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Beckham Peltz family feud: Brooklyn, Nicola in love but Victoria, David clashing with parents

It’s like Miami’s own version of dynasty.

Amid rumors of tension between Victoria Beckham and her new daughter-in-law, Nicola Peltz, Page Six is ​​told the trouble within the Beckham and Peltz clans is more widespread.

“Victoria and Nicola are just collateral damage. It’s not just about two women — it’s two families coming together,” said one highly placed source.

“It’s pretty obvious there’s an issue between the two families. Everybody needs to find their place. They’re just not quite connecting yet.”

The problems are not said to be between Brooklyn, 23, and his new in-laws, billionaire investor Nelson Peltz and his wife, Claudia.

In fact, Nelson’s is offering to back his son-in-law in whatever venture he wants.

According to the source, the chatter in Palm Beach is that the young couple could create their own empire, à la Brooklyn’s parents’ “Brand Beckham”.

It’s believed that Brooklyn and Nicola, a 28-year-old actress, would love to follow in the Beckhams’ footsteps by launching clothing, beauty and perfume lines.

“There is a very deliberate move orchestrated by Nicola and her mom and funded by Nelson. There is a reason why Brooklyn and Nicola are now ‘Peltz Beckham’. It’s all about branding,” the highly-placed source said.

“I think that Nicola and her mom come up with ideas, Nelson can fund anything and he says yes! But for David and Victoria, it has to have some substance.”

Among the Beckham brands are Victoria’s fashion and beauty range, as well as David’s $139 million lifetime deal with Adidas, endorsements including Tudor watches and his own whiskey with Diageo Haig Club.

Earlier this year, the 47-year-old British soccer star, who co-owns the Inter Miami CF team, signed the biggest deal of his life, with Authentic Brands Group (ABG) — which will co-own and manage his global brand , DB Ventures. CNBC reported that the company paid $269 million for a 55 per cent stake.

“The Beckhams are quite old-fashioned. They believe that everyone should make their own way up in the world,” said another source in the know. “Although they’ll always give their kids a leg up in terms of support and endorsement, they famously made Brooklyn work in a cafe to teach him about work ethics and to get some values. They really were keen to support his passion for photography, so they helped him get internships; then he got into cooking, and they’ve supported that.”

The Beckhams were unavailable for comment.

“There are cultural differences between the two families,” the source in the know added.

Reps for Nelson and Nicola did not comment.

Immediately after the wedding, Brooklyn, who has more than 14 million Instagram followers, changed his account handle to @brooklynpeltzbeckham, while Nicola is now @nicolaannepeltzbeckham.

Another family source said: “Brooklyn has become so, so close to the Peltzes, and to Nicola’s dad, especially. For Victoria, who is extremely close to Brooklyn, that has to be difficult.”

And as Brooklyn is close to Victoria, 48, Nicola is said to be just as tight with her mom, Claudia, who reportedly joined her on the movie set of “Lola James,” which Nicola wrote, co-directed and stars in. It’s not yet known when the film will be released.

“Claudia pulls a lot of the family’s strings.” said one Florida society source.

There’s also a bit of snobbery in the mix, according to multiple sources.

“The Peltzes may have thought, (the Beckhams) ‘will be easy’. The Beckhams are just a pop star and a footballer, but they’ve been doing this for 25 years — they’re very astute,” said the Florida society source.

“They can’t be controlled with the Peltz money.”

David’s fortune is now at around $750 million, Page Six is ​​told by an insider. Nelson, meanwhile, is reportedly worth $1.8 billion.

The Daily Mail last month pointed out how the initial love affair between Victoria and Nicola had seemed to cool down.

Back in 2021, Victoria liked 25 of Nicola’s Instagram posts in a three-month period, and Nicola liked 20 of hers in the same time frame.

Now, Victoria hasn’t liked a single post by Nicola since May 27 — but she has been active on the platform, posting photos of her latest fashion designs, as well as of her husband and other children.

