Rory McIroy has secured an $18 million dollar pay day by becoming the first man to win the PGA Tour Championship three times. Starting the day six shots behind the leader Scottie Scheffler, the Holywood man racked up four birdies on the first seven holes to ramp up the pressure on his playing partner. The lead passed between them as shots were gained and lost on the back nine, but ultimately a scintillating par save on 16 when Scheffler bogeyed gave McIlroy the edge and he did enough over the closing holes to secure a memorable victory.
Eddie Howe has received plenty of praise for reviving Newcastle’s fortunes at the end of the last Premier League season and at the start of this one. Ken Early has a somewhat different view, however: “Newcastle are comfortably the world’s biggest-spending club in 2022, with net spending since January 1st of £212 million. Manchester United — if their planned €100 million deal for Antony goes through — are the only other team in the world to break the £200 million barrier. In the circumstances, six points from the first four games of the new season seems no better than par for Howe.” In other words, it is the Saudi PIF that is doing a ‘great’ job of getting the chequebook out, and Howe arguably should be doing a better one. On Sunday, Newcastle needed a late Allan Saint-Maximin strike to rescue a draw away to Wolves while Harry Kane’s double allowed Spurs to see off Nottingham Forest. In the Airtricity League, Andy Lyons’ late goal ensured that Shamrock Rovers progressed in the FAI Cup at the expense of Drogheda.
In French rugby, the players and fans often talk about the importance of defending the land, or terroir. In Brive, there is a particularly strong siege mentality. It is a small town competing against physical and financial giants every week. Former Ireland lock Jeremy Davidson knows all about the inner workings of Brive thanks to his coaching role there and he has offered some insight into his experience in an exclusive interview: “I’d love to have a bit more money, but I am where I am. You have to work with the hand you’re dealt. I’m very lucky to be here — a lot of coaches around the world would love this job at Brive.”
Tyrone have been struck a major blow as news filtered through overnight that Conor McKenna is set to return to Australia to continue his AFL career. After joining Essendon as a teenager, he returned to Ireland two years ago and immediately made his senior debut, and last season achieved his dream of winning an All-Ireland medal. It is understood that he has informed his Tyrone teammates of his decision.
