Scott Murray's Blog, page 196
August 22, 2014
Football transfer rumours: Tottenham to sign Federico Fazio from Sevilla?
Paris-Saint-Germain and Monaco are preparing to do battle over Petr Cech, who is suddenly yesterdays man at Chelsea, having been usurped by Thibaut Courtois. The Pensioners are quite happy with Mark Im 42 years old you know Schwarzer as back-up, and need to get shot of one of their foreign stars anyway to fit in with Premier League and Champions League stockpiling regulations.
Chelsea, who until today hadnt been referred to as The Pensioners in the national press since 1953, are also considering what they should do with Fernando Torres. The main two options on the table seem to be boiling him down for glue and then sniffing it in the hope that the resulting intoxicative haze will wipe out all memory of that £50m deal, or shooing him away to Roma in exchange for the 23-year-old striker Mattia Destro. Pots on the stove, just in case a compromise cant be struck with the Italians over Torress exorbitant wages.
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August 10, 2014
US PGA Championship 2014: final round live! | Scott Murray
5.08pm BST
Brendan Steele is enjoying the round of the day so far. Hes four under through 13 holes, a blemish-free card with birdies at 2, 4, 7 and 12. Hes -3 overall. Hideki Matsuyama has reached the turn in 32; hes -3 too. And on 9, Olesen isnt taking that dreadful stroke of bad luck at 8 to heart. Hes eased his second shot to 18 inches and will make a birdie thatll return him to -4.
5.03pm BST
Olesen duffs his chip at 3. The ball only covers roughly 30 of the 80 feet it needs to. Two putts and thats one of the unluckiest bogeys hell ever suffer. Hes back to -3. Birdies for Luke Donald and Kenny Perry on 3. Donald just off the green to the right, close to the pin, then chipping in from 12 feet. Perry, the local hero, hitting his tee shot to 12 inches. Bedlam, bedlam, bedlam. Both men rise to -4. Its been a brilliant week for Perry, who came so close here in this championship back in 1996.
4.57pm BST
Thorbjorn Olesen is out there with Poulter, and has just chipped in from the front of 7 for eagle. That takes him up to -4, alongside his playing partner. The pair are joined on that mark by the 1998 and 2004 champion, Vijay Singh. The big Fijian is in possession of a hot putter, having sunk a 45-footer for eagle at 7, then a 15-footer for birdie at the par-three 8th. A similar birdie on 8 for Olesen looks unlikely, though, because hes just had the most outrageous stroke of ill fortune on the short hole! Hes pearled an iron straight at the flag. Literally. The balls about to slamdunk straight into the cup for a no-bounce hole in one - but the flag plays doorman, and the ball bounces back out before its in, ballooning 80 feet off to the right, down the bank, and off the green! Poor Thorbjorn!
4.36pm BST
Ian Poulter is making his by now traditional too-late front-nine charge on the final day of the PGA. Two years ago at Kiawah, he went at Rory McIlroy with five birdies in the first five holes, before falling away towards the end of his round. Last year at Oak Hill, he made four birdies in the first six holes before again running out of steam. Well, this morning hes holed out from a bunker at 3, wedged an approach to six feet at 4, and knocked in a 12-footer on 5 to card three birdies on the bounce. Hes three under for his round, and -4 overall. I would say this proud Englishman is flying the flag, but, well, yknow.
4.29pm BST
A 40 percent chance of showers today, we were promised, though there are no umbrellas out on the course right now. A slim chance of thundershowers on Sunday, it was forecast the other day. That sounds like a thunderstorm to a simple man such as myself. Now theyre coming tonight instead. They just make things up sometimes, dont they, you might as well hang a bit of seaweed by the front door.
4.19pm BST
Lowrys antics suggest there are scores out there today, if the players want them. Yesterdays scoring is worth repeating. There were eight eagles, 289 birdies, 851 pars, 171 bogeys and only 13 double-bogeys or worse. (Oh G-Mac!) There were 37 sub-70 rounds, and only nine over par, with one of those, strangely, shot by the title-chasing Jim Furyk. The stroke average was 69.57, which was the lowest ever for a day at the PGA. More low-scoring antics, please! This really does promise to be one hell of a final round. And to think some people consider the PGA something of an afterthought.
4.15pm BST
Rory McIlroy, Padraig Harrington ... seeing weve been riffing on an Irish theme, how nice of Shane Lowry to offer us a smooth segue into todays action. Hes the hottest property out on the course right now. He started the week with a wonderful 68, you will recall, and there was hope hed continue the vein of major-championship form hed tapped into at Hoylake, where he finished in a tie for ninth place at the Open. But a couple of poor 74s put paid to that. Happily, he looks like finishing the major season on the up. A bogey at 2 didnt augur well, but hes since birdied 4, 5, 8, 9, 12 and now 13. Hes five under for his round, and -2 for the tournament. Seeing he was out first this morning, along with Brendon Todd who is currently +7 and propping up the entire field, hes certain to be the clubhouse leader for at least a while today, the final round of a major. Hey, it might not mean much, but youve got to take the positives where you can.
4.02pm BST
So after two magnificent rounds of 66 and 67, then a slightly strange 67 yesterday during which he only utilised the afterburners along the closing stretch, Rory McIlroy is in prime position to become the first man to register back-to-back Open and PGA wins since 2008. Thats when another Irish golfer, Padraig Harrington, shot an astonishing final-day 66 to pip Sergio Garcia and Ben Curtis at Oakland Hills, a month after winning his second Open on the spin at Birkdale. What form Padraig was in back then. Why on earth did he bugger about with his swing? Oh Padraig! Anyway, since 2008 makes it sound like this sort of thing happens all the time. In fact, should Rory manage it, hell become only the fifth player in history to win the Open and the PGA Championship in the same year. Hed join a very elite list which, in addition to Harrington, also includes Walter Hagen (1924), Nick Price (1994) and Tiger Woods (2000 and 2006). No biggie, then, Rory! But plenty of folk hoping to put paid to that dream today. And plenty of action before those folk take to the course. Here we go, then!
2.00pm BST
If the final round of the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla is even half as exciting as Moving Day was, well witness a classic for the ages this afternoon. During a third round of absurdly low scoring, Rory McIlroy, Bernd Wiesberger, Rickie Fowler, Ryan Palmer and Jason Day all took turns to lead the tournament. At one point the leaderboard looked like this:
-10:
Wiesberger (16), Fowler (15), Palmer (14), McIlroy (13), Day (13)
-9: Oosthuizen (F), Mickelson (16), Ilonen (15), Furyk (14)
August 9, 2014
US PGA Championship 2014: third round live! | Scott Murray
1.02pm ET
Sergio on the surge!!! He makes birdie at 10, and has just followed that up with a huge rake up the par-three 11th, having left his tee shot well short of the pin. Suddenly hes -4 for his round and the tournament. Hes blemish-free so far, and yes Im already aware I should never have mentioned that. Marc Warren rattles in a 30-footer on 17 for another birdie. Hes finishing very strongly; hes -4. Meanwhile starting extremely strongly is Adam Scott, who has just clipped his second at 5 to six feet, and slotted away another birdie putt. Hes already picked up three shots through the first five holes, and is -5 for the tournament. This is brilliant stuff. Someones going to post a total that will make the leaders at least think.
12.58pm ET
The first man back in the clubhouse today was Graeme McDowell. The 2010 US Open champion shot a respectable level-par 71, remaining at +1 overall, though youll never see a stranger card: birdies at 4, 8, 15 and 18, and a quadruple-bogey eight at the short par-four 13th, where he found water twice with his approaches. All from 101 yards from hole after driving, sighs Kevin Mannerings. Did that crocodile (11.55am) get involved?
12.49pm ET
Thorbjorn Olesen has just raked in a 35-footer on 11 for birdie ... and thats his fifth in a row! Hes suddenly -5 for this tournament and bouncing right now as opposed to walking. Another birdie for Adam Scott, this time at 4, despite being one of the few players to fail to reach the green with his tee shot. He gets up and down from the thick stuff at the front to move to -4. Birdie for Ernie Els at 2; hes -3.
12.42pm ET
Danny Willett has been turning it on too. Hes short and right of the 6th, but nearly bumps and runs a chip into the cup from 60 feet. One more turn and thatd have been his fifth shot picked up in six holes. As it is, he stays at -5. Justin Rose has lost all momentum as a result of that missed tiddler on 15. He tries to nudge one up onto the green at 16 with a fairway wood from a deep depression, and thats exactly what hes in as he fails to give it enough juice. The ball stops 12 feet from the flag, and he misses the par putt. He slips back to -3, all that brilliant work counting for very little right now.
12.37pm ET
Brooks Koepka is turning it on. Birdie at 13, and now hes rolled in another from 20 feet towards the back of 14. Hes -5 for this tournament now. A lot of black clouds overhead, and a small bespoke stratocumulus might be forming above Kenny Perrys noggin right now, as he splashes close from a bunker at 6 and should save his par, but misses the short putt to drop back to -3. Marc Warren will be feeling more chipper, having birdied 14 and then set himself up for another with a fine approach to 16 that dropped on the back of a bunker at the front of the green and kicked left towards the flag. He drained the putt and now hes -3 for both round and tournament.
12.30pm ET
The par-four 4th is effectively a par three today, if they drive straight. Jonas Blixt is the latest to boom a tee shot at the flag. It stops 15 feet short, but he rattles in the eagle putt and moves up to -3. A lot of shots are going to be picked up on this hole today. God knows what Lee Westwood is going to do on it. Either a hole-in-one albatross or a triple bogey, are my guesses. Adam Scott is out, and hes whipped his second at 2, a long iron on the behemoth par four, to a couple of feet. Thatll take him to -3. On 15, Justin Rose lets a short par putt slide by the hole. Hes back to -4, and he wanders off in high dudgeon. Theres a very low score out here today on this soft course - a chance to match the record major low of 63, or post something even better? - though that might be beyond Rose now.
12.21pm ET
Justin Rose marches on. His second at 13, a gentle wedge, lands 18 inches from the flag but spins back to 12 feet. No matter, he rolls in the birdie putt, and hes -5 now. It should be -6, because hes just sent a very makeable 12-footer to the left of the cup at 14 after a fine tee shot. This is turning into something of a statement round. A couple more birdies, and if the weather comes in later - and the officials are apparently now worried about this - Rose could be in with an outside chance tomorrow. Nothing more, but that would be enough from the position he started in. Meanwhile Kenny Perry isnt content with that eagle. Hes just birdied 5, moving up to -4. Rose, Willett, Perry, Koepka ... the birdies are flying in, and now Thorbjorn Olesen has reached the turn in 32 after a run of birdies between 7 and 9. Hes -3.
12.16pm ET
Youll not see a better drive this week, unless one somehow goes in. Well, nearly. Nearly. Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano has just pearled his drive at 3 right at the flag, the ball landing on the front of the green and bouncing towards the pin at the back. If it hit the flagstick, itd have dropped for a hole-in-one albatross. Or an albatross hole-in-one. Im not sure what should take precedence. The ball rests ten feet behind the cup, and its knocked back in for eagle. Hes -2 overall. Astonishing! He moves to -2. Meanwhile his playing partner Danny Willett drove onto a grassy mound to the left of the green - and has chipped in for his eagle, too! Hes -5 overall, because hes already birdied 2 and 3. This is some run from Rotherhams finest.
12.04pm ET
The veteran local star Kenny Perry has just obliterated the 4th hole! Hes battered his drive 291 yards. The holes playing 292 today. He rolls in the eagle putt, and moves to -3 for the tournament! If there was a roof over Valhalla, itd be flying somewhere over North Carolina right now. Youll not see a better drive this week, unless one somehow goes in. Meanwhile Brooks Koepka has been on something of a charge: birdies at 7, 8 and 9, and hes reached the turn in 32. Hes now -3 overall through 11.
11.55am ET
Before the action hots up, time to remember that its two years to the day since one of the great PGA Championship duels: Croc v Snake at the 2012 tournament at Kiawah Island (2.36pm BST). Warning: this clips not for the squeamish. Its not for those who like competitive action, either, because its something of a rout.
11.38am ET
No birdie for Rose on 10, as his putt shaves the right of the hole. Thats a poor miss, as that was from five feet, not ten as I suggested in the previous entry. Back on 4, Ian Poulter has driven the green but cant quite rake in the 50-footer for eagle. Birdie will do; hes -2 overall. According to Butch Harmon on Sky, the other players have been giving Poulter pelters on the driving range for yesterdays online diatribe against British Airways. Twitter gets everyone in the end. Stay away from the tweets, kids. Bad social media! Mess you up!
11.31am ET
Rose is playing magnificently. Hes in thick rough down the left of the par-five 10th, but has lifted a classy wedge over the flag to ten feet. The putt hes left with isnt quite a gimme, but if he sinks that his round could get quite interesting. Meanwhile news of the old warrior Colin Montgomerie, who on this long, wet course must feel like a man shoved into the lions den with neither whip nor chair. The reigning Senior PGA and US Senior champion is holding his own: two bogeys this morning cancelled out by two birdies, the latest a brilliant two at the par-three 8th, his tee shot sent five feet from the flag. He remains at level par. Doing the old boys even prouder: the runner up at the 1996 PGA here, the local hero Kenny Perry. The Kentuckian has creamed his second at the opening hole to a couple of feet, and rapped in the birdie putt to move to -2.
11.22am ET
Its Sergio! Hes out early doors having just sneaked inside the cut with opening rounds of 70 and 72. That first major will continue to elude him here at Valhalla, but he appears to be in the mood to make one of his trademark its-too-late-you-daft-bugger birdie charges. A shot picked up at the opening hole, and now he wedges pin high to ten feet at 4 before stroking in a second birdie. Hes -2 for the tournament. Of course, if he goes on to shoot his second 61 in as many weeks, we can talk again. No biggie, then, Sergio. Be about your business!
11.16am ET
Its raining today in Valhalla. Both in terms of precipitation - its a bit grim right now, though its expected to clear up soon enough - and more importantly in terms of birdies. Plenty out there this morning. The big early move has been made by last years US Open champion Justin Rose, who has picked up four shots on the front nine, and would have reached the turn in 30 had a chip at 9 dropped rather than shaving the side of the hole. Hes -4 for both his round and the tournament. Hideki Matsuyama meanwhile birdied 1, 3 and 4, and is suddenly -2 for the tournament. Also out there with a couple of birdies to their name already: Graeme McDowell (-1 overall through 11), Marc Warren (-2 overall through 8) and Zach Johnson (-2 overall through 5). If this is anything to go by, which it surely is, we should be in for a treat when the players closer to the business end of the leaderboard come out to play. Its Moving Day all right.
11.05am ET
Good morning America. Well, thats the field cleaved in half. And while the lions share of the attention afforded to the cut was concentrated on the travails of Tiger, a word for the 20 club professionals who did battle at Valhalla this week. The PGA Championship doesnt bother with amateurs - the clues in the name, I guess - though one could play if they somehow managed to win either the Masters, the US Open or the Open Championship. Instead, the fields given a little twist by the addition of the folk who, with infinite patience, spend day in day out teaching clowns like me how to connect clubface with ball. Ryan Helminen of Menasha, Wisconsin is one such chap, and the 39-year old came within one stroke of making it to Saturday and Sunday and mixing it with the big boys at the business end of Glorys Last Shot. His level par 71 yesterday brought him close. Birdie at the 9th, his last hole, wasnt quite enough, and hell always be thinking about the five-footer for birdie he missed on 7 as he chased the two shots he needed to make it. I feel bad because I wish I could have been the one to get through and represent the club pros, he says. But its great that they do this for us and I think it draws people in. I brought a lot of people to Louisville and Im sure a lot of other club pros brought people in. Thats how we promote the game. Yes sir. Hats off to Helminen, and the other 19 pros, with special mention to Johan Kok of Brentwood, Tennessee who shot a four-under 67 yesterday. A 67!
9.00am ET
Ask anyone who ever attempted to transport a piano, grandfather clock, crate of delicate family heirlooms or large sheet of plate glass from one location in Hollywood to another during the 1920s or 1930s: moving can lead to all manner of entertaining scrapes. And thats with only two men wearing brown overalls and bowler hats involved! Look at the significantly larger cast list weve got for you on this Moving Day ...
Continue reading...August 8, 2014
US PGA Championship 2014: second round live | Scott Murray
3.17pm ET
Tiger with a pearler at the par-three 3rd, stroking an iron straight at the flag. The ball lands softly and rolls serenely towards the cup, stopping four feet short. A great chance for birdie. Speaking of which, Westwood has clipped his second at 4 to 15 feet, a gentle right-to-left swinger remaining for birdie. But he doesnt give it enough on the right, and the ball dies on the left. Par. He remains at -7.
3.13pm ET
Tiger is in the Westwood Zone off the back of 2 near the flag, but he cant chip in like the Worksop Wizard. A second par. Up on 3, Poulter sends his tee shot straight at the flag, but 20 feet short. His birdie putt is one dimple away from dropping, but thats another par. Jim Furyk is out with a par at the 1st. Early birdies for Victory Dubuisson (4) and Jason Day (3) move the pair to -3. And its a 69 for Richard Sterne, who ends the day at -3.
3.10pm ET
Bill Haas and Vijay Singh have both signed for 68s; both are well placed at -3 at the halfway mark. Ian Poulter dropped a shot at the opening hole, but scrambled well from the back-left of 2 to save his par and remain at -2. Kevin Chappell underhits another birdie effort, this time on 12. He stays at -6.
3.02pm ET
A beautiful tee shot at 3 by Westwood, pin high, 12 feet to the left of the flag. A tricky downhill birdie putt with a swing to the right, but he reads it perfectly, and joins Palmer in second place! Theres a textbook example in making the most of your luck.
