All-Australian Ripper squad captures LIV Golf team crown

All-Australian Ripper squad captures LIV Golf team crown
Cameron Smith, captain of Ripper GC, holds the LIV Golf team championship trophy as he celebrates with teammates Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Lucas Herbert and caddies during the LIV Golf Dallas Team Championship Finals at Maridoe Golf Club. (USA TODAY Sport)
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Updated 23 September 2024
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All-Australian Ripper squad captures LIV Golf team crown

All-Australian Ripper squad captures LIV Golf team crown
  • The Aussies denied 4Aces a second team title in three seasons and doomed a worst-to-first bid for Iron Heads, who finished last in the LIV season team standings
  • Smith birdied the par-5 17th to give the Aussies a two-stroke lead and when Johnson found the water off the 18th tee, the outcome was all-but settled
  • LIV has announced four events to start the 2025 season, including Riyadh and Adelaide in February plus Hong Kong and Singapore in March

WASHINGTON: Cam Smith’s Ripper won the LIV Golf Team Championship on Sunday, the all-Australian squad defeating Dustin Johnson’s all-American 4Aces and Iron Heads by three strokes.

Smith, the 2022 British Open champion, birdied three of the last six holes to fire a four-under par 68 at Maridoe Golf Club in suburban Dallas.

That gave Ripper a team total of 11-under par 277 with 4Aces and Kevin Na’s Iron Heads sharing second on 280 and Legion XIII, playing without captain Jon Rahm, fourth on 282.

The Aussies denied 4Aces a second team title in three seasons and doomed a worst-to-first bid for Iron Heads, who finished last in the LIV season team standings.

Justin Herbert birdied four of his last five holes to shoot 69 for Ripper with Marc Leishman and Matt Jones both on 70.

“It’s so good ... not only great golfers but they’re better people and I think that’s what being a Ripper is all about,” Smith said shortly after his teammates doused him in champagne on the 18th green. “To have those guys out there today to lean on, there was something telling me that we were going to be all right.”

The stroke-play final saw the scores of all four players counting to the team total after a shotgun start.

Ripper, 4Aces and Iron Heads were tied for the lead at 8-under as the captains final group, which began at the first hole, reached the 16th tee.

Jones birdied the par-5 second to lift Ripper one ahead at 9-under while Na made bogey at 16 and Scott Vincent closed with a birdie at the third to keep the Iron Heads one adrift.

Harold Varner III closed with a long birdie putt at the first to lift 4Aces level with Ripper but Herbert answered on the same hole moments later with an eight-foot birdie to put Ripper back on top at 10-under.

Smith birdied the par-5 17th to give the Aussies a two-stroke lead and when Johnson found the water off the 18th tee, the outcome was all-but settled, Smith finishing off the triumph with a par minutes later.

Johnson, the 2016 US Open and 2020 Masters champion, closed with a bogey to shoot 69. The 40-year-old Johnson, who won a LIV individual title at Las Vegas in February, shared his team’s low score with birdie-free Patrick Reed, the 2018 Masters winner.

Iron Heads, the 13th and last seeds, ousted defending champion Crushers in a Saturday semifinal. They were led by Na and Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma on 69.

Legion XIII, usually led by season individual LIV champion Rahm, was without the two-time major winner from Spain after he withdrew Saturday with flu symptoms.

Saudi-backed LIV’s third campaign closes with merger negotiations ongoing between the PGA Tour and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF).

LIV has announced four events to start the 2025 season, including Riyadh and Adelaide in February plus Hong Kong and Singapore in March.


England beat Spain on penalties in Women’s Euro 2025 final

England beat Spain on penalties in Women’s Euro 2025 final
Updated 27 July 2025
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England beat Spain on penalties in Women’s Euro 2025 final

England beat Spain on penalties in Women’s Euro 2025 final
  • Chloe Kelly scored the decisive kick

BASEL: England beat Spain 3-1 on penalties to win the Women’s Euro 2025 and retain their title after Sunday’s final had finished 1-1 at the end of extra time.

Chloe Kelly scored the decisive kick in a shoot-out which saw three Spain players, including reigning Ballon d’Or Aitana Bonmati, all fail to convert.

Mariona Caldentey had earlier headed Spain — who beat England 1-0 in the 2023 Women’s World Cup final — into the lead at St. Jakob-Park in Basel, but Alessia Russo equalized early in the second half.


