Scott Murray's Blog, page 177

August 9, 2015

2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational: final round, as it happened

Shane Lowry was the deserved victor over Bubba Watson after a swashbuckling round of 66 at Firestone South

6.09pm ET

So it’s been Shane’s show. But poor old Jim Furyk, though. Huh? That’s ten top-ten finishes here now, without a single win. Bogeys at the last for both Gentleman Jim and Justin Rose, the overnight leaders. They both shot miserable 72s, and have to do with a share of third. So this is how things finished, the story of Shane Lowry’s ascension in bald facts and figures.

-11: Lowry
-9: Watson
-7: Rose, Furyk
-6: Streb
-5: Lingmerth, Lee, Koepka, Stenson
-4: Spieth, Fowler

6.04pm ET

The champion speaks! “It’s hard to believe. I played good today. I was nervous there towards the end, but I made a couple of good decisions and got a bit of luck too. I’ve doubted myself this year when things haven’t gone my way, but to come out the other end, it’s nice. The putt at 14 was massive. That was key to me winning. I was just trying to lag that last putt down there, but it dropped in. It’s exciting. There’s a party on at home this evening, my brother, my fiancee, my parents and my granny. It’s great for me, my family, and everyone who’s supported me over the years.” That was all said not so much in an Irish accent, but in the accent of smile. Audible glee in every word. Could there be a more likeable champion?

5.59pm ET

Lowry wheeled around in glee as his putt dropped, as well he might! He becomes the third Irish player to win this event, after Darren Clarke in 2003 and Rory McIlroy last year. That’s a sensational victory. The two escapes from the trees, at 10 and 18, will be the signature shots of Lowry’s breakthrough win. But perhaps his putting under pressure sealed the deal: that huge par saver across 14 was as good a putt as any all week. All year, perhaps. And that up and down at 17! This was a swashbuckling win - but it required some steady control too. All hail the all-round brilliance of Shane Lowry - who has now surely stepped up into the elite ranks.

5.53pm ET

SHANE LOWRY IS THE WGC-BRIDGESTONE CHAMPION! Lowry curls his putt, right to left, into the cup. After a recovery shot for the ages - his second such shot of the day, in fact - he birdies the last, and secures a richly deserved victory! That’s a bogey-free 66, and he ends the day at -11. That’s his first PGA Tour win, and at at WGC event too! What a performance. Shane Lowry has come of age this weekend!

5.50pm ET

... this is a STUNNER! Lowry whips his ball up and over the tree. It brushes a few leaves as it comes back down, then drops into the heart of the green, pin high, 12 feet from the flag! What a brilliant escape! Tiger, Mickelson, Seve, Lowry. That’s how he’s been rolling today. Back on 17, Furyk and Rose both take two putts for par. This is nearly over. Two putts for Lowry, and this is over!

-10: Lowry (17)
-9: Watson (F)
-8: Furyk (17), Rose (17)

5.46pm ET

It’s all relative, of course, but Lowry has enjoyed a massive slice of luck here. His ball is in a small clearing within the trees, and he’s got enough space to get over the branches in front of him. Just. Can he manufacture something as good as the ludicrous feat of escapology on 10? Hell, half as good would do. He opens the face of his wedge, and ...

5.43pm ET

... he’s pulled his drive at 18 into the trees down the left. Aw Shane! Goodness knows if he’ll have a shot out of that. Dear me. Meanwhile back on 17, Furyk and Rose both find the green in regulation. They’re faced with long birdie putts - Rose lets his frustration get the better of him with a highly English “Gosh!” - but they’re both still in this tournament. As things stand. A lot depends on where Lowry’s ball has ended up, naturally.

5.40pm ET

Lowry bumps a pretty fine chip across 17. He’s done well to get within five feet. But that’s going to look like 25 feet to Lowry right now. The pressure’s really on here. This man is made of the real stuff, though! He rolls the par saver straight into the cup! That’s 17 holes played without a single blemish on his card. One more hole, one more par, one more bogey avoided - and chances are he’ll be winning his first PGA Tour championship. A WGC event, nonetheless. One more good drive, Shane. Just one more good drive. But ...

5.35pm ET

This isn’t brilliant play by Shane Lowry. From the centre of 17, he pulls his approach, his ball nestling against the thick rough skirting the edge of the green on the left. He’s got a long up and down from there. Back on 16, Furyk nearly lobs in from the rough at the back. He saves his par, and he’s not out of this tournament yet. And neither is Rose, who bumps his third into the green to eight feet, and finally makes a putt! His birdie takes him to -8, alongside Furyk. One behind Bubba, and two behind the leader. In fact, if Lowry can’t scramble another par at 17, a four-way play-off isn’t beyond the realms here!

-10: Lowry (16)
-9: Watson (F)
-8: Rose (16), Furyk (16)

5.31pm ET

An iron off the 17th tee for Shane Lowry. It’s in the fairway, as you’d expect from a professional playing the percentages. Furyk can’t afford to take a safety-first approach, though, and toys with the water at the front of 16. He fizzes a low scuttler into the green, his ball nestling in the rough at the back. Probably the best he could do from the thick stuff down the side of the fairway; he wasn’t going to hold the green coming in high.

5.28pm ET

Lowry gets up and down, and that’s his par on 16. He’s leading by one stroke. Back down the hole, Furyk had in fact found a bunker with a steep face, and he can only lash out into the rough further down the right. This could be the end of his challenge if he’s not very careful. Rose has got no option but to roll the dice, and lashes a fairway wood down the track. He clips the trees down the left, and gets a lucky bounce back onto the fairway. And up on 18, Bubba’s long birdie putt stays up on the right, and he taps in for par. That’s a wondrous round of 66, and he’s set a clubhouse target of -9. Shane Lowry, still out on the course with two to play, has it all in his own hands.

-10: Lowry (16)
-9: Watson (F)
-8: Furyk (15)
-7: Rose (15)

5.22pm ET

Lowry’s third into 16 is right on line, but short of distance. His ball lands just over the water in front of the green, and rather kindly opts not to spin back. He should be able to get up and down from there, with not too much green between ball and hole. But that was a nervous moment. Back on the tee, Rose powers a drive down the fairway, though it takes the camber to the left and topples into the rough. Furyk lashes his into deep bother down the other side. And up on 18, Bubba sends his second over the flag, but it’s a good 25 feet behind the hole, and doesn’t spin back. Not particularly good from where he was. There’ll be some noise if he rolls that one in for birdie, mind.

5.18pm ET

Bubba’s eight-foot putt goes straight into the cup! What a ludicrous birdie! That was one of the stupidest drives in the history of All Golf - but what a wedge over the trees! He’s just a shot behind the leader Lowry - who powers out of the rough on 16, laying up in the middle of the fairway down the behemoth par-five. Furyk can’t convert his birdie chance on 15; it’s par for both him and Rose. And back to Bubba, who blasts a ludicrously long drive down the final hole. It flirted with the branches down the left, but drifted back inside, and he’s left with a dainty chip into the green. It’s a 460-plus-yard hole.

