Latest news with #No.23
Metro
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Metro
Tyrrell Hatton: 'Oakmont near-miss stung - but I'm positive about The Open'
It's been a month since the US Open, but Tyrrell Hatton still cannot help but chuckle when asked to reflect upon the hellish conditions he had to endure during the final round at Oakmont. Hatton had recorded six top-ten finishes in majors prior to that tournament, but by his own admission, had never truly found himself in contention to win one of golf's biggest prizes until then. Standing on the 17th tee during a rain-sodden final round, that moment arrived as the Englishman found himself in a five-way tie for the lead and in with a shot at his maiden major scalp. A cruel twist of fate awaited. Driving at the short par-4, Hatton's ball looked to be heading for the bunker and a chance to get up and down for birdie. Instead, the 33-year-old's ball inexplicably came to rest just short of the bunker, leaving him a near-impossible chip shot from a downhill lie in thick, wet rough. 'I felt like I hit a shot that would be in a decent spot and it was only after the round when I watched the video back and saw where it landed – a yard from the bunker on the downslope – that kind of made it sting a bit more,' the World No.23 tells Metro. In the end, a bogey five on 17 and another on 18 ended Hatton's US Open hopes as he settled for a T4 finish, four strokes behind eventual winner, JJ Spaun. Always a man to wear his heart on his sleeve, Hatton let his frustration be known in the immediate aftermath, but looks back on the near-miss differently now as he gears up for his latest major challenge – this week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush. 'The overriding feeling I had afterwards, once the dust settled, was happiness with how I dealt with everything,' he adds. 'Those last two holes are still the freshest in your mind when you go to reflect on the week but I've worked hard in recent years to try and reframe those near misses and use them as fuel for the next time I arrive at that situation.' There are few opportunities to take pause and reflect on such near-misses, though, such is golf's unrelenting summer schedule. Hatton is in the middle of a three-month run where he only has three weeks at home and out of competition. It's a good job he enjoys it, then. 'Playing this much before and in between majors certainly isn't a bad thing for me,' he explains. 'I've had a mixture of both – having a week off before a major or playing beforehand – and I think I prefer playing before. 'If you play well, you have that momentum going into a major, which is great. Weeks off can be a bit more challenging when you are left to your own devices, whereas in those tournament weeks, you can have more structure in terms of your practice.' Hatton's on-course outbursts have been the source of plenty of debate over the years, and Sir Nick Faldo, the last Englishman to lift the Claret Jug back in 1992, believes it may be holding his fellow countryman back. 'You look at all the major champions and very few of them have beaten themselves up mid-round,' he said. 'Wherever he finds that helpful, I don't know but you kind of doubt if his head is completely clear ready for the next shot. 'You've got to have a clear mind and good decisions, and you can't dwell on what you did three holes back in our game. Read more of Nick Faldo's pre-tournament thoughts by clicking here. A T23 finish at last week's LIV Andalucia may rank as one of his worst of the season, but Hatton still arrives in Northern Ireland with plenty of confidence, given he finished in a tie for sixth last time the Open was held at Portrush in 2019. 'It's nice to have those positive feelings anytime you go back to a course that you played well at,' he says. 'It was a good week for me back in 2019 and I'll be hoping that I can go and finish a few spots better this time around.' Hatton's Ryder Cup teammate, Shane Lowry, took home the trophy that week six years ago, and the Englishman has already been consulting with one of his new LIV teammates, Legion XIII member and hometown boy Tom McKibbin, to try and gain an advantage this time around. More Trending 'I know he played there last week, so I've spoken to him about the golf course's condition and how it was playing – nothing more than that, but every little helps,' he insists. One thing is for sure: Hatton can't be relying on his memory when it comes to his most recent trip around the iconic links course. 'I've played Portrush six or seven times now, although the last time I played it I was a bit more frosty given I was hungover on a boys' trip,' he jokes. 'We'll get there on Monday, so that gives us plenty of time to do the work and hopefully be ready come Thursday.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Dan Brown relishing Open return after 'dream-like' debut at Royal Troon
