Thursday, May 16, 2013
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Woods Goes From Red Carpet To TPC Sawgrass
 |
| Tiger Woods tees off on the fourth hole during practice rounds of the Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Tuesday, May 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) |
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida (AP) — One night after making his red carpet debut in New York, Tiger Woods was on a golf course that hasn't treated him very well over the years.
Woods said it took him a week to get over his tie for fourth at the Masters. Next up is The Players Championship, where he has won only once in 15 years and has just one top 10 since that victory in 2001.
"If you're not playing well, you're going to get exposed," Woods said.
Woods was at full exposure Monday at the Met with girlfriend Lindsey Vonn as they attended the Costume Institute Gala. Vonn was a guest of Vogue. He posed on the red carpet wearing a black suit, while the Olympic ski champion wore a long white dress with see-through slits.
"It was certainly different," Woods said. "Lindsey wanted to try and grow her brand. She's come out with a new perfume and makeup line, so that was a big thing for her and I'm supporting it. As you know, I'm not really big into fashion stuff."
Are more red carpets on the horizon?
"We'll see," Woods said. "Maybe I can just go in jeans and a T-shirt or something."
The visit to the red carpet may have helped Woods put out of his mind the controversy at the Masters.
It started with Woods' third shot hitting the flag on the 15th hole and bouncing back into the water on the opening hole. Woods unknowingly took an illegal drop, but he wasn't told about the possible infraction until after he signed his card. Augusta National took the blame, with competitions chairman Fred Ridley saying it didn't initially notice the violation and chose not to ask Woods about it before he signed his card.
Eventually, he was given a two-shot penalty but allowed to stay in the tournament — instead of being disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard — under Rule 33-7 that gives a committee discretion to waive the disqualification penalty.
The U.S. Golf Association and Royal & Ancient last week said the Masters was within its right not to disqualify Woods. He wound up four shots off the lead in a tie for fourth, his 15th consecutive major without winning.
Woods said he was surprised that the drop and how it was handled was still being debated.
"Fred explained it pretty well," Woods said. "For some reason, evidently that wasn't accepted."
Woods said he if saw a violation on television, he would not call it in. Television viewers — in the case of the Masters, it was David Eger, a respected rules expert — have been calling in what they think are rules violations for years.
"I don't ever see myself calling in and saying that Kobe (Bryant) traveled or things like that, or an offensive lineman held," he said. "But it's our sport. And that's what we've done and we've accepted. Certain groups are going to get more heat than others just because they're on TV. It is what it is."
Woods said he didn't stop thinking about it until he resumed practice a week later.
"Unfortunately, I hit a good shot and got a bad break," Woods said. "But I still had an opportunity over the next 36 holes to get it back ... and I just didn't do it."
Woods doesn't have much of an answer when it comes to the TPC Sawgrass.
He has failed to crack the top 20 eight times, the most of any tournament he has played. He is the No. 1 player in the year, and looks like it. In his last three events, he has won twice and tied for fourth. How that translates to the TPC Sawgrass is unpredictable.
"Some of the years, I've driven it well and not hit my irons well, and other years I've hit the ball great and not putted well," Woods said. "And other years I've drove it awful and didn't score well. You've got to have all the facets of your game going here."
No Way out --- Fergie snubs latest Roo quit plea
ALEX FERGUSON has told Wayne Rooney to forget about quitting Manchester United after snubbing the striker’s latest transfer request.
Rooney this week asked to quit Old Trafford for the second time in three years.
But Fergie said: “We have refused it. I think he should go away and think about it again.
“He wasn’t happy about being brought off in games this season. Wayne Rooney in top form wouldn’t be taken off.”
, Fergie has revealed how he decided to retire in DECEMBER.
The Scot shocked football on Wednesday by announcing his plans to quit at the end of the season.
But he has today told how the tipping point came at Christmas when his wife’s sister passed away.
Ferguson said: “I decided to retire last Christmas. Things changed when my wife Cathy’s sister died. She has lost her best friend, her sister. Also, I wanted to go out a winner.
“It was very difficult. There were times when we sometimes blurted it out to the family. We told our sons in March. My brother didn’t even know until Tuesday.
“The most important achievement was winning the first league and the door opened after that. We just grew and grew and grew. We had some fantastic teams.
“I’ve got a lot of things to do. My son Jason’s been organising things. I won’t be sitting still.”
