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Tiger Woods broke his silence with a Memorial Day post on social media honoring his late father, Earl, and other veterans.”My father was a Special Forces operator with two tours in Vietnam and 20 years of service,” Woods wrote on X. “To all those like my father, we all say thank you for your sacrifices. Without them we wouldn’t have the greatest country on Earth.”Monday’s message was the first posted on X by Woods since March 31, when he announced he was stepping away from the golf scene to focus on his health and a “lasting recovery.”Earl Woods, who retired as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, passed away in 2006 at the age of 74.Tiger Woods, 50, returned to Switzerland on Sunday, presumably to resume a rehabilitation process that began following his March 27 arrest for misdemeanor DUI after a rollover crash near his home in Florida. He was in Florida for about 10 days.Woods, who has won 15 majors among his 82 career PGA Tour victories, reportedly is undergoing “intense” psychological treatment to help manage what has been characterized as his dependency on painkillers. Related Story Source link
Veteran batting great Virat Kohli and 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will be in the spotlight as the T20 Indian Premier League spans the generations in the playoffs beginning on Tuesday. There are 22 years between the 37-year-old Kohli, who helped power defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru to the top of the regular season standings, and teenage prodigy Sooryavanshi whose batting fireworks have been the talk of the IPL season. Kohli and Bengaluru will meet Gujarat Titans in the first “qualifying” play-off in Dharamsala on Tuesday with the winner going straight into Sunday’s final in Ahmedabad. Sooryavanshi and Rajasthan Royals sealed the final play-off berth only on Sunday and will meet Sunrisers Hyderabad on Wednesday in Chandigarh, where the losers will go home. The winner will face the loser of Tuesday’s qualifying playoff in the final eliminator on Friday in Chandigarh. “We don’t pick age, we pick ability,” Rajasthan head coach Kumar Sangakkara said, referring to the 15-year-old rising star. “All guys, young and old, have done well to drag us to qualification.” England fast bowler Jofra Archer has also been instrumental in Rajasthan’s campaign, scoring 32 runs and taking 3-17 in the win that saw them into the last four. Kohli, who has stepped away from Test cricket and T20 internationals, is chasing a second straight IPL title with Bengaluru after waiting 18 seasons to lift his first in 2025. “Even after all these years, it is the love for the game. I just love hitting the ball in the middle of the bat. That joy is still there,” said Kohli, who is ninth on the IPL batting chart with 557 runs and a top score of 105 not out. Sooryavanshi is fifth on 583 runs with and a best of 103 off 37 balls. Rajasthan’s opponents on Wednesday will be Sunrisers Hyderabad, who boast a formidable batting line-up featuring openers Travis Head of Australia, Abhishek Sharma and South African Heinrich Klaasen, who has hammered 606 runs with six half-centuries. The batting chart is topped by Gujarat Titans openers Sai Sudharsan (638 runs) and Shubman Gill (616).Gujarat won the IPL in their debut season in 2022 and if they reach the final again will play the showpiece in their home 130,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The 10-team league has staged 70 matches over seven intense weeks of action but has seen a drop in its television audience, with BARC India and TAM Sports reporting average viewership down 26 percent. But analysts have attributed the TV decline to a shift toward streaming on digital platforms rather than waning interest across cricket-obsessed India. Related Story Source link
The Local Organising Committee for Football Events (LOC) has announced that the Lebanon v Yemen AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifier will take place on June 4 at Grand Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar. Originally scheduled for March 31, 2026 in Beirut, Lebanon will now play their home match on neutral soil in Qatar, where they face Yemen’s Al-Yaman as-Sa'eed in this decisive fixture jointly staged by the LOC and the Lebanese Football Association (LFA). Starting 31 May, fans in Qatar and across the region can purchase tickets for the much-anticipated qualifier at www.roadtoqatar.qa. Upon purchase, tickets will be made immediately available on Road to Qatar, the official ticketing app for the match. Grand Hamad Stadium