ABU DHABI: Rory McIlroy can finish a season as the European tour’s top player for the sixth time with a win at the Abu Dhabi Championship this week.
He’ll attempt to do so with a new swing.
The No. 3-ranked McIlroy said he has been hunkered down in a studio — first in Florida, then in New York — for three weeks, just hitting balls at a screen with a modified swing and not even looking at the flight of his shots.
He hasn’t liked the shape of his swing for a while, he said Wednesday, and wanted a more robust one that could hold up in the most pressure-filled moments following a number of missed chances this season. The most notable was at the US Open in June, where he missed two putts in the 3-foot range in the final three holes on Sunday to pave the way for a victory for Bryson DeChambeau and extend McIlroy’s decade without a major title.
“The only way I was going to make a change, or at least move in the right direction, with my swing was to lock myself in a studio and not see the ball flight for a bit and just focus entirely on the movement,” McIlroy said.
“It’s something, he added, “just to make my golf swing more efficient, and then if it is more efficient, then it means it’s not going to break down as much under pressure. If I look at my year, the one thing that I would criticize myself on is the fact that I’ve had these chances to win.”
McIlroy has won twice this year — at the Dubai Desert Classic and the Wells Fargo Championship — and has had four second-place finishes, including recently at the Irish Open and the BMW PGA Championship on the European tour.
That has left the Northern Irishman frustrated but well clear in the Race to Dubai rankings that determine the best player of the year on the European tour. A win in Abu Dhabi can seal the title and remove some suspense — at least for McIlroy — from the final event of the season, at the World Tour Championship in nearby Dubai next week.
“If I go out and win this week, obviously you know, it makes it a bit boring next week,” the four-time major champion said. “But I won’t find it boring. It will be lovely.”
A sixth Race to Dubai title — it used to be called the Order of Merit — would put McIlroy level with the late Seve Ballesteros on the all-time list and only two behind Colin Montgomerie, who has a record eight.
“I’m a European player,” McIlroy said. “I would like to go down as the most successful European of all time. Obviously Race to Dubai wins would count to that but also major championships and hopefully I’ve got a few more Ryder Cups ahead of me as well.
“So that’s something that I would like to (do). I think (it) is a goal that’s quite attainable over the next 10 years.”
McIlroy looks to clinch Race to Dubai title with new swing after 3 weeks shut away in a studio
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McIlroy looks to clinch Race to Dubai title with new swing after 3 weeks shut away in a studio
- The No. 3-ranked McIlroy said he has been locked in a studio for three weeks just hitting balls at a screen with a modified swing
Soccer-Italy already fear missing yet another World Cup after Norway nightmare
A 2-1 defeat at the San Siro in the first leg left Italy chasing the tie in Germany
OSLO: Italy’s World Cup qualification campaign has barely begun and already the country is worried about the shocking possibility of failing to reach the final tournament for a third consecutive time after a humiliating defeat by Norway.
Norway already had two wins under their belt in Group I before Friday’s match in Oslo, while Italy had yet to play, having been involved in the Nations League quarter-finals in March, losing out to Germany.
A 2-1 defeat at the San Siro in the first leg left Italy chasing the tie in Germany and they found themselves 3-0 down at the break before staging a second-half comeback to salvage a draw, and some pride.
It was the same story on Friday for Italy at the Ullevaal Stadium, at least as far as the opening act went. Norway roared into a 3-0 lead in the first half but this time there was no Italian fightback in a goalless second half.
“Enough!” screamed the Gazzetta dello Sport front page on Saturday, after Italy suffered their third loss in a four-game winless run, with the newspaper adding that for Italy the “World Cup is already at risk.”
Next year’s World Cup takes place in the United States, Canada and Mexico but in the two decades since Italy won the tournament for the fourth time, they have struggled to perform or, more recently, to even get there.
Berlin 2006 seems a lifetime ago now, with Zinedine Zidane sent off for his head butt to Marco Materazzi’s chest and Italy lifting the trophy after a penalty shootout win over France.
The next two World Cups saw Italy exit at the group stage, and while they triumphed at Euro 2020, on either side of that success they missed out on the World Cup after playoff defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia.
