Masters champion Jon Rahm admits he only has himself to blame for not being able to deny Rory McIlroy a fifth Race to Dubai title in the final event of the season.
McIlroy was assured of topping the money list when Adrian Meronk and Ryan Fox failed to earn enough points in last week’s Nedbank Golf Challenge to get within 2,000 points of the world number two.
Only 2,000 points are on offer for the winner of the season-ending DP World Tour Championship and McIlroy was already 2,082.53 ahead of nearest rival Rahm, who chose not to compete in Sun City.
Rahm has previously contested just two regular DP World Tour events in 2023, the Ryder Cup counts as a third and this week’s title defence in Dubai therefore fulfils the minimum requirements for DP World Tour membership.
Rahm admitted it was disappointing for fans that the Race to Dubai had already been settled, but admitted: “At the same time, though, it’s mainly my fault.
“He (McIlroy) played great golf. I could have tried to go to Nedbank and get a few more points to give myself a chance this week. He did what he needed to do and I didn’t.”
Despite not having the chance to win the Race to Dubai for a second time, Rahm still prefers the DP World Tour’s format to that of the PGA Tour, which employs a controversial handicap system in the FedEx Cup.
The player who earns the most points throughout the year begins the season-ending Tour Championship on 10 under par, the second-highest on eight under and so on, on a sliding scale down to the players in 26th to 30th who start on level par.
“I’m not a big fan of the FedEx Cup finals. I’ve said that many times,” Rahm added. “It’s the only sport when you get to the finals, you give somebody an advantage.
“You don’t see whoever had a better record in the Champions League finals start with a 1-0 goal advantage, that just doesn’t happen.
“I would be a bigger fan of somehow point restructuring to where if you win the tournament, like it used to be with the top five going to East Lake, if they won (the Tour Championship) they would win the FedEx Cup.
“At the same time, if you play as good as Rory has and you’ve built up the lead, you’ve earned it. Like I said earlier, I had the option of playing more events, tournaments and trying to earn more points. I just didn’t.
“I think this format is more fair to the better player, whoever played better throughout the year. I think the one that they have in the FedEx Cup right now would be probably more exciting for the viewers. Obviously it all depends what you prefer.”
Rahm has a remarkable record in the DP World Tour Championship, winning it on his debut in 2017 and again in 2019 and 2022, with his worst finish in four appearances being a tie for fourth in 2018.
“It’s something I look forward to and to me it’s a great way to end the year,” Rahm said. “One last competition before we get to the holiday season and kind of get our mind off golf for a little bit. Hopefully I can win it one more time.
“I couldn’t really pinpoint one thing why I’ve had success here. I’m sure the number people can tell you why statistically I’m better, but I think I just happened to play really good on the weeks that I’m here.”
A man arrested on suspicion of manslaughter after the death of ice hockey player Adam Johnson has been released on bail pending further inquiries.
Johnson died on October 28 after being hit in the neck by an opposition player’s skate during a match at Sheffield’s Utilita Arena.
The 29-year-old American, who was playing for Nottingham Panthers against Sheffield Steelers, died in hospital.
The man was arrested on Tuesday and South Yorkshire Police confirmed on Wednesday that he has been bailed to a date in the new year as inquiries continue.
Detective Chief Superintendent Becs Horsfall said on Tuesday: “Our investigation launched immediately following this tragedy and we have been carrying out extensive inquiries ever since to piece together the events which led to the loss of Adam in these unprecedented circumstances.
“We have been speaking to highly specialised experts in their field to assist in our inquiries and continue to work closely with the health and safety department at Sheffield City Council, which is supporting our ongoing investigation.
“Adam’s death has sent shockwaves through many communities, from our local residents here in Sheffield to ice hockey fans across the world.
“We know these communities will expect us to handle this investigation with the same professionalism, fairness and sensitivity as any other, and request that members of the public refrain from comment and speculation which could hinder this process.
“Our thoughts remain with all affected by this devastating incident as inquiries continue.”
An inquest into Johnson’s death was opened and adjourned on November 3, but Sheffield’s senior coroner, Tanyka Rawden, has already called on the sport’s governing bodies to take action.
In a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to Ice Hockey UK and the English Ice Hockey Association, Rawden said she is “sufficiently concerned that deaths may occur in the future if neck guards or protectors are not worn”, with the bodies given 56 days to say what action has been taken – or why action has not been taken.
The EIHA said neck guards will become mandatory from 2024 but the Elite League, in which the Panthers and Steelers compete, is not under its control.
The Elite Ice Hockey League said it will not make the use of neck guards mandatory but will “strongly encourage” players and officials to wear them.
According to the Sentencing Council, manslaughter is an extremely varied criminal offence which can attract penalties from suspended sentences up to life in prison.
The council says manslaughter can involve an offence that is not far from being an accident through to one which may be just short of murder and is categorised as either involuntary and voluntary.
Involuntary manslaughter is unlawful killing without the intent to kill or cause really serious harm and is further subdivided into unlawful act manslaughter and manslaughter by gross negligence.
Unlawful act manslaughter is the most common type of manslaughter prosecution in England and Wales and often involves deaths as a result of assaults.
Manslaughter by gross negligence occurs when the offender is in breach of a duty of care towards the victim, such as when employers completely disregard the safety of employees.
