No Tiger Woods but alligators disrupt Zurich Classic

Posted on April 26, 2013 by adminsports

VIDEO: No Tiger but the alligators on the fairways are a hazard for Rose and Bubba

PUBLISHED:

00:48 GMT, 26 April 2013

UPDATED:

07:16 GMT, 26 April 2013

Ricky Barnes made the early running with an eight-under-par 64 in New Orleans despite the local alligators briefly holding up play in the opening round.

Boo Weekley came close, carding three birdies on his last five holes to open with a bogey-free 65. He was matched late in the afternoon by Lucas Glover, who had six birdies on the front nine (his second nine) en route to a 65 of his own. D.A. Points and rookie Morgan Hoffmann were another shot back after matching 66s.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST SCORES

Scroll down for video

What a hazard: An alligator as it crosses the course during the first round

What a hazard: An alligator on the course during the first round at the Zurich classic

What a hazard: An alligator as it crosses the course during the first round

No fear: An alligator crosses through a sand trap on the 14th hole as golfers and caddies walk by

Sand trap: An alligator crosses the 14th hole as golfers and caddies walk by

Zurich Classic

Uninvited guest: The alligator crosses the 14th fairway during the first round of the PGA Tour Zurich Classic golf tournament

Capturing the moment: A caddie takes a photo as an alligator rests while crossing the 14th fairway

Minding his own business: A worker grooms away tracks after an alligator crossed through a sand trap

VIDEO: Alligator crosses fairway at the Zurich Classic

Gator on the green! Three-legged alligator gatecrashes PGA Tour…

DM.has('rcpv2328620373001','BC',
'renderConfig' :

'css' : “videoplayer-large”,
'autoplay' : false,
'muted' : false,
'title' : “Gator on the green! Three-legged alligator gatecrashes PGA Tour match”,
'videoId' : 1006504,
'adsEnabled' : true,
'playerId' : “1989148206001″,
'playerKey' : “AQ~~,AAAAAFSL1bg~,CmS1EFtcMWELN_eSE9A7gpcGWF5XAVmI”,
'objId' : “rcpv2328620373001″,
'videoPlayer' : “2328620373001″,
'width' : 636,
'height' : 358,
'linkBaseURL' : “http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/golf/article-2315001/No-Tiger-Woods-alligators-disrupt-Zurich-Classic.html”

});

Another 10 golfers checked in at 5
under including Ernie Els, Rickie Fowler and 2006 Players champion
Stephen Ames, who needs a win this week to qualify for the 2013 event at
TPC Sawgrass.

A total of 84 players completed the
first round in red numbers. Not among them was 14-year-old amateur Guan Tianlang, whose three birdies were offset by three bogeys in an opening-round 72.

Guan Tianlang, 14, hits out of the tree line on the first hole

Bright start: Guan Tianlang, 14, carded an opening-round 72

Bubba Watson surveys the course with his caddie Ted Scott

Focused: Bubba Watson surveys the course with his caddie Ted Scott

Justin Rose of England hits his tee shot on the 8th hole

Colourful: Justin Rose of England hits his tee shot on the 8th hole

Mario Balotelli named as one of TIME"S 100 most influential people

Posted on April 19, 2013 by adminsports

Which former Premier League bad boy has made the list of the world's top 100 influential people And which three other sporting giants are there too

One thing nobody could dispute is Balotelli's news value, with the 22-year-old often finding himself plastered over pages at the front end of newspapers, as well as at the back.

Former French Open tennis champion Na is back at the very top of women's tennis. The popular Chinese player narrowly missed out on another Grand Slam title in January, when she lost the Australian Open final to Victoria Azarenka.

Top star: Li Na, seen here in action last month in Florida, has made the TIME list

Speaking about Na, tennis legend Chris Evert said: 'Tennis has exploded in China. The country now has some 15 million tennis players; 116 million people watched Li win the French Open. That kind of exposure is crucial to our sport, and it never would have happened without Li.

'At tournaments, I’ve seen her charm the crowds. When she smiles, everyone melts. She’s such a breath of fresh air. And like Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova before her, Li Na has transcended her sport.'

James is quite simply a superstar of American sport. The Miami Heat forward became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 20,000 career points earlier this year.

Jump to it: LeBron James goes up for a dunk against Philadelphia last month

He is one of the most well-known characters in American public life, and New York Yankees baseball stalwart Derek Jeter said: 'I’ve had the chance to meet LeBron James, and I know he’s a Yankees fan. I also know it must be tough to root for the Yankees while living in Miami and Cleveland.