With Italy now playing catch-up and only the group winners qualifying automatically, La Repubblica’s front-page headline “Azzurri humiliated in Oslo, the playoff nightmare returns” hints at the frightening possibilities ahead.
Italy’s loss came less than a week after Inter Milan’s 5-0 mauling at the hands of Paris St. Germain in the Champions League final and on both occasions the tired-looking losers were outclassed by a hungrier, more creative side.
Italy manager Luciano Spalletti was spared following last year’s dismal Euros but is now under real pressure and nothing but a convincing win at home to Moldova on Monday will do, with media and fans increasingly calling for a change of leadership.
Reports: Bayern agree deal with Leverkusen to take Tah to Club World Cup
- Tah’s contract with Leverkusen ran to the end of June, meaning he could only join Bayern on a free transfer from July 1
- Any agreement to let Tah join Bayern before his Leverkusen contract ends would suggest pragmatism has won out at Leverkusen
MUNICH: Bayern Munich have reportedly agreed a deal with Bayer Leverkusen to take Germany defender Jonathan Tah to the Club World Cup.
Kicker magazine and other media outlets reported Saturday that Bayern, which had announced Tah’s signing “without a transfer fee” on May 29, have agreed to pay Leverkusen up to 4 million euros ($4.6 million) for the player to take a full part in the Club World Cup starting in the United States on June 14.
Tah’s contract with Leverkusen ran to the end of June, meaning he could only join Bayern on a free transfer from July 1 – unless the clubs came to an agreement beforehand.
There was little goodwill between the clubs after Bayern’s failed attempt to sign Tah – Leverkusen’s captain – last season, when Leverkusen chief executive Fernando Carro lashed out against Bayern’s Max Eberl. Bayern’s public pursuit of Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz this season further inflamed tensions between the rival clubs.
Any agreement to let Tah join Bayern before his Leverkusen contract ends would suggest pragmatism has won out at Leverkusen.
Real Madrid set the precedent by paying a reported fee of up to 10 million euros ($11.4 million) to get England right back Trent Alexander-Arnold out of his Liverpool contract one month before it was due to expire, so he could play at the Club World Cup, rather than waiting to sign him with a transfer fee.
Bayern will also need to reach agreement with Hoffenheim if they want to take Tom Bischof to the tournament.
Leverkusen face a summer of rebuilding following Xabi Alonso’s departure as coach, Tah and wing back Jeremie Frimpong ‘s departures for Bayern and Liverpool, respectively, and Wirtz’s expected transfer to Liverpool.
Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka suggested Friday he would be open to a switch amid reported interest from AC Milan, a change from his previous position.
Leverkusen hired former Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag to replace the Real Madrid-bound Alonso, while they have also signed highly rated teenager Ibrahim Maza from second-division club Hertha Berlin, and 21-year-old defender Tim Oermann from relegated Bochum before promptly loaning him to Austrian champion Sturm Graz.
They also loaned promising midfielder Francis Onyeka to Bochum for next season in the second division.
Spain-Portugal final more than just Cristiano vs Yamal says Ronaldo
- Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world“
- “There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK”
MUNICH: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged he was “another generation” to Spain starlet Lamine Yamal but said Sunday’s Nations League final was more than just a battle between the duo.
The final in Munich has been framed as a showdown between veteran Ronaldo, 40, one of the game’s biggest names, and 17-year-old Yamal, the most exciting young talent in world football.
Ronaldo scored the winner to send Portugal past Germany into the final and Yamal was named man-of-the-match after bagging a brace in Spain’s wild 5-4 semifinal win over France.
Ronaldo however said the focus on the two individuals was overblown, calling Spain “maybe the best national team in the world.”
“There are different generations, one is coming in and another is exiting the stage. If you want to see me as another generation, then that’s OK.
“When you talk about a clash between Cristiano and someone else, that’s not how it works. The media always try to hype things up, which is a normal thing, but it’s one team versus another team.”
“You’ve been talking about Lamine a lot and you’re right to do so because he’s very good,” Ronaldo told journalists, adding “but I’d like to talk about the team.