-9: McIlroy (F)
-7: Palmer (F), Westwood (3)
-6: Chappell (2*)
2.57pm ET
An astonishing escape for Lee Westwood on 2! Hes down the slope to the left of the fairway, and hacks a poor effort into further trouble, not far from the water on the left. It stays dry, but he can only clunk his third past the pin and through the back. No matter! In the thick cut, and with mud all over his ball, he guides a chip into the cup to scramble an extremely unlikely par! He remains at -6, and wanders off in high spirits. That could easily have set him off in the wrong direction, but he might now begin to wonder if its his day. And with the conditions starting to improve, hell have chances to close the gap on Rory.
2.55pm ET
A chat with Rory.
It was a job well done. The conditions were very tricky. I would have taken 67 going out this morning. My 5-wood has been good to me this year, the one at 7 was another good shot. Im honestly not thinking about winning. Im trying to play solid golf, thinking about each shot, and the trigger words that I have.
2.53pm ET
Tiger out of the trees down the left. He can only find the bunker front right of the green. The 14-time major winner splashes out to ten feet, and saves an unlikely par. He doesnt look particularly cheered, but that was some save after the dismal drive. Harrington, meanwhile, hoicks his second over trees to the back of the green, and then drains a 30-footer! Birdie, and hes +1. A big smile, Padraigs trademark. Phil Mickelson is made to look boring for once with a common-or-garden par to remain at -2. And mopping up this mornings marquee group: Bubba finished with a 72, and should escape the cut, but Martin Kaymer is almost certainly going home after a dismal 74, his goose cooked after finding water with his third shot at 7 and suffering a double bogey.
2.47pm ET
Billy Horschel is dressed in a pair of neon tartan trousers, looking for all the world like a box of Edinburgh Rock. He needs to perform in those breeks. And how! A birdie on 10, and now hes raked in a monster across 12, the best part of 60 feet, for another birdie. Hes -2!
2.43pm ET
McIlroy makes a huge - in terms of significance, rather than distance - birdie putt on 9! Its got a huge right-to-left break, but he judges it perfectly, and punches the air as the ball drops! Thats a 67, to go with yesterdays 66. He didnt have the best of the conditions today, and yet thats another brilliant round. It could have been a whole lot better, too, were his putter really on fire. He ends the day two clear of Palmer. Westwood and Chappell will need to think on.
-9: McIlroy (F)
-7: Palmer (F)
-6: Westwood (1), Chappell (1*)
2.40pm ET
Kevin Chappell, another of the overnight leaders, leaves a very makeable birdie putt short at 10. He remains at -6. McIlroy in the middle of the 9th fairway. He wedges from 140 yards to 15 feet. And as he prepares to finish off his round, out comes the afternoon marquee group. First up, Padraig Harrington, who takes forever to tee off, and might as well have just stepped up and battered it, hooking into the trees down the left. Then Phil Mickelson, who teases the trees down that side too. And finally Tiger Woods, who really does need a good one here if hes to stay for the weekend. Not a great start: he follows Harrington into deep trouble. Tiger really should keep the driver in the garage back home, never mind keep it in the bag. How many shots per round does it cost him these days?
2.34pm ET
Par for Westwood at the opening hole. A fairly nondescript four shots, but hell be eased into the round. Graham DeLaet birdied 7, and ends with a 68 to go with his opening round of 69. Hes -5, and this would be some place to get his first tour victory. And Henrik Stenson has finished. A level-par 71 to go with yesterdays superlative 66, having made a pigs ear of the par-three 8th, hitting a fat tee shot, then racing his chip miles past the hole and failing to knock in the return putt. Still, hes in good nick, as one look at the leaderboard will prove:
-8: McIlroy (17*)
-7: Palmer (F)
-6: Westwood (1), Chappell
-5: DeLaet (F), Stricker (F), Stenson (F), Furyk, E Molinari
-4: Wood (14), Ilonen
2.29pm ET
Steve Stricker scrambles a brilliant par on 9, chipping dead from 20 yards off the front of the green. He signs for a 68 to go with his first-round 71, and hes -5 for the tournament, very well placed indeed. His playing partners? First Sergio, who shot a poor 72, having clambered up to -2 overall before dropping strokes at 5 and 6. Hes level par, and should be here this weekend, unless the scoring this afternoon gets a bit daft under the improving weather conditions. Meanwhile the 64-year-old legend Tom Watson puts his name to a 73. Hes +3, and going home, though what an effort on a monster course by the veteran contender. Will this be his last PGA? Could be, if he decides to bow out at the Open at St Andrews next summer. The one major he never won. Hey, hes in good company, alongside Arnold Palmer, and if youre going to miss out on one, it may as well be the PGA. Most folk couldnt be so fussy, of course, but then most folk havent won eight majors.
2.21pm ET
The overnight co-leader Lee Westwood is out, and hes clattered a drive straight down the middle of the 1st. Down the hole, Rickie Fowler sticks his approach to five feet, a fine chance for an opening birdie. And its in: hes -3. Meanwhile on 8, heartache for Rory, who sends his tee shot 25 feet past the flag, then hits a putt with a huge left-to-right break dead on line. A brilliant read, but hes one roll short of birdie. That stopped agonisingly close. He stays at -8.
2.18pm ET
Rory, though. Youll not see a better fairway wood than that all week, arrowed straight at the pin, and yet hes only walking away with a birdie. (Only! I know. But still.) Thats the second time hes done that today. The 4-iron creamed straight at the 16th flag, then a short putt for birdie missed. The occasional lapse with the putter here and there. If he had the dead eye of peak-era Steve Stricker, they would have to call most of these tournaments off, thered be no point. Anyway. A short birdie effort missed by Chris Wood on 13, after wedging his second to six feet. He stays at -4. Birdie for Vijay on 18 to move to -3.
2.12pm ET
No eagle for Rory, never really threatening the cup with his attempt. He taps in for a birdie and leads the way now in his own right on -8, while Bubba also two-putts to move back to level par. Martin Kaymer has made a bit of a mess of this hole after his third shot found the water and walks away with a double-bogey, which is almost like a triple on this 7th hole.
And with that I will hand back to the man himself, Scott Murray. Enjoy!
2.07pm ET
Wow, this is a beauty. So straight, so long, Rory arrows a wood directly at the flag with stunning precision to leave himself a very gettable eagle opportunity. Bubba follows and leaves his approach at the front of the green, a good shot in its own right, and he will putt for a three also.
1.59pm ET
Cheeky chips! Paul Casey shows the girthiest forearms in golf carry plenty of finesse with a delicate dink straight into the cup. Moments later Johan Kok mirrors the deed for a par on the 12th. McIlroy, Watson and Kaymer meanwhile tee-off on the birdiable 597 yard par-5 7th. McIlroys drives long as ever but the ball plugs on the wet fairway leaving him a very difficult second not as difficult as the German, mind, who has one foot on a mossy rock and one in the long grass in that swampy area between land and water. Kaymer batters his club against ball, rock and wet foliage with a reasonable result (though not for his splattered trousers), making some yardage down the fairway.
1.46pm ET
Watson attacks the putt but it rolls by the hole and he will drop to +1 with that bogey on the 6th, possibly playing as the toughest hole on the course today. Martin Kaymer two-putts from range to par, and McIlroy claims par also.
1.43pm ET
Heres McIlroy with his second shot on this par-four 6th, his 15th hole of the day. Hes well positioned and lets rip with a five wood 235 yards out. The ball slightly fades away to the right and just off the green, and another up and down is required to save par ... and once again his chip is exquisite, leaving himself two or three feet. Bubba, from a similar lie, gets a little heavy on his dink towards the hole to leave himself a much tougher putt.
Ryan Palmer on this mornings weather: Im not sure we should have started when we did. A great feeling to finish under par today ... now I will go dry off!
1.33pm ET
A fine finish from Ryan Palmer sees him home with the lowest score in the clubhouse, matching McIlroy on -7. The Texan birdied both 17 and 18 to card a noteworthy 70, despite enduring some the worst of the conditions this morning. Elsewhere, Luke Donald drains his 12 foot birdie putt to leave himself on -1.
1.26pm ET
Another mistake from McIlroy. From the middle of the 5th fairway Bubba has the better angle in to the pin, and although the American slightly undercooks his approach hes on the short stuff, which is more than can be said for the bunker-stricken McIlroy after his wayward iron. However, a lovely par-saving up and down maintains the world No1s one shot lead.
1.12pm ET
An appalling shot here by Rory McIlroy. Hes in front of the short par-four 4th hole, wedge in hand, 70 yards from the green. And he misses front left! Hes in the first cut. Dear oh dear. A rank amateur would be in a hot funk about that. But theres the beauty of golf, right there. The great leveller. Out comes the wedge, and he looks to hole it, the flags out. But from the moment he nudges it out of the thick stuff, its always missing on the right. He taps in for par, and remains in the lead by one, though it should be so much better. Palmer has pulled out of his slump, incidentally, with birdie at 17 that brings him back to -6.
And with that, Im handing over to Lawrence Ostlere for a wee while.
1.01pm ET
A dropped shot for Steve Stricker at 4, and he slips back to -5. Richard Sterne birdies 1, and moves up to -4 alongside Graham DeLaet. The last we heard of the Canadian, he was two under for his round after playing the back nine in 34 strokes. Well, hes still two under for his round, but in a rollercoaster fashion, having double bogeyed 2, then birdied 3 and 4. And its another birdie for Vijay, who moves into the group at -4 with birdie at 13! The old boy is now the form horse out there: no other player is four shots to the good for their round so far!
-7: McIlroy (12*)
-6: Westwood, Chappell
-5: Palmer (16), Stricker (13*), Stenson (12*), Furyk, E Molinari
-4: DeLaet (14*), Singh (13), Sterne (10*), Ilonen
12.55pm ET
All three of the morning marquee group are in the bunker to the right of the par-three 3rd. Bubba cant afford too many slip-ups, as hes -1, and the cut is currently expected to send home everyone at +1 and over. Kaymer, who just bogeyed 2 and is +2 for the tournament, needs to get something going. McIlroy is under a different sort of pressure: he wont fancy dropping a second shot in two holes. Rory splashes to eight feet. Kaymer throws his out, straight at the flag, three bounces and in! A much-needed birdie, though at +1 hell need at least one more. Bubba hoicks out to 12 feet. He cant hole the one coming back, and hes back to level par. Its not looking good for the Masters champion, though it also looks like he doesnt give a flying one. Itll be interesting to see how the rest of his round pans out, thats for sure. And then Rory rolls in his par saver, a slight left-to-right break read perfectly. Thats arrested a little slide. He stays one in front.
12.45pm ET
A poor putt by McIlroy, not set out far enough on the left. It dies right in front of the hole. Hes back to -7. So close to a three-shot lead back on 1, and now hes only a single stroke ahead of Stricker, Westwood and Chappell.
-7: McIlroy (11*)
-6: Stricker (12*), Westwood, Chappell
-5: Palmer (15), Stenson (11*), Furyk, E Molinari
12.40pm ET
Its beginning to slip away a little from Ryan Palmer. Bogey at 12, and now another at 15, and the one-time sole leader is now three off the lead and back into the back at -5. Mind you, the leader McIlroy is in a spot of bother down 2. He could only find the bunker front left of the green, having hit his second from down the rough-covered slope to the left of the fairway. Hes just skelped a long sand shot ten feet past the flag. Its a makeable par save, but far from a certainty.
12.31pm ET
The most popular man out on the course right now is surely Kenny Perry. The local hero came so close to victory here at the 1996 PGA, but it wasnt to be. The veteran is putting in a fine performance this week, though. A one-over 72 yesterday for the 53-year-old Kentuckian, and hes just played the back nine in 33 strokes. Plenty of younger men would snatch his hand off were an exchange offered. Perrys just shed a shot at 1, but he remains at -1 for the tournament and is looking good for the weekend.
12.27pm ET
The rain has stopped for now. Theres still a little bit of wind, and perhaps theres going to be another shower. But the worst of it is supposedly over, and the conditions should improve for the afternoon. Rory drives into a little trouble down the left of the long par-four 2nd. Hes not far off the fairway, but hes off it, and thats bad enough. Reaching the green in two may well be a pipe dream.
12.24pm ET
Bubba can only hack up the hole from the rough. Hell need to get up and down from 50 yards. He flings his club into the air, and lets it spin a few times before landing on the lush, wet grass. And theres him complaining about water on his equipment. He bumps a chip up to ten feet, though that didnt look like a particularly clean contact. Hes shaking his head a lot, a very unhappy man right now. The par putt is pulled to the right, and hes back to -1. Meanwhile Rory hits another gorgeous approach, over the flag to 12 feet. The birdie effort lips out on the left, and thats par. Unlucky. He also looks frustrated, but his concerns are of a very different nature right now.
12.16pm ET
Bubba is all over the shop. Back on 18, he lifted a wedge to four feet, surely saving an unlikely par, but then missed the short putt. Hes back to -2 after dropping his first shot of the day. And now hes blootered his drive into the branches of some trees down the left of the 1st. Rory is in the middle of the fairway, his driving as dependable as ever. Meanwhile up on 9, the 1998 and 2004 champion Vijay Singh has just birdied, his fourth of the day. Hes reached the turn in 32, the veteran 51-year-old moving to -3 for the tournament!
12.10pm ET
CLATTER! BANG! BOOM! Rory McIlroy effectively sealed the Open Championship at Hoylake with eagle at 18 on the Saturday afternoon. Hes just eagled 18 here, too, rattling in a confident, high-speed effort from the front edge of the green, a 40-foot stroke of brilliance. It wont win him this championship, not least because its effectively hole 9 on the Friday. But it is the first time hes taken the sole leadership of this tournament, and its a shot thatll be heard all across the course, and all through the field. Hes two clear all of a sudden, and though the Westwoods and Cahppells of this world will have better conditions to play in this afternoon, and a chance to overtake, this will give them something serious to think about. Assuming Rory stays out in front, of course, but you know how he rolls these days.
-8: McIlroy (9*)
-6: Palmer (13), Stricker (10*), Westwood, Chappell
12.02pm ET
Positivity time, in Bubbas current mental state drags us all under. Eagle-eyed readers will have noticed Graham DeLaet and Chris Wood at -4. The Canadian DeLaet has just carded back to back birdies, at 17 and 18. Hes played the back nine in 34 shots. Wood meanwhile has arrested his early decline: after those two bogeys to start, hes grabbed a shot back with birdie at 4. And heres news of a welcome resurgence. Luke Donald, the English nearly man, fell apart on the back nine yesterday, having reached -5 at one point. He ended with a one-over 70, a bitter disappointment given the narrative of his round. But hes bounced back well, with birdies this morning at 12 and 15. Hes -3 again, and with his dander up once more. Lets hope he can keep it going for the full 18 this time.
11.57am ET
An astonishing shot by an enraged Bubba. He drops and then plays his third at 18 onto a patch of land straight over the water in front of him, and to the right of the fairway and the green. That was a total mishit, and is lucky not to have found more trouble, more water maybe. Hes gotten away with that, but is clearly struggling with both his grip and the pulsating noise within his skull. Rory reaches the front apron of the green in two fuss-free shots.
11.54am ET
All change at the top! The sole leader Ryan Palmer drives into the rough down the left of 12, then fails to get up and down from 80 yards having been forced to lay up. Hes now one of the co-leaders at -6, alongside McIlroy, Stricker, Westwood and Chappell - but not Stenson, who dropped a stroke at 17 and is back to -5. Rory is currently standing in the middle of the 18th fairway, waiting for Bubba to sort himself out. The Masters champion has just winged his drive into the waterfall on the right, hopping angrily around the tee box in the early Hollywood style, like a Ford Model T has just run over his toes.
-6: Palmer (12), Stricker (9*), McIlroy (8*), Westwood, Chappell
-5: Stenson (8*), Furyk, E Molinari
-4: DeLaet (9*), Wood (4), Ilonen
11.44am ET
The marquee group of McIlroy, Watson and Kaymer play the 17th in par. Not too much drama, although theres a nice moment where Rory, having failed to stick his approach close to the cup, slams his club into the fairway and nearly cops for a mouthful of water, several litres spraying towards his startled coupon before evasive action is taken.
11.40am ET
Shockerwatch. Scott Stallings, who started his round with double bogey at 10, then bogeyed 11, followed up with another double at 12. He then bogeyed 17, playing Valhallas back nine in 42 strokes. Hes +6 for his round, and for the tournament. His playing partner Matteo Manasseros not particularly enjoying himself either: he played the back nine in 40, but hes coming off the back of an 80 yesterday, a dismal end to his major-championship season after a top-20 finish at Hoylake. As for the club pros, the story of misery begins and ends right now with Matt Pesta, who took 46 strokes on the back nine, four double bogeys on his card. And hes just started the front nine with double bogey and bogey. Hes +13 for his round and, after a 79 yesterday, +21 for the tournament. Lets hope he gets home without suffering too much more emotional tumult.
11.33am ET
A mixed bag for Sergio this morning. Hed opened up with that birdie at 10, but dropped shots at 14 and 16 sent him back to level par for the tournament. Hes since birdied 17, and rises again to -1. But missing the cut, currently projected to send folk at +1 home, seems more likely than a challenge for the title. The rain continues to fall, on the ground, in our hearts.
11.29am ET
Steve Stricker has just knocked in a snaking 30-footer on 17 to join the group in second place at -6. Hes the form guy out there this morning. Richard Sterne of South Africa is looking to follow his example, with birdies at 10 and 13; hes -3 for the tournament all of a sudden. Another dropped shot for Chris Wood, this time at 2, a nightmare start, though at least his fruitbowl hasnt started to cascade out of his breeks yet. Hes back to -3. Meanwhile Bubbas hit a poor drive down 17, giving himself another chance to hone the George Costanza act. Water on the clubface, Bub, water on the clubface. I got no chance!
