CK Updates
Women’s Open: Georgia Hall returns to venue of 2018 win five months after giving birth
The ultimate achievement would be to now emulate her old Solheim Cup skipper Catriona Matthew, who won the Women’s Open here at Lytham in 2009, just 11 weeks after giving birth to daughter Sophie.
The Scot plays down this remarkable achievement, saying it was easier than it would have been after the arrival of a first child.
“I spoke to her and I said, ‘I really don’t know how you did it,’” said Hall.
“You couldn’t dream of doing that. I couldn’t. She said, ‘Oh, it’s a lot easier with the second.’”
Hall asked for advice from Matthew, who told the Dorset star to manage expectations.
“Just as in expecting a little bit less, but not in a bad way,” Hall told BBC Sport.
“If you hit a bad shot, you’ve been out of it for a year. You’ve given birth to a human.
“So it will take some time, basically be patient. And that’s what I’m going to have in my mind this week.”
Hall will marry Conor’s father Paul Dunne, who led the 2015 Open as an amateur and beat Rory McIlroy to the 2017 British Masters title. The baby boy could hardly have more impeccable golfing genes.
And the new mum has already made sure of a family photo on the 18th green this week. Hall said: “It’ll be my new screensaver.”
Eight years ago the photos were of her clutching one of golf’s most prestigious trophies, but that is not her abiding memory.
“I think just holing so many putts,” she said.
“That’s why you play golf. It wasn’t even like holding the trophy at the end. It was the feeling you get from an accomplishment of holing great putts when it mattered.
“Just so many of them, I remember, and when I was playing practice rounds the last few days, I would remember, oh yeah, I hit it there and that pin position was there. So it is nice to relive.”
It is probably asking too much this week for Hall to reprise that 2018 victory when she finished 17-under-par to win by two shots. This year the remodelled links is baked out, providing a fast, firm and fearsome challenge.
“Definitely it’s one of the hardest,” said Hall. “This golf course is so hard and they made changes that make it harder. So I’m expecting scoring to be a bit tricky.
“But I’m improving every month and that’s just my only goal. I believe that my game’s in decent shape and if I can get in the right mentality and hole some decent putts, I think I’ll be OK.”
CK Updates
Fifa World Cup: Uefa to boycott tournament if Gianni Infantino’s investment plans go through
In a statement released after Thursday’s meeting, which was held virtually and chaired by president Aleksander Ceferin, Uefa said it and its 55 member associations “stand as one”.
“We unanimously and unequivocally reject Fifa’s proposal to transfer ownership interests in the World Cup and other Fifa competitions to private investors,” it said.
On Wednesday, Uefa had accused Fifa of using football “to enrich themselves and their friends”.
Its statement on Thursday was even more damning, calling it “irresponsible and indefensible that a proposal of such significance for football was conceived in secret” and “without any meaningful consultation” with those who steward the game.
It added: “This is not merely a profound failure of leadership, but an abdication of Fifa’s duty as the custodian of world football.
“National associations around the world are now presented with an ultimatum: accept the irreversible capture of football’s greatest competitions or bear the consequences.
“This is not a ‘democratic decision’, but governance by intimidation – an act of coercion unworthy of an institution entrusted with the stewardship of the global game.”
While Uefa only accounts for a quarter of Fifa’s membership, it does include most of the world’s most successful teams.
Six of the eight quarter-finalists – including winners Spain – at this summer’s World Cup were European. In the 2022 and 2018 editions, the figures were five and six respectively.
Of the 23 World Cups to have taken place to date, 13 have been won by European countries.
CK Updates
Stephen Fleming: England appoint former New Zealand captain as Test coach, with Joe Root captain
Former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming has been appointed as England Test coach, with Joe Root returning as captain.
Fleming, 53, has never previously worked as head coach of a national team but he led Chennai Super Kings to a record five Indian Premier League titles during his 17-year tenure as head coach.
Previous Test coach Brendon McCullum was fired earlier this month following a string of poor results and several off-field incidents, but remains in charge of England’s white-ball sides.
Root, 35, whose first spell as Test captain was between 2017 and 2022, captained England to a record 27 Test wins in 65 matches.
Fleming said he was “incredibly excited” to be taking on the role as Test coach.
“It’s one of the most prestigious coaching positions in world cricket and I am honoured to be appointed,” he added.
Fleming will not be in charge for the Test series against Pakistan, which begins on 19 August. Assistant coach Marcus Trescothick will be the interim head coach.
Fleming will spend time with his family in New Zealand before flying to the UK later this summer to begin preparations for the South Africa Test tour in December.
Root said taking on the captain’s role alongside Fleming was a “huge motivator”.
He added: “[Fleming] has proved over a long period of time that he is an exceptional leader with a great knowledge of the game, and I am looking forward to working with him and helping to build a winning environment.”
Fleming called Root a “generational talent who has achieved so much already”, adding: “I’m excited to support him so he can enjoy and thrive in the role in what is a different context to his first stint.”
Fleming, who retired as a player in 2009, has a wealth of experience in Test cricket as a player, making 111 appearances for New Zealand, scoring 7,172 runs at 40.06, and remains the Black Caps’ most successful captain with 28 wins from 80 matches.
He also spent time in England in the county game, playing for Middlesex, Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire – where he won the County Championship in 2005.
“Of course, the ambition is always to win now. But equally, it’s about ensuring the team is well placed for the medium and long-term future,” said Fleming.
“There is a lot of young talent in and around the team and our aim is to help them fulfil their potential as world-class cricketers.”
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Commonwealth Games 2026: Aziz Abdul, grandson of Idi Amin, disqualified for headbutt in Glasgow
Before the super-heavyweight bout Abdul told the BBC he wanted to become the new ‘King of Scotland’ – in reference to Amin declaring himself that name in 1976.
After taking power in a coup in 1971, Amin ran a brutal regime during which an estimated half a million people were killed. He was also known as the Butcher of Uganda.
Abdul, who never met his grandfather, was chasing Uganda’s first Commonwealth boxing medal since Auckland in 1990 – something which would have been guaranteed had he beaten Thomas.
Instead, he was given warnings in the previous two rounds and was trailing on all of the judges’ scorecards.
“All I can say about this is the decision is not right, I am not happy,” he said.
“He elbowed me. He caught me with the elbow.
“It [the head movement] was not intentional. I was trying to come back.
“How can I headbutt someone? I would not.
“He was the person they wanted to win. He was the winner before.
“I knew if I did not get knockout I could not win the fight.”
BBC Sport has contacted Commonwealth Games organisers and World Boxing for a response to Abdul’s comments.
Thomas, who is now guaranteed at least a bronze medal, said it was “not the way” he wanted to win.
“I can’t change what happened today but I can control how I box on Friday,” he said.
Amin, himself a boxer, harboured a fascination with Scotland after serving in the King’s African Rifles in his 20s.
At the height of the regime, he was fond of wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes – and even declared himself “King of Scotland” in 1976.
Some years later, those predilections even spawned an Oscar-winning film, The Last King of Scotland, starring Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy.
In a previous interview, Abdul said he was “inspired” by Amin, although it was not entirely clear whether he was talking about his boxing feats or not.
Speaking to the BBC, he refused to answer when asked if he was proud to be the dictator’s grandson, but he did address the question of how he feels when he is linked to someone with such a sinister reputation.
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CK Updates22 hours agoCommonwealth Games 2026: Scotland claim eight medals in five chaotic hours as Games hit halfway
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CK Updates16 hours agoCommonwealth Games 2026: Aziz Abdul, grandson of Idi Amin, disqualified for headbutt in Glasgow
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CK Updates4 hours agoFifa World Cup: Uefa to boycott tournament if Gianni Infantino’s investment plans go through
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CK Updates10 hours agoStephen Fleming: England appoint former New Zealand captain as Test coach, with Joe Root captain

