Tiger Woods opens with 69 at Riviera, trails Homa, Mitchell by 5

Tiger Woods plays his shot onto the 18th hole green during the first round of The Genesis Invitational golf tournament on Thursday. (USA TODAY Sports)
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Updated 17 February 2023
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Tiger Woods opens with 69 at Riviera, trails Homa, Mitchell by 5

  • Woods put on a show in his first competition in seven months, closing with three straight birdies and one big smile 

LOS ANGELES: The scene was similar to the last time Tiger Woods played against the world’s best. Fans packed onto every balcony on every level of the Riviera clubhouse Thursday, all of them straining for a rare sight of golf’s biggest star.

Woods had them cheering even louder at the end.

He put on a show in his first competition in seven months, closing with three straight birdies and one big smile for a 2-under 69 in the Genesis Invitational, leaving him five shots behind Max Homa and Keith Mitchell.

Woods went bunker-to-fairway-to-bunker on the 10th hole and had to make an 8-footer to save bogey. He was wild off the tee for another bogey on the 12th, leaving him over par on a mild, breezy afternoon.

And then he looked like the Woods of old at the end — a tee shot to 5 feet on the par-3 16th, another birdie from 25 feet on the par-5 17th and then a big drive — a few yards longer than Rory McIlroy — on the 18th that set up 9-iron to 7 feet.

“I was able to fight back and get it going,” Woods said. “It was a nice finish.”

His legs held up fine, though still sore. The final task was making it up those 52 steps toward the clubhouse to sign his card. The next step is a quick turnaround. Woods finished about 5 p.m. local time, and faced a 7:24 a.m. start to the second round.

Homa played in the morning and also finished with three straight birdies for a 64. Mitchell played in the afternoon and birdied the last two holes to join him.

Jon Rahm opened with a 65 as he bids to return to No. 1 in the world. Matt Kuchar opened with a 30 on the front nine and settled for a 66, along with two-time major champion Collin Morikawa and Harris English.

Hardly anyone was watching them. That was to be expected with Woods playing. He has commanded all the attention for the last 25 years, and now Tiger sightings are rare because of legs that have been battered by knee surgeries (left) and a car crash (right).

There also was that matter of rust, which went beyond his golf. He hasn’t heard this kind of noise since last summer at St. Andrews.

“I haven’t played in a tournament in long time,” Woods said. “I didn’t look up as much. I was trying to calm myself down all day, figure out what the hell I’m doing out here. ... I probably should have appreciated the fans more than I did, but there was so much going on in my head.”

The group certainly helped. For the third time in his last four appearances at Riviera, Woods played alongside Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy, two of his closest friends in golf. They all birdied the 18th, McIlroy for a 67, Thomas for a 68.

It was a treat for the thousands that followed them along.

The space behind the first tee at Riviera was so crammed that Seamus Power had to squeeze his way through fans to get to the putting green. Fans began chanting Woods’ name when he arrived. The applause when he was announced wasn’t quite as loud, mainly because so many people were holding phones high above their heads to get a picture.

And it stayed that way throughout the afternoon. There was a large rush of fans going down the eighth fairway as Woods was approaching the seventh green. No, this wasn’t the seventh inning of a Dodgers game in a bid to beat traffic. They were moving ahead trying to find a spot to see.

Woods opened with a good pitch to 4 feet for birdie on the par-5 first, the easiest hole at Riviera, and he followed with two more pars before missing the green and then a par putt from 10 feet on the long par-3 fourth.

As for his legs, there was a noticeable limp as he descended a steep cart path from the first tee.

It looked as though his round might fall apart on the 10th — a drive into the bunker some 50 yards short of the green, blasting out weakly short of the green, and then a pitch that ran past the flag and trickled into the back bunker.

He did well to make bogey, and that set up the big surge at the end.

Homa won at Riviera two years ago and called it the coolest thing he had ever done in golf, and for good reason. He grew up about 30 miles away and used to attend this tournament as a fan. He also won when his beloved Dodgers and Lakers were world champions. Oh, and Woods is the tournament host and presented him the trophy.

