South Africa prop Steven Kitshoff retires from all rugby because of a serious neck injury
Kitshoff made the announcement in a statement from his South African domestic team, the Stormers.
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CNN
6 hours ago
- CNN
Scottie Scheffler arrives at the Open with a chance to build on a meteoric rise. That success isn't what fulfills him
Another major championship means another opportunity for Scottie Scheffler. The 29-year-old world No. 1, who won his third major at May's PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Golf Club, is favored to win this week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush. By winning, Scheffler would continue the trajectory he has been on over the last three-and-a-half years, aided by a patient approach to the game that's led to 16 PGA Tour wins, three majors and counting. If he were to capture a fourth major title in Northern Ireland, Scheffler would add to his growing resume. The list of men's golfers capturing four major titles includes Old and Young Tom Morris – the father-son duo that hailed from the home of golf in St. Andrews, Scotland – and South African Ernie Els. It would also be the third different major Scheffler has won, leaving him a US Open victory shy of the career grand slam. Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have won all four men's professional majors. That doesn't mean all that much to Scheffler, who rarely discusses the historical stakes of his victories. During his news conference at Royal Portrush on Tuesday, he discussed how quickly the satisfaction of winning dissipates. 'It's great to win tournaments. It's a lot of fun,' Scheffler told reporters. 'Sometimes, the feeling only lasts about two minutes, it seems like, when you're celebrating, and then it's like, OK, now you've got to go do all this other stuff, which is great, but sometimes the feeling of winning only lasts a few seconds. It's pretty exciting and fun, but it just doesn't last that long.' Scheffler's unique admission hinted at a trait of his that has helped him reach his very best on the course. One reason why Scheffler got to this point, and why he is the favorite this week, is his patience on the course. It is a mindset that was evident during his latest major victory. Through two rounds of the PGA Championship in May, Scheffler was three strokes back of leader Kim Si-woo. He had not played superbly: he doubled bogeyed the 16th hole on the Thursday and admitted after his opening round he had room for improvement. In the third round, Scheffler played his first 13 holes in one-under and sat two shots back of Bryson DeChambeau. But he took advantage of the next five holes, carding eagle on the drivable par-four 14th and birdie on 15, 17 and 18. Scheffler put, and kept, himself in contention over the first 49 holes. However, those final five holes on the Saturday are what put him in control. The final round was a challenge, as Scheffler was two-over on the front nine and briefly fell into a tie with Spain's Jon Rahm. Once again, though, he closed strong with a two-under 34 on the back nine. When he tapped in to close out the five-stroke win, Scheffler hugged his caddie, Ted Scott, raised his arms in the air and slammed his cap on the ground. His focus and patience had, once again, paid off. 'When I stepped on the tee on Thursday, I'm not thinking about what's going to happen on Sunday,' Scheffler told reporters after winning the tournament. 'I'm preparing for a 72-hole event. That's what I tell myself on the first tee: it's 72 holes. That's a lot of time. That's a lot of holes. That's a lot of shots.' Scheffler's patient approach has garnered praise from his peers. In a documentary released by the PGA Tour chronicling Scheffler's 2024 season, a host of pros – including two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and Sweden's Ludvig Åberg – heaped adulation on Scheffler's patience and focus. Woods, a winner of 82 PGA Tour events and 15 majors, even compared Scheffler's mindset to his own. 'It's over 72 holes, it's not a sprint, this is over a marathon,' Woods said. 'I think there's the similarity between how we play the game.' That mentality has shined throughout the last three-and-a-half years. It took a while, though, for Scheffler to develop it. 'I think when I was young, I would either hold it in or kind of blow up,' Scheffler said Tuesday. 'Now, I think I do a better job of holding it in but also getting it over to the next shot and almost sharpening my focus to where I'm in a better spot after a bit of frustration than I am before, if that makes sense.' Before the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, Scheffler was one of the best players on the PGA Tour without a victory. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 and finished in the top 20 in all six majors he competed in across 2020 and 2021. He was also part of the victorious US team at the 2021 Ryder Cup, knocking off Rahm, then the top player in the Official World Golf Ranking, in the singles portion. But Scheffler's playoff victory against Patrick Cantlay in Phoenix was a launching pad. 'Definitely nice to get my first win under the belt, and I think the first one is probably always the hardest,' Scheffler told reporters at the time. Scheffler won three more tournaments in 2022, including his first major at the Masters, and two tournaments in 2023, including the Players Championship. In 2024, Scheffler was a machine. He won eight times, including a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, the Masters, the Players Championship and the Tour Championship – the last of which netted him the FedEx Cup and its $25 million payout. He became the first player to win at least seven events since Woods did so in 2007. His encore this year was delayed by a month, due to a hand injury he suffered while making ravioli for Christmas dinner. While Scheffler hadn't nabbed a victory by the end of April – he already won four times by that point a year prior – his worst finish was a tie for 25th at the WM Phoenix Open. He also finished fourth in his title defense at the Masters, three shots behind the victorious McIlroy. In early May, Scheffler won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament by eight strokes; his 31-under-par 253 total is the lowest 72-hole mark in PGA Tour history. His PGA Championship victory two weeks later in Charlotte made him the third player since World War II to win three majors and 15 or more PGA Tour events before turning 29. The other two? Nicklaus and Woods. His repeat victory at Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament made it three wins in four tournaments. He and McIlroy are the only players to win three times on tour this season. If Scheffler were to win this weekend, his 2025 season would match up favorably to 2024. This would be his first season with two major victories and would continue the rise that Scheffler himself cannot fully comprehend. However, he has maintained that golf is not his primary focus. His wife, Meredith, son, Bennett, and his faith all usurp his day job. 'To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling,' Scheffler said Tuesday. 'To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I'm not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I'm not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what's the point? 'This is not a fulfilling life. It's fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it's not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.' One thing is for sure – all eyes will be on the favorite Scheffler to earn his first Open Championship this weekend.
