CAPE TOWN, South Africa: Faf du Plessis and Temba Bavuma both made half-centuries Friday to give South Africa a commanding 104-run lead over Pakistan on the second day of the second test.
Du Plessis was 80 not out and Bavuma 60 not out to put South Africa in prime position to win the match and the series as it went to tea on 281-4 in its first innings.
Pakistan’s bowlers didn’t have the same success as South Africa’s at Newlands, where the tourists were bowled out for 177 in their first innings. Pakistan went through the second session without a breakthrough.
Pakistan’s best moment came early in the day, in the second over, when Mohammad Abbas bowled Hashim Amla with a delivery that jagged back dramatically and knocked the leg stump out of the ground.
South Africa had added only three runs to its overnight score of 123-2, and Amla nothing to his overnight score of 24, when Abbas struck. Pakistan also removed Theunis de Bruyn for 13 to have South Africa 149-4 before the du Plessis-Bavuma stand threatened to take the game and the series away.
South Africa already leads the three-test series 1-0 after a six-wicket win in Centurion.
The tourists could have had a morale-boosting third wicket in the first session in Cape Town on Friday had an edge from Bavuma very early in his innings carried a few more inches to Azhar Ali at first slip. He went on to make a 13th test 50. His only test century also came at Newlands.
Du Plessis hit 10 fours to close in on his ninth test century and first since his 120 sealed a series victory over Australia in March.
South Africa leads Pakistan by 104 in 2nd test
South Africa leads Pakistan by 104 in 2nd test
- Pakistan had two breakthroughs in the morning session at Newlands
- South Africa bowled Pakistan out for 177 on the first day
Schauffele gets another major scoring record and sets the pace at PGA Championship
- The three-shot lead matches the 18-hole record held by Bobby Nichols in 1964 at Columbus (Ohio) Country Club and Raymond Floyd in 1982 at Southern Hills
- cord 64 players broke par. The previous record for the first round of a PGA was 60 sub-par rounds in 2006 at Medinah, according to the Elias Sports Bureau
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky: Xander Schauffele is playing some of his best golf without a trophy to show for it. He at least put his name in the PGA Championship record book Thursday with a 9-under 62, and gave himself another entry in the record book for all majors.
Schauffele seized on the rain-softened conditions at Valhalla with a bogey-free 62, the lowest round in PGA Championship history, and matched the PGA record for largest margin after 18 holes with a three-shot lead over Tony Finau, Sahith Theegala and Mark Hubbard.
Schauffele, a 30-year-old who oozes California chill, kept this one in perspective.
“It’s just one day,” he said. “Very happy with how I played. I can’t think much more of it. I have to tee it up tomorrow.”
Masters champion Scottie Scheffler saw Schauffele’s score and cared only about putting together a good round in his first competition since his son was born last week.
That he did, holing out with a 9-iron from 167 yards on the first hole for eagle, the highlight in a round of 67. Scheffler failed to birdie the par 5s on the back nine and had a few other mistakes that sent him to the range after his round, but otherwise felt OK about it.
“I felt like there was a couple things I can clean up going into tomorrow, but overall today was a solid round,” Scheffler said after his 41st consecutive round at par or better.
This was an easy day to keep that streak going. A record 64 players broke par. The previous record for the first round of a PGA was 60 sub-par rounds in 2006 at Medinah, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Even players who stumbled from the start had ample opportunity to turn it around.
Jon Rahm opened with four bogeys in six holes, threw a club in disgust on the 16th hole and still managed a 70 by making four birdies down the stretch. Collin Morikawa was 2 over through five holes, but he responded with three straight birdies and finished with a 65.
Even so, this was a special round. Schauffele one-putted 12 times — two of them for par that he considered crucial to his round — and he didn’t go more than one hole without a birdie until the very end when he finished par-par for the record.
The three-shot lead matches the 18-hole record held by Bobby Nichols in 1964 at Columbus (Ohio) Country Club and Raymond Floyd in 1982 at Southern Hills. Both went on to win.
Schauffele had plenty of attention, playing alongside Louisville native Justin Thomas and in the group ahead of Tiger Woods, who was followed by Rory McIlroy. Thomas rallied late for a 69 that required some perspective of his own.
“When you’re playing with one of the easiest 9 unders you’ve ever seen, it makes you feel like you’re shooting a million,” Thomas said.
