Fichardtlast struck a round of 61 at the 2001 Sao Paulo Brazil Open.
His last European Tour win was at the Joburg Open in 2017.
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On Thursday, he hit nine birdies, two eagles and two bogeys for a one-shot lead over Australia’s Cameron John.
England’s two-time Dunhill champion Tyrrell Hatton and Spain’s Jon Rahm both went round in seven under at Carnoustie – traditionally the hardest of the three courses used in the Pro-Am event on the DP World Tour.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre carded a five-under 67 also at Carnoustie, where Tommy Fleetwood and defending champion Matthew Fitzpatrick both shot 68.
Rory McIlroy was playing the same course but his three-under 69 in favourable scoring conditions was only good enough for tied 73rd.
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The Old Course at St Andrews is the third course in the tournament’s rotation, where new Zealand’s Daniel Hillier hit the round of the day – a nine-under 63 to out him in a tie for third.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has said his team “cannot continue to play with 10 men” in the wake of William Saliba’s red card at Bournemouth.
The France centre-back was sent off in the first half against the Cherries and the Gunners went on to lose 2-0 – their first defeat of the Premier League campaign.
He is the third Arsenal player to be sent off this season following the dismissals of midfielder Declan Rice against Brighton and forward Leandro Trossard in the draw at Manchester City.
“Playing with 10 men, always there is an issue,” said Arteta, whose side have conceded goals in all three games in which they have been reduced to 10 men.
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“The truth is, when you analyse it, three very different actions and the outcome of them, the reasons are very different.
“Regardless of that we cannot continue to play with 10 men, especially at this level.
“We need to eradicate that, it’s clear. The reasons and how – it doesn’t matter. We have to focus and it has to happen.”
Since Arteta’s first game as Arsenal manager on 26 December 2019 the Gunners have received 18 red cards – five more than any other Premier League team in that period.
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Saliba will miss the match at home against Liverpool on Sunday but can play in Arsenal’s game against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday.
“It’s reacting,” added Arteta. “You have a defeat, it is part of the game and sport. Let’s move on, take that pain that we have still have in our tummy and use it on Tuesday.”
Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.
This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:
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Francis Ngannou reminded the MMA world why he’s one of the most terrifying fighters to ever set foot in the cage. This past Saturday, the former UFC heavyweight champion viciously stoppedRenan Ferreira in the main event of PFL: Battle of the Giants in Saudi Arabia. It was a big win that shook up the heavyweight landscape. Now that he’s back in MMA, can we say Ngannou remains the “Baddest Man on the Planet”? What should be next for Ngannou? We discuss.
Over in the UFC side of things, Anthony HernandezdominatedMichel Pereira in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 245. It was a big win that put Hernandez on a six-fight winning streak, with five of those coming by stoppage. Is Hernandez a serious threat to the middleweight title? Where does Pereira go from here? We dissect the main event of UFC Fight Night 245.
Finally, it’s UFC 308 fight week. That’s right, in just a few days time, Ilia Topuria will defend his UFC featherweight title against Max Holloway Preview in an extremely highly-anticipated matchup. There’s a lot on the line here. Could Topuria steal Fighter of the Year with a win over Holloway? Could a win cement Holloway as the greatest to ever do it at featherweight? We break down this championship fight along with other bog bouts in the card, including Robert Whittaker vs. Khamzat Chimaev.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
Brave Sir Chris, 48, told the Sunday Times: “As unnatural as it feels, this is nature.
“You know, we were all born and we all die, and this is just part of the process.
“You remind yourself, aren’t I lucky that there is medicine I can take that will fend this off for as long as possible.”
Back in February, Hoy announced he was being “treated for cancer” and claimed it was going well – though knew in reality it was just “management”.
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The star had gone to the doctor in late September last year after feeling a strain in his shoulder.
A tumour was found, before a second scan discovered the primary cancer in his prostate.
It had metastasised to Sir Chris’s bones – including his shoulder, pelvis, ribs, and spine.
Speaking of the appointment in which he found out about the tumour, he told the Sunday Times he thought “I’m just getting a bit old for lifting heavy weights”.
