Fireballs, Garcia claim wins at LIV Golf Hong Kong

First place individual champion, Captain Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC celebrates at the trophy ceremony after the final round of LIV Golf Hong Kong. (Mateo Villalba/LIV Golf)
First place individual champion, Captain Sergio Garcia of Fireballs GC celebrates at the trophy ceremony after the final round of LIV Golf Hong Kong. (Mateo Villalba/LIV Golf)
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Updated 09 March 2025
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Fireballs, Garcia claim wins at LIV Golf Hong Kong

Fireballs, Garcia claim wins at LIV Golf Hong Kong
  • Spanish star leads his team to double tries as Mickelson makes first podium

HONG KONG: Sergio Garcia and his red-hot Fireballs GC team captured both trophies on Sunday at LIV Golf Hong Kong, while HyFlyers GC Captain Phil Mickelson appears to have recaptured his Hall of Fame form.

Led by their captain Garcia, the Fireballs have now won back-to-back tournaments, having claimed LIV Golf Adelaide last month. They will head to next week’s LIV Golf Singapore presented by Aramco seeking to become the first LIV Golf team to win three consecutive tournaments since the league expanded to a full 14-tournament schedule in 2023.

Garcia shot a bogey-free 7-under 63 to finish at 18 under and claim the individual title by three shots over hard-charging Dean Burmester, whose 62 was the low round of the day. Garcia, who finished third in the season-long Individual Championship race last season, moved atop the points standings after the first three events in 2025.

The 45-year-old Garcia played the final hole on Sunday with a comfortable individual lead but needed to make par to avoid dropping into a team playoff with Burmester’s Stinger GC. Facing a lengthy birdie putt, he rolled it to within tap-in range to seal the Fireballs’ sixth LIV Golf team title in club history. They climbed atop the season-long team standings by 10 points over Legion XIII.

“It was nice to see not only that I was doing well and leading the tournament, but my teammates were playing great,” said Garcia, who follows teammate Abraham Ancer as individual champions in Hong Kong. “They were keeping us there with a chance to win. Obviously when you can pull the double, it’s a lot sweeter than if it’s just one of them. Very proud of them.”

The Fireballs and Stingers appeared headed for a playoff until Luis Masaveu, the 22-year-old Spaniard signed by Garcia in the offseason, birdied his final hole, the short par-4 10th. “It feels incredible,” said Masaveu. “… Very happy for the team to be able to hole that putt and help them.”

Masaveu shot an even-par 70, with Ancer shooting 65 and David Puig a bogey-free 67 for a three-day team total of 37 under. The South African Stingers shot 17 under as a team Sunday to finish one shot back. Mickelson’s HyFlyers GC tied for third at 34 under with Cameron Smith’s Ripper GC, the reigning Team Champions. It was the HyFlyers’ third podium result in team history.

Individually, Mickelson finished solo third after his 64 left him at 14 under. It is the first podium finish for the 54-year-old Mickelson since joining LIV Golf as an original member in 2022, and it could not have come at a better time with golf’s first major just a month away at the Masters.

“The fact is, I’m hitting a lot of good shots. I’m playing some good golf,” said Mickelson, who has won three of his six majors at Augusta National. “This is a building week as I continue to build into LIV and my goal of accomplishing a win in LIV as well as winning another major or getting ready for Augusta.”

Garcia is also a past Masters champion, and his form has been superb for more than a year. Since the start of the 2024 LIV Golf season, he has two wins, three other runner-up finishes, and 13 top 20s in the last 16 LIV Golf regular season events, including 10 straight after Hong Kong.

He entered Sunday’s final round with a share of the lead but made an early statement by holing a lengthy eagle putt at the par-5 third after finding the green in two with a 6-iron. That gave him a two-shot lead, which he never relinquished.

“It really got me in a good mood,” Garcia said of the eagle. “I was very focused on what I wanted to do. But obviously when that happens, it gets you going even more.”

Always one of golf’s best ball-strikers, Garcia’s putting was dialed in at Hong Kong Golf Club, as he ranked third in the field in fewest putts during the week after switching to one of his old putters.

“I played with him yesterday,” Masaveu said. “He’s a machine.”

Asked if Garcia with a hot putter is as good as it gets in professional golf, Ancer offered a one-word response: “Yes.”


Ronaldo is rested and returning his attention to an Asian Champions League title

Ronaldo is rested and returning his attention to an Asian Champions League title
Updated 11 sec ago
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Ronaldo is rested and returning his attention to an Asian Champions League title

Ronaldo is rested and returning his attention to an Asian Champions League title
  • The Riyadh club, still yet to win a continental championship, is expected to progress to the last four
  • Nassr’s Riyadh rival Al-Hilal have won a record four Asian titles and play Friday against Gwangju FC

Cristiano Ronaldo has rested and now is returning his attention to winning his first major trophy in Saudi Arabia.

Despite breaking the Saudi Pro League’s scoring record last season with 35 goals and leading the standings in this campaign, the 40-year-old Ronaldo is yet to collect any silverware since signing for Al-Nassr in December 2022.