Voluntary manslaughter occurs when all the elements for murder are present, including an intention to kill or cause really serious harm, but the crime is reduced to manslaughter by reason of loss of control or diminished responsibility due to a recognised mental condition.
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has joined Elite Ice Hockey outfit Belfast Giants on a temporary loan.
The 41-year-old, who retired from football in 2019, joins on a short-term deal as “temporary emergency cover” from Oxford City Stars of the National Ice Hockey League South Division One.
Giants head coach Adam Keefe said in a statement: “We’re very appreciative of the support of both the Oxford City Stars and Petr himself.
“Petr is a highly decorated athlete, who knows what it takes to perform at the highest level, so his support during this loan period will be invaluable.”
Cech moved to England from Rennes in 2004 as one of the early signings of Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich era. He won four Premier League titles during 11 years at Stamford Bridge, as well as five FA Cups, three League Cups, the Champions League and the Europa League.
He signed for Arsenal in 2015 and played for the Gunners until hanging up his boots four years later, having made over 440 Premier League appearances in total. He also won 124 caps for the Czech Republic during a 14-year international career.
Rudy Gobert ridiculed Draymond Green's "clown behaviour" after the Golden State Warriors forward was ejected against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Green, Klay Thompson and Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels were ejected after an altercation early in the first quarter of Tuesday's in-season tournament game, which the Timberwolves won 104-101.
Thompson and McDaniels became embroiled in a shoving match. Green rushed in and pulled Rudy Gobert away from behind with his arm around the center's neck.
Thompson's jersey was ripped during the scuffle, which led to Green's second ejection of the season and two free throws by Gobert.
The Warriors were without talisman Stephen Curry, who did not play due to right knee soreness, and Gobert suggested that Green finds a way to be ejected when his teammate is not playing.
"I went to try to disconnect the situation between Jaden and Klay, and then I just felt someone grabbing me," Gobert said.
"My first thought was, I'm not going to fight, I need to be in this game to help my team. So I showed the ref I had my hands up and I just waited until the situation was over. Nothing more than that. It wasn't really enough of a choke for me to sleep. I just kept my hands up and waited until it was over.
"It's kind of funny because before the game I was telling myself Steph is not playing, so I know Draymond is going to try to get ejected. Every time Steph doesn't play, he doesn't want to play without his guy Steph, so he's doing anything to get ejected. It's all good.
"Just clown behaviour. I'm proud of myself for being the bigger man, again and again. It doesn't even deserve me putting my hands on him.
"My team needed me tonight, so I wanted to keep my cool and not make the situation worse. I do hope the league is going to do what needs to be done, because that's just clown behaviour. There's not much to say, it's clown behaviour."
Explaining his altercation with Thompson, McDaniels said: "I was just trying to crash for a rebound and he kind of grabbed my collar. I was just trying to defend myself and get him off me.
"The rest is what it is. I knew before that there was some chitter-chatter going back and forth. I didn't take it seriously. I was just laughing. I guess it was a bigger deal to him."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr offered a different opinion, saying: "There is no way Klay should have been ejected. That was ridiculous.
"I was upset about that. As far as the Draymond piece of it, Rudy had his hands on Klay's neck. That's why Draymond went after Rudy."
Tuesday's loss was the Warriors' second defeat in a row to the Timberwolves, who have now won their last seven games. Golden State, meanwhile, have lost five of their last six.
Kerr, though, did have some positive news on Curry's status.
"Nothing alarming," Kerr said of the Curry's injury. "He is day-to-day and we will see. If he misses another game or two, it's not going to be anything long-term."
Paul George was frustrated with the officiating crew as the Los Angeles Clippers’ losing streak continued at the Denver Nuggets.
James Harden is still waiting for his first win in a Clippers jersey despite the team putting in an improved performance, losing 111-108 in a competitive NBA In-Season Tournament game on Tuesday.
Nikola Jokic had 32 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists for the hosts, who held off the Clippers despite George scoring 35 points, tying his season high as Harden added 21.
Los Angeles has lost five straight games with Harden since acquiring him last month. They are 0-6 on the road this season, 0-2 in the tournament and 3-7 overall.
The Nuggets took 32 free throws compared to the Clippers' 24 with Jokic making all 14 of his free-throw attempts.
George went to the line five times, which he felt was nowhere near enough, and was whistled for a technical foul for arguing with the referees shortly before halftime.
"We played great," George said, per ESPN. "It's tough, the adversity of playing against the extra three [officials].
"I thought they were awful. But, [against the] defending champs, we [were able to] to play better and there's a lot to be positive about.
"I'm not one for moral victories, but I thought we showed more of a sign of a team that's close to getting it over the hump."
George, who also had seven rebounds, was asked to elaborate on his comments on the refs.
He added: "It was bad. Five free throws is very disrespectful on this night. So many times I got hit on layups, 3-pointers, it was constant.
"Jump shots, getting hit, smacked on the forearm. I mean, it was poor, a poor job. They [are] calling something on one end, they got to call it on the other.
"But, again, we [have] got to be able to beat these guys on their floor and not rely on that."
Harden sank three of his eight 3-point attempts as the Clippers produced their best performance since his arrival.
"I kept reiterating, I didn’t have a training camp or a preseason, so kind of learning on the fly," Harden said.
