half encouragingly, but their inability to turn pressure into points cost them dearly. It was not until their 11th incursion into the Toulon 22 that they managed to break their duck and that came via a try from skipper Kyle Steyn in the 55th minute from a neat moved down the blindside of a line-out.
Before then replacement scrum-half Benoit Paillaugue had added a penalty to extend the lead to 24 points. George Horne’s angled conversion of Steyn’s score gave Glasgow hope, but two more tries slammed the door shut as far as a comeback was concerned.
The Fijian duo of Jiuta Wainiqolo and Vuidravuwalu scored them and Paillaugue converted the latter to make it 36-7 with 16 minutes to go.
Glasgow earned some respectability with later tries from Sebastian Cancelliere and Steyn, but it was never going to be enough.
West scampered over for the final try with two minutes to go and Paillaugue kicked another conversion to complete the scoring.
Simona Halep has been charged with a second anti-doping violation over “irregularities in her athlete biological passport”.
The former world number one and Wimbledon champion has been provisionally suspended since October last year after testing positive for the blood-boosting drug Roxadustat at the 2022 US Open.
Last month Halep criticised the delay in her case, but the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) said on Friday the Romanian had been charged with a “further and separate breach of the tennis anti-doping programme” after an independent assessment of her athlete biological passport.
Nicole Sapstead, senior director for anti-doping at the ITIA, said in a statement: “We understand this announcement adds complexity to an already high-profile situation.
“From the outset of this process – and indeed any other at the ITIA – we have remained committed to engaging with Ms Halep in an empathetic, efficient, and timely manner.
“We do, of course, appreciate there is a great deal of media interest in these cases.
“It would be inappropriate for us to comment on specifics until the conclusion of the process, but we will continue to engage with the Sport Resolutions independent tribunal and Ms Halep’s representatives as expeditiously as possible.”
Justin Rose admitted his second round of 70 was not quite what it seemed as he remained in contention to double his major tally in the 105th US PGA Championship.
Rose shot level par on Friday to post a halfway total of one under par, despite hitting only two fairways in regulation at a fiendishly difficult Oak Hill.
“Smoke and mirrors I guess,” the former Olympic champion said with a smile when asked how he had pulled it off.
“I had a few fair lies in the rough, to be honest. When I did catch a bad lie I took my medicine and pitched out and tried to avoid the big number. I felt like making a bogey or two around here is no big deal.
“The fact that I made 10 birdies [in two rounds] is remarkable considering how I’ve put the ball in play off the tee.
“Iron play I felt was pretty good and obviously I have made some really nice mid-range putts. There’s definitely been some highlights in the game the last couple of days.
“Lots to look forward to and to have kind of going into the weekend, but kind of nice to know that I can maybe try and tighten a few things up as well.”
Rose won the 2013 US Open at Merion with a total of one over par and is relishing another tough challenge over the weekend.
“I think historically I’ve won typically on harder golf courses than not, so I think it fits my profile from that point of view,” he added.
“This is right up there. This feels a little bit of a hybrid kind of PGA/US Open this week. I’m looking forward to the test, I think.
“I thought four under par would be the winning score before the tournament started. It’s very hard to hit the ball in the fairway right now. The fairways are so firm that that’s what’s kind of making them so hard to hit.”
Jose Altuve will return to the Houston Astros’ lineup for Friday’s game against the Oakland Athletics after the team activated the 2017 American League Most Valuable Player from the injured list.
Altuve has yet to play this season due to a fractured right thumb he sustained while playing for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic on March 19. He underwent surgery on March 22 and was given an eight-week timeline to return.
The eight-time All-Star prepped for his 2023 debut by playing five minor league rehab games over the past week, though he went just 2 for 22 at the plate.
Altuve finished fifth in voting for last season’s AL MVP after finishing with a .300 average, 28 home runs, 103 runs scored and 18 stolen bases in 141 games for the World Series champion Astros.
The 33-year-old’s career .307 batting average ranks third among active players with at least 1,000 plate appearances, trailing only 2022 AL batting champ Luis Arraez and fellow Venezuelan Miguel Cabrera.