On Saturday, he’ll be leading Al-Nassr against Japan-based Yokohama F.Marinos in the Asian Champions League Elite quarterfinals.

The Riyadh club, still yet to win a continental championship, is expected to progress to the last four, particularly after Ronaldo was rested this week for Al-Nassr’s domestic league win over Damac.

Even without the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, coach Stefano Pioli has a star-studded roster at his disposal. It includes Jhon Duran, signed from Aston Villa in January for over $100 million, former Liverpool star Sadio Mane and Spanish international defender Aymeric Laporte.

Al-Nassr also have home advantage, as all playoff games are taking place in Jeddah along the Red Sea coast.

“We’re now fully focused on Asia,” Pioli said Tuesday. “We have been working hard to prepare for it and I’m satisfied with the performance of the players.”

Yokohama were beaten finalists last season but are struggling in last place in Japan’s domestic league after collecting just two points from the last seven games. The club last week fired Steve Holland, a former England national team assistant to Gareth Southgate, after just four months as coach.

“To fill the void,” the club said in a statement, Australian “Patrick Kisnorbo will serve as an interim manager for the time being.”

Nassr’s Riyadh rival Al-Hilal have won a record four Asian titles and play Friday against Gwangju FC, a South Korean club making its first appearance in the tournament.

Hilal were the best performers in the ACL group stage and, as it is unlikely to catch Al-Ittihad at the top of the Saudi Pro League, are focused on their bid for a fifth continental championship.

“The Asian Champions League is a personal dream for me, as I have not yet achieved it with the team,” Hilal coach Jorge Jesus said. “It is also a dream for the fans and the club president, and we will continue to play to win every match.”

Al-Ahli are the third contenders from Saudi Arabia, and the two-time finalists are determined to lift the trophy in their home stadium in Jeddah on May 3. First, though, they must win a quarterfinal against Thai powerhouse Buriram United.

The only one of the four ties not to feature a Saudi club takes place on Sunday when two-time champions Al-Sadd of Qatar take on Kawasaki Frontale, a Japanese club looking for a first title.


Legacy showdown: Eubank Jr. and Benn finally set to settle grudge match

Legacy showdown: Eubank Jr. and Benn finally set to settle grudge match
Updated 23 April 2025
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Legacy showdown: Eubank Jr. and Benn finally set to settle grudge match

Legacy showdown: Eubank Jr. and Benn finally set to settle grudge match
  • More than three decades after their fathers’ fierce boxing rivalry gripped the UK, Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn will at last meet in the ring this Saturday
  • Their showdown has been long delayed, after Benn’s failed drug test scuppered plans for a 2022 bout

LONDON: More than three decades after their fathers’ fierce boxing rivalry gripped the UK, Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn are set to finally meet in the ring this Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.

Ahead of the highly anticipated clash, long delayed after Benn’s failed drug test scuppered plans for a 2022 bout, their rivalry was reignited on Tuesday during the fighters’ pre-bout “Grand Arrivals” at The Pelligon in Canary Wharf.

For both of them, this is about more than just victory; it’s about family legacies and settling unfinished business in one of British boxing’s most storied rivalries. 

Chris Eubank Jr. and Conor Benn are set to finally meet in the ring this Saturday at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. (GEA)

The tension between the two men crackled as they faced off, the long history between their families impossible to ignore. This is more than a fight; it is a continuation of a saga that began in the 1990s, when Chris Eubank Sr. and Nigel Benn fought two epic battles, splitting the loyalties of British boxing fans. Eubank Sr. won their first encounter, in 1990. The 1993 rematch ended in a bitter draw.

Their sons are now poised, perhaps, to settle the score, with both fighters promising fireworks. Eubank Jr., who has remained active in the ring since the previous plans were canceled said he is seeking “revenge” for the chaos caused by the 2022 fallout. 

Benn, who has spent much of the past two years involved in legal battles to clear his name, insists he is ready to deliver a “one-sided beatdown.”

The lead-up has been far from respectful. During a press conference last month, Eubank slapped Benn with an egg in a mocking reference to the latter’s claim that contaminated eggs might have caused him to fail the drug test.

Saturday’s event is expected to draw 62,000 fans and features a packed undercard, including: Anthony Yarde vs. Lyndon Arthur (light heavyweight); Liam Smith vs. Aaron McKenna (middleweight); Chris Billam-Smith vs. Brandon Glanton (cruiserweight); and Viddal Riley vs. Cheavon Clarke (cruiserweight).

Fight week also includes many fan events, including: a media workout on Wednesday; a press conference on Thursday; the public weigh-in on Friday in Islington; and even a 5 kilometer charity run through central London on Saturday morning.

Adding a modern twist, fight night itself on Saturday will feature a theme inspired by the video game Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, merging boxing with pop culture in an attempt to broaden the event’s appeal.