"Also getting myself into James Harden shape. This was definitely another step in the right direction and just keep improving."
The Nuggets' Reggie Jackson thinks it is only a matter of time until the Clippers put it all together.
"They’re still figuring it out," he said about George, Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook.
"You can see it, they’ve got a lot of talents that overlap. When you have superstars, superstars can do a lot of things. They gave us a great punch."
Denver is 9-2 for the season, 7-0 at home and 2-0 in the tournament, even with point guard Jamal Murray still out with a hamstring injury.
Both teams are back in action on Friday with the Clippers hosting the Houston Rockets while the Nuggets are on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Laura Morgan could be set for the biggest day of her training career so far at Cheltenham on Saturday as she prepares to fire a twin assault on the Paddy Power Gold Cup.
The Waltham On The Wolds handler enjoyed her best ever season last term with a tally of 40 winners, seven of which were provided by the two horses she saddles in this weekend’s prestigious handicap.
Morgan is not expecting such a prolific campaign this term, but is hopeful she can make her presence felt on the big stage.
She said: “Last season, we had 40 winners and a lot more horses in, whereas this year we’ve only got 25 horses to run and 10 three-year-olds.
“I bought some three-year-olds with nice pedigrees that will hopefully be nice horses for next year, that’s the idea.
“We’re not going to have the season we had last year, but I’ve tried to up the quality and hopefully we can have runners on the bigger days.”
The stable’s first string on Saturday appears to be Notlongtillmay, who won his first three starts over fences last term before filling the runner-up spot behind the reopposing Stage Star in the Turners Novices’ Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
The seven-year-old returned to Prestbury Park for his seasonal reappearance in a two-mile handicap chase last month – and having finished a creditable fourth under the welter burden of 12 stone, Morgan feels he is cherry-ripe for his latest big-race assignment.
“Two miles is way too short and I’d left him short enough as well – it wasn’t like he was fully tuned up for that,” she added.
“I was going to go to Wetherby for a two-and-a-half-mile race on the Friday of the Charlie Hall meeting, but obviously that was abandoned, so thank God I actually gave him a prep run before then.
“This was the aim, we’re 3lb better off with Stage Star and Stage Star isn’t going to get an easy lead like he did in the Turners – there’s going to be a lot of pace in this on Saturday.
“With The Real Whacker running, our lad goes in there with a nice racing weight (11st 4lb) and he’ll go through the (soft) ground, that wouldn’t worry me at all.”
Notlongtillmay’s stablemate Whistleinthedark also enjoyed an excellent first season over fences, climbing from a mark of 113 to his current perch of 144 with four wins from four starts.
He has not been seen in competitive action since scoring at Perth in late April, but Morgan is confident he is ready enough to do himself justice.
She said: “I had planned to give him a prep run – he was going to go to Market Rasen for the Prelude (Handicap Chase), but it was abandoned.
“I’m not too fussed about not getting a run in as he’s done a lot of work at home. We’ve got a two-mile grass gallop and he’s fairly ready without having had that run to sharpen him – he’s not far away.
“I never thought he’d be rated what he’s rated and would do what he did when he first arrived. I thought he’d be an average, fun, handicapper, but he’s been brilliant.”
Morgan is fully aware that winning one of the season’s biggest prizes is no easy task and she is just pleased to be heading to the Cotswolds with a fighting chance.
She added: “They’re all up against it, not just us, but it’s very exciting for a small yard like ours and fingers crossed they’ll both go and run well.
“They won’t let us down, anyway – these two don’t know how to!”
Jon Rahm has backed Rory McIlroy’s decision to resign from the PGA Tour policy board and has no interest in replacing his Ryder Cup team-mate.
The news was revealed by PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan in a memo to members late on Tuesday, with McIlroy citing “professional and personal commitments” for standing down as a player-director.
Hours earlier, the world number two insisted progress was being made in talks over the future of men’s professional golf, but a fear that “loose lips sink ships” meant it was being kept under wraps.
McIlroy has been LIV Golf’s most vocal critic and admitted he felt like a “sacrificial lamb” when a shock deal between LIV’s Saudi backers and the PGA Tour and DP World Tour was announced in June.
The PGA Tour are now also assessing potential funding from alternative private equity sources and McIlroy was asked if he enjoyed being part of such discussions during a press conference ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“Not particularly, no,” McIlroy said. “Not what I signed for when I went on the board. But the game of professional golf has been in flux for the last two years.”
Asked on Wednesday if he would be interested in replacing McIlroy, Rahm said: “Absolutely no chance.
“I’ve been asked a couple times if I have any interest, and I’m not going to spend, I don’t know how many meetings they have, but they are six, seven-hour plus long. I’m not here for that.
“As regards to Rory, he’s obviously been put in a situation where a lot has been expected of him, and I don’t know the exact reason why he left the board.
“But I certainly wouldn’t blame somebody like him to just want to focus a bit more on his game and his family and enjoy the bit of time he’s truly earned. Again, it’s a big commitment for somebody to be part of it.”
McIlroy first joined the PGA Tour’s player advisory council in 2019 and went on to serve as its chairman in 2021, roles which Rahm feels may have had an impact on McIlroy’s on-course performance.
“I think it is a significant commitment, so it could have an effect,” the Masters champion said.
