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HAALAND NETS BRACE AS DORTMUND DEMOLISH FRANKFURT IN BUNDESLIGA OPENER

Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland scored twice and set up another three goals as the hosts steamrolled past Eintracht Frankfurt 5-2 on Saturday to put down a marker in their Bundesliga opener.

It was captain Marco Reus who put new coach Marco Rose’s team in the driving seat in the 23rd minute, scoring from a Haaland assist, with Dortmund fans returning in limited numbers to the 81,000-capacity stadium

A Felix Passlack own goal four minutes later did nothing to slow them down as Thorgan Hazard rifled them back into the lead in the 32nd after Reus combined with the 21-year-old Haaland, who had scored a hat-trick in their German Cup first round win last week, for yet another counter attack.

The hosts, who face champions Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup on Tuesday, completed their first half goal rush with Haaland pouncing on a Stefan Ilsanker mistake to charge into the box and slot in for a two-goal lead in the 34th.

Gio Reyna added a fourth goal with a tap-in on the hour with Eintracht at the complete mercy of the bursting Dortmund runs that kept on coming. Another Haaland run earned him his second goal of the evening following a VAR review.

Fellow Norwegian Jens Petter Hauge scored late on his Bundesliga debut to somewhat improve the scoreline for Frankfurt. Bayern slipped up on their season opener on Friday with a 1-1 draw at Borussia Monchengladbach.

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OGBONNA, ANTONIO MOVE WESTHAM UP TO SIXTH AFTER THRASHING WESTBROM 3-1

Late goals by Angelo Ogbonna and Michail Antonio sealed a 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion to edge West Ham United closer to UEFA Europa League football next season.

West Ham made a bad start to the match as Declan Rice missed a penalty before Matheus Pereira gave West Brom a 27th-minute lead, scoring directly from a corner for his sixth goal in eight matches.

But Tomas Soucek equalised in first-half stoppage time when he tapped in Said Benrahma’s low cross at the far post.

Aaron Cresswell then struck a post before the left-back’s corner kick set up Ogbonna to put West Ham ahead on 82 minutes.

Antonio added a third on the counter-attack with two minutes left after being played in by Jesse Lingard.

It means West Ham need only a point at home to Southampton on Sunday to guarantee a sixth-placed finish.

Relegated West Brom stay 19th on 26 points and have announced Sam Allardyce will step down from his position as head coach at the end of the season.

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DETECTIVES FIND CAUSE OF TIGER WOODS’ BUT WILL NOT REVEAL DETAILS

The Los Angeles County sheriff says detectives have determined what caused Tiger Woods to crash his car last month in Southern California but would not release details, citing unspecified privacy concerns for the golf star.

Woods suffered serious injuries in the February 23rd crash when he struck a raised median around 7am in Rolling Hills Estates, just outside Los Angeles.

The Genesis SUV he was driving crossed through two oncoming lanes and uprooted a tree on a downhill stretch that police said is known for wrecks.

Woods is in Florida recovering from multiple surgeries.

Sheriff Alex Villanueva has been criticised for his comments about the crash, calling it “purely an accident” and saying there was no evidence of impairment.

Woods told deputies he did not know how the crash occurred and did not remember driving.

Investigators did not seek a search warrant for Woods’ blood samples, which could be screened for drugs and alcohol.

In 2017, Woods checked himself into a clinic for help in dealing with prescription drug medication after a DUI charge in his home state of Florida.

Detectives, however, did obtain a search warrant for the data recorder of the 2021 Genesis GV80 SUV, known as a black box.

Mr Villanueva would not say what data had been found in the black box.

“A cause has been determined, the investigation has concluded,” Mr Villanueva said during a live social media event on Wednesday in response to a question posed by The Associated Press.

But Mr Villanueva claimed investigators need permission from Woods — who previously named his yacht “Privacy” — to release information about the crash.

“We have reached out to Tiger Woods and his personnel,” Mr Villanueva said.

“There’s some privacy issues on releasing information on the investigation so we’re going to ask them if they waive the privacy and then we will be able to do a full release on all the information regarding the accident.”

Mr Villanueva’s statement about privacy issues did not make sense to Joseph Giacalone, a professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a retired New York City Police Department sergeant, who has criticised the sheriff’s response to the Woods incident from the start.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a department ever ask for permission like that,” he said. “What happens if his lawyers say ‘no, you can’t send it out now.’ And then where does that leave us?”