While Nicola posted on Instagram from her honeymoon with Brooklyn, spent on a yacht with her family in Italy, Victoria liked none of them.

The newlyweds took Nelson, 80, and Claudia, 67, on their Italian honeymoon.

The Beckhams were holidaying at the same time on another yacht nearby and it was not clear whether the families saw each other.

The young couple wed in April at her family’s $103 million home in Palm Beach, with the bash covered by fashion bible Vogue.

As a sign of just how much the Peltz clan was in control of the wedding, there was reportedly a Wendy’s burger truck at the bash — Nelson is chairman of the board. Said the Palm Beach source: “The wedding was very much a Peltz production.”

Each family had their own table at the lavish reception, while the newlyweds sat at a separate table, Page Six is ​​told.

“Let’s face it, weddings are hard enough, but particularly tough when you’re dealing with two big wealthy, high-profile and complicated families,” said the highly-placed source.

Last Friday, Nicola shared a melodramatic selfie on Instagram in which she appeared to have tears running down her face.

“Sometimes I find it hard to show the sad bits of me,” she wrote, explaining that, growing up in a large family, her “strong parents” had “hammered it into me to not let people bring me down or hurt my heart .”

She then thanked her followers for their support the next day.

“Look, whatever happens, Nicola and Brooklyn are clearly crazy about each other — and that’s what matters right now,” said the source in the know. “Families go through these things, frankly, everyone thinks it will all sort itself out.”

This article was originally published by Page Six and reproduced with permission

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Sports

Peter Bol in 800m final result, Aussie knew race was compromised

Peter Bol took one look at the start list and knew he wasn’t going to get the race he wanted.

But rather than fret about it he made a decision to overcome it — and he very nearly did in a thrilling men’s 800m final at the Commonwealth Games on Monday morning (AEST).

The 28-year-old was still smiling after he took the silver medal, but there will always be a part of him that looks back at his incredible achievement as “bitter sweet”.

Bol described the race as “strange” and was left lamenting the tactics at play that resulted in the first 500m being run ultra-slow.

It was playing out as he expected — not in his favour.

Bol told reporters after the race he knew it was going to be a slow race because there were no front-runners anywhere on the start list.

It meant he was unable to run the race he wanted as he took just a brief moment to respond when Kenyan Wyclife Kinyamal took off with more than 200m to go. That brief, micro, delay was all it took in the end as Kinyamal, the defending champion, won by just 0.14 seconds in a time of 1:47.52.

It will be particularly painful for Bol to see his time of 1:47.66 after he ran a 1:47.01 in the heats — and a 1:45.51 at the world championships in Oregon last month.

Silver medalist Peter Bol was so close.  Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images.
Silver medalist Peter Bol was so close. Photo by Tom Dulat/Getty Images.Source: Getty Images
Peter Bol did us proud. Picture: Michael Klein.Source: News Corp Australia

“Looking at the start list and there’s no front runners out there,” he said.

“So I just knew it was going to be tactical and I knew I just had to come home strong and that’s what I did so I’m happy with that.

“After the first lap, and I’ve been saying it, it’s so tactical… I saw 55 (seconds) and I said to myself, ‘Stay relaxed, stay relaxed’.

“Maybe in 20 more meters I could have got him. But it’s the 800m not the 820m.”

Bol looked like he was about to go up alongside Kinyamal with 50m to run, but he just didn’t have the legs to keep his charge going.

Bol, who became a cult hero en route to his fourth-placed finish at last year’s Olympic final, was hoping to become the first Australian in 40 years to win 800m gold.

“What an environment and atmosphere, so close but will take second today,” Bol told Channel 7. “I’m pretty happy with that, to be honest. It was a strange race again, super slow but the 800m is super tactical.

“I thought, stay relaxed, stay relaxed but he (Kinyamal) is so strong and kept going and going. It’s just racing, I raced the best I could and came up short but … silver medal in the Commonwealth Games, we are second which is really good.

