Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...
I Dig Sports

I Dig Sports

Minutes after the U.S. team secured victory in the 13th Presidents Cup, the president himself sent a note of congratulations.

President Donald Trump sent the following tweet after Matt Kuchar made the cup-clinching putt to give the U.S. its 11th win in the biennial competition.

President Trump was on hand two years ago at Liberty National to award the U.S. the Presidents Cup trophy. He has played golf with a few of the current U.S. team members, including captain Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas and Dustin Johnson.

A look at professional golfers who have played alongside Donald Trump since he was elected President of the United States.

India head coach Ravi Shastri has said that winning a world title has become a "huge" obsession of his, something he wants to "chase" with his team.

Under Shastri, India have competed in three global tournaments: the 2015 World Cup, the 2016 World T20 and the World Cup earlier this summer in England. All three times, India failed to go past the semi-finals. Before Shastri's tenure ends, India have two more chances to secure his maiden world title as coach: the upcoming T20 World Cups, first in October 2021 in Australia, and then at home in 2021.

"Huge [obsession]," Shastri told India Today in an interview. "I am a winner, man. I have been part of a World Cup team that won in 1983. I have been part of a World Championship team that won in 1985. I'm a coach of the Indian team which has been the No. 1 Test team in the last three years. I like to win. So, yes, would you say that [I am after] one event [ICC title]; I'll chase that, with my team."

Shastri's comments are in contrast with India captain Virat Kohli, who recently spoke in measured terms of not focusing "on things which are only based on results" but "enjoying the process" instead. The obsession, Kohli said, came from the "public".

"You could say winning an ICC tournament is like an obsession or like a wish that people have, which is a beautiful thing to wish," Kohli had said. "We [the players] obviously have the desire to win big tournaments and big series and we want to give our best effort possible. But, if you focus on things which are only based on success and numbers and results, you don't enjoy the process. We play well as a team because we enjoy the process."

Shastri said he had no doubts that under Kohli's captaincy India would end up ranked alongside the greatest teams ever, but the absence of an ICC trophy was still hurting. "It is an obsession for me. I am going to chase it, with my team. This team will go down in the history of Indian cricket, in world cricket, as one of the best teams of the century.

"Okay. I'm telling you now. But we are going to chase that [ICC title], and that will be cherry on top of the cake. We are chasing it. My team, me, my management, we are chasing it. So, if you say it's an obsession, it is a bloody obsession. Get that right."

India's last world title was the 2013 Champions Trophy that MS Dhoni's team won beating hosts England. Since then Shastri has had two stints in the coaching role: first through 2014-16 and then he took over again after the 2017 Champions Trophy where India finished runners-up to Pakistan.

With India now shifting their focus to the T20 format for the next two years ahead of those two World Cups, Shastri predicted that within the "next 12 months" India would take their place "in the top two if not [No.] 1" position in the T20 format.

The Dhoni question: "I don't rule anything out" - Shastri

It was under Dhoni that India won their last and only T20 world title - in 2007, the inaugural edition of the tournament. More than a decade later, two years short of 40, Dhoni remains a talking point. After being run out by a direct hit by Martin Guptill in the World Cup semi-final in July, Dhoni has not played any competitive cricket.

Shastri said that he had seen a photograph recently of Dhoni "pulling out a bat", which was a positive sign that he was resuming training, which Shastri said was essential first step towards making a comeback. "The way I look at it is he will start training because you can't leave the game. If you want to play the game, you can't leave it for that long, it will catch up.

"I think he will play the IPL and take it from there. If he has an outstanding IPL... I don't rule anything out, with that kind of experience, with that kind of the knowledge of the sport. He would know - the amount of sport he has played, if he puts himself in contention, he feels after the IPL, 'I'm good enough to play for India', don't mess with that."

