Will “fit and happy” Woods rediscover on-course cheer?
The photos depict it, Rory McIlroy’s been saying it, now it’s up to the Abu Dhabi Golf Club to confirm that at long last, Tiger Woods is happy and fighting fit again.
That the 14-times major champion should choose the European Tour’s first big event of the season to make his 2012 debut in favour of one of his favourite courses at Torrey Pines in California is one thing.
Woods’ results at Torrey Pines have been astonishing – seven wins including his last major at the U.S. Open in 2008 – while his rare forays to the Middle East have been equally impressive, two Dubai Desert Classic wins in six attempts with only one finish outside the top five.
More noticeable however is the American’s demeanour, critics say his huge appearance fee in the UAE capital might have something to do with it, but surely money no longer lures Woods. He wants to start winning again.
Whether he can do that in Abu Dhabi, with the spotlight firmly on him and a quality field including the world’s top four players, remains to be seen.
Should he find the going tough perhaps we will see the same surly Woods stomp around the course, spitting freely and winning no fans with his attitude.
But again, just like the money, surely those days are behind him.
Roddick leads movement for ATP change
By Martyn Herman
Andy Roddick on Friday insisted that tennis players must adopt “one voice” to push through changes to the ATP Tour but that may not be as easy as it seems despite the general feeling of solidarity.
Pity Brad Drewett, the new chief executive of the men’s Tour, who has the job of trying to keep everyone happy, grand slam champions, journeymen, tournament organisers, sponsors and TV.
The moment he took over the reins the spectre of a player boycott has returned.
A meeting involving hundreds if players took place on the eve of the Australian Open and although talk of a walkout from Melbourne was aired it did not come to fruition.
But there is clearly dissent in the ranks, and Drewett is the man tasked with damping down what could become a firestorm in the men’s game.
Tottenham’s title tilt gains momentum
LONDON (Reuters) – Tottenham Hotspur continued their push for a first top flight league title since 1961 with a 2-0 win over Everton Wednesday to put them level on points with second-placed champions Manchester United and three behind Manchester City.
Goals in either half from Aaron Lennon and Benoit Assou-Ekotto lifted the north London club to 45 points from 20 games, eight clear of fourth-placed Chelsea who are a point ahead of Tottenham’s rivals Arsenal.
Though there are 18 games still to play, the way Spurs manager Harry Redknapp spoke after the match their fans will start to dream of Premier League glory come May.
“We’re in the Champions League mix, and you just don’t know. I keep saying nothing’s impossible, we’ve got to keep believing,” the Englishman told Sky Sports.
“If you can’t enjoy the way we’re moving the ball around the football pitch you shouldn’t be watching football.”
Tottenham have gifted ball players in abundance, crafty midfielder Luka Modric complimenting the explosive pace of winger Gareth Bale while the return of the lively Lennon, back for his first league match since December 18, is a boost.
After dominating the first half Assou-Ekotto’s raking pass found Lennon, whose touch was too good for Leighton Baines as he cut into the area. The England man then beat Tim Howard with a scuffed shot 10 minutes before the interval.
Soccer-Tottenham’s title tilt gains momentum
LONDON, Jan 11 (Reuters) – Tottenham Hotspur continued their push for a first top flight league title since 1961 with a 2-0 win over Everton on Wednesday to put them level on points with second-placed champions Manchester United and three behind Manchester City.
Goals in either half from Aaron Lennon and Benoit Assou-Ekotto lifted the north London club to 45 points from 20 games, eight clear of fourth-placed Chelsea who are a point ahead of Tottenham’s rivals Arsenal.
Though there are 18 games still to play, the way Spurs manager Harry Redknapp spoke after the match their fans will start to dream of Premier League glory come May.
“We’re in the Champions League mix, and you just don’t know. I keep saying nothing’s impossible, we’ve got to keep believing,” the Englishman told Sky Sports.
“If you can’t enjoy the way we’re moving the ball around the football pitch you shouldn’t be watching football.”
Tottenham have gifted ball players in abundance, crafty midfielder Luka Modric complimenting the explosive pace of winger Gareth Bale while the return of the lively Lennon, back for his first league match since Dec. 18, is a boost.
After dominating the first half Assou-Ekotto’s raking pass found Lennon, whose touch was too good for Leighton Baines as he cut into the area. The England man then beat Tim Howard with a scuffed shot 10 minutes before the interval.
Va-va-voom. Vintage Henry scores on Arsenal return.
The clock said 68 minutes, and no one at the Emirates Stadium in north London was looking at the action on the pitch as the fourth official held aloft his lit-up board to signal the re-introduction of Thierry Henry to English football.
Ten minutes later and he’d scored the game’s eventual winner. Comebacks don’t get this good this often.
14 to replace 15 shone the bright numbers before the goal, but alas Henry’s former number has since been taken by young English talent Theo Walcott, who idolises the French great.
Now, for six weeks and six weeks only after which he will return to the United States with the New York Red Bulls, Henry can be seen wearing an Arsenal shirt with the number 12, the same as his France days during which he won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship.
The only numbers Arsenal fans will care about are 228, 229 and who knows, possible even into the 230s.
With a trademark movement of his right boot, Henry had added to his record Arsenal tally of 226 having watched his new teammates spurn chance after chance against Leeds United in the third round of the FA Cup.
Arsenal fans out there, does this worry you? Would you like to see Arsene Wenger bring in another striker in the January transfer window given the lack of goals?