Australian Peter Bol chases down winner Wyclife Kinyamal to win silver. Picture: Michael Klein.Source: News Corp Australia

“We speak of this journey and we have different people from different years, I want to say a massive thanks to my family, especially my parents… I’m so grateful for them. This is for them, this is for my family, this is for the country.

“There’s a kid out there with a Peter Bol sign so definitely for him. I have to go find him.”

Seven commentator Bruce McAvaney said the race started on a “sluggish” note and Tamsyn Manou agreed, adding: “It is slower than we would have liked.”

At the conclusion of the race, Manou said: “Peter Bol did everything he possibly could there, he got into the right position, he covered… when Kinyamal made that move.

“Peter has still done us proud. People expected him to win that gold but we are talking about an athlete (Kinyamal) who is the defending champion and there is nothing more Peter Bol could have done.

“I hope everyone in Australia is very proud of Peter Bol, because we certainly are.”

England’s Ben Pattison was third in 1:48.25sec.

Bol embarrassed the rest of the field in the heats of the men’s 800m with an imperious run on Wednesday. He then had four agonizing days to wait for Monday’s final.

The Olympics finalist won his heat and was the fastest overall qualifier despite pulling up with 50m still to run.

Bol last month had a disappointing run in the world championships final after he became the first Australian man to ever contest an 800m final at the World Champs.

Earlier, Abbey Caldwell produced a huge shock when she collected the bronze in the women’s 1500m. The 21-year-old just nudged out fellow Aussie Linden Hall.

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Sports

Rudi Koertzen dies, death, how did he die, age, cricket news, umpire, slow finger of death, doom

Former South African umpire Rudi Koertzen, labeled the ‘slow finger of death’ by the media, has died in a car accident, a family member told AFP on Tuesday.

He was 73.

“Rudi suffered fatal injuries after an accident near Stilbaai between Cape Town and Gqeberha,” said the family spokesperson, who requested anonymity.

“My father went to a golf tournament with some friends and they were expected to come back on Monday, but it seems they decided to play another round of golf,” his son Rudi told a Gqeberha radio station.

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The South African team will wear black armbands on Wednesday in honor of Koertzen when they face England at Lord’s in London in a Test match.

Koertzen first umpired in 1981, handled his maiden international assignment 11 years later, and retired in 2010 after a Test between Australia and Pakistan in Leeds, England.

Rudi Koertzen and Ricky Ponting in 2009.
Rudi Koertzen and Ricky Ponting in 2009.Source: AFP

He became known as the ‘slow finger of death’ because he very slowly raising his finger whenever indicating a batsman was out.

“Every umpire has their trademark and that was mine. The media labeled it the ‘slow finger of death’ and I found that pretty interesting. There is a story behind it,” Koertzen said in an interview.

“When my umpiring career first began, I used to hold my hands in front of me and every time there was an appeal, I would fold them against my ribs,” said Koertzen.

“The someone told me ‘Rudi, you cannot do that. Every time you raise your hands to fold them, the bowler thinks you are going to give him a wicket’.

“So I started clasping my wrists at the back. The finger comes out slowly because it takes time for me to release my grasp at the back.”

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Sports

Mat Ryan joins FC Copenhagen

Socceroos captain and goalkeeper Mat Ryan has moved from Spain to Denmark in search of regular first-team football ahead of this year’s World Cup.

Ryan, 30, has left La Liga club Real Sociedad to join Danish Superliga champions FC Copenhagen on a two-year deal.

“I’m really looking forward to becoming part of a big club like FC Copenhagen, which has a fantastic reputation throughout Europe,” Ryan said in a club statement.

“The team has great quality and the ambitions for the club are high in terms of winning titles and competing in the biggest tournaments in Europe. I will work hard to contribute to that.”