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Referred by his physiotherapist for a scan, he went to hospital alone, expecting to be told to lay off upper-body work in the gym for a few weeks.
Sir Chris Hoy rides tiny kids bike down a hill as son Callum cries in hilarious video
“I’m really sorry,” the doctor told him. The nurse’s eyes filled with tears. “There’s a tumour in your shoulder.”
Heartbreakingly, Sir Chris’ wife Sarra was told she had incurable and degenerative MS just weeks before his cancer news – with the couple opting not to tell the kids about their mother’s illness.
But they decided to be honest about their dad’s diagnosis.
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The Hoy family share a warm and happy existence, as SunSport reveals.
Strong family support network
Hoy is one of our greatest ever sports stars, achieving success on the global stage at the Olympics.
Not only has he won six gold medals and one silver, the Scot is an 11-time world champion.
With that comes sacrifices, gruelling training sessions and competitions that take you away from your loved ones.
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He has continuously praised his wife of 14 years for being with him every step of the way.
At the 2012 Olympics in London, after winning gold, he said: “Sarra has been the one that has really got me through it all.”
In a TV interview watched by millions, just one year before he retired, the Olympian said: “It is fantastic when you step off the track and the final product is a gold medal.
“It looks like it has never been in doubt, which was not the case with the keirin. To see the performances, you think it must always be good but it is anything but.
“There were troughs and dips in the past four years and she has been there the whole way – never complained and never moaned or become frustrated with cycling because that has been put first over everything.
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“When I saw her at the end, and was able to give her a big hug and a kiss, I realised we have done it and gone through it.”
Trauma with the birth of their children
Both of Hoy and Sarra’s children’s births have been complicated.
In 2014, son Callum was born 11 weeks premature and had to kept in hospital.
In an interview with the Yorkshire Post in 2021, Sarra said: “It was 24 hours before I even saw him.
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“It was four days before I could hold him and it was like holding a frail baby bird. It was terrifying.
“You are separated from your baby by this huge plastic box and they are covered in wires and tubes.
“They look so fragile you are worried that you will hurt them.”
In 2017, Sir Chris shared a loving photo of his son, aged two, following in his footsteps on a push bike on Instagram – racing around their garden.
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Daughter Chloe was also born three weeks early.
Sarra said: “No one prepares you for having a preterm baby, it is knowing what you can contribute.
“I was encouraged to touch Callum, but you are scared because they look so fragile.”
‘Hardest thing I’ve ever done’
Hoy, a proud father to children Callum, 9, and Chloe, 6, made sure he put his kids first after his diagnosis, originally shielding them from the news.
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However, he admitted living in worry they might learn about his condition from their peers at school who could say, “I saw your daddy on the news last night and he’s going to die.”
Over dinner, Hoy calmly explained his cancer to them. When asked if he was going to die by son Callum, he revealed his hopes “to be here for many, many years.”
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“I never want to lie to them,’ he told the Sunday Times, “but there are certain things you don’t need to tell them straight away.”
In his upcoming memoir, All that Matters: My Toughest Race Yet the last chapter is dedicated to a message to his children.
Sir Chris revealed he found it traumatic to read out aloud when he was recording the audio version for the book.
He said: “[You’re] reading the words out loud, you have to connect emotionally.
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“You’ve got to actually read in a way that means something. But the risk is getting too close to it – because you’re suddenly thinking, these are the words that my kids will listen to when I’m gone.
“And that is, without doubt, the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
Though UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones is scheduled to take on former titleholder Stipe Miocic in a long-awaited fight at UFC 309 on Nov. 16, Adesanya doesn’t agree that the winner of that bout should automatically be granted GOAT status.
“Hell no [the debate isn’t done],” Adesanya said in a Battle of the Giants reaction video. “Stipe is the last one I can remember people saying. Well, it was Cain [Velasquez] first and then Stipe, and then right now people still hold Stipe as the greatest of all time in the heavyweight division. But I think he’s one of the greatest and he has beaten Francis, but Francis beat him in the worst way. Again, it’s all subjective, it’s all art, it’s all who you like.