“It’s not only the meetings. It’s the phone calls and the players wanting to talk to you. So those hours you spent on the golf course are a little bit busier.
“So I think it could hinder a little bit, and there’s a reason probably why I can’t recall any great player being a full-time board member and winning tournaments and majors at the same time, at least in recent history.”
Announcing the news, Monahan praised McIlroy’s commitment to the PGA Tour in a memo sent to the Northern Irishman’s fellow players.
“During his tenure, Rory’s insight has been instrumental in helping shape the success of the Tour and his willingness to thoughtfully voice his opinion has been especially impactful,” Monahan wrote.
“Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory – and all of his fellow player directors – have invested in the Tour during this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly understand and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family.”
The remaining player-directors – Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, Charley Hoffman, Peter Malnati and Webb Simpson – will elect a successor to serve McIlroy’s unexpired term, which runs until the end of 2024.
Rudy Gobert ridiculed Draymond Green's "clown behaviour" after the Golden State Warriors forward was ejected against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Green, Klay Thompson and Minnesota's Jaden McDaniels were ejected after an altercation early in the first quarter of Tuesday's in-season tournament game, which the Timberwolves won 104-101.
Thompson and McDaniels became embroiled in a shoving match. Green rushed in and pulled Rudy Gobert away from behind with his arm around the center's neck.
Thompson's jersey was ripped during the scuffle, which led to Green's second ejection of the season and two free throws by Gobert.
The Warriors were without talisman Stephen Curry, who did not play due to right knee soreness, and Gobert suggested that Green finds a way to be ejected when his teammate is not playing.
"I went to try to disconnect the situation between Jaden and Klay, and then I just felt someone grabbing me," Gobert said.
"My first thought was, I'm not going to fight, I need to be in this game to help my team. So I showed the ref I had my hands up and I just waited until the situation was over. Nothing more than that. It wasn't really enough of a choke for me to sleep. I just kept my hands up and waited until it was over.
"It's kind of funny because before the game I was telling myself Steph is not playing, so I know Draymond is going to try to get ejected. Every time Steph doesn't play, he doesn't want to play without his guy Steph, so he's doing anything to get ejected. It's all good.
"Just clown behaviour. I'm proud of myself for being the bigger man, again and again. It doesn't even deserve me putting my hands on him.
"My team needed me tonight, so I wanted to keep my cool and not make the situation worse. I do hope the league is going to do what needs to be done, because that's just clown behaviour. There's not much to say, it's clown behaviour."
Explaining his altercation with Thompson, McDaniels said: "I was just trying to crash for a rebound and he kind of grabbed my collar. I was just trying to defend myself and get him off me.
"The rest is what it is. I knew before that there was some chitter-chatter going back and forth. I didn't take it seriously. I was just laughing. I guess it was a bigger deal to him."
Warriors coach Steve Kerr offered a different opinion, saying: "There is no way Klay should have been ejected. That was ridiculous.
"I was upset about that. As far as the Draymond piece of it, Rudy had his hands on Klay's neck. That's why Draymond went after Rudy."
Tuesday's loss was the Warriors' second defeat in a row to the Timberwolves, who have now won their last seven games. Golden State, meanwhile, have lost five of their last six.
Kerr, though, did have some positive news on Curry's status.
"Nothing alarming," Kerr said of the Curry's injury. "He is day-to-day and we will see. If he misses another game or two, it's not going to be anything long-term."
Adam Azim believes Franck Petitjean is in “massive trouble” ahead of their super-lightweight bout as the Slough fighter sends a verbal warning to the European champion.
The unbeaten 9-0-0 Azim looks to claim European gold when he faces off with the French Petitjean on Saturday after an impressive points victory over tough Ukrainian Aram Fanyan in September.
And the 21-year-old believes his powerful shot selection will be a nightmare for his opponent who “is in for a shock” when the pair meet in Wolverhampton.
“He’s in massive trouble, he’s either getting outscored or he’s going to sleep,” Azim told the PA News agency.
“In some of his interviews he said he’ll be a nightmare for me. He isn’t going to be no nightmare because when he wakes up all the nightmares will be real when I’m the one coming at him.
“He’s in for a shock.
“I’m going to be patient with my shots but I’m looking for the knockout, that’s what I’m after. I’m going to box his head off and let him walk into my shots.
“He’ll see what I’m made of.
“He’ll try and fight me on the inside but I can also fight inside and that’s something he does not know and once he feels my power and speed in the early rounds he definitely won’t come forward after that.”
The 35-year-old Petitjean reclaimed his European super-lightweight belt with a majority decision win over Samuel Molina in June.
And Azim talked up the importance of the bout, saying it is a must win and that he is going to make a massive statement to the rest of the division.
He said: “He has won the European title but I’m going to take it off him. I’ve been after that European title for a very long time and this is my opportunity to take it with both hands.
“The European title is a massive thing for me. I want it really bad.
“It’s a must win. I’m putting everything into this fight and I want to make a massive statement in the last fight of the year.”
Azim highlighted how European champion status could springboard his reputation to a world class level but insisted he has to take care of Petitjean first.
He said: “People see me as a high class fighter and I will get there at one stage. Hopefully that European title will set me at a world class level. I’ve got a job to do first.
“I could say that I’m up there (with the division’s best) but I have got to win the European title first and then hopefully next year I’ll be there.”