Oscar Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix, extends F1 championship lead

Oscar Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix, extends F1 championship lead
Updated 27 July 2025
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Oscar Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix, extends F1 championship lead

Oscar Piastri wins Belgian Grand Prix, extends F1 championship lead
  • 24-year-old Australian managed his tires expertly to remain out of reach in the closing laps

SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS: Series leader Oscar Piastri grabbed an early lead and extended his title advantage on Sunday when he drove to a perfectly-controlled triumph ahead of McLaren team-mate and title rival Lando Norris at a rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix.

The 24-year-old Australian managed his tires expertly to remain out of reach in the closing laps as the Briton, 25, who had started on pole, closed in on a harder-wearing compound, finishing 3.415 seconds clear as McLaren reeled off their sixth 1-2 in a dominant season.

It was Piastri’s first win at the classic Spa-Francorchamps circuit, his sixth this season and the eighth of his career, extending his lead in the drivers’ championship to 16 points after 13 of this season’s 24 races. For McLaren, it was a 10th win this year.

Charles Leclerc came a solid third for Ferrari ahead of four-time champion Max Verstappen of Red Bull, under the race leadership of new team boss Laurent Mekies for the first time, and Mercedes George Russell.

Alex Albon clung on to finish sixth for Williams ahead of chasing seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari, who started from the pit lane, and Racing Bulls’ rookie Liam Lawson.

Gabriel Botoleto was ninth for Sauber ahead of Pierre Gasly of Alpine.

“That was lively,” said the cool Piastri, who swept past Norris on lap one.

“Very lively. I knew that lap one was probably my best chance of winning the race. I lifted a little as I went through Eau Rouge and then it was enough.

“The rest of the race we managed really well. Maybe the medium wasn’t the best in the last five-six laps, but we had it almost under control! I was disappointed after yesterday, but it turns out that starting second was not too bad.”

Norris conceded he couldn’t have won.

“Oscar just did a good job — there’s nothing much more to say. He was committed a bit more in Eau Rouge and that was it. Oscar deserved it today.”

Leclerc said: “Max was behind me all race within two seconds so it’s never easy. I knew the first part was the trickiest and I’m pretty happy we managed to keep that third place.”

The race began, after an 80-minute delay due to heavy rain, with the entire field on intermediates to run for four laps behind a safety car, clearing standing water.

Four drivers started from the pitlane — Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton — having made changes to their power units or set-up overnight. They began at the rear of the field ahead of the rolling start at the start of lap five.

As the lights went green, Norris powered away to lead through La Source, but he was unable to resist when Piastri sneaked out of his slipstream to take the lead going into Les Combes chicane.

“Why do I have no pack?” asked Norris, realizing he lacked electric power. “We used a lot on the safety car re-start,” McLaren responded.

On lap 12, Hamilton was the first in for medium slick tires, rejoining 18th, followed by Piastri, Leclerc, Verstappen, Russell and more. Norris stayed out one lap longer for hards, hoping to profit if his rival’s rubber degraded in the closing laps. He was the only one.

By lap 15, everyone else had switched to mediums and it was Piastri on top ahead of Norris by 9.3 with Leclerc third leading Verstappen, Russell, Albon and... in flying form, Hamilton.

As Norris closed in, Piastri said his tires were already degrading. “I think it will be tough to get to the end,” he told race engineer Tom Stallard, raising the prospect of a dramatic finale.

On lap 26, Norris slid wide at Puhon, falling back to nine seconds adrift before remounting his charge. It was a process of marginal gains as Piastri managed his tires.

Norris was close but Piastri’s craft and calm prevailed.


Hamilton to start from the pit lane in Belgium

Hamilton to start from the pit lane in Belgium
Updated 27 July 2025
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Hamilton to start from the pit lane in Belgium

Hamilton to start from the pit lane in Belgium
  • The seven-times Formula One world champion won at Spa with Mercedes last year but has had a nightmare so far, qualifying 18th in Friday’s sprint qualifying and finishing 15th in Saturday’s 100km race

FRANCORCHAMPS: Lewis Hamilton will start Sunday’s Belgian Grand Prix from the pit lane with a new power unit after qualifying only 16th, Ferrari said.

The seven-times Formula One world champion won at Spa with Mercedes last year but has had a nightmare so far, qualifying 18th in Friday’s sprint qualifying and finishing 15th in Saturday’s 100km race.