will host Lebanon for the second time during their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying campaign, where they previously claimed a 2-0 win over Bhutan on October 9, 2025. The venue also most recently hosted Yemen in the FIFA Arab Cup Qualifier on November 26, 2025 that ended in a dramatic 4-4 draw against Comoros. Lebanon and Yemen will meet for the second time in their AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifying campaign, with their previous encounter on June 10, 2025 ending in a 0-0 draw. On 4 June, both nations will vie for the final spot in Group E of the tournament, with the winner joining South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. The 19th edition of the AFC Asian Cup is set to take place in Saudi Arabia from January 7 to February 5, 2027. Lebanon have made three appearances at the competition, as hosts in 2000, and qualifying in 2019 and at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023. The 2019 edition also marked Yemen's historic debut at the continental championship. The Lebanon v Yemen qualifier is the latest in a series of high-profile international matches hosted by Qatar, showcasing the international football community's trust in its ability to deliver world-class sporting experiences. Grand Hamad Stadium, with a capacity of 13,000, has hosted several international fixtures, including FIFA World Cup qualification matches. The stadium also served as the base camp for the Brazil national football team during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and currently serves as home ground of Qatari club Al Arabi SC. Source link
Rajasthan Royals’ Brijesh Sharma (right) gestures to teammate English cricket player Jofra Archer (second right) after their team’s win at the end of the 2026 Indian…
Experienced defender Pedro Miguel on Sunday said Qatar will aim to reach the second round when they arrive in the US for their opening match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Two-time Asian champions, Qatar will land in the United States after playing an international friendly against Ireland in Dublin on May 28. Pedro, who plays for Al Sadd in the Qatar Stars League (QSL), was a member of the Qatar side that won the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The 35-year-old was also in the Qatar squad that defended their Asian Cup title on home soil in Feb 2024.“We learned a lot from our performance at the 2022 World Cup,” Pedro said yesterday while answering a question at the media day activities at the iconic Khalifa International Stadium. “The last four years went very fast. I feel now we are ready for this World Cup,” Pedro said. “We have more experience as a team. We have many players who can make a difference. This is very important. These players are coming with a lot of energy. We are looking forward to the World Cup. Our target is to reach the second round,” he added. Qatar, coached by Julen Lopetegui, will face Switzerland on June 13 and Canada on June 19. The third match will be against Bosnia and Herzegovina on June 24.The 35-member Qatar squad includes Akram Afif, a two-time Asian Player of the Year, and long-serving forward Hasan al-Haydos. Qatar’s strike force also includes forward Al-Moez Ali. Goalkeeper Meshal Barsham is also key to Qatar’s possible shot at the second round. At the FIFA World Cup on home soil in 2022, Qatar lost 2-0 to Ecuador followed by a 3-1 defeat against Senegal. In their last group stage match, the Netherlands beat Qatar 2-0. “There was a lot of pressure in 2022. There was immense pressure to do well in front of our fans. We didn’t play the way our fans expected. But now we are playing another World Cup. We have another chance to show what we can do,” Pedro said before his team’s open training session on the pitch at the air conditioned Khalifa International Stadium. “Now I feel there will be less pressure than the last one because we are playing away from home. We don’t play at home this time,” Pedro said as he smiled.