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How Tyrrell Hatton’s Dunhill Links win may help end PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV paralysis

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How Tyrrell Hatton's Dunhill Links win may help end PGA Tour, DP World Tour and LIV paralysis

Initially, there seemed a potential upside for Europe, but it has not properly materialised.

Hopes that the US circuit’s bigger names would venture to this side of the pond to add stardust to events such as the Dunhill and BMW PGA, as well as the Irish and French Opens, have proven unfounded.

While DP World Tour loyalist Billy Horschel came and conquered at Wentworth for the second time last month, he is a rare exception. We see precious little American enthusiasm from any of their other big names.

Yes, there were massive crowds for the recent PGA, but they did not turn up to see Peter Malnati and Mark Hubbard – the next two most prominent US golfers to dig out dusty passports.

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By contrast, last week’s Dunhill and the invitations of its powerful tournament boss, South African Johan Rupert, imported a bucketload of stardust from the rival LIV tour.

Among the 14 LIV golfers who took part in this glorified pro-am, where early rounds are also played at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, were former world number one and Masters champion Jon Rahm, five times major winner Brooks Koepka and 2018 Augusta victor Patrick Reed.

This is the sort of star-power craved by the DP World Tour to supplement the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick, who offer crucial support to the European circuit at this time of year.

Rupert also engineered it so that PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan competed and played together as amateurs.

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DP World Tour boss Guy Kinnings was also present. So there was plenty of scope for developing ongoing talks to bring further Saudi investment into golf and potentially agree a more harmonious future.

Kinnings’ position in all of this was, surely, bolstered by the quality of the pro field.

Imagine this scenario developing; LIV stars – including US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau – routinely playing DP World Tour events and picking up the sort of world ranking points that have now returned Hatton to the world’s top 20.

How about, in return, Saudi investment pouring into Wentworth? The appeals by Hatton, Rahm and Adrian Meronk against fines for playing LIV events without releases could be quietly dropped.

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Some might recoil at strengthening ties with Saudi Arabia but the European tour has never had a problem with doing deals with the Kingdom, despite its controversial reputation on human rights.

Money talks: “Pinch your noses chaps, we’re going in. This is too good to refuse.”

Like it or not, morality takes a back seat when cash becomes the driver. It is why splashing it for ‘sportswashing’ purposes, according to some critics, seems so worthwhile to the Saudis.

For Kinnings’ tour there is a future, if they can buy their way out of the strategic alliance, that potentially involves more money, more big name players and probably more sponsorship.

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McIlroy said last week that he finds European tour events “more authentic and not as corporate” as in the US, adding that the “crowds at the Irish Open and Wentworth, compared to the three FedEx Cup play-off events, were bigger and the atmosphere better”.

The European tour could return to being a rival to rather than a partner of the PGA Tour, especially if the current stodgy negotiations continue to falter, or the deal fails to pass the scrutiny of the US Department of Justice.

“It would maybe bring the European tour back to like the ’80s and ’90s when there was two strong tours,” said McIlroy, when I recently asked him about the prospect of a breakaway Saudi deal with the continental circuit.

“But it keeps the game divided and I don’t like that. You know, I really want the game to come back together. It would be Plan B. It would be maybe an alternative to the best solution.”

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McIlroy’s vision is for the game to come together with a global calendar that benefits everyone. He told BBC Northern Ireland last week that he would like to see it done by the end of the year.

There is impatience.

It is now 17 months since the shock announcement of a ‘framework agreement’ that was prematurely portrayed as a merger between the PGA and DP World Tours and LIV.

Very little has emerged, other than the formation of the for-profit umbrella PGA Tour Enterprises company that has $1.5bn (£1.15bn) of funding from the US-based sports venture capitalist Strategic Sports Group.

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It is thought SSG want a Saudi deal done quickly. That could also suit the PIF and LIV players, who are wondering what the long term future holds for their circuit.

The DP World Tour is increasingly keen to know the outlook of the men’s pro game. But is there the same urgency for the PGA Tour?

They have lucrative TV contracts secured for the rest of the decade, sponsors in place and seemingly unwavering support from their season-long backer, FedEx.

Might they just want to play for time, see how LIV reacts as contracts with several of their initial crop of players begin to expire? Will the Saudis continue to send massive oil soaked cheques to pick off top PGA Tour players? Who knows?

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Monahan, and influential board members such as Patrick Cantlay and Tiger Woods, might want to wait and see. This could further frustrate the fragile peace process aimed at ending an increasingly tedious stand off.

But the Dunhill showed there is a potential alternative path for the DP World Tour that, at the very least, provides Kinnings with some leverage to give Monahan and co the hurry up.

