04/04/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | APR 4, 2026

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Yamashita in three-way tie for lead at Aramco R EIG N I N G Women’s British Open champion Miyu Yamashita bounced back from an early bogey to join a three-way tie for the lead yester day in the LPGA Aramco Championship. way to earning Rookie of the Year honors. She teed off on 10 and bogeyed the 15th, but bounced back with an eagle at the par-five 18th and added four birdies coming in.

SHORTS Pegula reaches Charleston quarters

make a birdie, so (this is) a totally different type of golf course this week,” she said. “So that’s why par-fives are very important. I played good today.” Coughlin, chasing a third career title, got off to a hot start with birdies at the 10th and 11th. She added two more at 16 and 18, then birdied three and seven before her lone bogey at her final hole, the ninth. The leading trio had a one-shot lead over world No. 2 Nelly Korda, third-ranked Kim Hyo joo of South Korea and American Jing Yan. – AFP

DEFE N DI N G CHAMPIO N and top seed Jessica Pegula fought back to reach the WTA Charleston Open quarterfinals yes terday, requiring a final-set tiebreak to see off Italy’s Elisabetta Cocciaretto 1-6, 6-1, 7 6 (7-1). A resilient Pegula, the world No. 5 from the United States, eventually progressed just a day after laboring more than three hours to beat 72nd-ranked Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan. The latest hard-fought win, clocking in at just over two hours, was revenge for Pegula, who was stunned by Cocciaretto at Wimbledon last year. Cocciaretto, ranked 43rd in the world, dominated the first set. Pegula’s serve was notably wayward, with the American winning just 25% of first serve points. “I don’t know what I was doing out there. Oh my gosh, that’s horrible,” said Pegula after. Pegula rallied in the second set, but was immediately broken in a topsy-turvy final set, in which she trailed 1-4. “She beat me the last time we played, so there was a bit of a mental thing too, but I was able to serve really well, I think, at the end,” Pegula said. “And then I just held my nerve.” Swiatek hires Raducanu’s former coach IGA S WIATEK has hired Francisco Roig as her new coach following the Wimbledon champion’s split from Wim Fissette. Roig was part of Rafael Nadal’s team for 16 of his 22 grand slam titles and had recently been working with Swiatek at the Spanish great’s academy in Manacor. Swiatek, a four-time French Open champion, is looking to rediscover her form ahead of the clay-court season, fol lowing a turbulent period of results. Roig was sacked by Emma Raducanu following her second-round exit from the Australian Open in January and amid a dif ference in opinion over her playing style. Raducanu said her “natural way of playing” had been “coached out of me” amid a revolving door of coaches and after Roig had attempted to tweak her forehand. Roig, though, would appear to be a more natural fit for Swiatek, whose extreme top-spin and playing style on clay, her favourite surface, is heavily influ enced by her idol Nadal. Mickelson to miss Masters LIV GOLF’ S Phil Mickelson will not com pete in next week’s Masters and will be out indefinitely as his family deals with a personal health matter, the three-times champion said yesterday. Mickelson missed the first four events of LIV’s 2026 season due to the same fam ily health matter and had just returned to action on the Saudi-backed circuit two weeks ago in South Africa where he fin ished in a share of 48th. “Unfortunately, I will not play in the Masters Tournament next week and will be out for an extended period of time as my family continues to navigate a per sonal health matter,“ the six-times major champion said in a statement posted on X . “I have great respect for Augusta National Golf Club and it is definitely the most special week of the year. I wish eve ryone the best of luck and will be watch ing.” The Masters is scheduled for April 9-12 at Augusta National Golf Club.

Hataoka, a seven-time LPGA winner, also recovered from an early bogey, dropping a shot at the first but bouncing back immediately to birdie the second. She added five more birdies and after pick ing up a stroke at all four of the par-fives said that was crucial on a course that offered rela tively few birdie chances. “Last week, almost every hole you can try to

The 24-year-old from Japan had an eagle and four birdies on the way to a 5-under 67 at Shadow Creek Golf Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, and shared the first-round lead with compatriot Nasa Hataoka and American Lauren Coughlin. “The course is tough, but it’s fun to figure it out,” said Yamashita, the world No. 6 who cap tured her first major title at Royal Porthcawl last year and added a title in Kuala Lumpur on the

Body camera footage of Tiger Woods’s arrest released by police. – @MartinCountySheriff’sOffice/Youtube

