
Rory McIlroy lands Europe's first spot for Ryder Cup
KIRKLAND : Rory McIlroy's tie for 19th place at the just-completed US Open was enough to land him an automatic spot on Europe's Ryder Cup team for this year's competition at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, NY.
McIlroy, who earned his spot through the European points list in a qualification period that began in August, will make his eighth consecutive appearance on Europe's team.
He has helped lead the side to five victories in his seven chances.
The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland is currently No 2 in the world rankings, a spot that has been solidified by a win at the Masters in April, as well as victories at The Players Championship and Pebble Beach earlier this season.
Europe captain Luke Donald will preside over what will be a 12-man team when the Ryder Cup takes place Sept 26-28.
McIlroy is the first of Europe's six automatic qualifiers, with Donald set to make six captain's picks.
'It's always a huge honour to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup, so it means a great deal to have qualified for my eighth in a row and to be part of Luke's team again at Bethpage,' McIlroy said in a release.
Europe's automatic qualifier points process ends Aug 24.
Scottie Scheffler became the first automatic qualifier for the US team after he won the Memorial Tournament earlier this month.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Malay Mail
9 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Why superstar concerts are skipping Real Madrid's Bernabeu for Atletico's stadium
MADRID, July 24 — Mired in legal setbacks, Real Madrid are losing the lucrative star-studded concerts for which their costly Bernabeu stadium revamp was designed — and cross-town rivals Atletico are cashing in. The megaproject involved three loans totalling more than €1 billion (RM4.9 billion) with the goal of transforming the historic ground into a year-round entertainment hub. But the Spanish giants had not reckoned with the determination of angry locals, whose complaints about excessive noise succeeded in stopping the concerts in 2024. With the complaints bogged down in the courts, Atletico Madrid's Metropolitano stadium snapped up the shows of three Spanish stars who were due to perform at the Bernabeu this summer. A bigger coup followed: the announcement of the hosting of 10 gigs next year by reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny, a multiple Grammy Awards winner who sold a Spanish record 600,000 tickets for 12 dates in Madrid and Barcelona. The Puerto Rican's arrival appears to contradict the belief of Madrid's Atletico-supporting mayor Jose Luis Martinez-Almeida, who insisted only the Bernabeu could attract the most prestigious performers like US icon Taylor Swift. For Placido Rodriguez Guerrero, emeritus professor at the University of Oviedo's economics department, 'the reputational damage has been big' for Real. 'It is a way of showing that not everything Real Madrid do is done well, and more so if the concerts go to the Metropolitano,' he told AFP. Lola Indigo, one of the singers whose cancelled Bernabeu show went to the Metropolitano, told El Mundo daily she felt 'disappointment, a little betrayed'. 'Major blow' Club president Florentino Perez has reassured supporters that concerts only represent one per cent of Real's budget, with revenues topping €1.1 billion in the 2024/25 season. But David Dunn, managing director of the Edinburgh-based consultancy 442 Design, which has worked on commercial projects with clubs including Arsenal and AC Milan, described the situation as 'a major blow' for Real. Although the matchday, tour and retail business revenue is 'excellent', the club 'will have banked on being able to hold multiple large-scale events and concerts', he told AFP. Business Insider Spain has reported Real's plan was to generate around €100 million per year from musical events — enough to sign a couple of stars. Professor Rodriguez Guerrero said Real were losing 'tens of millions of euros' this summer to their less storied local rivals, who have previously hosted stars including Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones and Bruno Mars. If Real wish to pursue their concert ambitions, the investment 'will cost quite a lot', he said. Solution 'not simple' For Francesc Daumal, an architecture expert at Barcelona's Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the Bernabeu's main weakness is its new retractable roof and the acoustic issues it engenders. The stadium 'is like a tent, because it's shut with a light closure. There are openings, exterior sheets that let air in', he explained. 