11.24am ET
But Bubba is still -3 for the tournament, well placed. He whips his glove off, and decides to play au naturel. A chip bumped up the green from the thick stuff to six feet, and he saves his par. A brilliant up and down. Hes happy, unlike McIlroy, who misreads his short putt, the ball always missing on the left. Thats a wonderful birdie opportunity spurned. No share of the lead for the Open champion. Yet. He looks troubled after that, as well he might, for that was as good an approach as well see all week.
11.20am ET
Rory is on song now. From the middle of the behemoth par-four 16th, hes just arrowed a 4-iron straight at the flag. The ball rolls up to six feet, a stunning shot. Hell have that for a share of the lead. Bubbas second flies into the thick stuff to the right of the green. Hes not happy with his grip in the rain. I cant play golf, man, he tells his caddy. I got nothin! Its the sound of resignation rather than a blast of anger. Bubba as George Costanza.
11.11am ET
Ryan Palmer is the sole leader again. Hes just creamed a fantastic approach from 140 yards at 9 to five feet, and knocked in the birdie putt. Thats as good a shot as youll see today. Hes -7. Meanwhile a couple of fast starts slow down a little: dropped shots for Levy at 8, and Haas at 6, moving them back to -3 and -2 respectively. But up on 15, McIlroy sends a giant 8-iron into the green to 15 feet, and strokes home a gentle left-to-right breaker that was always going in from the moment it left the face of his putter. Hes -6 after that birdie, and just the one shot behind the leader Palmer. Once again, the world number one has responded superbly to a setback! The rest of the field could be forgiven for wondering if anything can stop him, when hes in this relentless mood.
-7: Palmer (10)
-6: Stenson (6*), McIlroy (6*), Westwood, Chappell
-5: Stricker (7*), Furyk, E Molinari
-4: Ilonen
11.03am ET
The rains coming down again. Lets hope Chris Wood, the PJ Proby de nos jours, has packed plenty of pairs of waterproof trousers after ripping his pants open yesterday while bending down to read a putt, much to the gallerys high amusement. Hes not taken yesterdays form out with him, though, thats for sure. No bogeys in a blemish-free 66 yesterday, but hes dropped a shot at the 1st today, and hes back to -4. PJ Proby trouser-splitting references. Were supposedly doing this for the internet generation. Its all a sham.
10.57am ET
Kaymer cant save his par, then misses the tiddler for bogey. Thats a shocker, the crowd gasping in disbelief at the short-game capitulation of their Open champion. A double, and hes back to +1. Bubba saves his par to stay at -3. And McIlroy rattles his saver into the hole. He remains one off the pace at -5. And hes joined there by Stricker, who has just birdied 15! This is a brilliant performance by the half-retired veteran. (Can you be half-retired? I confuse myself.) Meanwhile the major-championship debutant, Alexander Levy, continues his astonishing introduction to the highest level of tournament golf. Hes birdied the par-five 7th, and is now -4 for the championship.
10.48am ET
Gerry Lester Bubba Watson is, of course, a genius. His ball had clanged off the pathway and into thick nonsense far to the right of the green. So hes just lifted a gentle Mickelsonesque wedge to six feet, giving himself a chance to save par few thought hed have. Kaymer, from thick rough but nevertheless a far simpler place, fires a hot effort 12 feet past the flag. And McIlroy hits an uncharacteristically clumsy bump-and-run onto the green from the left. That flies ten feet past the hole. Bubba now the most likely to save his par. Youd have got a fair price on that a couple of minutes ago.
10.44am ET
Bubba has just sent his tee shot at 14 bounding off down a cart path to the right of the green. God speed, Gerry! Kaymer is right and short. McIlroy had gone first, missing on the left, but hes in the best position of the three. Three major winners here! The aforementioned Stricker, two groups ahead, had stuck his tee shot to three feet here. Shot of the day so far. And another birdie for Bill Haas, this time at 5: hes -3 for his round and the tournament, and currently the hottest property on the, er, property.
10.38am ET
Steve Stricker is 47 years old, just inside the major-winning cut-off point of 48 years set by Julius Boros at the PGA of 1968. Hes had 11 top-ten finishes in his major-championship career, the most recent at the 2013 US Open, and the one before that at the PGA in 2012. Hes so steady, and such a good putter, its a wonder hes never won one of the big ones. Well, theres still time, according to the Boros-o-meter! A birdie at 10 this morning, and now another at 14, and hes -4 for the tournament. Well? Huh? And hes only two off the lead, because Ryan Palmer couldnt get up and down from the sand to the left of 8, and hes back to -6, in a tie for first with Stenson, Westwood and Chappell. Would anyone begrudge Stricker? Youd need a cold, cold heart. (This doesnt necessarily apply to the upcoming Ryder Cup, at which hell be Tom Watsons assistant for the US team. But one thing at a time.)
10.31am ET
An astonishing shot by Martin Kaymer on 13. Hes left his ball just to the right of a bunker on the left-hand side of the fairway. He decides to go for the island green, despite only being able to play his wedge by balancing on his toes, his heels hanging over the lip of the bunker. Hes either going to fall back into the sand or make an almighty mess of the shot, perhaps squirting his ball into the water in front of the green. But he does neither, sending it safely into the heart of the putting surface, and leaving himself a 25-footer for birdie. He cant make the putt, but its not far off. That would have been an outrageous birdie. He taps in for par, and stays at -1. Bubba and Rory meanwhile hit their wedges close, their stances having been wholly non-dramatic. Bubba cant make his putt. Par. But can McIlroy bounce back after that bogey on 12? Hes got a fairly straight ten-footer - and he tickles it in! Hes back to -5. His ability to respond to setbacks is, quite frankly, astonishing. But then weve known that ever since he won the 2011 US Open after that experience at the Masters.
10.25am ET
Ryan Palmer is now the sole leader of the PGA. After a steady start of six straight pars, hes birdied the long par-five 7th. Henrik Stenson is staying on his tail, though, responding to the dropped shot at 12 with birdie at 13. Some other moves: another birdie for Bill Haas, this time at 4, and hes -2; Graham DeLaet of Canada has birdied 14 to move to -3; and Jerry Kelly, in late last night with a superb 67, has bogeyed the 1st to drop to -3.
-7: Palmer (7)
-6: Stenson (4*), Westwood, Chappell
-5: Furyk, E Molinari, Wood
-4: McIlroy (3*), Ilonen
10.19am ET
Bubba cant make his birdie at 12, a shame given that approach. He stays at -3. Hes only a shot behind McIlroy now, as the Northern Irish player cant get up and down from the sand. He clips the ball out to 12 feet, a very decent effort from a bunker with a steep face, but the putt was never going in, and no amount of acting like you cant believe it didnt drop makes any difference. Hes back to -4. Hes never very happy in the wet, is Rory. Luckily the rains stopped right now, though another shower is expected before the sun finally comes out, so hell need to get his gameface on, and quickly.
10.15am ET
Stenson has dropped out of the lead, unable to scramble from rough to the right of 12. The bogey sends him back to -5. Coming the other way, the young French player Alexander Levy, who shot a very impressive 69 yesterday on his first appearance at a major, and is following that up confidently today. Hes one under for his round through five holes, having birdied 4. Hes -3 for the tournament. Like a duck to water.
10.11am ET
McIlroy has sent a huge hook into the trees down the left of 12. Trouble ahoy! Hes not got much of a route into the green from where he lands, and cant draw it round the branches hes behind. The ball slamdunks in the bunker to the right of the green. A slow start continues. Kaymer reaches the green in regulation and faces a 30-footer for bounce-back birdie. Bubba remains in The Zone, though, and arrows his approach straight at the flag. Hell have an uphill birdie putt from 15 feet. Play is dragging, by the way. Not sure whether its the Stenson-Moore-Perry group up ahead at fault, or folk further along the course. But someone needs to pick up their feet somewhere.
9.59am ET
No birdie for Sergio, but thats still a positive start for the Spaniard, who remains at -2, four off the lead currently shared by Palmer, Stenson, Westwood and Chappell. Early birdies for Steve Stricker and Cameron Tringale: the Americans pick up their shots at 10 and 1 respectively, and theyre both -3 for the tournament. Bubbas fast start, meanwhile, has been matched by Ryan Moore, who birdied 10 and 11 ahead of him. Hes level par now after yesterdays 73.
9.56am ET
Another birdie for Bubba! Hes sailed his tee shot at 11 pin high to eight feet, and has stroked in the putt to move to -3. McIlroy wasnt far outside him with his tee shot, but his putt was always staying out on the high side. Another par: hes -5 still. Martin Kaymer, though, fails to find the green, missing front right, and fails to get up and down, racing his first putt from off the surface six feet past, too much to salvage. Hes back to -1.
9.53am ET
Sergio is out early, by the way. He responded to a slow start yesterday in a most unSergioesque manner, going +2 through 6 before scrambling back to level par within four holes, then securing a birdie boost on the last. He signed for a one-under-par 70, and was smiling broadly as he took his leave of the green. Perhaps hes finally realised that all is not lost the minute things go a little bit wrong. Heres hoping. Anyway, he started well today, maintaining momentum with birdie at 10. Par at 11, and hes given himself a look at birdie on 12 with a 20-footer. Hes currently -2 for the tournament. More to come from him.
9.48am ET
We have a new joint leader, meanwhile! Ryan Palmer has been going nicely, with pars on the first four holes. Hes joined at -6 by Henrik Stenson, who birdied 10 after wedging an approach to four feet from 100 yards. He gave himself a 12-footer on 11 for the outright lead, too, but that one didnt drop.
9.41am ET
Kaymer, despite being in thick rough to the right of 10, lifts a gentle chip onto the green for a decent birdie chance from 15 yards. The soft, soaked putting surface helping him control that one. He rolls in the putt, though it threatens to escape to the right at the end. Birdie, and hes -2. McIlroy wedges to a similar distance, a couple of yards inside, maybe. But he sets the putt out to the right, and its never coming back. Par, and he remains at -5. Finally Bubba, who will be regretting the spin he put on his wedge, the ball landing a couple of feet away from the pin but zipping back to six feet. No matter, he puts the birdie putt away, and hes -2. A fast start for two members of the marquee group.
9.38am ET
Kaymer and Bubba are both in the middle of the fairway, and even theyre laying up with their second shots. Rory has a decent lie, even though he had driven into the thick stuff, with the grass trampled down well by spectators. He clips an iron up the track, and joins Bubba back on the fairway, though Kaymers carelessly missed to the right. If Matt Emersons dream (8.32am) were to come true and Westwood, Monty and Sergio finished in a three-way tie for first, Id hope the PGA would allow them just to share the Wanamaker Trophy, coos Simon McMahon. The first ever joint winners of a major. Theyd deserve it after what must be about 50 top tens between them. That would keep everyone happy, and the world turning. Of course if the situation discussed earlier were to pan out, and the three got locked in a never-ending play-off leading to a space-time-continuum-bothering vortex, we may be able to go back to 2009 and ensure Tom Watson won the Open instead of the dreamwrecker Stewart Cink. Either way we all win. But weve probably gone well off piste here.
9.30am ET
The rains eased off a little, and here come the major winners! Bubba Watson has just been announced on the 10th tee, and hes blootered a huge drive down the middle. Wet fairways? Not a problem! Martin Kaymer, no short hitter himself, follows him down there. McIlroy is last up, and after a cheer almost the equal of the one received by Bubba - forget the pantomime circus at the 2008 Ryder Cup, this is a knowledgeable crowd - he flays his opening drive into thick rough down the right side. No way will he be able to reach the green in two from there.
9.24am ET
One of the stars of the major-championship season, the US Open runner-up Erik Compton, shot level par 71 yesterday. He opens his second round with a birdie at 10. Hes -1 for the tournament. Compton doesnt want to be solely defined by ... well, yknow, that ... so fair enough, we wont talk about that. The late bloomer is playing some fine golf this week in what is only his fourth appearance in a major. Two under after 10 yesterday, he responded well to a run of dropped shots at 11, 15 and 16. A birdie at 18 to salvage his first round, and a shot picked up early today, has regained that lost momentum. Bill Haas joins Compton at -1 with birdie at the 1st. Along with Ishikawa, these men are the only players under par for their rounds so far today.
9.15am ET
Lowry isnt the only early starter struggling out there. Scott Stallings has double bogeyed 10 and dropped another at 11 to plummet to +3; the club pro Matt Pesta shot 79 yesterday and has opened with a bogey at 10 and a double at 12, dropping down to +11; and young Italian Matteo Manassero struggled badly yesterday in good conditions, shooting 80, and has already bogeyed his opening two holes, 10 and 11, and falls to +11.
9.09am ET
The rain appears to have washed away Shane Lowrys mental equilibrium. Having bogeyed the opening hole after the long delay, he drove into thick, wet rough down the left of 2, and was always chasing par. He nearly knocked in a 30-foot par saver, but thats a second bogey in a row, and a dreadful start to the Irish stars round. He opens with a pair of fives, and hes back down the leader board to -1. Ryan Palmer registers his second par of the day to remain in a share of the lead at -6.
8.56am ET
Ryo Ishikawa, the Bashful Prince, clearly doesnt mind the rain too much. Or hanging about. A birdie at 10, after a long wait halfway down the hole, and he leaps 25 places up the leaderboard to level par, after his opening-day 72. Not a whole load to report right now, though plenty of hot leaderboard action to come of course. The calm before the storm, after the storm.
8.46am ET
The horn has sounded, and play has resumed. The players will get relief from any standing water, of which there is plenty. Expect plenty of deliberation over drops today, never mind putts on the slower, sodden greens. Its not going to be speedy. Weve had a delay of roughly 50 minutes, which means the morning marquee group of 2014 major winners - Bubba Watson, Martin Kaymer and Rory McIlroy - will be out at roughly 9.25am ET. Anyway, to the course, and Ryan Palmer had been left with a 25-footer for his birdie on 1. It was a big ask to, excuse the pun, drain that after the rain delay. He settles for par and stays at -6. But his playing partner Shane Lowry drops a shot, and falls to -2 for the tournament.
8.32am ET
The good folks of the PGA expect play to resume at 8.35am ET. The main problem has been water collecting on the greens. The greenkeeping staff have been hard at it with squeegees, and by the sounds of things have the situation under control. Nice soft greens for landing, then, though of course this is going to turn the course into one mighty long track. After the first round scores, Im hopeful that the final day will see a three-way playoff between Westwood, Monty and Sergio, dreams Matt Emerson, who is talking my language. Imagine the panic as each one leads after one of the others cocks it up spectacularly. It could take months to resolve. And thats just the first hole. Theyd have another two to play, and then itd be sudden death. They could get locked into a never-ending vortex of nervous golf. Unless two of them get fed up and walk in, it could have very serious implications for the space-time continuum.
8.22am ET
The weather for the weekend doesnt look particularly great either. Temperatures are expected to rise, but theres still a 60 percent chance of rain tomorrow, and a 40 percent chance of rain on Sunday. Thunderstorms are forecast for Saturday as well as this afternoon, while the odd thundershower, which sounds like a thunderstorm to me, is predicted for Sunday. Wah! At least all this humidity will be keeping Tigers sore back warm.
8.05am ET
Well that didnt last long. Plays been suspended. Like I say, a long day.
Sitting in the shot link tower on 1 watching it rain hard. Waiting it out they are saying. Really?? @PGAChampionship pic.twitter.com/lojqOXvLs4
7.58am ET
Heres how the leaders stand after the first round.
-6: Westwood, Chappell, Palmer
-5: Furyk, E Molinari, Stenson, McIlroy, Wood
-4: Ilonen, Kelly
-3: Luiten, Poulter, Wiesberger, Lowry, Willett, Stefani, Jones, Noh, Holmes
7.30am ET
The 1997 Open. The 1998 US Open. The 1999 Masters. The 2000 US Open. The 2004 Open. The 2008 US Open. The 2009 Open. The 2009 PGA. The 2010 Masters. The 2010 Open. The 2011 US Open. The 2011 PGA. The 2012 Masters. The 2012 US Open. The 2013 Masters. The 2013 Open. The 2014 Masters. Thats a lot of top-ten finishes.
So if theres anyone in the field whose wait to win a major championship is long overdue - apart from Sergio Garcia, but lets not go there again - its Lee Westwood. Of those 17 top-ten places we mention, six have seen Westwood finish in third, another two in the runner-up spot. It always seemed like it was about to happen. But having missed the cut at both this years US Open and the Open, many were beginning to wonder whether the 41-year-old from Worksop, Nottinghamshire, England had missed the boat for good. His price for this tournament was long; few were talking of him before a ball was struck in anger here at Valhalla yesterday. But here he is, having shot a stunning first-round 65, early co-leader of the 96th PGA Championship alongside unsung Americans Kevin Chappell and Ryan Palmer. Could this finally be his tournament?
Continue reading...August 7, 2014
US PGA Championship 2014: first round live | Scott Murray
11.31am ET
Tiger was never going to escape with par down the 1st, not after that drive. And sure enough hes not able to scramble an unlikely save from the deep rough to the left of the fairway. Hes +2. Mickelson is +1, with par. But Harrington also drops a shot, having found the bunker front right of the green and finding himself unable to get up and down. These lads are dragging each other down right now, though Phil and Padraig are doing their best to stay positive, if the grins plastered across their boats are anything to go by. Say what you like about grim-faced old Tiger, but the mans a realist.
