Dustin Johnson makes eagle putt to win LIV Golf Boston event in playoff

Dustin Johnson of the the US celebrates after after winning the LIV Golf Invitational - Boston at The Oaks golf course at The International on Sept. 04, 2022 in Bolton, Massachusetts. (AFP)
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Updated 05 September 2022
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Dustin Johnson makes eagle putt to win LIV Golf Boston event in playoff

  • The win was worth $4 million for Johnson. With his team winning again, he now has made $9,962,500 in four events
  • The next LIV Golf Invitational series is in two weeks in the Chicago suburbs at Rich Harvest Farms, best known for hosting the Solheim Cup in 2009

BOLTON, Massachusetts: Dustin Johnson gave LIV Golf its first big moment Sunday when he made a 35-foot eagle putt on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the LIV Golf Invitational-Boston for his first victory in 19 months.

Johnson’s putt on the par-5 18th was going so fast it might have rolled some 6 feet past the hole. But it hit the back of the cup and dropped down near the front of the cup to beat Joaquin Niemann and Anirban Lahiri.

He raised his arm and dropped it for a slow-motion uppercut, instead slapping hands with Austin Johnson, his brother and caddie. The win was worth $4 million for Johnson. With his team winning again, he now has made $9,962,500 in four events.

“It was going a little fast, but it was a good line,” Johnson said with a big smile. “I got some unlucky breaks (on No. 18) the first time around. It owed me one and I got it.”

The first playoff in four LIV Golf events capped an otherwise sloppy finish by so many others who had a chance.

Johnson, who closed with a 5-under 65, needed a birdie on the par-5 18th. His drive bounced into the right rough, his iron to lay up went into the trees well to the left and he had to scramble for par to join Lahiri (64) and Niemann (66) at 15-under 265.

Lahiri hit a fairway metal to 5 feet on the 18th in regulation, and his eagle putt that would have won it rolled around the right edge of the cup.

Lee Westwood finished one shot out of a playoff after a 62 that included bogeys on two of his last three holes. He was poised to win when he bounced back from a bogey on No. 1 in the shotgun start with a short birdie on the par-3 second.

He finished on No. 3, a 352-yard hole and great birdie opportunity. Westwood hit a lob wedge that was so fat it came up some 40 feet short of the pin and into a bunker. He blasted out weakly and missed the 18-foot par putt.

“The lob wedge was a little fat,” Westwood said. “Make 3 and I win the tournament and I make 5. It’s a sickening way to finish.”

British Open champion Cameron Smith, among six players who recently signed with the Saudi-backed league, had a 63. He also was tied for the lead until hitting his tee shot into the trees on No. 1, his 17th hole, and having to pitch out sideways. He made bogey.

Smith tied for fourth with Westwood. Each made just over $1 million.

Johnson had not won since the Saudi International on Feb. 7, 2021, when it was part of the European tour schedule. The player who has been No. 1 longer than anyone since Tiger Woods slipped out of the top 15 in the world when he signed with LIV Golf.

He was part of the rival league from the start in early June outside London, and he has finished in the top 10 in all of them.

“I’ve had a chance to win every one,” he said. “That’s three in a row for the team, and for me to get my first, I’m feeling good.”

He walked off the 18th green holding a phone in a video call to his two sons.

Lahiri and Niemann each made just over $1.8 million for losing in the playoff. They were among six players who signed with LIV Golf after the PGA Tour season end.

The next LIV Golf Invitational series is in two weeks in the Chicago suburbs at Rich Harvest Farms, best known for hosting the Solheim Cup in 2009.


Brentford appoint set-piece coach Andrews as manager to replace Frank

Updated 17 sec ago
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Brentford appoint set-piece coach Andrews as manager to replace Frank

  • Andrews began his coaching career as assistant manager at MK Dons
  • “He is someone we have known for a while,” Brentford Director of Football Phil Giles said

LONDON: Brentford have named former Ireland international Keith Andrews as manager on a three-year contract to replace Thomas Frank, Sky Sports reported on Friday, continuing the West London club’s trend of promoting from within.