“They’ve got Nico Williams, great midfielders like Pedri and their coach (Luis) de la Fuente is very good, very strong, very disciplined.”
Portugal last beat their Iberian neighbors in a competitive fixture in 21 years ago at Euro 2024, a match which Ronaldo started.
Like Yamal, Ronaldo burst onto the scene at a young age.
Aged just 18, Ronaldo impressed so much for boyhood side Sporting in a 3-1 win over Manchester United in a friendly in Lisbon that the English club decided to buy him, bringing him to Old Trafford less than a week later.
Like a young Ronaldo, Yamal has consistently impressed since bursting onto the scene, winning a league and cup double with Barcelona this season after lifting the Euro 2024 title in Germany last summer.
The Portuguese veteran asked media to allow the teenager to grow and improve without pressure, reminding them the Spanish star “with funny hair” was just “three years older than my son.”
“The kid has been doing very well, but what I ask is for you to let him grow, not put him under pressure. For the good of football, we need to let him grow in his own way and enjoy the talent he has.”
Both Spain and Portugal have already won the Nations League. Spain are the current champions from their win in 2023, while Portugal won the inaugural tournament back in 2019.
Luis Henrique joins Inter Milan ahead of Club World Cup
- According to the Italian press, Inter will pay $26M for the 23-year-old
- Inter also signed Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic last week
ROME: Brazilian winger Luis Henrique has signed for Inter Milan from Marseille becoming the Italian club’s second signing ahead of the Club World Cup in the United States.
“A new Inter player joins the family, welcome Luis,” this season’s Italian Serie A and Champions League runners-up said on Saturday.
The Brazilian, who arrived in Marseille in 2020, made 108 appearances and scored 11 goals for the French club in all competitions.
He went on loan to Botafogo in 2022, returning to Ligue 1 in January 2024, scoring seven goals and providing eight assists in the league last term.
According to the Italian press, Inter will pay 23 million euros ($26 million) for the 23-year-old.
Inter also signed Croatian midfielder Petar Sucic last week for 14 million euros from Dinamo Zagreb, with the Club World Cup kicking off on June 14 in the United States.
“I am very happy to have signed for such a big club. I think it will be a huge jump in quality in
my career,” said the Brazilian.
“I have known this league very well since a young age.
“There have many important Brazilians that have played here at Inter. I also want to make history here, just like they did.”
He added: “I hope we will make it as far as possible and that we will manage to win this competition that is starting soon.”
The northern Italian giants are also expected to formalize the arrival of Cristian Chivu early next week as the replacement for coach Simone Inzaghi, who left to join Saudi club Al Hilal.
Mbappe ‘not bitter’ about PSG’s Champions League triumph
- PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League in Munich last Saturday, the first time the club has won the competition
- Mbappe moved to Madrid in the summer of 2024 hoping to lift the Champions League, but the Spanish giants crashed out in the quarter-finals
STUTTGART, Germany: France captain Kylian Mbappe said Saturday he is not bitter Paris Saint-Germain won the Champions League the year after his departure for Real Madrid.
“I didn’t leave too soon; my story with PSG was over. I am not bitter; I had reached the end of the road,” Mbappe said in a press conference ahead of Sunday’s Nations League third place match against Germany in Stuttgart.
PSG crushed Inter Milan 5-0 to win the Champions League in Munich last Saturday, the first time the club has won the competition.
“I tried everything, and it was destiny that meant it had to happen without me,” said Mbappe.
“PSG winning the Champions League without me doesn’t affect me. I was happy, I think they deserved it.
“They’ve had so many years where they struggled. I’ve been there too; I’ve played in every Champions League stage in Paris except for the victory.
“They’re the best team in Europe.
“I don’t remember seeing a team win 5-0 in a major final.”
Mbappe has repeated his desire to win Europe’s biggest club competition, but the closest the Paris-born forward got with his boyhood club was losing the final in 2020 to Bayern Munich.
The 26-year-old moved to Madrid in the summer of 2024 hoping to lift the Champions League, but the Spanish giants crashed out in the quarter-finals of the competition to Arsenal in April.
Real failed to win a trophy in the 2024-25 season, their first campaign without silverware in four years.