Altuve will be counted on to provide a spark to a Houston offense that’s averaging just 4.44 runs per game, 15th in the majors. The Astros currently stand two games behind division-leading Texas in the AL West with a 24-19 record.
Alun Wyn Jones has called time on his illustrious international career after a world-record 170 caps.
With 158 appearances for Wales and 12 for the British and Irish Lions, Jones is 22 clear of any other player in rugby union history.
His influence extends far beyond sheer longevity and here, the PA news agency looks back at his record in the two famous red jerseys.
Wales
Jones made his international debut in 2006 at flanker, soon switching to lock where he quickly established himself as a mainstay of the team.
He won the Six Nations title five times, including three Grand Slams in 2008, 2012 and 2019, in the latter of which he captained the side and was named player of the championship.
His other titles came in 2013 and 2021 and his 66 appearances rank second in Six Nations history to former Italy captain Sergio Parisse, after Jones passed Brian O’Driscoll’s 65 games for Ireland during this season’s tournament.
He reached a century of Wales caps against New Zealand in 2016 and overtook prop Gethin Jenkins’ record of 129 when he appeared against Australia at the 2019 World Cup.
He went on to overhaul former New Zealand skipper Richie McCaw’s 148 record international appearances in October 2020 against France, with his 150th cap coming against Italy in March 2022 and his 158th and last against France this year.
He captained Wales on 48 occasions, one short of predecessor Sam Warburton’s record.
Jones scored nine international tries, the last remarkably coming back in 2016 against New Zealand in Wellington. He received only four yellow cards and no reds in his 158 games.
Jones’ retirement leaves New Zealand lock Sam Whitelock as the most-capped active international with 143 appearances, well clear of Australia’s James Slipper with 127.
British and Irish Lions
Jones first toured with the Lions in 2009, starting one Test against South Africa and featuring as a replacement in the other two.
He was ever-present again in 2013, deputising as captain for the injured Warburton in the series-clinching third Test against Australia, and in 2017 to become the first player in the professional era to play in nine consecutive Lions Tests.
He astonishingly was able to extend that record to 12 in 2021 as he recovered from a dislocated shoulder in the warm-up game against Japan to captain the tourists in all three Tests against the Springboks.
His dozen appearances match prop Graham Price as Wales’ most-capped Lion while only former Ireland lock Willie John McBride (17) and England scrum-half Dickie Jeeps (13) have won more Lions caps overall.
Jones, McBride and former Ireland centres O’Driscoll and Mike Gibson are the only players to have been selected for four or more Lions tours.
Including non-cap tour matches, Jones appeared 24 times for the Lions and scored two tries, both as a replacement against a Royal XV in 2009 and the Barbarians four years later.
Club professional Michael Block insisted he could contend for an extraordinary victory in the US PGA Championship as Oak Hill continued to provide a stiff test for the world’s best players.
Block, who is one of 20 PGA professionals in the field in Rochester and the head pro at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club in California, carded a second consecutive 70 for a halfway total of level par.
And that was just one behind early clubhouse leader and playing partner Taylor Pendrith, the Canadian adding a 69 to his opening 70 for a one-under-par total later matched by England’s Justin Rose.
“I am having a great time,” Block, 46, said after a round containing four birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey on the fifth, which was the result of a dreaded shank off the tee.
“I have no pressure, I have a job and a pay cheque waiting for me at my club. I don’t have to make putts to pay for my mortgage. This is a beautiful thing I have here. I’m a very lucky guy and I’m looking forward to playing on Saturday and Sunday.
“I feel like I’ve got the game this week to compete, to tell you the truth. I’ve made the cut, which is obviously a huge goal.
“I feel like I could shoot even par out here every day. I feel at the end of the four days that that might be a pretty good result.
“I’m extremely comfortable. To be honest, a couple of my friends in Orange County are Beau Hossler and Patrick Cantlay. I’ve played a lot of golf with them now where they’ve become my friends.