Ryan signed with Real Sociedad in July last year following a spell at English Premier League club Arsenal, where he was on loan from Brighton.

However, he only made nine appearances in all competitions last season, playing second fiddle to Sociedad’s first-choice gloveman Alex Remiro.

With the World Cup starting in November, Ryan could ill afford further time on the bench, and jumped at the chance to join FC Copenhagen, who recently lost goalkeeper Kamil Grabara to a serious facial injury.

FC Copenhagen sporting director Peter Christiansen said: “After Kamil Grabara’s injury, we have been looking for an addition to the goalkeeper position, and we are very satisfied with the solution, which both in the short and long term ensures increased competition and quality in that position.

“Maty has played many games in some of the world’s biggest leagues and still has plenty of hunger to do well at FC Copenhagen and for Australia in the World Cup.

“We are looking forward to having him in the team and are sure that he will strengthen our squad.”

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Sports

Rudi Koertzen dead at 73: Killed in car crash, cricket world reacts, how did he die, cricket news

Former South African cricket umpire Rudi Koertzen, labeled the ‘slow finger of death’, has died in a car accident aged 73.

“Rudi suffered fatal injuries after an accident near Stilbaai between Cape Town and Gqeberha,” said a family spokesman.

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“My father went to a golf tournament with some friends and they were expected to come back on Monday, but it seems they decided to play another round of golf,” his son Rudi told a Gqeberha radio station.

The South African team will wear black armbands on Wednesday in honor of Koertzen when they face England at Lord’s in London in a Test match.

Koertzen first umpired in 1981, handled his maiden international assignment 11 years later, and retired in 2010 after a Test between Australia and Pakistan in Leeds, England.

He became known as the ‘slow finger of death’ because he very slowly raising his finger whenever indicating a batsman was out.

His death rocked the cricket world.

Umpire and long-time colleague Aleem Dar paid tribute to Koertzen: “It is a very big loss forever for his family and then for South Africa and cricket. I stood in so many games with him. He was not only very good as an umpire but also an excellent colleague, always very cooperative on the field and also always willing to help off the field. Because of the way he was, he was also well respected by the players.”

Australian great Jason Gillespie wrote: “RIP Rudy- very good umpire, nice man. Thoughts are with his family and friends of him. ”

Indian star Virender Sehwag wrote: “Ok Rudi Koertzen! Om Shanti. Condolences to his family from him. Had a great relationship with him. Whenever I used to play a rash shot, he used to scold me saying, “Play sensibly, I want to watch your batting.”

“Every umpire has their trademark and that was mine. The media labeled it the ‘slow finger of death’ and I found that pretty interesting. There is a story behind it,” Koertzen said in an interview.

“When my umpiring career first began, I used to hold my hands in front of me and every time there was an appeal, I would fold them against my ribs.

“The someone told me ‘Rudi, you cannot do that. Every time you raise your hands to fold them, the bowler thinks you are going to give him a wicket’.

“So I started clasping my wrists at the back. The finger comes out slowly because it takes time for me to release my grasp at the back.”

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Business

Elon Musk’s dad Errol Musk backtracks on stunning remark

Elon Musk’s father has back-pedaled on his comments about his billionaire son after he said he wasn’t proud of his famous offspring.

During the latest episode of Piers Morgan Uncensoredavailable to stream on Flash, Errol Musk, 76, addressed the stunning remark and said he was misquoted.

“I never said anything like that,” he said on the show.

“I have been proud of him since the day he was born.

“A person doesn’t suddenly become proud of your child. That’s ridiculous.

“As far as saying, I don’t like him. I mean, that’s crazy. I love him.”

Watch Piers Morgan Uncensored live on Sky News on Foxtel Tuesday to Friday at 9pm or by streaming on Flash. Flash gives you 25+ news channels in one place. New to Flash? Try one month free. Offer ends October 31, 2022

The elder Musk made headlines last week after he took a savage dig at the Tesla CEO.