Back in the 19th century, Old Tom was golf’s most important pioneer. He helped make St Andrews the undisputed ‘home of golf’ but Morris Snr’s influence was felt far and wide. He truly – to use the LIV buzz phrase – “grew the game”.

Maybe, just maybe, the arrival of his long-awaited statue has coincided with the next significant steps to be taken by his sport.

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Watch umpire make never-before-seen error which causes Stan Wawrinka to lose match… and he doesn’t even notice

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Watch umpire make never-before-seen error which causes Stan Wawrinka to lose match... and he doesn't even notice

UMPIRE Carlos Bernardes made a never-before-seen error during the second round of the Shanghai Masters.

His mistake caused Stan Wawrinka to lose his clash with Flavio Cobolli, but neither player even noticed the official’s slip-up.

Umpire Carlos Bernardes made a never-before-seen error at the Shanghai Masters

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Umpire Carlos Bernardes made a never-before-seen error at the Shanghai MastersCredit: Sport TV
The mistake cause Stan Wawrinka to lose his second round match with Flavio Cobolli

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The mistake cause Stan Wawrinka to lose his second round match with Flavio CobolliCredit: Sport TV

Wawrinka was beaten 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 by the 28th seed on Monday in China.

The tight match saw just a single break of serve outside of tie breaks, with Cobolli winning the crucial game in the deciding set.

However, it only came after Bernardes’ bizarre error during the first point of the final set.

Bernardes awarded it to Cobolli by mistake after the Italian had returned Wawrinka’s serve out.

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He then won the next point to lead 30-0 instead of 15-15, but neither player or the commentators noticed the error.

It came as the umpire had asked for more electrolytes for Cobolli, making the request over walkie talkie after awarding the point.

Fans on social media were quick to spot the mishap, though, as footage of the incident was shared online.

This prompted former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios to slam Bernardes on X.

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He wrote: “Bernardes should have been fired years ago. How does this happen? Potato.”

On court, Cobolli went on to take the final set to beat former world number three and three-time Grand Slam champion Wawrinka.

Watch security guard’s frustrated reaction after Novak Djokovic disobeys orders upon arrival at Shanghai Masters
Bernardes' scoring error saw him wrongly award a point to Cobolli in the deciding frame

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Bernardes’ scoring error saw him wrongly award a point to Cobolli in the deciding frameCredit: Sport TV
Cobolli was given a 15-0 lead instead of trailing by the same score

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Cobolli was given a 15-0 lead instead of trailing by the same scoreCredit: Sport TV

His reward was a last 32 match up with four-time winner Novak Djokovic on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Wawrinka, who is now ranked 236th in the world, heads home from the tournament.

Nick Kyrgios called for Bernardes to be 'fired' on social media after the mistake

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Nick Kyrgios called for Bernardes to be ‘fired’ on social media after the mistakeCredit: PA
Cobolli went on to break Wawrinka's serve before winning the match in three sets

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Cobolli went on to break Wawrinka’s serve before winning the match in three setsCredit: Sport TV

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Man City accuse Premier League of ‘misleading’ clubs over tribunal verdict

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Man City accuse Premier League of 'misleading' clubs over tribunal verdict

In the letter, Cliff offered “clarifications” to “assist member clubs with their understanding” in response to a summary of the panel’s ruling by Premier League chief executive Richard Masters.

“Regrettably, the summary is misleading and contains several inaccuracies,” Cliff claims.

“The tribunal has declared the APT rules to be unlawful. MCFC’s position is that this means that all of the APT rules are void,” the letter states.

“The decision does not contain an ‘endorsement’ of the APT Rules, nor does it state that the APT Rules, as enacted, were ‘necessary’ in order to ensure the efficacy of the League’s financial controls.”

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The Premier League’s position that City were unsuccessful in the majority of its challenge is described by Cliff as “a peculiar way of looking at the decision”.

He added: “While it is true that MCFC did not succeed with every point that it ran in its legal challenge, the club did not need to prove that the APT rules are unlawful for lots of different reasons. It is enough that they are unlawful for one reason.”

Cliff added that it was “not correct that the tribunal’s decision identifies ‘certain discrete elements’ of the APT rules that need to be amended in order to comply with competition and public law requirements.

“On the contrary: the APT Rules… have been found to be unlawful, as a matter of competition law and public law. This means that they are void and not capable of enforcement. This has very significant consequences for APTs that have been entered into to date and APTs that are currently being negotiated by clubs.

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“Of even greater concern, however, is the PL’s suggestion that new APT rules should be passed within the next 10 days.”

The Premier League is seeking to amend its rules within the next fortnight so that they comply with competition law.

The tribunal – in a 175-page document – ruled that low-interest shareholder loans from owners to their clubs should not be excluded from the scope of APT rules, and that some amendments to toughen up the rules in February by should not be retained.