11.28am ET
As youd expect, a few of the club pros are struggling a wee bit. Michael Block at +6 through 12, Brian Norman +8 through 14, Frank Esposito and Aaron Druegar +10 through 14 and 13 respectively. But its one of the big boys propping up the entire field right now. Angel Cabrera is +11 now, with two more double bogeys on his card, this time at 2 and 3. He played the back nine in 43 shots. This is a proper shocker. Maybe some adjustments to the old pre-tournament preparation are required: Cabrera played his first nine holes at the Open in 39 strokes! And even then ended the tournament in the top 20. Im hazarding a wild guess that a similar renaissance this week is a pipe dream, but I suppose you never know with Cabrera. Eleven over through 13, though!
11.20am ET
Tiger is in all sorts of bother on 1. Well, hes not actually on 1, hes nearly 70 yards to the left of the fairway, behind a large clump of trees in incredibly thick rough. Hes 170 yards from the green, so getting onto the dancefloor in regulation is within his scope. But this is going to be a test for his back, because this grass is going to wrap around the shaft of his club. He takes a wild hack at the ball, and lets one hand release from the grip just after impact. No obvious pain; I wonder whether that was a preventative measure. Anyway, the ball is back on the 1st hole, but in the thick cut down the left. Hell struggle to save his par from there. Speaking of hacking it about, heres John McClure. The PGA have decided to let the public pick Sundays hole location at the 16th this year. Theres a simulator on there that lets you play to each of the four options. Its not very realistic. It wouldnt, for example, allow me to play my second shot from 100 yards further back in the trees.
11.14am ET
How quickly things can change. Theres Adam Scott and Lee Westwood out there together, three shots between them. And then, all of a sudden, the pair are neck and neck, Scott having birdied the 1st and Westwood making an ugly double bogey six. Theyre both at -1, still in decent nick, though now three off the lead, as Freddie Jacobsen and Kevin Chappell have both made birdies, at 11 and 10 respectively, to move to -4. The pair are leading by a shot from Luiten, Matsuyama, Todd, Walker, Poulter and Ilonen. Meanwhile news of this mornings marquee group: pars for Woods and Harrington at 18, but a shot picked up for Mickelson, who moves back to +1 after a rocky period. And now, after walking off 18 with a face like thunder having passed up a reasonable birdie chance, Tiger has just wanged a ludicrous drive into the trees down the right of 1. That might be right over the trees, actually, which may or may not be good news. Time will tell.
11.09am ET
Ian Poulter has joined the large group of leaders at -3 with a birdie at 18. Hes out in a very solid 33 strokes. His playing partner Jimmy Walker, the wandrin stargazer, has matched him shot for shot along the back nine, and also joins the leading group with a birdie at 18. The third member of the group, Jason Day, is going along at a relatively quiet -1. Another great Aussie hope, and the pre-tournament second favourite, Adam Scott, is through 18 in level par, having opened with a birdie at 10 and then handed the shot back at the par-five 18th. Forget John Huh and Kevin Na (10.15am ET), writes Simon McMahon. The only show in town is Sergio Why.
10.57am ET
Of course, some players were due one, and they were due one, and they were due one ... but they never did get one. Exhibit A, and the only evidence youll ever need that the Golfing Gods have cold, cold hearts: poor old Colin Montgomerie. The big man came so close in 1995, but as in all the majors, it was not to be. It surely wont be this week, either. If ... bear with us ... if he was to win this week, the 51-year-old Scot would beat the record for oldest major winner, set in this event in 1968 by Julius Boros, by three years. But a man can dream silly dreams - theyre free, and you cant stop me - and hes just played the back nine holes in 35 shots, having birdied the 18th. Hes -1 on his return to major-championship golf after four years, and only two off the leaders! That group - MBM shifts back into Reality Mode - now also contains Kevin Chappell and Lee Westwood, the latter having played the back nine in a very eventful 33 shots, with birdies at 10, 14, 17 and now 18, his only dropped shot coming at 15.
-3: Matsuyama (11*), Todd (10), Jacobson (9), Westwood (9*), Chappell (9), Ilonen (4*)
-2: Karlsson (12*), Luiten (12), Dubuisson (10*), Els (10*), Walker (8*), Poulter (8*)
-1: A very large group containing Monty
10.46am ET
Jacobson has struck a rich seam of form! Birdie at 9, his third in a row, and hes out in 32 strokes, one of the joint leaders at -3. A bogey for Mickelson at 17, who went on a grand bunker tour along the hole. Hes +2. Par for Tiger. But a birdie for Harrington, who clattered the flagstick with his approach, and moves to -1, two off the lead. It does seem that Rory is the new Tiger, begins Matt Emerson. Two under may or may not be a good score round here today, but until McIlroy goes round we wont really have a benchmark. And thats how it used to be when Tiger was in his pomp. Also, Sergio must be seriously hacked off that hes in his best form of the last decade only to find himself up against Rory playing even better. Yep, though I sometimes wonder if Po Sergios happier playing second fiddle, where he can work deep under cover with no weight of expectation. Hence the vastly improved form, rounds of 61, several second, third and fourth places, and no PGA Tour titles. He was brilliant in the final round of the Open at Hoylake, six shots behind - until he got to within two and fell apart in the bunker at 15. Then look what happened at Firestone in the final round last weekend, when he gave up his three-stroke lead within four holes. Maybe its unfair to criticise Sergio too much. He does appear to be in a more positive frame of mind these days, and has sorted out his antics on the green to the extent that he recently went 100 holes without once three-putting. And Rory is a force of nature whod sweep anyone away. But itd be interesting if the two ended up going head to head again on Sunday. A lot of hearts ruling heads should that play out for a third time in four weeks. But Im saying a lot of this to tempt fate. Hes due one, surely. Cmon Sergio. Cmon. Please.
10.38am ET
Mikko Ilonen of Finland plodded along for years before winning the 2013 Nordea Masters in Sweden, then followed that up with a big win at the Irish Open earlier this season. Now hes co-leader of the PGA, the 34-year-old having flown out of the traps with birdies at 10, 11 and 12. Hes -3 already, alongside the aforementioned Brendon Todd and Hideki Matsuyama, who has just carded back-to-back birdies at 18 and 1. A good few moments for the Nordic Countries, with the Swedes Robert Karlsson and Freddie Jacobson moving to -2, the former having birdied 18 and 1, the latter 7 and 8. Very much from another hemisphere, Ernie Els completes the back nine holes in 34 strokes; hes -2 as well and part of an increasingly large group which also now includes Jimmy Walker of the USA and Scotlands Mark Warren.
10.30am ET
A first birdie of the day for Tiger! And its a chip in, from off the front of 16, a bundle up the green that was beautifully judged and clearly going in from the moment it left the club. Hes +1. Harrington nearly drains a 40-footer but remains at level par. And Mickelson, whose approach was by far the best of the bunch, pin high and 25 foot from the flag, sends his birdie effort slipping past the left-hand side of the cup; hes -1 too.
10.15am ET
Mickelson cant get up and down from the thick nonsense to the front left of 15. The commentators on US network TNT are blaming the errant drive for the bogey that drops him back to +1, but Id look at that ridiculous chip out myself; by trying to steal needless yards, he overcooked it and lost all chance of controlling his subsequent chip. Tiger and Harrington both par, with the four-time champ Woods nearly draining a 25-footer for birdie. But these three are still not clicking: Tigers +2, Mickelsons +1 and Harringtons level par. John Huh (9.50am ET) is a contender for best nickname on the PGA Tour, reports John McClure. His fellow pros refer to him as Johnny Question Mark. Possibly narrowly beaten by Smallrus (Kevin Stadler). Huh can console himself with the title of Slackers Favourite, a onomatopoeic prize wrested from the grasp of Kevin Na.
10.07am ET
A new leader of the 96th PGA Championship! Its Brendon Todd. The winner of this years Byron Nelson is playing in only his third major, but the 28-year-old from Pittsburgh doesnt appear awed by the step up. He tied for 17th at Pinehurst No2 in the US Open, and for 39th at Hoylake in the Open last month. Hes just birdied 7 to move to -3, a shot ahead of Joost Luiten, Kevin Chappell, Ian Poulter, Jason Day, and Kevin Stadler at -2, and a vast group at -1. Meanwhile up on 15, Mickelson hasnt found the water down the right, but hes snookered by a tree and is forced to chip out sideways. He rather clumsily clips his escape straight through the fairway and into the deep stuff down the left. Thats very poor.
-3: Todd (7)
-2: Luiten (9), Chappell (6), Poulter (6*), Day (6*), Stadler (4)
9.59am ET
Harrington plugs his ball in the bunker to the front right of the 14th green, and is unable to get up and down. His bogey drops him back to level par through his first five holes. It sets the tone, as Tiger can only power out to 12 feet from thick grass on top of a mound to the side of the green. He fails to sink the putt, and is now +2. He doesnt look on it at all. The right decision to play this weekend? Well, there have been no signs of physical anguish so far, but even before this latest injury setback he was off the pace; competing seriously in a major championship is surely too much for him right now. Mickelson meanwhile makes his par with two putts from 25 feet, but may have just driven into water down the right of 15. The morning marquee group featuring three stellar stars, the champions of 2008, 2007 and 2005, feels very Last Decade right this minute.
9.50am ET
Fore left! This is Tiger playing a par three. Hes just whistled his tee shot at 14 miles into the gallery. Tiger didnt make the shout, by the way; he was too busy furrowing his brow and burying the hosel of his 5-iron into the lush turf of the tee box. Meanwhile John Huh, who was on standby for Tiger, gets to play after all, because Matt Kuchar has withdrawn with back issues of his own.
9.41am ET
Harrington and Mickelson are both an inch away from tickling in birdie putts on 13, but pars will have to do. Tigers approach was the best of the bunch, though, perfectly judged over the water and onto the front portion of the green. Hes ten feet from the hole with a fairly straight uphill putt. But he sends it out to the right and the ball stays up. He storms off the green in high dudgeon. He remains at +1.
9.39am ET
Frank Esposito might have suffered the single-hole nightmare of the day so far - a drenched five-over 9 at the short par-four 13th - but the overall prize looks like going to Angel Cabrera right now. The erstwhile US Open and Masters champion is +7 already, having embarked on a hellish run along the back nine. Starting at 10, hes carded par, bogey, bogey, bogey, double bogey and double bogey, with much action based in water and on sand. More positive news: Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Jason Day have joined an ever-expanding group in the early lead at -2. There are shots out here if the players want them, though with water winding its way through this course, going too gung-ho could be the ruin of a few of them.
9.26am ET
All three members of the marquee group in the middle of the fairway at 12. But Tigers the only one who misses the green with his iron, after arguably the best-positioned tee shot, too. Fat and short. He scrambles well for par, but that doesnt augur well for this round. Its been a poor start. He still looks very rusty. His mood wont be helped by Mickelson or Harrington; the former clips his approach pin high and rattles in a 12-footer for a birdie that takes him back to level par, while the latter does similar to move into red figures: -1 for the 2008 champion! Kevin Chappell meanwhile joins the group at -2, following up birdie at 2 with another at 4.
9.14am ET
Tiger can only whip his second at 11 onto the apron behind the flag. He cant knock in a right-to-left 12-footer, and thats a bogey. Hes +1, and thats where Mickelson is too, having sent a trademark flop miles into the air and landing it within ten feet, but prodding at the par putt with great uncertainty. Harrington makes his par in a fairly fuss-free fashion. The early leaders, though, are now at -2: Hideki Matsuyama and Victor Dubuisson, who both started at 10, and Brendon Todd, who has three birdies and a bogey to his name through the first four holes of the course.
-2: Matsuyama (5*), Todd (4), Dubuisson (4*)
-1: Els (4*), Scott (3*), Westwood (3*), Chappell (3), Walker (2*), Poulter (2*), Day (3*), Stadler (1)
9.06am ET
Mickelson doesnt look on his game at all today, that ridiculous putt apart. Hes just clanked a heavy tee shot at the par-three 11th miles to the left of the green. Tiger also overcuts his shot, into the thick rough to the right of the green. Very strange shot choice, seeing a gentle draw into the green would have guided the ball towards the flag, hidden behind a bunker on the left. Padraig is on the green, though US television arent bothering to show all of his shots, so if news of his round is patchy theres no point serving me with a writ about it. The 2000 runner-up Bob May was relatively unknown to the wider public, but he was well known to Tiger, writes David Brown. Heres a nice piece that gives the back story. That is indeed a wonderful tale. I just wanted to hopefully one day win as many tournaments as he did. Ah poor old Bob. The bittersweet beauty of hindsight.
8.58am ET
Phils approach to 10 (this group started on the back nine) isnt all that. He pushes his approach to the front left of a large green, leaving himself a 100-foot putt. And he sends his ball rolling up to the hole, a 99 foot and 11 inch effort which oh so nearly drops. That was an astonishing touch, and some way to register a common-or-garden par five! After playing that hole like a maniac, he walks off unscathed, and thrilled with his putt. A huge smile on his face. Tiger meanwhile sends a decent third into the heart of the green, and is also a turn away from birdie, but his effort was from 20 feet, and very makeable. Hes not so content with his par. And finally Harrington, who is pin high in three and with a 15-footer for birdie. But hes miles off with the flat stick, his fall from grace since those three majors in 2007 and 2008 in microcosm there. He rolls in a three-footer for par. This could be a very entertaining group to follow.
8.52am ET
After various free drops, Mickelson manufactures a route over the trees and hits a medium iron down the fairway. Tiger lays up, too, clearly unwilling to test out his back in the heavy rough when he doesnt need to. And then Harrington, the only man who found the fairway, eases a hybrid up the track in the name of laying up as well. Elsewhere, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott, Lee Westwood and Jason Day have joined Reed, Dubuisson and Els in a large group of early leaders at -1. And Im glad I mentioned Frank Esposito when I did, because the poor mans just run up a 9 on the par-four 13th, a quintuple bogey, and clatters back to +4. But he did once lead the PGA Championship, which is not something too many of us will be able to boast on our deathbeds.
8.43am ET
The morning marquee group of former PGA champions Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Padraig Harrington is out! Tiger, to great cheers, has battered his opening drive into the first cut down the left of the fairway. Thatll be fine, and more importantly his vertebrae havent sprung out of his back and rained onto the tee, playing the theme to Mr Benn as they sprinkle the ground. Lefty, however, has sliced a hilariously poor opening drive into the trees down the left and over a cart path. He hits a provisional, but turns out hell get a drop and have a route back onto the fairway providing he takes his medicine and chips out. Poor old Padraig must be wondering what hes let himself in for today.
8.33am ET
Espositos back on top of the leaderboard! You may wonder what thats worth at this early stage, but you can be damn sure itll be worth something to Esposito. Hes birdied 12 to move back to -1, alongside several of the tour pros: Joost Luiten, Patrick Reed, Billy Horschel, Brendon Todd, Victor Dubuisson and Ernie Els. Ah, Ernie. The Big Easy has come close at the PGA on two particular occasions: in 2004, he finished a shot off a place in a play-off eventually won by Vijay Singh; in 1995 he led by three going into the final day, but was overhauled by Steve Elkington, who shot 64, and poor old Colin Montgomerie, who shot 65 and then lost the play-off. Montys in the field today, his first major appearance for four years, as a result of his win in the Senior PGA. Hes opened his round with a couple of pars. Keep it going, Monty. Youd need a cold, hard heart not to wish the big man well on his journey.
8.19am ET
The first shot of this years PGA Championship was struck by the club professional Brian Norman. The PGA invites 20 of its club pros to compete in its flagship event, so its only right that such an honour falls to some poor bugger who has to deal day in, day out with buffoons like ourselves topping the ball up and down the fairways. (Hello, Cameron from Gleneagles, and thanks again for your good grace and limitless patience yesterday.) Also nice that the 2014 PGAs first birdie was carded by a club pro in Frank Esposito, who started at 10 and picked up a shot at the par five. Hes since handed it back at 11, but thats not the point. Hats off to Brian and Frank. The 2014 PGA Championship is on!
7.00am ET
Valhalla. The Great Hall of Odin. Where master warriors do battle for eternity. Hats off to Tiger Woods, then, for picking up on the theme and running with it. One of golfs bravest soldiers has declared himself fit for the 96th PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville, Kentucky. Having injured his back at the WGC-Bridgestone last weekend, he looked odds on to miss his third major of the year. But hell be teeing it up this morning, having declared himself fit and raring to go.
My sacrum went out, he explains. It pinched the nerve and hence the spasm. My physio put it back in and weve just been treating it. My physio is here. If it does go out again, he is able to fix it. It was a different pain than what I had been experiencing, so I knew it wasnt the site of the surgery. It was different and obviously it was just the sacrum. I feel good. Once the bone is put back in, its all good. Just the sacrum. Just the sacrum. Thats the large, triangular bone at the bottom of the spine which links both hips. Dearie me. Youre worried about him too, right? God speed, Tiger Woods.
Continue reading...August 2, 2014
Arsenal 5-1 Benfica: Emirates Cup as it happened
Alexis Sánchez made his debut as an Arsenal player, but it was four-goal Yaya Sanogo who stole the show, as the home side romped to victory against a desperate Benfica
6.15pm BST
And thats that. What a fine performance by Arsenal, who top the Emirates Cup group after the first matches, on eight points, leading Valencia and Monaco by five. They were brilliant today, as wonderful to watch as Benfica were abject. Benfica are almost Brazilian in their ineptitude, repeats Michael Cosgrove, who was paying close attention on 51 minutes. I never thought Id ever read those words before this World Cup and I suppose you never thought youd write them either. Times do change indeed. Well, youve got to grasp these rare opportunities when they arise. See also the bits about Yaya Sanogo, four goals, and Garrincha.
6.13pm BST
90 min +2: Cazorla busies himself down the right. The balls given to Akpom, who pulls it back into the centre. Coquelin takes a whack, and his shot, across Artur, bounces off the bottom of the left-hand post! Its been Arsenals day, and could easily have been even better had the woodwork been their pal.
