Uihlein records emphatic first Asian Tour win at International Series England

Peter Uihlein celebrates winning the International Series England on Sunday, his maiden victory on the Asian Tour. (Supplied)
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Updated 12 August 2024
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Uihlein records emphatic first Asian Tour win at International Series England

  • The American carded an eight-under-par 63, for a four-round total of 20-under, and a seven-shot victory over England’s Andy Sullivan and Caleb Surratt

SURREY: US golfer Peter Uihlein triumphed in the International Series England on Sunday to register his maiden victory on the Asian Tour and The International Series, pulling away impressively from a packed leaderboard.

The American stole the show on the Longcross course at Foxhills Golf Club, carding a scorching bogey-free eight-under-par 63 for a four-round total of 20-under. This gave him a seven-shot victory over England’s Andy Sullivan, who shot a 66, and fellow American Caleb Surratt, who shot a 68. 

China’s Sampson Zheng (66), Sadom Kaewkanjana (67) from Thailand, and Harold Varner III (70) from the US tied for fourth, one stroke further back.

Uihlein, aged 34, smashed the course record with a 61 to take the lead at the halfway mark and began the day with a one-shot advantage over Varner. By the turn Uihlein had a one-shot lead over Surratt, playing in the group ahead.

Uihlein then proceeded to eagle the par-four 10th to move three ahead, putting some daylight between him and the chasing pack. A birdie on the 12th saw him maintain his three-shot lead after Surratt had birdied the same hole.

Uihlein then survived a couple of shaky holes, holing a crucial par putt from seven feet on the par-four 13th. On the ensuing hole, a par-five, he found the trees on the right with his tee shot but played a miraculous recovery shot. His ball found a bad lie, entangled in tree branches, but he was able to chip back into the fairway and hit his third to 12 feet, which he just missed for a birdie.

On the treacherous par-three 16th, where a tough pin position on the right brought a greenside lake dangerously into play, he holed a 15-footer for a birdie to virtually wrap up the title. The look of relief on his face was tangible as his ball would have rushed past the cup if it had not dropped.

It meant he had a four-shot lead from Surratt, which became five when Surratt made a bogey on hole 17. It became six when Uihlein holed a 12-footer for a birdie at the same hole, and a magnificent seven when he birdied the par-five 18th.

“Bit of a dream, really,” said Uihlein, who plays for RangeGoats GC on LIV Golf.

“I mean, I was two over par through eight holes on the first day. I tripled 17 and it was a bit of a grind that day, and then the next day I just kind of blitzed it, and yesterday kind of survived. And today, obviously, I kind of had some things going my way, no doubt about it. So just kind of one of those days where things were going my way, and I took advantage of it. So, I’m happy to be here.”

Surprisingly, this is only Uihlein’s fourth win since he turned professional in 2013. He has won once before on the DP World Tour and twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, while on the LIV Golf League he has come close to winning on multiple occasions, having finished second four times.

He earned a cheque for US$360,000 and moves into third on The International Series Rankings, currently still led by American John Catlin.

The golf course, located in Surrey, played a big part in his success.

He said: “I loved it. You were allowed to try different things. You could play it different ways. I obviously was very aggressive and tried to kind of drive to a lot of greens, and, you know, it paid off. There are obviously other ways guys probably played it, but I liked the strategy we had. I like the game plan we were doing, and I had fun doing it.”

Both Sullivan and Surratt, playing together, missed makeable birdie putts on the last to snatch second place outright.

Earlier in the day Indonesian Jonathan Wijono stormed through with a 64 and eventually ended in ninth place, 11 behind the champion.

This week’s $2m tournament is the ninth event of the year on the Asian Tour and the fourth stop on The International Series.

The Asian Tour now has a two-week break before the Mandiri Indonesia Open. The $500,000 event will be played at Damai Indah Golf (PIK Course) from Aug. 29-Sept. 1. Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, whose strong performance this week finished in a tie for 13th, is the defending champion.