“I understand where they’re ranked in the world (131st and fourth respectively). I understand how my game doesn’t quite get up to them, but I’m pretty darn close, and I can compete with them.
“Why not come here and compete? Why not here at Oak Hill, make the cut? I’m not afraid of them any more, to be honest.”
Block even has the words “Why not?” stamped on the balls he uses as a reminder not to doubt his abilities when the pressure is on, something which stems from holing a putt to qualify for the 2007 US Open.
Asked what the ultimate “why not?” would be, he added: “To win, by far. As weird as it sounds, I’m going to compete. I promise you that.”
Block looked set to face some stiff opposition in his bid for an unlikely victory however, world number two Scottie Scheffler starting his second round with birdies on the first and second to move top of the leaderboard on five under.
Scheffler has won twice and finished no worse than 12th this season to trail world number one Jon Rahm by just 0.5 points at the top of the standings.
First-round leader Bryson DeChambeau, who carded an opening 66, was in the penultimate group on Friday, teeing off at 1431 local time.
Rose joined DeChambeau on four under when he covered his first seven holes of round two in three under par, but struggled off the tee and played the remainder in three over.
Rahm was among the players who faced an uphill battle to make the halfway cut.
Seeking back-to-back major titles following his Masters triumph at Augusta National last month, Rahm birdied his opening hole in the first round before slumping to a six-over-par 76.
US Open champion and playing partner Matt Fitzpatrick failed to make a single birdie as he recorded the same score, but Rory McIlroy had fought back from three over par after nine holes to post a 71 despite struggling with an unspecified illness.
Emily Dickinson’s Ascot Gold Cup claims took a knock as Yashin produced a 14-1 surprise in the Saval Beg Levmoss Stakes at Leopardstown.
Aidan O’Brien would have hoped to dominate the staying scene again this year with Kyprios, but with his superstar five-year-old on the sidelines there is space at Ballydoyle for a horse to step up.
O’Brien has long mentioned Emily Dickinson as one who could be capable of doing so, and she was odds-on to make it two from two for the campaign in this Group Three – which was won by Kyprios 12 months ago on his way to glory at the Royal meeting.
She took the field along in company with Icykel, but never looked like shaking her rivals off under Ryan Moore, with Joseph O’Brien’s Point King looking set for top spot only for Shane Foley and the Jessica Harrington-trained Yashin to arrive on the scene.
A brief duel ensued deep inside the final furlong, but as they flashed past the post almost as one it was Yashin – fourth in a Leopardstown handicap in October when last seen – who got the verdict by a short head. Point King’s stablemate Dawn Rising was third, with Emily Dickinson only sixth.
“The autumn plan would be the Melbourne Cup, but he’d have to get up a good bit to get there,” said Harrington.
“He stays well and he has to have good ground. We think he likes going left-handed.
“He was stuck wide there and keen all the way. Shane said he had no right to pick up and win like he did.
“I know it was only a short head, but he was always getting there.”
Harrington’s daughter and assistant, Kate, added: “We could have waited for the Group Three at the Curragh next week but when the ground was good here, the way he likes it, that was key. He could go to the Curragh Cup on Oaks weekend. We’ll plot a plan as he likes a bit of time between his races.
“The Melbourne Cup is Gerry (Byrne’s) dream. He bred him and it’s the first horse he’s bred, the mare is back in foal to Churchill.”
The opening Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden went the way of Deepone, who could now have Royal Ascot ambitions having obliged favourite-backers at 3-1.
“He’s a nice colt and he was ready to start today. Being drawn 17 I thought that he’d have to be good to win from out there and it was great that he did,” said Twomey.
“He’s a nicely-bred horse, he’s a Study Of Man who was a very good racehorse and a very well-bred horse, out of a Galileo mare whose dam won the Yorkshire Oaks.”
When asked if he could go to Ascot he added: “We’ll see how he is, there is a race there that might suit him. I haven’t thought past today but if that happens, great.
“He’s by a son of Deep Impact who was a Derby winner out of a daughter of a Yorkshire Oaks winner so I don’t think a trip will be a problem to him.”
