Latest - A poor finish to her second round has cost the New Zealand golfer Amelia Garvey a chance to play the full four rounds at her first major championship.
New Zealand's Amelia Garvey hits a tee shot during the LPGA Tour NZ Open in 2017. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
After an impressive first day at the US Open in Texas, the 20-year-old was on track to easily make the cut at one-under through 14 holes on day two.
But five dropped shots in the final four holes, including a triple bogey at the par three 16th, saw Garvey finish at four-over par - one shot below the eventual cut line at three-over.
However, the news was better for Lydia Ko.
The two-time major winner carded a one-under par second round to move to one-under for the tournament - 6 shots behind leader Hinako Shibuno of Japan.
No Cairo crown for King
New Zealand squash player Joelle King has missed out on a place in the final at the PSA event in Egypt.
Photo: Supplied
The world No 8 has lost a tight five-game semifinal to sixth-ranked Englishwoman Sarah-Jane Perry at the Black Ball Open in Cairo.
King fought to the end, saving four match points in the fifth game, but after 74 minutes Perry eventually prevailed 5-11 13-11 13-11 7-11 13-11.
The 32-year-old New Zealander now awaits a revistalised PSA schedule in the new year.
Meanwhile the tournament now gets ready for the men's event, where new world No 4 Paul Coll will be the fourth seed.
The Kiwi was set to face Frenchman Victor Crouin in the first round on Monday morning (NZ time).
Leading rugby ref retires
Nigel Owens, the most-capped referee in world rugby, has called time on his distinguished 17-year international career.
Nigel Owens Photo: Photosport
Welshman Owens became the first referee to officiate in a century of tests when he took charge of an Autumn Nations Cup clash between France and Italy last month.
The 49-year-old said it was the perfect milestone with which to bow out of international Tests and the fact that he would not be officiating at the 2023 World Cup in France was a factor in making his decision.
Owens was the longest-serving member of World Rugby's elite international panel, notably taking charge of the 2015 World Cup final between the victorious All Blacks and the Wallabies, as well as several European Champions Cup finals.
Owens added that he would be moving into a coaching role with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) to train young referees.
- Reuters
Training focus for rugby concussions
Rugby Players Association (RPA) Chief Executive Damian Hopley says training methods should be reviewed as part of measures to help reduce concussions.
Photo: 123
Hopley's comments came after former England hooker Steve Thompson told The Guardian this week that a lack of protection in his playing days was to blame for his diagnosis of early onset dementia.
The Rugby Football Union has said it "takes player safety very seriously" and that it had played a key role in establishing concussion education and assessment.
"It's been very distressing for everyone," Hopley, a former England international, told BBC.
"A big percentage of injuries occur during training so I think that has to be part of the opportunity to address these things and look at what can we do to make the game safer, as has been talked about.
- Reuters
Sweeping rule changes for NRL
Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) will introduce two-point drop goals for shots outside of 40 metres as part of sweeping rule changes aimed at speeding up play.
Photo: Photosport
Drop goals, also known as field goals in the NRL, are worth only one point so are the least-preferred method of scoring.
NRL boss Peter V'landys said he hoped the two-point rule would accelerate play.
The NRL will also introduce the "six again" rule for ruck infringements, which gives the attacking team a set of six new tackles if the defending team strays offside.
Scrums will also be more strictly policed by referees, while teams will be able to play the ball from the restart if it is kicked or carried into touch rather than have to pack scrums among other rule changes.
- Reuters
Tension at Joshua, Pulev weigh-in
Heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua and Bulgarian challenger Kubrat Pulev pulled off their masks and engaged in face-to-face verbal sparring at their weigh-in for their title clash on Sunday (NZ time).
The 31-year-old Joshua, who is putting his WBA, IBF and WBO belts on the line at Wembley Arena, hit the scales at 109kg.
Photo: AFP
That was heavier than a year ago when the Briton reclaimed his titles from Andy Ruiz in Saudi Arabia, but lighter than the first Ruiz fight where he weighed in at 113kg and suffered a shock defeat.
Pulev, 39, stepped up 7kg lighter than Joshua and was in fighting mood, confronting Joshua while continuing to shout "new champion".
It may have been all part of the familiar pre-fight hype but Britain's Olympic gold medallist seemed irritated, removing his mask and pointing a finger at his opponent before security stepped in.
Pulev, like Joshua, has suffered only one loss as a professional, a knockout by Wladimir Klitschko in 2014.
- Reuters