FIFA agrees on interim transfer rules to help players go to 2025 Club World Cup in US

Updated 25 sec ago
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FIFA agrees on interim transfer rules to help players go to 2025 Club World Cup in US

The move on Thursday opens the door for players whose contracts expire on June 30 to sign early as free agents for one of the 32 teams
They include Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain

ZURICH: FIFA has agreed on interim transfer rules aiming to help players change teams and go to the Club World Cup in the United States next June-July.
The move on Thursday opens the door for players whose contracts expire on June 30 to sign early as free agents for one of the 32 teams who qualified for the relaunched FIFA club tournament. They include Real Madrid, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.
Potential free agents who could be pursued by Club World Cup teams include Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, plus Lille forward Jonathan David and Tottenham captain Son Heung-min.
FIFA’s council approved interim transfer market rules that give member federations the option of opening an exceptional transfer window from June 1-10.
If agreements are reached between clubs, the FIFA transfer amendments would let players represent a new team for two weeks from mid-June, before their formal contract expires, in a tournament that is technically still part of the current season.
Had the Club World Cup been scheduled this year, Kylian Mbappé’s pending free agency on June 30 would have complicated the issue of him going to the US as a PSG or Madrid player.
FIFA’s aim to help get players to the Club World Cup also could see those with expiring contracts sign a two-week extension through to the end of the June 15-July 13 event.
Star players at Club World Cup teams with contracts expiring in June include Man City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Bayern teammates Alphonso Davies and Joshua Kimmich.
Players cannot represent two different teams during the tournament being staged in 12 stadiums.
FIFA also agreed on an exemption to the long-time rule that clubs must release players to national duty for games and tournaments on dates protected by the calendar of international games.
That affects US and Mexico players who might have been called up for the Gold Cup, also being played in the US from June 14-July 6.
The Club World Cup lineup includes Seattle Sounders, Leon, Monterrey and Pachuca as the past four champions of the CONCACAF region. One more space is left open for an MLS team to represent the host nation.
FIFA previously amended transfer market rules in 2020 when the soccer shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic extended the traditional season from June into August.
In one notable transfer four years ago, Germany forward Timo Werner declined an option to stay with Leipzig and resume in the Champions League knockout rounds in August. He instead moved to Chelsea on schedule, though could not play until the next season.

Juventus defender Bremer set for long layoff after knee surgery

Updated 03 October 2024
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Juventus defender Bremer set for long layoff after knee surgery

  • Bremer suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee in the sixth minute of the game the Italians won 3-2
  • He will undergo surgery in the coming days, Juventus said

ROME: Juventus defender Gleison Bremer will undergo surgery on a knee injury picked up in midweek Champions League action against Leipzig, the Serie A club announced on Thursday, with the 27-year-old facing up to six months on the sidelines.
Bremer suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his left knee in the sixth minute of the game the Italians won 3-2. He will undergo surgery in the coming days, Juventus said.
His recovery is expected to take at least six months which could rule him out for most of the season, according to Italian press reports.
“Unfortunately, the results of the tests confirmed the worst-case scenario,” Brazilian international Bremer wrote on Instagram.
“It’s a challenge that I will face with my usual motivation, it will be an opportunity to grow, improve and come back even stronger.”
The Brazilian has been a key element in coach Thiago Motta’s defensive strategy, playing all their Champions League and Serie A games this season.
Juventus are second in Serie A, one point behind Napoli after six matches.
The Turin side will also be without Argentine forward Nico Gonzalez who injured his right thigh in Wednesday’s game.