Victories are not routine for Homa, but he is getting used to them. He already has won twice this season, most recently three weeks ago down the coast at Torrey Pines.

He began his round on the 10th, regarded as the best short par 4 in the US, and went long off the green, hit a flop shot into the back bunker and then holed out for birdie.

The finish was even better, a prelude to what Woods delivered at the end of the day.


Flamengo’s impressive Club World Cup start sets up mouth-watering Chelsea showdown

Updated 17 June 2025
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Flamengo’s impressive Club World Cup start sets up mouth-watering Chelsea showdown

  • The Brazilian Cup champions next face Chelsea, who beat MLS side LAFC 2-0 earlier in the day, in a mouth-watering clash at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Friday

Flamengo’s dominant 2-0 victory over Esperance de Tunis on Monday will have caught the attention of Group D favorites Chelsea, and suggests the Brazilian side could have a significant impact at FIFA’s revamped tournament.
The Brazilian Cup champions next face Chelsea, who beat MLS side LAFC 2-0 earlier in the day, in a mouth-watering clash at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Friday that should determine the group winner.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT:
It has been over a decade since a European team lost at the Club World Cup but the ease with which Flamengo dispensed with Esperance will give them confidence they can end that run when they face Chelsea on Friday.
The London side were the last European team to taste defeat at the tournament, losing to Corinthians in the 2012 final, but since then the continent’s clubs are undefeated in 27 matches.
Palmeiras and Boca Juniors came close to wins over Porto and Benfica in their openers at the current edition, and South American sides have six games left against European opposition in the group stage to break their stranglehold.
Flamengo are unbeaten in over a month and lead the Brazilian league playing a solid brand of football under the calm guidance of former Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis.
KEY QUOTES:
Flamengo midfielder Jorginho: “We enjoyed the goal, and the fans were amazing, as I’ve seen before but now I’m living it. The most important thing is the performance that we did. I think we controlled the game, we played well and we deserved the win, I think that was the most important thing for us.
“It felt really good, because we have great players who understand the game, I feel that we can understand each other very quickly, and it’s going to be a good bond with the group and everything, so we just need to keep working together and move forward.”
Flamengo manager Filipe Luis: “At the beginning we managed to control the game with possession, then after the first goal we slowed down a bit and that cost us a bit of time with the ball. But in the second half we managed to score the second goal and a great win, three points. Now we have to face the next chapter for this group, Chelsea is a difficult team, but very happy with the win.” (Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Peter Rutherford )


Williams scores 40 points and Thunder win 120-109 for a 3-2 NBA Finals lead over Pacers

Updated 17 June 2025
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Williams scores 40 points and Thunder win 120-109 for a 3-2 NBA Finals lead over Pacers

  • Williams was 14 of 24 from the field, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists
  • Teams that win Game 5 of an NBA Finals that was tied at 2-2 have gone on to win the series 23 times in 31 previous opportunities, or 74 percent

OKLAHOMA CITY: Jalen Williams scored a career playoff-high 40 points, MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31 and the Oklahoma City Thunder moved one win from a title by beating the Indiana Pacers 120-109 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.

It was the 10th — and by far, the biggest — time the Thunder stars combined for more than 70 points in a game. Williams was 14 of 24 from the field, and Gilgeous-Alexander added 10 assists.

Pascal Siakam had 28 points for Indiana, who now trail the series 3-2 and will host Game 6 on Thursday night. TJ McConnell added 18 for the Pacers, who whittled an 18-point deficit down to two in the fourth — then watched the Thunder pull away again, and for good.

“That’s a really good team over there,” Williams said. “You just don’t trip into the finals.”

True. But now, everything favors the Thunder.

Teams that win Game 5 of an NBA Finals that was tied at 2-2 have gone on to win the series 23 times in 31 previous opportunities, or 74 percent. And teams with a 3-2 lead in the finals have won 40 times in 49 previous opportunities, or 82 percent.