'Most people in LeBron’s position aren’t as grounded as he is. He hasn’t forgotten where he comes from, and he’s given back so much to Ohio and Akron, his hometown. LeBron cares deeply about these places, and that says a lot about him.'

Vonn is a titan of winter sports, with the American at the top of skiing for more than a decade.

Looking good: Vonn has made her name on the slopes

Lindsey Vonn

Supporting Tiger: Lindsey Vonn was at Augusta last week to watch Woods play at the Masters

The Olympic downhill champion will be best remembered this season for a terrible crash in the super-giant slalom at the World Championships in Austria. Despite serious injuries suffered by Vonn, she insists that she will be fit and ready for next February's Olympic Winter Games in Sochi.

If Vonn wasn't already famous enough in her own right, the identity of her significant other ensures an even higher profile. She is of course dating golfing icon Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods should disqualify himself from Masters, says Sir Nick Faldo

Posted on April 14, 2013 by adminsports

You should disqualify yourself! Faldo says Woods will damage legacy if he plays on at Augusta

By
Nick Metcalfe

PUBLISHED:

14:31 GMT, 13 April 2013

UPDATED:

16:58 GMT, 13 April 2013

Sir Nick Faldo has hit out at Tiger Woods after the American superstar was given a two-shot penalty for a controversial drop at the Masters, saying he should disqualify himself from the tournament.

Woods hit his third shot against the flag stick on the 15th hole at Augusta, with the ball bouncing into the water. He then took a drop from what appeared to be the wrong place, two yards away from its original lie.

It was thought at one time that the world No 1 could have been disqualified, but he was given a reprieve on Saturday morning by rules officials.

However, three-time Masters winner Faldo told the Golf Channel that he should elect not to play the final two rounds, saying he 'should think about mark this will leave on his legacy'.

Tiger Woods

Drama: Woods reacts after his ball flies into the water (left) and then takes his drop (right)

Key moment: Woods seen here dropping the ball on the 15th after his third shot found the water

MASTERS LIVE

Follow all the third round news from Augusta as it happens with Brian Lee

Faldo added: 'For me, this is dreadful. Absolutely, no intention to drop this as close as possible. Simply, a breach of rules.

'The rules of golf are black and white and Tiger broke them. He’s admitted he broke them. He should stand up and earn himself some brownie points and say to all his fellow professionals: ”I’ve broken the rules, I’m going home and I will see you next week.” He should consider the mark this will leave on his legacy.’

Woods will start the third round on one-under par, five off the lead held by Jason Day.

Golf's rules were changed a year ago, with players now not being disqualified for signing the wrong card.

New rules state that 'if the Committee is satisfied that the competitor could not reasonably have known or discovered the facts resulting in his breach of the Rules, it would be justified under Rule 33-7 in waiving the disqualification penalty prescribed by Rule 6-6d.'

Way back when: Woods receives the green jacket from Sir Nick Faldo in 1997

MASTERS ESSENTIALS

Hole-by-hole guide to Augusta National
Third round tee times
All the latest news from Augusta

Former US Open champion Graeme
McDowell said on Twitter: '2 shot penalty for TW for wrong drop. New
rule applied for trial by tv. Instead of retrospective DQ, player
receives a penalty. Decent rule.'

The
leader after two rounds was Australia's Jason Day, on six-under. But
all the talk as the weekend began was once again about Woods.

Watch Tiger Woods' shot fly off the stick and into the water…

Gareth Bale says Tottenham team spirit will help Premier League and Europa League campaigns

Posted on April 2, 2013 by adminsports

Spurs' spirit will see us bid for glory on two fronts until the end of the season, says Bale

By
Charlie Skillen

PUBLISHED:

19:53 GMT, 1 April 2013

UPDATED:

23:10 GMT, 1 April 2013

Gareth Bale has said Tottenham can keep fighting on two fronts until the end of the season, claiming Champions League football for next season and challenging for the Europa League.

Spurs sit in third in the Premier League, five points ahead of north London rivals Arsenal in fifth, but have played a game more than the Gunners.

They also host Basel in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final on Thursday, but talisman Bale believes the togetherness in the squad will see them through.

Ready to go: Gareth Bale said Tottenham can use their team spirit to compete on two fronts

Bale

'We are a very close group as a team. At some places there's little groups here and little groups there but we have got a great team spirit and we want to take that into the rest of the season,' Bale told Eurosport.

'The main thing for us is that we don’t get carried away. We're comfortably able to finish fourth in the league and competing for third – we've got to take it game by game.

'We can push on in the Europa League as well against Basle. Our away form has been very good – we showed that against Lyon. We want to do as well as we can in both competitions.'

