Thompson wins PGA John Deere Classic in record fashion

Thompson wins PGA John Deere Classic in record fashion

Davis Thompson birdied five of the first six holes and cruised to a record-setting four-stroke victory at the John Deere Classic on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title. The 25-year-old American fired a seven-under par 64 to finish on a 72-hole tournament-record of 28-under 256 at TPC Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois. Thompson, ranked 70th in the world, broke the old mark of 27-under set by American […]

July 8, 2024 7

Sport

Tears of joy at New Zealand tennis club as Sun shines at Wimbledon

When qualifier Lulu Sun wept after reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, tears were also being shed on the other side of the world at her tennis club in a small rural town in New Zealand. Sun, ranked 123rd in the world, cried openly on centre court following her stunning 6-2, 5-7, 6-2 fourth-round win over Emma Raducanu, the 2021 US Open champion, after becoming the first New Zealand […]

July 8, 2024 11

Sport

Jayasuriya to replace Silverwood as Sri Lanka coach

Former Sri Lanka skipper and one-time chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya said Monday he will be the new head coach, after Chris Silverwood quit following the country's early exit from the T20 World Cup. Jayasuriya, 55, said he had been asked by Sri Lanka Cricket to coach the national squad ahead of a white ball series against India this month, and Sri Lanka's tour of England in August. "I […]

July 8, 2024 9

Sport

India says Rohit to remain Test and one-day captain

Rohit Sharma will stay on as captain of India's Test and one-day teams, the country's cricket board said, after he ended his T20 international career with a World Cup triumph. Senior batsman Rohit led India to the T20 title last month, ending the cricket-mad nation's global trophy drought since the 2013 Champions Trophy. Rohit, 37, Virat Kohli, 35, and Ravindra Jadeja, 35, announced their T20 exit after the win […]

July 8, 2024 7

Sport

Djokovic ready for Wimbledon ‘fireworks’ as Putintseva eyes another scalp

Seven-time champion Novak Djokovic has his sights set on reaching a seventh successive Wimbledon quarter-final on Monday. Diminutive giant-killer Yulia Putintseva will target another upset against former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko, while lucky loser Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard aims to make more Wimbledon history. AFP Sport looks at three fourth-round matches to watch on the eighth day of action at the All England Club: Novak Djokovic has hit […]

July 8, 2024 15

Sport

Injured All Black scrum-half Perenara out of second England Test

New Zealand said Monday that injured scrum-half TJ Perenara would miss Saturday's second and final Test against England. The 81-Test veteran is out of the clash at Eden Park in Auckland after being forced off with a nasty-looking knee injury in the nail-biting 16-15 victory in Dunedin two days ago. "Following scans, we are seeking specialist advice on return to play timeframes," the All Blacks said on social media […]

July 8, 2024 21

Sport

AFCON draw offers Nigeria chance to avenge Benin loss

Nigeria will get a chance to avenge a shock World Cup loss to Benin when they were drawn in the same 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group on Thursday. The Cheetahs stunned the Super Eagles 2-1 last month, leaving Nigeria on the back foot as they seek a place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Libya and Rwanda complete Group […]

July 4, 2024 17

Sport

Football: Africa Cup of Nations qualifying draw

Draw for 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying competition, made in Johannesburg on Thursday: Group A Tunisia, Madagascar, Comoros, Gambia Group B Morocco (hosts), Gabon, Central African Republic, Lesotho Group C Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Botswana Group D Nigeria, Benin, Libya, Rwanda Group E Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Liberia Group F Ghana, Angola, Sudan, Niger Group G Ivory Coast (holders), Zambia, Sierra Leone, Chad Group H Democratic […]

July 4, 2024 12

Sport

Fandom usually means tracking your favorite team for years − so why are the Olympics so good at making us root for sports and athletes we tune out most of the time?

A fan cheers for U.S. tennis players in the men’s doubles gold medal match during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano By Noah Cohan, Washington University in St. Louis Every four years, millions of Americans join billions of their fellow humans across the globe to celebrate the astonishing athletic feats at the Summer Olympics. Warm-weather sports such as swimming and track that usually […]

July 4, 2024 12