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Ken Owens: The Lion and Grand Slam winner who's never started a World Cup game
He's a British and Irish Lion, a Grand Slam winner and Wales' most-capped hooker, but Ken Owens hopes to put one personal thing right in Japan in the autumn and start a World Cup game at the third attempt.
The 32-year-old has made six tournament appearances, but each time he came off the bench with one cap at the 2011 tournament and five more in 2015..
He was third choice for the role at the 2011 event in New Zealand and Scott Baldwin was first-choice four years later when England were hosts.
Since then Owens has established himself as Warren Gatland's go-to hooker in the big games.
"Hopefully I'll get an opportunity to go to this World Cup and get a start," said the Scarlets star.
"Going into 2011 I'd come off a serious injury and because a couple of other boys had injuries too I made the squad - and I was chuffed to get my first cap at that World Cup.
"In 2015 it was pretty much the same. I'd had about eight or nine months out with my neck again.
"Scott had a great tournament and my role was to bring an impact off the bench, which I enjoyed.
"You make your own luck and player's roles change in different squads.
"Hopefully I can stay fit and prove myself to the squad. It would be huge to make a third World Cup."
Owens and the rest of the Wales squad are in Switzerland experiencing a brutal two-week training camp at altitude.
"Its not pleasant, but we know why we're doing it and what the purpose of it is, especially if you've been through it before," he said.
"You can see the results it gives you and the places you can get to in those big matches."
Wales are ranked second behind holders New Zealand as the tournament looms, courtesy of a record 14-match winning run that included the 2019 Grand Slam.
The winning streak included a rare win against Australia in November, ending a 13-match losing run against them.
Wales also face Fiji, Georgia and Uruguay as they bid to reach the knock-out stages in Japan.
"To get that result against Australia was a monkey off the back and does give us confidence," said Owens.
"You saw when we beat South Africa and got that one win, we've had pretty good results against them since then.
"But the challenge will be there in every game. Fiji have won in France and, you see this at every World Cup, that when the South Sea Island sides get an extended period of time together they're very dangerous.
"You can't write off Georgia either. They've got some strength and weapons, and Uruguay are not just going to turn up and roll over to give us the points.
"We can't just say 'all we need to do is beat Australia' because we might end up losing the other games."
TORONTO – Darren Keane has been knocking on the door of victory lane throughout the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship season.
Finally, during Saturday’s Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Toronto Presented by Allied Building Products event at Exhibition Place, the 19-year-old beat down that door by passing Danish pole sitter Christian Rasmussen and holding off repeated attempts at a repass to shake the monkey off his back.
Rasmussen finished second for the Jay Howard Driver Development team, with Mazda Road to Indy USF2000 $200K Scholarship Award winner Hunter McElrea rounding out the podium for Pabst Racing.
An exciting 20-lap race around the unforgiving Exhibition Place street circuit just a short distance from downtown Toronto was interrupted only briefly in the late stages when Lucas Oil Raceway winner Cameron Shields found the wall in turn eight. Prior to that, after securing his first pole position, Rasmussen seemed to be in command during the opening stages, although he was unable to shake off the attentions of Keane.
Finally, on lap 11, Keane glimpsed his opportunity under braking for Turn Three. Once into the lead he set a new fastest lap of the race but Rasmussen remained close behind with McElrea also in the mix and looking for a way past. McElrea and Rasmussen exchanged second place a couple of times in turn three, the second occasion coming only moments before the full-course caution made necessary by Shields’ incident.
The cleanup was effected efficiently by the AMR INDYCAR Safety Team, leaving time for a one-lap dash to the finish. Keane kept calm, focused forward and hit his marks perfectly on the final lap to ensure there was no opportunity for Rasmussen to make a move.
Unlike in the second race of the season at St. Petersburg, where a mistake by Keane while attempting to hold off the Dane at the final corner ended disastrously for both, this time there was no such drama as Keane crossed the line just more than one second clear of his rival.
“This is amazing. This has been the goal for so long; I hope this is just the first of many. But that was super difficult and intense. Toronto is much more difficult than St. Pete, with the bumps. It’s much more of a street race. What happened between Christian and I there was my fault, so I’m happy that we both got a clean finish today. We had some good, close racing and it shows how much respect we have for each other. But that was a battle!”
McElrea also was close behind in third, earning his seventh podium in just eight races, despite grazing the wall a few laps from the end, while points leader Braden Eves finished a circumspect fourth for Cape Motorsports.
Zach Holden drove an impressive debut race for Legacy Autosport, rising from 13th on the grid to finish a strong fifth.