However Cliff warns that it is “remarkable that the Premier League is now seeking to involve the member clubs in a process to amend the APT rules at a time when it does not even know the status of those rules”.

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He added: “We will be writing separately about this to the Premier League but in the meantime, given the findings in the award, this is the time for careful reflection and consideration by all clubs, and not for a knee-jerk reaction.

“Such an unwise course would be likely to lead to further legal proceedings with further legal costs. It is critical for member clubs to feel that they can have trust in their regulator.”

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Fans say ‘Moyes is joking, right?’ after his bizarre interview about under-fire Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag goes viral

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Fans say 'Moyes is joking, right?' after his bizarre interview about under-fire Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag goes viral

DAVID MOYES has left Manchester United fans baffled after giving his thoughts on Erik ten Hag.

The Scottish manager is currently without a club, having left West Ham at the end of last season.

Erik ten Hag's position at Man United is under threat

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Erik ten Hag’s position at Man United is under threatCredit: Getty
David Moyes has back the Dutchman for doing a 'brilliant' job

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David Moyes has back the Dutchman for doing a ‘brilliant’ jobCredit: Getty

Moyes was the first manager at Man United after the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013.

The club has gone on to have multiple bosses but have not won a Premier League title since the legendary manager.

Ten Hag is the latest man to have the hot seat in the Old Trafford dugout, having been appointed in 2022.

The Dutchman has come under fire for his results, despite winning a Carabao Cup and FA Cup in his first two seasons.

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Despite the cup success, performances in the league have been questionable with the Red Devils placing 8th last term, their worst ever finish.

This season has also started poorly with the club having their worst start to a campaign in 35 years, beating the previous record by one point.

That record was set last season under Ten Hag as the club only achieved nine points after seven games.

Despite this, Moyes thinks that Ten Hag has been “brilliant” since arriving in Manchester.

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He told the BBC: “I think he’s doing a brilliant job.

“I think he’s shown brilliant resilience in the situation that he’s in and I think he should be credited for how well he’s conducted himself.

Erik ten Hag really did not help himself with what he said after Man Utd’s draw with Aston Villa, slams BBC pundit
Moyes was the first Red Devils manager after Sir Alex Ferguson

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Moyes was the first Red Devils manager after Sir Alex FergusonCredit: AFP

“As far as I know, I don’t see him ducking any questions or any media interviews that you people [the media] put forward to him.

“I think you have to give him great credit for that, but it’s a job that is going to attract immense pressure, with people talking, so I have to say that I think he’s doing a brilliant job.”

Fans have been left confused about the comments as the reacted on social media.

One posted: “David Moyes is joking, right?”

A second wrote: “Moyes has always had a great sense of humour.”

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A third commented: “This is too funny! Moyes is ‘LMAO’ on the inside.”

A fourth said: “Top tier trolling well in.”

Another added: “I can’t tell if he is being serious or not.”

Ten Hag is currently on holiday for the international break and is confident that his job is secure.

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Meanwhile, Man United chiefs are undergoing crunch talks over the future of the former Ajax boss.

Should they decide to axe Ten Hag then the likes of Graham Potter, Gareth Southgate and Thomas Tuchel are among the candidates to replace him.

Ten Hag’s five worst defeats

ERIK TEN HAG has suffered some heavy defeats during his tenure as Manchester United manager.

5. Copenhagen 4-3 Man Utd, November 2023

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The damaging defeat saw the Red Devils dumped out of the Champions League.

4. Man Utd 0-3 Bournemouth, December 2023

It was the first time the Cherries had ever won at Old Trafford with the players being booed off.

3. Brentford 4-0 Man Utd, August 2022

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Perhaps a sign of things to come, in Ten Hag’s second Premier League game, his side was dismantled by the Bees.

2. Crystal Palace 4-0 Man Utd, May 2024

The heavy defeat to the Eagles saw the Dutchman edge ever closer to the sack.

1. Liverpool 7-0 Man Utd, March 2023

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Man Utd were embarrassed at the hands of their bitter rivals as they crumbled at Anfield as it was the club’s worst defeat in 92 years.

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Troy Parrott: Republic of Ireland striker says trying to live up to hype ‘got to me’

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Troy Parrott: Republic of Ireland striker says trying to live up to hype 'got to me'


Parrott was signed by AZ Alkmaar in July after a season-long loan stint at Excelsior, who were relegated from the Eredivisie in June despite the Dubliner’s goalscoring exploits.

He quickly made an impression for AZ, netting four in a 9-1 demolition of Heerenveen last month before scoring a match-winning penalty against Elfsborg in the Europa League.

“To be away, it’s not necessarily being out of the spotlight, it’s just a new experience for me that I’m really enjoying,” said Parrott.