Manchester United 2 Swansea 1
 |
| FERDY TIME ... Rio Ferdinand strikes to send Old Trafford wild |
RIO FERDINAND scored an emotional late winner to send Alex Ferguson off with a bang.
Ferdy leathered home from close range on 87 minutes just when it looked like Michu would ruin Fergie’s Old Trafford farewell.
Javier Hernandez broke the deadlock before Swansea’s Spanish superstar pegged Manchester United back.But Ferdinand struck in the dying stages to give Ferguson the perfect send-off in his final home game.
The Scot had been given a guard of honour before the match as United fans saluted their departing hero.
And the Stretford End was nearly given further reason to cheer after just six minutes when Hernandez hit the bar.
The Mexican was played through by Robin van Persie but cannoned his shot against the woodwork.
Paul Scholes, also bidding goodbye to the United faithful at the Theatre of Dreams, was cheered for a series of trademark hard-hitting tackles.
The retiring midfielder had a half-chance on 27 minutes when some nifty work from Shinji Kagawa sent him free on the edge of the box.
However, Scholes snatched at his shot and scuffed it towards relieved keeper Gerhard Tremmel.
United did not have to wait too much longer for an opener as Hernandez struck on 39 minutes, pouncing on Ashley Williams’ loose ball and slipping past Tremmel from six yards out.
Van Persie had a half-chance just before the break but he could not convert and the United went int 1-0 up.
That all changed after the interval, though, with Michu hauling back the Premier League champions on 49 minutes.
Nathan Dyer collected the ball on the right flank and picked out the Spaniard in the box.
He leapt in front of his marker and sliced a shot past David de Gea to silence the party atmosphere
United were looking for an instant reply but it was Swansea who threatened next with Wayne Routledge prodding wide.
Michu then tried his luck and De Gea pulled off a strong near-post save when his fellow Spaniard pulled the trigger from close range.
Old Trafford was on its feet once again when Scholes was brought off on 65 minutes.
Anderson then came close with a long-range effort that skimmed past De Gea’s post.
Of course, Ferguson’s sides have made late winners their trademark — and it was no different in the United boss’ final home game.
Ferdinand crashed home after a penalty-box ding-dong — his first goal in FIVE years — to send the United fans wild.
DREAM TEAM
Paul SCHOLES calls it quits — for good
 |
| SCHO LONG ... Paul Scholes is retiring agai |
PAUL SCHOLES will retire from football at the end of the season — just as SunSport told you.
The Manchester United legend initially quit the game in the summer of 2011, but reversed his decision in January last year.
But this time he has hung up his boots for good,
Scholes’ decision follows that of manager Alex Ferguson who is retiring after 26 years in charge at Old Trafford, with Everton boss David Moyes taking over.
Scholes, 38, said: “I am finally hanging up my boots for good!
“Playing football is all I have ever wanted to do, and so to have had such a long and successful career at Manchester United, under the greatest Manager of all time, has been an honour.
“The team has the right balance and will continue to thrive under the leadership of David Moyes.”
One-club man Scholes racked up more than 700 matches for United and will win his 11th Premier League medal on Sunday against Swansea.
Fergie said: “Paul is a truly unbelievable player. He has always been fully committed to this club and it has been a real privilege to work with him for so many years.
“Paul will play at Old Trafford on Sunday against Swansea and will collect an unbelievable but well-deserved 11th Premier League medal.”
Rio Ferdinand praised his team-mate on Twitter.
The United defender wrote: "Scholes retiring at the end of the season...1 of the best I played alongside also the most naturally gifted player too. #SatNav"
Sarries feeling Goode
 |
| GOODE VIBRATIONS ... Alex's return will boost Saracens' hopes |
SARACENS have been given a huge boost as they bid for a third Twickenham final in four years.
Alex Goode and Will Fraser are back from injury as Sarries face Northampton in the Premiership semi-final at Allianz Park tomorrow.
Rugby director Mark McCall said: “Under Jim Mallinder and Dorian West, Northampton have also been a very consistent side in recent seasons.Like us, they have regularly made the semi-finals of this competition.
“Both teams know each other well, but both teams have players who can turn a match in an instant. I am sure it will be a fiercely-contested encounter. It’s one we are very much looking forward to.”
Northampton captain Dylan Hartley said: “When you get to this stage you have to beat the best to win it.
“Saracens come into that category, so we go there armed with all the knowledge gained from our massive clashes in recent seasons.”
Jor dropper --- THIS is what you call a cliffhanger!