According to Shastri, he could understand Dhoni taking an extended break and possibly turning his focus on the T20 format. "To be honest, it [Dhoni's decision] is sensible. And I like that he's starting to play again. See, because I don't think he is too keen on the one-day stuff anymore. He is finished with Test cricket; T20 is an option. It's a format that's tailor-made for him, but will his body be able to cope with the demands only he will know.

"If he decides to play, which he will because he will play the IPL then he will start with a very fresh mind and very clear ideas. Then you've got to see form. If he has a great IPL and puts himself into contention that 'I'm available for selection', then you don't fool around."

Shastri had earlier said he could not understand why people were "in a hurry to see him off", and underlined that Dhoni could be considered for the 2020 T20 World Cup in case he did do well in the upcoming IPL.

While the outgoing India selection committee head MSK Prasad had said more than once his panel has "moved on" from Dhoni, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly asserted the decision of when to retire was Dhoni's to take. Dhoni himself had subsequently left fans - and journalists - on the edge, asking them to wait till January.

Langer backs Siddle as Hazlewood's likely replacement

Published in Cricket
Saturday, 14 December 2019 21:58

Peter Siddle's Test ambitions live on after he was picked out by Australia coach Justin Langer as a potential replacement in the squad for the injured Josh Hazlewood.

Hazlewood will miss the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand after suffering a hamstring strain in his second over in Perth and appears unlikely to be fit for the final Test in Sydney.

James Pattinson, who was ruled out of contention for the opening Test of the season against Pakistan after his code-of-conduct suspension, is the favourite to come into the XI on his home ground at the MCG, and the uncapped Michael Neser is also part of the squad. However, there is likely to be reinforcements added to the squad with an eye on the workloads of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

"We've started to think about it, the obvious one would be Peter Siddle," Langer said when asked who could come into the squad. "He did a really good job in the Ashes, he's bowling very well for Victoria and it's at the MCG where he's played a lot of cricket. We'll see what happens the rest of this game and then make a decision."

Siddle played in three of the Ashes series taking nine wickets but picked up an injury in the early stages of the final match at The Oval which hindered his performance. He is Victoria's leading wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield this season with 18 wickets at 19.77.

Having enforced the follow-on in the second Test against Pakistan in Adelaide and now been reduced to two frontline quicks in Perth, Langer was conscious of the strain the bowling attack is under although there will be nine day gap before the Boxing Day Test.

"It always makes you nervous when a bowler goes down," Langer said. "You always think about the implications for this game but also the cumulative effect of a lot of overs. We also think back to the winter and what's already been this summer, so they are things you keep in mind. We'll go through the process and come up with the best solution.

"It's a shame for Josh; he's built up so well during the Ashes. I feel for him. Hopefully it's not too bad. He's certainly out of Boxing Day and but we'll have a look for Sydney. We'll have a look at the end of this Test at how many overs the boys bowled, how long we were in there for the second innings and we'll make a decision on who the next bowler is."

With the overs clocking up for the fast bowlers - and the potential for a second spinner to be needed in Sydney - the question of an allrounder has been raised again. However, options are limited with Mitchell Marsh only just beginning his comeback from the broken wrist he suffered when punching the dressing room wall and the highly-rated Cameron Green is unable to bowl due to a stress fracture of his back. Another Western Australia allrounder, Marcus Stoinis, has had promising returns in the Shield with 322 runs at 35.77 and 12 wickets at 27.25 but would appear a long shot.

"There are a few injuries and there's a great opportunity in Australian cricket for someone to put their hand up and knock really hard on the door to fill that gap," Langer said. "There's a lot of talk about allrounders but the truth is, whether it's a club side, T20 side, Shield side, they all want an allrounder but there aren't many of them around. And that's okay, we just find different ways of winning."

Marsh, who will play the Perth Scorchers' opening match of the BBL against the Sydney Sixers on Wednesday as a specialist batsman, and is at least a week away from bowling competitively, admitted his wrist may never be 100% again following a nine-week recovery. He also conceded he had tried to rush back too soon.