6.10pm BST
88 min: Corner for Arsenal down the left. Cazorla whips it in. Miquel gets his head on it. The ball loops up and down, and for a second looks like nestling in the top left. But it hits the angle of post and bar instead. That would have been rather fortunate.
6.08pm BST
86 min: And hats off to them for completing their second triple substitution in less than eight minutes, which is what the first one took! Amorim, Gaitan and Lima are hooked in favour of Derlei, Cancelo and Teixeira. Just over a minute, and most of that was down to reserve official Martin Atkinson being all thumbs with the display board.
6.07pm BST
83 min: Benito is booked for a lunge on Akpom, who was about to zip clear down the right wing. This has been played in a good spirit, which youd expect from a friendly, but not necessarily from a match in which one team is getting their buttocks handed to them on a platter with no garnish. Hats off to Benfica for not losing the collective head.
6.04pm BST
81 min: Benfica start peppering the Arsenal goal. First Bebe takes a free kick from nearly 30 yards out on the left. He hits a belter towards the top left, forcing Martinez to acrobatically tip out for a corner. Nothing comes directly from the corner, but soon enough Pereira is making good down the right, and blasts a rising shot onto the right-hand post and out of play. That should be a corner, as Martinez fingertipped that onto the upright, but the keeper is quite happy to receive no credit from the referee and take the goal kick instead.
6.01pm BST
79 min: Pereira launches another long throw into the Arsenal box from the right. Theres a bit of a brouhaha, and Gaitan attempts a cheeky backheel from ten yards through a thicket of defensive ineptitude. Its straight at Martinez, who gathers. If theres one black mark on Arsenals card this afternoon, its been a weakness at defending set pieces.
5.58pm BST
76 min: A dance by Gibbs down the left. The balls rolled inside for Wilshere, who shuttles it on to Cazorla. The Spanish star attempts a curler into the bottom right from the left-hand side of the Benfica D. Artur is all over it.
5.57pm BST
75 min: Within a minute, Sanchez has performed a little twinkle-toed dance on the ball. The home fans, enjoying themselves very much, are most appreciative.
5.56pm BST
74 min: Another triple substitution by Arsenal, yet again completed well within the 60-second mark. Theyre just showing off now, rubbing it in. Sanogo has already gone, and Campbell and Monreal follow him off. Miquel, Akpom and Sanchez - to huge cheers, as youd expect - take the field.
5.55pm BST
73 min: Bebe, down the right, pulls the ball back for Gaitan on the edge of the D. The shot nestles into the top-left corner of the stand behind the goal.
5.53pm BST
71 min: Sanogos ersatz Brasil 58 pastiche has come at a cost. Hes tweaked something in his leg, having just tweaked something in everyone elses head, and has naffed off down the tunnel. Looks like Alexis Sanchez is about to make his bow in Arsenal colours!
5.51pm BST
69 min: Sanogo turns into Garrincha, beating four men in quick succession down the right. He cant quite get a cross away, but let me repeat: for a moment, Yaya Sanogo turned into Garrincha.
5.49pm BST
67 min: Arsenal have taken their foot off the gas here. Understandable, but theyre letting Benfica have the run of things right now. Almeida is in space down the left, and his looping cross, intended for Lima, nearly worms its way into the bottom right. But Martinez is behind it to smother.
5.48pm BST
66 min: Lima and Gaitan skedaddle down the middle of the park, exchanging passes. Gaitan finally slips the ball wide right to Bebe, who does what Manchester United fans would expect, and hoicks a laughable shot out to the left wing.
5.46pm BST
64 min: The crowd are busy entertaining themselves with a Mexican Wave. Are six goals in little over an hour not enough these days?
5.44pm BST
A consolation for Benfica! A long throw from the right, which is flicked on, allowing Gaitan to head home from six yards. Silence in the Emirates. Benfica dont bother celebrating.
5.44pm BST
61 min: Arsenal show Benfica how its done: Wilshere, Coquelin and Arteta come on for Rosicky, Ramsey and Flamini. Less than 30 seconds, that took! Take notes, Jorge.
5.42pm BST
60 min: Benfica complete their triple substitution! John and Talisca are replaced by Almeida and Candeias. Well done, everyone! Well done!
5.39pm BST
57 min: This is the longest triple substitution in history! Benfica swap Salvio for Bebe, but then theres some confusion with the numbers, and theyre forced to abort the mission one-third of the way through. What a farce. Benfica should have this completed by the 67th minute, as things stand.
5.38pm BST
56 min: Bellerin triangulates with team-mates down the right and, upon reaching the right-hand corner of the Benfica box, attempts to curl one into the top left. He doesnt quite catch it, and Artur gathers.
5.36pm BST
54 min: A bit better from Benfica, as Salvio goes on a baroque stroll down the right, cutting inside and laying off for Talisca. A promising move comes to naught with a dribbler of a shot from 25 yards, straight into Martinezs hands.
5.35pm BST
52 min: Benfica are preparing a triple substitution. But theres a hold up. Perhaps Wenger is telling Jesus that he can put three new players on, but doesnt need to take anyone off. Because right now, this isnt much of a pre-season test for Arsenal, as entertaining as it is for the fans.
5.32pm BST
51 min: Benfica are almost Brazilian in their ineptitude. Rosicky is allowed acres down the left side. He slides the ball on to Sanogo, who attempts to find Campbell in the middle with a fancy lob. It doesnt come off, but the home fans are very much enjoying themselves.
5.31pm BST
Benfica are a sorry shower, but take nothing away from Arsenal. Campbell gathers a long ball down the right, and plays a clever reverse ball down the wing for Ramsey, who cuts into the box and hammers a low shot across Artur, with a view to scoring in the bottom-left corner. The keeper manages to parry, but theres nobody there to clear, and Sanogo slots the loose ball into the empty net.
5.29pm BST
47 min: With stop buggering around in mind, Benfica win a corner down the right. Ramsey nearly plants a header into his own net, but the ball flies just wide right of goal. Then from the second set piece, Talisca attempts a clever flick and turn at the near post, but it doesnt come off, and he runs the ball out of play.
5.27pm BST
And were off again! Arsenal make a change. Santi Cazorla comes on for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Benfica have clearly been told by Jorge Jesus to get back out there and stop buggering around.
5.16pm BST
Half-time entertainment: Courtesy of Arsène and the Wengerettes.
5.12pm BST
Believe it or not, Benfica looked decent for 20-odd minutes. What happened to that Benfica? Arsenal, meanwhile, were stunning. A lot of smiles around the Emirates right now.
5.12pm BST
This is getting embarrassing now. Gibbs in space down the left. The balls whipped into the middle, where Sanogo doesnt have to do much more than swing a leg to bundle it past several sleepwalking Benfica players and slowly into the net. The ball nestles apologetically in Benficas goal. Sanogo races off with a huge grin on his boat. A first-half hat-trick!
5.10pm BST
The party pieces now. Oxlade-Chamberlain is sprung clear into the area down the right. He takes a heavy touch, allowing Artur to come off his line and smother, but the ball breaks back to Ramsey on the edge of the D. He scoops a pass to the left-hand side of the area, where Campbell is free. Campbell plays the ball across into the middle, where Sanogo sidefoots into an empty net. Brilliant.
5.08pm BST
43 min: Campbell should have had another here. Oxlade-Chamberlain exchanges a series of one-twos as he makes off down the pitch, veering right then back into the middle. Eventually he flicks a ball to the left for Campbell, clear on the left-hand edge of the area. Hes only got Artur to beat, Benfica to a man having scuttled across to Arsenals right wing for Oxlade-Chamberlains build-up moves. But he shanks wide left.
5.06pm BST
Oh this is a lovely goal. Bellerin exchanges a one-two with Sanogo down the right, and makes towards the area. He looks up, and lifts a ball towards Campbell, who is running in from the left. Meeting the ball on the edge of the area, Campbell fires solidly into the right-hand side of the net. Not full power: a measured finish. Exquisite. And what a build-up! Arsene Wenger didnt really bother celebrating the first goal, but hes up and clapping that one, with a smile plastered right across his coupon. He approves.
5.03pm BST
37 min: Oxlade-Chamberlain goes on a determined dribble down the middle of the park. He draws three defenders towards him, then pokes the ball through to release Sanogo, who is clear down the inside-left channel and preparing to round the advancing Artur on the edge of the area. But hes flagged offside. Thats a piss-poor decision. He was half a yard on. And in any case, what happened to giving the attacker the benefit of the doubt?
5.01pm BST
34 min: And with grim predictability, having said that, Damian Martinez is forced into action for the first time in a while. A hopeless Benfica ball down the middle of the park clanks off Gaitans heel, and it breaks to Gaitan, tearing down the inside-right channel. Gaitan stretches a leg to toe-poke a first-time effort towards the bottom-right corner. Martinez is down quickly to parry and gather.
4.59pm BST
33 min: Benfica were looking sporadically dangerous before Sanogos dyspraxic Lee Sharpe homage. But theyve done bugger all since. Its not that their heads have dropped - its a friendly, Im not sure they particularly care - but theyve definitely taken their collective foot off the gas.
4.56pm BST
31 min: Ramsey really is a fantastic all-round midfielder. He spins in the centre circle to make some space and sprays a lovely low diagonal ball down the inside-right channel for Oxlade-Chamberlain. A bit too much juice on this one, but hes lovely to watch. Always something going on.
4.53pm BST
29 min: Not much happening since the goal. Benfica lump it long into the Arsenal box, but Johns never getting on the end of that, despite his bustle at the left-hand post. Arsenal seem fairly pleased with their work so far.
4.51pm BST
Simple but tricky. Ramsey makes room for himself down the right with a beautiful clip of his heel and turn. He romps down the pitch and makes for the box. Sanogos in the middle. Ramsey fires a low ball into the six-yard area past Artur, who had come off his line to close down the angle. Sanogo has his back to goal, but back-flicks the ball into the net, much in the manner Manchester Uniteds Lee Sharpe did against Barcelona all those years ago. A lovely finish!
4.49pm BST
24 min: Free kick for Benfica, just in front of the centre circle. Talisca lumps it into the box. Cesar attempts to flick the dropping ball into the bottom left. Monreal is spinning around like a teenager one-and-a-half cans into a Special Brew session. Hes got no idea whats going on, and accidentally knocks the ball out of play, inches wide of the left-hand post. Turns out, though, he could have planted it into his own net and it would have made no difference, for Cesar was offside. Poor defending, mind you.
4.45pm BST
21 min: Monreal is booked for a cynical lunge on Gaitan in the centre circle, as Benfica looked to break upfield at speed. He can have no complaints, but makes a token one, just for show.
4.44pm BST
19 min: Eliseu looks to have pulled something in his groin. Now then, were all adults. Hes replaced by Benito. The New York Red Bulls won this trophy five months after landing the 2010 Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic? wonders Edward Stevenson, with reference to this reports preamble. So there actually is a Mickey Mouse Cup! Who knew?
4.42pm BST
17 min: Two chances for Sanogo within a minute. First he powers down the left and opens Benfica up with a muscular turn. Hes on the edge of the area, but the ball snags under his feet. He attempts to feed Ramsey on the left, but the balls behind the midfielder, who had done well to get up in support. Then the next phase of play sees Bellerin zip down the right and whip a low ball towards the near post. Sanogo, sliding in, clunks wide right. A poor finish. But hes looking lively.
4.41pm BST
16 min: Arsenal carve Benfica open with simple perfection. Ramsey, in the middle of the park, scoops a stunning pass down the inside-right channel to release Campbell. The Costa Rican star opens his body and attempts a first-time sidefoot into the bottom right. But he doesnt get enough on the effort, and it flies wide right.
4.38pm BST
13 min: Bellerin channels his inner Garrincha, twisting this way and that on a long rococo run down the inside-right. Hes eventually crowded out before he can get a shot away, but at the expense of a corner. The balls hoicked out to Rosicky, on the edge of the box and level with the left-hand post. He takes a touch and screws an abysmal effort wide right. But this is entertaining stuff, with both teams looking dangerous in attack, and seemingly very uninterested in defence.
4.36pm BST
11 min: Gaitan makes a bit of space for himself down the right and from the byline pulls a low ball back into the centre for Pereira, who meets the ball first time and aims for the top left. Hes off target, but only just: with Martinez beaten, the ball shaves the top of the bar.
4.35pm BST
9 min: Its end to end stuff. Arsenal are pressing Benfica back, but Benfica intercept and spring clear through Salvio, who feeds the busy John on the left. John cuts inside and winds up to shoot, but hes dispossessed by Chambers. The balls lumped upfield. Sonogo powers down the inside-left channel, but cant bust clear. For a second, he looked like tearing away from Cesar, but the move fizzles out.
4.31pm BST
6 min: John takes off down the left. Hes got the better of Bellerin, who is turned inside and out. John stands one up into the middle, but thats easy pickings for Martinez.
4.29pm BST
4 min: Pereira embarks on a wee jig down the inside-right channel. A one-two and hes attempting to break clear into the box. But Monreal and Gibbs close ranks to crowd him out. Its open, as youd expect a friendly match to be, and fairly exciting as well, which you may not.
4.27pm BST
2 min: Campbell has a probe down the right. Eliseu guides him inside. Campbell decides to hit the turf the minute he reaches the box. Hes very lightly shoved in the chest by Eliseu, but come along. The referee isnt having any of it, and quite rightly so. But a promising start to the Arsenal career of one of the 2014 World Cups star turns.
4.25pm BST
And were off! Arsenal get the ball rolling. Theres nearly a cheer. To be fair, crowds would get pelters if they got too excited about matches like this, its a no-win situation for them.
4.24pm BST
The teams are out! Benfica are playing in their change strip of blue and neon purple, while Arsenal sport their famous red shirts with white sleeves. According to the BT Sport anchor Jake Humphrey, occasional Arsenal midfielder enjoyed a hedonistic summer. He had one cigarette! Is that what passes for hedonism these days? No wonder rock n roll is a long-dead art form. Humphrey barely registering a 1 on the Frank Bough-o-Meter there.
4.11pm BST
And now a history lesson. For what its worth, heres the Emirates Cup roll of honour:
2007: Arsenal
2008: Hamburg
2009: Arsenal
2010: Arsenal
2011: New York Red Bulls
2013: Galatasaray
4.00pm BST
The first game of the 2014 Emirates Cup is over. Valencia and Monaco have divvied up the spoils in a 2-2 draw. The first half was a festival of haplessness, Monaco taking the lead through a Ruben Vezo own goal, Valencia drawing level thanks to a gift from Ricardo Carvalho. In the second half, the teams reverted to the time-honoured practice of scoring for themselves, Paco Alcácer putting the Spanish club 2-1 up, and Lucas Ocampos pelting in a long-range equaliser. Both teams earn three points - one for the draw, another for each of their goals - but its Valencia who top the table right now, on account of having more shots at goal. Double maths on a Saturday afternoon.
3.45pm BST
And now the Benfica side: Artur, Amorim, Gaitan, Lima, Pereira, John, Salvio, Eliseu, Sidnei, Talisca, Cesar.
Subs: Derley, Lopes, Jara, Benito, Cancelo, Bebe, Almeida, Luis Felipe, Candeias, Teixeira.
3.30pm BST
The Arsenal team is in! Martinez, Bellerin, Chambers, Monreal, Gibbs, Flamini, Campbell, Ramsey, Rosicky, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Sanogo.
Subs: Szczesny, Debuchy, Koscielny, Arteta, Wilshere, Giroud, Sanchez, Cazorla, Coquelin, Akpom, Miquel.
3.15pm BST
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Here are Arsenals fans traipsing to the Emirates for todays fixture ...
3.00pm BST
The modern pre-season friendly. An overblown, distended mess? A cynical cash-grabbing exercise? A bogus farce featuring 22 uninterested players plus substitutes various and plentiful? Well, yes, yes, yes, good points well made. But look at it the other way. Arsenals season starts next week. The Emirates Cup gives their exciting new squad one last chance to bind together before the action begins. And run-outs against Benfica and Monaco this weekend allow the Ashburton Grove faithful, bubbling with anticipation, to get their first glimpses of Alexis Sanchez, Joel Campbell, Mathieu Debuchy, David Ospina and Calum Chambers in the famous old Arsenal red and white. Its on, people! Its on!!!
Kick off: 4.20pm.
Continue reading...August 1, 2014
Commonwealth Games 2014: day nine as it happened | John Ashdown and Scott Murray
10.14pm BST
And that, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, is that! Heres how todays action has left the medal standings, with a day and a bit of action still remaining! Nighty night!
10.13pm BST
Hampden falls silent as the women line up for the 100m hurdles. But its not silent for long! A mere 12.67 seconds later, and the place erupts as Sally Pearson, who sprang out of the blocks, takes the tape! She was always leading, and though Tiffany Porter came at her over the last three hurdles, she simply applied the booster rockets to glide over the line. Never in doubt. As smooth a race as youll see! Porter settles for silver with a wry smile. Angela Whyte of Canada takes bronze, completing the 1-2-3 most people would have called. So it seems Pearson knew what she was talking about regarding her preparation, huh?
10.02pm BST
One more big race to go, one title to be decided. Sally Pearson of Australia is the hot favourite in the womens 100m hurdles, though Tiffany Porter of England is hoping to challenge. Theyll be skittering down the track at Hampden in ten minutes. But before then, news of the mens doubles table tennis. Singapore have won gold, Ning Gao and Hu Li beating Indias Sharath Achanta and Anthony Arputharaj 3-1. In the bronze play-off, its another medal for Singapore, Zi Yang and Jian Zhan pipping Paul Drinkhall and Liam Pitchford of England in a 3-2 thriller.