In an interview with KIIS FM’s Kyle and Jackie Othe South African engineer dismissed his son’s success.

“Your offspring is a genius. He’s worth so much money and has created so many things, you can’t take that away from him. Are you proud? Jackie O asked.

“Nope. You know, we are a family that have been doing a lot of things for a long time, it’s not as if we suddenly started doing something,” Errol replied.

The 76-year-old also took a swipe at his son’s physical appearance while discussing recent shirtless photos of Elon on a yacht in Greece.

“Elon is very well-built and he is very, very strongly built, but he’s been eating badly,” he said.

Errol said he had recommended his son take a weight loss supplement called garcinia cambogia, which he claimed has helped him shed the kilos.

Elon is Errol’s eldest son with his ex-wife, model Maye Musk. The former couple also share are Kimbal and daughter Tosca.

The latest episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored will air tonight at 9pm AEST on Sky News. Watch on Foxtel, Stream on Flash.

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Entertainment

Game of Thrones star Sean Bean says intimacy coordinators ‘spoil the spontaneity’ of sex scenes

Actor Sean Bean has hit out at the presence of intimacy coordinators on movie and TV productions.

the game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings star, 63, said in a profile interview with The Times UK intimacy coordinators “spoil the spontaneity” of sex scenes.

“It would inhibit me more because it’s drawing attention to things. Somebody saying, ‘Do this, put your hands there, while you touch his thing… I think the natural way lovers behave would be ruined by someone bringing it right down to a technical exercise,” Bean said.

But acting is generally considered a technical exercise in which an actor is directed by somebody who tells them what to say and do.

Intimacy coordinators are increasingly common on sets to ensure that actors are comfortable with the physical movements required in a sex scene. The inclusion of intimacy coordinators has been supercharged in the wake of the MeToo movement.

Intimacy coordinator Ita O’Brien explained to news.com.au in 2020 what her job entailed. She said: “We have an understanding of physicality, body movements and anatomy, and of an actor’s process and how they can serve the script.

“We want to know what’s not suitable for you as a person, and we can work creatively with an actor with your agreement and consent and help the production. When we work from a clear ‘yes’ from the actors, it’ll be a way better sex scene.

“Then once you get in front of the camera, your actors can be free because they know they can trust where they’re going to be touched and where they’re touching their fellow actor.”

Bean made the comments in the context of Lady Chatterleya 1993 TV movie with him and Joely Richardson.

He said of his experience: “Lady Chatterley was spontaneous. It was joy. We had a good chemistry between us and we knew what we were doing was unusual because she was married, I was married.

“But we were following the story. We were trying to portray the truth of what DH Lawrence wrote.”

Bean also told The Times UK of a scene from his current series Snowpiercer which featured him and another actor – later revealed to be co-star Lena Hall – in the nude and involving a mango.

“I think they cut a bit out actually,” he said. “Often the best work you do – where you’re trying to push the boundaries and the very nature of it is experimental – gets censored when TV companies or advertisers say it’s too much. It’s a nice scene, quite surreal, dream-like and abstract. And mango-esque.”

when The Times UK reporter pointed out to Bean that intimacy coordinators are often there to protect actors, Bean responded by saying it depended on the actor and that Hall “had a musical cabaret background so she was up for anything”.

Hall later responded on Twitter by saying that she felt completely comfortable with Bean in that scene but she still saw the value of intimacy coordinators.

She wrote: “If I feel comfortable with my scene partner and with others in the room then I won’t need an intimacy coordinator. But if there is any part of me that is feeling weird, gross, over-exposed etc, I will either challenge the necessity of the scene or I’ll want an (intimacy coordinator).

“I do feel intimacy coordinators are a welcome addition to the set and think they could also help with the trauma experienced in other scenes. Sometimes you need them and sometimes you don’t but every single person and scene and experience is different.”

