Ludvig Aberg cards an opening-round 63 for a 2-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open

Ludvig Aberg cards an opening-round 63 for a 2-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open
Ludvig Aberg hits his tee shot on the seventh hole of the North Course at Torrey Pines during the first round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament Wednesday in San Diego. (AP)
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Updated 23 January 2025
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Ludvig Aberg cards an opening-round 63 for a 2-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open

Ludvig Aberg cards an opening-round 63 for a 2-shot lead at the Farmers Insurance Open
  • The 25-year-old Swede capitalized on playing the easier North Course at Torrey Pines, hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation while making eight birdies and an eagle on the coastal links
  • Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, the highest-ranked player in the field and the winner at The Sentry at Kapalua, shot a 68 on the South Course

SAN DIEGO: Ludvig Aberg shot a 9-under 63 Wednesday in what he calls his favorite place in the world, taking a two-shot lead over Danny Walker and Hayden Springer in the opening round of the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

Aberg took a first-round lead on the PGA Tour for the first time after posting the best opening-round score of his short career. The 25-year-old Swede capitalized on playing the easier North Course at Torrey Pines, hitting 16 of 18 greens in regulation while making eight birdies and an eagle on the coastal links.

“I like when you hit a lot of drivers, and I feel like I did that a lot today, and probably going to do the same tomorrow,” Aberg said. “(I love) any golf course when it looks like this, when you have the views, and Torrey Pines is a really, really cool place.”

The 25-year-old Walker was outstanding in his fourth career PGA Tour start. He posted the opening day’s best round on the tougher South Course, where the scoring average was 72.487 compared to 70.218 on the North.

Walker and Springer finished one shot in front of Lanto Griffin, Zac Blair, 48-year-old Zach Johnson and 20-year-old Aldrich Potgieter — all of whom played the North Course.

Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, the highest-ranked player in the field and the winner at The Sentry at Kapalua, shot a 68 on the South Course.

Aberg, who finished ninth last year in his Torrey Pines debut, began the new season with a fifth-place finish in Maui after undergoing knee surgery last fall. After winning the tour’s rookie of the year award in 2023, he went winless last year despite posting six top-five finishes, including runner-ups at the Masters, the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the BMW Championship.

While many top players aren’t at Torrey Pines this week, Aberg couldn’t wait to get out to the beautiful coastal course, calling San Diego “my favorite place in the world” earlier this week.

Aberg also said he would love it if the Genesis Invitational is held here in three weeks. The tournament is expected to announce its 2025 home soon after being moved away from Riviera Country Club because of the deadly wildfires that destroyed part of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, near the famed course.

“I haven’t had any issues since the surgery, so it’s really nice,” Aberg said. “I think Maui was the ultimate test for that. I got some blisters on my feet. That’s another story, but the knee was holding up nice. Really looking forward to coming back and playing a lot of tournaments. ... I’m looking forward to a nice stretch of golf.”

Walker, a rookie who who earned his PGA Tour card on the Korn Ferry Tour, turned in a bogey-free round after missing his first two cuts of the season.

Johnson hasn’t won on tour since the 2015 British Open at St. Andrews, but he started impressively at Torrey Pines after getting in on a sponsor’s exemption.

Defending champion Matthieu Pavon shot a 73 on the South Course.

This famed tournament on the northern coast of San Diego has fewer stars than normal in its field this year. World No. 2 and San Diego native Xander Schauffele didn’t enter, while fifth-ranked and Southern California native Collin Morikawa withdrew on Sunday, followed by former Torrey Pines runner-up Will Zalatoris on Wednesday morning.

The Farmers Insurance Open starts on a Wednesday and ends on a Saturday to avoid a final-round conflict with the NFL’s conference championship games.


La Liga president slams Real Madrid for complaints about referees

Updated 31 sec ago
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La Liga president slams Real Madrid for complaints about referees

La Liga president slams Real Madrid for complaints about referees
Tebas told reporters, “They have built up an exaggerated tale of victimization that is completely baseless with, in my opinion, the goal of undermining the competition”
The letter was sent two days after Madrid felt they were hurt by alleged refereeing mistakes in a 1-0 loss at Espanyol