9.56pm BST
After The Lord Mayors Show (aka heat three):
9.54pm BST
Bolt speaks! Live, on the British Broadcasting Corporations television service! Did he say... yknow... that the Games were a bit... well... yknow? I would never use that word if I was going to say that. I love the fans, I want to be at the Commonwealth. Just like the London Olympics, the crowd is great. It was good, and I would never say something like that! Everything has been great. Just the weather. Its been cold! He ends with a laugh. Or does he? He grabs the mic to light-heartedly call out the BBCs Gabby Logan for suggesting on telly earlier this week that the Games were fine with or without him. Logan, to her immense credit, takes it in good humour and clarifies that she thinks the Games are even better with him. Theres lovely.
9.49pm BST
And heres Usain! All eyes on the big man. Some high jinks with the young lady in charge of his kit box. Then a wee dance just before the getset-go, waving a pair of flat hands around in the style of Harry Enfields Scousers. But the denizens of Hampden refuse to calm down, calm down. Its absolute bedlam. Yet for a second it doesnt look as though Bolt is going to take the tape, because hes handed the baton by Nickel Ashmeade neck and neck with the Nigerians. Mark Jelks isnt of a mind to give way, but eventually Bolt turns on the burners 30 metres out, and hes home and hosed. Sheer class. Jamaica win in 38.99, with Nigeria also qualifying in 39.11.
9.39pm BST
Its the turn of the boys. Modern sport being what it is, everybodys waiting for Usain Bolt, but theres the first heat to run before he turns up. Its a blistering run from Trinidad & Tobago, who take the tape in 38.33s. Canada threatened but settled for the second certain qualification spot: 38.41. The Bahamas will have to wait to see: a new national record in 38.52. Kenya, the Cayman Islands and Sierra Leone traipsed home.
9.34pm BST
England are fine. Theyre confirmed in second place. But the Welsh team, who would have reached the final with a national best time, have been disqualified. Hannah Thomas and Mica Moore, with their second changeover, failed to manage what the aforementioned Bloor and Nelson just about pulled off. They swapped the baton a good half-metre outside the box, and theyre out.
9.29pm BST
And now the second heat. Jamaica are the favourites here, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce anchoring. And pretty much as expected, she takes the tape with country miles between her and the second-placed English. Canada in third. But theres some concern that Louise Bloor still had hold of the baton as Ashleigh Nelson took off for her leg. England look like theyve just about managed a successful handover, but only just! That was too close for comfort.
9.21pm BST
But first the womens 4x100m heats. Nigeria storm to first place in the first heat, running 44.13 despite a scrappy first changeover between Gloria Asumnu and Patience George. No red flag; theyre safe. A photo finish between Australia and Trinidad & Tobago; it looks like that order with the Bahamas not far behind. The first three qualify automatically; the others will have to wait.
9.10pm BST
Just over half an hour until Bolt Time.
8.56pm BST
Silver for Sharp and Scotland! Sum leads at the bell, which rings at 58.24s. Sharp is boxed in. Meadows is on Sums tail. At the final bend, it looks like Judd might take the world champion on the outside, but Sum kicks on and races clear. She wins by a mile - but in the silver position is Lynsey Sharp, who gives it everything on the home stretch and pips Nanyondo by an inch! She raises the saltire, and looks like she wants to sob with glee, but she simply doesnt have the energy to pump out any tears! Shes the picture of happiness. That was probably her realistic limit, so dominant is Sum, and shes celebrating a magnificent achievement! Jessica Judd, who wasnt far behind Nanyondo in fourth, looks distraught at missing out on a medal, but the 19-year-old can be proud of her run and is almost ordered to celebrate it by her elder team-mate Meadows! However, this is all about Sharp, who was boxed in and stormed through brilliantly. Well, its all about Sum and Sharp, but you know what home crowds are like.
8.50pm BST
The womens 800m final! A big one, this. Eunice Sum of Kenya the world champion and favourite, Winnie Nanyondo of Uganda the hot new kid on the block. Lynsey Sharp is the home favourite, while Jessica Judd and Jenny Meadows carry the hopes of those down south. (England, not East Kilbride.) And theyre off! Sum and Meadows are the leaders after a fairly pedestrian first 200m.
8.44pm BST
Who Needs Mo Farah? dept. What an astonishing finish to the mens 10,000m final! For most of the last lap, it looked like Cameron Levins of Canada was going to pull off the mother of all surprise victories. He held off surges from both Josphat Kipkoech Bett of Kenya and the defending champion, Moses Kipsiro of Uganda. Levins held his lead most of the way down the closing stretch, but Bett pipped him just before the line on the outside. Only problem for Bett was, Kipsiro was bombing along on the inside, and first overcame Levins and then, with milliseconds to spare, Bett! He made it to the tape 0.03 seconds ahead of Bett, to claim another gold! What a race! What a run! And perhaps most wonderfully, Levins is still grinning from ear to ear, despite coming so close to golden glory. Hed have taken bronze before the race, I suppose.
8.29pm BST
High drama in the mens pole vault! Steve Lewis and Luke Cutts were the only men to clear 5.55. Neither could make 5.60, so the English pair were forced into a jump-off, which Lewis won with another jump of 5.55! He scampers about the middle of Hampden while the mens 10,000m final unfolds around him. Cutts looks knackered rather than gutted. Canadas Shawnacy Barber takes bronze with a vault of 5.45, beating the home hero Jax Thoirs to the consolation tin. Thoirs can count himself very unfortunate, as he wasnt far away from clearing 5.55, but ended up empty handed.
8.23pm BST
Kenya is to steeplechase as Singapore is to table tennis. Its a one-two-three for the Singaporeans in the womens singles. Tianwei Feng has beaten Mengyu Yu 4-1 in the gold medal match. The bronze has gone to Ye Lin, the 18-year-old besting the 41-year-old veteran Jian Fang Lay of Australia 4-0 in the play-off match. And heres our resident Dundonian, dipso (see 7.11pm) and only reader, Simon McMahon: Kenya is to running as Scotland is to ... eh, maybe better leave that one there, actually.
8.15pm BST
News of a gold medal for Scotland! Darren Burnett has beaten Ryan Bester of Canada 21-9 in the mens singles final to take the gold! In the bronze play-off, Aron Sherriff of Australia beat New Zealands Shannon McIlroy 21-8.
8.06pm BST
The mens 3,000m steeplechase has ended in a one-two-three for Kenya. Jonathan Ndiku has taken the gold with a run of 8:10.44, a Games record! Jairus Birech followed him home in 8:12.68, and Ezekiel Cheboi secured bronze with a run of 8:19.73. Time for a bit more Kenyan nostalgia? Ooh yes please! And its that man again ...
7.59pm BST
Nope! Synchronicity out the window! Bouchard and Riendeau end the event in fourth and last position, and Daley and Dennys stunningly difficult and well-executed last jump has earned them a silver medal! So close to the gold, too. Theyll really rue their slow start, and that abysmal 1970s municipal pool style third dive. Still, what cojones to pull that one round! Look how close this was:
7.55pm BST
Back at the diving, a dramatic finale! After five dives, Daley and Denny were languishing in last place ...
7.45pm BST
Meanwhile in the womens discus, Dani Samuels of Australia blew away the field with a majestic throw of 64m 88cm, over three metres further than Seema Punia of India. Englands Jade Lally, with a seasons best, took bronze with a throw of 60.48.
7.44pm BST
Back to the diving at the business end. Because some medals have been decided back at Hampden. In the womens high jump, Eleanor Patterson of Australia has won gold with a leap of 1m 94cm. She beats Englands Isobel Pooley into second place, with Levern Spencer of St Lucia taking bronze.
7.40pm BST
The third round, and Daley and Denny practically dive-bomb into the pool. Not many points for entry on offer there. Also not allowed in the pool: running, pushing, ducking, smoking, eating, petting.
7.33pm BST
The second round of dives, then. Daley and Denny, with their reverse one-and-a-half somersaults with half twist. Not particularly synchronised, and not particularly ideal. A total of 48.60 and theyre up to 102.00. Bedggood and Mitcham perform an inward dive with pike: 51.00 for a total of 105.00. Laing and Yiweis reverse with pike: 52.80 for a total of 105.00 too. And finally Bouchard and Riendeau, also performing reverse with pike: its 52.20 for a total of 105.60.
7.29pm BST
The first big medal event of the evening is away from the athletics, away from Hampden Park, and away from Glasgow. The Royal Commonwealth Pool is over in Edinburgh, and its where Tom Daley and James Denny are competing in the final of the mens synchronised 10m platform. The English pair are first up, and performing a forward one-and-a-half somersault with pike. A total of 53.40, and its a pretty good start. Next up, the Australians Domonic Bedggood and Matthew Mitcham: a total of 54.00 for the same dive, even better. Then the Malaysians Ooi Tze Liang and Chew Yiwei. An inward dive with pike, and theyre not in complete tandem: its 52.20 for their first dive. And finally - a small field here - its Matthew Bouchard and Vincent Riendeau of Canada. Their inward dive with pike earns 53.40; theyre tied with Daley and Denny after the first round.
7.11pm BST
The medals have been decided in the womens 1m springboard diving. Jennifer Abel takes the gold for Canada, with the Australians Maddison Keeney and Esther Qin, the latter a very useful word in Scrabble as well as a diver of some renown, taking silver and bronze. Dear Dr Murray, begins Simon McMahon, mistaking this live blog for... well, the good lord alone knows what hes thinking. My wife and kids are away for the weekend, leaving me at home alone. I know I should do the washing and ironing, a spot of gardening, mop the floors and have tea ready for when they return on Sunday. But my pal lives just round the corner, and his wife and kids are away too on the same trip (we have girls and its a girls weekend). We both have lots of booze. But drinking it all conjures up only one image. What should I do? Make an appointment with a good divorce lawyer for Monday lunchtime?
6.58pm BST
And now the second heat. Not a particularly great run from Englands Christine Ohuruogu in anchor, who gives up a large third-leg lead, but she rallies down the straight and takes the tape from Ada Benjamin of Nigeria. Canada qualify in third - but the Scots wont make it to the final as fast losers, as this leg was too brisk. The Bahamas and India take the slots.
6.52pm BST
The first heat in the womens 4x400m relay. Jamaica won this one by a mile. Scotland had been second at the bell, after a storming run from Gemma Nicol, but Zoey Clark, fuelled by the Hampden Roar, went off too quickly in the final lap and, energy soon spent, was overtaken by the representatives of Australia and Trinidad & Tobago. Fourth for the host team, and no guarantee of a place in the final. I kinda run out of steam at the end, but hopefully our time will bring us through, says a breathless and disappointed Clark, who crossed the line with her head in her hands. As gestures of immediate despair go, its been bettered in this calendar year only by Liverpool defender Kolo Toure, who gifted West Bromwich Albion striker Victor Anichebe the chance to score an equaliser back in February, and skittered across the pitch holding his noggin and screaming while Anichebe calmly slotted the ball away.
6.40pm BST
The teenage Nigerian weightlifter Chika Amalaha has been stripped of her gold medal. The 16-year-old, who won gold in the womens 53kg competition, failed a doping test, providing positive samples containing prohibited diuretics and masking agents. Dika Toua from Papua New Guinea is now the gold medallist, with Santoshi Matsa and Swati Singh of India claiming silver and bronze. Amalaha had been the youngest women to win a weightlifting title in Commonwealth Games history.
6.33pm BST
And now the second heat. The 18-year-old Kenyan Ronald Kwemoi is highly fancied to win a medal, perhaps the gold. And hes immediately at the head of the pack alongside his compatriot Elijah Motonei Manangoi, a veritable veteran at 21 years of age. Kwemoi still leads at the bell, with the South African Johan Cronje (32!) right on his shoulder. At which point Kwemoi tears clear. He takes the tape in 3:39.90, ahead of Charlie Grice of England, Cronje and Chris Gowell of Wales. Here, a Kenyan winning a 1,500m race. It only conjures up one image, doesnt it?
6.18pm BST
The first heat of the mens 1,500m. And theres something to cheer early doors for the Hampden faithful. Scotlands Chris OHare has qualified for tomorrows final. I was kinda blunt but Im happy with that, he shrugs after finishing fourth in a time of 3:40.80. It was a blanket finish, with the New Zealander Nick Willis taking the tape 0.04 seconds ahead of OHare, then Jeffrey Riseley and James Kiplagat Magut coming second then third. Here, a New Zealander winning a 1,500m race. It only conjures up one image, doesnt it?
6.07pm BST
Evening. Anyone up for the 1978 BBC theme tune, which sounds like a milk float crashing into a village pond? Good, good. Here you are, then.
5.57pm BST
Thats that for the gymnastics at this Commonwealth Games. Which seems like as good a time as any for me to hand over to Scott Murray, who will be your guide for the evening action.
5.53pm BST
Canadas Kevin Lytwyn is the final competitor. Can he wreck the GB medal party? He can he pips Baines and nabs the bronze.
5.48pm BST
Kristian Thomas is next up. He gets the same score as Wilson, but Wilson still leads on the judges scorecards.
5.44pm BST
Frank Baines puts himself in with a shout of a medal with his routine. He goes into silver spot with three gymnasts still to perform.
5.39pm BST
After his first big jump his hands slip from the bar and he crashes into the mat. Ouch.
5.38pm BST
Englands Nile Wilson moves into gold medal position with a superb routine. Daniel Keatings of Scotland is up next
5.32pm BST
Anderson Loran is next up and he also takes a tumble. Its a much heavier impact after missing the bar. He gets back on. Then misses the bar once more. He should probably give it up as a bad job, but he gets on once more. Hats off.
5.28pm BST
So to the final gymnastic event of these Commonwealth Games the mens individual horizontal bar. Australias Sean OHara is first up. He starts well, but then plops off after losing his momentum.
5.10pm BST
Theres a bit of a lull now. Indias Sharath Kamal Achanta is two sets up against Paul Drinkhall in the table tennis, but thats pretty much all the action at the moment. So its a good time to point you in the direction of this piece on the emergence of Barry McGuigan at the 1978 Games.
5.04pm BST
And neither Elsa Black nor Charlotte Sullivan can beat the youngsters mark. So Fragapane takes a third gold of the games.
4.57pm BST
Claudia Fragapanes turn to compete on the floor. The 4ft 6in 16-year-old scores 14.541 and moves into gold medal position. Two gymnasts are still to perform, but those who know rather better than I reckon the gold is Fragapanes.
4.48pm BST
Rebecca Downie isnt happy with her beam routine from earlier:
Well I think that was the worst beam routine of my life but I'm still a double commonwealth GOLD medalist & I'm walking away safe !! #Proud
4.46pm BST
The womens floor final, the blue riband gymnastics event, is under way. Wales s Jessica Hogg sets the early pace, but she has just been ousted from the gold medal spot by Lauren Mitchell.
4.24pm BST
This is rather brilliant. Kiribatis first ever gold medal winner, weightlifter David Katoatau, is currently serenading Hazel Irvine in the BBC studio:
4.17pm BST
Back to the gymnasium because there has been a gold for Scotland! Dan Purvis has got it on the parallel bars. Englands Nile Wilson wins silver, with Max Whitlock picking up the bronze.
4.14pm BST
England 3-1 New Zealand Wide from Michelsen, who didnt look confident. So more penalty agony for New Zealand on British soil.
4.13pm BST
England 3-1 New Zealand Wide! Bray rushes the shot. A lifeline for New Zealand.
4.13pm BST
England 3-1 New Zealand Glynn, the New Zealand goalscorer, tumbles over Hinch. She looks for the foul, but nothing doing Hinch just got to the ball first. So England are one penalty from the final.
4.11pm BST
England 3-1 New Zealand Gilbert does just enough to squeeze the ball past Rutherford.
4.11pm BST
England 2-1 New Zealand Punt has the ball flicked off her stick by Hinch. Advantage England.
4.10pm BST
England 2-1 New Zealand Danson twirls around the keeper and slaps home.
4.09pm BST
England 1-1 New Zealand Whitelock goes left too, and then lifts the ball over Hinch.
4.09pm BST
England 1-0 New Zealand Twigg goes wide and flicks over Rutherford.
4.08pm BST
New Zealand were beaten on penalties in the 2012 Olympic semi-final. Will they fare better here?
4.03pm BST
England cant force the ball home. So weve got a penalty shootout. [INSERT YOUR OWN OBVIOUS JOKE ABOUT ENGLAND AND PENALTY SHOOTOUTS HERE]
4.02pm BST
Penalty corner to England. With eight seconds to go. New Zealand arent happy Richardson-Walsh took a free pass with her protective mask on which youre not allowed to do but theyre going to have to defend this.
4.00pm BST
New Zealand hit the post! Seconds after the equaliser Stacey Michelson pokes the ball against the woodwork (or metalwork perhaps) from close range. And now New Zealand have a penalty corner. Its all going on.
3.59pm BST
GOAL! New Zealand 1-1 England (Glynn). Heartbreak for England. Forgesson pings the ball into the danger zone and Glynn neatly deflects the ball home with little over 90 seconds to go.
3.56pm BST
Yellow card for Danson. So England will finish with 10 on the pitch. And Petrea Websters sinbinning has come to an end so its evened up at 10 v 10.
3.55pm BST
Five minutes to go. Its heated, fiery stuff, but theres not a great deal of goal threat from either side now. England are looking to run down the clock, New Zealand are striving to get forward but are understandably struggling for attacking numbers.
3.53pm BST
A bit of confusion here. New Zealand seem to have too many players on the field. They had someone in the sinbin box but still had 11 players on the field. And that offence means the NZ captain has to go off too. So New Zealand will play for the next five minutes or so with only nine players on the field. Its 11 v 9.
3.51pm BST
Englands Alex Danson, who has to be Ted to her friends, thwacks a shot at goal and it takes a decent save from Sally Rutherford to keep New Zealand in the game.