THIS is what you call a cliffhanger!
Miraculously, the Abu Dhabi Racing Citroen DS3 driven by Mohamed Al-Shamsi narrowly avoided disaster on the Jordan Rally.
Co-driven by Ulsterman Allan Harryman, his car came to a halt with one wheel hanging over the edge of a precipice into a stony canyon.
But team-mate Majed Al-Shamsi was not so lucky.
Partnered by Irish co-driver John Higgins, his Subaru Impreza plummeted backwards into the ravine, landing upside down in the dust.
It was a terrifying end to Al-Shamsi’s run on Round 3 of the FIA Middle East Rally Championship.
A shaken Higgins said: “We’re both fine.
“We came to a loose sharp left-hand corner with a big drop, and the back wheels went over the edge.
“The car just fell back over the edge and landed upside down.”
Stoke 1 Tottenham 2
 |
| MATCH-WINNER ... Emmanuel Adebayor is congratulated by Steven Caulker after netting the winne |
EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR grabbed a late winner against 10-man Stoke to keep Tottenham's Champions League dream alive.
With Clint Dempsey cancelling out Steven Nzonzi's opener, Spurs were handed a golden opportunity to turn the screw on North London rivals Arsenal in the race for a top-four finish when Charlie Adam was given his marching orders.
But Andre Villas-Boas cut a frustrated figure in the dugout as his side failed to make their numerical advantage count — until Adebayor popped up seven minutes from to time to net the decisive goal.
Tottenham, in need of a victory to maintain their push for a place among European football's elite, were dealt an early blow when Nzonzi broke the deadlock.
With just three minutes on the clock, the former Blackburn man connected with Adam’s free-kick at the near post and his glancing header found the net despite the best efforts of Hugh Lloris to keep it out.
Spurs looked to hit back immediatley and Gareth Bale’s powerful long-range drive was tipped over by Asmir Begovic.
The visitors had the ball in the net in the 16th minute when Dempsey flicked home Kyle Walker’s wayward shot, only for the effort to be ruled out for offside.
But they did not have to wait long for the equaliser as Dempsey took advantage of a mix-up between Marc Wilson and Begovic to send the ball sailing over the stranded keeper's head just four minutes later.
Tottenham continued to push forward after equalising and Adebayor saw his goalbound shot well blocked by Robert Huth.
With the pressure mounting, Begovic pulled off a fine save to keep out Michael Dawson's header from Bale's free-kick before blocking a low effort to deny the Welshman.
Stoke's task became an uphill struggle just a minute into the second half when Adam was dismissed after picking up his second yellow card.
With his 10-man team pinned in their own half, Potters boss Tony Pulis sent on Andy Wilkinson and Cameron Jerome in place of Matthew Etherington and Peter Crouch.
 |
| RAY OF HOPE ... Andre Villas-Boas enjoys Clint Dempsey's equaliser |
Spurs continued to push and Bale tested Begovic's handling with a low drive after Tom Huddlestone had shown good feet to dance his way into the penalty area.
For all their possession, the visitors were unable to find a way through as Stoke's players put their bodies on the line to make last-gasp tackles and blocks.
Bale did his best to get Tottenham going with a powerful run but was hacked down by Ryan Shotton, who was booked for the crude challenge, and Villas-Boas sent on Moussa Dembele in place of Scott Parker.
Pulis made his final change 17 minutes from time, hooking Shotton for Geoff Cameron, while Jermain Defoe climbed off the Spurs bench to replace Aaron Lennon.
The visiting fans held their breath just seconds later when Bale sent a right-foot effort just a whisker wide of Begovic's post following some good work from Dembele.
But Tottenham's pressure eventually paid off when Dempsey rolled the ball across the box for Adebayor to tap home from close range and secure three precious points.
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH gets Real over Mourinho
 |
| MOUR DELAYS ... Jose get-out clause is problem |
ROMAN ABRAMOVICH has told Jose Mourinho he will NOT pay the £17million get-out clause in his Real Madrid contract.
Mourinho’s deal at the Bernabeu still has three years to run after he signed a new £12m-a-year contract last May. And part of the agreement is that a fee of 20m euros will be paid by whichever party breaks the deal.
But the Chelsea owner has made it clear it will not be him who pays it — and that the compensation row must be sorted before the Special One can return to Stamford Bridge.
Now Mourinho must convince his current employers that it will be in everyone’s best interests to allow him to walk away from the Bernabeu for nothing.