-10: Lowry (15)
-9: Watson (17)
-8: Furyk (15)
-7: Rose (15)

5.13pm ET

Bubba’s not giving this up quickly! He’s right behind a small tree, miles to the right of 17. No bother! He opens the face of his club, and thrash-Mickelsons a high lob over the branches and down to within eight feet of the flag! That’s astonishingly good. Bubbaesque. He does this sort of thing. Furyk isn’t laying down either: he’s nearly holed in one at the par-three 15th. The ball rolls six feet past, so that’s not dead for birdie. And on 16, Lowry’s drive finds the thick stuff down the left. So this isn’t over. What a marvellous final round this has been!

5.09pm ET

Bubba can’t rake in his 25-footer for birdie on 16. He smiles and shakes his head as he taps in for par, the look of a man who knows he needed something there, and is now relying on Lowry to throw it away. Doubly so after hoicking his drive at 17 miles right and into the trees. Danger there, Bubba! Meanwhile the leader whip-cracks his tee shot into the heart of 15. He looks in total control today. And on the couple of occasions where he’s momentarily lost control... well, he’s quickly, er, regained control. It’s been a display of poise and class. And control! He’s so close. So close for this to have become very tense viewing. But at least one person is relaxed, and thankfully that’s our leader. Two putts later - a 30-foot birdie effort stopping just short - and that’s another par. He’s three from home. Rose and Furyk meanwhile grind out pars on 14, to stay in touch.

-10: Lowry (15)
-8: Watson (16), Furyk (14)
-7: Rose (14)

4.59pm ET

What a putt from Shane Lowry! He rolls a right-to-left drifter into the cup from 25 feet, a stunning par save! That looked like a certain bogey, but he’d kept one off his card up until this point, and clearly had no intention of bringing that proud run to an end. That’s just brilliant, tenacious golf. If he doesn’t win this tournament, let nobody say he gave up without a fight, or left stupid shots out on the course. And if he does... well, let’s not get ahead of ourselves, a long way to go. But an already fantastic player could be about to take the next step up.

4.56pm ET

Rose does get up and down! He’s still in with a shout here, despite it all. Furyk pars 13 too. Up on 14, the lip’s too high for Lowry to consider going for the green. He takes his medicine and chips out. He bumps his wedge into the heart of the green, the pin tucked away on the left. He’ll have work to do to save his par. And on 16, Bubba lashes an iron from the rough down the fairway, then sends his approach over the flag. It lands 25 feet behind the flag, but doesn’t spin back. You sense Bubba was expecting some spin, because he briefly considers snapping his iron over his knee. He shapes to do exactly that, then simmers down in double-quick time.

4.51pm ET

Driving mishaps ahoy! The biggest hour of Lowry’s career doesn’t start particularly well. Minute one: he pulls his drive into a bunker down the left of 14. “Aw no, Shane, no!” he cries as his ball nestles up against the lip of the trap. Maybe he’ll have just enough space to go for the green. Time will tell. Down 16, Bubba wangs an awful tee shot miles right, but gets a lucky bounce back towards the fairway. He’s still in the rough, but not bothered by trees. And to complete the triptych of tee tat: Rose whistles his drive into the woods down the right of 13, and though he gets a favourable bounce off a branch back onto the fairway, he’s miles back, and fails to reach the green with his second. He’ll have an up and down you feel he really needs to make ... though just about everybody’s in danger of dropping shots here. Firestone South is a Monster all right.

4.44pm ET

No birdie for Rose at 12: he stays at -7. It’s just not happening for him. And contrasting fortunes for Bubba and Lowry with their chips on 15 and 13 respectively. Bubba fluffs his, then lets an impatient prod of a putt slip left of the cup. Bogey, and he’s back to -8. Lowry meanwhile caresses a gorgeous bump and run out of the thick stuff, to within a couple of feet of the hole. That’s another hard-as-nails up and down, and Lowry is two clear as we enter the business end of this WGC event. The biggest hour of his career so far is about to unfold!

-10: Lowry (13)
-8: Watson (15), Furyk (12)
-7: Rose (12)

4.40pm ET

Furyk can only wedge up the bank at 12 and straight through the green. He’s in the apron on the other side. He jabs a chip to a couple of feet, but that’ll be a bogey, and he’s back to -8. But that might not be as disastrous as it sounds, for Lowry’s in a little trouble at 13: having boomed a huge drive down the track, he’s overhit his second, and into the thick rough behind the green. While on the par-three 15th, Bubba has seen his ball disappear into tangled rough just to the right of the green, and he’s shortsided.

4.37pm ET

Rose sends a seemingly effortless iron into the heart of 12. So smooth. Pin high, and a chance for a birdie. He really needs to roll this one in, from 18 feet, because time’s running out. Here’s how the leaders stand right now:

-10: Lowry (12)
-9: Watson (14), Furyk (11)
-7: Rose (11)
-6: Stenson (13)
-5: Bowditch (12)

4.34pm ET

A superb tee shot from Lowry at 12, ten feet straight over the flag. He smoothly sends a gentle left-to-right curler along the green, but it stays high on the left, and he’s staying at -10. But he’s got through a difficult hole without dropping a shot, and that’s something Jim Furyk might not be able to say any time soon; he’s sliced his tee shot miles right and down a very troublesome bank. A chance for another birdie for Bubba, this time at 14, but his 20-foot ticker from the back of the green stays up on the left side. He stays at -9, alongside Furyk (f0r now).

4.29pm ET

Furyk has been plodding around today, but he steps up the quality now, wedging into 11 to six feet. One of the approaches of the day, and a superb chance for birdie. Rose really needs to respond, and he does so, sticking his second over the flag to ten feet. But he can’t put the birdie putt away. He remains at -7. The putter’s not working. Unless there’s a dramatic change, this isn’t going to be Justin Rose’s tournament. But Furyk isn’t giving this up, and he pops his birdie putt in. He’s back to -9, a shot off the lead.

4.24pm ET

The first sign that the pressure of leading such a big tournament may tell on Shane Lowry? From the centre of 11, he pushes a simple wedge into the bunker to the right of the green. That’s an appalling shot. But what a recovery, splashing out to three feet, then tapping home for his par. Pressure? What pressure?! He looked shaky there for a minute, but what a strong response. Magnificent. But outside forces are certain to continue bearing down, because there’s a huge cheer, as Bubba rolls a 35-foot birdie putt straight across 13 and into the cup! That’s his fourth birdie in six holes! And he’s one off the lead!

-10: Lowry (11)
-9: Watson (13)
-8: Furyk (10)
-7: Rose (10)

4.18pm ET

Rose drives into sand down the right of 10, but isn’t bothered by the lip of the bunker and lifts a glorious second to 10 feet. He’ll have a look at another birdie. Furyk finds the green in regulation, albeit in a less swashbuckling manner. He’ll have a long two putts for par. Or will he rake in a 40-footer for birdie? Dearie me, he very nearly does. So unlucky for that not to drop. He stays at -8. Rose then three putts dismally. He’s back to -7. His putter has gone stone cold today. Maybe he should try chipping everything in.