Frank, who left to take over at Tottenham Hotspur, stepped up from the assistant role at Brentford to take charge in 2018, and now Andrews has been handed his first managerial role having served as the club’s set-piece coach for one season.

Andrews, who made 35 appearances for Ireland, began his coaching career as assistant manager at MK Dons where he finished playing in 2015 before joining the Ireland Under-21 set-up as assistant coach to Stephen Kenny.

Kenny became manager of Ireland’s senior side in 2020, taking Andrews with him, where they both remained until Kenny’s contract ended three years later, but Andrews found himself newly employed in a matter of weeks.

Andrews joined Sheffield United’s coaching staff when Chris Wilder took over in December 2023, with the Irishman leaving at the end of the season to take up his role at Brentford.

“He is someone we have known for a while and always had in mind for a role at some point in the future,” Brentford Director of Football Phil Giles said at the time of the appointment.

While Frank took assistant first-team coach Justin Cochrane, head of athletic performance Chris Haslam and first-team analyst Joe Newton with him to Spurs, Andrews remained at Brentford, a clue perhaps to his future at the club.

Frank, who took Brentford into the top flight for the first time in 74 years and made them a competitive force in the Premier League, will be a hard act to follow for the inexperienced Andrews, but his predecessor also went into the job relatively unknown.


Swiatek cruises past second-seed Paolini to reach first ever grass final

Updated 25 min 24 sec ago
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Swiatek cruises past second-seed Paolini to reach first ever grass final

  • “I just did my job and I knew what I wanted to play and I went for it,” Swiatek said
  • The Pole did not play any other grass tournaments this season

BAD HOMBURG, Germany: Five-times Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek crushed second seed Jasmine Paolini 6-1 6-3 on Friday to reach the Bad Homburg Open final and stay in the hunt for her first career title on grass.

With Wimbledon starting next week, the former world number one showed she was on the right track on the surface, outclassing the Italian, last year’s Wimbledon finalist.

“I am super happy and I was not expecting this. I just did my job and I knew what I wanted to play and I went for it,” Swiatek said in a post-match interview.

“I’m happy I kept the momentum going until the end of the match. Jasmine, you can’t let her get back in the game because she’s a fighter. I just wanted to go for it, and go for my shots.” Swiatek has a 5-0 lead in their head-to-head matches.

The Pole, who has won the French Open four times along with one US Open, did not play any other grass tournaments this season ahead of next week’s Wimbledon start, instead opting for a week of training in Mallorca before competing in Bad Homburg.

She was never troubled by the Italian in the first set as she raced through it in 29 minutes courtesy of three breaks.

The pair traded breaks at the start of the second set but Paolini continued to struggle to hold serve and contain the aggressive Pole who went 4-2 up.

Swiatek sealed victory with a forehand winner on her third match point to book a final spot where she will face either top seed Jessica Pegula or Czech Linda Noskova in Saturday’s final.


Top seed Sabalenka draws qualifier Branstine in Wimbledon first round

Updated 27 June 2025
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Top seed Sabalenka draws qualifier Branstine in Wimbledon first round

  • Friday’s draw also pitched defending champion Barbora Krejcikova, the 17th seed, against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines

LONDON: World number one Aryna Sabalenka’s quest for her first Wimbledon title will begin against Canadian qualifier Carson Branstine while second seed Coco Gauff’s opener will be versus Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska.

Friday’s draw also pitched defending champion Barbora Krejcikova, the 17th seed, against Alexandra Eala of the Philippines.

Third seed Jessica Pegula’s first-round opponent is Italian qualifier Elisabetta Cocciaretto, while fourth seed Jasmine Paolini, runner-up last year, faces Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia.

Belarusian Sabalenka could meet Paolini in the semifinals while Gauff is in line for a clash with fellow American Pegula.

British number one Emma Raducanu faces an intriguing opening round match against compatriot Mingge Xu, one of three British teenaged wildcards in the draw.