"It's been a long nine weeks, so looking forward to it," Marsh said. "I've only had a couple of bowls, so it will take me a while to get going. It's been slow but it's feels good now. Injuries in sport you learn to deal with, but when you do it to yourself, it's a bit different. We knew it was a ten-week injury but I wanted to get back in four. It's natural as an athlete and I pushed really hard."

Tiger leads U.S. rally for Presidents Cup win

Published in Breaking News
Saturday, 14 December 2019 21:04

MELBOURNE, Australia -- There were high emotions and fierce hugs from Tiger Woods, this time as a winner both ways in the Presidents Cup.

Woods capped off a big year that began with his 15th major at the Masters by playing and leading his U.S. team to another victory in the Presidents Cup on Sunday at Royal Melbourne.

The first playing captain in 25 years, he opened the 12 singles matches by beating Abraham Ancer to set the Presidents Cup record with his 27th match victory, and set the tone for the rest of his team.

The scoreboard was filled with American red scores all day as they rallied from a two-point deficit to win the Presidents Cup for the eighth straight time against an International team that faltered at the worst time.

Matt Kuchar delivered the clinching putt, a 5-footer for birdie that assured him a halve against Louis Oosthuizen and gave the Americans the 15½ points they needed to win.

The final result was 16-14, and at least this one was a contest. The U.S. victory two years ago at Liberty National was so resounding that it nearly ended on Saturday.

International captain Ernie Els was determined to turn it around. He created a new logo for the International team. He relied heavily on analytics. It still wasn't enough.

Els thought back to Friday, when the Americans won two matches with birdies on the 18th hole to keep the International lead from growing. On Sunday, all he saw was U.S. momentum that couldn't be stopped.

"We didn't get the result we wanted," Els said.

Woods hugged everyone hard, players and vice captains alike, wearing a smile not seen since he walked off the 18th green at Augusta National in April after becoming a Masters champion again after injuries that nearly ended his career.

"We relied on one another as a team, and we did it -- together," Woods said, his voice choked slightly with emotion. "This cup wasn't going to be given to us. We had to go earn it. And we did."

Els fashioned the youngest International team from a record nine countries from everywhere outside Europe and took a 10-8 lead into the final day, the first time it had the edge in 16 years.

It wasn't enough.

Patrick Reed, whose caddie was benched for shoving a fan who had cursed Reed from close range Saturday, built a 6-up lead through seven holes before putting away C.T. Pan to win for the first time this week.

Webb Simpson, who played with Reed as they lost all three team matches, never trailed in beating Byeong Hun An. Everyone on the U.S. team contributed something.

The Americans lead 11-1-1 in an event that began in 1994.

The only International victory was in 1998 at Royal Melbourne, and several players from that team came to Australia this week to conjure up good vibes. It only worked for so long.

The Americans won the singles session for the first time since 2009. Most years, their lead was so big it wasn't critical. This time it was. They hadn't trailed since 2003 in South Africa, the year of the tie.

So inspired was the American play that none of their six singles victories made it to the 18th hole.

The last two matches were halved, and the 8-4 advantage in singles matched the record for the largest Sunday margin since the Americans won 8-4 in the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994.

Follow live: UFC 245 main card

Published in Breaking News
Saturday, 14 December 2019 19:15

Nunes: "Honestly, I was a little bit off tonight, but I’m the champ, I always have plan A, B, C and more. If something goes wrong with the first plan, I just go to the next one. I couldn’t get my timing well with the striking, so I decided to go to the takedown.” #UFC245

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff Writer36m ago

LAS VEGAS -- There would be no one-punch knockout or highlight-reel head kick here. Amanda Nunes had to really work for this one.

Nunes beat Germaine de Randamie by unanimous decision (49-44, 49-46, 49-45) at UFC 245 on Saturday night here at T-Mobile Arena. De Randamie gave Nunes fits on the feet and did some damage, showing the typically dominant knockout artist Nunes wasn't impervious. But Nunes was able to take de Randamie down time and time again and grinded out a dominant decision victory either way.

