Saturday, 18 July 2026
RYAN FOX MATCHES MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD WITH A 62 IN THE BRITISH OPEN
Ryan Fox has joined the list of players with a major championship scoring record
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| Ryan Fox of New Zealand acknowledges the crowd on the 188th green after completing his third round during the third day of the British Open Golf championships at Royal Birkdale golf club, in Southport, England, Saturday, July 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Jon Super) |
SOUTHPORT, England — Ryan Fox added his name Saturday to the growing list of players who share the major championship scoring record when he became the third player this week with a record-tying 62 in the British Open at Royal Birkdale .
Fox started early with barely a trace of wind, and he took advantage. He made five birdies on the front nine, and birdied two of his last three holes for 62 on the par-70 Birkdale links. Lucas Herbert and Sam Burns each had 62 some 20 minutes apart on Friday.
There now have been eight rounds of 62 in major championship history, half of them at Royal Birkdale. Branden Grace was the first to set the record with a 62 at Royal Birkdale in 2017.
Fox was in a pot bunker off the fairway on the 18th and still managed to find the green, leaving a birdie putt of nearly 50 feet for a 61. He left it short by about 5 feet and holed the par putt.
“When I got to 6 under through 14 I thought, ‘Oh, I’ve got a chance.’ I would have liked to give myself a birdie chance at the last, but happy to make par,” Fox said.
He played alongside Xander Schauffele, the only player with 62 twice in a major. Schauffele and Rickie Fowler each shot 62 in the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club — like Herbert and Burns, they were playing two groups apart — and Schauffele and Shane Lowry each shot 62 in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla.
Haeran Ryu set the record in women's majors last week with a 60 in the final round of the Evian Championship, which has yielded all the top scores in LPGA majors since it was designated one 13 years ago.
Schauffele is the only player with 62 in a major to win. Fox, who made the cut with one shot to spared, finished atop the leaderboard with Herbert, who was still more than an hour away from teeing off in the third round.
The links have rarely been this brown and fast, but it’s the wind — or lack of it — that has allowed for such low scoring this week.
Fox, one of the strongest players in golf with his rugby heritage, leaned on his driver for much of the round and set up good scoring chances.
“The game plan was to be aggressive,” Fox said. “I was aggressive on a lot of good wedge shots. Pretty happy with 62 at the end.”
All but one of his nine birdies — Fox made his lone bogey on the 13th with a drive into a pot bunker — came from about 10 feet or closer. His drive on the 321-yard fifth hole was about 30 feet from the hole, and his most important shot was a wedge from the rough on the par-5 17th that rolled out to about 4 feet.
Herbert also had a bogey on his card during his 62 on Friday.
There have been weeks of soft conditions or little wind — two elements that lead to low scores — at previous majors. Seven major courses — three of them links courses — have yielded two rounds of 63 or lower in the same championship.
Royal Birkdale is the first to give up three of them — with half of the field Saturday and the final round still to come.
- Doug Ferguson | AP
ASIA'S TOP PENCAK SILAT FIGHTERS GATHER IN DÔNG NAI
The tournament has played an important role in developing pencak silat across Asia, with the federation committed to preserving and promoting the discipline for future generations.
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| "The 10th Asian Pencak Silat Championships attracted athletes from nine countries and territories across Asia. — Photo baovanhoa.vn" |
ĐỒNG NAI — The 10th Asian Pencak Silat Championships officially opened in Đồng Nai City on Friday, bringing together nearly 300 athletes from nine countries and territories across Asia.
The continental tournament is one of the region’s key events for the traditional martial art, featuring top competitors in both tanding (combat) and seni (artistic) categories.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Lê Thị Ngọc Loan highlighted that pencak silat is not only a traditional martial art of Southeast Asia, but also a symbol of courage, respect and solidarity among nations.
Loan said the 10th edition of the championships provides an opportunity for athletes to compete in a spirit of fairness and sportsmanship, while strengthening exchanges, mutual understanding and friendship among participating delegations.
She added that local authorities would work closely with the Sports Authority of Việt Nam, the Asian Pencak Silat Federation and relevant agencies to ensure the event is organised in a professional and safe manner, contributing to promoting the positive values of sport for peace and co-operation.
Professor Zainuddin Amali, President of the Asian Pencak Silat Federation, said the championships served not only as a sporting competition but also as a platform to honour shared heritage and the spirit of mutual respect among nations.