TORONTO – The streets around Exhibition Place have been a happy hunting ground for Aaron Telitz.
After finishing on the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires podium in each of the last two years and sweeping a pair of Indy Pro 2000 race wins en route to the championship title in 2016, the Wisconsin native led from flag to flag for Belardi Auto Racing in Saturday’s Cooper Tires Grand Prix of Toronto Presented by Allied Building Products.
The victory was Telitz’s first since the final round of his rookie season in 2017.
Championship leader Oliver Askew finished second for Andretti Autosport with his closest championship rival, Dutchman Rinus VeeKay, taking third for Juncos Racing.
Telitz who is competing on a race-by-race basis, upstaged the series regulars by qualifying on pole position this morning. He then took full advantage by accelerating immediately into the lead. Behind, VeeKay, who qualified second, was jumped by third-place qualifier Askew on the run toward turn one.
Telitz put his head down and extended his lead over Askew to more than two seconds inside the first three laps. Already out of push-to-pass range (1.5 seconds), Telitz traded fastest laps with Askew and then VeeKay in the opening stages of the 35-lap race as he extended his advantage to as much as five seconds before easing his pace and taking the checkered flag 2.9776 seconds clear of Askew.
In doing so, he became the sixth different winner this season.
“Having Belardi call me back to run with them again, that they had the confidence in me to get the job done, this just feels awesome,” said Telitz. “It is such a relief, after not winning at all last year. I hate how the crash at the beginning of the season defined my year (in 2018), but it knocked all the wind out of our sails. But this year is completely different. I had even more confidence coming into this weekend than I did at Road America. Hopping into the car against guys who have been here all year, I thought I’d get my butt kicked so getting the podium there really gave us confidence. As well as I know this track I felt as though I had a leg up here. I got a good start and, after the first lap, I had to just stay out of push-to-pass range. It was about not making mistakes and bringing it home.”
Second place for Askew enabled him to double his lead over VeeKay to a still meager six points with 10 of 18 races now in the books.
Ryan Norman couldn’t match the top trio and instead had his mirrors filled for most of the race by the distinctive yellow BN Racing/Team Pelfrey Dallara-AER of Englishman Toby Sowery.
Only midway around the final lap did Norman have any real breathing room, when the engine in Sowery’s car abruptly cut after he had locked up under braking for turn three. Fortunately, Sowery was able to recycle the electronics and bring the car home in fifth, narrowly ahead of Robert Megennis.
The finish:
Aaron Telitz, Oliver Askew, Rinus VeeKay, Ryan Norman, Toby Sowery, Robert Megennis, Lucas Kohl, Dalton Kellett, David Malukas.
PORTLAND, Ore. – Christian Szymczak and Drew Staveley secured the overall poles for Saturday’s and Sunday’s GT4 America SprintX races, respectively at Portland Int’l Raceway.
The 30-minute qualifying session featured numerous fast laps and a record-setting GT4 qualifying lap by Staveley.
Spilt into two 15-minute segments the qualifying session was held under ideal sunny, 68-degree Fahrenheit conditions.
In the first 15-minute qualifying segment to set the grid for Saturday’s race, SprintX Pro/Am competitor Matt Travis in the NOLASPORT No. 47 Porsche 718 Cayman CS MR posted an early fast time of 118.016 to top the charts.
Soon after West Pro/Am driver Szymczak posted a 1:18.020 to slot into second on the charts.
At the mid-point of the session, Pro/Am SprintX West driver Jon Miller went to the top with a 1:17.897, while Szymczak bettered his time to a 1:17.914 to slot into second. West Am class, Rearden Racing’s Vesko Kozarov slotted into third on the charts with a 1:17.935. SprintX Am class driver Kris Wilson then posted a 1:17.921 to bump Kozarov down to fourth.
Times kept falling as the session went on. With under five minutes remaining, Szymczak jumped to the top with a 1:17.189, followed by Travis who slotted back into second overall with a 1:17.803. Miller bettered his time slightly to a 1:17.781 to move back into third on the charts.
The final flying laps of the session saw Kozarov run a 1:17.567 to slot into second overall on the grid and first in the West Am division, while Ryan Dexter in the Dexter Racing #63 Ginetta G55 moved up into third overall on the grid and tops in the Pro/Am division with a 1:17.745.
Szymczak’s time held for the overall and West Pro/Am pole. Miller’s time held for fourth overall and second in the West Pro/Am class, while Travis qualified fifth overall and second in the Pro/Am class. Wilson qualified sixth overall and first for the Am class. The top seven cars in the first segment qualified less than a second apart.