FIFA defers decision on request to suspend Israel

Updated 03 October 2024
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FIFA defers decision on request to suspend Israel

  • The FIFA council adopted the recommendations and conclusions reached in the legal analysis
  • It decided that its disciplinary committee would be mandated to investigate the alleged offense of discrimination raised by the PFA

ZURICH: World football’s governing body FIFA made no verdict either way Thursday on a Palestinian request to suspend Israel, instead launching committee investigations to inform an eventual decision.
At FIFA’s congress in Bangkok in May, the Palestinian Football Association (PFA) called for its Israeli counterpart to be suspended and for Israeli teams to be banned from FIFA events.
FIFA was initially set to hold an extraordinary session of its ruling council before July 20 to review the independent legal analysis and decide how to proceed.
However, the deadline was pushed back to give legal experts more time to complete a report.
At the organization’s headquarters in Zurich on Thursday, the FIFA council adopted the recommendations and conclusions reached in the legal analysis.
It decided that its disciplinary committee would be mandated to investigate the alleged offense of discrimination raised by the PFA.
Meanwhile the FIFA governance, audit and compliance committee “will be entrusted with the mission to investigate — and subsequently advise the FIFA Council on — the participation in Israeli competitions of Israeli football teams allegedly based in the territory of Palestine.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement: “The FIFA Council has implemented due diligence on this very sensitive matter and, based on a thorough assessment, we have followed the advice of the independent experts.
“The ongoing violence in the region confirms that, above all considerations... we need peace.
“As we remain extremely shocked by what is happening, and our thoughts are with those who are suffering, we urge all parties to restore peace to the region with immediate effect.”


Mbappe left out of France squad for Nations League games

Updated 03 October 2024
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Mbappe left out of France squad for Nations League games

  • The Real Madrid star returned from a short spell on the sidelines, with a thigh injury, to appear as a substitute in the surprise 1-0 defeat at Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday

PARIS: France captain Kylian Mbappe has been left out of his team’s UEFA Nations League matches this month after coach Didier Deschamps on Thursday named his squad.
The Real Madrid star returned from a short spell on the sidelines, with a thigh injury, to appear as a substitute in the surprise 1-0 defeat at Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday.
However, the 25-year-old will play no part in France’s games against Israel and Belgium, a decision clearly made in order to allow Mbappe to rest and work on his fitness.
France play Israel on Thursday, October 10 in an away fixture moved to Budapest due to the security situation in the Middle East.
Les Bleus, Nations League winners in 2021, will then take on Belgium in Brussels on Monday, October 14.
France have three points after their first two outings in Group A2, which is topped by Italy with six points.
Thursday’s squad announcement was the first by Deschamps since vice-captain Antoine Griezmann retired from international football at the beginning of this week.
Chelsea’s Christopher Nkunku, who won the last of his 10 caps in June last year, returns to the squad.

France squad
Goalkeepers: Alphonse Areola (West Ham United/ENG), Mike Maignan (AC Milan/ITA), Brice Samba (Lens)
Defenders: Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa/ENG), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea/ENG), Theo Hernandez (AC Milan/ITA), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool/ENG), Jules Kounde (Barcelona/ESP), William Saliba (Arsenal/ENG), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich/GER)
Midfielders: Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid/ESP), Youssouf Fofana (AC Milan/ITA), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio/ITA), Manu Kone (Roma/ITA), Aurelien Tchouameni (Real Madrid/ESP), Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Forwards: Bradley Barcola, Ousmane Dembele, Randal Kolo Muani (all Paris Saint-Germain), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea/ENG), Michael Olize (Bayern Munich/GER), Marcus Thuram (Inter Milan/ITA)


Cricketers are now for all seasons

Updated 03 October 2024
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Cricketers are now for all seasons

  • Leading professionals, male and female, can play top class cricket all year round, irrespective of weather conditions

It is the start of October in the UK. The English and Welsh cricket season staggered to its conclusion, buffeted by rain and winds with occasional outbursts of sun. Autumn is here and I am put in mind of one of England’s most famous romantic poets, John Keats. His final poem, “To Autumn,” began: “Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness; Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun.”

September 2024 has not evoked a repeat of Keats’ experience. Although there are mists, the sun-induced mellowness has been largely lacking. Instead, rain has meant the determination of important cricketing issues was subject to uncertainty. England and Australia played a five-match One Day International series. England lost the first two matches but then won the next two, turning the final match at Bristol into a series decider.