4.13pm ET

Some very necessary admin, then, in the wake of that glorious nonsense! Furyk trundled in a 15-footer to scramble his par on 9, while Bubba did well to get up and down from the side of 12 to avoid dropping a shot. This is a brilliant tournament, a highly entertaining final round, and it’s surely only going to get better and better!

-10: Lowry (10)
-8: Watson (12), Rose (9), Furyk (9)

4.11pm ET

Two sensational shots, and the European charge is on!!! First, finally, something happens for Justin Rose! Having found the rough down the right of 9, he sends his second through the back. But he bumps a delightful chip onto the green, sending it curling right to left, a delicate 25-foot trundle that disappears into the cup for birdie! He’s back to -8! Meanwhile Lowry, amid thick nonsense down the left of 10, hoicks a high open-faced wedge over a tree and onto a bank to the left of the green, the ball bouncing to the right, resting a couple of feet from the pin! That’s Tiger, mixed with Lefty, sprinkled with a soupcon of Seve!!! He makes his birdie, and Lowry’s lead is two!

4.03pm ET

Jordan Spieth won’t be winning this tournament, but he’s the current clubhouse leader. He’s just sent a crisp approach at 18 to three feet, then tapped in for his birdie. Out in 32, he’s back in 34, and that’s a 66. He’s -4, and in superlative form ahead of the PGA Championship next week. A third major of the year for the brilliant young Texan? You wouldn’t back too aggressively against it, would you.

4.00pm ET

Bubba, wedging into 11, sees his ball bounce twice, then twang 12 feet back off the flagstick. Unfortunate: had that landed on the putting surface one more time, it’d surely have bitten close to the hole. As it is, he’s still got a look at yet another birdie. But he pulls it right and that’s just a par. His face suggests a high miff. He remains at -8. Elsewhere, some wild drives, Furyk flaying one miles left down 9, Lowry forced to scream FORE! as he skelps one in a similar direction on 10. Meanwhile we have a new clubhouse leader: Soren Kjeldsen of Denmark, who shot 66 today and ends his tournament at -3.

3.56pm ET

Furyk can only find the thick stuff at the front left of 8, and doesn’t chip particularly close from there. A bogey, and suddenly Rose’s rather boring par at the same hole suddenly looks more interesting. He’s only a shot behind his playing partner, and two off the lead. Speaking of which: Lowry, having driven into the trees down the left of 9, bumps a wedge to the rough at front of the green, then chips adroitly to four feet. A stunning par scramble, and he’s out in 33, the sole leader of this tournament. Meanwhile bogey for Day at 13, and he drops back to -5. He walks off with the look of a man who knows it’s over. It is over.

-9: Lowry (9)
-8: Watson (10), Furyk (8)
-7: Rose (8)
-6: Stenson (9), Bowditch (9)

3.51pm ET

Shane Lowry is the joint leader of the tournament! He wedges to six feet at 8, and rolls in the putt. This round is a slow burner, but that’s his second birdie of the day, and he’s now -9 alongside Furyk - who, behind the Irish star, drives into filth down the right of the same hole. It could be All Change at the top soon, because up on 10, Bubba is in trouble in the trees down the left of 10. But he bumps a Scottish style wedge over a couple of banks, avoiding some tufts, and onto the green to ten feet! That’s an absurd, snaky route, and such a delightful shot. He rolls in the birdie effort, and is a shot off the lead at -8! This round is really coming to the boil!

-9: Lowry (8), Furyk (7)
-8: Watson (10)
-7: Rose (7)

3.44pm ET

By the way, the new Open champion Zach Johnson has finished the week at +2. He’s historically found it difficult to get people to warm to him, has poor Zach. But his performance after winning at St Andrews must have won a few hearts and minds. Not only was his acceptance speech extremely gracious and humble, he also made sure to exchange high fives with as many of the punters lining the 18th hole as possible. It took him bloody ages. He’ll have made a lot of people’s days doing that. The little gestures. And it made for strangely therapeutic viewing. But I digress.

3.40pm ET

A fuss-free par for Furyk at 7, and he remains at -9. Rose can’t get up and down from the bunker, though. His splash out is cute enough, four feet past the hole, but he lets the par putt dribble past the left of the cup, and he’s back to -7. Rose is the only player towards the top of the leaderboard - the only one in the top 11, to be precise - to be over par today. Furyk (-9) and Brooks Koepka (-4) are the only others from that bunch not to be under par. It’s going to get very interesting, you sense.

3.36pm ET

Bubba booms one down the 9th, and wedges his second pin high. It screws towards the hole, leaving a three footer for his birdie. And in it pops. He’s suddenly in fourth spot, just two off Furyk’s lead. Meanwhile Stenson is close to rolling in a 15-footer across 8 for birdie, but remains at -6.

3.32pm ET

Rose slam-dunks his tee shot at 7 into the bunker, front right of the green. There’s not much putting surface to work with from there. Furyk, following, plays safely into the heart of the green. News of Rickie Fowler, meanwhile: he quietly went out in 33 strokes, with birdies at 2 and 9, and has just birdied 12. He’s three under for his round, and -4 for the tournament. And we’ve got new clubhouse leaders: Paul Casey and Lee Westwood have ended their weeks at -1, having shot 67 and 68 today respectively.

3.28pm ET

Furyk sends a 9-iron into the 6th, leaving a 15-foot uphill putt for birdie. The effort shaves the hole. He remains at -9. Rose left himself a long two putts for par, but makes it to hang on in there at -8. As does Lowry up on 7, despite leaving his first 60-footer a good ten feet short.

-9: Furyk (6)
-8: Lowry (7), Rose (6)
-6: Day (10), Watson (8), Stenson (7), Bowditch (7)

3.23pm ET

Poulter’s day goes from bad to worse. He’s put his tee shot at the par-three 7th into a bunker. And shanks his escape into another trap! He splashes out to three feet, a shot of delicate precision. From rank amateur to professional genius in 60 seconds. But that’s another bogey, and he’s back to -3. After that eagle at 2, and a sniff of the top of the leaderboard, this has been a dismal collapse. A two-putt par for Stenson, who remains at -6. Meanwhile birdie for Bubba at 8, and he’s -6. He’s been quiet, but not out of this yet.

3.17pm ET

A huge break for Rose at 5. His tee shot is pushed well right, but clips a branch and rebounds back into the green, allowing him to escape with a two-putt par. He’s not playing with much confidence right now. And this 24 hours after shooting 63! This, ladies and gentlemen, is why we love and hate golf so much, in equal measure. Furyk meanwhile fails to get up and down from the fringe, missing a short par putt, and his lead now is just the one. Meanwhile Stenson and Poulter both drop shots at 6. They’re back to -6 and -4 respectively. And Day pars 10, having nearly holed out from a greenside bunker. Nobody ahead of him is exactly ripping it up. Another couple of birdies, and you never know.

3.10pm ET

Day gets up and down from a tight spot at the front of 9. Having saved his par, he’s out in 31 strokes, and looks very content with life. He’s -6, and has to be fancied for next week’s jamboree at Whistling Straits. Meanwhile an easy par for Furyk at 4, but Rose hits a weak chip from the rough at the back. He can’t knock in the ten-footer he leaves himself. One bogey in the last 49 holes becomes two in 50. All of a sudden it’s falling apart for the 2013 US Open winner. And falling into place for the man who won it ten years earlier.