'Solving the insulation for those deep frequencies and with those very high acoustic pressures isn't simple,' warned Daumal. Atletico's stadium 'was born from the start with the intention of soundproofing it', whereas adapting the older Bernabeu is more difficult, he added. Daumal also identified the Bernabeu's proximity to residential buildings as a challenge to contain noise, compared with the esplanade that separates the Metropolitano from its closest neighbours. Atletico are meanwhile cashing in on a packed summer concert schedule with the Bernabeu out of action. Fans flocked to the Metropolitano in May for two sold-out nights by British star Ed Sheeran, with 140,000 tickets going at an average price of €100 (US$115). Sara, who attended last year's Taylor Swift concert at the Bernabeu, told AFP the Metropolitano was 'better as a place… it's a club with more ties to music'. 'Acoustically, the Bernabeu is the worst place we've seen,' added the 34-year-old communications sector employee, who declined to give her surname. Ariel Jackson, a 30-year-old lawyer from the Caribbean nation of Trinidad and Tobago, said the Metropolitano had 'extra space' and was 'more comfortable' than the Bernabeu thanks to its distance from the crowded city centre. 'We love to say concerts are held' at the Metropolitano amid the Bernabeu's troubles, enthused Atletico fan David Guerrero, 27, sporting a club shirt with Sheeran's name on the back. — AFP


Free Malaysia Today
9 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Brighton's Irish forward Ferguson seeks Roman revival in loan move
Evan Ferguson joined Brighton in January 2021 at the age of 16 and made his senior debut in August that year. (EPA Images pic) ROME : Ireland striker Evan Ferguson has joined AS Roma on a season-long loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, the Serie A club said today, with the 20-year-old looking to kick-start his career after a couple of uninspiring seasons. 'Roma are delighted to announce the signing of Evan Ferguson from Brighton & Hove Albion. Ferguson will join Roma on loan with an option to buy,' Roma said in a statement. Ferguson joined Brighton from Irish club Bohemians in January 2021 at the age of 16, making his senior debut in August of that year under Graham Potter. The 2022-23 campaign marked his breakthrough, with Ferguson scoring 10 goals in 25 appearances across all competitions and earning his senior debut for Ireland. But injuries soon disrupted his momentum. A cruciate ligament tear cut short his 2023-24 season, a campaign where Ferguson netted a hattrick against Newcastle United in September but saw him struggle to hold down a regular starting place under Roberto De Zerbi. Last season, after failing to impress new Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, Ferguson went on loan to West Ham United in February, making only one start in eight goalless appearances under former Brighton manager Potter. Ferguson will now look to revive his form under Roma's new manager Gian Piero Gasperini, who previously transformed Atalanta from relegation contenders into a top four Serie A side – while also rejuvenating the careers of numerous players. Gasperini's record of turning inconsistent strikers – including Duvan Zapata, Luis Muriel, Ademola Lookman and Gianluca Scamacca – into prolific scorers offers real hope for Ferguson as he seeks a fresh start in the Italian capital. There has certainly been plenty of optimism in Rome around Ferguson's arrival, with Monday's Il Romanista newspaper featuring the striker on the front page alongside the headline 'The Irishman'. Ferguson looked taken aback on Sunday as he arrived at Ciampino airport, where a large group of Roma fans were already chanting his name and clamouring for autographs, all before he had even completed his medical or signed a contract.


Free Malaysia Today
9 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Juventus make Conceicao loan permanent
Francisco Conceicao scored seven goals in 40 appearances in all competitions for Juventus last season. (EPA Images pic) ROME : Portuguese international Francisco Conceicao, who spent last year on loan at Juventus, has completed a full transfer from Porto, the Serie A club has announced. The 22-year-old winger, who has 11 caps for Portugal and scored seven goals in 40 appearances in all competitions for Juventus last season, has signed a deal taking him up to 2030. 'Juventus announce that they have reached an agreement with FC Porto for the permanent acquisition of Francisco Conceicao,' Juve said in a statement released this evening. Juventus, the only Italian club listed on the stock exchange, said it had paid '€30.4 million payable in four annual instalments', in addition to €1.6 million in fees and other costs. According to the Italian press, Juventus are also close to finalising the transfer of another player from Porto, Portuguese rightback Joao Mario while defender Alberto Costa is expected to go in the other direction. Juve, now coached by Igor Tudor, have already strengthened their attacking line with the signing of Canadian international Jonathan David from French side Lille.