BARCELONA: Spanish league president Javier Tebas lashed out at Real Madrid on Thursday, saying the club leadership has “lost its mind” for accusing Spain’s referees of being biased against the defending champion.
The head of La Liga said it was considering taking legal action for the letter that Madrid published this week in which they accused the league of being “adulterated” to favor other clubs.
Tebas told reporters, “They have built up an exaggerated tale of victimization that is completely baseless with, in my opinion, the goal of undermining the competition. It is completely over the top. They have lost their minds.”
The letter was sent two days after Madrid felt they were hurt by alleged refereeing mistakes in a 1-0 loss at Espanyol. Madrid mostly complained of a hard foul on Kylian Mbappé by Espanyol defender Carlos Romero in the 60th minute. Romero was shown a yellow card but Madrid felt he should have been sent off with a straight red card. Romero went on to score the winner.
After a video review, the officiating crew considered the yellow card was appropriate. Madrid said in their four-page letter that the performance of the VAR and the officiating crew was “scandalous.”
The club said the refereeing in the Espanyol game represented the “culmination of a completely discredited refereeing system whose decisions against Real Madrid have reached a point that the adulteration and manipulation of the competition cannot be ignored.”
Also, Madrid published a four-minute video on their club website titled “The global scandal continues to escalate” of clips of the foul by Romero on Mbappé and quotes for media outlets that considered it worth of a red card.
Tebas hit back at Real Madrid’s club television for routinely producing video packages that allegedly showed how certain referees made calls against the team. He said Real Madrid TV “calls referees corrupt.”
Madrid collected their 36th Spanish league title and their 15th European Cup – both records – last season. They lead La Liga by one point before playing second-placed Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Rival fans — and most neutrals — have been puzzled by Madrid’s complaints about being systematically hurt by the refs.
“It’s just silly,” Atletico forward Antoine Griezmann said about the letter.
“We have to leave the referees alone. They have enough on their hands dealing with us players to on top of that have to handle this silliness from off the pitch.”

Annaf in good form ahead of repeat Saudi bid

Annaf in good form ahead of repeat Saudi bid
Updated 24 min 8 sec ago
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Annaf in good form ahead of repeat Saudi bid

Annaf in good form ahead of repeat Saudi bid
  • Mick Appleby stable star on course for G2 Turf Sprint defense after prep run
  • Japan is seeking its third win in the contest and are set to field Ten Happy Rose, Ascoli Piceno and Win Marvel

RIYADH: Last year’s 1351 Turf Sprint winner Annaf is being prepared to defend his Saudi Cup night crown on Saturday Feb. 22, with trainer Mick Appleby reporting he has emerged from a recent prep race in good form.

Hailing from Ireland, Annaf is taking the same route to the $2 million G2 event, run over 1,351 meters on turf at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, by first warming up with a solid run on the all-weather in the Kachy Stakes at Lingfield in the UK.

“He would have finished a bit closer had he not missed the break,” said the trainer. “He was beaten in this race last year before he went to Saudi though, so hopefully we head there with a good chance again.

“He’s come out of the race well and is in good form and we now just need everything to go well in the next few weeks. The track there seems very fair and hopefully he gets a good draw for the race. Rossa (Ryan) will ride him once again.”

Ryan executed the perfect waiting ride 12 months ago, and when a gap emerged up the rail as the field swung off the final bend, he produced Annaf with a winning run to fend off the fast-finishing La La Christine and Byline.

The six-year-old’s success in Riyadh was a big moment for a relatively small UK yard, but one that has proved more than capable of producing horses for the biggest of occasions, as shown with Big Evs’s success at the 2023 Breeders’ Cup.

Speaking about the international opposition once again facing Annaf, Appleby said: “There’s great prize money on offer so it’s always going to be a strong race. We’re looking forward to the challenge once again.

“Last year everyone was very welcoming and it was a great occasion. We had great celebrations when he got back home too.”

Annaf is likely to face 13 rivals as he aims to become the first back-to-back winner of the race.

Japan is seeking its third win in the contest and are set to field Ten Happy Rose, winner of last year’s G1 Victoria Mile, Ascoli Piceno, winner of the G1 Hanshin Juvenile Fillies as a two-year-old, and Win Marvel.

G1 Franklin-Simpson Stakes winner Howard Wolowitz of the US will line up for American-based handler Jose D’Angelo, while Topgear, of France, an impressive winner of Newmarket’s G2 Challenge Stakes when last seen, will represent trainer Christopher Head.

Byline, from Great Britain, will again line up for Bahrain-based trainer Allan Smith, along with compatriot Ava Go Joe, with Dark Trooper of Ireland representing Qatar-based Alban de Mieulle and owners Wathnan Racing.

Listed winners Task Force (GB) Witness Stand (GB) and Goemon (GB) will also represent the UK, with Uncle (GB) and Malyan (GB) racing for Saudi Arabia and trainer Thamer Aldaihan.