Azim takes on Petitjean on November 18, live on Sky Sports.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said he is fuelled by a personal anger and drive to help Lewis Hamilton win the record eighth world championship he was denied in Abu Dhabi.
In an interview with the PA news agency ahead of this weekend’s blockbuster Las Vegas Grand Prix, team principal Wolff also revealed his own succession plan at Mercedes – in which he plans to skip as many as 10 races each season – and claimed Hamilton, 38, could compete in Formula One for at least another five years.
Wolff has arrived in Sin City for the inaugural night race on the Las Vegas strip following Mercedes’ abysmal performance last time out in Brazil – one he described as the worst of his career.
Hamilton finished 63 seconds behind winner Max Verstappen, and gloomily predicted he will not be a championship contender for the next two years.
Next month will mark two years since the seven-time world champion last won a race, and that ill-fated evening in Abu Dhabi where race referee Michael Masi’s failure to imply the correct rules left him at the mercy of Verstappen. The Dutchman took the championship in the desert before quickly racking up another two titles in his all-conquering Red Bull.
“We are living in a hamster wheel where time passes so quickly that it doesn’t feel like it has been two years,” said Wolff.
“You can see how quickly the pecking order changes. We won eight constructors’ championships in a row, and it has been two years since Red Bull have been taking the trophy home. But we have to look forward, learn from the past, and the push now is to make Lewis win quickly again.
“I have a personal anger, and drive to make him win the eighth title because he should have had it.
“As a team principal, it is important to be fair and open with both drivers. But there is a big part of us that will always want to be a part of that story in undoing and overcoming 2021.”
Hamilton will start a new two-year deal with the Silver Arrows next season, worth an estimated £100million. He will be nearly 41 at the conclusion of the contract, but Wolff does not believe it will be his last with Mercedes.
“We are living from contract-to-contract, and it is important that we are doing what we think is right and what we feel is right, and at the moment I personally feel he can go longer,” added the Austrian.
And could he carry on for another five years?
“He is 39 in January, and Fernando (Alonso – 42) is still going strong,” replied Wolff. “As long as you look after yourself, you do the best preparation, physically and mentally, and develop different areas to when you are 25, then yes.
“We just need to give him a car that is quick enough. And, as a driver, I have no doubt about him. You have seen in the last races that his performance, speed and race craft are all there. But, if he doesn’t have the car underneath him, he cannot win.”
Wolff oversaw Mercedes’ crushing dominance which led to Hamilton winning six of his record-equalling seven world crowns.
But Wolff’s future as team principal is in the spotlight following Mercedes’ dramatic demise. And although he admitted he intends to stay on as team principal, the 51-year-old, who also holds a one-third shareholding in Mercedes, is plotting his succession plan.
“The clear aim is to build a structure for the future and that is my sheer responsibility for the team,” said Wolff, who was absent from the races in Japan and Qatar earlier this season following knee surgery.
“A stone could fall on my head and how does it look afterwards? That is why I would like to see myself in a few years maybe not going to 24 races, and just to 15.
“But that is many years away. I see myself in this role for a long time. I cannot imagine doing something else.
“I really struggled in 2020 to make a decision on whether I wanted to stay active in the sport or to be a shareholder and go back to my finance world. I was tired, mentally and physically, but then I came to the realisation that I wanted to continue.
“I feel I am contributing to the team in the crossover world of finance and motor racing, and I have a passion for both, and that is why I continue to do it.”
Over at Red Bull, Verstappen has won 17 of the 20 rounds so far – which included a record 10-in-a-row streak – in the most dominant season the sport has ever witnessed.
Wolff caused controversy when he poured scorn on Verstappen’s achievements, calling them “irrelevant” and “only for Wikipedia and nobody reads that anyway”.
“It was not an intelligent thing to say,” said Wolff.
“There were all these numbers about how many races we had won, and we used to joke that who cares about the numbers? It only goes on Wikipedia, and nobody reads that anyway. It was a joke, but it is much easier to joke about your own records than somebody else’s.
“His records are unbelievable and what he has been able to achieve clearly ranks him amongst the greatest drivers in the sport at that young age. I have clarified that with him.”
Rory McIlroy has resigned from his player director role on the PGA Tour policy board.
World number two McIlroy had spoke with the media on Tuesday ahead of the DP World Tour Championship event in Dubai about ongoing discussions to shape the future of men’s professional golf, but admitted he did not enjoy being on the inside of those talks.
The Framework Agreement between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) – which blinded players when it was announced in June – was due to be finalised by the end of the year, although meeting that deadline now appears unlikely.
McIlroy, who was a key figure in the PGA Tour’s battle against the threat of LIV golf, has now tendered his resignation after two years on the board.
“Citing personal and professional commitments, Rory McIlroy has notified the PGA Tour policy board that he is resigning his position as a player director,” a PGA Tour statement read.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said in a memo sent to players on Tuesday evening: “During his tenure, Rory’s insight has been instrumental in helping shape the success of the Tour and his willingness to thoughtfully voice his opinion has been especially impactful.
“Given the extraordinary time and effort that Rory – and all of his fellow player directors – have invested in the Tour during this unprecedented, transformational period in our history, we certainly under and respect his decision to step down in order to focus on his game and his family.”