He noted that over its 10 editions, the tournament has played an important role in developing pencak silat across Asia, with the federation committed to preserving and promoting the discipline for future generations.
Vietnamese athlete Nguyễn Tấn Sang said the Vietnamese national team had completed thorough preparations and were ready to compete, aiming for strong results on home soil. — VNS
'WHAT DO I KNOW?' - DONALD TRUMP JOINS CRITICISM OF THOMAS TUCHEL FOR PLAYING 'GOLF PARTNER' HARRY KANE IN 'DEFENSE' DURING WORLD CUP EXIT
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| Getty/GOAL |
United States President Donald Trump has offered an unlikely critique of Thomas Tuchel's tactics following England's dramatic World Cup semi-final exit against Argentina. The American leader questioned the decision to drop captain Harry Kane into a deep defensive role after the Three Lions surrendered a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 in Atlanta.
Tuchel faces unlikely critic
Criticism of Tuchel's tactics following England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina has come from an unexpected source, with US President Trump questioning the manager's decisions. The Three Lions looked set to reach the final after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring, but Tuchel's switch to a back five - eventually finishing with six defenders - allowed Argentina to dominate the closing stages. Lionel Messi set up goals for Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, sealing a dramatic 2-1 win for the South Americans.
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| Getty Images |
Trump questions tactical mistake
Speaking alongside FIFA President Gianni Infantino during an event at Trump Tower, Trump referenced his friendship with Kane from a past round of golf before questioning the manager's tactical adjustments.
Trump said: "You have a great player in England, who I played golf with. You know that, right? Harry, who's been fantastic. I think they perhaps made a mistake when they made him a defensive player.
"What do I know about soccer? They took the lead, and they took their best player and put him on defence. We have got to be a little offensive, right? But I'm not going to call it. What do I know about coaching? It was unusual, but Harry is a great guy, actually."
Manager rejects defensive claims
Tuchel shrugged off Trump's comments while defending his team's defensive structure and the captain's role on the pitch. Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the third-place playoff against France, the England boss insisted: "Do you use Donald Trump as your witness for the case or...? I was just asking.
"In which situation did Harry play too deep? What do you mean? Like in the last 30 minutes? Well, we defended in a deep block. That's what you do if you defend in a block. We were not active enough, we could not escape the deep block, but if you defend in a deep block, everyone defends in a deep block. That is what team spirit, togetherness, and mentality is translated to in football terms.
"We defend as a 10 and as 11, and if we are pushed back to a deep block, Harry defends in a deep block. This is what he did for moments in the first half. The difference is that we pushed back and we stepped out and we found the triggers to come out of the deep block. But we do everything together as a team.
"The team spirit, the togetherness, the mentality that this team built in the last six and a half weeks is not to be questioned and it showed even in defending. We became too passive in the last 30 minutes. We could not get hold of the ball, we could not find duels anymore. This is the next step that we want to take and from there we go."
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| Getty Images |
FA backing remains firm
England must swiftly shift their focus to face a tough test against France in Saturday's World Cup third-place playoff match. Despite the wave of criticism following their semi-final collapse, ESPNreports that Tuchel's position remains perfectly secure, with the tactician retaining the full backing of the Football Association (FA) to lead the team through to Euro 2028.
- Adhe Makayasa
LEWIS HAMILTON 'DESTROYS' FERRARI IN THE FINAL BELGIAN GP PRACTICE
It was almost a carbon-copy repeat of Pierre Gasly's incident in Friday practice.
Lewis Hamilton left his Ferrari mechanics with a mountain to climb ahead of qualifying for the Belgian Grand Prix after crashing in final practice.
In what was an almost identical incident to Alpine driver Pierre Gasly's smash in second practice on Friday, on his final flying lap in the dying moments of FP3 at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, Hamilton ran wide in emerging from the Fagnes chicane.
In attempting to control his car as it careered across the gravel, the seven-time F1 champion hit a barrier with the rear of his SF-26.
The impact immediately ripped off the rear wheel that was left hanging on by its tethers, whilst also severely damaging the rear wing.
Unlike Gasly, who spun through 360 degrees twice before finally coming to rest, Hamilton maintained forward momentum before finally stopping on track due to the damage sustained.
Asked over the radio whether he was okay, Hamilton responded by saying: "I've destroyed the car! Sorry!"
It means his team is in a race against time to repair the car and ready it for qualifying, which starts at 3pm UK [4pm CET; 10am EST].