Mr Giacalone said it is unlikely that deputies would have sought the permission of non-celebrity victims in similar crashes to release information.

If the sheriff’s hesitancy stemmed from a potential medical episode behind the wheel, Mr Giacalone said authorities could simply say it was a medical emergency without giving additional details.

“I don’t think they would have asked any family member of us if they can come out with it,” he said.

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TIGER WOODS UNDERGOING SURGERY FOR MULTIPLE LEG INJURIES AFTER ROAD ACCIDENT

Tiger Woods is undergoing surgery on leg injuries after being cut from his car following an accident in Los Angeles, officials have confirmed.

Fire crews had to use “jaws of life” cutting equipment to remove Woods from the wreckage of the vehicle after it rolled over and suffered “major damage”.

The 15-time major winner was taken to a local hospital by ambulance having suffered “multiple leg injuries”, according to his manager Mark Steinberg.

A statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department read: “On February 23, 2021, at approximately 7:12 AM, LASD responded to a single vehicle roll-over traffic collision on the border of Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes.

“The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed. The vehicle sustained major damage.

“The driver and sole occupant was identified as PGA golfer Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods. Mr Woods was extricated from the wreck with the ‘jaws of life’ by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries.

“The traffic investigation is being conducted by investigators from LASD Lomita Station.”

Steinberg confirmed the news shortly afterwards.

“Tiger Woods was in a single-car accident this morning in California where he suffered multiple leg injuries,” he told Golf Digest. “He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support.”

Former United States alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn, a former girlfriend of Woods, tweeted: “Praying for TW right now.”

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the WGC-Workday Championship, an emotional Justin Thomas expressed his concern for Woods and his two children, Sam and Charlie.

“I’m sick to my stomach,” Thomas said. “You know, it hurts to see one of your… now one of my closest friends get in an accident.

“Man, I just hope he’s all right. Just worry for his kids, you know. I’m sure they’re struggling.

A KABC-TV helicopter over the scene of Woods’ accident showed a car on its side with the front end heavily damaged. Air bags appeared to be deployed. The wreckage appeared to be just off the side of a road on a hillside.

Woods was in Los Angeles over the weekend as the tournament host of the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, where he presented the trophy.

He was to spend Monday and Tuesday filming with Discovery-owned GOLFTV, with whom he has an endorsement contract. One tweet on Monday showed him in a cart smiling with David Spade

According to Golf Digest, also owned by Discovery, the TV shoot was on-course lessons to celebrities, such as Spade and Dwyane Wade. He did not play.

The 15-time major champion last played on December 20th in the PNC Championship with his 11-year-old son, Charlie.

He had a fifth surgery on his back, a microdiscectomy, two days before Christmas and gave no indication when he would return.

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Dannielle Kang wins Championship

England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff finished joint second at the Marathon Classic alongside Lydia Ko, whose dramatic late collapse allowed Danielle Kang to win the title by one shot.

New Zealand’s Ko, 23, had a five-shot lead with six holes to play at Highland Meadows in Ohio.

But she hit two bogeys and a double-bogey on the last to post a two-over-par 73 to finish on 14 under overall.

American Kang’s three-under 68 saw her win the title on 15 under.

“My caddie looked at me and said, ‘You’re right in it,'” said Kang, 27, who also won the Drive On Championship last week, the first LPGA Tour event since the coronavirus shutdown.

“I looked at him and said, ‘I’m five down with six holes to go’ but I kind of liked that mentality, made some good birdies coming in and kept it together.”

Ewart Shadoff, 32, hit a four-under 67 to join Ko, who had led by four shots overnight, in second place.

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Morikawa wins Pga championship

American Collin Morikawa emerged from a stacked leaderboard to win the 2020 US PGA Championship after a flawless final round in San Francisco.

At one point on the back nine, six players shared the lead – but an eagle two on the 16th saw Morikawa go clear.

The world number 12, playing in just his second major, carded a six-under 64 at TPC Harding Park to reach 13 under.

England’s Paul Casey was two shots back in a tie for second with overnight leader Dustin Johnson after a 66.

Like Morikawa, Matthew Wolff was another unheralded American to rise through the field on Sunday, shooting a 65 to finish on 10 under.