In addition to serving on the board since 2021, McIlroy had also spent the previous three years as a member of the player advisory council.
The five-year stint of the Northern Irishman across both roles encompassed not only the emergence of LIV golf, but also the Covid-19 pandemic.
When quizzed about the future of men’s professional golf on Tuesday, McIlroy insisted progress was being made in talks, but alluded to the difficulty of being a player director.
“Not particularly, no,” McIlroy replied, when asked if it was enjoyable being in key discussions.
“Not what I signed for when I went on the board. But the game of professional golf has been in flux for the last two years.”
McIlroy did arrive in Dubai for the season-ending tournament already assured of winning a fifth Race to Dubai title and will begin his first round at the DP World Tour Championship later on Wednesday.
Sir Chris Hoy believes Katie Archibald is on track for next summer’s Paris Olympics after seeing her storm to overall victory in the UCI Track Champions League.
Two-time Olympic champion Archibald admitted she was far from her best at the World Championships in Glasgow in August, when the intense spotlight of a home worlds came as she was still coming to terms with the tragic loss of her partner Rab Wardell 12 months earlier.
But just a few months later, the 29-year-old Scot showed her class to win the Champions League crown for a second time, wrapping up her victory during the final two rounds in London at the weekend.
“It’s incredibly impressive,” Hoy told the PA news agency. “We’re starting to see that spark coming back, the smile, the enjoyment of the racing. Just life coming back into her after what was an incredibly difficult year.
“She wasn’t at her best at the world championships and I think this is a significant step forward from the worlds and it really does bode well for what is a massively important year for her and for the team.
“And they need her. The team really does rely on a few big-name individuals, not to carry the team but to inspire the team.
“When the big names are firing and on form it lifts everyone else, so she’s absolutely central to the British Cycling campaign and it’s looking good.
“I think she’s definitely getting better and getting to where she needs to be.”
The made-for-TV Champions League, which has just completed its third season, sees endurance riders like Archibald compete in two races per round, the scratch race and the elimination.
It is a long way from the team pursuit and the Madison that Archibald will aim for in Paris, and comprises only two of the four elements of the omnium, but it will be a significant confidence booster all the same.
“This is not a direct comparison to those events but it almost doesn’t matter,” added Hoy, who is an ambassador for the Champions League.
“It’s about how she’s responding to the competition and getting inspired by the crowd and just starting to bring back that spark and getting her life back on track after what she’s been through.
“As a rider you want to use the event in the right way. I would want to come in and see it as an opportunity to learn about my rivals, see them in some different situations and try different tactics.
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“If it doesn’t work out it’s not the end of the world, you’ve not missed out on a world title or an Olympic medal, but having said that the overall Champions League jersey and trophy is a massive thing now, it’s being recognised.”
Although star names like Archibald and Dutch sprinter Harrie Lavreysen drew the crowds, this season saw arguably the weakest field yet contest the Champions League with several riders preferring to focus their training elsewhere as the clock ticks down to Paris.
However, Hoy said he believed the still young series – which aims to elevate the profile of track cycling beyond the Olympics and annual world championships – is developing well.
“I think it’s pretty close to what I hoped it would be,” he said. “I think they’ve delivered exactly what they promised and probably more.
“This year it’s been a challenge with it being an Olympic year but the organisers aren’t trying to hide that, and I think next year there will be a rebound when, post-Olympics, riders are freed of the pressure and stress of an Olympic year and they want to go out and ride their bikes and have fun.”
A date for Tyson Fury’s undisputed world heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk is set to be revealed on Thursday.
Fury had been expected to clash with WBA, IBF and WBO champion Usyk on December 23, but the British boxer was left blooded and bruised in a contentious points win over Francis Ngannou last month.
That fight was rumoured to be the preamble to the announcement of Fury taking on Usyk and even though the pair got in the ring together, the swollen eye and cut on the forehead of the Gypsy King pushed back the widely-reported proposed date, but an announcement is expected for Thursday.
Bob Arum, chief executive at Fury’s American promoter Top Rank, told Sky Sports: “I can confirm they will fight each other in Saudi Arabia.
“There will be a press conference in London for Thursday of this week – the 16th – and they’ll confirm the date and all the other circumstances of the fight taking place.
“Tyson is ready to fight in February, if that’s when it happens. Remember going in with Ngannou, who showed himself to be very talented, nobody had a book on him because he had never had a prize fight.
“Fighting Usyk is totally different because they have reams and reams of film on Usyk. So, I think Tyson will be a lot better prepared against Usyk than he was against Ngannou.
“I have great confidence in Tyson Fury.
“I really believe Fury against Usyk will be a classic match.”
A date for Tyson Fury’s undisputed world heavyweight title fight with Oleksandr Usyk is set to be revealed on Thursday.
Fury had been expected to clash with WBA, IBF and WBO champion Usyk on December 23, but the British boxer was left blooded and bruised in a contentious points win over Francis Ngannou last month.
That fight was rumoured to be the preamble to the announcement of Fury taking on Usyk and even though the pair got in the ring together, the swollen eye and cut on the forehead of the Gypsy King pushed back the widely-reported proposed date, but an announcement is expected for Thursday.
Bob Arum, chief executive at Fury’s American promoter Top Rank, told Sky Sports: “I can confirm they will fight each other in Saudi Arabia.
