Volvo Golf Champions 2013 leaderboard: Keep up to date with the scores
By
Sportsmail Reporter
UPDATED:
12:01 GMT, 10 January 2013
The European Tour is at Durban Country Club in South Africa this week for the Volvo Golf Champions.
Branden Grace took first prize in this event at Fancourt last year and you can keep track of all the latest scores right here.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LIVE LEADERBOARD
Amazing Grace: South African Branden won the Volvo Golf Champions last year
EXCLUSIVE: Six months after winning Champions League, Chelsea boss Di Matteo is left fighting for job (as Cech is involved in dressing room row…)
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UPDATED:
09:56 GMT, 19 November 2012
Roberto Di Matteo is fighting to save his job only six months after lifting the European Cup.
His Chelsea team have won just three of their last seven games, and defeat against Juventus in Turin on Tuesday would put their Champions League campaign in serious jeopardy.
After starting the season so well, Chelsea's campaign is in danger of falling apart, causing owner Roman Abramovich to lose his patience.
At risk: Roberto Di Matteo is fighting for his job
He is not alone. Goalkeeper Petr Cech
was at the centre of a heated dressing-room row following Saturday's
2-1 defeat at West Bromwich.
After their game with Juve, Di Matteo's side face Barclays Premier League leaders Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.
These are vital matches for Di
Matteo, with Abramovich aware that former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola
wants to work at Chelsea when he returns to management next summer.
Cech was furious after Chelsea's poor defensive display left them four points behind Manchester City.
Amid a flurry of expletives, another voice screamed that the display was 'rubbish – and you all know it'.
Other comments that were overheard included the barb: 'Call yourself Champions League winners' as passions spilled over.
Di Matteo was calmness personified in front of the media a few moments later but back in the dressing room, he too had stomped around in a fashion that was seldom witnessed when he was in charge of West Bromwich.
Chelsea defender David Luiz was surely among those chastised by his colleagues, particularly over the embarrassing lack of discipline in his game.
However, he at least had the good grace to admit what went on, saying: 'We were upset, it is normal. We are disappointed as we should have won this game.'
Bust up: Petr Cech was at the centre of a dressing room row during Saturday's defeat against West Brom
Blip: Chelsea have won only three of their previous seven games
Asked whether the cacophony of raised voices was the standard reaction, he added: 'Of course it's normal. This is a big club and you cannot lose games.'
The failings in Chelsea's defence are now painfully apparent every time captain John Terry is absent.
They miss not just his quality but
his organisational ability, and have conceded an average of two goals in
every game without him this season.
'Of course we miss him,' said Di
Matteo. 'He's an important player. He gives us confidence at the back –
and to the team in general.'
Di Matteo has promised to wield the
axe for the Juventus game. Judged on their performances on Saturday
alone, defender Luiz and misfiring striker Fernando Torres must be in
line for a very public chop. 'It's not just an individual issue,' said
the manager.
'As a team we have to defend better. You don't defend with one, you defend with the whole team.'
Tough luck: Di Matteo's former side West Brom survived a late barrage to claim all three points
Clarke hopes West Brom's superb start will convince Olsson to stay at Hawthorns
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UPDATED:
19:32 GMT, 1 September 2012
West Brom boss Steve Clarke hopes his side's flying start to the season will persuade central defender Jonas Olsson to sign a new contract.
Albion overcame Everton 2-0 at the Hawthorns thanks to goals from Shane Long and Gareth McAuley as they took their points tally to seven from the opening three games.
Saving grace: Jonas Olsson (left) blocks a shot by Everton's Victor Anichebe
But it was Olsson, who is in the final year of his contract, who was voted the official man of the match.
The Sweden international is
guaranteed to remain at the Hawthorns until at least January with the
closure of the transfer window but Clarke hopes he will remain on a
long-term basis.
Seal the deal: Gareth McAuley nods in the second goal
'It was very important Jonas stayed.
Anyone who has followed West Brom over the years, knows Jonas is an
integral part of team. He's crucial,' he said.
'I think keeping him is a statement from the club in that they have key players – but they don't have to cash in on them.
Cheers: McAuley (right) is congratulated after his goal
Breakthrough: Shane Long celebrates opening the scoring
'It might be a risk but maybe if we keep winning matches it will make his decision easier to sign a new contract.'
Clarke was delighted with Albion's second-half performance and their flying start to his first managerial job.
Argy bargy: Yacob vies for the ball with Nikica Jelavic
Heads up: Jonas Olsson leaps to win the ball
'It was a good afternoon for us, It
was a good game for us. Everton came here in a good moment but we
arrived also in a good moment,' he said.