He tied for fourth with compatriots Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau, plus Australia’s Jason Day, who all carded 66s on a nail-biting final day that made a mockery of concerns over how competitive the year’s first major would be with no fans.

Justin Rose hit a 67 to finish a shot further back after being three behind the lead overnight, along with fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood, who slipped to three under.

Two-time defending champion Brooks Koepka trailed Johnson by two heading into the final round, but the American stumbled to a four-over 74 to also finish on three under.

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Rahm becomes golf number one

Jon Rahm wiped away a tear of joy after replacing Rory McIlroy as world number one by winning the Memorial Tournament.

A three-over-par 75 was enough to win on nine under, three clear of American Ryan Palmer (74), with Matt Fitzpatrick (68) third on five under, with fellow Englishman Matt Wallace (72) one back.

Rahm is the second Spaniard, after Seve Ballesteros, to top the rankings.

“I’ve accomplished a lifelong goal and any time I can join Spanish history with Seve is incredible,” said Rahm.

“But it’s hard to process right now because golf feels secondary. I lost two family members in the [coronavirus] quarantine.

“There are so many things going through my mind right now that have nothing to do with golf.”

This was the sixth PGA Tour event since professional golf resumed in the United States after an enforced three-month shutdown and had been been earmarked as the first to allow fans in to watch. 

However, last week the PGA Tour said the remaining nine events of this season would take place behind closed doors as cases of coronavirus continue to soar in the country.

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Tiger woods starts well in Tournament

World number one Rory McIlroy is four shots behind American leader Tony Finau after a solid two-under opening round at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio.

Finau holed nine birdies and three bogeys in a stunning 66 on a blustery day with gusts of wind reaching 30mph.

Ryan Palmer hit a bogey-free 65 to sit one back, while Spain’s Jon Rahm is in a group on three under par.

Tiger Woods, playing his first event since the coronavirus break, birdied the first and 18th in a one-under 71.

The Muirfield Village course also hosted last week’s PGA Tour event, won after a play-off by Collin Morikawa on 19 under.

This week’s Jack Nicklaus-hosted tournament is not expected to be won by such a low score with the fairways and greens all running much faster than they were last week.

Only 24 players carded under par scores on a tough opening day, which was again played behind closed doors.

“It’s not even remotely close to the same,” said Justin Thomas, who was beaten by Morikawa in the play-off. He had four bogeys in a two-over 74 to match his entire total in last week’s event.

“It was a totally, totally different golf course,” Thomas added.

It had been hoped this event would be the first to allow spectators in to watch but the PGA Tour has decided to play the rest of the season without fans present as cases of coronavirus continue to soar in the United States.

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Tiger Woods eyes Record

Tiger Woods says there is “no reason” why he cannot make PGA Tour history this week with a win at his first competitive event since February.

The 44-year-old goes into the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio chasing an 83rd PGA Tour win that would eclipse Sam Snead’s mark of 82, set in 1965.

“I would like to say that I’m going to win the event,” said Woods, who has won the tournament a record five times.

“That’s my intent coming in, that’s my intent going into every event.”

Woods, who tied Snead’s record by winning the Zozo Championship in Japan last October, added: “Whether that plays out come Sunday, hopefully that will be the case.

“There’s no reason why I can’t do it again this week.”

Masters champion Woods missed tournaments prior to golf’s coronavirus shutdown in order to deal with back issues.

At his last Tour event in February – the Genesis Invitational – he finished last among the players to make the cut.

The 15-time major winner played in a charity event during the official coronavirus shutdown but has since chosen not to compete in behind-closed-doors PGA Tour events.

“I just felt it was better to stay at home and be safe,” said the American. “I’m used to playing with lots of people around me and that puts not only myself in danger but my friends and family.

“That’s something that I looked at and said, ‘I’m really not quite comfortable with that whole idea, let’s see how it plays out first’.”

When Woods does compete at Muirfield Village Golf Club from Thursday he will do so without the usual mass of cameras and spectators that follow his every move at events.

He admits he has been intrigued by events without fans and took to watching in order to process what golf may feel like in the near future.

“To have no one yelling, no one screaming, no energy, the social distancing, no handshakes, there’s nothing to feed off of energy-wise,” said Woods.

“It’s just a silent and different world.”