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Hall also clarified that her professional background is in theater and not cabaret, although she occasionally performs cabaret, but that “does not mean that I am up for anything”.

Other actors have also come out in defense of intimacy coordinators, including West Side Story breakout Rachel Zegler.

She wrote on Twitter: “Intimacy coordinators establish an environment of safety for actors. I was extremely grateful for the one we had on (West Side Story) – they showed grace to a newcomer like myself + educated those around me who’ve had years of experience. Spontaneity in intimate scenes can be unsafe. Wake up.”

An infamous incident of an unsafe set environment is the experience of actor Maria Schneider, who as a 19-year-old filmed a rape scene in Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1972 film Last Tango in Paris.

She said the scene, which involved penetration with a stick of butter, wasn’t in the original shooting script and she was only told of it in the moments before filming. Bertolucci has said that he had n’t told her about the scene because he wanted her performance by her to be real and rageful.

Later recalling the order, Schneider said: “I was so angry. I felt humiliated and to be honest, I felt a little raped, by both Marlon (Brando) and by Bertolucci.”

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Entertainment

Carlo Bonomi, Italian vocal actor for claymation Pingu dies aged 85

Tributes are flowing for Carlo Bonomi, the actor behind the voice of children’s claymation character Pingu, after he died on the weekend at the age of 85.

Remembered for his “noot noot” phrase, the Italian vocal actor passed away in Milan on August 6 with the cause of his death unknown, publication AF News reports.

Australians knew Bonomi for his “Penguinese”, the language spoken in stop-motion series Pingu which aired six seasons between 1986 to 2006.

Bonomi was the unscripted voice behind all the show’s characters for four seasons, before he was replaced by vocal actors David Sant and Marcello Magni when the show was renewed for seasons five and six.

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Pingu is about a young penguin who sometimes gets up to mischief on his family’s polar ice cap in Antarctica.

Fans have praised the late actor for his service as a children’s entertainer by sharing pictures and videos of Bonomi online.

“RIP Carlo Bonomi, thank you for your service in children’s entertainment and for giving my childhood some light to shine in the dark,” one fan posted to Twitter.

“May the Noot Noots never fade from our memories.”

Meanwhile American cartoonist Travis Bickerstaff said Bonomi’s legacy will live on through others.

“If you’re wondering if this will be the end of Pinguit’s not,” Bickerstaff wrote.

“Other voice actors in the Pingu franchise had carried on Bonomi’s legacy, since he established the ‘Penguinese’ language for the series.”

Bonomi was also well-known in Italy as the voice behind the announcements played at Central Station and Florence Santa Maria Novella Station, which were used up until 2008.

He also played a part in a number of Italian shorts, including line animation The Line, The Line.

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Sports

Cameron Smith LIV golf, Hannah Green to play

The Australian Open has added some extra star-power for its return edition this summer with major winner Hannah Green committing to play.

Green, fresh from contending at this month’s Women’s Open, was unveiled in Melbourne on Monday as the event’s latest coup.

The 25-year-old is one of only four Australian women to have won a major, after claiming the 2019 PGA Championship, and returns home after a strong year, albeit with the disappointment of a weekend fadeout at the Women’s Open.

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Green has six top-10 finishes this year, including a top-five at the women’s PGA Championship, while she was also on track for a strong result in at Muirfield until she was derailed by a seven-over final two rounds.

With the major final of the season in the books, the Australian is looking to the months ahead, which will include returning home for a historic edition of the Australian Open.

Green is fresh from contending deep at this month's Women's Open.
Green is fresh from contending deep at this month’s Women’s Open.Source: Getty Images

Having not been held in 2020 or 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the showpiece event returns with the men, women, and all-abilities tournaments being held concurrently.

It is the first national Open worldwide to combine men’s and women’s fields, while the prize money for the two events is the same; $1.7 million AUD each.

“When I heard that the men’s and women’s Opens were coming together for the first time, I knew that I wanted to be there,” said Green, who won the mixed gender TPS Murray River, and the Vic Open, on her last visit.

