Month: August 2022

Categories
Sports

PGA Tour 2022, LIV Golf, Cameron Smith, FedExCup playoffs, scores, leaderboard, news, highlights

PGA Tour 2022, LIV Golf, Cameron Smith, FedExCup playoffs, scores, leaderboard, news, highlights

Australia’s Cam Smith is reportedly defecting to LIV Golf in a $140m deal – but he’s still storming up the leaderboard at the FedEx St Jude Championship as the PGA Tour playoffs begin.

After a stunning hole-out eagle from 156 yards capped a respectable opening round at TPC Southwind in Memphis as the world number two finished three-under, the second day saw him emerge into contention.

A sensational draw shot gave Smith an eagle chance on the par-five 16th, and the Australian duly drained the putt to move to eight-under overall and three off the lead.

But a tricky birdie putt on the 17th just curled around the cup and missed, as a commentator exclaimed: “How did that stay out?”

Watch LIVE coverage from The USPGA Tour with Fox Sports on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Cam Smith holes out for EAGLE! | 00:24

Smith finished -8 overall after his second round 65, leaving three shots behind solo leader JJ Spaun (62.67).

Smith picked up birdies on the fifth and sixth holes, and another on the eighth and 14th holes.

A poor drive found the rough on the 15th, where he gave a shot back, before his impressive eagle on the 16th.

Austrian Sepp Straka (64.66) is tied for second with American Troy Merritt (65.65) on 10 under. Straka remarkably had missed his last six cuts before this event.

“Took what the course gave me,” Spaun said. “I worked on some good things in the past couple weeks that are starting to pay off. Got a nice feel with my swing and just trusting it. And the putter is working, too.”

Straka birdied four of the last five holes to shoot 66. “Hadn’t played great coming into this week,” Straka said. “But that’s golf. You’re going to have the ebbs and flows and just go with it.”

‘Ready to cop some heat’ Smith talks LIV | 00:49

MORE NEWS

‘Ready to cop some heat’: Cam Smith’s big admission over $140m PGA bombshell

World No. 1 commits ultimate golfing sin on Smith … sparking storm about whether he meant it

RD 1 WRAP: J-Day of old stuns to revive hopes in $75m event

Meanwhile world number one Scottie Scheffler missed the cut for just the fourth time this season, a bombshell result that gives Smith a huge opportunity to claim the PGA Tour playoffs.

The tournament is the opener of the FedEx Cup playoffs, a season-ending trio of events with a winner’s prize of $18 million USD.

Only 125 players qualified on season points and only the top 70 advance to next week’s BMW Championship, where the 30 qualifiers for the Tour Championship in Atlanta are decided.

Aussie Adam Scott carded a 67 to finish seven-under overall, while fellow Aussie trio Marc Leishman (69.69), Cam Davis (72.66), both just mad the cut at two-under.

But Lucas Herbert missed the cut after a second-round 70 left him three-over total after a poor opening-round 73, while Jason Day (65, 74) also missed out.

Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy missed the weekend after a 69 to stand on 139, one over the cut line.

Did Scheffler give Smith ultimate snub?! | 00:22

.

Categories
Technology

Google Pixel 6a display apparently supports a 90Hz refresh rate, but with some caveats

The home screen of the Google Pixel 6a

What you need to know

  • Last month, the Google Pixel 6a launched with a 60Hz refresh rate display.
  • A new mod now makes the Pixel 6a run at 90Hz — thanks to developers who tested it.
  • Pixel 6 and the Pixel 6a are said to have shared some similarities in their displays.

Since the Google Pixel 6a was announced late last month, there have been several debates about the omissions that Google has made to bring the best of the Pixel at an affordable price. That included the highly argued 60Hz refresh rate display.

That’s because, under $449, there are a couple of other options like the Nothing phone (1) and Samsung Galaxy A53 — both of which offer higher 120Hz refresh rate panels. However, it seems the Google Pixel 6a may have purposefully chosen not to use the faster refresh rate, despite the panel’s compatibility, according to recent discoveries from a developer.

Categories
Sports

Sydney Roosters vs North Queensland Cowboys results, kick off time, Wests Tigers vs Cronulla Sharks, Brisbane Broncos vs Newcastle Knights

Veteran NRL referee Ben Cummins has opened up on his controversial ‘Six Again’ call that flipped the 2019 grand finale, saying he felt “ashamed and worthless” in the days that followed.

The comments come as the NRL world still comes to grips with the death of league great Paul Green.