NEOM SC promoted to SPL after beating Al-Arabi 3-0 in Saudi 1st Division

NEOM SC promoted to SPL after beating Al-Arabi 3-0 in Saudi 1st Division
Updated 22 April 2025
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NEOM SC promoted to SPL after beating Al-Arabi 3-0 in Saudi 1st Division

NEOM SC promoted to SPL after beating Al-Arabi 3-0 in Saudi 1st Division
  • A brace by Ahmad Abdo, and a goal by Saeed Bin Rahma were enough to promote the Tabuk-based club to first-tier SPL

RIYADH: NEOM Sports Club were promoted to the Roshn Saudi Pro League on Tuesday after defeating Al-Arabi Club 3-0 in the Saudi First Division.
A brace by Ahmad Abdo, and a goal by Saeed Bin Rahma were enough to promote the Tabuk-based club from the second tier of Saudi football to the first-tier SPL.
Celebrating their promotion after their win, NEOM said on X: “With the determination of heroes, we made history. Officially, Neom Sports Club is promoted to the Roshn League.”


Italy’s Serie A fixtures rescheduled due to Pope Francis’ funeral

Italy’s Serie A fixtures rescheduled due to Pope Francis’ funeral
Updated 22 April 2025
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Italy’s Serie A fixtures rescheduled due to Pope Francis’ funeral

Italy’s Serie A fixtures rescheduled due to Pope Francis’ funeral
  • Lazio were to play Parma in Rome on Saturday, which has been rescheduled for Monday
  • Serie A postponed Monday’s matches after the Pope’s death

ROME: Italy’s top-flight Serie A soccer league has postponed Saturday’s three fixtures until Sunday due to Pope Francis’ funeral being held that day in Rome, it said on Tuesday.
Earlier media reports had suggested that Serie A might make an exception for Inter Milan’s clash with visitors AS Roma to allow Simone Inzaghi’s side additional rest time ahead of their midweek Champions League semifinal at Barcelona.
But the league has confirmed that the game at San Siro will now kick off at 1500 local time (1300 GMT) on Sunday.
Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday aged 88. His funeral will be held at St. Peter’s Square in front of the Basilica of St. Peter before the burial in the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.
Lazio were to play Parma in Rome on Saturday, which has been rescheduled for Monday at 2045 (1845 GMT), while Como’s home game with Genoa has been moved to Sunday at 1230 (1030 GMT).
Serie A postponed Monday’s matches after the Pope’s death, with the games rescheduled for Wednesday, and on Tuesday Italy’s National Olympic Committee (CONI) called for the suspension of all sporting events scheduled for Saturday.


Al-Nassr leave it late to defeat Damac and remain in the Saudi Pro League top 3

Al-Nassr leave it late to defeat Damac and remain in the Saudi Pro League top 3
Updated 22 April 2025
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Al-Nassr leave it late to defeat Damac and remain in the Saudi Pro League top 3

Al-Nassr leave it late to defeat Damac and remain in the Saudi Pro League top 3
  • 94th-minute winner gives them a 3-2 victory that moves them within 2 points of 2nd-place Al-Hilal
  • Al-Ahli remain in the hunt for a top-3 spot after a 3-1 win at Al-Wehda that leaves them trailing Al-Nassr by just 2 points

There was no Cristiano Ronaldo in the squad but, in the end, that was no problem for Al-Nassr who defeated Damac 3-2 in dramatic fashion on Tuesday to move within two points of second-place Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. A 94th-minute winner from Sultan Al-Ghannam secured the victory.

With five games left to play, Al-Ittihad top the table on 68 points, followed by Al-Hilal on 62 and Al-Nassr on 60. Al-Ahli are in fourth spot on 58 points following a 3-2 victory over Al-Wehda.

With Ronaldo being rested ahead of Saturday’s AFC Champions League quarter-final against Yokohama F. Marinos, Jhon Duran led the line for the Yellows but the goals came from less-likely sources.

It was home team Damac who opened the scoring, in the 18th minute, with an unusual goal. From a corner kick delivery, Abdelkader Bedrane produced a controlled header that sent the ball toward goal, only for it to rebound off the post, hit Ramzi Solan and bounce into the Al-Nassr goal.

It took just seven minutes for the visitors to equalize, courtesy of Aymeric Laporte’s fourth league goal of the season. Damac failed to clear a corner from the right and the Spanish defender hooked a shot through a crowded area and into the net.

Into the second half, and Ali Al-Hassan put Al-Nassr in the lead with 20 minutes remaining when he side-footed smartly into the top corner from close to the penalty spot.

The lead lasted just three minutes before it was canceled out by a goal of real quality. Dhari Al-Anazi found Nicolae Stanciu just inside the area, and the Romanian turned and fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

Al-Ghannam won it for Al-Nassr deep into added time, lashing home a loose ball from the edge of a crowded six-yard box.

Al-Ahli are still in the hunt for a top-three finish thanks to victory at Al-Wehda. The Jeddah giants took the lead after just six minutes after Ivan Toney headed a corner against the woodwork and Roger Ibanez was the first to react, bundling the ball home.

Galeno extended the lead just before the hour mark, and although Al-Wehda pulled one back, Riyad Mahrez sealed the victory just before the end. The Greens go into their Champions League quarter-final clash with Buriram United of Thailand on Saturday in a fine run of form, with three wins and a draw in their last four league games.