Hero Henry seals Arsenal return with winner
LONDON (Reuters) – With a familiar stroke of the right boot guiding the ball into the net, a celebratory hug with Arsene Wenger and pandemonium amongst ecstatic Arsenal fans, it was as if record goalscorer Thierry Henry had never left North London Monday night.
Substituted into the Premier League club’s third round FA Cup match against Leeds United on 68 minutes with the score at 0-0, the on-loan striker took just 10 minutes to break the deadlock with the winning goal for his beloved Arsenal.
“I’m not coming back here to be a hero or prove anything, I’m coming here to help,” Henry said in the match program. He did.
Hero status Henry does not need, he already has that in spades, as the cheer that greeted his name when it was announced moments before kick off and that which marked his entrance onto the pitch confirmed.
Even when he was on the bench, Arsenal fans were voting for Henry as man-of-the-match and, rather sheepishly, the 34-year-old accepted the award.
“I think it’s a joke,” he said, looking bemused as he clutched the bottle of champagne.
In trademark style, the French striker calmly slotted the ball into the net from 10 yards out after being found in space on the left side of the penalty area by Alex Song.
Soccer-Hero Henry seals Arsenal return with winner
LONDON, Jan 9 (Reuters) – With a familiar stroke of the right boot guiding the ball into the net, a celebratory hug with Arsene Wenger and pandemonium amongst ecstatic Arsenal fans, it was as if record goalscorer Thierry Henry had never left North London on Monday night.
Substituted into the Premier League club’s third round FA Cup match against Leeds United on 68 minutes with the score at 0-0, the on-loan striker took just 10 minutes to break the deadlock with the winning goal for his beloved Arsenal.
“I’m not coming back here to be a hero or prove anything, I’m coming here to help,” Henry said in the match programme. He did.
Hero status Henry does not need, he already has that in spades, as the cheer that greeted his name when it was announced moments before kick off and that which marked his entrance onto the pitch confirmed.
Even when he was on the bench, Arsenal fans were voting for Henry as man-of-the-match and, rather sheepishly, the 34-year-old accepted the award.
“I think it’s a joke,” he said, looking bemused as he clutched the bottle of champagne.
In trademark style, the French striker calmly slotted the ball into the net from 10 yards out after being found in space on the left side of the penalty area by Alex Song.
McIlroy can’t wait to revive Portrush memories
By Tom Pilcher
(Reuters) – Rory McIlroy cannot wait to play in the Irish Open when it returns to Royal Portrush in June, the world number two said on Friday.
U.S. Open champion McIlroy shot a 61 at the County Antrim links as a 15-year-old and also watched from behind the ropes as a toddler while his father Gerry strode the fairways there.
“Portrush is one of the best courses in the world and to have the Irish Open there and play my first European Tour event in Northern Ireland in front of home fans will be very special,” said McIlroy after the venue was confirmed by officials on Friday.
“The course holds great memories for me, from watching my dad play there as a toddler to playing in it myself as a 15-year-old,” he told the tour’s website (www.europeantour.com).
“It’s a superb set-up and players new to the course are going to love it.”
McIlroy, 22, from Holywood near Belfast, said the June 28-July 1 event would attract a stellar field given its proximity to the British Open at Royal Lytham from July 19-22.
Golf-Casey out for several weeks with dislocated shoulder
LONDON, Jan 6 (Reuters) – World number 20 Paul Casey will be sidelined for several weeks after dislocating his shoulder while snowboarding.
“I am very frustrated as I was really looking forward to getting off to a fast start in 2012,” the 34-year-old Briton said in a statement on Friday.
“The good news is the experts I’ve seen say I don’t need surgery and, having already started my rehabilitation exercises, I should be back hitting balls in a few weeks.”
Casey, who was third in the world rankings in 2009, had a mediocre 2011 season due mainly to a foot injury although he won the Volvo Golf Champions event in Bahrain in January.
The 11-times European Tour winner will miss the Middle East swing, comprising three tournaments from Jan. 26 – Feb. 12.
“I’ve always played well in the desert and the Abu Dhabi Championship is one of my favourite events of the year so I will particularly hate sitting out that one,” said Casey.
He missed out on the 2010 Ryder Cup despite strong performances in the previous three matches and faces a battle to qualify for this year’s edition in Illinois in September.
Man United slump to second straight defeat
LONDON (Reuters) – Champions Manchester United suffered a second straight Premier League defeat on Wednesday, losing 3-0 to Newcastle United to leave Manchester City three points clear at the top of the table.
Demba Ba opened the scoring in the first half with his 15th league goal of the season before Yohan Cabaye made it 2-0 in the 47th from a free-kick. A Phil Jones own goal late on made sure Newcastle stayed seventh and a point behind Liverpool.
United’s third defeat in 20 matches so far meant they stayed second on 45 points, only three ahead of third-placed Tottenham Hotspur who have a game in hand.
“It’s not the time to panic. We’ve got the experience to cope with it,” said United manager Alex Ferguson, whose team lost 3-2 to Blackburn on New Year’s Eve.
Bolton Wanderers shocked Everton 2-1 away from home after Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard had given his side the lead with a freak kick from his own area.
Bolton, who moved move off the bottom to 18th place, equalised through David Ngog four minutes later with Chelsea transfer target and England defender Gary Cahill scoring the winner 12 minutes from time.
Howard’s booming wind-assisted clearance bounced over opposite number Adam Bogdan and was only the fourth goal scored by a goalkeeper since the Premier League was formed in 1992-93.
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