5 things we learned from Al-Hilal’s FIFA Club World Cup win over CF Pachuca

Updated 27 June 2025
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5 things we learned from Al-Hilal’s FIFA Club World Cup win over CF Pachuca

  • Al-Dawsari shines again, defense holds strong and Al-Hilal fans sport cowboy hats as Mexicans are beaten 2-0
  • Saudi team progress to Round of 16 to face Manchester City in Orlando on Monday

NASHVILLE: Al-Hilal held their composure to defeat CF Pachuca of Mexico 2-0 in Nashville and book their place in the FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16.

The hard-fought victory means coach Simone Inzaghi’s side are the only team from Asia, Africa and Oceania to progress in the 32-team tournament. The Riyadh club will now meet Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City in Orlando on Monday.

Defense holds strong

CF Pachuca started the match the better side, with former Newcastle United striker Salomon Rondon threatening to stretch the Al-Hilal defense early on. Hassan Al-Tambakti, the Saudi center-back who was a doubt after limping off against Red Bull Salzburg, put a confident display, stepping in twice in the opening 15 minutes when Rondon looked like he would test Yassine Bounou.

Of the three games Al-Hilal have played in the US this month, this match in “Music City” was — somewhat ironically given his nickname — Bono’s quietest. Pachuca managed 12 shots, but only two hit the target; both were central and neither worried the Moroccan, even if he did seem to give Rondon a sniff of a follow-up in the first half.

Pachuca, the reigning Concacaf champions, had scored in both their previous matches against Salzburg and Real Madrid, yet never came close here. Every great team is built on a solid defense and Inzaghi, now with two successive clean sheets, certainly seems to have organized his backline. 

Al-Dawsari does it again

Dressed all in white in the land of the “Man in Black” — country star Johnny Cash — the Blues soon found their rhythm. They settled into the match with the help of captain Salem Al-Dawsari, who raised the heart rate of right-back Eduardo Bauermann as well as the noise levels inside GEODIS Park during a busy first half. Intent on driving at his Brazilian full-back, Al-Dawsari showed speed and trickery every time he touched the ball, to the delight of the 14,147 fans.

His moment came in the 22nd minute. Nasser Al-Dawsari noticed his captain running in behind and lofted the ball forwards. Salem still had much to do, but he is not a player who struggles in high-pressure moments. The Saudi flyer needed just one touch to compose himself, before lifting the ball high and over Pachuca goalkeeper Sebastian Jurado. As the ball hung in the air so did a silence, but Al-Dawsari knew it was going in and reeled off to celebrate his 27th goal of the season with the customary cartwheel and backflip.

“Al-Hilal has been working well since last season and we believe we are on the right track,” he told the media. “Our organization does not change just because the coach changes or a player leaves or arrives. Al-Hilal is built by many, many people — that is the secret of our continuity. Tonight we will celebrate, but tomorrow the focus switches to the next match.” 

Misfiring Marcos Leonardo

For 95 minutes it looked like Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo would rue missed opportunities once again. The former Santos forward arrived at the Club World Cup having scored 26 times since joining Al-Hilal from Benfica last summer for $46.8m (€40m) and came close against both Madrid and Salzburg. Ultimately, he fumbled at the crucial moments — and it seemed more of the same against Pachuca, until the dying minutes. 

Lovely first-half play out from the back led to Malcom feeding the 22-year-old, but he had strayed offside. Later, Al-Hilal’s No. 11 saw his header flash high and wide. As the match wore on, with nerves building and Pachuca pushing for an equalizer, Malcom picked his compatriot out again. He did well to chip it over the onrushing Jurado but failed to get enough power in the shot and the covering Bauermann cleared comfortably.

With the match into the last of six additional minutes, however, Leonardo finally scored after collecting a long ball forward, rounding the Pachuca goalkeeper, and rolling it into an empty net. His own celebrations were muted, his team’s ecstatic. The hope is this will give the Brazilian confidence going into the match against Manchester City, when chances will surely be slim. 