The Portuguese boss, 50, is desperate to leave the Spanish giants.
The club are equally keen to see the back of their controversial coach — and are already looking for their next manager.
But he will not quit and Madrid will not fire him because neither wants to pay out.
So Mourinho must convince club president Florentino Perez to call it quits and let him have a dream return to Chelsea without money changing hands.
As things stand, the former Porto boss is now threatening to stay and see out the remaining three years of his contract.
But Chelsea insiders are confident it is just a negotiating tactic and remain convinced he will take over from Rafa Benitez.
Swann feels like new
 |
| FIGHTING FIT ... Swann will play at Lord's |
GRAEME SWANN is certain he is 100 per cent fit — and ready for the biggest year of his career.
Spinner Swann was selected by England yesterday for the first time since undergoing his second elbow operation in the space of four years.
He will play against New Zealand in the First Test at Lord’s on Thursday after missing the drawn three-Test series on their patch earlier this year.
Swann, 34, said: “We have an incredible year ahead of us with back-to-back Ashes series and I’m confident the elbow will hold up. It certainly feels good.”
Yorkshire seamer Tim Bresnan — also back from elbow surgery — is named but is likely to be 12th man, while county team-mates Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root come into the middle order.
National selector Geoff Miller said: “We need to improve on our performances in New Zealand.”
Formula One Alonso reigns in Spain
FERNANDO ALONSO sent the home fans into delirium with his victory in the Spanish Grand Prix.
His Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa produced a stunning drive to go from ninth to third.
The race descended into a tyre management exercise rather than a flat-out racing contest.
Ferrari’s decision to nurse the widely-debated Pirelli tyres with four pit stops allowed their drivers to finish either side of Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen.
Reigning champion Sebastian Vettel was fourth while Jenson Button finished eighth after his McLaren teammate, Sergio Perez, abandoned his late challenge to finish ninth, following a radio message.
Lewis Hamilton meanwhile had a dreadful afternoon.
He started in second but finished down in 12th -- and was even LAPPED.
His Mercedes teammate, Nico Rosberg, who started the race on pole, was sixth.
It was a shock as the Merc duo had looked so quick during Saturday’s qualifying session but just as in the previous race in Bahrain, they struggled when it came to the race.
Rosberg was able to maintain his first spot going into turn one but he was under pressure from Vettel immediately.
But it was not such a good start for Hamilton, who was quickly overtaken by Vettel while Alonso then squeezed past.
Button also made a nightmare start and he was running in 17th place at the end of the first lap, having started in 14th.
Hamilton continued to drop like a stone while Rosberg was struggling to fend off the challenge from Vettel.
Further back, Romain Grosjean saw his race ended on the ninth lap when his Lotus suffered a broken rear suspension.
But there were not any problems however for his teammate Raikkonen, who had a solid race after being
The Finn needed to be quick too, for Alonso started to stretch his lead having seen off Rosberg and Vettel — much to the delight of the home crowd.
The Ferrari ace benefitted from an early stop to pass the German and gave a faultless display, as his teammate Massa also came into the reckoning.
The Brazilian, who picked up a three-place grid penalty, for impeding another driver, looked quick like Alonso.
The same cannot be said for Mercedes’ two drivers.
Rosberg held his nerve to remain in the top six but Hamilton appeared to give up the fight.
He was passed by Paul Di Resta on lap 26 while the sluggish Williams of Pastor Maldonado also trundled past, prompting the Brit to complain into his team’s radio “now I have been overtaken by a Williams”.
There were more glum faces down at Sauber, as Nico Hulkenberg was penalised for an unsafe release when he clattered into Jean-Eric Vergne’s Toro Rosso in the pitlane.
The Frenchman then had a double whammy, as his rear tyre inexplicably exploded — just as Massa and Hamilton suffered in Bahrain and Di Resta did here on Friday.
The failure is sure to raise some more questions about the safety of the Pirelli tyres, which drew fresh criticism during this race.
The delicate lifespan of the rubber made this race more a pit stop management exercise than a flat-out contest.
The flurry of necessary pit-stops did shake up the order but it did little to dislodge Alonso’s lead as he continued to stay ahead of Raikkonen.
And while Alonso edged his way to the end of the race, attention turned to the chasing pack, as Button enjoyed another duel with his McLaren teammate Sergio Perez.
The two clashed in Bahrain and forced Button to complain about the Mexican.
The duo insisted afterwards they had buried the hatchet but will still be allowed to race each other.