“We’ve experienced this kind of concept with men and women playing together on the same courses at the same time … and to have it in place for the first time at a national Open is going to be something special.”

High profile Australians committing to return for the summer are increasing by the week after Lucas Herbert and Min Woo Lee recently confirmed they would also be playing.

World No.49 Herbert is down to play both the Australian Open, held at Victoria Golf Club and Kingston Heath on December 1-4, and the Australian PGA Championship at Royal Queensland the week prior.

Lee – now ranked 66th in the world and with top-30 finishes at three of this year’s majors – will play at the latter, which is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour.

Meanwhile, Aussie golf fans are still waiting to hear if reigning Open Championship winner Cameron Smith will also return, having not played competitively in his home country since December 2019.

Aussie golf fans are still waiting to hear if reigning Open Championship winner Cameron Smith will also return.Source: Getty Images

Smith confirmed last month that he will have an extended stay in Australia this summer to spend time with his family and friends after three years of separation.

But whether that stay will include playing at either the Australian Open, or the Australian PGA Championship – he’s previously won the latter twice – is unclear.

Also unclear is his next career moves after the FedEx Cup playoffs, having been linked to Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed LIV Golf series — claims that he hasn’t denied.

smith told Fox Sports after winning the Claret Jug that his plan is to play in both Australian events, but it is not his priority.

“I think my priority during those weeks is going to be to catch up with family and friends. I’ll probably stay a little bit after into Christmas and just really have a good time,” he told Fox Sports.

“I’m looking forward to that. You really have no idea. It’s been three years since I’ve been at home and just to see some familiar faces will be so nice.”

Meanwhile, another big-name Aussie, Marc Leishman, confirmed to foxsports.com.au last month that he was also eager to return to these shores, although no deal has been confirmed.

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Sports

A-League: Slovakian international Robert Mak joins Sydney FC

Sydney FC’s measured and patient approach to returning to the A-League summit has stepped up a gear with the signing of former Manchester City winger Robert Mak.

Capped 73 times for Slovakia, Mak has joined the Sky Blues on a two-year deal after winning back-to-back Hungarian top-flight titles with Ferencváros.

“We took our time because there’s a specific type of player we want,” Sydney FC coach Steve Corica said.

“We’ve got a few more to come in as well, but to have the first one done is great.

“We’re two months out from the start of the (A-League) season which gives us plenty of time to work with Robert and to get him ready.”

The most successful club in A-League history with five championships, the Sky Blues finished a disappointing eighth last season.

“We had to have a good look at where we were and what kind of players and what formation we wanted to look at if we wanted to change things,” Corica said.

“It’s probably the best time right now to do it.”

Mak’s ability to play on either wing and also in a central attacking role if required made him an attractive target for Sydney.

“He has two great feet and can play on either side of the pitch. He likes to take on defenders and will create and score goals for us as well,” Corica said.

“To play that many times for your country is no mean feat and I think he will really stand out this season.”

Having joined Manchester City’s academy at 13, Mak stayed there for six years before leaving in 2010 to join German club Nurnberg.

From there he went to Greek club Paok in 2014 and also had spells in Russia (Zenit St Petersburg) and Turkey (Konyaspor) before his move to Hungary.

“I’ve been part of a few championships and cup wins in my career, so I know what it takes and want to bring my experience, personality and a few goals and assists to help us this season,” said Mak, who has made more than 30 game appearances in the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League.

“This is going to be a fantastic challenge for me, and it’s a real honor to be signing for Australia’s biggest and most successful club.”

The Sky Blues continue their Australia Cup campaign on Wednesday night with a round-of-16 clash against NPL Victoria outfit Bentleigh Greens in Melbourne.

In Wednesday night’s other Cup round-of-16 battle, South Australian state league club Modbury Jets host Macarthur FC at Gepps Cross.

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