Cummins’ call is widely considered to have flipped the match, which the Sydney Roosters wound up winning 14-8 against the Canberra Raiders.

The incident occurred in the 71st minute when a Raiders’ fifth tackle kick was contested in the air 10m from their try line and bounced backwards off Canberra’s kick chaser into skipper Josh Hodgson’s path.

Cummins, believing the ball had come off Roosters fullback James Tedesco, initially called ‘Six Again’ before changing his call seconds later on the advise of assistant referee Gerard Sutton and the touch judge.

However, Wighton did see the changed call and assumed his side had a whole new set to work with before being required to hand over the ball.

Raiders players were left incensed at the call, and their feelings were made worse just minutes later when the Roosters scored through Tedesco off the ensuing set, in what turned out to be the match-winning play.

Cummins, who has refereed in over 400 matches, said the enormity of the situation hit him once he left the pitch after the final whistle.

“I walked into the tunnel and the cameras were all on me and I was thinking, ‘This is not normal. This is big’,” he said. “I think my heart sunk.”

“I got into the changerooms and Graham Annesley and ‘Jacko’ (Glenn Jackson from NRL media) were there and they basically said, ‘This is going to be the back page’.”

Cummins revealed that his teenage daughters were targeted by abusive fans in the wake of the incident, admitting he endured some dark days in the aftermath.

“When you sign up to referee at the top level, you know that it comes with fans who are passionate, and people can say things about your performance,” he explained.

“But when it brings in your family and your home, it’s sort of to a different level. I found that really hard.

“I can’t say it was easy for them. My son was copping a lot of abuse at school and my daughters (were) online – because they are on social media. That was really tough.

“I basically locked myself in my house for a week.

“It was pretty dark times. I didn’t want to talk to anyone about it. I had some thoughts about what I wanted to do with my life and they were pretty negative.

“You feel ashamed and worthless, embarrassed. I wasn’t sleeping. I just wanted everything to go away.”

Categories
Australia

Rail gates thrown open as industrial action begins

Rail gates thrown open as industrial action begins

The gates to the city’s rail network have been thrown open, as union members begin a planned three-week period of industrial action and Sydney Trains management urges customers to pay regardless.

Beginning at 6am on Saturday, station staff who are members of the Rail Tram and Bus Union said they would leave the gates open at all stations across the network, meaning those using the train system did not have to tap on and off to access it.

Rail users will be able to access the city's train network without tapping on or off for three weeks, starting on Saturday.

Rail users will be able to access the city’s train network without tapping on or off for three weeks, starting on Saturday.Credit:anna kucera

While passengers could run the risk of a fine or caution if they do not tap on and off, the union has banned its members from issuing fines or cautions until September 6 as well.

The industrial action is planned for a three-week period, which Sydney Trains management warned could cost the state up to $10 million in lost revenue.

“Tapping on and tapping off ensures commuters are charged the correct fare, and can access Opal benefits, including daily and weekly travel caps,” chief executive Matt Longland said.

The RTBU and the state government are at loggerheads over NSW’s new intercity train fleet, which the union says is unsafe.

Two ministers met with union leaders on Thursday night and agreed to provide a deed next week guaranteeing the government would make modifications to the trains.

The union vowed to continue with industrial action until it receives a deed satisfying the demands of its members for safety modifications to the guards’ compartments.

Unless a deal can be struck, commuters are likely to face major disruptions on the T8 Airport and South, T3 Bankstown and Southern Highlands lines next Wednesday with another six-hour work stoppage planned.

With Matt O’Sullivan

Categories
Sports

Warriors cult hero ‘Roger Shoey Vasa-Sheck’ banned from Mt Smart Stadium

Warriors cult hero 'Roger Shoey Vasa-Sheck' banned from Mt Smart Stadium

The man dubbed Roger Shoey Vasa-Sheck, who guzzles beer from a boot at New Zealand Warriors games, was sensationally tossed out of Mt Smart Stadium and handed a lifetime ban on Friday.

Calley Gibbons, a 31-year-old Auckland brickie, had gained cult-hero status for popping up on the TV screen in front of Stacey Jones’ coaches box and drinking beer from his size-12 footwear.

He was spotted during the Warriors’ homecoming game against Wests Tigers, again during the Storm clash and briefly in the first half on Friday night against Canterbury.

