GOLF
Tjaart leads in France
South African Tjaart van der Walt, seeking his first European Tour win after 14 years as a professional, led after the first round of the St Omer Open in France on Thursday. The 38-year-old Pretoria-born Van der Walt shot a four-under-par 67 to lead by one shot from France’s Victor Rui. After producing five birdies the South African said: “I managed the ball really well. I have been doing that well the last few weeks, but the putting hasn’t been great. I holed a few putts, which was good.” Rui was breathing down his neck after a closing birdie, birdie eagle finish having like Van der Welt started his round on the back nine. Placed third, one shot adrift of Rui, was Briton Daniel Brooks.
SOCCER
Reward system devised
Sick and tired of crowd violence marring matches, Malaysia’s soccer association will offer fans a financial reward if they catch hooligans causing trouble at the FA Cup final later this month. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) said supporters would be given 1,000 ringgit (US$320) for their “policework” during the showpiece final between Kelantan and Johor Darul Takzim at the National Stadium on June 29. “We have decided to take a different, and positive, approach to preventing crowd trouble during the Cup final,” FAM competitions committee chairman Hamidin Mohd Amin was quoted as saying by Malaysian media yesterday. Johor’s semi-final second leg against Pahang was abandoned due to crowd trouble, while Kelantan were fined 40,000 ringgit last year after their fans caused a long delay to a Cup match when they threw bottles on to the field. Amin said each team would also appoint 100 marshals to help the police with crowd control at the match, which is expected to be an 87,000 sell-out.
BASEBALL
Official apologizes for ball
The commissioner of Japanese baseball apologized yesterday for the confusion caused by introducing a new official ball this season without notifying players. Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) commissioner Ryozo Kato held a meeting with representatives of the 12 professional teams in Japanese baseball and apologized for the confusion, while saying his management of the situation was insufficient. Kato, a former Japanese ambassador to the US, indicated he would not resign and vowed to work toward reform within his organization. NPB acknowledged this week for the first time that a new, livelier ball was introduced at the start of the season, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of home runs. Many players in Japanese baseball have criticized NPB for a lack of transparency.
UNITED STATES
Sports bar deck collapses
A crowded outdoor deck behind a popular Miami-area sports bar collapsed during the NBA Finals, sending dozens of people into the shallow waters of Biscayne Bay. Miami-Dade fire chief David Downey said 24 people were injured late on Thursday, and two were in serious condition. Authorities said about 100 people were on the deck of Shucker’s Bar & Grill when it gave way. Customers and rescuers pulled people from the water amid chaos. Downey said crews had completed their search and everyone was accounted for. “According to witnesses, a lot of people jumped in to help,” Downey said. “Those efforts can make a lot of difference sometimes.”
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
The sacred flame for the Paris Olympics was lit yesterday in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Games, in a ceremony inspired by antiquity and marked by messages of hope amid multiple global crises. “In ancient times, the Olympic Games brought together the Greek city states, even — and in particular — during times of war and conflict,” International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said. “Today, the Olympic Games are the only event that brings the entire world together in peaceful competition. Then as now, the Olympic athletes are sending this powerful message — yes, it is possible to compete fiercely