Finau closed with four pars for his 65. Theegala had 65 by finishing with three straight birdies. Hubbard had three birdies over his last four holes to join them late in the afternoon.
McIlroy, back on the course where he won his last major 10 years ago, ran off three birdies late in his round for a 66 that left him in a large group that included Morikawa and Tom Kim.
“You knew there were a lot of birdies out there,” Morikawa said. “It played soft and the greens were pretty slow.”
Defending champion Brooks Koepka played his final three holes in 3 under for a 67, while Jordan Spieth bogeyed his last hole for a 69 in his bid for the final leg of the Grand Slam.
There had been 17 scores of 63 at the PGA Championship, most recently Koepka in the opening round at Bethpage Black in 2019. The list includes Jose Maria Olazabal at Valhalla in 2000 during the third round.
Schauffele had to get up-and-down from behind the green on the par-3 eighth to a front pin, a chip of 60 feet that was right in the jar until stopping 2 feet short. His two-putt par from about 30 feet on the ninth hole gave him the PGA record.
That makes four rounds of 62 in all the majors, and Schauffele has two of them. He and Rickie Fowler shot 62 in the first round of the US Open last year at Los Angeles Country Club (par 70), while Branden Grace shot 62 in the third round at Royal Birkdale in the 2017 British Open.
And then he began the 24-hour wait before his next shot on Friday afternoon.
“The greens will be a little bit bumpier with a lot of foot traffic coming through. Who knows with the weather — it might rain — so the course might be playing completely different,” Schauffele said. “Just going to bed knowing I’m playing some pretty good golf, might just wipe the slate clean.”
Good golf, indeed. Just no trophy since the summer of 2022.
Schauffele had a one-shot lead last week in the Wells Fargo Championship and McIlroy zoomed by him on the back nine with a 65 to win by five. He also had a one-shot lead going into the final round at The Players Championship until Scheffler shot 64 to win by one.
“I’ve just been playing some really solid golf,” he said. “Been having close calls. My team and I, we just say let’s keep chugging along.”
This felt like a sprint from when he hit 6-iron to a pin back and left on the par-3 11th to 2 feet, followed by a 15-foot par save on the 12th, one of the few times he was out of position. Schauffele birdied three of the last four holes on the back nine for a 31, and then he ran off three birdies in a four-hole stretch — no putt longer than 10 feet — on the front nine.
It was the perfect recipe for scoring — the sun above, soft turf below, not much wind, and greens still relatively smooth.
“You for sure know there’s going to be some holes there for the taking,” Finau said. “You’re going to hit some good shots. You’re going to have a lot of looks. That’s what you saw out there today. ... I think you can go on a run here with the conditions.
“And it’s going to make for a fun week.”
It was frustrating for Woods, who holed enough putts and hit enough good shots that he was 1 under going to the final three holes. But he failed to take advantage of the par-5 seventh, and then he three-putted for bogey on his final two holes for a 72. That marked the eighth straight round in which he failed to break par in a major.
“That wasn’t the way I like to finish off a round,” Woods said. “Long way to go, and we’ll see what happens.”
Fury and Usyk fuel tensions ahead of ‘Ring Of Fire’ showdown in Riyadh
- Fury dominates press conference with his larger-than-life personality and wit as he dances on stage and generally pays little attention to his rival
- In stark contrast, Usyk displays stoic calm and unwavering determination, speaking quietly but firmly and ignoring Fury’s attempts to rattle him
RIYADH: Ahead of their highly anticipated showdown in Riyadh on Saturday, boxing titans Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk exchanged words on Thursday, setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying encounter billed as the “Ring Of Fire.”
Their press conference ahead of the clash, which took place at Boulevard City in front of a packed audience of media representatives and fans, underscored the intense rivalry between the fighters and the high stakes of their clash.
Both men are at the pinnacle of their careers: Fury holds the WBC heavyweight title, while Usyk is the unified WBA, IBF and WBO champion. The bout on Saturday is not only a battle for individual supremacy but also represents a historic moment in boxing, with the winner set to be crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion since Lennox Lewis defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999.
True to form, Fury dominated the press conference with his larger-than-life personality and razor-sharp wit. The British fighter took the opportunity to entertain the crowd with his trademark banter, danced on the stage and generally paid little attention to his rival. Clad in a striking suit, he exuded confidence and made bold predictions about the outcome of the fight.