However, after enjoying only one “shoey”, Gibbons was fronted by security and several police and asked to leave.

gibbons told The Sun-Herald he was not intoxicated, had bought the beer from inside the venue and ended up heading down the road to a nearby pub and drinking from his shoe every time the Warriors scored a try.

Gibbons is not facing any charges, while The Sun-Herald has contacted the Warriors for comment.

A change.org petition to have Gibbons’ ban overturned had already attracted more than 2,500 signatures by Saturday morning.

“I was evicted from the stadium and the security guard escorted me out and told me I had a lifetime ban,” Gibbons said. “Your guess is as good as mine as to why I was kicked out. It’s just wrong.

Calley Gibbons before he was asked to leave on Friday night.

Calley Gibbons before he was asked to leave on Friday night.

Categories
Sports

Teen sensation David Popovici stuns swimming with recordbreaking 100m freestyle at European Championships, video

Teen sensation David Popovici stuns swimming with recordbreaking 100m freestyle at European Championships, video

World swimming has another bona fide superstar on its hands.

Teenage sensation David Popovici continued his breakout season at the European Swimming Championships on Saturday (AEST), posting a sizzling time in the 100m freestyle semi-finals.

The 17-year-old touched the wall in 46.98 seconds, setting a new European record and breaking his own world junior record.

Stream Over 50 Sports Live & On-Demand with Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

He won his heat easily, finishing over a second ahead of Italian Lorenzo Zazzeri, while only two other swimmers, Kristof Milak and Alessandro Miressi, managed to go under 48 seconds.

Popovici became just the fourth swimmer ever to dip under the 47-second barrier, after world record holder Cesar Cielo (46.91), Alain Bernard (46.94) and Caeleb Dressel (46.96).

Bernard is still the fastest European ever but his time was not ratified by FINA in 2009 because it was swam in a non-approved suit.

Swimming fans were blown away by Popovici’s scintillating effort in Rome.

The Romanian, who goes by @chlorinedaddy on Instagram, is expected to threaten the world record again in the final, which he goes into as the raging favourite.

“It’s a fine route to the final and a step towards the right direction,” an understated Popovici said after the semi-final.

“It feels normal for me to go step-by-step and keep improving my time.”

Popovici has taken the swimming world by storm since emerging onto the scene with solid results at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.

And in June, he became the first man to win the 100m and 200m freestyle double at the World Championships in nearly 50 years.

He dominated the 200m freestyle final and claimed gold in the 100m final in the absence of Kyle Chalmers and Dressel.

Earlier this year he also won three European junior titles in his home town of Bucharest.

In other events, Italian world champion Nicolo Martinenghi won the 100m breaststroke.

Martinenghi was a double gold winner at the Budapest worlds and got the home crowd roaring in Rome with a time of 58.26sec in his final, beating countryman Federico Poggio by 0.72sec.

Andrius Sidlauskas took the bronze for Lithuania.

Margherita Panziera won the 200m backstroke, Thomas Ceccon claimed the honors in the 50m butterfly and Simona Quadarella won European gold in the 800m freestyle for the third straight time.

With AFP

.

Categories
Sports

NRL 2022: Penrith Panthers, Jaeman Salmon, video, contract, Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler

Only Jaeman Salmon knows how it feels to be called a “weak-gutted dog person” by Ricky Stuart, and to be at the center of an intense media spotlight after the Raiders coach exploded at a press conference.

Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler, trying to put themselves in the shoes of the Panthers playmaker, imagine he’s struggled enormously.

“Walking down the street, you’re shopping, you look over and someone’s looking at you. You’re going, ‘What are they thinking about? Why is everyone staring at me?’,” Johns said on Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and the Eighth.

READMORE: Payten’s emotional tribute to Paul Green

READMORE: ‘Hardcore’ move that could redefine Ricciardo

READMORE: Great rips AFL ‘mess’ after staggering Cripps call

“It’d be horrible.

“I dare say during the week there would have been camera crews outside his house.

“It’s an absolutely shitty feeling.

“Until you’ve been in the bull’s eye it’s hard to describe how difficult it can be.”

Stream the NRL premiership 2022 live and free on 9Now.

Salmon, filling in for Jarome Luai as the first-choice five-eighth recovers from a knee injury, turned out for Penrith in its 16-0 defeat to Melbourne on Thursday night.

He didn’t impress at Penrith Stadium, but few Panthers players did as the Storm strangled the reigning premiers.

Raiders coach banned for ‘unacceptable’ spray

“You’d like to think it’s not going to affect (him), but it will,” Fittler said.