“Our first aim is to arrive in the best shape for the first game against Switzerland. We are working very hard. All the players are giving 100% in the training to be in the best shape in the first game,” Pedro said. “To play in the World Cup – the best tournament in the world – is something we are looking forward to. All the players are very excited to start the tournament. It’s a difficult group. We play against strong national teams. They have good players. But I feel my teammates are ready for this tournament. We will show what we can do. It won’t be like the last World Cup.”Qatar centre back Tarek Salman, 28, said on Sunday: “There’s an eagerness from our players to go out and give their best. This will be our second World Cup appearance. I can safely say our preparations are progressing really well following the end of the football season We are looking forward to playing positively against Ireland and El Salvador (on June 6 in Los Angeles). These two friendly games will give us the chance to fine-tune the technical aspects of our preparations. I say these two matches will be very important for us,” Salman said. Salman echoed Pedro’s sentiments on Sunday, saying: “Most of the players have gained significant experience since our first World Cup appearance in 2022. The experience players have now is of great importance. I think this experience will have a major impact on our performance at the World Cup.” Qatari left back Homam El-Amin said on Sunday: “Qatar has done really well since the 2022 World Cup. We played some tough qualifying matches. We acknowledge we have to face tough teams like Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina. But we feel ready at this point in time.” Source link
Rajasthan Royals’ Jofra Archer struck a 15-ball 32 and took 3-17 against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. (AFP) England’s Jofra Archer starred with bat and ball as Rajasthan Royals sealed the last play-off spot in the Indian Premier League with a 30-run win over Mumbai Indians on Sunday.Archer struck a 15-ball 32 after being promoted to number seven in the batting order to lift Rajasthan to 205-8 from a precarious 119-5 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.He then turned up in his primary role as a fast bowler, taking 3-17 as Mumbai finished on 175-9 despite Suryakumar Yadav’s 60. Archer has 21 wickets in 14 matches this season and is third on the list of wicket-takers below Gujarat quick Kagiso Rabada and Bengaluru seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who both have 24.”I don’t think this is my best season,” said Archer. “Every time I take the ball, I have to hit good areas. Not always rewarded, happy it came on an important day. I class myself as an all-rounder but folks call me a bowler.”Former champions Rajasthan, who have been driven by strong performances including by their 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, knocked Punjab Kings from fourth place to complete the play-off line-up with 16 points.Punjab ended the league stage with 14 points and needed Rajasthan to lose the game to prolong their season. The result also ended Kolkata Knight Riders’ slim chances.Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad had already booked their play-off spots. Bengaluru will face Gujarat in the first qualifier on Tuesday. The winner will reach the final to be played in Ahmedabad on May 31. Hyderabad and Rajasthan will clash in the eliminator on Wednesday, with the loser out of the tournament and the winner heading into the second qualifier.Put in to bat first, Rajasthan lost their openers Yashasvi Jaiswal, for 27, and teenage prodigy Sooryavanshi, for four, to England spinner Will Jacks and Indian seamer Deepak Chahar.Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel hit 38 and Sri Lanka’s Dasun Shanaka struck 29 off 15 balls before Rajasthan were five down in the 13th over. Archer walked in two places above his usual number nine, and counter-attacked with three sixes and a four.He departed in the 18th over but inspired Ravindra Jadeja, who hit an 11-ball 19, and Nandre Burger, who struck 10 off three balls, to help Rajasthan plunder 73 runs from the last five overs. “Last five overs are always difficult. If you can stop one, two boundaries, you can keep teams 12-15 runs short,” said Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya. “Conceding 73 in the last five cost us too.”An upbeat Archer then rattled Mumbai with the ball as he sent back Rohit Sharma, caught behind for a fourth-ball duck in the first over. He bowled Naman Dhir for six and fellow quick Burger dismissed Ryan Rickelton for 12 as five-time champions Mumbai soon slipped to 38-4.Suryakumar put on key stands including a sixth-wicket partnership of 48 with Pandya, who made 34, to keep Mumbai in the contest. Archer broke the stand with the wicket of Pandya and Suryakumar’s exit in the 18th over cleared Rajasthan’s path to the play-offs. Brief Scores Rajasthan Royals 205/8 in 20 overs [Jofra Archer 32 (15), Dhruv Jurel 38 (26), Ravindra Jadeja 19* (11); Shardul Thakur 2-41] beat Mumbai Indians 175/9 in 20 overs [Suryakumar Yadav 60, Hardik Pandya 34; Jofra Archer 3-17, Brijesh Sharma 2-26, Yash Raj Punja 2-44] by 30 runs Related Story Source link
Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk beat Oksana Selekhmeteva, who was born in Russia but obtained Spanish nationality four days ago, 6-2, 6-3 to get her French Open campaign…
Uno X Mobility Norwegian rider Fredrik Dversnes celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 15th stage of the Giro d’Italia 2026 – Tour…
Mohamed Salah with his daughters after playing his final match for Liverpool on Sunday. (AFP) An emotional Mohamed Salah said “we put the club back where it belongs” after playing his final game for Liverpool on Sunday.A 1-1 draw at home to Brentford on the last day of the Premier League season marked the end of the Egyptian forward’s nine-year spell at Anfield.Salah, 33, bid farewell alongside Scotland defender Andy Robertson, who also joined in 2017. Salah scored 257 goals for Liverpool, behind only Ian Rush (346) and Roger Hunt (285) in the club’s list of leading goalscorers.He has also won multiple trophies at the club including the Champions League and two Premier League titles.”I think I cried more than in my whole life,” Salah said after the Brentford match. “I’m not really an emotional guy. We lived our youth here, sharing everything from the beginning to the end,” said Salah of the time he shared with Robertson at Anfield. “We put this club back where it belongs.”Salah’s departure was announced in March after he told reporters in December his relationship with Liverpool manager Arne Slot had broken down. And in a social media post following last week’s defeat at Aston Villa, Salah said he wanted to see a return to “heavy metal football”, referring to the approach under former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.But he still started the match against Brentford, with the names of both Salah and Robertson met with a deafening roar when introduced by the stadium announcer.Banners in the crowd celebrated both players, one saying “Thank you legends”. Another said: “We Have Gone From Great To Glory. Salah Is Our King”.Salah was the Premier League’s top-scorer last season, with 29 goals, as Liverpool won the title, but his form dipped dramatically this term and he managed just seven goals in the league.The draw with Brentford, allied to Bournemouth’s defeat by Manchester United, ensured Liverpool secured fifth position in the Premier League, guaranteeing the six-time European champions a place in next season’s Champions League.”It’s tricky to leave Liverpool,” said Salah, adding: “It’s life. I look back and wonder if I would have wanted more than I achieved. Not really. We won it all. We see the love from the fans and this is the most important thing for me. I will be far away from here. I will be emotional every time. I hope the team stays in the position, fighting for everything.” Related Story Source link
Arsenal’s captain Martin Odegaard lifts the Premier League trophy as he celebrates with his teammates in London. (AFP) Arsenal lifted the Premier League trophy after celebrating their first game as champions with a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.Mikel Arteta’s side clinched their first English title for 22 years on Tuesday when second-placed Manchester City drew at Bournemouth.In action for the first time since the celebrations of their long-awaited triumph, the Gunners took the lead through Gabriel Jesus late in the first half at Selhurst Park. Noni Madueke scored Arsenal’s second goal after the interval to ensure the champions ended the league campaign with 26 wins from 38 games.Since losing at City on April 19 in a game that appeared to have tilted the balance of power in their rivals’ favour, Arsenal have reeled off five successive league victories to finish seven points above Pep Guardiola’s team. Once the match was over, the main event could take place as Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard got his hands on the trophy after medals were presented to Arteta and his squad.Red confetti and fireworks exploded into the air as he hoisted the silverware, while Arsenal’s stars sprayed champagne in front of thousands of Gunners fans in the Arthur Wait Stand. Arteta was tossed into the air by his players, while Arsenal’s United States-based owner Stan Kroenke and his son Josh had carried the trophy onto the pitch for the presentation ceremony.Those ecstatic supporters kept the party going, singing songs of praise for the champions, waving inflatable replicas of the trophy and joining the players in a rendition of club anthem ‘North London forever’. Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta is thrown into…