“I’m gonna make this short and simple,” he said. “Thank God for the victory that I’ve received already. And I want to thank everybody involved in this massive event. And I want to thank Oleksandr Usyk for turning up and challenging me.”
He also thanked the fans who have traveled from around the world to support him at the event “because I know it’s tough times at the moment. Money is hard.”
He added that he is fully prepared for the challenge, saying: “I’m ready for a good fight and if it’s tough or easy, either way I’ll be ready.”
In stark contrast to Fury’s flamboyance, Usyk displayed stoic calm and unwavering determination. Known for his technical prowess and agility, the Ukrainian ignored Fury’s attempts to undermine his confidence, speaking quietly but firmly as he expressed his respect for Fury and confidence in his own abilities.
“I’m happy to be here,” he said, adding that he is excited to visit the Kingdom. “Let’s make history”
Despite the verbal jabs and competitive spirit on display, both fighters expressed mutual respect for each other’s accomplishments. Fury acknowledged Usyk’s remarkable rise through the heavyweight ranks, while Usyk lauded Fury for his resilience and fighting spirit.
This respect did little to ease the palpable tension, however, as the fighters faced off for the cameras. Though Fury refused to take part in the traditional stare-down finale, the steely gazes nonetheless served as the precursor to a fierce battle.
Usyk’s manager, Alexander Krasiuk, said: “There is only one task left. It is to take this green belt and return it to Ukraine, the country it belongs to.”
In response, Spencer Brown, Fury’s manager, said: “We have come from Britain here to win the belts and take them back.”
Fellow fighters and boxing pundits also took the stage on Thursday to share their perspectives on the big fight. Press conference host Dev Sahni noted the historical significance of the bout, saying: “Both (fighters) are going to let their fists do the talking on Saturday night. It is the fight of the century; the first undisputed world heavyweight champion will be crowned right here in Riyadh on Saturday. Do not miss it.”
American boxer Ryan Garcia described Usyk as a “hell of a man” but added: “Fury is the man. I think he is the best heavyweight of all time.”
Messi’s record $20.4 million salary dwarfs entire MLS teams
MIAMI: Lionel Messi’s record $20.45 million annual salary from Inter Miami makes him by far the best paid player in Major League Soccer but also puts him ahead of the entire squads of 25 of the league’s clubs, according to data released by the MLS Players Association on Thursday.
The players union regularly releases the full pay details of the entire league and while it was no surprise to see the eight-times Ballon d’Or winner at the top, the gulf with other players and indeed teams is striking.
Messi has a guaranteed compensation of $20,446,667 made up of a base salary of $12 million plus various bonuses.
The figures from the players’ union do not include the huge income the Argentine World Cup winner receives in commercial deals, endorsements and sponsorships from companies such as Adidas and Apple.
Messi signed his last contract with Spanish club Barcelona in 2017, a four-year deal that gave him the potential to earn 138 million euros per season including salary and add-ons.
Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain in August 2021, after his contract with Barca ended and was reported to be earning between 30-35 million euros with the French club.
The 36-year-old joined Miami in July last year on a deal which runs until the end of the 2025 season but he may still be receiving payments from Barca.
Joan Laporta, the Barca president, said in January 2022 that the club were scheduled to make deferred salary payments to the player until 2025.
Toronto’s Italian striker Lorenzo Insigne, who was MLS’s best-ever paid player until Messi’s arrival, was second on the list with a guaranteed income of $15.4 million from the Canadian club.
Messi’s Spanish team-mate, Sergio Busquets, the 35-year-old former Barca midfielder, is the third top earner in the league on $8.8 million guaranteed.
Miami’s former Barca duo of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez and Spanish full-back Jordi Alba each earn $1.5 million per year.
Inter Miami’s total wage bill is $41.68 million with Toronto second on $31.41 million. Current league champions, the Columbus Crew, had a total salary cost of $15.19 million, ranked 21st in the league.
Messi shares a dressing room with a number of team-mates earning just a tiny fraction of his income — defender Noah Allen, a regular part of the matchday squad, earns a total of $91,383.
The average MLS salary is $594,390 in 2024 which is up 12.1 percent from last year.
Miami are able to pay Messi such a high salary because of the ‘Designated Player’ rule which was brought in to allow Los Angeles Galaxy to sign David Beckham in 2007 on a base salary of $6.5 million a year with his total deal earning him around $50 million in five years.