“It’s anything. It’s just in your head. Whether someone says something about you, writes something about you, if you see it or hear it or people want to throw it down your throat, then it’s in your head.”

Salmon has played 17 NRL games for the Eels and 23 for the Panthers.

The 23-year-old has quietly gone about playing 20 games this season, primarily starting on the bench and being injected into the second row.

So good are Luai and halves partner Nathan Cleary that, if he wants to become a first-choice playmaker in the NRL, his future doesn’t lie at the Panthers.

Freddy reveals honesty sessions gone wrong: Freddy & The Eighth – Round 22

Fittler believes Salmon, who’s not contracted beyond this year, is an attractive prospect for rival clubs.

“It’s the best footy he’s played by far. By far. And he’s a talented player, without a doubt. What he’s doing at the moment — it’s working,” Fittler said.

“I always speak about the bench. The bench is so important. You have a look at (the Panthers’) bench: Scott Sorensen, himself, sometimes they’ve got Mitch Kenny, Spencer Leniu, Eisenhuth, possibly, sometimes. There’s blokes there who’ve played in big games, played in pressure games, so it makes a huge difference.”

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!

Paul Green’s life in pictures: From Sharks prodigy to premiership-winning coach

Categories
Sports

F1 news 2022: McLaren boss Zak Brown slammed for broken promise, Daniel Ricciardo contract saga

F1 news 2022: McLaren boss Zak Brown slammed for broken promise, Daniel Ricciardo contract saga

McLaren boss Zak Brown is copping backlash from his own network of reserve drivers as the Daniel Ricciardo and Oscar Piastri contract saga rages.

Australian F1 driver Ricciardo became embroiled in F1’s mid-year silly season following reports he will be replaced by young compatriot Piastri at McLaren in 2023.

The news erupted last week after Fernando Alonso blindsided the F1 world and jumped into Sebastian Vettel’s vacated seat at Aston Martin.

Watch Every Practice, Qualifying & Race of the 2022 FIA Formula One World Championship™ Live on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Alpine then announced Piastri would be the man to replace Alonso, only for the Melburnian to reject the seat — a bold move for a man who is yet to drive in F1.

Now Ricciardo has asked for a $21 million payout from McLaren for the early termination of his contract, according to Speedcafe.com.

But as the drama unfolds, the fallout has extended all the way to the United States.

IndyCar drivers Pato O’Ward, Colton Herta and Alex Palou were each targeting the vacant Alpine seat, but the trio have seemingly been sidelined by Brown.

According to leading IndyCar driver O’Ward, Brown dangled the F1 carrot in front of the Americans before going all in on Piastri.

“It’s not good for me to have that illusion. It’s a dream that’s very far away, because although I’m racing at a very high level, it’s still not enough to convince them,” O’Ward told ESPN.

“There are many things that come into play that are beyond me.

“I found it laughable. I saw it and I laughed.

“The same prize has been put in front of many other drivers by Brown. In the end, there is only one seat and not five.”

If Piastri does indeed take his place at McLaren, Ricciardo’s most likely landing spot would be Alpine, the French team formerly known as Renault where he spent two seasons in 2019 and 2020.

Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer slammed Piastri for his apparent betrayal in a blistering spray over the weekend.

“I expected more loyalty from Oscar than he is showing,” the Alpine team principal told Spanish publication The confidential.

“I started in 1989 in Formula 1 and I’ve never seen anything like this. And it’s not about Formula 1, it’s about integrity as a human being.

“It could happen in ice hockey or soccer, it doesn’t matter. But you don’t do that. He signed a piece of paper, a document, saying he would do something different.

“For me, the way I grew up, I don’t need to sign a piece of paper and then have someone say, ‘You’re lying, because you signed this.’ For me, if you say, ‘Hey, help me, I’ll help you tomorrow,’ there’s no way I would go back on my word. No way.”

“He should (drive with the) team that has taken care of him, that has taken him to the world championship and, above all, that during the last year has put him in a Formula 1 car so that he would be ready, so that he would know the circuits,” Szafnauer added.

“You did everything I asked you to do (from Alpine to Piastri) and now I promise you that if you do this, I will do this. I don’t need a piece of paper where it says, ‘With a clause, I can get out of here’.

“There should be some loyalty to the fact that we have invested literally millions and millions of euros to prepare him. So I don’t understand it either, you should ask him.”

Read related topics:Daniel Ricciardo

.