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“For me to be enjoying my football is the most important thing and it’s one of the reasons why I’ve managed to do well up to now.”

Parrott, who made his senior international debut in 2019, scored a late winner in the Republic of Ireland’s friendly against Hungary in June.

And while that came hot on the heels of a prolific end to last season with Excelsior, he was left on the bench by new boss Heimir Hallgrimsson during last month’s defeats by England and Greece.

Parrott admits that was “disappointing” but added he is not going to “sit around and cry about” it as he looks to make an impact against Finland and Greece over the next week.

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“If I get the chance to play I’m going to feel like I’m ready and like I can make an impact on the game,” he said.

“I can see why the team feels low on form because of the previous results but it’s on all of us to turn that around.”



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UFC: Kayla Harrison says she was urinating blood week before UFC 307

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UFC: Kayla Harrison says she was urinating blood week before UFC 307

Kayla Harrison says she was “peeing blood” in the week before her win over Ketlen Vieira at UFC 307 last Saturday.

The two-time Olympic judo champion’s victory lifted her into the number one contender spot for Julianna Pena’s bantamweight title.

Harrison has fought most of her MMA career at lightweight (155lb) but competes at 135lbs in the UFC.

The 34-year-old secured a points win, but thought her performance was affected by her health issues going into the contest.

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“I need to take a little bit of time off just because of the weight cut and the process that it is for my body,” Harrison told TMZ.

“I’m just not built to weigh 135lb. Anytime I get under the 150s, it’s not pleasant.

“The first time [I fought in the UFC] was [the] fear of, like, ‘Can I do it?’

“This time it was fear of, like, ‘Oh God, I have to do it’. The anticipation. But I’m blessed. I have such a good team.”

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The UFC was aware Harrison attended the hospital the week before her bout, but the fighter did not elaborate on what caused the problems.

Harrison is a two-time lightweight champion in the PFL, but left the organisation to join the UFC earlier this year.

The Ohio fighter submitted former champion Holly Holm in her debut before beating Vieira.

Pena dethroned Raquel Pennington in a controversial split decision points win at UFC 307, but opted to call out retired champion Amanda Nunes rather than Harrison after her victory.

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Footballer’s mum who was mistaken for his glamorous Wag stuns in busty selfie leaving fans in disbelief

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Footballer's mum who was mistaken for his glamorous Wag stuns in busty selfie leaving fans in disbelief

MUM of Bundesliga winner Leon Dajaku has stunned fans by posting a revealing selfie on social media.

Blerta, who is in her 40s, was recently mistaken for Dajaku’s partner due to her youthful looks.

Blerta stunned fans with her latest photo

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Blerta stunned fans with her latest photoCredit: Instagram
She is the mother of footballer Leon Dajaku

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She is the mother of footballer Leon DajakuCredit: blerta_dajaku / instagram

In fact, she is the ex-Sunderland forward’s mum and recently became a grandmother.

Dajaku’s partner Leonie June gave birth to a baby girl, Nava, in March.

But while Blerta is now a grandmother, her looks would not have you thinking she is old enough to be a family’s third generation.

And her latest snap left fans in awe once more.

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Kosovan-Albanian beautician Blerta shared a picture of her wearing a low-cut white top in the back of a car.

Alongside the image, she added the caption: “Nothing is impossible. Only your thoughts stop you.”

Reacting to the post, one fan replied: “🌹 Elegance. Respect 🙏”.

While another added: “Beautiful lady 😍😍”.

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Blerta is a Kosovan-Albanian beautician

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Blerta is a Kosovan-Albanian beauticianCredit: blerta_dajaku / instagram
She has accumulated 25,000 followers on Instagram

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She has accumulated 25,000 followers on InstagramCredit: blerta_dajaku / instagram
Blerta recently became a grandmother

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Blerta recently became a grandmotherCredit: blerta_dajaku / instagram
Dajaku spent a stint playing in England for Sunderland

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Dajaku spent a stint playing in England for SunderlandCredit: Getty

And a third responded: “Perfect 🔥”.

Dajaku is one of three of Blerta’s sons.

Football’s 10 richest wags including music stars and millionaire models

He was born in Germany after Blerta and his father fled from the Yugoslavian civil war, before he bounced between Stuttgart and Bayern Munich‘s youth teams.

He won the Bundesliga title with Bayern in 2020 after making two appearances.

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Dajaku originally joined Sunderland on loan from Union Berlin in 2021 before securing a permanent transfer the following year.

He then spent the season on loan at FC St. Gallen before being sold to Hajduk Split in 2023.

She regularly stuns fans with photos on social media

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She regularly stuns fans with photos on social mediaCredit: blerta_dajaku / instagram

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