'I thought the first half was a bit
too cagey, too good teams feeling each other out. But in the second
half, when the game opened out a wee bit, I thought we were good value
for the win.
'It's been a good start. When you looked at the games we had (Liverpool, Tottenham, Everton) you thought it would be difficult.
Discussion: Tim Howard talks to Phil Jagielka
Man in the middle: Marouane Fellaini
'But seven points from nine is a good start and gives us something build on.'
Everton surrendered their 11-game
unbeaten league record stretching back to March and manager David Moyes
admitted he may have been too gun-ho in his approach to try and snatch
victory.
'I thought for probably the first
hour we had good control but we didn't do well enough in the final third
today and that was the reason we didn't win,' he said.
'I've got to say West Brom defended
very well. I made a change (Kevin Mirallas for Steven Naismith) to try
and go for it because I thought we weren't doing enough to score and in
opening up we conceded a goal from it.
'I probably should have stayed the
way we were and maybe come away with a nil-nil but I wanted to try and
win the game. We had enough of the ball to do that.
'But in the final third today we hardly crossed it, we hardly passed it well. But that's great credit to West Brom.'
Long converted a cross from Peter
Odemwingie for the opening goal mid-way through the second half. Then
McAuley wrapped up the points when he headed in a Chris Brunt centre.
Midfield battle: James Morrison gets the better of Leon Osman
Spit it out: Leighton Baines will not have been pleased with the result
Graft: Everton were seen off by a hard-working West Brom
Portsmouth's future set to be secured as Chainrai rides to the rescue
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UPDATED:
21:56 GMT, 22 August 2012
Balram Chainrai expects to complete his takeover of crisis club Portsmouth in the next two weeks.
The League One club were spared a 10-point penalty after entering administration but faced a bleak future.
Manager Michael Appleton was forced to sign players on one-month deals.
More to follow…
Threadbare: Portsmouth have had to sign players on one-month deals
Saving grace: Balram Chainrai is set to finalise his takeover of the club
Tough task: Portsmouth's young squad face a difficult season in League One
Team GB hope Proctor eases into long jump final at first time of asking
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UPDATED:
18:52 GMT, 7 August 2012
Great Britain's Shara Proctor made swift work of qualifying for the final of the long jump at the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday night.
The Anguilla-born athlete leapt out to 6.83 metres with her first attempt of the night to secure automatic qualification.
Afterwards, she said: 'I did that by the grace of God. I will go home now, regroup and come back and go for a medal. The crowd were right with me and helped me jump 6.83.
Life's a beach: Britain's Shara Proctor leapt into the long jump final at the first time of asking
'There is a seven metre jump in me, but I'm not thinking of specific distance, I just want to jump far, far enough to get a medal.'
The 23-year-old British record holder
cannot compete for her native Anguilla at the Olympics because the
Caribbean island does not have its own National Olympic Committee.
It is a British overseas territory and Florida-based Proctor has a British passport.
F1's Lazenby gears up for a rollocking after plane shame
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UPDATED:
22:33 GMT, 25 June 2012
Formula One presenter Simon Lazenby has some explaining to do to his Sky Sports bosses for his alleged conduct on the easyJet flight back to London from the European Grand Prix in Valencia.
A BBC grand prix producer working on the Corporation’s rival coverage of the race posted a tweet claiming an un-named TV presenter had been a ‘loud drunk’ during the journey.
And other F1 personnel on board the budget airline flight last Sunday night identified Lazenby as the target of the attack, describing his behaviour as ‘obnoxious’.
Rollicking: Simon Lazenby (right) is in hot water
The BBC’s Richard Carr had tweeted: ‘Tedious delayed easyJet flight. Enlivened by loud drunk TV presenter. Fortunately not a BBC TV presenter though. I give you two guesses.’
However, Sky sources insisted there had been no complaints from easyJet and the accident-prone Lazenby had been unfairly singled out for criticism when he was travelling with a group containing BBC personnel.
It is only a month since Lazenby was severely reprimanded by his Sky bosses for making a tasteless joke on air before the start of the Monaco Grand Prix about the car crash that killed Princess Grace nearly 30 years ago. Hapless Lazenby told viewers: ‘Some twisty and dangerous roads above us here in Monaco. Princess Grace knows all about them.’
Incident: He disrupted the flight home from the European Grand Prix
There there
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California-based rock group Evaline, whose song 'There There' provides the soundtrack to the UEFA Respect campaign ad Swap Your Jersey, were told it would feature at least three times a day in every TV territory as part of the broadcast rights conditions.
However, the ad was not shown in the UK, which was described as ‘scandalous’ by Evaline’s management. A UEFA spokesman said there wasn’t an obligation in place in every deal done.
