GOLF
Conners flies under the radar
Corey Conners might be the defending champion at this week’s Valero Texas Open in San Antonio, but that did not make him any more recognizable when he checked into his hotel — even if his image was on every room key. The Canadian, who won the event after making the field as a Monday qualifier, said he even made a comment to the woman who handed over the room key that showed him holding the trophy from 2019, but she never caught on. “Of course she had no idea who I was, but I made a funny comment about it being embarrassing for the guy who’s got to look at himself on the room key every day for the whole week,” Conners said. “I obviously had my mask on and a hat, and I think a sweatshirt, so she probably didn’t put two and two together, but it’s pretty cool, a nice touch. Happy it’s me on there and hopefully can be on there again,” he said.
FOOTBALL
NFL season extended
The NFL’s regular season is to be expanded to include 17 games from this year, a much-anticipated move that follows the league’s record-breaking media rights deals announced earlier this month. A statement from the NFL said that each team would now play 17 regular-season games and three pre-season games for the first time, the first change to the season’s structure since 1978. “This is a monumental moment in NFL history... and one of the benefits of each team playing 17 regular-season games is the ability for us to continue to grow our game around the world,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. The 17th game would see teams from opposing conferences playing the team that finished in the same place from the corresponding division this year, with American Football Conference teams being the home team.
RUGBY LEAGUE
Hooker guilty in testicle case
Bradford Bulls hooker George Flanagan has been suspended for 10 matches and fined £250 (US$344) after being found guilty of “attacking an opponent’s testicles” for the second time in 18 months, the Rugby Football League said. The incident occurred in the 32nd minute of the Bulls’ Challenge Cup second-round loss to Featherstone Rovers on March 21. Flanagan, who was handed an eight-match ban for a similar offense in August 2019, pleaded not guilty to the charge. A Grade F charge is the most serious grading open to the Rugby Football League’s match review panel and carries a minimum suspension of eight matches.
SOCCER
Japan celebrate 14-0 win
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu praised his side’s ruthlessness after they recorded their biggest win in FIFA World Cup qualifying with Tuesday’s 14-0 thrashing of Mongolia. The win fell one goal short of matching their all-time record, a 15-0 victory over the Philippines in Olympic qualifying in 1967, but Moriyasu was delighted with the way his side had taken Mongolia apart in the Group F match behind closed doors at Chiba’s Fukuda Denshi Arena. “The players were focused on what they could accomplish rather than thinking about their opponent,” Moriyasu said. “In the middle of the game we changed our system, and I’m glad the players who came on for the first time did so well.”
Inter on Sunday were given a letoff when they snatched a late 1-1 derby draw with AC Milan, while league leaders SSC Napoli were held by a late goal at AS Roma. Reigning champions Inter remain three points behind Napoli, who looked to be heading five clear as they led in Rome until Angelino volleyed in a stunning leveler in the first minute of stoppage-time. Angelino’s strike gave even more significance to Stefan de Vrij’s last-gasp equalizer at the San Siro. The defender forced home Nicola Zalewski’s knockdown just as it looked like Tijjani Reijnders’ opener would be enough for Milan. “I can
The Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets on Saturday did not disappoint in a thrilling midseason matchup in front of a fired-up sellout crowd of more than 18,500 fans. The top two teams in the NHL delivered with a combined nine goals, including the 877th of Alex Ovechkin’s career to put him 18 back of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s record. That tied the score, the Jets pulled it out in overtime and just about everyone involved got their money’s worth out of the 5-4 game. “We knew how we were both sitting in the standings and both having real good years,” Winnipeg coach Scott
BACK-TO-BACK: The League One club, which is owned by stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, is sparing no expense to clinch promotion to the Championship Hollywood endings are pricey, even in England’s third division. In pursuit of their third straight promotion, Wrexham AFC splashed some cash at League One rival Reading to secure the services of striker Sam Smith. The Welsh club owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney confirmed the signing of the 26-year-old Smith on Friday. He is one of the top scorers in the third division. The transfer fee was not disclosed, but British media widely reported it to be about £2 million (US$2.48 million) — not extravagant, but a hefty price at this level and it would be about the same figure that
Less than a week after splashing out a world-record fee for Naomi Girma, Chelsea has spent big again to bring England midfielder Keira Walsh back to the English Women’s Super League. Walsh left European champions Barcelona after more than two years to join Chelsea for a reported £400,000 (US$496,000) on Friday. Walsh was the world’s most expensive player for two years after moving to Barcelona from Manchester City for a reported £400,000 in 2022. That status now belongs to Girma, the US defender who cost Chelsea a reported £900,000 to sign from the San Diego Wave. Still, it means 27-year-old Walsh — a technically