Drivers from the first segment then swapped out for their teammates and the second 15-minute qualifying session to set the grid for Sunday’s race.
West Pro/Am competitor Jason Wolfe piloting the ST Racing No. 38 BMW M4 GT4 posted the early quick time of the session with a 1:17.076, followed by Travis’ teammate Jason Hart with a 1:17.104.
Szymczak’s teammate Kenny Murillo then slotted into third overall with a 1:17.345. Wolfe soon after improved him time to a 1:17.052. West Am competitor Staveley driving the No. 24 Ian Lacy Racing Ford Mustang GT4 then slotted into third with a 1:17.176.
The top three times held until with under three minutes to go Staveley rocketed to the top of the charts with a record-setting Portland Int’l Raceway GT4 lap of 1:16.982. At the checkered, Staveley had secured the overall and West Am pole for Sunday’s race, while Wolfe qualified second overall and tops in the West Pro/Am division. Hart will start third overall on Sunday and first in the Pro/Am class.
SprintX Am class driver championship points co-leader Matthew Keegan qualified 9th overall and tops in class with a 1:17.656. Keegan will share driving duties with Preston Calvert in the No. 51 Team Panoz Racing Panoz Avezzano GT.
TORONTO – As Team Penske driver Simon Pagenaud completed what proved to be a pole-winning lap in Saturday’s Honda Indy Toronto qualifying session at Exhibition Place, NTT IndyCar Series rivals were sliding off pace.
Alexander Rossi of Andretti Autosport bounced off the outside wall in turn six, and Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon spun early in his final timed lap. Neither probably had the speed to match Pagenaud, but it made for an adventurous watch in the Firestone Fast Six qualifying session.
“Yeah, that was a pole run right there, man,” Dixon joked before fessing up. “I’d only done two corners, so I have no idea.”
With a lap of 58.4293 seconds, 110.041 mph, on the 11-turn, 1.786-mile temporary downtown street circuit, the result was Pagenaud’s second pole of the season the 12th pole for the driver of the No. 22 DXC Technology Chevrolet. In May, Pagenaud won the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge from the pole.
“It was a great day, really,” Pagenaud said. “Great weekend so far. I’ve had the most fun ever in Toronto. The car has just been amazing. The engine, Chevrolet, provided us a bit of an update this weekend and I think it’s really showing. I think the horsepower down Lake Shore (Boulevard) really helped to get pole. But also, just tying every corner so well together.
“It’s so exciting in the car. I just had so much fun just being on the limit and finding further limits every lap. It was just a great lap. We really put down a big lap and I’m really proud for the DXC Technology people that are here this weekend. It’s a big event for them and I love this track, so it’s great to really be able to kick it to the next gear for the end of the championship.”
Pagenaud had the fastest lap in each of the three practices here, but he respected the potential of Rossi, Dixon and others to knock him off his perch.
“At the end of qualifying, everybody goes out to the maximum limit, so obviously the lap times get closer and closer and closer,” he said.
Pagenaud stopped short of saying the car’s strength has made it a smooth ride this weekend, but he described the performance of the car as versatile and predictable. A driver can extract a lot of speed when those qualities exist in a car.
“It’s honestly a pleasure to drive this weekend,” Pagenaud said. “I’m having the most fun I’ve had in a long, long time.”
Dixon, driver of the No. 9 PNC Bank Honda, earned the second starting position with a lap of 58.4293 seconds (109.730 mph). Rounding out the top five, respectively, were Chip Ganassi Racing rookie Felix Rosenqvist (58.6793/109.572), Rossi (58.9215/109.121) and Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden (59.3103/108.406).
Local favorite James Hinchcliffe will start 14th in the No. 5 Arrow Schmidt Motorsports Honda.
Morikawa in mix again as Tour card continues to come into focus
While Matthew Wolff ended up winning the 3M Open and earning his PGA Tour card last Sunday, Collin Morikawa likely won’t be far behind.
Morikawa earned 245 non-member FedExCup points for his joint-runner-up finish at TPC Twin Cities, which bumped his total to 334 and earned him special temporary membership on Tour. With unlimited sponsor exemptions the rest of the season, all Morikawa needs to do to lock up his Tour card for next season is finish with more points than No. 125 on the FedExCup list. Currently, Ryan Blaum holds that position with 284 points.
“Obviously the goal coming into this summer was to earn a full card for next year,” Morikawa said earlier this week. “We're almost there.”