CNN
6 hours ago
- CNN
Scottie Scheffler arrives at the Open with a chance to build on a meteoric rise. That success isn't what fulfills him
Another major championship means another opportunity for Scottie Scheffler. The 29-year-old world No. 1, who won his third major at May's PGA Championship at Quail Hollow Golf Club, is favored to win this week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush. By winning, Scheffler would continue the trajectory he has been on over the last three-and-a-half years, aided by a patient approach to the game that's led to 16 PGA Tour wins, three majors and counting. If he were to capture a fourth major title in Northern Ireland, Scheffler would add to his growing resume. The list of men's golfers capturing four major titles includes Old and Young Tom Morris – the father-son duo that hailed from the home of golf in St. Andrews, Scotland – and South African Ernie Els. It would also be the third different major Scheffler has won, leaving him a US Open victory shy of the career grand slam. Only Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have won all four men's professional majors. That doesn't mean all that much to Scheffler, who rarely discusses the historical stakes of his victories. During his news conference at Royal Portrush on Tuesday, he discussed how quickly the satisfaction of winning dissipates. 'It's great to win tournaments. It's a lot of fun,' Scheffler told reporters. 'Sometimes, the feeling only lasts about two minutes, it seems like, when you're celebrating, and then it's like, OK, now you've got to go do all this other stuff, which is great, but sometimes the feeling of winning only lasts a few seconds. It's pretty exciting and fun, but it just doesn't last that long.' Scheffler's unique admission hinted at a trait of his that has helped him reach his very best on the course. One reason why Scheffler got to this point, and why he is the favorite this week, is his patience on the course. It is a mindset that was evident during his latest major victory. Through two rounds of the PGA Championship in May, Scheffler was three strokes back of leader Kim Si-woo. He had not played superbly: he doubled bogeyed the 16th hole on the Thursday and admitted after his opening round he had room for improvement. In the third round, Scheffler played his first 13 holes in one-under and sat two shots back of Bryson DeChambeau. But he took advantage of the next five holes, carding eagle on the drivable par-four 14th and birdie on 15, 17 and 18. Scheffler put, and kept, himself in contention over the first 49 holes. However, those final five holes on the Saturday are what put him in control. The final round was a challenge, as Scheffler was two-over on the front nine and briefly fell into a tie with Spain's Jon Rahm. Once again, though, he closed strong with a two-under 34 on the back nine. When he tapped in to close out the five-stroke win, Scheffler hugged his caddie, Ted Scott, raised his arms in the air and slammed his cap on the ground. His focus and patience had, once again, paid off. 'When I stepped on the tee on Thursday, I'm not thinking about what's going to happen on Sunday,' Scheffler told reporters after winning the tournament. 'I'm preparing for a 72-hole event. That's what I tell myself on the first tee: it's 72 holes. That's a lot of time. That's a lot of holes. That's a lot of shots.' Scheffler's patient approach has garnered praise from his peers. In a documentary released by the PGA Tour chronicling Scheffler's 2024 season, a host of pros – including two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and Sweden's Ludvig Åberg – heaped adulation on Scheffler's patience and focus. Woods, a winner of 82 PGA Tour events and 15 majors, even compared Scheffler's mindset to his own. 'It's over 72 holes, it's not a sprint, this is over a marathon,' Woods said. 'I think there's the similarity between how we play the game.' That mentality has shined throughout the last three-and-a-half years. It took a while, though, for Scheffler to develop it. 'I think when I was young, I would either hold it in or kind of blow up,' Scheffler said Tuesday. 'Now, I think I do a better job of holding it in but also getting it over to the next shot and almost sharpening my focus to where I'm in a better spot after a bit of frustration than I am before, if that makes sense.' Before the 2022 WM Phoenix Open, Scheffler was one of the best players on the PGA Tour without a victory. He won Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 and finished in the top 20 in all six majors he competed in across 2020 and 2021. He was also part of the victorious US team at the 2021 Ryder Cup, knocking off Rahm, then the top player in the Official World Golf Ranking, in the singles portion. But Scheffler's playoff victory against Patrick Cantlay in Phoenix was a launching pad. 