-10: Furyk (4)
-8: Lowry (5), Rose (4)
-7: Stenson (5)
-6: Day (9), Bowditch (5)

3.05pm ET

Rose has a route into the green at 4, but gets a flyer out of the rough and it zips into the long stuff behind the green. Furyk, perhaps sensing his time is now, providing he plays it safe and steady, guides his second into the heart of the green. The gap at the top of the leaderboard could be growing soon. Meanwhile Lowry’s tee shot into 5 is miles to the left of the flag, albeit on the green. A 60-footer is left a good 15 feet short, but he rattles in a staunch saver, and remains at -8. He’s not quite been firing on all cylinders, but he’s yet to make any errors, and remains one under for his round thanks to that birdie at 2. He’s -8.

3.00pm ET

Workaday pars for Furyk and Rose at 3, and for Lowry and Bowditch at 4. Furyk finds the fairway from the tee at 4, but Rose wings his drive into the trees down the right. More trouble for the 54-hole joint leader. Stenson can’t make his birdie at 5. Poulter scrambles his par after bumping up to four feet, a fine recovery. But he’s clinging on, rather than making the necessary charge. As for McDowell? He fails to get up and down from a bunker at 7, and he’s back to -3. Any outside chance of victory for the 2010 US Open champ has long gone.

2.54pm ET

Poulter’s race certainly looks run. Frustrated in the wake of the double that dropped him back to -5, he chunks his tee shot at the par-three 5th. He’ll have a testing up and down from the front of the green. His partner Stenson is still in the hunt at -7, though, and finds the heart of the green; he’ll have a look at birdie. Menawhile another birdie for Jason Day, this time at 8! He’s the hottest property on the course right now. He’s four under for his round, -6 overall, and just four off the lead. Does another Tour win loom, a mere fortnight after his superb success at the Canadian Open? Suddenly, while still a long shot, it’s not totally out of the question.

2.49pm ET

Perhaps not. He’s just hooked his drive into trees down the left of 3. Bubba had to chip out from there. But he punches one onto the green. The ball leaks off the back, but that’s not the worst result from there. Meanwhile on 4, Poulter finds the second cut with his tee shot, fizzes a no-spin hottie through the green, clumps a heavy handed chip miles back past the hole, and can’t make the long par putt. Or the two-foot tiddler he leaves himself for bogey, pushed way to the right. A dreadful double, and he’s back to -5. That was a tatty nonsense from start to finish. What with the Arsenal-West Ham result earlier, it’s not looking like Poulter’s day.

2.42pm ET

Lowry gets up and down from the fringe at the back of 3 to remain in third spot at -8. Bowditch is an inch away from a successful 20-foot birdie effort, but he stays at -6. Meanwhile Furyk fizzes a hybrid straight through the green at 2. A little bump out of the rough at the back sends his ball to four feet, and he rolls in the putt for his first birdie of the day. His partner Rose finds the front of the putting surface, and he’ll have a long one up the green for eagle. A 35-foot effort travels 40 feet. And he doesn’t get the one coming back. It horseshoes out. That’s his first three-putt of the week, 56 holes into the event. And what a time to do it. We have a new sole leader, and it’s Jim Furyk - who, er, doesn’t much like setting the pace. He’s failed to convert any of his last nine 54-hole leads into a win. Can he make it tenth time lucky?

-10: Furyk (2)
-9: Rose (2)
-8: Lowry (3)
-7: Poulter (3), Stenson (3)

2.35pm ET

McDowell’s early momentum is lost, with a dropped shot at 4. He’s back to -4, and out of this now. The margin for error is that slim. Perhaps to the point where early missed birdie chances could sting more than usual: there’s agony for Poulter at 3, as a 25-foot birdie effort across the green lips out. So close. As is Bubba at 4, but his 30-footer for bird stays on the high side. He’s still -5.

2.30pm ET

Lowry and Bowditch chipping greenside at the par-five 2nd. Lowry’s effort is hot, 20 feet past the hole. Bowditch bumps his up to three feet. Two birdie putts, then, of varying likelihood. But Lowry rattles his in at high speed! What a putt! That could have been disastrous had the hole not got in the way. But the ball drops, and he moves to within a shot of the lead. His partner pops his less dramatic effort into the cup, and the leaderboard now looks a little more compact than it did at the start of the day ...

-9: Rose (1), Furyk (1)
-8: Lowry (2)
-7: Poulter (2), Stenson (2)
-6: Bowditch (2)

2.25pm ET

Shades of the Ryder Cup at Medinah here, Furyk versus Garcia. Big Jim hits a putt. He’s sure it’s going to drop. He walks after it in celebration - only to see it hook round the back of the cup and stay out. How did that not drop? Par. Rose matches his score in a fairly nondescript fashion. No fuss, no drama. Meanwhile Bubba is all over the shop on the par-four 3rd. Out of position from the tee, he’s wedging his third into the green, and pulls it miles right. It’s on the green, but he’s left with a long putt to save his par. He can’t make it. He’s back to -5. As is his partner Streb, only he’s been going in a different direction. Having dropped that shot at 1, he’s birdied 2 and now raked a long one in at 3 for another birdie. A fine response.

2.19pm ET

Stenson rips his second into the par-five 2nd pin high. He’s got a fairly straight 30-footer across the green for his eagle, and he so nearly drains it. But that’s back-to-back birdies, and he joins Lowry in second place at -7. As does his partner Poulter, whose second whistled 20 feet past the flag. He teases in the snaky eagle putt, and walks off the green with a very businesslike look on his face. Meanwhile Spieth has grabbed back the shot he dropped at 7, with a birdie at 9. He went out in 32, and is now -4 overall.

2.15pm ET

Camilo Villegas did indeed finish his round with a pair of pars. He signs for a 65, the best round of the day so far, and ends the tournament at level par. He’s the joint clubhouse leader alongside Matt Kuchar, who shot a 68 today. What the final pair would give for Villegas’s card. Rose and Furyk are out and about, and they’ve found the fairway with their opening tee shots. Everyone who is anyone is on the course now. This, ladies and gentlemen, is on. Surf’s up!

2.12pm ET

Bubba has a 15-footer for eagle at 2, but never looks like sinking the putt. A birdie will suffice, and he moves to -6. G-Mac clips his second at 3 to ten feet. But he can’t guide the birdie putt into the cup. He stays at -5. On 1, Lowry whistles his wedge straight at the flag, the ball stopping six feet shy. An easy uphill putt from Poulter Country, but he sends it curling dismally to the right, and that’s just a par. No fast start for Lowry, then.