Talking of swapping, it wasn’t the most fitting of pairings after wholly contrasting performances that England’s great disappointment Wayne Rooney asked to exchange shirts with Italy’s playmaker genius Andrea Pirlo as they went down the tunnel at half-time.
No Terry trouble
The same FA high command led by chairman David Bernstein, who stripped John Terry of the England captaincy, were on Sunday praising his ‘outstanding, first-class’ attitude on and off the pitch during Euro 2012.
He proved one of England’s best players, while keeping as low a profile as possible.
Top class: John Terry excelled for England
Terry will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on July 9 to face a racially aggravated public order charge armed with a character reference from his former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. He denies making racist comments to Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand.
The future is ready
With England’s technical deficiencies exposed so brutally by the Italians in Kiev in front of a 23.2million peak audience, at least there’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon. The FA receive the keys to their St George’s Park National Football Centre, seen as one of the long-term answers to the problem, from builders Bowmer and Kirkland next week.
Touch of class: Roy Hodgson (right) was magnanimous in defeat
Hodgson’s classy exit
Roy Hodgson, who has come out of his first tournament as England manager in credit despite yet another quarter-final penalty exit, took defeat a lot better than his former Liverpool bosses warned he would. A magnanimous Hodgson walked down the length of the plane taking the England party home from Euro 2012 before take-off thanking everyone individually for their efforts.
Stadium woes for Rogers
Panorama reporter Chris Rogers, who was responsible for the Stadiums of Hate documentary about racist problems at matches in Ukraine and Poland, has had his own issues in a major sports venue.
Rogers was arrested on his last job for ITN’s London Tonight programme after attempting to breach Olympic Park security posing as a Lithuanian builder on a false passport. The giveaway was the brand new set of tools he was carrying. An ITN spokesman said Rogers, who was released without charge, was carrying out a 'legitimate investigation'.
McLaren fan breaks back in 35-feet fall at Monaco as grandstand gives way
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UPDATED:
17:57 GMT, 26 May 2012
McLaren stars Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton have written personal get-well letters to a team fan seriously injured in Monaco this week.
Minutes before first practice on Thursday a grandstand at Tabac gave way, resulting in 49-year-old Lawrence Relph from Margate plummeting 35 feet to the ground.
Personal letter: Hamilton and Button both wrote to the McLaren fan
Relph was taken to the local Princesse Grace hospital, where he is currently recovering after breaking his back and left leg.
A second man involved in the incident was fortunate to escape injury as he clung on to the wooden stand as it collapsed.
A McLaren spokesman yesterday visited Relph in hospital, taking the letters and a copy of a limited-edition book released two weeks ago by McLaren, signed by both Button and Hamilton.
Button said: 'It was pretty serious so we both wrote him a letter saying the obvious, “sorry to hear about your incident, get well soon”.
'We also thanked him for his support because he is a massive fan of the team.
Setting: Monaco plays host to round six of the Formula One world championship
'It's obviously a very difficult time for him. He came here to watch Formula One and he hasn't watched anything. He's been in hospital.
'We've done as much as we could. Hopefully he is watching us on television in the hospital.'
Hamilton added: 'We wouldn't be here without our fans. They mean a huge amount to us and the team, and we're grateful for all the support we get.
'When we heard about what happened we were quite saddened about it, so sending him a letter was the least we could do.
'Hopefully he has a speedy recovery because what's happened is tragic, but at least he will get better.'
As an incentive for his recovery, Relph has been invited into the McLaren motorhome as a weekend guest for next year's race.
It was embarrassing… I could have quit, admits paceman Johnson over Oz struggles
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UPDATED:
09:19 GMT, 11 May 2012
Australia paceman Mitchell Johnson has admitted his form prior to being sidelined through injury was so bad that it could have prompted his retirement.
Johnson, who was named in the squad for the one-day international tour of England that starts in June and the Australia A matches which follow it, has not played since succumbing to a toe injury in South Africa last November.
The injury came at a time when the 30-year-old was desperately struggling for form having taken just 13 wickets in six Tests at an average of 57 in 2011.
Fall from grace: Mitchell Johnson has struggled to live up to his reputation
His confidence issues came to a head in Australia's record-breaking loss in the first Test against the Proteas. Australia looked set to post an easy win after bowling out South Africa for just 96 and holding a first innings lead of 188, but crumbled to lose by eight wickets.
'That was really hard to come back from. It was a little bit embarrassing really,' Johnson said. 'My wife came over because she could tell I was really struggling.
'Going into that (second) Test in Johannesburg I was unsure if I could perform to be honest. It was at that point where I really just wanted to get away from the game and step back from it.
'If I didn't get the injury, if I kept going, I could have got dropped and that could have been it. I'd probably lost a bit of interest in playing the game … I think I got to the stage where I started to believe what was being said about me.