Through 54 holes of the John Deere Classic, the 22-year-old Cal product is in position to widen the gap between him and No. 125. After opening in 1-under 70 at TPC Deere Run, Morikawa has shot 66-65 and sits at 12 under.
He won’t play in Sunday’s final pairing like he did a week ago, but he can still haul in some significant points.
“It's fun being out here,” Morikawa said Saturday. “To finally compete with these guys is exactly what I've wanted to do, and I've been playing some really solid golf. I've been putting the ball close to the hole and letting some drop.”
Morikawa has made just three bogeys all week at TPC Deere Run, including none on Saturday. On Moving Day, he birdied two of the three par-5s and all four of his birdies on par-4s were inside of 6 feet. He nearly holed out for eagle from 112 yards out at the par-4 eighth.
“Once I hit the shot on 2, hit a good second shot [to 50 feet] and set myself up for birdie, I knew it was going to be a good ball-striking day, and the entire summer has been like that,” Morikawa said.
Now five starts into his pro career, Morikawa has yet to miss a cut. His worst finish is a T-36 at the Travelers. There are three weeks remaining in the regular season, and Morikawa will likely tee it up twice, in the Barracuda and Wyndham.
There’s no reason why Morikawa doesn’t think he can win one of those events. A victory, by the way, would make him eligible for the playoffs.
“I think I've already proven to myself that I can come out here and play with these guys,” Morikawa said. “You know, I've told everyone, I've felt very comfortable since the first day I've stepped out here on the PGA Tour … You've got to believe in yourself. That's where it's going to start. There are going to be a lot of people that believe in you and you're going to have your support system, but if you don't believe in yourself out here, it's going to be really tough.”
Wiesberger (65) takes lead into final round of Scottish Open
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland – Bernd Wiesberger will take a two-shot lead into the last round of the Scottish Open after carding 6-under 65 on Saturday.
At 20 under after three rounds, Wiesberger posted the lowest ever 54-hole total at the European Tour event, and the lowest of his career.
Eric van Rooyen of South Africa shot 67 to drop out of a tie for the lead to second at 18 under at The Renaissance Club.
France's Romain Langasque (65) and Italy's Nino Bertasio (bogey-free 67) were two shots further back in a tie for third.
Former Ryder Cup star Jamie Donaldson and the English pair of Matt Wallace and Lee Slattery were part of a five-strong group on 15 under.
Former British Open champion Henrik Stenson went 52 holes without a dropped shot before a double bogey on the 17th left him six shots off the lead alongside Matt Fitzpatrick and Italy's Andrea Pavan, who made the cut on the mark of 5 under and surged through the field with a flawless 62.
Former No. 1 Justin Thomas was eight shots off the pace following a 70, while Rory McIlroy was a shot further back after a 68 which included four birdies in five holes from the fifth but also three bogeys.
Wiesberger turned in 31 after four birdies and was at 20 under when he dropped his only shot of the day, missing a short putt on the 17th. He recovered with his seventh birdie.
He won his fifth European Tour title in May at the Made in Denmark, and the Austrian was runner-up at the Irish Open last weekend.
Three places are also up for grabs for the British Open next week at Royal Portrush, where Donaldson won his first European Tour title in the 2012 Irish Open.
"I'll be keeping an eye on the leaderboard, I really want that Open spot of course, but winning is more important than that, that's the primary goal," Donaldson said. "I just need to go out there and play like I played today and then I'll be buzzing."
Howell: No surprise if Wolff makes 2019 U.S. Presidents Cup team
For the third straight day at the John Deere Classic, Charles Howell III had a front-row seat to the Matthew Wolff Show.
Howell, who shot 6-under 65 Saturday at TPC Deere Run, may have clipped his fellow Oklahoma State product by two shots, but the PGA Tour veteran had nothing but great things to say about the 20-year-old Wolff, who last Sunday won the 3M Open in just his third start as a pro.
"He has a ton of speed. Drives the ball wonderful. Yeah, and he plays fearless," Howell said. "It's kind of like the perfect recipe. I know winning last week after watching him play this week is no surprise.
"He's going to win a whole lot more."
But that wasn't even the boldest statement that Howell made.
"I would not be surprised if he was on that Presidents Cup team that went to Australia," Howell said. "He would be a guy to look at if I was Tiger [Woods]."
The Presidents Cup will be played this December at Royal Melbourne. By that time, Wolff will have played his first fall season as a PGA Tour member and realistically could have another win or two by then.
"He seems to be a guy perfect for that," Howell added. "Not afraid of anything yet."