2.08pm ET

Henrik Stenson’s approach into 1 is right over the flag. It bites and spins back to ten feet. He tickles in the birdie putt, and he’s -6, in fourth place on his own, three off the lead. Ian Poulter, his playing partner today, finds the middle of the green in two, but seriously overhits his long birdie putt, leaving himself an eight-foot tester coming back up the green. He slots it away nicely. Like G-Mac before him, that could be a crucial momentum saver. A dropped shot at the fairly easy opening hole would have been a blow. Back on the tee, it’s the penultimate pairing. Both Steven Bowditch and Shane Lowry find the fairway, the latter hitting a monster drive, fuelled by adrenalin no doubt. Lowry is desperate to lift one of the big prizes. Being interviewed ahead of his round, he spoke of that desire. “If it doesn’t happen today, it’ll happen some other time.” Refreshingly relaxed for an elite sports star, but of course he said exactly the same thing ahead of the final round at the US Open, and never quite got going around Chambers Bay, shooting a water-treading 71. Seize the moment, Shane.

2.00pm ET

So naturally, Bubba bumps his chip up the hill to the green and very nearly into the cup. He’s saved his par rather majestically, and remains -5. Streb can’t get up and down, though, and he’s back to -3. Up ahead, Koepka bumbles his way up 2, and bogeys one of the more inviting holes on the course. He drops to -3. His partner McDowell, however, creams his second into the heart of the green, and sees his eagle putt from 25 feet stop a couple of dimples short. He birdies, a fine start for the 2010 US Open champion. He’s -5, and a feature of this early new leaderboard...

-9: Rose, Furyk
-7: Lowry
-5: Day (3), McDowell (2), Watson (1), Bowditch, Poulter, Stenson

1.54pm ET

Robert Streb pulls his opening tee shot into McDowell Country, then fails to hit his wedge into the green. He’s short of the putting surface, and faces a tricky up and down to save his par. Streb’s partner is Bubba, who also fluffs his wedge in, from the first cut. That’s abysmal. He too faces a par-saving test, right from the get-go. Meanwhile Day’s fast start continues: he splits the fairway at 3, then wedges to five feet. That’ll surely be three birdies in a row. Yep. He’s -5, just four off the lead. Much more of this, and he’ll be giving the final pairings something to think about.

1.49pm ET

G-Mac is out and about, and his opening drive is swallowed up by the rough down the left of the hole. No fairway, no spin, and his approach can’t hold the green. He severely underhits his chip from the back, leaving himself a 20-footer for par. But he slides in a gentle right-to-left putt, and punches the air in the modest manner. That was a real momentum saver, and it retains his outside chance of doing something special here; he’s still -4. As is his playing partner Brooks Koepka, who parred the hole with much less fuss and faff.

1.45pm ET

Day is this close from draining another monster, this time for eagle from the fringe at 2. He holds his head in his hands, just as he did on the 18th at St Andrews last month, but this time he’s got a broad smile on his face. That’s another birdie, and he’s -4. His playing partner, the 2011 PGA champion Keegan Bradley, fails to get up and down from the back of the par-five, dropping a shot and falling back to -1. On a hole that’s been giving up birdies, that’ll feel like a double. Meanwhile Spieth drops a shot at 7, his tee shot nestling in the long stuff surrounding the green, a chip then fluffed. He can’t roll in the 25-foot saver. He’s back to -2.

1.34pm ET

Birdie for Rickie Fowler at the par-five 2nd, a putt trundled in from 18 feet. He moves to -2. Kevin Na has added to the shot he picked up at 2 with another at 4; he’s -2 overall. There was another birdie for Camilo Villegas, at 14. Currently safely through 16, if he pars his way home he’ll be signing for a best-of-day 65. He really is one of the streakiest players on the circuit. If only he could string a few more of these Mickelsonesque birdie bursts together, he’d have a better CV in the majors than three top-ten finishes, all between 2008 and 2010. Perhaps he’ll show well in next week’s PGA, a major tournament he’s enjoyed more than most. Let’s hope so. Incidentally, he’s 33 years old already! I think I’ve had him mentally pegged at 26 for quite some time now. At least seven years. Where does it all go? As for the topic of Sergio Garcia, let’s not start pulling threads, lest we all mentally unravel.

1.25pm ET

Yes, there are shots out here. A couple of quick early birdies from Patrick Reed, at 2 and now 3, having spun his approach to a couple of feet in an extremely pleasing aesthetic style. He’s -2. The in-form Jason Day has just teased in a giant right-to-left downhill breaker on the opening hole for a birdie that takes him to -3. Spieth meanwhile should have made it three birdies in a row at 6, but his approach spun back rather unfortunately to 15 feet, having landed ten feet from the hole, and he failed to hit the putt. Par, and he remains at -3. But he looks in the mood today. Then again, when doesn’t Jordan Spieth look in the mood?

1.21pm ET

Misery has relentlessly tracked Liang Wen-Chong around Firestone South today. Out in 39 strokes was bad enough. The notorious closing stretch put the tin lid on it. Three bogeys in a row between 12 and 14 were followed by back-to-back doubles at 15 and 16. Back in 42 shots, and that’s an eleven-over 81. He ends the tournament at +21, but escapes the shame of last place thanks to Troy Merritt, whose opening-day 82 was the worst round of the week; Merritt props up the field at +22. Even Big Dustin, who has dropped another stroke, this time at 7, to fall to +6, won’t be able to save Merritt from his fate.

1.10pm ET

Another birdie for Spieth! He dumps his tee shot into a bunker to the left of 5, but splashes out, sending his ball scampering straight towards the hole and in. He’s -3. Wonderful stuff from The New Hogan Were It Not For The Eighth Green On The Old Course. Meanwhile the round of the day so far has been made by Hideki Matsuyama. The young Japanese star will surely contend next weekend at the PGA, as he’s in very good nick, having signed for a six-under 66 today. A real boost at the end of a mixed week; at +3, he’s currently the clubhouse leader, though that of course won’t be lasting for long.

1.05pm ET

A fast start for Jordan Spieth. If we’re being honest with ourselves, the brilliant Masters and US Open champion is too far behind to trouble the leaders, having started the day at level par. But he’s birdied 2, and now drained a 30-footer on 4 for another birdie, to move to -2 in double-quick time. Sergio Garcia, also level par after three rounds, started out with a birdie, but he sent his drive at 3 behind a tree, then chunked a wedge into the water. A double, and he’s back to +1. I would say he’s saving up all his luck for next weekend’s major championship, but we know what always happens in those for Po’ Sergio.

1.00pm ET

Here we go, then, and Firestone’s playing fast and firm and long today. Like that’s news. But - glad tidings here for the pack chasing Rose, Furyk and Lowry - there are birdie chances out there. Camilo Villegas was out in 31 strokes, with birdies at 2, 4, 7 and 9; he’s +1 overall through 13. Billy Horschel is three under for his round after 13 holes; he’s +1 too. And Lee Westwood started his round with three birdies in a row, to move to -2 overall. Not that the course isn’t occasionally baring its teeth too. Westwood has since dropped a shot at 6, while his playing partner Dustin Johnson has started 5-5-6-3-5-4, a run containing two double bogeys, a bogey and a birdie. His double at 3 was the result of a sand shot thinned straight through the green. He’s +5. The only way is up for the big man. One hopes.