Noel Meade found the winner’s enclosure when Winston Spencer showed significant improvement stepping up to a mile to land the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Median Auction Maiden.
“His full-brother ran in the first, he’s a totally different horse, smaller and sharper, and Leigh (Roche) came in and said he didn’t like that ground, he said he couldn’t let himself down on it. I said hopefully with this fella, after waiting for the ground, it wasn’t going to be the same,” said Meade.
“I like him a lot. He ran well the first day, he just got tired. I thought he had come on a good bit and I think he’ll come on a good bit again. I think he’s a decent horse.
“Leigh said he ran home very well at the end and he took plenty of pulling up.
“He’s a very well-bred horse, Coolmore bred him. His dam is a full-sister to Danehill Dancer.
“I’ve sort of put my life on Churchill as I bought five two-year-olds by him and I’ve got four three-year-olds by him. Hopefully he comes right for me.
“I thought Winston Spencer was a good name for this horse.
“I hadn’t thought any further than today with him, we’ll see what happens.”
Warren Gatland has hailed Alun Wyn Jones as “an incredibly special player” after world rugby’s most capped international announced his retirement from Test rugby.
The 37-year-old Ospreys lock played 158 times for Wales and made 12 British and Irish Lions Test appearances.
Wales flanker Justin Tipuric, who won 93 caps, had earlier announced on Friday that he would be stepping down from the international stage.
The players’ decisions come less than four months before Wales’ World Cup opener against Fiji in Bordeaux, and both had recently been named in a 54-player preliminary training squad for the tournament by Gatland.
Wales boss Gatland said: “I would like to congratulate Al on a phenomenal international career.
“His leadership, dedication and determination are second to none, and he has been an incredibly special player for Wales over the past 17 years.
“Every single time he has taken to the training pitch or put on the red jersey in a Test match he has given his absolute all, setting standards and leading by example.
“I am very fortunate to have been able to have worked with him with Wales and with the Lions.
“Al’s passion and commitment for his country are limitless, and he has been an important pillar for the game in Wales.
“He and his family can be immensely proud of all he has achieved and in knowing he leaves a lasting legacy in Welsh rugby.”
Writing on his Instagram page, Jones said: “Having been selected in this year’s preliminary Rugby World Cup squad, and after ongoing dialogue with the coaching staff and WRU (Welsh Rugby Union), I have decided to step away from the international game.
“So, after 17 years, I look back on special memories with Welsh greats and future Welsh greats.
“A huge thank you to the staff and players who have been part of my journey. I wish you well for the future.
“To the supporters, thank you for the support and making the most special occasions even more memorable.
“To the people closest to me, my family, I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Jones, who made his Test debut in 2006, is regarded as one of Wales’ greatest-ever players.
Time and time again, he produced inspired displays for his country, with a stellar career harvesting multiple Six Nations titles, Grand Slam successes and World Cup appearances.
He also went on four Lions tours – in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021 – and skippered them in South Africa two years ago.
In a statement released by his agents WIN Sports Management, meanwhile, Tipuric said: “During the off-season I’ve had time to reflect on my playing career, and now seems the right time to step away from international rugby.
“It has been a privilege to put on the Welsh jersey and have so many great memories.
“I would like to thank all the players and coaches I’ve been fortunate enough to work with over the years, and the wonderful support I’ve received from the Welsh public.
“I am looking forward to spending more time at home and putting all my energies into playing for my home region the Ospreys.”
Tipuric’s decision comes just a month after his fellow Wales back-row forward Josh Navidi called time on his career, being forced into retirement because of a serious neck problem.
Tipuric, 33, was an integral figure in Wales teams for more than a decade, helping his country win four Six Nations titles, including two Grand Slams.
He was awarded his Wales debut by Gatland against Argentina 12 years ago and played in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
Tipuric also made one Test match appearance for the Lions on their 2013 tour to Australia.
Gatland added: “Justin has been an integral player in the Wales back-row since he made his debut back in 2011.
“He is quite quiet off the pitch, but his skill-set and his work-rate really set him apart from others.