"Honestly, I was a little bit off tonight, but I'm the champ, I always have plan A, B, C and more," Nunes said. "If something goes wrong with the first plan, I just go to the next one. I couldn't get my timing well with the striking, so I decided to go to the takedown."

It was the first time Nunes has gone all five rounds since a split-decision win over Valentina Shevchenko at UFC 215 on Sept. 9, 2017.

She now has the most wins among female fighters in UFC history with 12 and is the longest-reigning current champion in the promotion, man or woman, at 1,252 days.

Coming in, ESPN had Nunes ranked No. 1 in the pound-for-pound women's MMA rankings and atop the women's bantamweight rankings. De Randamie was tied for eighth on the pound-for-pound list and No. 2 at bantamweight.

Nunes was already considered the best women's fighter in MMA history. She owns wins over Ronda Rousey, Cris Cyborg, Holly Holm and Miesha Tate. Nunes even beat de Randamie previously, on Nov. 6, 2013. De Randamie was a +325 underdog here.

Nunes mauled de Randamie on the ground in the first round and seemed to expend lot of energy going for a finish with punches, elbows and submission attempts. The champion wasn't the same after that. In the second round, de Randamie caught her with hard combinations and body shots standing up and knees in the clinch.

It forced Nunes to take things to the ground. She is a longtime judo practitioner and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. De Randamie, a striker, isn't nearly as experienced in the grappling arts. Nunes exploited that weakness. She took de Randamie down to start the third, fourth and fifth rounds and barely let her up. When De Randamie did get up, Nunes took her down again. Nunes did land some ground and pound, especially punches to the body, which kept referee Keith Peterson from standing them up due to lack of action.

"My game plan was to go five rounds and work the takedown," Nunes said. "I almost got two submissions, but made some mistakes and I have to fix that. Just a little bit of the technique was off, but I will fix it and next time I will get it."

De Randamie did have a glimmer of hope in the fourth round. She briefly caught Nunes in a triangle choke from her back and managed to get into top position. But Nunes reversed it and took de Randamie down again. The crowd didn't like the strategy, booing the lengthy periods of top control from Nunes and booing Nunes again when the scorecards were read.

"We train everything in the gym, especially the bad positions, so I was OK when she surprised me with the submissions, it wasn't too bad," Nunes said. "Germaine's timing was very good tonight, but she's so heavy with everything she throws, so it was easy for me to time the takedown. This is exactly what we trained for, so I'm happy."

Nunes (19-4) has now won 10 in a row. Her five title defenses in the women's bantamweight division ties her with Joanna Jedrzejczyk for second-most all time in the UFC among women. Rousey, who is retired, is first with six.

Nunes, 31, has not lost in more than five years -- since Sept. 27, 2014. The Brazilian slugger who lives and trains in Florida also holds the UFC women's featherweight title.

De Randamie (9-4) had her five-fight winning streak snapped. The Dutch kickboxer was the first-ever UFC women's featherweight champion after beating Holly Holm in 2017. De Randamie, 35, came in ranked No. 2 by ESPN among MMA women's bantamweight fighters.

Bronny hits key FG as 'nervous' LeBron looks on

Published in Basketball
Saturday, 14 December 2019 21:51

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James was courtside as his oldest son hit the layup that give his team a win over James' alma mater on Saturday night.

LeBron James Jr., who goes by Bronny, stole an inbounds pass in the final minute and scored the bucket that turned out to be the game winner in Sierra Canyon's 59-56 victory over St. Vincent-St. Mary inside a packed Nationwide Arena in Columbus. The freshman scored 15 off the bench as his father watched him play in high school for the first time.

"I think I was a lot more nervous than my son," James told ESPN during a halftime interview. "Coming in here and being such a surreal moment for myself, our family, for Bronny himself. It's pretty cool."