He bowls to the right… Johnson was taunted by the Barmy Army
'(An early retirement) could have been on the cards for sure.
'The injury did come at the right time. For two months I was in a brace on my foot. I was pretty much doing nothing and I didn't miss cricket at all at that stage, it was actually good to get away from it.'
Despite his lack of match practice, Johnson is confident he can contribute in England after working with mentor and legendary paceman Dennis Lillee during his six-month absence.
'I feel as strong and fit as I ever have,' he said. 'I feel like I've got my confidence and my belief back so I'm ready to test it out and go out there and do the best job that I can.
'I'm that keen at the moment, the last couple of days I've just been itching to get out and play some cricket.'
Chambers and Millar to be cleared for Games next week by CAS
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UPDATED:
23:11 GMT, 25 April 2012
Dwain Chambers will hear he has been cleared to seek Olympic selection early next week in Jamaica.
While the Court of Arbitration for Sport has been deliberating on the legality of the British Olympic Association’s ban on former dopers, Chambers has been training with former world 100metres record-holder Asafa Powell’s group in readiness for his 2012 bid.
Not even the BOA believe the judges will decide in their favour, having previously ruled against a similar IOC rule.
Waiting for the ruling: Dwain Chambers will hear next week if he is allowed to run at the Olympics
The BOA will have to pick up a 200,000 bill for challenging the World Anti-Doping Agency’s code. They will do so with good grace believing that their principled stand against doping will lead to a change in the WADA code before the next Olympics.
The BOA have refused to select those who have served suspensions for major drug offences for the last four summer Games. WADA claim that this is a secondary punishment not permitted under its code, to which the BOA is a signatory.
London calling: David Millar will be allowed to cycle at the Olympics is the ruling is overturned
The expected defeat of the BOA is likely to affect only two athletes — Chambers and road cyclist David Millar, a crucial support rider for sprinter Mark Cavendish who hopes to win gold on The Mall.
Amazing Grace moves three shots clean in China with eight-under round
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UPDATED:
10:29 GMT, 21 April 2012
Volvo China Open
CLICK HERE FOR THE LEADERBOARD
South African Branden Grace took a strong grip on the lead in the Volvo China Open after a sparkling eight-under-par third round of 64.
The penultimate day of a tournament is known as 'moving day' as players bid to put themselves in position for a tilt at the title, and that was certainly borne out in benign conditions in Tianjin.
Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay emulated Grace's 64, the bogey-free round taking him into third, a shot behind Nicolas Colsaerts.
Amazing Grace: The South African is three shots clear
Grace's compatriot George Coetzee and Sweden's Alexander Noren surged from well off the pace to share fourth place on 13 under after rounds of 64 and 63 respectively.
But overnight leaders Gary Boyd and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet failed to build on their strong starting position. While Gonnet's 70 kept him in touch with the leaders, Boyd could only manage a one-under 71 and slipped to a share of ninth place on 12 under.
Grace was five under for the front nine, picking up a shot at the second before two further birdies sandwiched an eagle at the sixth.
His only dropped shot came with a three-putt at the 14th but he bounced back with a superb pitch to close range at 15 as he birdied three of the last four.
Defending champion Colsaerts was less spectacular but a tidy 67 kept him within three shots of the lead.
In contention: Fabrizio Zanotti
The Belgian had two birdies on the front nine and four more after the turn, though his par on the 17th will have felt as satisfying as any of them after an excellent escape from a bunker.
The diminutive Zanotti hit the ground running with three birdies in the first four holes and another before the turn. Further pairs of birdies at 12 and 13 and then the last two holes meant he had climbed 14 places on the leaderboard.
Coetzee bounced back from a dropped shot at the second with four successive birdies from the fifth and four more in the last five holes.
And Noren's nine-under-par total, the best of the day, featured six birdies in the last seven holes, his only blemish coming with a bogey four at the short third as he jumped 25 places up the standings.
Moving day: Grace is the overwhelming favourite going into the final day
Boyd was one of the few players not to capitalise on good scoring conditions, throwing away his opening birdie with back-to-back bogeys.
The pattern was repeated from the 12th but a birdie-birdie finish salvaged the round somewhat.
Gonnet was two under for the front nine but made pars all the way home, the last coming despite a wayward second shot which struck a disgruntled female spectator.
He therefore closed on 13 under, level with Coetzee, Noren, Spaniard Ignacio Garrido (67) and Australia's Marcus Fraser, who responded to his only bogey at 16 with the fifth and sixth birdies of his round.
Among the British contingent, Richard Finch was a shot behind Boyd at 11 under with Danny Willett a further shot back and Scotland's Paul Lawrie at nine under.