While Messi’s income is huge by MLS standards it is well below the levels of top performers in other major sports in the USA.
Last year Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow signed a five-year deal worth $55 million per season, a new league record.
The NBA’s top earner Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors makes $51.9 million.
World judo championship in Abu Dhabi attracts record entries
- 682 athletes from 110 countries set to perform at Mubadala Arena from Sunday
- World Championships will feature one of the legends of the sport, Frenchman Teddy Riner, who holds the distinction of having been both the youngest and oldest world champion
ABU DHABI: A record number of judokas will be seen in action at the Abu Dhabi World Championships Seniors 2024 Individuals and Mixed Teams to be held at Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Arena from May 19-24.
Organized by the International Judo Federation in coordination with the UAE Judo Federation, the week-long competition witnessed last-minute registrations from all parts of the world, with the number of athletes standing at 682 from 110 countries.
A total of 362 men and 320 women will compete in seven weight categories each, all vying for a share of the €1 million ($1.09 million) prize money.
The last World Championships, which were held in Doha, attracted a field of 657 judokas from 99 countries.
In Abu Dhabi, the women will compete in the -48 kg, -52 kg, -57 kg, -63 kg, -70 kg, -78 kg and +78 kg weight categories, while the men will be in action in the -60 kg, -66 kg, -73 kg, -81 kg, -90 kg, -100 kg and +100 kg weight categories.
The UAE national team will be among the leading favorites along with strong contenders from France, Japan, Brazil, Canada along with Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Bahrain, Algeria and Tunisia.
The World Championships in Abu Dhabi will also feature one of the legends of the sport, Frenchman Teddy Riner, who holds the distinction of having been both the youngest and oldest world champion.
Riner became the youngest world champion when he won at the 2007 edition as an 18-year-old, and he also clinched gold at the 2023 championships in Doha last year to become the oldest champion at 34 years and 36 days.
Other world champions who will be seen in action include Yang Yung-wei of Taiwan (-60kg), Matthias Casse of Belgium (-81kg), Tajikistan’s Temur Rakhimov (+100 kg), all in the men’s competition.
Confirmed so far in the women’s categories are Italy’s Assunta Scutto (-48kg), the Canadian duo of Christa Deguchi (-57kg) and Catherine Beauchemin-Pinard (-48kg) and Croatia’s Barbara Matic (-70kg).
Each gold medal winner will get almost $28,300, while the silver medal winner will get $16,000 and the bronze almost $8,700.
In the teams competition, the gold medal will fetch $98,000, the silver almost $52,200, and the bronze almost $27,200.
Mohammed Bin Tha’aloob Saleem Al-Darie, president of the UAE Judo Federation and chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee, said he is thrilled with the overwhelming response to the competition, which has given the UAE a new certificate of excellence in hosting international sporting events.
“The overwhelming response to the registration till the final hours of deadline reflects the keenness of all countries and players to participate in the competition. Not only have we been able to attract a record 110 countries, we have also managed to have most of the former and current world champions lining up for a slice of the action in Abu Dhabi,” he said.
Teams from across the world have been landing in Abu Dhabi, and various national cadres have been working round the clock to ensure that everything works to precision during the build-up to the main competition on Sunday.
The draw of lots will take place on Saturday, May 18, while individual competitions will get under way from Sunday and go on till May 23. The final day of the championships, May 24, will be dedicated to the mixed teams competitions.
Hamilton says struggling Mercedes have found ‘North Star’
- “There is a long way to go,” said Hamilton
- “The energy in the team is amazing“
IMOLA, Italy: Seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton offered an upbeat view on Mercedes’ future prospects on Thursday when he said the team had finally found their “North Star” in the prolonged effort to develop their car.
The Briton, without a win since the 2021 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, said he was encouraged by the directional breakthrough and both the energy and resilience of the team.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the first race in Europe this year after six flyaway rounds around the world, Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate George Russell said they were impressed by the durability of their team.
Mercedes have struggled for performance and have yet to register a podium finish this season.
“There is a long way to go,” said Hamilton. “But I am excited with what I know we have coming in the pipe-line now. We have found our North Star and we know what we want to do and what to change.
“The energy in the team is amazing. They are so resilient and continue to push all the time even though we have been knocked down quite a few times this year.”
Hamilton, who has won six of his drivers titles with Mercedes, is set to leave the team and join Ferrari next year.