12.00pm ET

It’s fair to say Jim Furyk is due another big victory. Since winning the US Open all those years ago, at Olympia Fields in 2003, he’s had nine top-ten finishes in the majors. It’s a run that’s included two second places in the US Open, a second place at the PGA, a fourth-placed finish at the Open, plus a tie for tenth at Augusta. He’s also finished in the top ten of a World Golf Championship event on 14 occasions. But he’s never won one. At this particular tournament, he’s finished in the top ten nine times. It’s fair to say he’s due another big one.

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Published on August 09, 2015 15:09

WGC-Bridgestone Invitational: final round – live!

Email scott.murray@theguardian.com with your thoughtsClick here for the final-round leaderboard Justin Rose and Jim Furyk share lead going into final day

12.00pm ET

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Published on August 09, 2015 09:00

August 8, 2015

Chelsea v Swansea City: Premier League – as it happened

A sluggish start to the season for the champions, as Swansea earn a deserved draw at Stamford Bridge.

7.24pm BST

And that’s that. Terry is right up in referee Michael Oliver’s grille, presumably wondering whether Gomis was onside ahead of the Big Incident. Or perhaps he’s asking whether Gomis was in the area when fouled. Or perhaps whether Courtois was the last man, with Cahill racing back to cover. But it won’t make any difference. Chelsea didn’t bother coming out for the second half until they’d conceded an equaliser and found themselves a man down, and as a result have dropped the first two points of their title defence. An uncharacteristically flat-footed home display from the champions, and a slow start to the season. Swansea were magnificent for the first hour or so, however, with Gomis, Shelvey and especially Montero extremely impressive. A draw’s a fair result.

7.23pm BST

90 min +4: Chelsea load the box - and Matic can’t clear the first man, loitering on the edge of the D! That is beyond dreadful.

7.22pm BST

90 min +3: Shelvey takes, but Chelsea clear upfield. Hazard zips down the right wing, and Swansea are light at the back. Williams steps across the Chelsea playmaker, a flagrant foul. He’s booked. A chance for Chelsea to load the box and grab a dramatic late winner!

7.21pm BST

90 min +2: Sigurdsson slips a pass down the left and nearly releases Routledge, but Cahill steps across to save the day. But there’s another phase of Swansea attack, and Matic is forced to bundle the ball out of play for a corner on the left.

7.20pm BST

90 min +1: The first of four bonus minutes passes without incident.

7.19pm BST

90 min: Costa looks to break clear down the inside-left channel, chasing after a clever Hazard pass. Williams brushes him from behind. Costa goes down, looking for a free kick, just to the left of the D. He should have got it, but the referee gives him nothing.

7.17pm BST

87 min: Hazard is not of a mind to let this lie. He busies himself down the left, then cuts inside. Nobody shows for him, so he eventually has a shot himself, falling backwards, to the left of the D. It’s a decent effort, towards the bottom left, but gathered without fuss by Fabianski.

7.16pm BST

86 min: Cahill picks the ball up deep, and Beckenbauers at speed down the middle. He then sends Hazard scampering towards the Swansea box. But the move slows down quickly, Swansea holding their line, and as Ivanovic shapes to take a shot to the right of the D, his leg cocked, he’s robbed by the backtracking Eder.

7.14pm BST

85 min: Hazard dribbles in from the right. Sigurdsson puts a stop to his gallop with a fairly blatant obstruction. Hazard gets up and loops a free kick into the area, but Fabianski claims well.

7.12pm BST

84 min: Willian is swapped for Falcao.

7.12pm BST

83 min: Chelsea tap it this way and that, back and forth across the front of Swansea’s box. But they can’t work an opening. The home crowd are getting agitated.

7.10pm BST

81 min: Shelvey, bossing it in the middle of the park, steers a pass wide right for Ayew, who cuts inside and larrups a shot towards the top left. Begovic comes off his line and masterfully claims.

7.08pm BST

80 min: Eder comes on for Gomis.

7.08pm BST

79 min: Ivanovic goes on a baroque walk down the right wing. He makes it into the area, and is shoved lightly in the back by Taylor. A more cynical fellow would go down looking for a lame penalty, but Ivanovic stays on his feet. The move fizzles out. Taylor was taking a chance there.

7.06pm BST

77 min: Shelvey once again finds a huge gap down the left of Chelsea’s defence. He rolls the ball through it to send Gomis away. Gomis is flagged offside, even though he’s level with Cahill, just. But seeing he’s pretended not to hear the whistle, then smacked his effort straight at Begovic, Swansea probably can’t complain too much about that, seeing we now know the outcome.

7.04pm BST

76 min: Zouma comes on for the very under-par Fabregas.

7.04pm BST

75 min: Hazard has been quiet today, but suddenly he turns on the jets and scoots down the right. He’s got the beating of the backpedalling Taylor, but is faced with a tight angle and can only batter his shot straight at Fabianski. That’s a fine run, though.

7.02pm BST

73 min: Routledge is immediately into the action, slipped into space the left by the excellent Shelvey’s sliderule pass. He makes it into the box, uses Cahill as a shield, and attempts a curler into the bottom right. But Begovic is wise to his tricks, and smothers a slightly underhit shot.

7.00pm BST

71 min: Nope, Montero has cramp and can’t continue. He’s replaced by Routledge.

6.59pm BST

70 min: Montero is down receiving attention, having landed awkwardly. He’s back up eventually. Willian sashays down the right, nearly opening Swansea up. Again, his final ball is lacking, but he’s making the runs, and looks Chelsea’s best bet right now.

6.57pm BST

68 min: The ball’s in the Chelsea net for a third time, but it won’t count. Shelvey plays a clever reverse pass down the left to release Sigurdsson into the box. Sigurdsson whips a low cross into the middle, and Gomis opens his body to batter a sidefoot into the bottom right. But Gomis is a good yard offside, and the flag goes up accordingly.

6.56pm BST

66 min: This is a little better from Chelsea, as Willian reaches the byline down the right, but can’t find a team-mate with his cross. Then Shelvey bundles Hazard over, 30 yards from goal on the left. A chance for Chelsea to load the box. And load it they do. Hazard whips the free kick towards Ivanovic, who heads over from the penalty spot.

6.54pm BST

64 min: Swansea are enjoying the lion’s share of possession right now. They’ve also had twice as many attempts on goal as their hosts. “I‘m so well trained by now that I am already outraged by what Mourinho is going to say about this game even though he hasn’t said it yet,” writes JR in Illinois.

6.50pm BST

61 min: Sigurdsson spins on a sixpence and slips down the middle of the field, before finding Montero on the left-hand area of the box. Montero cuts inside and lashes high and hard towards the top left. Begovic is forced to palm over for a corner - and again when Shelvey very nearly curls the corner straight in! Chelsea clear the second set piece, but they’re on the ropes here right now.

6.48pm BST

59 min: And now the busy Shelvey wins a corner down the right. Chelsea deal with the set piece easily enough, but they’re rocking a little here. Costa has tried his best to maintain a presence up the other end since the equaliser, but nothing’s quite coming off for him right now.

6.47pm BST

58 min: Montero has been the star man today, no question. He swerves, at pace, inside from the left, and unleashes a low shot towards the bottom right. Begovic, at full stretch, turns the effort away brilliantly.