Yet, that was clearly not the case here, as Perez received instructions over the team’s radio to save his tyres, prompting him not to overtake Button.
It all resulted in a lacklustre finish, aside from Di Resta, who once again finished as the highest-place Brit in his Force India in seventh spot.
Ricky shows the heart of a champion
RICKY BURNS was made to dig deep to retain his WBO lightweight as Jose Gonzalez threatened to spoil the party in Glasgow.
Burns, 30, had his hands full in the opening half of the fight and was forced to endure an onslaught in the seventh as his mandatory challenger went for the kill at the Emirates Arena.
But the Scot refused to give ground and Gonzalez appeared troubled by the fact he had not managed to put the champion away.
With his spirit broken, the previously unbeaten Puerto Rican refused to get off his stool for the 10th round after claiming he had suffered an injury.
A relieved Burns said: “He caught me with a few good shots — but I proved I can take a good shot.
“He did hurt me in that seventh round, but that’s when I just decided to stand my ground and trade back with him.
"He caught me with a good few shots. I had a quick look up and I could see the ref and he was having a good look.
“I think he was thinking about stopping it but I just fired straight back with my own punches.
“Maybe I was guilty of over-stretching as well. I’m out there to make the fight exciting, but maybe I need to go back to the drawing board a wee bit.”
Fighting under the Matchroom banner for the first time, Burns was desperate to make an impression in front of his fellow countrymen.
The Coatbridge fighter found it difficult to get to grips with Gonzalez’s style but showed plenty of heart to hang in there as his opponent gave it everything during that pulsating seventh round.
Burns said: “I knew going into the fight he was a good boxer and that he could punch — and he was a very heavy hitter in both hands.
“We knew it was going to be a difficult fight, we just didn’t know just how difficult or how awkward he was going to be.
“It is hard when you try to fight somebody who doesn’t want to commit. They make you miss and they make you pay and that’s what he was doing, stealing the rounds.
“I was getting caught with stupid shots on the counter, shots that I shouldn’t have been caught with. I think I learned my lesson from that.
“My trainer Billy [Nelson] was saying I was lunging in, but I think that was because I was trying to go out and go to town a bit.
“I knew that the rounds were close — they’ve said that the judges had me behind.
“But I felt the round before he pulled out he was getting tired and that’s when I started upping the workrate.
“I take my hat off to him — he’s a class, class opponent. He was very good technically and very hard to hit."
Matchroom supremo Eddie Hearn added: “He had a lot of pressure on him — the pressure of a new start and also the pressure of a nation on his shoulders.
“Gonzalez is a class, class fighter, very awkward.
“I felt Ricky was breaking him down — he’d won the last two rounds and I thought he was going to go on and win three more.
“But sometimes when you’re not at your best, to show heart and the determination that Ricky did shows he is a champion.
“He showed unbelievable courage in the seventh round, he dug in there and that’s when he found his best.
“We’ll be back here in September for another huge night.”
MAN DOWN ... Robeto Mancini
ROBERTO MANCINI is heading for the Manchester City exit following their disastrous FA Cup final defeat against Wigan.
The Italian’s fate was sealed at a board meeting held by the club’s hierarchy just hours before their appearance at Wembley.
And it is understood even a convincing win over the Latics would not have been enough to save the former Inter Milan coach from the chop.
Now the axe could fall as early as Monday, which will be exactly a year to the day after the club lifted the Premier League trophy.
Mancini, 48, is expected to be replaced by Malaga’s Chilean coach Manuel Pellegrini — certainly by the time the club depart on a post-season trip to New York next Monday.
Before then the out-going champions have two more league fixtures to fulfil against Reading on Tuesday night and then at home to Norwich next Sunday.
Mancini could yet be in charge for those matches as compensation for the four-year deal he agreed last summer has yet to be finalised.
If he departs beforehand, assistant boss Brian Kidd could take charge as City need one point to ensure they finish runners-up to Manchester United.
Speaking after the 1-0 defeat to the Latics, Mancini said he expects his fate to be known "within the next two weeks".
He also took a swipe at club officials for failing to stamp out rumours claiming he would be replaced by Pellegrini after they first came to light in February.
The rumours intensified on the eve of the cup final with odds on the former Real Madrid boss taking over at the Etihad slashed to an amazing 10/1 ON with some bookies.
And late on Friday night, reports emerged in Spain that a deal had been agreed by City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain for Pellegrini to take over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)