James, who played for St. Vincent-St. Mary and helped the school win a state championship in Columbus in 2003, made the trip in between the Lakers' games in Miami and Chicago. He rarely sat in the final minute, including when Bronny made the play of the game.

With Sierra Canyon trailing by one, the freshman deflected an inbounds pass near the scorer's table, gathered the loose ball and went down the court for a layup inside the game's final minute. The go-ahead bucket came after Bronny missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer on a previous possession.

James sat with his wife, Savannah, across the court from Sierra Canyon's bench. After being reserved in his seat for most of the game, he became more animated as his alma mater's five-point lead started to evaporate down the stretch. Sierra Canyon's Brandon Boston Jr. scored a game-high 16 points, with 10 of those coming in the fourth quarter.

Bronny was given one of the game's MVP honors and took pictures with his father, his father's former teammates and St. Vincent-St. Mary coach Dru Joyce, who coached against his former pupil's son.

Romeo Travis, one of James' former teammates, said it was cool to see Bronny continue to blossom into his own.

"He's not living off his dad's name," said Travis, who sat next to James. "He's actually a really good player, so it's awesome to see."

Bronny, who wore a pair of Nikes in St. Vincent-St. Mary's colors and the school's initials on the back, checked into the game around the four-minute mark of the first quarter and received an ovation from the crowd. After missing a couple of shots early, he steadied himself in the second quarter and scored eight of his 15 with his family courtside.

"To have his mother and father in the stands, watching in Ohio, for us to win and for him to play a great game, I think that's the things you live for as basketball player," Sierra Canyon coach Andre Chevalier said.

After the court cleared following the game, James spent a few extra minutes with his family before he left the arena. A few minutes later, Bronny walked out of Sierra Canyon's locker room, clutching his MVP trophy as he made his way to the exits.

James said watching his son play his alma mater in his home state was a full-circle moment for him.

"It's an honor for myself to have my family here and for us to be watching such a beautiful game," James said.

TT Postscript: Woods closes 2019 with one more win

Published in Golf
Saturday, 14 December 2019 14:24

MELBOURNE, Australia – Just when I didn’t think this year could get any better.

Tiger Woods won the Masters.

He won the Zozo Championship to collect his 82nd PGA Tour victory and tie Sam Snead for most wins in history.

And this week at the Presidents Cup, the U.S. captain went out first in Sunday singles at Royal Melbourne and defeated Abraham Ancer, 3 and 2, to put the finishing touches on a perfect 3-0-0 record.

Here are some thoughts about the singles victory over Ancer:

• Let’s start with the end. Woods was 3 up with three holes to play as he stood over a 20-footer for birdie at 16, with Ancer studying a shorter birdie attempt for a chance to move on to the 17th hole. Woods, of course, would ensure Ancer never had that chance. He went to take his hat off to shake hands with Ancer before his ball found the bottom of the cup.

“Probably like 6 feet out, the match was over,” Woods said. “Hat might have gone maybe a little early.”

• Now back to the beginning. Woods was focused and intense during his warmup. That’s not altogether surprising, but it was noticeable this time. He didn’t make eye contact with Justin Thomas, who was relaxing ahead of his much-later tee time. It wasn’t until he was almost done that Tony Finau said something to him under his breath. Woods smirked.

• One particular moment stood out during the range session: International captain Ernie Els drove his cart in front of Woods on the range. Not behind – in front. There was no room to drive behind Woods, so Els just peeled in front, and Tiger acted like he never noticed. We know he did, but he acted like he didn’t.

• Woods never trailed in the match, but it was tied after eight holes. It was a bit of a nervy start for both Woods and Ancer. Woods bogeyed both par 3s (Nos. 3 and 5), and Ancer three-putted the fourth hole for a bogey. 

• After Woods made birdie at the 10th to go 2 up, a halve at the 11th was key. Woods threw his approach in to 8 feet, but Ancer responded by throwing a dart to just 4. Woods made his birdie to guarantee no worse than a tie. Ancer converted, but Woods stayed 2 up.