Landry, Tringale top packed John Deere Classic leaderboard
Just days away from The Open at Royal Portrush, the John Deere Classic is wide open heading into Sunday at TPC Deere Run. Here’s where things stand entering the final round:
Leaderboard: Andrew Landry (-16), Cameron Tringale (-16), Bill Haas (-15), Adam Schenk (-15), Nick Watney (-14), Dylan Frittelli (-14), Ryan Moore (-14), Vaughn Taylor (-14)
What it means: To say this is anybody’s tournament is an understatement. There’s not a lot of separation – just five shots separate the leaders and a seven-way tie for 14th – and there are not many players in contention who have stood out this season. Tringale and Landry are the men to beat at the moment. Tringale is trying to lock up a spot in the FedExCup Playoffs, a year after needing to keep his card via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Landry has his card for next season but at No. 171 in points needs a big week to punch his playoff ticket.
Round of the day: Several players posted 7-under 64 on Moving Day, including Haas and Watney, who have combined for 11 wins on Tour. However, Haas hasn’t won since 2015 while it’s been seven years since Watney’s last Tour win.
Best of the rest: Moore, who won this event in 2016, shot 65 – he played his final three holes in 4 under – to jump into a tie for fifth. … Frittelli also shot 65 and sits at T-5. … Schenk fired a bogey-free 66 to rise to T-3. … Playing in the last group of the day, Landry got off to a strong start with three birdies in his first five holes, only to give two back at Nos. 11 and 12. However, he birdied three of his final six to shoot 67 and grab a share of the lead.
Biggest disappointment: Jhonattan Vegas entered Saturday with the solo lead. He’ll go to bed eight back after a third-round 76. Not good.
Storylines entering Sunday: While some will be watching to see if Tringale can finally break through or if Haas, Watney or someone else can end their winless streaks, many will tune in to see if youngster Collin Morikawa can give himself a chance to win for the second straight week. Morikawa, the 22-year-old Cal grad who lost to Matthew Wolff by a shot at the 3M Open, is just four shots back after 54 holes. He has shot 66-65 in the past two rounds.
Shot of the day: Viktor Hovland’s approach at No. 18 was impressive, especially considering his caddie recommended that he play it safe. No fear in these kids.
Quote of the day: “I would not be surprised if he was on that Presidents Cup team that went to Australia. He would be a guy to look at if I was Tiger.” – Charles Howell III on Wolff
S. Y. Kim, Lexi set for Sunday showdown at Marathon Classic
Two big-hitting, birdie machines will square off in the final pairing Sunday at the Marathon Classic.
Sei Young Kim and Lexi Thompson pulled away from the pack in the third round, setting up a head-to-head showdown that could feel like match play, if they pick up where they left off on Saturday.
Kim closed with four birdies over the final seven holes to shoot 5-under-par 66 and take sole possession of the lead at 16 under. She’ll be playing the final round with Thompson, who eagled the 18th to shoot 65. Thompson trails Kim by one shot.
Jeongeun Lee6 is the next closest player to Kim at four shots back.
Kim and Thompson took turns with the lead Saturday while combining to make 12 birdies and an eagle.
“I’m excited to play with Lexi,” Kim said. “She’s a long driver and a great player.”
Thompson said she won’t get caught up thinking in terms of match play.
“Honestly, I'm not really thinking about any other players,” Thompson said. “It's hard, because you're playing with them, and then there are leaderboards, but I try not to look at any leaderboards. I've just been trying to focus my game, my attitude, just everything I can control.
“I can't do anything about what they're doing. I can just control my game. If I make the birdies, great. Put the pressure on them. If I don't, it's golf. It's not my life.”
Kim, 26, may be the best player in the women’s game who hasn’t won a major.
She’s an eight-time LPGA winner who had five Korean LPGA victories before joining the American-based tour as a 22-year-old. She’s 0-for-25 in the majors, but she has eight top-10 finishes in them, including runner-up finishes in the 2015 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and last year’s Evian Championship. This is Kim’s last start before she heads to France to play the Evian again.
Kim is pretty good with a lead. She has won four of the last seven times she has led or shared the lead going into the final round of an LPGA event.
Thompson, 24, is looking for her 12th LPGA title, and, like Kim, her second this year. Thompson’s ball striking has been impressive all week. She has hit 17 greens in regulation each of the first three rounds.
At the last on Saturday, Thompson reached the green with a 6-iron and rolled in a 20-foot putt for eagle. She’s making a habit of making eagles at the last this year. She eagled the last hole in the final round to win the ShopRite Classic last month.
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