“He doesn’t like a lot of fuss, but I would like to congratulate him on a great career. He has made an outstanding contribution to Welsh rugby.”
Giavellotto is the Italian word for javelin, a piece of equipment that can travel both far and fast when handled with precision and power.
A javelin would traditionally arc in a perfect straight line too, a skill Marco Botti’s colt will learn in time now the speed and stamina elements of his craft are well proven.
Giavellotto is a son of Mastercraftsman out of a Galileo mare named Gerika, a chestnut like her son who ran in the same silks at Italian tracks like Capannelle and San Siro.
Of her seven runners to take to the track Giavellotto looked like the gifted child even before today, scoring by five lengths in a Newmarket handicap and then outrunning 28-1 odds with a gallant performance behind Eldar Eldarov in the St Leger, crossing the line in fourth but being promoted to third.
He ended last season with another smart performance, this time finishing second to Kevin Philippart De Foy’s useful El Habeeb in the Noel Murless Stakes at Ascot.
A winter holiday in Meydan then resulted in a luckless outing in the Dubai Gold Cup, where he could not overcome a wide draw and eventually came home down the field as Broome came out on top.
The two horses met again on the Knavesmire for the Boodles Yorkshire Cup, and while Broome was the 9-4 joint-favourite alongside Meydan runner-up Siskany, Giavellotto was largely overlooked under Andrea Atzeni at odds of 14-1.
Throughout the course of the one-mile-six-furlong contest the colt did little to draw attention to himself as he travelled along in mid-division and most eyes focused on Eldar Eldarov, Broome and Quickthorn – the latter the reigning Lonsdale Cup champion.
As the race approached the final three furlongs, however, it was Giavellotto who was gaining ground as he began to leave his past rivals behind him at the furlong pole.
Then there was a wobble, and as the post approached Giavellotto began to search for the inside rail, hampering Quickthorn and running into the space Broome probably had in mind for his next few strides.
Botti’s charge crossed the line first and Eldar Eldarov, having challenged down the centre of the course, was second, but the sound of post-race celebrations were soon interrupted by the bing-bong chime that precedes a stewards’ inquiry.
It was a lengthy one too, and Botti crossed his fingers as he tended to Giavellotto before delivering a cautiously optimistic interview to the waiting television cameras.
Eventually the second chime sounded and the victory was confirmed, at which point the trainer embraced a sobbing Italian woman named Francesca Franchini, now the owner and breeder of a Yorkshire Cup hero.
“We were a bit nervous because you never know what could happen in the stewards’ room, but I’m delighted,” he said.
“We thought he would come here with a good chance, obviously the form of the St Leger was good form. In hindsight he was a bit unlucky with the interference and he didn’t have a clear run, but today he’s proven he’s up to this level.
“He stays well, he’s still a little immature and for a four-year-old he’s still quite babyish mentally.
“Before he ran in the St Leger he had only won a handicap in Newmarket, we always said we’d just bring him along and give him time to mature.
“He ran a big race in the St Leger and we took him to Dubai in March for the Gold Cup, but it didn’t really work out and here we are!”
The Yorkshire Cup often leads into the Gold Cup at Ascot but that will not be the case for Giavellotto, who does not hold an entry as Botti does not see the track being exactly to his liking.
He said: “He will just get better and better, we don’t know where we will go next yet. We’ve never felt Ascot will be the track for him, he’s a big horse and we don’t feel it will suit so we will be looking for other options.”
Of Scuderia La Tesa, Francini’s breeding operation, and the evident emotion of the success, he added: “It’s great for the owner, who bred the horse as well, I’m delighted.
“They’re from Milan, they actually lost the mare this year so the owner is quite emotional because it means a lot.
“It’s the first Group race they’ve won in England so she was quite emotional. It’s great for the yard, we’ve had a couple of quiet years and it’s great to be back with a nice horse.”
Nice horses are hard to come by and seem harder still to keep hold of, something Botti knows well as he has seen several prospects sold abroad over the last few seasons.
