18/07/2025

SPORTS FRIDAY | JULY 18, 2025

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JJ in stellar company ahead of first Open

SHORTS Rory mania heats up

JJ SPAUN never expected to become a major champion. Then he won the US Open at Oakmont Country Club in June and has had to adjust to life playing above the radar on the PGA Tour. When he tees off at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland, he’ll be playing in a marquee group with

street, but he still considers himself to be a humble person who is managing his own expectations and those of others. His win at the US Open was his second on the PGA Tour. “It’s a big difference kind of having the spotlight on me now and expectations, but all I can do is just rely on the experiences that I’ve had, coming down the stretch at the US Open, getting myself in the playoff at The Players. “I’ve had way bigger challenges, whether it’s life or golf or losing my card. I’ve had other issues to go through than just being more in the spotlight. So I’m learning to embrace it, and I’m excited for the challenge it brings.” The next spotlight for Spaun could come at the Ryder Cup in September at the Bethpage Black Course in New York. He currently is No. 3 in the Ryder Cup rankings, behind Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele. The top six automatically qualify.– Field Level Media

the same guy he was before the career changing victory at Oakmont. That’s a player who isn’t focusing on winning as much as he is on learning and getting better. “This is my first Open, so get a proper links test. Just excited to make my debut here at such a beautiful venue,” the native Californian said. “I think initially it will just be learning to play different shots,” he continued. “You kind of want to play everything airborne in America, pick your number, try to fly it there, and hopefully it spins and stops near the hole. “But links golf requires a lot more creativity, imagination, so learning to flight shots better and trying to guess bounces correctly is going to be sort of the challenge this week.” Spaun said he is getting more recognition, even just walking down the

THE galleries were five thick around Royal Portrush’s ninth green and cries of “Bring it Home Rory” filled the Causeway Coast air as Northern Ireland’s favourite sporting son went about his business yesterday. And this was just a practice day at the 153rd British Open. Around 280,000 fans are expected this week for Portrush’s second staging of the Open in six years, having previously hosted it only once before, in 1951. A sizeable majority of them will be rooting for McIlroy who as a 16-year-old phenomenon shot a course-record 61 on the Dunluce Links, although it has changed considerably since. “I really hope Rory plays well,” Jonathan Lee, who grew up in neighbouring Portstewart, said as he joined the throng following the final practice rounds. “He certainly has form there with his 61 here as a 16-year-old. I just hope the pressures of a home Open aren’t too much.” Huge crowds, more in keeping with the final day of a major, followed McIlroy on Wednesday as he played the front nine, groaning if he missed a putt and cheering if he sunk one. While not playing a fall round, having completed 18 holes early on Monday and Tuesday, McIlroy put in nearly half an hour of overtime at the back of the ninth, signing autographs. Hordes of young fans brandishing, yellow flags, caps, gloves and anything else they could get their hands on, clamoured for his signature, and he patiently walked the line. Coping with the expectation of delivering on home soil might be easier said than done though, according to fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell. “I think Rory is going to have too much emotion to deal with this week,” McDowell told Sky Sports . “I still hope he competes but I think it’s going to be very difficult for him with the weight on his shoulders of all the emotion, and the weight of a country on his back.” Oakmont bans Clark after US Open locker room incident OAKMONT COUNTRY CLUB has banned 2023 US Open champion Wyndham Clark from the property after the American caused damage in the locker room at last month’s US Open there. A letter from club president John Lynch to club members this week that revealed the punishment was obtained by Golf Digest, ESPN and Golf Channel. Clark damaged his locker after missing the cut at last month’s US Open in the Pittsburgh suburbs, later apologising for the incident, the results of which were shown in photos on social media. “Following multiple discussions with the USGA (US Golf Association) and the OCC (Oakmont Country Club) Board, a decision has been made that Clark will no longer be permitted on OCC property,” Lynch wrote. “This decision will remain in effect unless formally reconsidered and approved by the board. Reinstatement would be contingent upon Clark fulfilling a number of specific conditions.” Those requirements include a full repayment for damages, a “meaningful contribution” to a charity of the board’s choice and completion of counseling and/or anger management sessions. Clark apologised a few days later at the PGA Travelers Championship and said he made a mistake in a moment of rage, calling the incident a wake-up call. Clark, 28th in world rankings, has managed only one top-10 result in 19 starts this year, a share of fifth place at April’s Houston Open. Oakmont is set to host the US Open again in 2033.