- Ian Parkes
MICHAEL OLISE 'OBSESSED' WITH JOINING TEAL MADRID AS BAYERN MÜNCHEN STAR 'GATHERS INFORMATION' FROM HIS FRANCE TEAM-MATES DURING WORLD CUP
France and Bayern Munich star Michael Olise is desperate to join Real Madrid this summer, according to reports.
In what would be a sensational transfer, L'Equipe reported Olise, 24, has told his French team-mates at the World Cup that he wants to sign for the Spanish giants.
The same publication claims he has been 'gathering information' from his countrymen about the club during the tournament. Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni are the two in the French squad who play for Real.
Olise, a star of the French side that reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, joined Bayern in a £50million deal in 2024.
He has three years left on his contract with the German side so Real will have to stump up a significant fee to make his wish a reality.
L'Equipe says Olise's Bayern and France team-mate Dayot Upamecano has been pushing for the former Crystal Palace man to remain in Germany in an 'intense lobbying effort'.
🗞️ « Michael Olise, une envie de Real » : la une du journal L'Équipe du vendredi 17 juillet 2026 pic.twitter.com/R5TzJHxggx
— L'Équipe (@lequipe) July 16, 2026
Olise has been the subject of intense transfer speculation after impressing for Bayern, recording 16 goals and 27 assists in 39 league games. The winger also leads the assist charts at the World Cup with five going into France's third-place play-off against England in Miami on Saturday.
Reports in Germany earlier this year claimed Liverpool would launch an audacious £173m bid for the player amid their pursuit of a replacement for Mo Salah, but Bayern were adamant he would not be sold this summer.
Olise's name was also mentioned in the Real Madrid presidential election as it was suggested the club would table a £130m offer if Florentino Perez secured another term.
Perez did win the election but there has not yet been any contact between the two clubs regarding a player whose price may have skyrocketed after his displays for France at the World Cup.
- LIAM MORGAN
TWO MORE DRIVERS HIT WITH SPA GRID PENALTIES
Isack Hadjar and Lance Stroll have joined Lando Norris in receiving grid penalties for Sunday’s Belgian grand prix after taking new power unit components at Spa-Francorchamps.
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| Isack Hadjar will join Lando Norris and Lance Stroll with grid penalties for the Belgian Grand Prix. Image: XPB Images |
Hadjar has been handed the most severe punishment after Red Bull fitted his car with a fifth internal combustion engine, turbocharger and exhaust system of the season.
Each component exceeds the Frenchman’s permitted allocation, resulting in penalties totalling 30 grid places and requiring him to start from the rear of the field regardless of where he qualifies on Saturday.
Hadjar acknowledged before the changes were confirmed that extending his run of five consecutive top-six finishes would be difficult this weekend.
“This weekend, I think another top-six finish is going to be difficult given where I’m starting from, but we’ll give it a go,” Hadjar told Canal+.
“The main focus will be on race pace. It won’t be as much about qualifying performance, because we already know what to expect.
“We’ll probably start 22nd on the grid, but Spa is a track where you can overtake. A lot can happen, and we know we’ve got decent race pace. So I’m expecting to have some fun on Sunday.”
Hadjar’s hopes of recovering through the field will depend heavily on Red Bull’s race pace as he attempts to continue his recent run of form.
His teammate Max Verstappen has also received a new engine, turbocharger and exhaust this weekend but remains within his permitted allocation and will avoid a penalty.
Stroll will meanwhile drop 10 places from wherever he qualifies after Aston Martin installed a new MGU-K on his car.
The Canadian’s penalty may have less of an impact than those facing Hadjar and Norris, with Aston Martin expecting Spa to be one of its most difficult events of the season.
Norris’ 10-place penalty was confirmed on Thursday after McLaren introduced a fourth power electronics unit on the reigning world champion’s car.
The 26-year-old had already exhausted his permitted allocation following several failures during the opening nine rounds, making a penalty effectively unavoidable.
Spa is traditionally regarded as one of the better circuits at which to serve an engine penalty due to its long straights and greater number of overtaking opportunities compared with many other venues.
- Ben Waterworth
LIONEL MESSI REACTS TO ICONIC LAMINE YAMAL PHOTO BEFORE WORLD CUP FINAL:'IT'S CRAZY ..'
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| Photo by Elsa/Getty Images |
Lionel Messi has described Lamine Yamal as one of the best players in world football ahead of Sunday’s World Cup final, but the Argentina captain admitted he hopes the Barcelona youngster is kept quiet when the two nations meet with football’s biggest prize at stake.