'Definitely nice to get my first win under the belt, and I think the first one is probably always the hardest,' Scheffler told reporters at the time. Scheffler won three more tournaments in 2022, including his first major at the Masters, and two tournaments in 2023, including the Players Championship. In 2024, Scheffler was a machine. He won eight times, including a gold medal at the Paris Olympics, the Masters, the Players Championship and the Tour Championship – the last of which netted him the FedEx Cup and its $25 million payout. He became the first player to win at least seven events since Woods did so in 2007. His encore this year was delayed by a month, due to a hand injury he suffered while making ravioli for Christmas dinner. While Scheffler hadn't nabbed a victory by the end of April – he already won four times by that point a year prior – his worst finish was a tie for 25th at the WM Phoenix Open. He also finished fourth in his title defense at the Masters, three shots behind the victorious McIlroy. In early May, Scheffler won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson tournament by eight strokes; his 31-under-par 253 total is the lowest 72-hole mark in PGA Tour history. His PGA Championship victory two weeks later in Charlotte made him the third player since World War II to win three majors and 15 or more PGA Tour events before turning 29. The other two? Nicklaus and Woods. His repeat victory at Nicklaus' Memorial Tournament made it three wins in four tournaments. He and McIlroy are the only players to win three times on tour this season. If Scheffler were to win this weekend, his 2025 season would match up favorably to 2024. This would be his first season with two major victories and would continue the rise that Scheffler himself cannot fully comprehend. However, he has maintained that golf is not his primary focus. His wife, Meredith, son, Bennett, and his faith all usurp his day job. 'To have that kind of sense of accomplishment, I think, is a pretty cool feeling,' Scheffler said Tuesday. 'To get to live out your dreams is very special, but at the end of the day, I'm not out here to inspire the next generation of golfers. I'm not out here to inspire someone to be the best player in the world because what's the point? 'This is not a fulfilling life. It's fulfilling from the sense of accomplishment, but it's not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart.' One thing is for sure – all eyes will be on the favorite Scheffler to earn his first Open Championship this weekend.
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Fox Sports
Hermann's debut heroics lead South Africa to T20 victory over Zimbabwe
Associated Press HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — South African batter Rubin Hermann made an impressive T20 debut and led Proteas to a five-wicket victory against Zimbabwe in the opening game of the tri-series on Monday. The 28-year-old Herman top-scored with 45 off 37 balls and made up for the top-order collapse before South Africa cruised to 142-5 in 15.5 overs in its first T20 this year. Dewald Brevis smashed five sixes in his belligerent 41 off just 17 balls in a strong Proteas chase. Zimbabwe was earlier limited to 141-6, despite an unbeaten 54 from its skipper Sikandar Raza, with George Linde picking up 3-10 after South Africa captain Rassie van der Dussen won the toss and elected to field. Fast bowlers Lungi Ngidi (1-15) and Nandre Burger (1-22), returning after almost 10-month absence from lower-back stress fracture, bowled well upfront before Raza and Ryan Burl (29) provided the acceleration for Zimbabwe in the second half of the innings. South Africa will take on New Zealand in the second game of the tri-series on Wednesday. Hermann and Brevis control the chase Tall fast bowler Richard Ngarava (3-35) struck twice inside the powerplay when another debutant Lhuan-dre Pretorius offered a return catch off the first legitimate ball in Proteas' chase and Reeza Hendricks' middle stump was knocked over when he tried to go for an ambitious drive and got a big inside edge. Captain van der Dussen struck two sixes, but was caught at mid-on off fast bowler Trevor Gwandu (2-15) as South Africa slipped to 3-38 in the sixth over. But Herman and Brevis steadied the chase with 72-run stand as Brevis smashed Burl for 25 runs in one over that featured three sixes and a boundary. Brevis fell in the 12th over when he tried to hit Gwandu inside out over extra cover and sliced a catch to Bennett. Ngarava flattened Hermann's off-stump off a ball that kept a bit low with only 12 needed for victory. Pace and spin pin down Zimbabwe Fast bowlers Ngidi and Burger didn't allow Zimbabwe batters to score freely in the first half and Brian Bennett's (30) patience also ran out as he holed out to deep mid-wicket when he tried to push the acceleration against Linde in the 11th over. Raza and Burl tried to up the ante in the death overs but Burl was caught by Hermann at long off in the 18th over after scoring 29 off 20 balls. Linde picked up two wickets of successive balls in the final over before Wellington Masakadza avoided the hat-trick ball, but left-arm spinner Linde finished off well without conceding a boundary off his three overs. ___ AP cricket: in this topic