Hamilton has won five times in Belgium and has been on the podium in all but two of the races he has finished at the longest circuit on the calendar.

The Briton, who moved to the Italian team in January and has yet to stand on the podium for them, apologized to Ferrari on Saturday for a performance he said was unacceptable.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso and Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli will also start from the pit lane after those teams also changed engine components.

Sunday’s race is set to be wet. The Formula Two feature race started behind the safety car while the Formula Three race was canceled entirely due to the conditions.


Ukraine lead standings after Day 6 of IMMAF Youth World Championships in Al-Ain

Ukraine lead standings after Day 6 of IMMAF Youth World Championships in Al-Ain
Updated 27 July 2025
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Ukraine lead standings after Day 6 of IMMAF Youth World Championships in Al-Ain

Ukraine lead standings after Day 6 of IMMAF Youth World Championships in Al-Ain
  • England deliver a strong showing to stay close behind, while Tajikistan round out the top three

ALAIN: Day 6 of the IMMAF Youth World Championships featured action in the Youth A (16-17 years) category, as the competition heads into its final stretch with Ukraine at the top of the medal table.

The International Mixed Martial Arts federation tournament is taking place in the Al-Ain region for the first time, under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.

In Saturday’s bouts, defending champions Ukraine held their lead and remain favorites to retain the title. England delivered another strong showing to stay close behind, while Tajikistan rounded out the top three.

Mohammed Jasem Al-Hosani, member of the MMA committee at the UAE Jiu-Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Federation, said: “The sixth edition of this championship reflects the UAE’s growing stature on the global mixed martial arts map. It sets a benchmark in professional organisation, community engagement, and international participation. The strong turnout and competitive spirit we’ve seen over the past week highlight the success of the federation’s strategy to grow the sport and prepare new generations to represent their nations in elite competitions.”

Gillian Pensavalle, mother of Valentina Pensavalle, who won gold in the Youth A bantamweight (61kg) division, said: “We came all the way from England to take part in this important championship. We’re thrilled with the result and proud of the gold medal. It took a lot of preparation and hard work. We’ve really enjoyed the experience. Al Ain region is a beautiful place, and the atmosphere at the event has been incredible. We’re already looking forward to coming back next year.”

The IMMAF Youth World Championships conclude on Sunday with the final bouts in the Youth A category. These matches will determine the final medal standings.

 


AG.AL complete comeback to win Honor of Kings Grand Final at Esports World Cup 2025

AG.AL complete comeback to win Honor of Kings Grand Final at Esports World Cup 2025
Updated 27 July 2025
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AG.AL complete comeback to win Honor of Kings Grand Final at Esports World Cup 2025

AG.AL complete comeback to win Honor of Kings Grand Final at Esports World Cup 2025
  • Victory lands team $750,000 prize and 1,000 Club Championship points
  • AG.AL’s Jiahao ‘Zoe’ Chen wins $10,000 as tournament MVP

RIYADH: AG.AL won the Honor of Kings Grand Final at Esports World Cup 2025 after coming back from 3-1 down to win the best-of-seven series 4-3.

Team AG.AL won the first game before quickly finding themselves 3-1 down to team TT Global. Battling back, AG.AL displayed skill and determination to tie the match 3-3, taking the Grand Final to a conclusive seventh game.

Riding the momentum, AG.AL managed to secure the championship win with a confident performance in the seventh game, winning the series 4-3.

“I feel extremely happy, and I would like to give a huge applause to all my teammates, we did make a miracle happen,” said AG.AL’s Bicheng “YiNuo” Xu. “We showed our persistence and perseverance during those times when we were losing and behind.”

Team AG.AL overcame challenges from 17 other clubs to win the tournament, claim a $750,000 prize and secure 1,000 Club Championship points, taking the team to second place on the Club Championship table.

AG.AL’s Jiahao “Zoe” Chen was named the MVP after the impressive comeback win in the final. He will receive an additional $10,000 and the MVP medal to recognise his achievements.

Discussing the significance of the win and how the tournament has supported the team to elevate their profile internationally, AG.AL’s Xu said: “AG.AL is very well known in China, I think that everyone in China who has an interest in esports has heard of us.

“That being said, we might not be quite as well known on the global stage, and I believe this win has given us a big opportunity. Winning this championship at the Esports World Cup 2025 has introduced us to the world and now they will remember the name AG.AL. and who we are.”

The third week of EWC 2025 continues until Sunday, July 27 with finals in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.