The meeting between Spain and Argentina has naturally been built around two generations of football’s elite.
On one side is Messi, preparing for another World Cup final with Argentina.
On the other is Yamal, whose performances have confirmed his status as one of the brightest talents in the game.
Away from the official press conferences, FIFA organised a special event at the Fan Fest featuring Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, midfielder Rodri, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni and goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.
The biggest attraction, however, was Messi, who also appeared alongside Novak Djokovic, Kevin Durant and Tom Brady for a discussion ahead of the final.
Messi feels Yamal is destined for a special career
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| Messi has nothing but praise for Lamine Yamal. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) |
Asked about the teenager’s rapid rise, Messi had nothing but admiration for the Barcelona winger, revealing he has followed his progress closely because of his affection for the Catalan club.
“Lamine is a truly great player, whom I’ve followed very closely because he plays for a club I love and for which I always wish the best.
“At just 19, he’s already one of the world’s leading players. He has his whole career ahead of him and the chance to achieve something historic.
"We’ll try to make sure it doesn’t happen this time,” said the Barcelona legend.
Messi reflects on iconic Lamine Yamal photo
Messi was also asked about the famous photograph taken nearly two decades ago, showing him holding a baby Yamal during a charity calendar photoshoot.
The image has resurfaced repeatedly in recent months, especially with the pair now preparing to face each other on football’s biggest stage.
Yes, those photos you’ve seen are real.
More than 18 years ago, a baby named Lamine Yamal and his mom Sheila met Lionel Messi at a UNICEF fundraising photoshoot.
Today, their achievements on the pitch inspire millions. Off the pitch, both Messi and Lamine Yamal use their voices and platforms as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors to support and advocate for children around the world.
The goal? That every child survives, thrives, and fulfils their potential.
We are proud to have them on our team.
Credit: Joan Monfort
Reflecting on that moment, Messi said, “That photo is crazy. Life…
“I had my photo taken with him when I was a baby and now we’re set to face each other in a World Cup final.
“He’s one of the best in the world right now and I wish him the very best of luck because if he does well, so will Barcelona.
“That said, we’ll try to put in a good performance so he doesn’t play at his best, although that’s difficult.”
While his admiration for Yamal was clear, Messi also reminded everyone that Spain’s strength lies in the collective rather than one individual.
He concluded, “It’s not just Lamine. Spain have some brilliant players and play great football. We’ve got our own weapons too.”
Source: Mundo Deportivo
- Swapnil Bhopatkar
LANDO NORRIS ISSUES 'WAIT AND SEE' PERSPECTIVE ON SPA GRID PENALTY DISCOVERY
Lando Norris has issued confidence in the possibility of a successful damage limitation job in this weekend’s Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix, after having taken a 10-place grid penalty for the race.
The reigning World Champion is braced for the significant grid drop after McLaren opted to change the power electronic unit in order to reap benefits from Mercedes’ updates to them.
It will leave Norris in an extremely vulnerable position, needing to get into Q3 and perform well to mitigate the pain of the penalty.
But, speaking to media, including Motorsport Week, ahead of this weekend’s race, Norris was hopeful of nullifying the problems the grid drop will cause, conveying quiet confidence he will make up positions.
“We will have to wait and see how the overtaking is,” he said. “Most people would deploy basically the whole battery to Turn 5, and you would go from pretty much 100 percent battery to zero, so there is not much use for the battery, so we have to wait and see.
“We probably have a small straight-line speed advantage compared to the people a little further back, so we should have a good chance.
“But just to overtake in general, I think it could be pretty difficult here.
“But the slipstream is pretty big, and there are still a few straights where there is no straight mode, and therefore the slipstream is pretty large, and you can gain a good amount for that.
“So I don’t have all the answers yet, but we know it is better than Zandvoort and better than Hungary to take penalties, so I hope it is not the end of my weekend before it starts, but I am confident we can have a good weekend.
“We will wait and see.”
What can Lando Norris expect in midfield battle at Spa?
Spa-Francorchamps presents a unique puzzle for energy management, and it is one of the reasons Norris’ optimism is not entirely misplaced.
The uphill blast through Eau Rouge and Raidillon into the Kemmel Straight is the single biggest harvesting-and-deployment zone on the calendar, with cars spending an unusually long period at full throttle before drivers are forced to lift for the Les Combes chicane.