But Game 5 was not easy. Far from it.

Down by 18 late in the second quarter, the Pacers — the comeback kings of these playoffs, with as many wins in this postseason from 15 points down or more (five) than the rest of the league has combined, including in Game 1 of this series — did what they do, chipping away. And they did it with Tyrese Haliburton reduced to basically playing decoy on offense because of a leg issue that he aggravated in the first quarter.

Led by McConnell, who scored 13 points in just under seven minutes of the third, the Pacers got within five late in that quarter.

Then, Siakam went to work — a pair of free throws with 9:19 left got Indiana within four, then a 3-pointer about a minute later made it 95-93. In the play-by-play era of the NBA, starting with the 1997 playoffs, teams with leads of 15 points or more in the finals were 80-9.

Make that 81-9 now, and the Thunder are one win away.

“That was honestly the same exact game as Game 1,” Williams said. “Learning through these finals, that’s what makes a team good.”

One more win, and his team will be certified as great.


Tiafoe crashes out, Rune cruises through at Queen’s Club

Updated 17 June 2025
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Tiafoe crashes out, Rune cruises through at Queen’s Club

  • British No. 2 Jacob Fearnley joined Evans in round two after he made short work of Australia’s Alex Bolt with a 6-2 6-4 victory
  • Qualifier Mackenzie McDonald got the better of 38-year-old Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4

LONDON: Frances Tiafoe fell to a first round exit at Queen’s Club on Monday as veteran Brit Dan Evans rolled back the years, while fourth seed Holger Rune eased through.

Evans, who needed a wildcard for his place in the draw after sliding to 199 in the world rankings, proved too good for the seventh seed in a 7-5, 6-2 win.

“I still believed I’ve got that tennis in me and I still believe I can do good things inside the top 100. But believing it and it happening is a lot different,” said Evans after winning the first men’s match on the newly-christened Andy Murray Arena.

The 35-year-old was a fitting victor as he had partnered Murray in his final match before retirement in the men’s doubles at the Paris Olympics.

“A few people mentioned it, that I had finished with him in his last match and then played the men’s event, the first match,” added Evans.

“It was pretty cool to do that.”

Rune had no such problems as the Dane eased into his grass court season with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Australian lucky loser Christopher O’Connell.

British No. 2 Jacob Fearnley joined Evans in round two after he made short work of Australia’s Alex Bolt with a 6-2 6-4 victory.

But there was disappointment for another home favorite in Cameron Norrie, who was beaten 7-6 (8/6) 1-6 6-1 by Czech rising star Jakub Mensik.

The 19-year-old, who beat Novak Djokovic to win the Miami Masters in March, next faces Roberto Bautista Agut, who edged out Nuno Borges 6-7 (6/8), 7-5, 6-4.

Qualifier Mackenzie McDonald got the better of 38-year-old Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4.

Carlos Alcaraz plays for the first time since his remarkable French Open victory over Jannik Sinner on Tuesday when he begins his quest for a second title at Queen’s against fellow Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.


Boca denied by two Argentines as Benfica fight back

Updated 17 June 2025
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Boca denied by two Argentines as Benfica fight back

  • The Argentine club had led 2-0 thanks to goals from Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia and looked set for a night of celebration after Benfica went down to 10 men in the 72nd minute

