GOLF
Woods hires new caddie
Tiger Woods has hired Joe LaCava to replace long-time Kiwi caddie Steve Williams, whom he had a falling out with earlier this year. The 14-time major winner Woods took two months to find a replacement after splitting with Williams in July. “Joe LaCava is an outstanding caddie and I have known him since I was an amateur, really looking forward to having him on my bag,” Woods wrote on Twitter on Sunday. LaCava worked for 20 years as a caddie for this year’s US Presidents Cup team captain Fred Couples. Most recently, he has been carrying the golf bag for rising PGA Tour star Dustin Johnson. Woods, who was the best man at Williams’ wedding, sacked his former caddie after 13 years of working together.
GOLF
Ferrie wins Austrian Open
Kenneth Ferrie beat fellow Englishman Simon Wakefield in a playoff to lift the Austrian Open in Atzenbrugg on Sunday. Both men carded five-under-par 67s for 276, one shot ahead of Dutchman Joost Luiten who bogeyed the 18th. It was a third European Tour title for 32-year-old Ferrie, but his first since 2005. He sealed victory at the first playoff hole after Wakefield’s overhit second shot ended in rough at the back of the green. Overnight leader Thomas Norret of Denmark could only manage a 72 for 279, undone by an unhappy seven on the par five 13th.
GYMNASTICS
Coach accused of assault
Two women have told the Orange County Register newspaper that they were sexually abused in the 1980s by the man who coached the US’ 1984 Olympic gymnastics team. USA Gymnastics is aware of the allegations against Don Peters and is looking into them, president Steve Penny said on Sunday. Should the federation find merit to the allegations, the 62-year-old Peters could be subject to a lifetime ban. “Athlete safety is a top priority for USA Gymnastics, and sexual misconduct against minors is unacceptable and against USA Gymnastics policy,” Penny said. “USA Gymnastics takes seriously any written grievance regarding its professional members, especially those that could involve young athletes.” Peters was head coach of the US team for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, where the US won eight medals in 1984, including Mary Lou Retton’s gold in the all-around.
SOCCER
Helsingborg seal title
Helsingborg clinched their seventh Swedish title, and their first since 1999, with three rounds of the season left to play after a 3-1 win away to GAIS on Sunday. Helsingborg have an unassailable 61 points, 10 more than AIK Stockholm, who were held to a 1-1 draw at Malmo. Elfsborg, the only other club able to catch the leaders, suffered a surprise defeat at Mjallby on Saturday. Helsingborg went ahead against GAIS in Gothenburg through Erlend Hanstveit’s first-half goal, but the hosts leveled from the penalty spot shortly after the break. Striker Erik Sundin fired the leaders ahead again against the run of play and Rachid Bouaouzan netted a late penalty to seal victory.
RUGBY UNION
Hooker to face hearing
Russian hooker Valery Tsnobiladze is to face a disciplinary hearing over an alleged head-butt during the 62-12 defeat to Ireland, World Cup officials said yesterday. Tsnobiladze was cited for allegedly “striking an opponent with the head” during Sunday’s game and will go before an independent judicial officer in Auckland, a statement said.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
After fleeing Sudan when civil war erupted, Al-Hilal captain Mohamed Abdelrahman and his teammates have defied the odds to reach the CAF Champions League quarter-finals. They are today to face title-holders Al-Ahly of Egypt in Cairo, with the return match in the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott, on Tuesday next week. Al-Hilal and biggest domestic rivals Al-Merrikh relocated to Mauritania after a power struggle broke out in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and a paramilitary force. The civil war has claimed tens of thousands of lives and displaced more than 12 million people, according to the UN. The Democratic Republic of the Congo-born Al-Hilal
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
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