While Hull was surging to a mighty impressive 18 under par for her 54 holes in the Saudi capital, the PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and leading colleagues were attending the nearby Future Investment Initiative conference.

This financial talking shop is run by the Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) which was also the presenting partner for the women’s tournament where Hull pocketed her £60,000 first prize.

Figures were considerably higher when The Sun reported last Saturday that a $1bn (£770m) deal has, at last, been struck between Monahan’s organisation and the PIF.

While the agreement has not been confirmed by either party, the cursory details reported make a semblance of sense.

It is well known that since the announcement on 6 June, 2023 of a “framework agreement”, there has been a desire on both sides for ratification.

But it has been considerably harder to achieve than initially anticipated by Monahan and the PIF’s golf-mad governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan, who would reportedly become chairman of the PGA Tour as part of this peace treaty.

PGA Tour players initially railed against the plan because it meant jumping into bed with the body that supplied billions of dollars to finance the breakaway LIV tour.

Why should there be a pathway back to the establishment for those golfers who disrupted the sport’s eco-system and took millions to defect to the upstarts?

Opinions have softened and it would appear this rumoured agreement makes provision for some of the Saudi investment to financially compensate those players who remained loyal to the PGA Tour.

Also, it potentially means that by 2026 the landscape of men’s professional golf may have significantly altered.

Could there be a pathway back to the PGA Tour’s biggest events for LIV stars such as reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau and former world number ones Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka?

Might PGA Tour players be able to form teams that could compete in LIV’s lucrative tournaments?

Could LIV benefit from existing PGA Tour television deals? That is particularly pertinent given their commissioner Greg Norman has admitted that the absence of a big network contract has provided considerable “headwinds” against LIV’s development.

Who knows?

More certain is that by 2026 the established American circuit will be a slimmed down version of itself. Proposals are due to be ratified by its policy board on 18 November to limit full PGA Tour membership and tournament field sizes.

Only the top 100 rather than the leading 125 on the FedEx Cup standings will retain full cards. Tournament fields will reduce from 156 to 144 and smaller events will reduce from 132 to 120.

The idea is to accommodate slow play after more than a quarter of PGA Tour events were unable to complete a round before darkness because play was tardy.

“I think the direction that they’re going is towards magnifying the value of having a PGA Tour card,” board member Peter Malnati told PGA Tour Radio.

Significantly, the quota of PGA Tour cards going to the leading 10 DP World Tour players, not already exempt, will be unaltered under the plans revealed last week.

Protection of this incentive suggests relations between the Florida-based circuit and Europe’s leading tour remain robust.

This is despite the DP World Tour failing to attract many leading US stars to its autumnal run of bigger tournaments. This expected benefit from the “strategic alliance” between the two leading transatlantic circuits has not materialised.

The European tour is now in the Middle East for its new instituted play-offs to conclude the 2024 Race to Dubai. This week, the top 70 in the standings compete in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.

Such is his points advantage, leader Rory McIlroy could claim his sixth Harry Vardon Trophy for winning the money list before they even get to Dubai for the following week’s DP World Tour Championship, where the field will be whittled down to the leading 50.

The more fascinating contest is likely to be the race for the 10 US cards, which is being led by McIlroy’s closest rivals in the order of merit, Thriston Lawrence of South Africa and Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard.

Bath’s Jordan Smith, eighth on the list, is the only UK player currently among the leading 10 candidates, but Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin is only one place behind Frenchman Romain Langasque, who occupies the last qualifying berth.

So for several of Europe’s leading figures there is plenty of consequential action ahead in the coming fortnight in the Middle East.

Indeed, both on and off the course, plenty is already happening in that part of the world – it would seem – to influence the sport’s future.

DARTS fans are being spoilt once again as the Grand Slam of Darts returns THIS week – and Luke Littler will be hoping he can get back to winning ways.

The teenage sensation failed to make it out of the first round of the recent European Championship courtesy of 53-year-old Andrew Gilding.

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And it means that Littler has been dumped out at the beginning stage for a third successive time – World Matchplay and the World Grand Prix being the others.

However, the Nuke quickly has the chance to right some wrongs in this unique nine-day marathon.

But he’ll have to dethrone reigning champion and World No 1 Luke Humphries who beat Rob Cross 16-8 in the 2023 final.

Three-time winner Michael van Gerwen will also feature along with English duo Michael Smith and Dave Chisnall.

When is the Grand Slam of Darts 2024?

• The 2024 Grand Slam of Darts will get underway on Saturday, November 9 before concluding on Sunday, November 17.
• Afternoon sessions are scheduled to start from 1pm GMT while the evening matches take place from 7pm GMT.
• WV Active Aldersley in Wolverhampton will host this nine-day extravaganza.
• Luke Humphries slayed Rob Cross in last year’s mouthwatering final.

What TV channel is the Grand Slam of Darts 2024 on and can it be live streamed?

• The 2024 Grand Slam of Darts will be broadcast LIVE on Sky Sports in the UK.
• Fans can stream the entire action on NOW TV.
• Matches are also available to watch on PDCTV or their worldwide broadcast partners including DAZN and Viaplay.
• SunSport will have a rolling blog that will cover the whole tournament.

What is the format?

It is set to be an action-packed nine days with eight group stages matches kicking off on Saturday, November 9.