MIAMI GARDENS, United States, June 17, 2025 : Goals from two Argentine internationals denied Boca Juniors victory over Benfica on Monday, as the Buenos Aires side were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw in a stormy Club World Cup Group C clash.
An Angel Di Maria penalty on the stroke of half-time and an 86th-minute header from Nicolas Otamendi earned the 10-man Lisbon side a point from a fiercely contested encounter in what was a de facto home game for Boca.
The Argentine club had led 2-0 thanks to goals from Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia and looked set for a night of celebration after Benfica went down to 10 men in the 72nd minute.
Boca fans had taken over Miami Beach over the weekend, thousands of them gathering on the seafront for a traditional ‘banderazo’, singing, drinking and waving flags for hours in the searing heat.
A video of Boca fans jumping and chanting in a local Walmart supermarket, to the bemusement of regular shoppers, had captured the mood but it was nothing compared to the atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium.
The home of the Miami Dolphins was turned into a Bombonera by the beach, with 90 percent of the 55,574 crowd decked out in blue and yellow and bringing a level of constant noise rarely, if ever, heard for NFL games here.
When the action got underway it was clear that the enthusiasm from the stands was going to be matched on the field with Boca confirming the feeling that South American clubs in this tournament are out to prove a point against European opponents.
Boca’s midfield buzzed around, they attacked at pace and tackled with aggression and the first huge roar came when Benfica’s Argentine World Cup winner Di Maria received a rough challenge from behind.
But the physicality was laced with skill too and clever work from Lautaro Blanco down the left created the opening goal in the 21st minute.
Blanco cut in from the left flank, nutmegging Benfica defender Florentino and zipping a low ball in which was expertly flicked home by Merentiel.
The goal lifted the volume even higher and Benfica were struggling to cope — six minutes later they fell 2-0 behind when from a deep Kevin Zenon corner, Ayrton Costa headed toward the back post were the alert Battaglia nodded home from close range.
Two-time European champions Benfica desperately needed to get a foothold in the game and they were gifted one when Boca’s Carlos Palacios mistimed a challenge on Otamendi and after a VAR review — which included a red card for protesting from the already substituted Boca midfield Ander Herrera — a penalty was awarded.
The 37-year-old Di Maria showed all his experience to send Agustín Marchesín the wrong way as he gently slotted home to reduce the deficit.
The tempo slowed after the break but Boca had a chance to restore their two-goal lead in the 69th but Battaglia headed wide from a promising position.
Benfica found themselves further in trouble when Andrea Belotti, a half-time sub, was sent off in the 71st minute after a wild, high-footed kick into the head of Ayrton Costa.
But then with six minutes remaining Boca’s defense failed to pick up Otamendi at a corner kick and the Argentine veteran met Orkun Kokcu’s cross with a thundering header to level the game.
A disappointing result for Boca was compounded by a late red card for Nicolas Figal, who was dismissed for an ugly challenge on Florentino.
Group C also features Bayern Munich and Auckland FC.


Alexxanderr wins gold as Global Champions Arabians Tour concludes fifth stage in Cannes

Updated 16 June 2025
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Alexxanderr wins gold as Global Champions Arabians Tour concludes fifth stage in Cannes

  • Focus now on Netherlands as competitors eye World Arabian Horse Championship Supreme in Doha

CANNES: The 2025 Cannes edition of the Global Champions Arabians Tour came to a close on Sunday with Alexxanderr, owned by Al-Mirqab Farm, taking home the prestigious Senior Stallion Gold Championship title.

Held at the Stade de Hesperides, the fifth stage of the tour and first European stop offered a blend of world-class Arabian horse competition, cultural experiences, and Riviera glamour.

A high-profile crowd of horse owners, celebrities, influencers, partners, and members of the public attended the event over three days.

Bader Al-Darwish, the CEO of the Global Champions Arabians Tour, said: “Cannes has once again proven to be a spectacular stage for our tour.

“This event reflects everything we stand for — excellence, integrity, and the celebration of Arabian horse heritage.

“Congratulations to all the winners and participants for their remarkable performances. We are honored to bring this experience to such a stunning destination and grateful for the support of our partners who made it possible.”

With $1.63 million in prize money awarded across all classes, the Cannes stage once again cemented its position as a highlight of the GCAT calendar. The results will contribute to the overall tour rankings, bringing competitors closer to the prestigious Leading Male, Leading Female, and Top Handler titles.

The competitors were challenging for a chance to qualify for the World Arabian Horse Championship Supreme, which is set to take place in December in Doha.

Meanwhile, the tour continues to its sixth destination in the Europe and Middle East Series at Valkenswaard in the Netherlands from July 18-20.