Mission accomplished, for now

Inzaghi spoke of his “great satisfaction” and revealed his target at the start of the month was to reach the Round of 16 — which his side has achieved. However, club president Fahad bin Nafel, speaking to Arab news, is now looking deeper into the expanded tournament.

“We are the only Arab club, the only Asian club, to progress to the Round of 16, so we are very proud of what we have achieved tonight,” he said. “We are a great team with great players, great technical team and management. I am really supportive. That is our job — to fully support them, so they can push on and continue these great achievements and, inshallah, win the next game too.”   

Blue Wave in high spirits 

The Blue Wave swept through GEODIS Park on Thursday night. Nerves coursed through the concourse pre-match, while sheer joy was on display afterwards. Some Saudi fans paired cowboy hats with kanduras, while others draped the Kingdom’s flag over their shoulders and danced in jubilation. The Saudi spectators may have been outnumbered by their Mexican opposites, but they were rarely outdone in terms of noise. 

As the Al-Hilal players headed down the tunnel after a short on-field celebration, a mass of blue fans gathered under the stands to savor the moment, wave their scarves and sing club songs. “Bring on City! Bring on City,” they chanted.

The Al-Hilal faithful, having traveled from Miami to Washington to Nashville, will now go to Orlando. They have proved both popular and respectful, posing for photos with other teams’ fans and enjoying the chance to bring Saudi soccer culture to a wider audience. The victory against a team already eliminated allowed them to celebrate with no possibility of perceived antagonism. 

Their hope is that this victory, historic though it is, is not yet the highlight of their US road trip.


‘I’m ready for any opponent’: Hattan Alsaif eyes another victory at PFL MENA 2 in Riyadh

Updated 27 June 2025
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‘I’m ready for any opponent’: Hattan Alsaif eyes another victory at PFL MENA 2 in Riyadh

  • Saudi MMA trailblazer Hattan Alsaif silencing doubters as her star rises, up against Lebanese champion Nour Al-Fliti next

RIYADH: In a male-dominated sport, Saudi Arabian star Hattan Alsaif is continuing to make her mark and also providing a blueprint for aspiring female mixed martial arts fighters looking for global recognition.

Already a decorated combat sports athlete before transitioning to MMA, Alsaif made history last year by becoming the first Saudi Arabian woman to sign with a major promotion when she joined the PFL.

Since then, she has been nothing short of impressive inside the PFL SmartCage, racking up three straight wins in the amateur ranks.

Beyond these accomplishments, however, Alsaif is making an impact simply by walking to the cage. Being a Middle Eastern woman making a name for herself in MMA, Alsaif is seen by many as an inspiring role model.

The success that Alsaif has achieved so far is thanks to her self-belief, and ability to block out the critics and doubters.

“I don’t pay attention to those who say this sport isn’t for women,” Alsaif said. “I do what I love and pursue what I believe in, regardless of social expectations.”

Armed with that confidence, Alsaif returns to action at PFL MENA 2 on July 4 in her hometown of Riyadh.

She will be looking for a fourth straight win when she takes on Lebanese champion Nour Al-Fliti in a showcase amateur women’s atomweight bout.

Around eight months removed from her last fight back in November, Alsaif says that she is more than ready.

“I’m fully prepared for this fight,” she said. “The key to victory is consistency and dedication.”

Al-Fliti could be considered Alsaif’s toughest test to date. The undefeated up-and-comer is a multiple Lebanese MMA champion and an IMMAF Asian Championships silver medalist.

While the accolades may be impressive, Alsaif maintains that she is ready to take on all comers, regardless of background and accomplishments.

“I’m ready for any opponent. It doesn’t matter who I face,” she said. “Each one requires a different kind of preparation.”

“The real challenge in combat sports isn’t a single moment — it’s the entire fight. It demands constant mental focus and physical strength from start to finish.”

Alsaif is not just fighting for another win at PFL MENA 2 but to solidify her place as a trailblazer for women in Middle Eastern MMA.

“This is a new beginning, not just another number in the record,” she said.

PFL MENA 2 takes place on Friday, July 4, at the Green Halls in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Tickets can be purchased at webook.com.