Categories
Sports

All Blacks vs Springboks: All you need to know about the Rugby Championship test

All Blacks vs Springboks: All you need to know about the Rugby Championship test

Ian Foster’s future as All Blacks coach will be on the line when the men in black tackle the Springboks at Emirates Airlines Park in Johannesburg in round two of the Rugby Championship.

Foster is under enormous pressure to keep his job after suffering five defeats in six test matches, a sweep run that has seen the All Blacks plummet to fifth on the World Rugby rankings, their lowest-ever ranking.

New Zealand Rugby boss Mark Robinson had previously refused to endorse Foster beyond the first two games in South Africa, which means the ax could fall unless he can inspire a dramatic turnaround.

It would be a monumental bounce-back if the All Blacks were to pick up a much-needed victory in Johannesburg. They are coming off their worst defeat to the Springboks in 94 years after losing the opening game 26-10.

The All Blacks have not dropped their first two games of the Rugby Championship, or the Tri-Nations as it was previously known, since 1998.

Foster has resisted wholesale changes, making just four alterations to his starting XV for the second encounter against the Boks.

Props Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax bulk up the scrum, Shannon Frizell subs in for Akira Ioane at blindside flanker and Richie Mo’unga gets his first start of the year at first-five with Beauden Barrett dropping to the bench.

South Africa have been forced into a late front-row reshuffle after starting hooker Bongi Mbonambi went down with a knee injury at training. He has been replaced by the inexperienced Joseph Dweba.

Richie Mo'unga has been named to start at first-five as one of four changed to the All Blacks' starting XV.

Joe Allison/Getty Images

Richie Mo’unga has been named to start at first-five as one of four changed to the All Blacks’ starting XV.

The game

Rugby Championship Round 2: Springboks v All Blacks

Where: Emirates Airlines Park, Johannesburg

When: Sunday, August 14, 3.05am (NZ time)

Live coverage: Sky Sport 1, live updates on stuff from 2.50am

The teams

All Blacks: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Richie Mo’unga, Aaron Smith; Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (c), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Tyrel Lomax, Samisoni Taukei’aho, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Codie Taylor, George Bower, Fletcher Newell, Tupou Vaa’i, Akira Ioane, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Quinn Tupaea.

Springboks: Damian Willemse, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Jaden Hendrikse; Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Joseph Dweba, Ox Nche. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Hershel Jantjies, Willie le Roux.

The refs

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)

Assistant referees: Angus Gardner (Australia), Christophe Ridley (England)

OMT: Brett Cronan (Australia)

weather

Partly sunny and pleasant; breezy in the afternoon. High of approx 24degC, approx 20degC and 18% humidity at kickoff 5.05pm local time

The odds

Springboks $1.47, All Blacks $2.70

history

Overall: Played 102, All Blacks wins: 60, Draws: 4, Springboks wins: 38

In South Africa: Played 51, All Blacks wins: 24, Draws: 1, Springboks wins: 26

In Johannesburg: Played 13, All Blacks wins: 4, Springboks wins: 9

Categories
Sports

Weary Nick Kyrgios beaten by Hubert Hurkacz in Montreal quarter-finals | Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios’ winning streak came to an end with defeat by Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals of the National Bank Open in Montreal. The Australian had built on his run to the Wimbledon final by winning an ATP title in Washington last week and went into the meeting with Hurkacz having won 15 of his last 16 matches.

Kyrgios looked weary but recovered from losing the opening set on a tie-break to turn the tables in the second. The deciding set was one-sided, though, with Kyrgios ranting at the umpire about a lengthy bathroom break taken by Hurkacz and struggling physically as he fell to a 7-6 (4), 6-7, (5) 6-1 defeat .

Kyrgios said afterwards: “My body hasn’t been feeling great the last week. When you stop playing for five, 10 minutes, it doesn’t help your body. My body was so stiff after that I couldn’t move properly. My abdominal was hurting. It’s within the rules so I’m not going to complain, I just completely stiffened up.”

Hurkacz, from Poland, who is the only player left to have previously won an ATP Masters title, will take on the fourth seed Casper Ruud in the semi-finals. The Norwegian made it a miserable day for the home hope Felix Auger-Aliassime, handing the young Canadian the heaviest defeat of his career as he slumped to a 6-1, 6-2 loss.

In the women’s event in Toronto, Simona Halep continued her resurgence by overcoming Coco Gauff 6-4, 7-6 (2), maintaining her record of not having dropped a set in four meetings with the American teenager.