Winnipeg Free Press
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
New Canada rugby coach Stephen Meehan looks to play a more expansive game
It looks like change and opportunity will be the buzzwords in coach Stephen Meehan's debut with the Canadian men's rugby team. Change in that the 59-year-old Australian is looking for his players to express themselves by playing a more expansive style of rugby. And opportunity because Meehan, who officially started the job in April, has clearly used the time since his appointment was announced in December to search for new talent, with 20 uncapped players in his original long list of 59 players announced ahead of his first matches at the helm. The 24th-ranked Canadians host No. 23 Belgium on Saturday and No. 16 Spain on July 18, with both games at Edmonton's Clarke Stadium. Meehan has included two uncapped players in his matchday 23 against Belgium, with Brenden Black starting at fullback and centre Kyle Tremblay, who has been capped in sevens play, on the bench. Cooper Coats makes his first start at fly-half after spending most of his 17 previous appearances at fullback. Meehan says the players, young and old, have shown themselves to be open to his brand of rugby. 'I think one of the things that's pretty evident is that everybody's hoping to be able to play or expecting to play, probably a game that gives them the opportunity to showcase their abilities. To look for opportunity and have a go at it,' he explained. 'I hope that it translates into something a little bit quicker, something potentially a little more expansive. And it is no doubt more challenging to play, but it's also more challenging to defend. And it's probably more enjoyable after all. What I can sort of pick up is there's a period of adjustment that they have to go through but they're pretty excited to do that.' The Edmonton tests are a warm-up for a game later this summer at the Pacific Nations Cup, which doubles as a qualifier for the 2027 World Cup. 'There's obviously going to be change and I think it's highlighted even more, when you have a new coach at the helm,' said captain Lucas Rumball. 'I'm excited for the differences in the way we're going to do things. I think it's going to be an exciting summer for us. 'The Canadians in MLR (Major League Rugby) have been playing really well and I think that should bleed into some of the international stuff.' Meehan likes what he sees in Rumball. 'He's very calm, very experienced. He is a heart-on-the-sleeve type of player who leads by example, is optimistic, is positive, is enthusiastic. But at the same time has a deep understanding of the game. He can really take all that and impart it in the team, keep them calm and do a great job as a result.' Meehan's wife, Beth, is also in Canada, although his time in camp with the team has kept him busy. 'I'll look forward to catching up with her at some stage,' he said dryly. Meehan has also started meeting with local coaches across the country, with more such events to come. 'To be here and to get around the place, talk to people and get a feel for the rugby has been terrific,' he said. 'The people you come across are just so passionate for it and enthusiastic about it that you hope if we can all (work) together, we can do something that takes up certainly up the rankings and inspires the next generation.' Meehan has a wealth of experience to share. He was an assistant coach under Nick Mallett and Fabien Galthié at Stade Francais in Paris from 2004 to 2006, winning the Top 14 title twice in three trips to the final. Meehan then joined England's Bath, where he was promoted to head coach and led the club to three consecutive premiership semifinals and the 2008 European Challenge Cup. Meehan left Bath in 2011 and returned to Australia, serving as attack coach for Western Force — joining former Bath coach Michael Foley — and then the Queensland Reds. In 2015, he went to France to join Bernard Laporte's staff at European champion Toulon as backs coach. He coached Japan's Kintetsu Liners Rugby from 2017 to 2019 before returning to Australia to rejoin the Western Force for an eight-month stint as defence coach. From 2020 to '23, with the pandemic restricting overseas job opportunities, he was director of rugby for Brisbane Boys College, director of rugby at the GPS Rugby Club, a local amateur side, and worked at QLD (Queensland) Health in a non-rugby role as leader of an IT team. In October 2023, Meehan was named coach of the Toronto Arrows. But, before he landed in Canada, the MLR club folded after the sudden death of co-founder Bill Webb. Canada opens Pacific Nations Cup play Aug. 25 against Japan on Aug. 25 in Vancouver before facing the U.S. on Aug. 31 in Carson, Calif. The six-country tournament also features No. 9 Fiji, No. 13 Samoa and No. 19 Tonga, who will play in a separate pool. Each team will play two pool games before taking part in a final placement match. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 11, 2025