Tiger arrest surprise

Woods told cops he spoke with ‘the President’ before DUI detention T IGER WOODS told police he was on the phone with “the President” immediately after his car crash in Florida normal faculties are impaired,” a deputy tells Woods. “And you’re under an unknown substance, so at this time you are under arrest for DUI.” driving under the influence. He was also charged with refusing to take a urinalysis test.

who awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Woods in 2019 and called him a “very close friend,” told the New York Post on Wednesday that he had spoken with Woods fol lowing his arrest. “I have talked with Woods,” Trump told the outlet. “I think he’s doing great, he’s doing good.” The PGA of America has announced Woods will not serve as captain of the 2027 US Ryder Cup team. The Masters, PGA of America and PGA Tour all issued statements supporting Woods and his decision to seek treatment. Woods suffered severe injuries in a 2021 car crash in California but returned to competition at the 2022 Masters and finished 47th despite struggling to walk 72 holes at Augusta National. He has not competed in a PGA Tour-level event since missing the cut at the 2024 British Open. – AFP

Woods, who had been hoping to play in next week’s Masters, said this week he plans to step away from golf. He has been granted permis sion by a judge to leave the United States in order to undergo treatment. “I know and understand the seri ousness of the situation I find myself in,” Woods said in a statement. “I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment on focus on my health. “This is necessary in order for me to prioritise my well-being and work toward lasting recovery. “I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger and more focused place, both personally and professionally.” The footage does not specify which “President” Woods is refer ring to. US President Donald Trump,

and then expressed surprise when he was arrested, body camera video released yesterday showed. Footage showing the immediate aftermath of last week’s rollover car crash that led to Woods stepping away from golf to seek treatment was shared by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. “I’ll just keep you down here with us please,” says a police officer to the golf superstar, as authorities investi gate the scene. “Yeah, I was just talking with the President,” replies Woods, waving his phone as he walks back toward the officer. The 50-year-old winner of 15 major titles is shown taking a sobri ety test and being handcuffed after that. “At this time, I do believe your

“I’m being arrested?” asks Woods, sounding astonished, as his arms are cuffed. Police found two hydrocodone painkiller pills on Woods when he was arrested. Woods told deputies he had taken “a few” prescription medica tions earlier in the day and told authorities he had undergone seven back operations and more than 20 surgeries on his right leg, according to the arrest report. In the footage he is shown telling authorities that he was looking at his phone when he struck the trailer of another vehicle that had slowed in front of him. “I looked down at my phone and all of a sudden, boom,” Woods said. Woods has pleaded not guilty to

Faldo demands accountability from golf great Ű BY JACK RATHBORN

in his trouser pocket. “As a person, you know, look at his community. We’re not meant to be on the streets with two pills in our pocket,” Faldo added. “I think the world is divided quite a bit, but the bottom line is, I really think that something (should be done), this is a serious issue. “I think something should be done and a little bit more seriously than waving him off to a tropi cal island and saying, ‘welcome back’ in three or four months. “You compare it to other sports or businesses, if you were done for a DUI a couple of times in your business, what happens? What would hap pen to you? “I’ve got a feeling that he will disappear, come back in a couple of months, and everything will carry on as normal. I’m not sure if that’s right. It’s not a good message to the kids of today.” – The Independent

“I feel sorry for Tiger, he’s living 24/7 in pain,” Faldo said on a media call from his Montana home. “I asked him that years ago, even before the LA accident (in 2021), but it’s all been self inflicted. “There are two sides to this right now. There’s one side, let’s care for Tiger, and then there’s got to be a responsibility and accountability side as well. “This is a serious thing and issue he’s done. The PGA Tour statement was so predictably weak. And you know how they show that, the Tour will look after him as they always have done. There has to be some accountability, forget about golf and everything.” According to a police affidavit, investigating officers said Woods was “sweating profusely” while acting “lethargic and slow” with eyes that were“bloodshot and glassy,”while two white pills, which were identified as hydrocodone, a prescrip tion opioid used to treat severe pain, were found

S I R N ICK FALDO has demanded “responsibility and accountability” from Tiger Woods following his DUI arrest last week. Woods was charged with driving under the influence last week after a rollover car accident, with the 50-year-old arrested and subsequently spending eight hours in jail before being bailed. The 15-time major winner, who knocked back an offer to be the USA’s next Ryder Cup captain at Adare Manor in 2027, confirmed he is taking time away from the sport to prioritise his health and wellbeing after pleading not guilty to the charges following the car crash. But Faldo, a six-time major champion and three-time green jacket winner ahead of The Masters next week, insists the authorities must do more to hold Woods to account and fears there will be no repercussions for his actions.