This will run through to Tuesday, November 12 which fans will then witness the highly anticipated knockout rounds.

One of the Grand Slam’s most exciting elements is the potential for a nine-dart shootout.

If players in a group finish tied on points and leg difference after the round-robin group phase, they’ll face off in a nine-dart battle for a place in the last 16.

Grand Slam of Darts 2024 schedule

• November 9-12: Group Stage Matches
• November 13-14: Second Round Knockouts
• November 15-16: Quarter-Finals
• November 17: Semi-Finals and Grand Final

Knight’s Choice has won Australia’s famous Melbourne Cup, in a dramatically close race which went down to the final few metres.

It was Irish jockey Robbie Dolan’s first time in the event, but the second win for New Zealand horse trainer Sheila Laxon.

Second in the two-mile contest was Warp Speed and third was Okita Soushi, ridden by Jamie Kah – one of a record four female jockeys in the field.

Buckaroo was the favourite to win the race, with Knight’s Choice an outside chance but storming home to take the lead seconds before the finish.

JAMIE CARRAGHER has brutally compared Arsenal to a Jose Mourinho team without the trophies.

The Sky Sports pundit was sharing his thoughts after the Gunners were beaten 1-0 by Newcastle on Saturday to leave them seven points behind league leaders Liverpool.

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Carragher claimed when Mikel Arteta’s side first competed for the title, Arsenal set out to play a brand of football based on what he had learned while with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

But after narrowly missing out on being crowned champions in the 2022/23 season after having an eight-point lead over City in January, the manager must have felt they lacked the physicality to get them over the line.

The ex-Liverpool defender says Arteta has changed style and is now like the current Fenerbahce boss – but he so far lacks the Special One’s glittering trophy cabinet.

Carragher explained: “Guardiola and Mourinho are the two most dominant and successful managers in the last 20 years. But they are at both ends of the spectrum in terms of style of football.

“Arsenal are morphing into Jose Mourinho. It is not a criticism of Mikel Arteta, it is an analysis.

“This is a guy who has won the Premier League three times, Arsenal have not won it in 20 years.”

Carragher then listed the traits he sees in the current Gunners team that reminds me of Mourinho‘s old Chelsea side.

He highlighted they are both strong defensively, have height and strength, rely on set-piece and play a direct style at times.

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But there is one difference as Carragher added: “But the one thing we should also say where Arsenal are not like Mourinho is winning trophies.

“If Mourinho is watching tonight, he will say ‘but I win trophies’.

“At the moment Arsenal have not won a trophy, but they have been fantastic.

“Anyone who thinks I have plucked this Mourinho thing out to create negativity around Arsenal – it is analysing where Arsenal are going.

“If people do not agree with that then I don’t think you are actually watching what is going on.

“I think Arteta feels he does not have the attacking quality of Man City.

“So he is going another way to try to win the league, which is being strong defensively and a more powerful team.

“This is what the team is morphing into, it is not a criticism, it is an analysis.”

Fans loved the comparison, with a Tottenham saying: “Carragher basically saying Arteta is Mourinho without the trophies lol.”

Another added: “He’s spot on. Arsenal fans done want to hear the truth.”

Carragher also highlighted how Arsenal have moved away from signing technical players like Martin Odegaard and Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Instead, Arteta with the help of resigned chief Edu have gone in favour of physical stars like Mikel Merino and Riccardo Calafiori.

The stats back up Carragher’s theory with Arsenal more reliant on set-pieces and are more playing long balls than they did last season.

On the numbers, the pundit said: “Especially in away games, I struggle to see how they score a goal aside from a set-piece.

“The elephant in the room is that Martin Odegaard is injured, he is probably among the top four or five players in the Premier League.

“But do not forget City were without Kevin De Bruyne this and last season. They are heavily reliant on Odegaard.”

Arsenal and Edu resignation statement in full

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Edu Gaspar has today resigned from his position as our Sporting Director.

Edu, our former player and Invincible, re-joined us in the role of Technical Director in July 2019. He progressed through the club and was promoted to Sporting Director in November 2022, where he oversaw men’s, women’s and academy football.   

We thank Edu for the part he has played in our renewed football strategy and driving the club forward with the values of Arsenal in his heart. 

Edu said: “This was an incredibly hard decision to make.

“Arsenal has given me the opportunity to work with so many amazing people and the chance to be a part of something so special in the club’s history. It has been a special journey and I thank Stan, Josh, Tim and Lord Harris for the support they’ve given me.  

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“I’ve loved working with so many great colleagues across our men’s, women’s and academy teams, especially Mikel, who has become a great friend. 

“Now it is time to pursue a different challenge. Arsenal will always remain in my heart. I wish the club and its supporters only good things and all the very best.”

Our Co-Chair, Josh Kroenke, added: “We respect Edu’s decision and thank him for his immense contribution and dedication to drive the club forward.  

“Everyone at the club wishes him well. We are all so fond of him and the positive energy he brings to everything and everyone.  

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“Change and evolution is a part of our club.  We remain focused on our strategy and winning major trophies. Our succession plan will reflect this continued ambition.”

League One promotion hopefuls Lincoln City score three second-half goals to seal an emphatic FA Cup first-round win and end sixth-tier hosts Chesham United’s five-match run in this season’s competition.

MATCH REPORT: Chesham United 0-4 Lincoln City

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