USA Today
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Alex Bowman discusses wreck with Bubba Wallace in Chicago in 2025
Alex Bowman finished in eighth place at the Chicago Street Course, but it didn't come without some drama. Bowman and Bubba Wallace traded paint in the closing laps, ending with the No. 23 car breaking its toe link. Ironically, the two drivers had an encounter in Chicago last year, resulting in a penalty for Wallace. After the incident, the driver of the No. 48 car beat Wallace in the In-Season Challenge, putting him into the third round of eight drivers. Following the event, Bowman addressed the incident with after a discussion with Wallace post-race. 'I wish I would have talked to [Bubba Wallace] before all my interviews, because I did all the interviews under the context that he thought I right-reared him and just crashed him,' Bowman said to 'And then I talked to him, and he thought I was crossing him over and he was clear outside. Spotters can't see over there, and I was just outside of him, and he moved up. And I hate to say he did it to himself, but he did it to himself, and that's what he was saying, like he thought I was crossing over. So yeah, I hate that I did a bunch of interviews like, 'what the hell, man?' But yeah, I'm sure he's not happy that he got crashed, but at the same time, like I'm between him and the fence. There's not so much you can do.' The wreck was Wallace's fault after he squeezed the No. 48 car and spun himself out; however, Bowman thought he was blaming him. The Hendrick Motorsports driver wasn't in the wrong, and it doesn't appear there will be any fallout from his incident with Wallace at the Chicago Street Course. More: Joey Logano calls for NASCAR to penalize Ross Chastain in 2025
Daily Mirror
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mirror
Le Mans star leaps out of car and punches and kicks rival's motor in wild scenes
The Road to Le Mans Race 2 was marred by a violent outburst from one of the drivers, who leaped out of his car and attacked his rival on the first lap of the race after a collision A startling clash between two Ferraris sparked chaos on lap one of the Road to Le Mans Race 2. The Michelin Le Mans Cup contest was thrown into disarray as the blue No. 23 and red No. 21 Ferraris tangled instantly. The No. 23 Biogas Motorsport Ferrari 296 GT3, driven by Josep Mayola Comadira, collided with Gino-Generoso Forgione's No. 21 AF Corse Ferrari 293 right at the scrappy race start. Comadira rammed into the back of Forgione's vehicle around a curve where many competitors braked suddenly, putting an end to both of their race ambitions, much to the annoyance of the Swiss driver at Le Mans. Following the crash, the cars lay stationary trackside. However, Forgione then burst from his vehicle and stomped towards his opponent's car, which had been flung upwards during the collision, reports the Express. Enraged, Forgione then started launching kicks at the No. 23 car's door before battering its window with his fists. His assault on the windows and roof continued until race officials intervened and steered him away. "It was not a moment of which he will be particularly proud of," observed TNT Sports commentator Martin Haven about the unbelievable fracas. "As you can understand, racing at Les Mans and getting tagged out in the first corner is not going to leave you feeling very happy," he continued. "The problem is, everyone is checking up there because of the spinning Porsche. He has spun because he is checking up because the cars in front are slowing down dramatically." Graham Goodwin, also on commentary, responded: "It is not giving Gino-Generoso Forgione any credit at all for the behaviour at the end there, but he will feel that he checked up and the car behind did not. "That I think is a knock-on effect of the argy-bargy at the front of the field. Yeah, not very happy is the international sign language there." A safety car was drawn before the support race for the 24 Hours of Le Mans restarted, as a sizeable clean-up was required after the many incidents that occurred during a crash-ridden opening lap. Before the race began, issues prevented the No. 59 Racing Spirit of Le Mans Aston Martin driven by Anthony McIntosh from starting. Meanwhile, CLX chose to replace the nose of No. 97, which required it to start from the pit lane. This race was the second Le Mans Cup contest, with the first being held on Friday. In the GT3 category, in which both the No. 21 and No. 23 cars were striving to win on Saturday, the No. 65 Team Motopark Mercedes-AMG GT3 claimed victory. Lena Buhler and Mattéo Quintarelli in the No. 20 23 Events Racing Ligier JS would go on to win the race overall, and Buhler became the first woman to achieve such a feat in a Road to Le Mans contest.