Spain's Supreme Court clears new soccer chief of malfeasance

Spain's Supreme Court clears new soccer chief of malfeasance
Updated 06 February 2025
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Spain's Supreme Court clears new soccer chief of malfeasance

Spain's Supreme Court clears new soccer chief of malfeasance
  • The decision saves the RFEF from further embarrassment and the need for a new election
  • The Supreme Court said in its ruling that the decision to grant a new subsidy for works not initially foreseen did not constitute the crime of malfeasance

MADRID: Spain's Supreme Court has upheld an appeal by the new president of the country's scandal-ridden soccer federation (RFEF), Rafael Louzan, against his conviction on charges of malfeasance and a seven-year ban.
The decision saves the RFEF from further embarrassment and the need for a new election.
Louzan was elected in December despite a previous lower court verdict against him after more than a year of turmoil at the football governing body following the downfall of former chief Luis Rubiales and his right-hand man Pedro Rocha.
The Supreme Court, which had taken up Louzan's appeal before his election, said on Thursday it had annulled the lower court ruling that barred Louzan from holding public office for seven years in a case involving a contract to improve a football pitch in the northwestern city of Morana in 2011.
The contractor undertook improvements not initially foreseen and after the works were completed, the provincial authority of Pontevedra, led by Louzan, called a new tender with the intention of awarding it to the company that had already done the job.
The Supreme Court said in its ruling that the decision to grant a new subsidy for works not initially foreseen did not constitute the crime of malfeasance as the authorities were already required to pay for the works done.
The Spanish government had said that were the Supreme Court to confirm Louzan's previous conviction it would seek new elections at the soccer federation.
Louzan, who is leading the RFEF as Spain gears up to co-host the 2030 World Cup, did not immediately answer a request for comment.
The court ruling comes in the same week as Louzan's predecessor Rubiales went on trial at Madrid's High Court, where he stands accused of sexual assault against player Jenni Hermoso after kissing her on the lips at the 2023 Women's World Cup awards ceremony in Australia.
He is also accused of attempting to coerce Hermoso - with the help of three other men - into declaring that the kiss had been consensual.
The episode eclipsed Spain's first women's World Cup victory and has triggered a national backlash against sexism in sport. Rubiales denies those criminal charges.


Australia’s injured Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy

Australia’s injured Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy
Updated 06 February 2025
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Australia’s injured Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy

Australia’s injured Cummins and Hazlewood ruled out of Champions Trophy
  • Batting allrounder Marcus Stoinis dropped out after surprisingly retiring from one-day internationals on Thursday
  • Australia is in Group B with England, South Africa and Afghanistan, it begins against England in Lahore on Feb. 22

MELBOURNE: Australia captain Pat Cummins and fast bowler Josh Hazlewood were ruled out of the Champions Trophy because of injuries on Thursday.
Also, batting allrounder Marcus Stoinis dropped out after surprisingly retiring from one-day internationals on Thursday.
Allrounder Mitchell Marsh withdrew last week due to back injury.
Cummins couldn’t recover from an ankle issue during the Border Gavaskar Trophy test series against India, and Hazlewood has a hip problem.
“Unfortunately Pat, Josh and Mitch are managing some ongoing injuries and haven’t come up in time for the Champions Trophy,” Australia selectors’ head George Bailey said. “While disappointing, it does present a great opportunity for other players to perform for Australia in a world event.”
Cricket Australia said Cummins and Hazlewood begin an “extended period of rehabilitation.”
Steve Smith and Travis Head are the front-runners to lead Australia in the Champions Trophy in Pakistan starting this month.
Australia is in Group B with England, South Africa and Afghanistan. It begins against England in Lahore on Feb. 22.
Australia is due to play two warmup ODIs in Sri Lanka. Fast bowlers Sean Abbott, Spencer Johnson and Ben Dwarshuis along with leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha, allrounder Cooper Connolly and opening batter Jake Fraser-McGurk have been added to the squad for the Sri Lanka ODIs.


Saudi hosts world-class golf tournaments in February

Saudi hosts world-class golf tournaments in February
Updated 06 February 2025
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Saudi hosts world-class golf tournaments in February

Saudi hosts world-class golf tournaments in February
  • LIV Golf Riyadh from Feb. 6-8 and PIF Saudi Ladies International 13–15
  • Players include Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson

RIYADH: This February, Golf Saudi is hosting two of the sport’s biggest men’s and women’s international events.

The tournaments at Riyadh Golf Club will include fan zones, food festivals, fun fairs and concerts by global stars.

It will feature the highly anticipated launch of the 2025 LIV Golf League with LIV Golf Riyadh from Feb. 6 to 8, and the PIF Saudi Ladies International from Feb. 13 to 15.

Known as “The Oasis of the Capital,” Riyadh Golf Club is one of the greenest spots in the city, surrounded by lush landscapes.

The season-opening $20-million LIV Golf Riyadh will include US megastars Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka and Golf Saudi ambassador, Dustin Johnson.

Using Riyadh Golf Club’s advanced and powerful lighting systems, the tournament will also include nighttime sessions.

The PIF Saudi Ladies International will have top players competing for a share of the $5 million prize money — the biggest non-Major prize fund on the Ladies European Tour.

Golf Saudi’s mission to grow the game is central to these events, with on-site initiatives including free lessons for all ages under professional guidance.