Bale's stunning strike against Swansea in Spurs' 2-1 win at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday was his 22nd for Spurs in all competitions this season, prompting some to brand him as one of the best in the world.

Flying high: Bale scored his 22nd goal of the season for Spurs against Swansea on Saturday

But for the man himself, two giants of the Spanish League are still the ones to beat.

'Ronaldo and Messi have set the standard as the best players in the world, and everyone wants to play like them' said Bale.

'Year by year I'm improving and I can still improve.'

D.A. Points wins the Shell Houston Open

Posted on April 1, 2013 by adminsports

DA Points wins Shell Houston Open to book his place at the Masters

By
Mike Dawes

PUBLISHED:

01:00 GMT, 1 April 2013

UPDATED:

02:12 GMT, 1 April 2013

DA Points found form out of nowhere to claim victory at the Shell Houston Open by a shot and book his place at the Masters.

Points had missed three cuts in a row and seven of his last nine heading into the Texas event, but hit his stride straight away, claiming the lead after the first round.

And he stayed in contention throughout the week, carding a six-under-par 66 today, inclduing a pressure putt on the 18th, to hold off Henrik Stenson and Billy Horschel and win by one stroke on 16 under.

All smiles: points celebrates with his hard-earned trophy

'It's been a realy tough year, a tough
start,' he said. 'To have a putt to win – you want that starting out
every week. I would have liked it to be a little closer, but I've been
putting really well.'

Points came out on top after a
dramatic day, which saw a host of players move in and out of contention
and was extended because of a rain delay late on.

Stewart Cink and Bill Haas went into the day as joint leaders, but neither in the end was a serious contender.

Haas dropped two shots on the front
nine and in the end finished level par for his final round, while Cink
could muster only three birdies. An eagle on the last would have seen
him into a play-off with Points, but he found sand and ended up with a
bogey to sit in a share of sixth on 13 under.

Among the other contenders, Stenson
and Horschel hit contrasting 66s and were left to see if Points would
slip up on the final hole.

Weather delay: Bad weather delayed play on the final day

Stenson needed four birdies in his
last five holes to hit the mark, while Horschel could not find the shot
he needed at the back end of the course, parring each of the last five
holes.

The good news for Stenson was that his
performance was enough to earn him a place in the world's top 50 and an
invitation to the Masters.

Adding to the drama was a near
three-hour delay in play, with only a handful of players still out on
course and Stenson the clubhouse leader, caused by a downpour in
Houston.

Points held his nerve, though, saving
par on each of his last two holes using a putter he revealed earlier in
the week was one he had taken from his mother when he was younger and
had refurbished this week in an attempt to improve his play on the
greens.

Happy days: D.A. Points celebrates winning the Shell Houston Open

Get in the hole: D.A. Points celebrates his par putt on the 18th green

'I was firing on all cycliners,' he said. 'I'm proud of myself that the rain delay didn't put a stop to that.'

Dustin Johnson produced the round of
the day, a seven-under 65, to finish in a share of fourth on 14 under,
alongside Ben Crane, while a 67 saw Brian Davis finish as the leading
Briton on 13 under, two strokes aherad of compatriot Lee Westwood.

Rory McIlroy managed a third straight under-par round to finish four under overall.

He told www.pgatour.com: '[There are]
lot of positives to take from it. I've learned a few things as well that
I can bring into next week and obviously looking ahead to Augusta, too.

'It's been a productive week.'

WTA Sony Open – Miami: Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova 4-6 6-3 6-0 in the final

Posted on March 31, 2013 by adminsports

Serena storms back to sink Sharapova in three sets and lift Sony Open title in Miami

By
Steven Donaldson

PUBLISHED:

20:14 GMT, 30 March 2013

UPDATED:

20:39 GMT, 30 March 2013

Serena Williams lifted her sixth Sony Open title after magnificently bouncing back to see off Maria Sharapova in the final in Miami.

The world No 1 was edged out in a tight first set but lost three games thereafter as she stormed to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory and her 11th straight win over Sharapova.

The American has passed Steffi Graf's number of titles in this competition and became the oldest female champion at the tournament, while Sharapova has now been defeated in every one of her five final appearances in Miami.

Champion: Serena Williams holds the Sony Open trophy aloft in Miami

Serena Williams

History: The world No 1 became the oldest female winner of the tournament

Dominant: Williams beat Maria Sharapova (left) for the 11th time in a row

After playing flawless tennis for an hour, Sharapova began to miss with her serve, and Williams dominated rallies with her power.

Sharapova built her lead by keeping Williams on the defensive, and she kissed the line with a winner on consecutive points to break for a 3-2 advantage in the second set.