3.48pm BST
New Zealands turn for a penalty corner. Punt sees her effort deflected over the bar.
3.47pm BST
The sports quiz of the week: Ali, transfers and Commonwealth Games. See if you can beat my score of seven. You should.
3.44pm BST
Penalty corner to England. Georgie Twigg pulls it back, Kate Richardson-Walsh shoots, and in the melee that follows Twigg sees her close range effort deflected over the bar.
3.40pm BST
Twenty minutes stand between England and a gold medal match against Australia. New Zealand are piling on the pressure without really threatening Maddie Hinchs goal.
3.33pm BST
Susie Gilbert (sporting philosophy/motto: Be happy in life) has a decent chance for England but her shot is heading wide and her fellow attackers cant deflect the thing goalwards.
3.29pm BST
The second half is well under way in the womens hockey. With half an hour to play its still 1-0 to England, but New Zealand are piling the pressure on.
3.28pm BST
And the final competitor, Canadas Elsabeth Black, trumps them all to take the gold. Australias Monckton gets silver, the 17-year-old Hockenhull the bronze for Wales.
3.22pm BST
Waless Elizabeth Beddoe is next up on the terrifying beam. And she moves into the silver spot. Her compatriot Georgina Hockenhull is on next and she goes past Beddoe. So with one athlete to go, Wales are in silver and bronze places.
3.19pm BST
Peep! PEEEP!! Half-time in the hockey semi-final. England lead 1-0.
3.16pm BST
Frangapane goes into silver medal position, with three gymnasts still to perform.
3.14pm BST
After four routines on the beam, Mary Anne Monckton leads for Australia. But Englands 16-year-old Claudia Fragapane has just completed a very solid effort. Could this put her in the medal mix?
3.08pm BST
All over in the lawn bowls: Scotland have hammered England 16-8 to take the gold. Weve not seen the auld enemy beaten so emphatically since [INSERT YOUR PREFERRED MEDIEVAL ENGLAND V SCOTLAND BATTLE HERE].
3.06pm BST
Referral rejected! The goal stands. And with just over seven minutes to go in the first half England are ahead.
3.05pm BST
GOAL! New Zealand 0-1 England (Owsley) Against the run of play Lily Owsley turns the ball home from close range. New Zealand opt for a DRS referral, claiming the ball hit and England boot before being tapped home. Is this going to be scratched out?
3.00pm BST
The next gymnastics gold up for grabs is on the womens beam. Englands Rebecca Downie, already a double gold medal winner, is first up. She slips from the bar not a Youve-Been-Framed-style horror fall, but a gentle wobble off. Its enough to end her chances here. A score of 9.833 wont be enough.
2.56pm BST
In the hockey semi-final New Zealand have a penalty corner. Englands players arent happy. But it comes to nought Katie Glynn slaps the shot wide. You may remember Glynn from the London Olympics two years ago, when she played on in the semi-final against the Netherlands despite a nasty head injury:
2.52pm BST
Heres the full story on the womens flyweight boxing earlier. Since then Muhammad Waseem of Pakistan and Australias Andrew Moloney have set up a gold medal match in the mens fly, while Michael Conlon of Northern Ireland and Englands Qais Ashfaq have been victorious in their bantamweight semi-finals.
2.43pm BST
Its gold for Canada in the mens vault. Scott Morgan wins it, Kristian Thomas picks up the silver, with Singapores Wah Toon Hoe winning bronze.
2.41pm BST
Were under way in the second of the days womens hockey semi-finals. With 10 minutes gone its England 0-0 New Zealand.
2.28pm BST
Young Frank Baines, Frank the Tank to his friends, botches his landing from the first vault but nails the second. He goes fourth. At 19, though, hes got a big future ahead of him. The bad news for the future is that hes missed out on the domain name frankbaines.com (unless hes got a sideline in saddles that hes not previously mentioned).
2.24pm BST
In the gymnasium Indias Ashish Kumar lands flat on his back with his second vault. That means a score of nul points for the second jump. After five jumps, Canadas Scott Morgan leads.
2.19pm BST
A quick check on the lawn bowls: Scotland have picked up another shot in the 10th end. With five to go theyre 11-5 up on England.
2.15pm BST
Nicola Adams has been speaking after her earlier semi-final win in the flyweight division.
I am looking forward to the finals. It is going to be exciting fighting in front of a crowd of 11,000 it is going to be amazing. I am prepared and ready and I hope you guys are ready for the action.
2.13pm BST
Back at the badminton Amelie-watching, brunch-loving Kirsty Gilmour has routed Michelle Chan in the second set to go through to the semi-finals in the womens singles.
2.12pm BST
Thomas nails his second jump, after which the PA blares out Mr Brightside by the Killers, which might be someones idea of a hilarious gag. He bags 14.499, taking him ahead of Hoe despite that tumble.
2.09pm BST
Thomas is second up on the vault. He over-rotates on the landing and ends up having to perform a backwards roll on the mat. Its a very fine backwards roll, but you dont tend to get points for them in this event.
2.08pm BST
Back on the lawn, Scotland have nabbed another point in the ninth end to lead 10-5. The gold is all but theirs.
2.07pm BST
The days individual gymnastic finals kick off with the quite-incredible-but-also-quite-terrifying vault. Kristian Thomas goes in this one for England, as does Scotlands Adam Cox and Frank Baines. First, though, is Singapores Wah Toon Hoe. He scores 14.195.
2.00pm BST
Back at the badminton Gilmour has a narrow 7-5 lead in the second set. She lists her favourite film as whimsical Audrey Taotou comedy Amelie and her favourite food as brunch, which I reckon is a pretty fair shout.
1.57pm BST
Scotlands bowlers take another two points in the eighth end and now have a sizeable 9-5 lead over England, who (and even to my frankly untrained eye) seem to be having a bit of a shocker.
1.54pm BST
Over in the badminton arena, Scotlands Kirsty Gilmour has cruised to the opening set in her quarter-final against Michelle Chan. This is Gilmours third event of the Games her mixed team and womens doubles stints ended pretty early, but she seems bound for the semi-finals in the singles.
1.47pm BST
Sounds like things are getting a bit desperate for England towards the close of the seventh end. Maybe nibble it in there, says one of the quartet to the man with ball in hand. Give it a dart. In the end Jamie Chestney has the chance to make it 6-6 but leaves the final ball short and Scotland take a 7-5 lead.
1.40pm BST
Right, so after that big-hitting, left-hooking, double-jabbing start to the afternoon, we head over to the more sedate surroundings of the lawn bowls green. There may be fewer punches being thrown but the tension is just as high after six ends Scotlands four lead England 6-5 in the gold medal match of the mens fours.
1.35pm BST
Adams speaks to the BBC afterwards, and like all good Yorkshire folk on this day of all days, she manages to make sure she mentions the fact that its Yorkshire Day.
By the way, did I mention its Yorkshire Day? It is. Its Yorkshire Day. Today? Yes, Yorkshire Day. Today.
1.32pm BST
Adams wins by unanimous decision. Shell take on Michaela Walsh in the final.
1.30pm BST
Bujold is forced onto the attack in the fourth and final round, but Adams is happy to stay at range. The Canadian might have squeaked the round, but I dont think itll be enough.
1.28pm BST
Ding, ding. Round three. Another couple of solid blows from Bujold as Adams gets caught on the inside. Its fairly scrappy stuff in the main, with few shots landing cleanly. And having typed that, Adams lands with three huge right hands to end the round. Thats enough to convince the judges, all three of whom award the round to the English fighter.
1.25pm BST
Adams is controlling the centre of the ring, Bujold skirting the ropes. A better round for the Canadian, and two of the three judges give her the nod. So after two rounds, two judges have the scores level, one has Adams two points to the good.
1.23pm BST
Its a fairly fiery opening round, with the referee having to tick off Bujold after almost finding himself on the receiving end of a wild Bujold haymaker. Adams looks comfortably the classier boxer, and the judges agree they all have her ahead after round one.
1.22pm BST
A few things you didnt know about Adams opponent Mandy Bujold: she reads the same bible verse before very bout; and she has a burger named after her at The Works Gourmet Burger restaurant in Ontario, Canada. Here she is tucking in (to the burger, not the bible).
1.18pm BST
Nicola Adams is next up. She hops into to the ring to the sound of loud cheers and Blurs Song 2.
1.15pm BST
Michaela Walsh does indeed get the verdict on a split decision. Shes guaranteed a gold or silver and, understandably, is absolutely beside herself with joy.
1.13pm BST
The fourth and final round is going to be pivotal. Its better from Walsh that should be enough to see her edge it.
1.10pm BST
A strong round from Rani. This is going to be very close.
1.08pm BST
Over to the boxing arena then, where Northern Irelands Michaela Walsh is taking on Pinki Rani of India in the first of the womens flyweight semi-finals. After two rounds the judges have Walsh narrowly ahead on the scorecards.
1.03pm BST
1.15pm (BST) There are boxing semi-finals throughout the afternoon but much of the focus will be on the Olympic gold medal winner (and former Guardian diarist) Nicola Adams, who takes on Mandy Bujold of Canada in the boxing flyweight semi-finals.
2pm (BST) Five golds are up for grabs in gymnastics mens vault, paralllel bars and horinzontal bar, and womens beam and floor
12.56pm BST
First, a quick run-down of the day in Glasgow so far:
12.41pm BST
Hello all and welcome to live coverage of day nine of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. What have to got to look forward to today? Well, funny you should ask, as weve got the full schedule right here:
Continue reading...July 31, 2014
Commonwealth Games 2014: day eight as it happened
Gymnast Max Whitlock wins third gold medal of GamesDaniel Keatings wins mens pommel horse gold for ScotlandMedal table: all the latest Glasgow 2014 standings
9.42pm BST
The end of the eighth day, then. And this is what the medal table looks like, with three days of competition to go ...
9.29pm BST
One last medal weve not reported this evening, and its another gold for England! Sophie Tolchard, Ellen Falkner and Sian Gordon thrashed Australia 22-4 in the final of the womens triples. It was pretty much all over by the third end, with England storming into an 11-0 lead. The bronze-medal play-off between Wales and South Africa was a tighter affair, and certainly more dramatic: the Welsh led 14-10 after 12 ends, but failed to win another shot, the South Africans running out 23-14 victors with a late spurt. Gold for England, silver for Australia, bronze for South Africa, hard luck for Wales.
9.22pm BST
Gymnastics, and the result of the mens rings final. Its a Canadian one-two, with Scott Morgan taking gold and Kevin Lytwyn the silver. Good news for the Scots, though, with Daniel Purvis picking up a bronze consolation.
9.19pm BST
And so to the final medal to be handed out at Hampden tonight. Its the mens 200m final. Danny Talbot of England gets a huge reception from the Scottish crowd. Hes got half a chance of a medal, though hes got three very fast Jamaicans on his inside: Jason Livermore, Rasheed Dwyer and the favourite, the Olympic bronze medalist, Warren Weir. And indeed its those three who take the glory. Dwyer is the gold medallist, powering clear after the bend, taking the tape in 20.14. Weir taps his pal on the shoulder as they cross the line, offering warm congratulations; the pre-race favourite ran 20.26. Livermore takes bronze in 20.32. Talbot ends the race in seventh in 20.45, while Mosito Lehata of Lesotho crumples to the floor exhausted, after finishing fourth with a national record of 20.36.
9.03pm BST
Diving, and news of the womens 10m platform final. All eyes were on the absurdly young Victoria Vincent, of Tom Daleys alma mater down Plymouth way. The 13-year-old prospect had a decent final, ending her first major games in 10th place. But Tonia Couch was the best-placed English diver, finishing in fifth. Meaghan Benfeito of Canada took the gold, from Pandelela Rinong Pamg of Malaysia and Roseline Filion of Canada. Filion is 27, over twice the age of Vincent. A veteran at 27!
8.54pm BST
Blessing Okagbare adds 200m to her 100m gold! The silky Nigerian eases to a win in 22.25 seconds. Thats such a smooth run. Less of a run than a glide. But behind her its a success story for the English runners, with Jodie Williams (silver), Bianca Williams (bronze) and Anyika Onuora (fourth) all recording personal bests! Williams and Williams react with a mixture of disbelief and joy, sobbing in each others arms! Theyll be thinking about the 4x100m relay, and a real chance of gold.
8.48pm BST
Sheer brilliance from Jazmin Sawyers! Poor old Shara Proctor, youll remember, pulled a muscle on the run-up to her first jump in the womens long jump. The favourite was out before the event had begun. But Sawyers has salvaged the event for the English! With her last jump, she pulled out a season best leap of 6m 54cm, securing an unexpected silver! So close to the gold as well, but Ese Brume had posted a jump of 6.56. Thats a stunning effort. Silver! Christabel Nettey of Canada settled for bronze.
8.40pm BST
Hampden has gone off on one! This is marvellous. Imagine if Child had won gold! But, of course, nobody cares. This is more than good enough for the home crowd, and for the athlete herself. Sometimes you lose silver, and sometimes you win silver. Child most definitely won silver. Michael Johnson there, winning back a little moral credit for the BBC.
8.34pm BST
Hampden roars! The good, old-fashioned Hampden Roar. But its not quite good enough for Child to claim gold. Spencer tears clear from the 200m mark, and shes never going to be caught. Sheer brilliance from the world number one, who takes the tape at 54.10 seconds. But the home hero picks up the second silver medal of her Commonwealth career, adding to the one she won in Delhi. At the end of a brilliant race, 55.02, Child raises both hands to the air. She drapes herself in the saltire, and enjoys a lap of honour. The crowd might be enjoying it even more. The PA blast out the new Scottish national anthem, Im Gonna Be 500 Miles by the Proclaimers. Walking 500 miles? At the 400m hurdles? And the Proclaimers a pair of Hibs fans too. Is this appropriate?!
8.28pm BST
400m hurdles: the main event. Its the one Hampden has been waiting for: the womens final! Eilidh Child isnt the favourite - thats Kaliese Spencer of Jamaica, who has won all nine of the races the two have competed - but hopes are nevertheless high. A tense atmosphere as the Heart of Midlothian fanatic waits for her moment of destiny. And then off goes that roof again! She waves to the crowd as her name is called, appreciative though rather uncomfortable, as she doesnt want to step out of The Zone. And then, bang! Theyre off! Except theyre not, because theres a huge bang elsewhere in the stadium - folk in the discus circle are being blamed - and theyll have to reset. And then, bang! Its the starting gun, and theyre off!
8.23pm BST
Its 400m hurdles time! With Eilidh Child hoping to land Scotlands first track gold at the Commonwealths since Yvonne Murrays win in the 1994 10,000m, the mens event is the amuse-bouche as far as Hampden is concerned. Which is not to say the crowd doesnt gie it laldie for the laddies. The big oooh comes when Annsert White of Jamaica clatters to the floor three hurdles from home. Cornel Fredericks hits the front early on and doesnt relinquish the lead, taking gold ahead of Jehue Gordon of Trinidad and Tobago and Jeffery Gibson of the Bahamas. The three medallists are a fair way clear of the rest, but Niall Flannery of England is the best of the rest. If someone said to me at the beginning of the year Id be fourth in the Commonwealths, Id have bitten their hand off! he smiles. The BBC kindly let him finish speaking.
8.07pm BST
Much respect between Amos and Rudisha. It was awesome, smiled the vanquished Olympic champion Rudisha, when asked about the atmosphere at Hampden. The race was good, but the last 100m I found it a little difficult. Amos was good tonight! Amos responds with an arm around Rudishas shoulder. This gentlemen here will always be the hero of 800m, he tells the nation. Lovely scenes. Or they were until the BBC cut off Amos mid-sentence, having got fed up when the star man Rudisha had stopped talking. Amos has just won the gold, you desperate shower! Give the man his moment, will you?! The BBCs modern habit of concentrating on the big-draw names at the expense of just about everyone else - the Wimbledonisation of their sports output - continues apace. Shabby behaviour. Happily, Amos gives not a flying one, and cavorts off to celebrate his stunning victory with the Hampden crowd.
7.57pm BST
A
huge
semi-sized shock! Rudisha leads at the bell, with Amos sitting on his shoulder. It looks as though hes in control of the race, at the head of the pack as he prefers, but his compatriot Ferguson Rotich gets in his way a little on the final bend, and though Rudisha turns up the power, hes taken his eye off the ball. Amos, coming from third at the turn, burns down the final stretch. Rudisha has a lead, but it becomes clear from a fair distance out that it wont be enough. Amos eats up the yards, zips past Rudisha, and has enough time to extend his arms out to his side in joy, his tongue falling out of his mouth, as he takes the tape! What a run by Amos!
1. Amos (BOT) 1:45.18
2. Rudisha (KEN) 1:45.48
3. Olivier (RSA) 1:46.03
7.51pm BST
The roof comes off Hampden Park again. And the action hasnt even started on this one. Its the mens 800m final, and one of the major stars of the 2012 Olympics, David Rudisha of Kenya, is accepting accolades from a knowledgable crowd. Nijel Amos of Botswana is afforded a rare old roar too, as the only man in the field whos beaten him this year. And theyre off!
7.46pm BST
The roof comes off Hampden Park! David Weir, Paralympic legend, has added Commonwealth Games gold to his stellar CV! He absolutely smoked the rest of the field, tearing clear around the final bend and holding his line so nobody could nip by on the inside. He neednt have bothered, because second-placed Kurt Fearnley was a country mile behind. Weir came home in 3:21.67, just over 1.5 seconds ahead of the silver-placed Fearnley. Alex Dupont took bronze. Its a nice feeling, says a deadpan Weir, not particularly excited - because lets face it everyone knew he would romp this - but clearly very satisfied and respectful nonetheless. It was in the back of my mind after 2012. Should I carry on? But this is the reason I carry on. I had never won this before. This is as good as London! The 2014 Commonwealth Games: a bit shit? No. No, I dont think so.