That long full-power phase burns through battery reserves quickly, but the compensating downhill and braking zones, particularly into Pouhon and the final sector, give the MGU-K plenty of opportunity to recover energy for the next lap.
The difficulty, as Norris alluded to, is that so many cars arrive at Turn 5 simultaneously low on charge, which flattens out what would otherwise be a clear straight-line advantage for cars with stronger deployment.
That bunching effect can work in favour of a recovering driver, since the field’s energy resources are levelled just as the long straights offer the best passing opportunities.
With Spa’s notoriously changeable weather adding a further variable to tyre and energy strategy, teams will need near-perfect harvesting execution through the middle sector to have anything left when it matters heading onto the straights.
- Jack Oliver Smith
LIONEL MESSI ALMOST PLAYED FOR SPAIN: THE FORGOTTEN STORY OF A VHS TAPE
FIFA World Cup 2026 final carries added significance for Lionel Messi, who came close to committing his international future to Spain during the early years of his career.
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| Lionel Messi in action © AFP |
After more than a month of intense competition, Argentina and Spain have emerged as the two finalists of the FIFA World Cup 2026. The tournament, which began with a record 48 teams, has now come down to a highly anticipated title clash between the two football giants, set to take place on Monday in New Jersey. For Argentina captain Lionel Messi, the occasion marks a full-circle moment. The 39-year-old is set to play in his third World Cup final during his sixth appearance at the tournament. However, this final carries added significance for Messi, who came close to committing his international future to Spain during the early years of his career.
In September 2001, Messi arrived in Barcelona at the age of 13 to join the club's famed La Masia academy. He would go on to spend 21 years with the Catalan giants, developing into one of the greatest footballers of all time before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021.
Yet despite spending most of his formative and professional years in Spain, Messi's dream was always to represent Argentina on the international stage-a decision that ultimately shaped one of the most iconic careers in football history.
Former Argentina coach Jose Pekerman, who handed Lionel Messi his senior international debut, once revealed that he first learned about the youngster from members of Argentina's coaching staff during the 2003 U-17 World Cup.
Back in 2002, then-national team coach Marcelo Bielsa and his assistant Claudio Vivas came across information about the Barcelona prodigy while visiting Spain to monitor several Argentine internationals playing there.
However, the story took a different turn when one of Messi's early representatives, Horacio Gaggiolo, shared an incident about the VHS tapes.
"That was [Messi's dad] Jorge's idea. He told me: "Horacio, the Argentine national team is coming to Barcelona, can you get them some footage of Leo?" Leo wasn't well known in Argentina. We had a video that I was given by Barca with some plays, and I went to the Hotel Princesa Sofia in Barcelona where they were staying. I asked for Vivas, who was Bielsa's assistant," Gaggiolo told ESPN, as quoted by Hindustan Times.
"When Marcelo renewed his contract with Argentina, we toured Europe to explain to the players why we had renewed after the South Korea-Japan World Cup [in 2002]. During that stop in Barcelona, an Argentine man approached me," he added.
"I told Marcelo about him and he asked: "Does he play well?" I said: "He doesn't just play well, he's incredible!" "Let me see, play a little bit of it," Marcelo said, adding as I played the tape: "But play it at normal speed, you can't see anything like this." I said: "Marcelo, it is at normal speed, I just pressed play." He said: "But this kid is unbelievable!"
However, by the time the video footage reached Hugo Tocalli, Argentina's youth team coach, preparations for the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Cup were already at an advanced stage. As a result, Tocalli chose not to include Messi in the squad. Argentina eventually suffered a 3-2 defeat to Spain in the semi-finals. Following the tournament, a member of Spain's team staff told Tocalli that Argentina would likely have beaten Spain had Messi featured in their lineup.
How Messi played for Argentina?
Upon returning to Argentina, Tocalli set out to bring Messi into the national team setup. A friendly match was quickly organized to assess the young forward, but the circumstances surrounding it were rather unusual. With little time available to make arrangements, the match even had an Argentine referee officiating it, as FIFA regulations required a recognized match official for the game.
Horacio Gaggioli, revealed that there was significant interest from Spain regarding the youngster's international future.
"I received many calls asking whether he could play for the Spanish national team," Gaggioli recalled. "I would tell them that the decision ultimately rested with Leo and his family. There was no question about his ability, but he had to choose."
Despite the speculation, Messi's stance remained unwavering. According to Gaggioli, the football icon was always determined to represent Argentina while continuing his club career with Barcelona.
- Tushar Mamgaain
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