6.47pm BST

57 min: Mourinho is prowling the touchline, with a face on. It’s fair to say he didn’t agree with the penalty decision.

6.45pm BST

The striker slots the ball into the bottom right, Begovic diving the wrong way. This is no more than Swansea deserve. And all of a sudden, the champions are in a little trouble!

6.44pm BST

54 min: A wee wait for Gomis, who has plonked the ball on the spot, as Begovic comes on for Oscar, and Terry is booked for moaning.

6.43pm BST

52 min: Shelvey loops a gorgeous pass down the inside-left channel to release Gomis, who has sprung the offside trap. He rounds Courtois on the outside, and with his foot on the line of the area, is upended by the keeper. The referee points to the spot, and sends the keeper off. Chelsea can have no complaints here.

6.40pm BST

50 min: Chelsea are learning nothing. Montero zips down the wing yet again. And yet again, wins a corner on the left. Shelvey’s curly delivery flies towards the near post - and balloons off the woodwork! Chelsea clear. They’re as near to all over the shop as a Mourinho team has ever been. Did Shelvey try to score direct? Courtois was well off his line. Yes, he probably did! A mighty fine effort.

6.38pm BST

48 min: But the irrepressible Montero is almost immediately coming straight back at Chelsea. He reaches the byline down the left yet again, and then goes along it on a tightrope sprint. Ivanovic eventually blocks the ball out for another corner. Shelvey takes, Fernandez leaps above Terry, and flashes a header over the bar.

6.37pm BST

47 min: Sigurdsson blooters the free kick straight into the wall. That’s deflected out for a corner on the left. Shelvey’s set piece isn’t cleared by Costa at the left-hand post. Gomis has the ball at his feet, and not for the first time in the match hesitates with the goal at his mercy. He’s bundled out of it, having failed to get his shot away yet again.

6.35pm BST

46 min: The wonderful Montero embarks on another power-skitter down the inside-left channel. He’s obviously been ordered to keep on keepin’ on. He’s upended by Ivanovic, just outside the box. A free kick in a very dangerous position.

6.34pm BST

And we’re off again! Chelsea get the ball rolling. No half-time changes.

6.19pm BST

HALF-TIME ENTERTAINMENT: “The greatest opening-day performance in English football history came from a Welsh team.” Here’s a classic Joy of Six, courtesy of Rob Smyth, on Swansea’s top-flight debut in 1981. Something in there for Chelsea supporters too, in that Arsenal get belted 4-2 in another of the picks.

6.18pm BST

The Ki injury apart, that was 45 minutes of non-stop entertainment. Don’t go anywhere.

6.17pm BST

45 min +2: Montero is shoved over by Matic on the left-hand edge of the Chelsea area. It should be a free kick, but the referee waves play on. Willian romps off down the right wing. Swansea are light at the back, and so Cork hauls him down. A booking, deservedly so. Cork let frustration get the better of him then.

6.15pm BST

45 min: Taylor pointlessly bundles Hazard over, as the Chelsea playmaker makes play down the right. A free kick that’s as good as a corner. In other words, not that good. Oscar’s dink inside is easily cleared.

6.14pm BST

43 min: Montero twists and turns down the left, and once again Chelsea’s defence is in tatters. The ball’s rolled to Taylor, overlapping. A low cross. Ayew traps, and attempts to make a little bit of space, but Terry steps in to put a stop to what he would no doubt consider insolent nonsense. Swansea have been highly entertaining in attack.

6.11pm BST

41 min: Ki is currently down receiving treatment. And he’s not going to be able to continue, his hamstring jiggered. He trudges off to be replaced by Jack Cork.

6.10pm BST

38 min: Montero is the best player on the pitch right now. Yet again he burns Ivanovic down the left, and reaches the byline. He dinks one into the middle. Gomis can’t get a header on the cross, though Terry can only cushion one into the path of Naughton, in space on the penalty spot. Fortunately for Chelsea, Naughton panics and opts to nudge the dropping ball towards the turf with an impatient arm. Arm ball!

6.07pm BST

36 min: This game has been breathless. And brilliant. Ki powers down the inside-left channel before shuttling the ball wide to the busy Montero. He reaches the byline and cuts one back. The ball eventually breaks to Sigurdsson, whose shot from distance is parried away from danger by Courtois. Chelsea have been very impressive today, and yet lively Swansea can consider themselves unfortunate to be trailing the champions.

6.04pm BST

33 min: Costa diddles around down the right. He reaches the byline and cuts one back for Ivanovic, who so nearly powers through to get a shot away. But the ball breaks to the right for Costa again. Costa lashes a shot goalwards at an almost impossible angle - and worries Fabianski into parrying the ball high into the air. The bounce favours Swansea this time and the ball flies off to safety.

6.02pm BST

But Swansea are level for just 92 seconds. Willian breaks down the left. He has a shot. Or is it a cross? Whatever it is, it balloons off Fernandez, who has closed him down, the ball looping on an absurd curling, diagonal arc and into the top-right corner. Fabianski had no chance of working out what was going on there.

6.00pm BST

Montero rips past Ivanovic down the left. A brilliant turn of speed. He crosses to Gomis, who powers a header towards the bottom left. Courtois sticks out a strong arm to make a brilliant save, but the ball breaks to Ayew. The debutant shoots, six yards out, only to see his effort blocked. And he’s fallen backwards. No worries! He springs up, performs a brilliant dragback to make himself a little space, and hammers a low shot into the bottom right! A glorious effort!

5.58pm BST

27 min: Willian burst down the inside-right channel, drifts a little to the right, then fizzes one wide left. Then another wave of attack, Fabregas suddenly finding himself in space in the left-hand portion of the box. He should batter a shot goalwards immediately, but hesitates and eventually tries a backflick inside towards Costa. Far too clever for his own good, that. Swansea mop up.

5.56pm BST

26 min: This is all Chelsea. A corner down the left. It’s half cleared, but only to Cahill, just to the right of the D. Cahill has space to shoot, looking for a goal that will unquestionably be his. But he slips over as he sets himself. Swansea breathe again.

5.55pm BST

Swansea have been getting scrappy. Gomis needlessly bundles Hazard over, to the left of their area. Oscar again takes the free kick, a similar diagonal affair to the one a couple of minutes ago, only from the other side. This one flies straight into the bottom-right corner, Fabianski foxed by Cahill making a near-post run and wafting a leg at the ball as it passes. It doesn’t look like Cahill diverted it in, so Oscar gets the credit. But he doesn’t celebrate the goal. So who knows? Chelsea won’t care much. That’s the first goal of their title defence, right there!

5.52pm BST

20 min: A free kick for Chelsea down the right, just shy of the area, Ki having taken his turn to upend Oscar. Poor Oscar. Po’ Oscar’s a-cold. He gets up and lashes a low diagonal free kick through the box, the ball fizzing out of play to the left of Swansea’s goal. One touch and that would have been diverted in, but nobody made the run.

5.50pm BST

19 min: Shelvey makes things happen all right. What he makes happen here is the flipping of Oscar miles into the air. A pointless tackle from behind, in the middle of the park, with Chelsea going nowhere. He’s quite rightly booked.