defending Open winner Xander Schauffele and two-time major champion Jon Rahm. The company he keeps on the course is moving one direction, but the 34-year- old Spaun insists he’s just

JJ Spaun. – REUTERSPIC

Roaring return

McIlroy on home turf , Scheffler seeks satisfaction at Portrush

R ORY MCILROY will be roared on in his homeland as the 153rd British Open gets underway at Royal Portrush as world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler seeks his first Claret Jug. McIlroy returns to Northern Ireland as the Masters champion but determined to make amends for his disastrous start at Portrush six years ago when a quadruple bogey at the opening hole on his way to a first-round 79 saw him miss the cut. The world No. 2 is the star attraction for the close to 280,000 spectators set to attend the four days of play at the final major of the year. Scheffler, though, is the favourite despite having never won the British Open before, while defending champion Xander Schauffele is aming to put a frustrating year behind him. McIlroy, who tees off alongside Ryder Cup teammate Tommy Fleetwood and American rival Justin Thomas, may have to battle the worst of blustery weather for the opening round with thunderstorms forecast early evening.

at the calendar for 2025, this was the tournament that was probably circled even more so than the Masters for different reasons,” said McIlroy, who finished second at the Scottish Open last week. “It’s lovely to be coming in here already with a major and everything else that’s happened this year. “I’m excited with where my game is.” Scheffler’s eighth-place finish at the Scottish Open stretched his streak of top-10 finishes to his last 10 tournaments, a run which includes three victories. The American has also added to his major haul this year by winning his third at the PGA Championship. Yet, Scheffler’s comments on the eve of the tournament that his is “not a fulfilling life” caught the eye. “There’s a lot of people that make it to what they thought was going to fulfil them in life, and you get there, you get to number one in the world, and they’re like, ‘What’s the point?’” Scheffler said. “It feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament for like a few minutes. “It only lasts a few minutes, that kind of euphoric feeling.” Schauffele is craving that winning feeling after failing to hit the heights of his two major wins in 2024. The world No. 3 has not won a tournament since lifting the Claret Jug a year ago and has not even managed a top-five finish in 12 tournaments this year. – AFP

But the man who announced himself as a star of the future by breaking the course record at Portrush with a 61 as a 16-year-old 20 years ago, is confident after ending his 11-year major drought at the Masters in April. “When I was looking

Rory McIlroy. – AFPPIC

One I’ve dreamed about, says two-time bridesmaid Rose A TWO-TIME runner-up at The Open Championship, Justin Rose finished second at the Masters for the third time in his career with a playoff loss to Rory McIlroy in April. as a 14-year-old to his breakthrough fourth place showing at Royal Birkdale as an 18-year old amateur in 1998.

holed the putt many times in my mind.” Rose tied for second behind Xander Schauffele at last year’s Open at Royal Troon in Scotland. Earlier this week, McIlroy said if he can’t win this week on home soil in Northern Ireland that he wants Rose to lift the Claret Jug. “When you lose (like) that, you can kind of walk out with your head held high and give your competitor a lot of props for that type of situation,” said Rose, whose lone major win came at the 2013 US Open. “But obviously you’ve got to look inward and understand how is there anything I could have done better in the moment? But really I hit two great shots into 18 myself, and the outcome was what it was.” – Field Level Media

“Kind of got the juices flowing about playing in the Open and what it means to play in the Open, and obviously I’ve been dreaming about winning it way before then even,” he said. “Obviously as a kid, on the putting green since I’ve been playing the game since probably age 8, I’ve been dreaming about winning the Open of course. “But it began to feel real from like 1995, and 1998 obviously was a fairy tale kind of story and ending to my amateur career, and really the next place from there was to go ahead and try to win it, obviously. As a British player, it’s been the one that I’ve dreamed about winning and

Instead of dwelling on another near miss at a major, Rose is ready to chase the title that means the most to him as an Englishman this week at the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. “I’m ready to move on for sure because second is second place, isn’t it?” he said yesterday about his result at Augusta. “It’s a tough loss. But at the same time, it’s still more evidence that when I get things right, I’m still competitive and can still bring it.” Rose, 44, has a long relationship with the Open, starting when he reached final qualifying