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“I think Francis is the greatest heavyweight of all time, but again, now Jon is in there, he’s the heavyweight champion. He’s only fought once at heavyweight, but he’s also one of, if not the greatest fighter of all time. Tom Aspinall’s even in the f*cking mix and he’s only just kind of getting his ball rolling. It’s exciting as a fan, but right now in this moment I am just so happy for [Ngannou] and what he has accomplished and to see him go through it with the adversity he had to go through with the death of Kobe.”
Ngannou entered Saturday’s main event with the heaviest of hearts, having lost his infant son Kobe this past April. He dedicated the fight to Kobe in a tearful post-fight interview, stating that he was only fighting again to honor him.
Following his departure from the UFC in 2023—having never lost the heavyweight title in the octagon—Ngannou signed with PFL and then booked a pair of high-profile boxing bouts. He narrowly lost a thrilling split decision against Tyson Fury and then suffered a knockout loss to Anthony Joshua in his next fight.
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When it came time to compete under MMA rules, however, Ngannou went right back to his winning ways.
“Flawless,” Adesanya said of Ngannou’s win. “That was a beautiful performance. He took one leg and dodged a flurry and eventually timed his right hand, shot for a double, kept him there and knocked him out. Proud, inspired, and just happy to watch him do his thing because he’s gone through so much in his career even still. After the whole boxing thing, people were doubting him and then he lost to A.J., people went, ‘Oh, we knew it.’ It’s like people are prisoners of the moment.
“They forget. They forget who this man is or who people are, they’re just prisoners of the moment right now. So I’m glad he reminded everybody why he’s the best, why he’s the one, why he’s Francis Ngannou.”
On to the Next One. The Best Friends Mike Heck and Alexander K. Lee guess what’s next for PFL star Francis Ngannou and the big winners from UFC Vegas 99.
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Love.
Respect, always.
Roasted.
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Didn’t have Nicksick rubbing shoulders with Ronaldo on my 2024 bingo card.
Francis Ngannou back in MMA? Just feels right, man.
No one would have blamed Ngannou for taking 2024 off given the awful tragedy he and his family are going through, so seeing him come back and look like his old self, even if for just one night, it was emotional. As excited as we all are to see what’s next for him, let’s not forget to appreciate the moment for what it is.
Uefa has been urged to make “meaningful change” for disabled football fans by charity Level Playing Field.
The charity offers support, information and advice around disabled spectator access, and is attempting to set up a meeting between disabled fans and “decision makers”.
“The need for urgent action on the standards of access and inclusion for away fans in Europe is clear,” said Tony Taylor, chairman of Level Playing Field.
A total of 232 disabled supporters responded to a survey, which raised concerns over accessibility and inclusion at grounds in Europe.
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Of the 43% who said they had been to away games in Europe, 29% rated Uefa’s communication with disabled fans as “non-existent”, while 20% said that the governing body’s commitment to providing accessible matchdays was “poor”.
“The results of this survey have proven ongoing anecdotal reports of substandard access. It is important the governing body now sees this as an opportunity to work with clubs and venues to ensure they deliver for disabled supporters, allowing fans to travel with confidence,” Taylor added.
“We will assist clubs to make use of this report, to help identify how they can provide relevant support to their disabled fans, but Uefa must display leadership and a commitment to inclusion, in order to bring about meaningful change.”
Another key issue raised in Level Playing Field’s European survey was the placement of accessible seating, with 79% of wheelchair users saying they had been required to sit in sections alongside home supporters.
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“This is a worrying statistic, as it represents a significant safety concern,” read the Level Playing Field report.
“The risks should not be ignored when it comes to positioning disabled supporters, particularly since over a quarter of disabled fans have identified ‘the attitudes of others’ as a barrier to attending.”
Did you miss the debut of UFC 308 “Countdown” or just want to watch it again? Check out the main event preview now.
The segment takes a special look at the featherweight title fight between unbeaten champion Ilia Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and challenger Max Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC), a former champ who has won five of his past six, including the “BMF” belt.
UFC 308 (pay-per-view, ESPN+) takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. “Countdown” goes behind the scenes with the two fighters, and you can watch the full segment above. And don’t miss the entire episode in the video below.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.
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Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
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