Fox Sports
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Pato O'Ward looking to change his Indianapolis 500 thirst for victory by finding a cow to milk
Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — IndyCar driver Pato O'Ward understands winners drink milk at the Indianapolis 500. He just doesn't want a small oversight to cause him any more race day consternation. So during Thursday's media day, O'Ward said he plans to participate in a superstition that he hopes will end the tough spills he's endured in his first five Indy 500 starts. Pole winner Robert Shwartzman recounted how after last weekend's qualifying, he took part in the rookie tradition of milking a cow — and the role it's believed to play in who quenches their thirst in victory lane. 'The woman, she came to me and said, 'The people who didn't milk the cow, they never won the Indy 500,' and they were like (did not finish). It's bad luck,' Shwartzman said. 'Whoever milks the cow. Alexander Rossi did it. He won the 500. You have to milk the cow.' Shwartzman described his personal experience with a 'very calm, cute' cow named Indy. O'Ward never got his chance to squeeze an udder because his rookie start came in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the race was run in August with no fans and the milking tradition was put on hold. Since then, he's finished sixth, fourth, second, 24th and second. Two-time race winner Takuma Sato claimed he never took part in the tradition, but that didn't seem to impress O'Ward, who eventually asked: 'Are they always ready to just...?" Finally, after Shwartzman suggested O'Ward wait until next year to make it right, O'Ward said he wasn't content to have yet another race day spoiled. He wanted to milk a cow immediately. The Indiana Dairy Association was quick to offer help. 'We know some farmers who know some cows who can make that happen,' the group posted on X. Playing hooky Ryan Hunter-Reay brought a special guest to the dais Thursday — his oldest son, Ryden. The soon-to-be-sixth-grader wore a baseball cap, shorts and, of course, No. 23 socks to honor his dad, the 2014 Indy 500 winner. Spending race week in Indianapolis was only part of the treat for Ryden Hunter-Reay. He also got to miss his last week of school. 'I think it's better (here),' he said when asked about his absence from class. And who does he think will win Sunday's race? 'My dad,' he said. Feeling better Colton Herta canceled his local Community Day appearance Wednesday because he was under the weather. By Thursday, he was feeling well enough to show up for his media day interview. While Herta seems to be on the mend or Sunday's race, he would feel much better with a higher starting spot. He qualified 29th Saturday, just 4 1/2 hours after crashing on his first qualifying attempt. He'll start 27th because of the penalties assessed to two Team Penske cars. At least he's comfortable in the backup car his team scrambled to set up Saturday. 'It's just like being in the other car, they patched everything pretty perfectly, which for me has never happened before, so it was a surprise,' Herta said. 'It filled me with a lot of confidence, made it easier to get back to work.' Drive for five Helio Castroneves is the fourth and most recent member of Indy's four-time winners club. His quest to become the race's first five-time champion has been overshadowed by Kyle Larson's second attempt at running the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the same day, and by the Team Penske scandal. The longtime Penske driver who now drives for Meyer Shank Racing will start 22nd after moving up two spots on the starting grid because of the penalties assessed to his two ex-teammates. It's the third-lowest starting position of his 25 career Indy starts after he qualified 28th in 2020 and 27th in 2022. The 50-year-old Brazilian also is completing his own double this season by competing in the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500 in the same year. 'This place has been good to me, this place is amazing and I'm trying to get something special, to rewrite history,' Castroneves said. 'So we're going to have hard work to do, but I feel like we're going to be up front very soon.' ___ AP auto racing: recommended