But then came the turnaround. Williams began to capitalise on Sharapova's tentative second serve and broke back to love before taking advantage of two double faults by Sharapova to break again for a 5-3 lead.

Strong start: Sharapova edged ahead after winning a tight first set 6-4

Rampant: The American lost only 10 points in the final set to beat her Russian opponent

Repeat: Williams became the first No 1 seed to lift the women's title in Miami since she won nine years ago

Williams lost only 10 points in the final set and closed out the victory with a service winner.

'Maria definitely pushed me – she did a really great job today,' Williams said after he win.

'I look forward to our next matches – it's going to be really fun for the fans and for us and for everyone.'

Williams became the first No 1 seed to win the women's title since she was champion nine years ago.

Sharapova, who won the title in Indian Wells at the beginning of March, said: 'It's obviously been a really nice month.

'It's disappointing to end it like this but Serena played a great match and I'm sure we'll play a few more times this year.'

Cheltenham Racecourse set for 45million makeover to grandstand and royal box

Posted on March 29, 2013 by adminsports

The Jockey Club unveils ambitious 45m vision for Cheltenham Racecourse

By
Marcus Townend

PUBLISHED:

14:58 GMT, 28 March 2013

UPDATED:

21:27 GMT, 28 March 2013

Cheltenham have unveiled plans for a new 45million grandstand to be completed in time for the 2016 Festival.

Officials have dismissed threats
that the biggest commercial project ever undertaken by Jockey Club
Racecourses (JCR), owners of the flagship track, could be hindered by
established boxholders angry at losing their current vantage points.

Visionary: This artist's impression shows how the stand will look after the renovation

There had been suggestions that those with boxes in the New Stand, which will be demolished to accommodate the new five-floor development, could seek to protect the old building by applying for Listed Building status.

But a threatened demonstration yesterday failed to materialise and Simon Bazalgette, chief executive of JCR, said: ‘We have confirmation from English Heritage that (the New Stand) does not meet any requirements for Listed status.

‘Cheltenham needs to be considered as a world-class sports venue and it needs to keep pace with what our customers expect. We think it will be one of the most exciting developments not just in racing but in sport for the next few years.’

Officials were keen to point out that there would be elevated viewing terraces at the rear of the stand overlooking the parade ring and raised walkways to aid viewing and crowd flow.

‘They will create a wonderful amphitheatre and ensure the horse is at the centre of everything we do,’ said Ian Renton, JCR’s south west regional director.

Replacement: The new grandstand will have a capacity of 6,500 and will replace a smaller 1920s block

JCR are hoping to secure planning permission by the summer to build the stand, which will include a new Royal Box.

Construction should start after the Festival next March with the project completed two months ahead of the 2016 Festival.
The 1,500 spectators now housed in the New Stand, who will be offered
their own dedicated facility in the new build, will be found temporary
facilities during construction but racing will not be interrupted.
Renton said: ‘We will accommodate approximately 6,500 people (5,000 more
than the New Stand) and that will make a difference, particularly on
Gold Cup day which puts huge pressure on facilities.’

Renton added that the additional grandstand space would not necessarily
mean increased capacity but there will be financial pressure to do so
in order to fund such an expensive project. Paul Fisher, managing
director of JCR, denied that the development will be forced to cater for
richer and corporate guests, adding: ‘This is not just a grandstand for
corporate but will improve the experience for all racegoers.’

However, plans do include a ‘Super Club’, with facilities on the top
floor which will be something like the palatial Royal Ascot Racing
Club.

Bazalgette denied suggestions that financial pressure could make an
extra day being added to the Festival more likely or that the meeting
may be moved to include a Saturday.

He added that previous suggestions that a development could include a
hotel or venue for Cheltenham Town football club were not in mind ‘at
the moment’.

Rafa Benitez urges Chelsea to catch Manchester City ahead of Southampton visit

Posted on March 28, 2013 by adminsports

Get City! Benitez urges Chelsea to reel in champions for second spot and forget about Tottenham and Arsenal

PUBLISHED:

13:00 GMT, 28 March 2013

UPDATED:

13:50 GMT, 28 March 2013

Rafa Benitez insists Chelsea won't be looking over their shoulders and instead believes Manchester City can be caught in the final games of the season.

The Blues are four points adrift of City ahead of their trip to Southampton on Saturday.

Southampton meanwhile are engrossed in their survival battle. four points above the drop, with just nine games of the season remaining.

Strike: Fernando Torres and Demba Ba train ahead of Chelsea's Easter Saturday clash against Southampton

'I would like to see us reduce the
gap,' said Benitez. 'They (City) will be concerned like we are with
Tottenham, Arsenal and Everton.