• The greatest shot of the day was a putt. Well, it was a putt from off the green that many expected Woods to chip. On the par-5 15th, Woods was 38 yards (114 feet) from the hole and quite a bit off the front of the green. He used putter and cozied it up to a foot. Yes, a foot. That birdie moved him to 3 up.

• In closing, Woods said: “I love playing with my teammates, and couldn't have a better group of guys to be the captain for. So, having the ability to do both this week has been just a special experience and one that I will never forget.”

BBL previews: Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers

Published in Cricket
Saturday, 14 December 2019 20:09

Melbourne Stars

Captain: Glenn Maxwell

Coach: David Hussey

Overseas players: Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), Dale Steyn (South Africa - first six matches), Pat Brown (England - expected from January 8)

Full squad: Pat Brown (overseas replacement), Hilton Cartwright, Jackson Coleman, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Ben Dunk, Seb Gotch, Peter Handscomb, Clint Hinchliffe, Sandeep Lamichhane, Nick Larkin, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jonathan Merlo, Lance Morris, Tom O'Connell, Dale Steyn, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa

Last season: 2nd

They suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the final, collapsing from an unlosable position against the Renegades. But they rode the wave of momentum to make the final after finishing fourth. There were a lot of positives to take out of their best season to date despite the bitter disappointment at the end.

What's changed for the season?

They have a new coach after Stephen Fleming stepped down. Former captain David Hussey takes the reigns of a squad that has shaped nicely. They have added Dale Steyn and Pat Brown as their overseas fast bowlers who will play roughly half the tournament each as well as Nathan Coulter-Nile, who is primed to play a big part in what could be his first full BBL for many years. Hilton Cartwright also comes into the squad as an all-round option. He has a modest T20 record with the bat, but he and Coulter-Nile add exceptional athleticism in the field which the Stars view as vital on the wide expanses of the MCG.

Australia impact

Maxwell's availability will be a big question. He has been away from cricket since October to manage his mental health, but is back playing club cricket in Melbourne and looks set for the BBL. Normally, he would be an automatic pick for the India ODI tour but the Stars will benefit if he doesn't go. Marcus Stoinis, Peter Handscomb, and Coulter-Nile could be in the national frame but seem more unlikely than likely, which again helps the Stars. The only man they may miss is Adam Zampa, who will almost certainly travel to India.

Player to watch

Nic Maddinson had also taken a mental health break this season but he is in the form of his life with the bat and seems most comfortable in the Melbourne environment. He could be primed for a big tournament with a settled role.

Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)

Among 32 bowlers who have bowled over 200 deliveries in the last four overs of a T20 match, Pat Brown has the best average - 12.42 - for any pace bowler. His death bowling and variations in the T20 Blast is the reason why the Stars have punted on Brown. It will be interesting to see how he bowls at the bigger grounds in Australia.

Perth Scorchers

Captain: Mitchell Marsh

Coach: Adam Voges

Overseas players: Liam Livingstone (England), Chris Jordan (England)

Full squad: Ashton Agar, Fawad Ahmed, Cameron Bancroft, Jason Behrendorff, Cameron Green, Aaron Hardie, Nick Hobson, Josh Inglis, Chris Jordan, Matthew Kelly, Liam Livingstone, Mitchell Marsh, Joel Paris, Kurtis Patterson, Jhye Richardson, Ashton Turner, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman

Last season: 8th

The Scorchers had been - and still are - the most successful team in BBL history, having not missed the finals in seven seasons, which included three titles. But after finishing top of the table in BBL07 and losing the semi-final, they finished last in BBL08 winning just four games.

What's changed for the season?

They have completely overhauled their list. Simon Katich has been working as a consultant with new high-performance manager Kade Harvey. Shaun Marsh (Renegades), Michael Klinger (retired), Nathan Coulter-Nile (Stars), Hilton Cartwright (Stars), Clint Hinchcliffe (Stars), Usman Qadir (not contracted) and David Willey (not contracted) have all departed. They have signed Liam Livingstone and Chris Jordan as new overseas players. Fawad Ahmed comes in from the Sydney Thunder to change the dynamic of the attack with AJ Tye and Jason Behrendorff out injured. Kurtis Patterson has been signed as part of a new-look top order alongside Livingstone.