“There will be a press conference in London for Thursday of this week – the 16th – and they’ll confirm the date and all the other circumstances of the fight taking place.
“Tyson is ready to fight in February, if that’s when it happens. Remember going in with Ngannou, who showed himself to be very talented, nobody had a book on him because he had never had a prize fight.
“Fighting Usyk is totally different because they have reams and reams of film on Usyk. So, I think Tyson will be a lot better prepared against Usyk than he was against Ngannou.
“I have great confidence in Tyson Fury.
“I really believe Fury against Usyk will be a classic match.”
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 33 points to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to their seventh straight win, 104-101 in an In-Season Tournament game on Tuesday that featured three early ejections.
Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels were ejected after an altercation early in the first quarter.
Thompson and McDaniels became embroiled in a shoving match near midcourt following a Minnesota possession. Green rushed in and pulled Rudy Gobert away from behind with his arm around the center’s neck.
Thompson’s jersey was ripped during the scuffle, which led to Green’s second ejection of the season and two free throws by Gobert.
Towns also had 11 rebounds and Anthony Edwards scored 20 points for Minnesota, which defeated Golden State for the second time in three days following a 116-110 win on Sunday.
Brandin Podziemski had 23 points and Dario Saric added 21 for the Warriors, losers of three in a row.
Golden State was already without leading scorer Stephen Curry, who was ruled out with right knee soreness.
Nuggets keep Clippers winless with Harden
Nikola Jokić scored 32 points and just missed a triple-double as the Denver Nuggets defeated the Los Angeles Clippers 111-108 in an In-Season Tournament game.
Jokic had 16 rebounds, nine assists and made all 14 free-throw attempts, including two with 13 seconds left that helped thwart the Clippers’ comeback try.
Paul George matched a season high with 35 points and Harden had 21, as the Clippers lost their sixth in a row.
Haliburton stars as Pacers cool 76ers
Tyrese Haliburton had 33 points and 15 assists and Obi Toppin added 27 points to help the Indiana Pacers snap the Philadelphia 76ers’ eight-game winning streak, 132-126 in an In-Season Tournament game.
Myles Turner scored 15 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter for Indiana, which has won four of five and bounced back from Sunday’s 137-126 loss to Philadelphia.
Joel Embiid scored 39 points and De’Anthony Melton had 30 as the 76ers suffered their first loss since a season-opening defeat at Milwaukee.
Haliburton was 11 of 18 from the field and 7 for 12 from 3-point range. He had 32 assists and no turnovers in two games against Philadelphia.
David Pastrnak had a goal and two assists and the Boston Bruins scored the game’s first five goals in a 5-2 win Tuesday over the Buffalo Sabres, who lost star forward Tage Thomspon to injury.
Pastrnak’s 11th goal was the second of five straight by Boston, which improved to 3-0-1 in its last four games and leads the NHL with 26 points.
Thompson will miss significant time after he was injured blocking a shot by Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy in the second period.
The shot went off Thompson’s left wrist, and he winced in pain before heading back to the bench. He did not return.
Thompson is third on the Sabres with six goals and six assists for 12 points. He was among the league leaders last season with career highs of 47 goals and 94 points.
Crosby’s hat trick powers streaking Penguins
Sidney Crosby notched his 16th career hat trick and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the reeling Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3 for their fifth consecutive victory.
Crosby extended his point streak to nine games and completed his hat with the tiebreaking goal with 5:32 remaining before sealing the win with an empty-net tally.
Pittsburgh is 9-0-1 in its last 10 meetings wit Columbus, which has lost six straight (0-4-2).
Lindgren, Capitals shut out Golden Knights
Charlie Lindgren turned away 35 shots to lead the surging Washington Capitals to a 3-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Lindgren made a one-goal lead stand up until Washington scored twice in the final minute, including Connor McMichael’s empty-net goal.
Dylan Strome and Beck Malenstyn also scored to help the Capitals win their third straight and seventh in nine games (7-1-1).
Vegas lost in regulation for the third time in four games after opening the season 11-0-1.
Brandon Hyde of the Baltimore Orioles was named American League Manager of the Year on Tuesday and Skip Schumaker of the Miami Marlins took home the award in the National League.
Hyde guided the Orioles to the AL East title and a league-best 101 victories just two years after a 110-loss season.
Hyde earned 27 of a possible 30 first-place votes, with Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers receiving the other three. Two-time winner Kevin Cash of the Tampa Bay Rays finished third.
Schumaker led the Marlins to an 84-78 record – including 33-14 in one-run games – and a 15-game improvement in his first season as a major league manager with Miami earning a surprise wild-card spot.
He received eight first-place votes, three more than runner-up Craig Counsell of the Milwaukee Brewers, and Atlanta’s Brian Snitker was third.
Hyde became the fourth Baltimore manager to win the award, following Buck Showalter in 2014, Davey Johnson in 1997 and Frank Robinson in 1989.
Schumaker is the fourth Marlins manager to win the award, joining Jack McKeon in 2003, Joe Girardi in 2006 and Don Mattingly in 2020.
Jannik Sinner came of age at the ATP Finals in Turin with a first career victory over world number one Novak Djokovic.
The 22-year-old Italian won a three-hour marathon 7-5 6-7 (5) 7-6 (2) in a match of high tension and tremendous quality.
Defending champion Djokovic next faces Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz on Thursday in his final group match as he bids to reach the semi-finals.
In front of a raucous home crowd, Sinner grabbed the crucial break in the 11th game, despite finding himself 40-0 down, and then held to love to take the first set.
Djokovic, on a 19-match winning streak, took the second set to a tie-break and was twice a mini-break down before levelling the match, cupping his ear to the spectators.
World number four Sinner then played a stunning return game, breaking Djokovic to 15 with a punishing forehand to move 4-2 up in the third.
But with two hours and 40 minutes on the clock, Djokovic finally broke his young opponent for the first time in the match.
At 5-6 Djokovic began conducting the jeering crowd from his seat at the changeover.
The six-time ATP Finals champion had won 30 tie-breaks this season but number 31 proved elusive as Sinner moved 5-0 up before sealing a statement win with a smash.
“I feel I’m a bit more confident in certain moments but I still have to learn many things,” he said on Amazon Prime.
“I think I was really brave and intelligent, especially in the third set. I think we both played really well.
“It means a lot to me. When you win against the world number one who won 24 grand slams it’s up at the top.”
The afternoon match ended prematurely when Stefanos Tsitsipas retired after just 15 minutes, handing Holger Rune his first win.
Denmark’s Rune, 20, was leading 2-1 when Greek world number six Tsitsipas pulled out due to a back injury.
Tsitsipas was forced to withdraw from the tournament and was replaced by Hurkacz.
“Unfortunately, I felt terrible on the court. I did what I could do in the best possible way to be ready and fit for this match, but it didn’t work out for me,” Tsitsipas, the 2019 champion, said in his press conference.
“It kills me not to be able to finish this tournament, the one that I’ve prepped for for so long.”
At 34 years old Donovan “The real prince” Ruddock Jr, has achieved his main goal of launching a professional boxing career.
But the son of iconic two-time Jamaican-Canadian heavyweight champion Donovan "Razor" Ruddock is determined to soar even higher and out of the shadow of his famous father.
Unlike his father, who turned pro at age 19, Ruddock Jr is off to a late start, but he remains undeterred by criticisms that may come about his age, and is instead focused on the prospects of what can be achieved, provided he gets the proper backing.
“I am trying to walk my own path, I am trying to do my own thing and create my own identity. Many times people hear the name they label me as my dad, but I want to create my own history and not live in his shadow," Ruddock Jr declared.
“My career just started because I didn’t really get support like that, so it was kind of rough to get going because everybody was busy doing their own thing and then the family finally came together to make it happen. So it is just about moving forward from here to find my own success,” he told SportsMax.TV.
Though admitting that he doesn’t pack the power of his father, who is ranked on The Ring magazine's "100 Greatest Punchers of All-Time" list, Ruddock Jr believes he possesses more style and flair which he paraded during his debut professional bout against Jazeer Heron at the ‘Rumble in the Sun’ boxing showcase at the National Indoor Sports Centre on Saturday night.
With that bout ending in a draw, Ruddock Jr knows he has much more work to do if he intends to get anywhere close to, or even surpass his father’s record of 47 professional fights, including 40 wins, six losses and one draw, achieved in a dazzling 20-year career.
Even “Razor” Ruddock’s amateur run was lined with historic wins over Lennox Lewis, and show-stopping victories over Ken Lakustra, James "Bonecrusher" Smith, Greg Page and Mike Dokes.
For Ruddock Jr, his amateur record was 12 fights, including seven wins and five losses, and he also won the Golden Glove Novice title in Florida.
“I honestly don’t believe I have the same power as him (my dad) but I believe I have a better boxing style. If I get some full training camps to put in some serious work, I feel like I can put on amazing shows, I feel like I can put on some of the best fights because I am kind of an aggressive fighter and I really do push for action,” Ruddock Jr shared.
“I feel like I just need to calm down a little bit and just let things come to me. It is every boxer’s dream to win a title, but we all have to start small. There are a lot of things that I want to do, but it takes time and a lot of hard work," he acknowledged.
Reflecting on his first professional bout, the South Carolina-based boxer rued the fact that his first time in Jamaica and, by extension first fight, was ruled a stalemate, as he believes he was more efficient in his execution.
“It feels good to have my first professional fight in Jamaica but I feel it was just a biased decision because of my last name and my relationship with my father, I believe is why they didn’t want to give it (the win) to me. I kind of did come in a little boasy but that’s just my character and showmanship I believe is what sells tickets,” Ruddock Jr reasoned.
“I felt like I beat him to the jab, I landed more effective right hand punches, so just the mere fact that I was the ring general and I got some body shots in which he didn’t, meant I won the fight. But hopefully I can come back another time for a rematch,” he noted.
Finally, Ruddock Jr, who now fights in the welterweight category, pointed out that his ambition is to drop down to the lightweight division and work his way up.
“I would rather fight the lightweight because I feel like I can win a belt there and then move up and when another belt at the welterweight. That would look good on my resume being a champion in two weight division and that’s my dream,” the approachable boxer stated.
“But it is going to take a lot of hard work, I’ve taken the lessons from this experience and so I’ll just go back home, get my stuff together and see where we go from here,” Ruddock Jr ended.
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