7.38pm BST
And now a few tears to mix with the rain. Shara Proctor was a gold-medal hope for the womens long jump, but as she skittered down the treacherous track to take her first leap, something went in her left leg. She pulled up, knowing instantly it was all over before it had even begun. Heartbreaking scenes as she sits on the perimeter fence at Hampden, her hood pulled over her face but the rocking of her shoulders betraying her emotional tumult. Gah. Sports just no damn good sometimes.
7.34pm BST
Gold for Australia in the womens 1,500m T54! The unfancied Angela Ballard sat on Diane Roys shoulder until the home straight, whereupon she powered past the Canadian, a perfect tactical burst. Roy had no answer, and Ballard crossed the line in 3:59.20, half a second ahead. For a while, it looked as though Englands Jade Jones would get involved in the gold medal scrap, though she was more than happy to settle for bronze, coming home in 4:00.19. A brilliant race by the 18-year-old Jones, who was beside herself with glee when interviewed by the BBC. Its really unexpected, my first senior medal! she laughed. I didnt realise a medal was in my grasp until I crossed the line! Its incredible. Heavy rain at Hampden, but theres a smile to break through the gloom.
7.24pm BST
The men have finished flinging the discus. In retrospect, it was all over when Indian favourite Vikas Shive Gowda pearled a throw of 63.64 metres with his third attempt. Early leader Apostolos Parellis had to settle for silver, 32 centimetres shy of Gowda, while Jason Morgan of Jamaica powered his way to bronze with a throw of 62.34m.
7.19pm BST
Drama in the semi-finals of the womens 800m, and its both bad and good news for the home support. In the second heat, Scotlands Emily Dudgeon was pipped for third place by Nikki Hamblin, right on the line. Her fourth spot was no good for qualification, as the first heat was faster, but that meant Dudgeons compatriot Lynsey Sharp - who appeared to have left it far too late in her run - scraped into the final, along with Jenny Meadows of England. Eunice Jepkoech Sum of Kenya was the fastest qualifier for tomorrows final, while Jessica Judd won the other race.
7.13pm BST
More breaking news! Someone has not only been reading, but also concentrating, on this blog. I know! Back around lunchtime, at 1.32pm to be precise, this report posed the following esoteric question:
Chris Boardman has just described part of Glasgows time-trial circuit as a false flat. Jonathan Wilson has got a lot to answer for. What next? An inside-out rider?
6.52pm BST
That medal table makes for some interesting reading. There are only three more days of these Games after this one, and England are currently leading the way. Australia will want to pull their collective finger out, as theyve been the leading nation at the last six Games. The last time they failed to go home with the most gold medals of any nation was the last time the Games were held in Scotland: Edinburgh XIII in 1986.
6.43pm BST
A picture of Englands latest gold medallist, Rebecca Downie, being about her business on the uneven bars ...
6.33pm BST
Breaking news: its raining in Glasgow. At a wet Hampden Park, the strapping competitors in the final of the mens discus are furiously towelling themselves down. Hot in here. The home hope Angus McInroy hasnt started particularly well, his first throw landing 53.33 metres away, in tenth place out of 12. Carl Myerscough of Blackpool has thrown 58.17m, but hes way down a field led early doors by Apostolos Parellis of Cyprus and his early fling of 63.32. Apostolos is a more statuesque monicker than Carl, isnt it. I suppose Angus would carry some cachet in the world of Highland sports.
6.12pm BST
Gold for England! Becky Downie, who has already triumphed in the team all-around, picks up her second gold of these games! She takes the honours in the uneven bars, pipping Larissa Miller of Australia and Ruby Harrold of England. To channel my inner Isla St Clair, here are the scores on the doors: 14.666, 14.566, 14.366.
6.04pm BST
Good evening. The BBC are changing channels at the moment, from their flagship BBC Television Service to the new upstart BBC2. While theyre rolling out their tasteful but not very memorable titles, here are the ones from 1986:
5.43pm BST
Well, Im going to head off now but Ill leave you in the more than capable hands of Scott Murray, who will guide you through this evenings events. But before I go, heres a bit of news about a weightlifter who got a bit feisty in the early hours.
An Australian Commonwealth Games weightlifter has been ordered to pay £400 compensation to a Welsh athlete after he admitted headbutting him. Francois Etoundi assaulted Gareth Evans, also a weightlifter, in the athletes village on Wednesday morning, Glasgow Sheriff Court heard. The assault followed an earlier verbal exchange between the pair relating to Mr Evans athlete girlfriend. Sheriff Andrew Cubie said Etoundi, 29, had brought the law of the playground into the athletes village, while his behaviour undermines the concept of the friendly games.
5.34pm BST
Flower of Scotland quivers through the air as Daniel Keatings receives his gold medal. He looks emotional, as you would I suppose. Its an emotive song, as is Auto Rock by Mogwai. In fact have a listen and then tell me you dont want to run out into the street thumping your chest like a madman in the hope of being given a gold medal in chest-thumping by a random passer-by.
5.21pm BST
Mens pommel horse final results
Gold Daniel Keatings (SCO).
5.17pm BST
Whitlocks routine is lightning quick but its not a perfect one. His legs brushed the horse and he had to rescue momentum on a couple of occasions. He scores high, 15.966, but not high enough. But well done Keatings. With all the attention on the English gymnasts he came in and played it perfect.
5.14pm BST
Now Whitlock attempts to win his fourth gold
5.14pm BST
The Scots are throwing everything they have at this pommel horse. Daniel Purvis doesnt put a hand, foot, finger or even fingernail wrong as he finds his rhythm and dismounts perfectly from a handstand. His score of 14.516 puts him in fourth. He loses points as they didnt think it was difficult enough. Unlucky.
5.10pm BST
Zi Jie Gabriel Gan of Singapore nails his effort. He doesnt have the most difficult routine but he does it blisteringly quick. He doesnt bother the top three, mind. Hes fourth.
5.08pm BST
But he wont win gold! He loses his momentum in the middle of the routine and doesnt manage to get his legs parallel quick enough. He moves into silver place with a score of 14.966. Its not what he would have wanted but he smiles away in any case and looks happy enough.
5.05pm BST
Here comes Louis Smith
5.05pm BST
Jac Davies brings his A-game too. The Welshmans routine wasnt as difficult as that of Keatings but he nailed it and goes into second place with a score of 14.800.
5.02pm BST
The Scot gives it a good go all right. Thats as clean as a whistle and difficult too, the chalk flying up off the handles as he gets his hands in position before grinning like a Cheshire cat as he lands on the mat. He knows that was good. He scores 16.058! The gold could be Scotlands unless Smith and Whitlock do something very special.
5.00pm BST
So, after the first two competitors routines Anderson Loran of Canada leads after Clinton Purnell made a mistake on his dismount. Now its Scotlands Daniel Keatings, who gets a huge roar as he prepares to give it a go
4.54pm BST
And now for Max Whitlock v Louis Smith in the pommel horse final.Thats a bit disingenuous actually. There are plenty of other brilliant gymnasts in this event, including Scotlands Daniel Keatings and Clinton Purnell of Wales, but its probably going to come down to a spin-off between these two. Smith is the grizzled old-timer (hes 25, kids) and won silver at London 2012 in this event. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Whitlock won bronzein the Olympics and is having a rare old time in Glasgow. Apparently, Smiths got a special move in his locker. Hell go off fifth with Whitlock watching everyone go before him and going last out of the eight competitors.
4.41pm BST
So Whitlock will have to win gold in the pommel final now if he hopes to outdo Fragapane.
4.38pm BST
Hang about. The 16-year-old, who is off last, lands a score of 14.766 in her first attempt and then follows it up with a wonderful vault to lift her average up to 14.633, enough to edge out Ellie Black from gold-medal position in the womens vault final. Thats her third gold of the Games, having won the All-Round title and Team Event gold earlier in the week.
4.33pm BST
Englands Kelly Simm is hanging on for a bronze medal in the womens vault final. Leading the way is Ellie Black of Canada but the events standout moment is surely the vault from Indias Dipa Karmakar, who just landed a leap with a seven-point difficulty. Now, excuse my ignorance, Im no gymnast aficionado, but it was a hugely impressive effort, in which she made three revolutions in the blink of an eye before nailing her landing and earning a score of 15.100 to lift her average score up to second place.
4.13pm BST
Youre wondering how the hockey finished earlier on arent you? Well, Australia beat Scotland 5-0 in whats called a good old fashioned thrashing. The world champions will play England in the semi-finals on Saturday.
And Englands captain, Barry Middleton, is champing at the bit
It should be fun, thats who you want to play in big tournaments. We have set our stall out over the last few years that we want to be in the big games and be in semi-finals. We are consistently making semi-finals with this group of players but we will go out there, give as good as we get, and we have belief in the team that we can beat anyone on our day.
4.09pm BST
Medals!
4.02pm BST
So thats the third gold medal for Whitlock at these Games. But hes keeping his gameface on for the mens pommel final.
I need to keep focused. It gives me a lot of confidence. It makes me chill out with those three medals under my belt. Lets hope we all go clean and have good performances.
3.58pm BST
So the medal table is looking pretty healthy, if youre viewing it with English eyes and get excited about this kind of thing
3.48pm BST
So thats gold for Max Whitlock (ENG), silver for Scott Morgan (CAN) and bronze for David Bishop (NZL).
3.40pm BST
OK, well that moved on quickly didnt it? Perhaps because the cycling ate into the coverage. But the whirling, swirling, leaping, bouncing controlled technique of the 21-year-old from England was far better than any one else. Well done.
3.35pm BST
What next? Gymnastics, thats what. And its the mens floor final in which Englands Max Whitlock is the red-hot favourite. While the cycling was going on hes already aced his routine. His score of 15.533 suggests it was near-perfect and also suggests he is destined for gold.
3.25pm BST
David Millar, who finished way off the pace, says hes going to look to Sundays road race to try to go out on a high. He said he knew it was going badly for him when the TV motorbike stopped watching him very early on in his effort.
3.22pm BST
Alex Dowsett speaks:
Yeah, no one wanted that today more than I did. Silver in Delhi and not being picked for the Tour de France. I was really, really angry. And its something special. It is something special. He doesnt sound like it is, mind. Maybe hes just absolutely shot.
3.18pm BST
How did he manage that? He made 15 seconds up on Dennis in the final split, winning in a time of 47min 41.78sec. A real gutsy ride.
3.18pm BST
Here he comes head down, legs going like the clappers!
3.14pm BST
Will Englands Alex Dowsett steal gold? He needs to make up five seconds on Dennis and is putting everything into it. He looks good coming up to the final two corners
3.13pm BST
No. Thomas is knocked down to silver by the Australian, who posts a fantastic time of 47min51.08sec, four seconds clear of Thomas.
3.12pm BST
Dennis comes around the final corner and grits his teeth before launching himself into the final stretch. Has Thomas done enough?
3.09pm BST
Dowsett is five seconds off Dennis in the final split. He hasnt fallen away as you may have expected and still has a chance. Dennis is wafting left and right on his bike as he approached Glasgow Green. It may come down to which man has enough in the tank at the sprint-finish
3.07pm BST
Thomas puts his foot down as he comes into Glasgow Green and posts a time of 47min55.82sec. Hes in the gold-medal position for now but will it be enough as Dennis nears the finish?
3.04pm BST
At the 32km split Dennis posts 38min33.31sec, giving him a four-second lead over Thomas, who has entered Glasgow city centre and is careering into corners to squeeze every little second that he can out of this course.
3.02pm BST
So this looks to be a race for the three medals between Dennis, Dowsett and Thomas. This could be a close finish.
3.00pm BST
Dowsett slips into second! He lost six seconds on that part of the course. He really struggled on the undulating roads in the middle section.
2.57pm BST
But hang on, Rowan Dennis has eaten into Thomas by seven seconds. Thats a tremendous effort. How will Dowsett fare as he heads for the third split? His body shape looks the part, with very little lateral movement on the bike.
2.55pm BST
Geraint Thomas has a 30-second lead after the third split. Hes a long way clear of Jesse Sergent in second spot and has clearly made headway in the exposed part of the course.
2.52pm BST
Standings at 17.1km
A Dowsett (ENG) 20min 31.03sec, R Dennis (AUS) +7.12sec, G Thomas (WAL) +10.84sec, J Sergent (NZL) +16.56sec, L Durbridge (AUS) +32sec.
2.50pm BST
And Dowsett, who won silver in Delhi, comes through the second split with a seven-second lead. Hes flying out there. Millars not, mind. Hes 50 seconds down. Poor David.
2.47pm BST
Australias Rowan Dennis has posted the fastest time at the second split, his blue helmet flying through in a blur at 20min38.15sec, three seconds ahead of Geraint Thomas. The middle section in the exposed countryside will be the big test, however. And theres still Dowsett to come
2.44pm BST
Heres the fastest man through the first split
2.39pm BST
How the mens time-trial looks after the 6.4km split.
A Dowsett (Eng) 8min5.50sec, J Sergent (NZL) +3.59sec, L Durbridge (AUS) +4.71sec, G Thomas (WAL) +7.21sec, R Dennis (+9.77sec)
2.37pm BST
So, how will Millar and Englands Alex Dowsett fare in the first split? Dowsett flies through in a time of 8min 5sec, shaving five seconds off Sergent. But Millar is way off the pace, posting 8min 26sec after 6.5km. Its not going to be his day.
2.34pm BST
Red-hot hockey update: Its now Australia 3-0 Scotland.
2.31pm BST
And off goes the final rider, Scotlands David Millar, who is hoping for a fairytale end to his cycling career in Glasgow. He goes off like a bullet as he heads down towards Gallowgate and out to the East End. Meanwhile, Jesse Sergent of New Zealand has just shaved a few seconds off Thomass time, going through the first split in 8min8sec. Will he carry that through with him though, or was that just youthful exuberance?
2.29pm BST
Geraint Thomas has set the fastest time at the first split, posting 8min12:71sec, around five seconds faster than Canadas Svein Tuft. The Welshmans legs are perhaps not as spent as many think.
2.24pm BST
Andrew Roche, of the Isle of Man, has just gone off. Its his seventh straight Commonwealth Games. Thats some achievement. Hes 42. Blimey.
2.21pm BST
Its still 0-0 between Australia and Scotland in the mens hockey, in case you were wondering.
2.20pm BST
Right, some of the bigger names are getting ready to go in the mens time-trial. First, Michael Hepburn, the national time-trial champion of Australia, launches himself down the ramp and off into the Glasgow sunshine towards the city centre. And then its Geraint Thomass turn. The Welshman is an unknown quantity. It all depends whats left in the tank after his 23rd-place finish at the Tour de France, where he burned himself out for Richie Portes cause. But Chris Boardman reckons hes a good tip for gold. So thatll do for me.
2.11pm BST
Over at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre, Scotland are taking on the world champions Australia. Theyre currently fourth and need to win by a ridiculous amount of goals to qualify in second place ahead of India, who need to lose. That wont happen. But good luck anyway.
2.04pm BST
Janvier Hadi of Rwanda leads the mens time-trial by over 1min 30sec. Well done. His time of 54min 44.18sec is the target for the second batch of riders, who are setting off now. The course has dried somewhat since this morning too, so this group can take more risks on corners to try to shave off some time.
1.47pm BST
Gibraltas Julian Bellido is the clubhouse leader in the mens individual time-trial. The reason being that hes the first man to finish. His time is 58min 49.28sec which will be way off what the medal hopefuls will post when they go off later on.
1.43pm BST
Hows the medal table looking, you ask? Like this
1.38pm BST
The English diver Jack Laugher, who won gold in the mens 1m springboard yesterday, has qualified for the final of the 3m springboard. Take that Jason Statham.
Really happy I was able to carry on my good form this morning. Bring on the final! pic.twitter.com/npdvYBkksU
1.32pm BST
Chris Boardman has just described part of Glasgows time-trial circuit as a false flat. Jonathan Wilson has got a lot to answer for. What next? An inside-out rider?
1.30pm BST
Earlier in the day, in the womens time-trial, Englands Emma Pooley was denied Commonwealth Games gold in the womens individual time trial as her penultimate race ended with silver. Heres the report:
On Tuesday, the 31-year-old London-born rider announced her intention to retire after Sundays road race, in which she will support Lizzie Armitstead.
Pooley had individual ambitions first in the 29.6km time-trial, which began and finished at Glasgow Green, and led at every time check before finishing in 42min 31.49sec.
1.25pm BST
The weather around the Glasgow time-trial circuit looks particularly changeable. Parts of the course are dry and parts of it are gathering puddles as heavy showers break out hither and thither.
1.22pm BST
So what are the highlights today? Well, David Rudisha, who spectacularly smashed the 800m world record at London 2012, runs in the 800m final tonight at 7.50pm. The womens diving preliminaries are currently under way but the final will be worth watching tonight at 7.40pm, where Englands Tonia Couch fresh from winning silver in the synchronised 10m platform yesterday will hope to add to her medal collection. She jumps in the 10m platform with Englands 13-year-old Victoria Vincent also through.
But for now the mens individual time-trial is what Ill be keeping my eye on, with Scotlands David Millar aiming to win a medal in the final season of his 17-year career. It is probably one of the biggest events of my life, Millar told Andy Bull. Especially where it is in my career. Whether it would mean so much to me if I was 18, well it would still be massively important to me, but I am 37. This is the end. His best chance is in the road race on Sunday. But who knows what extra he may get from riding on home tarmac. He goes off last, at around 2.30pm. Also, keep an eye on Geraint Thomas of Wales.
1.09pm BST
Afternoon. Well, what have we got for you today then? Loads of stuff
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