Australia impact

They won't be as affected as other teams. Australia's one-day tour of India could see Ashton Turner and Jhye Richardson leave for five games if selected, but it is highly unlikely they will lose any others. Injuries are a bigger issue.

Player to watch

Matthew Kelly only played seven games last season but he made an impression with his death bowling, taking 11 wickets at a strike rate of 14.7. Given the injuries to key bowling personnel, he will be a pivotal player this season.

Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)

In this day and age, where spin plays a big role in T20s, the Scorchers have predominantly been dependent on their pace bowling to win titles. It has worked for them until last season. In the last edition, the Scorchers took only 13 wickets with spin at an average of 33. No team took fewer wickets with spin. This edition they are looking to better that record with more variety in the attack.

Tiger goes 3-0 as captain at Presidents Cup

Published in Breaking News
Saturday, 14 December 2019 19:13

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Tiger Woods did his best to lead by example at the Presidents Cup, winning all of his matches and capping his playing week with a singles victory over Abraham Ancer.

Woods, 43, never trailed in the match at Royal Melbourne, building a 3-up lead through 15 holes and then closing it out with a 20-footer for birdie at the 16th hole to dispatch the rookie from the International team who came in 3-0-1 during the competition.

As the ball approached the hole, Woods took off his cap and made his way to congratulate Ancer.

"Well, when it was probably like 6 feet out -- the match was over,'' Woods said. "I might have taken the hat off a little early, but it was over.''

The overall match was anything but finished. Woods' win brought the Americans to within 10-9, with 15.5 points needed for victory. The United States has lost the competition just once in 12 previous events, at Royal Melbourne in 1998, when Woods was just 21 and Jack Nicklaus was the captain.

The first playing captain since Hale Irwin held the dual role at the inaugural Presidents Cup in 1994, Woods improved his personal record to 27-15-1 and passed Phil Mickelson as the most successful player in the competition's history.

"I love playing with my teammates, and I couldn't have had a better group of guys to be the captain for,'' Woods said. "It's been a special experience.''

Woods made seven birdies and three bogeys in the 16 holes he played, and now he has two perfect records in nine Presidents Cup appearances. He was 5-0 at the 2009 event.

For the week, Woods went 3-0, winning a four-ball and foursomes match on Thursday and Friday. After sitting out Saturday's double session, he came back with the singles win, and now he is 7-2 in that format.

Soccer

Liverpool gambling with high stakes over Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold

Liverpool gambling with high stakes over Salah, Van Dijk, Alexander-Arnold

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLiverpool could lose three of their best players -- Mohamed Salah,...

Leverkusen will be the true test of Kompany's Bayern revival

Leverkusen will be the true test of Kompany's Bayern revival

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMUNICH -- It's probably not an example of perfect planning to be st...

Messi, Miami seal Concacaf Champions Cup place

Messi, Miami seal Concacaf Champions Cup place

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsInter Miami has officially qualified to the 2025 Concacaf Champions...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Warriors set for camp thinking they're better club

Warriors set for camp thinking they're better club

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsSAN FRANCISCO -- As the Golden State Warriors prepare to travel to...

Nuggets still within their 'championship window'

Nuggets still within their 'championship window'

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsDENVER -- With a blue banner commemorating the team's 2023 NBA cham...

Baseball

Dodgers wrap up 11th NL West title in 12 years

Dodgers wrap up 11th NL West title in 12 years

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers won the National League West...

Kershaw 'not giving up,' hopes to pitch in playoffs

Kershaw 'not giving up,' hopes to pitch in playoffs

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsLOS ANGELES -- Clayton Kershaw is still not ruling out the possibil...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated