SOUTHERN DISCOMFORT

CITYAM.COM TUESDAY 9 AUGUST 2016 SPORT 23
GOLF
IN BRIEF
Knox firmly in
contention for
Ryder Cup call
BUT FOR a technicality, Russell
Knox would already be assured
of a place at the Ryder
Cup, and the up-and-coming
Scot could hardly be doing
any more to remedy that situation.
Knox, 31, earned a fantastic win at
the Travelers Championship on Sunday
to put him right in contention for
a European debut against his adopted
home at Hazeltine next month.
It was his second victory on the PGA
Tour this season, having broken his
duck at the WGC-HSBC Champions in
Shanghai in November, and underlined
his progress by lifting him to
No18 in the rankings.
His is a great story. Born and raised
in Inverness, he won a scholarship to
Florida, flourished on the PGA Tour
and is now a world-class player.
Knox wasn’t registered as a European
Tour member when he claimed
that landmark win in China late last
year. Had he been, he would have
enough Ryder Cup points by now to
forget about needing a wild card.
Europe are already on course to have
five rookies in their 12-man team, so
it would be a big call by captain Darren
Clarke to name another, in Knox,
as one of his three discretionary picks.
But with two wins and three more
runner-up finishes in the last 10
months, he could hardly be doing any
more, and he has to be firmly in contention.
As well as being a good ballstriker,
he has plenty of courage and
his familiarity with American courses
and players is another asset. Knox
brings a lot to the table.
TIDE HAS TURNED
While his form has given Clarke
plenty to ponder, the resurgence of
Jim Furyk must be doing the same for
United States captain Davis Love III.
Furyk stole some of the limelight
from Knox on Sunday by shooting 58
RESULTS
CRICKET
SECOND TEST MATCH—New Zealand v Zimbabwe
(Bulawayo): New Zealand 582-4dec. (150.0 overs; T W M
Latham 136, L R P L Taylor 124no, K S Williamson 113, M J
Guptill 87, B J Watling 83no). Zimbabwe 305-6 (120.0
overs; C R Ervine 115no, P J Moor 71, C J Chibhabha 60).
NATWEST T20 BLAST - QUARTER FINAL—
Nottinghamshire v Essex (Trent Bridge):
Nottinghamshire 162-7 (20.0 overs; G P Smith 50). Essex
123 (18.4 overs; S R Patel 4-20). Nottinghamshire beat
Essex by 39 runs.
WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE—Southern Vipers v Yorkshire
Diamonds (The Ageas Bowl): Southern Vipers 118-4 (20.0
overs). Yorkshire Diamonds 64 (16.3 overs; L C N Smith
4-10). Southern Vipers (2pts) beat Yorkshire Diamonds by
54 runs.
FOOTBALL
FRIENDLY MATCH
Farnboro ................(0) 0 Crystal Palace ...........(0) 3
Dreher 50
KaiKai 65, 69
Att: 1,264
GOLF
USPGA Tour Travelers Championship (Cromwell,
Connecticut)—Final Rnd (USA unless stated): 266 R Knox
(Sco) 67 67 64 68, 267 J Kelly 64 70 69 64, 268 J Thomas
68 69 69 62, P Rodgers 68 66 66 68, 269 D Berger 66 67
62 74, R Garrigus 67 67 68 67, J Furyk 73 66 72 58, T Van
Aswegen (Rsa) 67 66 65 71, 270 B Koepka 67 70 64 69, M
Leishman (Aus) 65 68 71 66.
TODAY’S DIARY
(7.45pm unless stated)
UEFA Super Cup
Real Madrid v Sevilla
GOLF
COMMENT
Sam
Torrance
– the lowest round in the history of
the PGA Tour – to share fifth place at
the Travelers. It was magnificent, and
for a man of his age – Furyk turned 46
in May – it was just extraordinary.
Having seen twentysomethings Jordan
Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason
Day dominate, it seems the tide has
turned and some more experienced
players are having their moment.
That unforgettable duel at the Open
was between a 40-year-old Henrik
Stenson and 46-year-old Phil Mickelson,
while recent US PGA winner
Jimmy Walker will be 38 in January.
The young guns seem to have fired
all their bullets; now the old guys are
taking over. It’s a sign of the times,
with healthier lifestyles allowing players
to extend their peak for longer.
A man who knows about longevity is
Anthony Wall, whose win at the Paul
Lawrie Match Play bookended the
longest spell in between European
Tour titles: 16 years and 204 days.
About a year ago, injury problems
had virtually forced the Englishman
out of the game, and there were few
signs leading up to this event that
Wall was about to return to winning
ways. But he arrived at Archerfield
feeling fantastic, and I’ve never seen
him look so good. He’s a great competitor,
so match play suits him, and
now he has the peace of mind of an
exemption until the end of 2017.
Sam Torrance OBE is a multiple Ryder
Cup-winning golfer and media commentator.
Follow him on Twitter @torrancesam
EFL Cup 1st Rnd
Accrington v Bradford,Barnet v Millwall (8),Barnsley v
Northampton, Birmingham v Oxford Utd, Blackpool v Bolton,
Brighton v Colchester, Cambridge Utd v Sheffield
Wednesday, Carlisle v Port Vale, Cheltenham v Charlton,
Coventry v Portsmouth, Derby v Grimsby, Doncaster v
Nottingham Forest, Exeter v Brentford, Ipswich v
Stevenage, Leyton Orient v Fulham, Mansfield v Blackburn,
Newport Co v Milton Keynes Dons, Oldham v Wigan,
Peterborough v AFC Wimbledon, Preston v Hartlepool,
Reading v Plymouth (8), Rochdale v Chesterfield, Rotherham
v Morecambe, Scunthorpe v Notts County, Sheffield Utd v
Crewe, Shrewsbury v Huddersfield, Southend v Gillingham,
Walsall v Yeovil, Wolverhampton v Crawley, Wycombe v
Bristol City.
Betfred Cup 2nd Round
Alloa v Inverness CT (7.30), Dundee Utd v Partick, Hamilton
v Morton, Hibernian v Queen of the South, Rangers v
Peterhead.
Vanarama National League: Aldershot v Maidstone Utd,
Braintree Tn v Eastleigh, Chester FC v Dagenham &
Redbridge, Dover v Boreham Wood, Forest Green v Sutton
Utd, Guiseley v Wrexham, Lincoln City v North Ferriby Utd,
Solihull Moors v Woking, Southport v Gateshead, Torquay
v Bromley, Tranmere v Barrow, York v Macclesfield.
CRICKET
NatWest t20 Blast - Quarter Final: Northamptonshire v
Middlesex (Northampton, 18.30). Second Test Match—
day 4 of 5: Zimbabwe v New Zealand (Bulawayo, 08.30).
Third Test Match—day 1 of 5: West Indies v India (Gros
Islet, 15). Women’s Super League: Surrey Stars v
Lancashire Thunder (Guildford, 14.30).
SPEEDWAY
Premier League: Somerset v Scunthorpe .
TENNIS
ATP Abierto Mexicano (Los Cabos).
Knox claimed
his second PGA
Tour title of the
season at the
weekend
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