Rain was forecast for the afternoon and arrived around 4 p.m., after 20.4 overs had been bowled. At 20 overs in a 50-over match, an adjusted target score formula is activated. Australia was sufficiently far ahead in its run chase that, when the match was eventually abandoned, they were declared both match and series winner. The conditions for watching were not pleasant; apart from the constant threat of rain, a strong and gusty breeze made day seem colder.

Nevertheless, the crowd was stoical. The ground has a stated ODI capacity of 15,000 and it was sold out. There are those who regard the scheduling of an England v Australia series at this time of year as bordering on farce. Others, including cricket authorities, argue that the demand exists — all matches were sell-outs and great entertainment was provided by some of the world’s leading players. On top of that, the series provided an opportunity to stage matches at venues which do not regularly host internationals against top opposition.

Whilst the series was being played, the final matches of the county cricket season were unfolding against a backdrop of capricious weather. Matters of promotion and relegation had to be decided, with most teams hoping the weather would not be the ultimate arbiter. Despite several matches losing at least a day’s play, fair conclusions, based on relative performances, emerged. In a twist of fate, Lancashire were relegated from Division 1 and changed places with their historic rivals, Yorkshire, who finished second in Division 2.

An outside observer of English and Welsh cricket with an overall knowledge of the global game might regard the scheduling of such important matches at this time of year as unwise, given the probability of rain and cold weather influencing the outcomes. As has been discussed in previous columns, the reason is The Hundred.

In order to appeal to its target audience of parents and young children it is scheduled for the school holidays in August. All other first class cricket tournaments are scheduled around it. This regime is unlikely to change in the short term. The privatization of The Hundred is now underway, with the longer effects of this process subject to much crystal ball-gazing.

Confirmation came this week of the sale of the private company which owns Hampshire cricket to GMR Global Pte Ltd. It will acquire a majority stake in Hampshire Sports & Leisure Group. No immediate change of personnel will occur other than at main board level, where two new directors will be appointed by GGPL. The transaction, termed as a “definitive agreement,” has been heavily trailed and is expected to be concluded in September 2026. As well as holding a 50 percent stake in Delhi Capitals, GMR also owns shares in the Dubai Capitals and the Pretoria Capitals, as well as investing in US Major League Cricket team the Seattle Orcas.

Cricket’s globalization process is set to expand. Negotiations will proceed throughout the British autumn for the sale of The Hundred. Although the season has ended in Europe and North America it has opened in Asia, central and southern Africa and Australasia. As if to remind us that rain’s detrimental effect on cricket is not limited to Europe and North America, it washed out play on two and a half days of the second Test match between India and Bangladesh in Nagpur.

Rain has also fallen heavily in the UAE, where the women’s T20I World Cup is being played in day-time temperatures in the mid-30s. Originally, the tournament was scheduled to take place in Bangladesh but was moved because of civil strife. This will be the first women’s T20 World Cup to be held at a neutral venue. If it feels like a women’s T20I World cup was played not too long ago, you would be right; the knock-on effect of the global pandemic forced the 2023 edition in South Africa to be held a year later than originally planned.

Ten teams will participate, divided into two groups of five, playing in a round-robin format. The top two from each group will qualify for the semifinals. Australia is the firm favorite to retain the trophy, having won the last four editions and six of the eight to have been played, England and the West Indies being the other winners in 2009 and 2016, respectively.

Since the first edition, women’s cricket has progressed a long way to the point where this will be the first women’s global tournament since the ICC announced equal prize money for both men’s and women's tournaments. The winners will receive USD 2.34 million, an increase of 134 percent over 2023’s prize money.

This reflects the dramatic increase in appeal of women’s cricket to spectators, broadcasters, sponsors and marketeers. Women have proved that they can play cricket to a high standard and attract funding. The leading professional cricketers, both men and women, can play cricket all year round, irrespective of weather conditions. Autumn, for them, has a different meaning compared with Keats. It is a time to fly away to warmer climes, leaving others to discuss the game’s future landscape.