“Last year to the year before, we had horses like Tatsumaki, who was unbeaten and then sold to Hong Kong,” he said.
“We’ve always been in a situation where we’re on the market and we have to sell sometimes, they don’t come along very often these good horses.
“It’s great we’ve kept him and hopefully we’ll have some fun through the season – a Melbourne Cup would be nice!”
Heather Main’s Zoulu Chief could be set for bigger and better things having blitzed his rivals at Newbury to land a huge upset at 150-1.
Sent off the outsider of the field for the Starlight Charity Remembers Christopher Hanbury Maiden Stakes having beaten only one rival home on his debut, the Zoustar colt showed significant improvement to make every yard in the hands of Marco Ghiani – who enjoyed a double when partnering Darryll Holland’s Greyful Storm (25-1) to victory in the Bernard Sunley Handicap.
It was the third time Main has saddled a winner priced at 100-1 or more, and the Kingston Lisle handler is now considering a tilt at Royal Ascot with her precocious youngster following his four-and-three-quarter-length triumph.
She said: “We are absolutely delighted. The ground was a bit slow for him at Salisbury, but it was his first run and he jumped a bit slowly and he was still learning. He must be quite intelligent though as the penny has dropped quickly.
“He’s entered in the big sales race at Newmarket in October because we bought him at Tattersalls, but if everything goes tickety-boo we might aim him at Royal Ascot. The Coventry or something like that. I think it will suit, I hope so.
“He liked the ground today and he might even like it faster than that. It just depends what the ground is really. He was running on at the end, wasn’t he.”
Naqeeb, half-brother to the mighty Baaeed, had to settle for minor money once again as Ralph Beckett’s Nothing To Sea (7-1) struck under an enterprising ride from Hector Crouch in the Coolmore Stud EBF Maiden Stakes.
The son of Sea The Moon made all for a two-and-a-quarter-length victory with Naqeeb flying home late to claim second ahead of the 8-11 favourite Tony Montana.
Roger Varian saw heavy favourites turned over in both divisions of the Earl & The Pharaoh Novice Stakes with James Ferguson’s Good Karma (5-1) showing real promise to win the first division in good style.
The son of Dark Angel – who is owned by Michael Buckley and runs in the colours most associated recently with hurdling superstar Constitution Hill – could now be set for a step up to a mile with the Britannia Stakes at Royal Ascot a possibility.
“He’s a horse we have always thought a lot of and is owned by Michael Buckley who is a very good friend of ours so I’m really happy to get a good winner for him in his colours” said Ferguson.
“He will probably stay further and I think he will stay a mile no problem. Depending on what mark he gets he could easily be a Britannia horse.
“That has sort of been pencilled in after he won at Wolverhampton and it looks like the step up to a mile won’t be a problem. He has developed very well over the winter – we’ve had to be a bit patient with him but he’s told us when he was ready and thank god we listened to him.
“I think they think a lot of the Roger Varian horse (Resolute Man) so I think the form behind him is pretty good and his experience came to the fore. He’s not the easiest horse to ride and I think Danny (Muscutt) gave him a brilliant ride.”
In the second division there was a small shock as Paul and Oliver Cole’s 16-1 chance Thunder Ball dropped back to novice company with aplomb to win by four-lengths and shed his maiden tag at the 10th attempt.
Earlier on the card, David Evans’ Mabre (12-1) landed the Starlight Apprentice Handicap in the hands of Olivia Tubb, while Harry Eustace’s Mustazeed (11-4 favourite) made it back-to-back course and distance victories in the Unibet Handicap.
“He had to be tough today whereas he went through it much smoother the time before,” said Eustace.
“I did have a concern about the ground today, he handled it fine. It was really pleasing to see him put his head down and fight for it today and it is very rewarding for the owners. They had quite a long time with not much fun with him last year and it is paying off this year.”
In a thrilling finish to the concluding BetVictor Handicap, William Stone’s Dashing Panther denied Warhole back-to-back victories, winning by a nose at odds of 33-1 in the hands of Saffie Osborne.
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