5.49pm BST

18 min: Costa still has his post-penalty-claim face on. While he’s sulking, another Chelsea attack. Matic takes a whack from 30 yards. It takes a massive deflection and spoons towards Fabianski in a high arc. The keeper smothers.

5.47pm BST

16 min: Ki has a batter at goal from the right-hand corner of the D. It’s straight at Courtois, who parries clear. Chelsea skedaddle straight up the other end, Costa breaking into the box from the left. He shapes to shoot but is denied by a stunning last-ditch tackle by Fernandez. Costa is beside himself with rage, demanding the penalty, and there was contact. But Fernandez took the ball cleanly first, and the referee’s not having it. Corner, which is dealt with easily enough by Swansea.

5.46pm BST

15 min: Swansea should be leading. Shelvey rolls a pass down the middle to split Chelsea’s defence in two. Gomis takes up possession, cutting in from the right, and he’s clear in the box. He’s only got Courtois to beat, but dallies, taking a touch when he should shoot. The ball eventually squirts past Courtois, but not at any great speed, and it’s hacked clear by Cahill.

5.43pm BST

12 min: Shelvey goes on a purposeful wander down the inside-right channel. He makes it as far as the byline, and fizzes a low ball into the centre, but nobody on his team has taken the gamble, and Courtois - who looks fighting fit - drops to smother. He’s an excellent player, Shelvey. Not the most technical specimen, granted, but this is football, not aerodynamics, and he makes things happen. He’s fun to watch.

5.41pm BST

11 min: Ivanovic, striding down the right, has a brazen lash at goal from the best part of 35 yards. Nope. But full marks for ambition.

5.39pm BST

9 min: A lovely bright opening to this game. Fabregas slides a pass through the eye of a needle, down the middle for Hazard, who drifts a little bit to the left before shuttling the ball further forward for Costa. Williams just about crowds the striker out of it, and Fabianski comes out to deal with the situation. A simple but very pretty Chelsea move, though.

5.38pm BST

7 min: The set piece doesn’t trouble Courtois. But that’s only because he was nowhere near the action. The ball’s swung into the box, where Gomis, level with the left-hand post, 12 yards out, flashes a header inches wide of the right-hand post. If that was on target, Courtois wasn’t getting that, his feet planted.

5.37pm BST

6 min: Incidentally, that wasn’t Chelsea’s first injury worry of the evening. During the warm-up, Courtois felt a twinge in one of his knees, and went off for a bit of a sponge down, or whatever it is physiotherapists at football clubs do these days. He’s started the match, and no worries so far, but he’ll be tested now, because Montero has just won a corner for Swansea down the left.

5.35pm BST

4 min: Ki treads on the ball in the centre circle. Oscar takes up possession and floats a ball forward towards Costa, who very nearly breaks clear down the inside-left channel. Fabianski comes out of his box to hoick clear. After the move, Oscar falls to the floor, having copped an arm in the mush while tussling with Ki. Nothing deliberate, but he needs a little attention.

5.32pm BST

2 min: ... not very much happens. A bit of head tennis. Oscar hoicks the ball from right to left, allowing Costa to waft a lame volley into the side netting from a tight angle.

5.31pm BST

And we’re off! Swansea get the ball rolling. Chelsea are kicking towards the Shed End in this first half. The City fans are belting out their hymns and arias. But they’re forced to take a sharp intake of breath soon enough as Willian powers down the inside-right channel and wins a corner within the first 30 seconds. From which ...

5.27pm BST

The teams are out! Chelsea take to the field in their famous all-blue ensemble, while Swansea are in their crisp white shirt-and-breeks combo. While we wait for kick off, Simon McMahon has been perusing the teamsheets, so you don’t have to. “Falcao on the bench for Chelsea, Eder for Swansea. What is this, 1982? Great players both, though neither could lace Dave Narey’s boots.” All roads lead to Tannadice when McMahon’s the cartographer.

4.38pm BST

The big news here: the previously hamstrung Diego Costa starts for the champions. Swansea may be permitted a ferocious shiver, as Costa scored a 23-minute hat-trick in this fixture last season, Chelsea running out 4-2 winners. He also bagged a couple at the Liberty Stadium too, in a game Chelsea won 5-0. The recent form, it’s fair to say, favours Mourinho’s men.

Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Fabregas, Willian, Oscar, Hazard, Costa.
Subs: Begovic, Zouma, Ramires, Falcao, Mikel, Remy, Moses.

4.30pm BST

Four more years! Four more years! It’s another term in office for Chelsea’s presidente, Jose Mourinho, who set about transforming club and country upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge in 2004. Sure, Roman’s roubles might have had a little something to do with Chelsea’s ascension to superclub status as well, but access to large pots of cash money isn’t the be-all and end-all, as Avram Grant, Big Phil Scolari and Andre Villas-Boas would confirm. So the confirmation that Chelsea’s big cheese will remain at the club until 2019, internal politics all being well, ensures that the Blues go into the new campaign feeling very good about themselves. As if being the reigning champions isn’t enough.

Not that this match is a shoo-in for the title holders. They’ve not looked particularly impressive in pre-season, losing to Arsenal, Fiorentina and a rabble from New York shilling aorta-bothering energy drink. They were particularly ponderous in attack against the Gunners last weekend, creating very little in the Community Shield showdown at Wembley. Then again, none of that really mattered, while the Premier League does, and you know how o presidente rolls when things get serious. Make of pre-season what you will.

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Published on August 08, 2015 11:36

Chelsea v Swansea City: Premier League – live!

Premier League updates from the 5.30pm BST kick-off at Stamford BridgeLive scoreboard! Follow all of the day’s goals and games as they happenAnd feel free to ping an email scott.murray@theguardian.com’s way

4.38pm BST

Chelsea: Courtois, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Matic, Fabregas, Willian, Oscar, Hazard, Costa.
Subs: Begovic, Zouma, Ramires, Falcao, Mikel, Remy, Moses.

4.30pm BST

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Published on August 08, 2015 08:38

August 7, 2015

The Fiver | Jiggery pokery in Excel

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BIG CUP, BIG KICK-OFF, BIG ROW

The Scottish season started only last weekend, while the one in England doesn’t kick off until Saturday, but Big Cup has already been going for several months, is what it feels like. The Queen’s Celtic were back at work ages ago, and have been hard at it over two qualifying rounds, scraping past Basingstoke Town then a team from the Dog & Duck (the darts team, to be specific, the lads who play five-a-side had blistering headaches). So well done to Ronny Deila and his men for a successful fast start. They’ve been rewarded for their efforts with a final qualifying tie against Malmo, 1979 finalists and reigning champions of Sweden. Not the worst draw, given Malmo currently lie a modest sixth in the Allsvenskan, and a trip to Scandinavia is much less of a schlep than, say, Kazakhstan. But this is a club that put Pope’s O’Rangers out of these qualifiers in 2011, and won 7-0 at Hibs in Big Vase a couple of years later. We’d suggest Deila is facing his own personal Artmedia Bratislava, but he’s already got one of those in Maribor.

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Published on August 07, 2015 08:09

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