'The
main things are that you are a team. We are playing very good football,
so if you keep the momentum going I won't be worried about the other
teams but watching Manchester City.'

The Chelsea manager confirmed that captain John Terry would be available for selection this weekend.

Case for the defence: John Terry, seen here with David Luiz, has impressed manager Rafa Benitez

'He has been training and doing well.
I am very pleased with him,' Benitez added. 'He is training every day
and improving his fitness.

'But we’ve got nine games in four days, he can’t play every game. That goes for all the players.'

Fernando Torres was among the Chelsea players left behind in international week after he missed out on selection to the Spain squad for their qualifiers against Finland and France.

'He has been training harder,' said Benitez. 'Spain has a lot of good players so it’s normal he can be left out of the list.

'He has been working very hard. Not just Fernando, but all the players want to prove themselves. Strikers want to score goals, but for me it is also what he does for the team.'

More follows…

France v Spain – watch it live for FREE

Posted on March 26, 2013 by adminsports

LIVE France v Spain: Watch the crunch clash in Group I as Les Bleus take on the world and European champions

PUBLISHED:

10:23 GMT, 26 March 2013

UPDATED:

16:15 GMT, 26 March 2013

Welcome to Sportsmail's coverage of what promises to be the game of the night as France take on Spain in Group I.

The French can take a huge step towards qualification for Brazil 2014 with a win over their near neighbours in Paris.

Victory would move them five points clear at the top with just three games to go and leave the reigning world and European champions staring at the prospect of a two-legged play-off.

The sides drew in Madrid last October and Spain followed that up by sharing the points with Finland on Friday night while Les Bleus eased past Georgia.

Sergio Ramos, on his 100th appearance for his country, captained Vicente del Bosque's side against Finland and led by example with the goal.

Karim Benzema, his Real Madrid team-mate, drew a blank in France's victory and will be out to make amends if he is given the nod after being booed by the home support for missing chances in the Stade de France.

***Full coverage will start at 8pm***

Live : France – Spain par ffftv

Serbia v Scotland World Cup qualifier to go ahead despite snow

Posted on March 26, 2013 by adminsports

Scotland's World Cup qualifier in snowy Serbia set to go ahead as Tartan Army dig in to help clear pitch

By
Stuart Fraser

PUBLISHED:

11:40 GMT, 26 March 2013

UPDATED:

14:04 GMT, 26 March 2013

Scotland's World Cup qualifier against Serbia is set to go ahead, despite continuing heavy snowfall.

Gordon Strachan's side are due to play tonight in the city of Novi Sad, around an hour north west of the Scots' base in Belgrade, and work to clear the Karadjordje Stadium pitch is underway.

Digging in: Members of the Tartan Army help clear the pitch in Novi Sad

Helping hand: Scotland fan David Wildridge clears snow from the seats in the Karadjordje Stadium

The Serbia FA and the Scottish FA are continuing to monitor the situation, the latter tweeting: 'Serbia v Scotland on as it stands. Serbia FA clearing pitch of snow.'

Around 1,200 members of the Tartan Army are expected to attend the match, which would be rescheduled for Wednesday if it was postponed tonight.

Snow: The scene outside the Scotland team hotel in Belgrade this morning

Wrapped up: Strachan tries to keep warm during Scotland's training session in Belgrade last night

Scotland are currently bottom of Group A with two points from five games after losing 2-1 to Wales in the snow at Hampden on Friday.

With qualification hopes for the World Cup almost certainly over, Strachan is set make a number of changes to his team tonight against Serbia, who sit fourth with four points.

Warming up: Scotland trained at the Partizan Belgrade Academy ahead of tonight's match against Serbia

Defeat: Scotland lost out in the Glasgow snow on Friday night as they were beaten 2-1 by Wales

Sports Bound Guide

Sports Bound Guide. Fresh Sports News

Tag Archives: points

No Tiger Woods but alligators disrupt Zurich Classic

Mario Balotelli named as one of TIME"S 100 most influential people

Tiger Woods should disqualify himself from Masters, says Sir Nick Faldo

Gareth Bale says Tottenham team spirit will help Premier League and Europa League campaigns

D.A. Points wins the Shell Houston Open

WTA Sony Open – Miami: Serena Williams beats Maria Sharapova 4-6 6-3 6-0 in the final

Cheltenham Racecourse set for 45million makeover to grandstand and royal box

Rafa Benitez urges Chelsea to catch Manchester City ahead of Southampton visit

France v Spain – watch it live for FREE

Serbia v Scotland World Cup qualifier to go ahead despite snow