David Beckham expects to make his debut for the Los Angeles Galaxy on July 21 in an exhibition match with FA Cup holders Chelsea after recovering from an ankle injury. The 32-year-old midfielder twisted his ankle while playing for England against Estonia in a Euro 2008 qualifying match a month ago.
Britain’s Nick Dougherty, taking advantage of rain-softened conditions with a precise short game, fired a two-under-par 68 to forge one shot clear in the US Open first round on Thursday. While world number one Tiger Woods battled to a 71 at Oakmont Country Club, Dougherty carded four birdies and two bogeys.
Two scientists expressed doubts over Tour de France winner Floyd Landis’s doping results at his public arbitration hearing on Monday. Landis, fighting to keep his 2006 Tour title after testing positive for elevated testosterone to epitestosterone levels, sat patiently as the experts testified on his behalf.
Phil Mickelson, boosted by a 65-foot birdie putt on his penultimate hole, charged into a share of the lead in a blustery first round at the Players Championship on Thursday. The American fired a five-under-par 67 in brutal conditions at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass to set the pace with South Africa’s Rory Sabbatini.
Floyd Mayweather Jr registered a split points decision victory over Oscar De La Hoya to win the World Boxing Council super welterweight title on Saturday. In a fight expected to be one of the highest-grossing in boxing history, Mayweather won the verdict from two of the three judges at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino to improve his career record to 38-0 with 24 knockouts.
Tiger Woods, despite uncharacteristically missing several short putts, held off a late challenge by playing partner Brett Wetterich to win his third successive World Golf Championship by two shots on Sunday. Four ahead at the start of another blustery day at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, Woods ground out a one-over-par 73 to finish on 10-under 278.
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/ 19 February 2007
Ernie Els was in upbeat mood after tying for third at the Nissan Open on Sunday in his first PGA Tour appearance of the year. The big-hitting South African stormed into contention with four birdies in the first seven holes on his way to a four-under-par 67 at Riviera Country Club.
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/ 19 February 2007
Charles Howell III ended a five-year title drought on the PGA Tour with a play-off victory over fellow American Phil Mickelson at the Nissan Open on Sunday. Augusta native Howell, who charged up the leaderboard with three birdies in the last five holes of regulation play, sealed his second Tour win with a four-foot par putt at the third extra hole.
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/ 18 February 2007
Masters champion Phil Mickelson survived three late bogeys and an errant putter to take a one-shot lead over Padraig Harrington in the Nissan Open third round Saturday. Mickelson recovered with a birdie at the par-five 17th before completing a two-under-par 69 at a sweltering Riviera Country Club.
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/ 17 February 2007
Phil Mickelson spectacularly eagled the par-five 17th on his way to a share of the lead with Ireland’s Padraig Harrington in the Nissan Open second round on Friday.
Masters champion Mickelson rolled in a 15-foot putt to join Harrington at the top of the leader board before completing a six-under-par 65 on a sun-baked day at Riviera Country Club.