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Geelong Preview day two: world number one set to fall
Moreover, one player, who has occupied the top spot on the world rankings, is destined to depart.
In the second round of the men’s singles event China’s Ma Long faces Germany’s Dimitrij Ovtcharov; history does not bode well for Dimitrij Ovtcharov, Ma Long has won all 14 meetings in world ranking events but there is always a first time and last week in Busan, Ma Long was below his best.
Equally, Fan Zhendong has not been firing on all cylinders, likewise in round two he faces German opposition; the top seed, he confronts Patrick Franziska.
A quarter-final place for Europe; there is more than one option. Sweden’s Mattias Falck opposes Korea Republic’s Jang Woojin, Portugal’s Marcos Freitas confronts Brazil’s Hugo Calderano. Similarly, England’s Liam Pitchford meets China’s Wang Chuqin, Denmark’s Jonathan Groth, presently in a rich vein of form, confronts Liang Jingkun.
No doubt Liang Jingkun starts the favourite as do his colleagues in their second round men’s singles clashes. Lin Gaoyuan opposes Korea Republic’s Lee Sangsu; Xu Xin confronts Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yun-Ju. Notably Xu Xin beat Lin Yun-Ju last month in the final in Sapporo; can Lin Yun-Ju reverse the decision? Unquestionably he possesses the talent.
Testing challenges for formidable Chinese names; in the women’s singles event, of the nation’s elite, does Chen Meng, the top seed, not face the sternest challenge of all? She opposes colleague, Mu Zi, semi-finalist at the Qoros 2015 World Championships.
Rather differently for Ding Ning and Sun Yingsha, they start as clear favourites in their second round women’s singles contests. Ding Ning plays Korea Republic’s Choi Hyojoo, Sung Yingsha confronts Japan’s Shiho Matsudaira. Equally, whatever world rankings may read, do colleagues Li Jiayi, Sun Mingyang and the pen-holder Zhang Qiang start as favourites?
Like Ding Ning both Li Jiayi and Zhang Qiang face tough Korea Republic opponents but they appear to be in form; Li Jiayi faces Jeon Jihee, Zhang Qiang confronts Suh Hyowon. Rather differently, Sun Mingyang opposes Austria’s Yui Hamamoto.
Places await China in the last eight; it is the same for Japan; in the second round of the women’s singles event, Kasumi Ishikawa meets Hitomi Sato, Mima Ito faces Miu Hirano.
Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles event, it is difficult to look beyond Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, the 2017 World champions; they face Hong Kong’s Ho Kwan Kit and Wong Chun Ting in the quarter-finals. The winner of the contest opposes the victor in the engagement between Lin Gaoyuan and Ma Long in opposition to Sweden’s Mattias Falck and Kristian Karlsson awaits.
Top seeds, Korea Republic’s Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu meet Germany’s Patrick Franziska and Ricardo Walther; success and colleagues Jang Woojin and Lim Jonghoon could be the semi-final opponents. They oppose India’s Amalraj Anthony and Sathyan Gnanasekaran for a place in the penultimate round.
Equally, in the women’s doubles, Chen Meng and Wang Manyu, the top seeds, are favourites for a place in the final. In the quarter-final round they meet Miu Hirano and Saki Shibata; success and a further Japanese pair could await in the semi-final, in the round of the last eight Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki face Australia’s Jee Minhyung and Jian Fang.
China in contention; in the opposite half of the draw eyes focus on Korea Republic. Jeon Jihee and Yang Haeun oppose Singapore’s Lin Ye and Yu Mengyu, Choi Hyojoo and Lee Eunhye face the European combination of Romania’s Bernadette Szocs and Spain’s Maria Xiao.
Likewise, in the mixed doubles, the Korea Republic is in focus. Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihee play Slovakia’s Lubomir Pistej and Barbora Balazova; the winners confronting the successful pair in the all Hong Kong duel. In the same half of the draw Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem meet Ho Kwan Kit and Lee Ho Ching.
Winners last week in Busan, Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem form a combination of note, as in the opposite half of the draw does that of Chinese Lin-Yun and Cheng I-Ching, the leaders on the Standings who could well renew acquaintances. Last week in Busan they were beaten in the opening round by Japan’s Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito; in Geelong they could meet in the semi-finals.
At the quarter-final stage Lin Yun-Ju and Cheng I-Ching meet the French partnership formed by Tristan Flore and Laura Gasnier, Jun Mizutani and Mima Ito oppose Australia’s Heming Hu and Melissa Tapper.
A full day ahead, it is not to be missed.
SPARTA, Ky. – The No. 22 Team Penske Xfinity Series team was issued an L1-level penalty Thursday at Kentucky Speedway for an illegal body modification to its car.
Crew chief Brian Wilson was escorted from the garage as a result.
NASCAR officials discovered the modification during inspection and issued the penalty before Xfinity Series cars took the track at the 1.5-mile speedway.
The L1 penalty comes with a loss of 10 points for driver Austin Cindric and team owner Roger Penske, along with a one-race suspension to Wilson — which he will serve at this race.
The team also was fined $10,000.
Cindric entered the Kentucky event fourth in the standings with six top fives and 13 top 10s on the season. The points penalty keeps him in fourth but pushes him 129 points back of series leader Tyler Reddick.
SPARTA, Ky. – After a one-off deal with ThorSport Racing last year at Eldora Speedway resulted in a victory in NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series competition, Chase Briscoe is back for more.
Briscoe, joined by ThorSport Racing Team Manager David Peppers, confirmed in a press event Thursday at Kentucky Speedway that he’ll be back to defend his victory in the Eldora Dirt Derby aboard the No. 27 Ford F-150 DiaEdge Ford.
“Super exciting for me to go back to Eldora to try and win two in a row,” said Briscoe. “Nobody’s been able to do that, so it’s certainly something I’d love to do. It’s the only dirt race that we get to go back and race that has dirt on it. There’s a lot of pride in being the guy to win that race. Eldora’s dirt racing is what Daytona is for pavement racing. It’s the pinnacle. If you win at Eldora, it’s like winning at Daytona.”
The Sandusky, Ohio-based Thorsport Racing will field the same Ford F-150 truck and crew in an effort to get Briscoe his third career Truck Series victory. Bud Haefele, the team’s current shop foreman, will be Briscoe’s crew chief.
SPARTA, Ky – ThorSport Racing driver Ben Rhodes comes into Thursday’s Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway as the defending race winner.
Rhodes’ No. 99 Carolina Nut Ford has been plagued with tough times throughout the current campaign. When it looks like a great run is coming, something unexpected happens.
With Kentucky Speedway considered his home track, Rhodes thinks there isn’t a better time to be home.
“I like the challenge the truck series presents, and I think we do a good job with it,” said Rhodes. “It can be frustrating, but it can also be fun and rewarding when you outrun the other guys. I feel good about the Kentucky race, I do, I got the confidence, my team does a good job. Typically, our best races are on half-mile tracks. And for bad things to happen, it is really going to set us back in points.
“If we just don’t have any issues tonight, on pit road, get caught up in someone else’s messes, we should have a really good night. We should get into the top five, top-10. Usually if we are not in top five or top-10, we are caught up in a mess.”
One year ago, Louisville, Ky., native Rhodes scored his second NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series victory in front of his home crowd. A late gamble in the pits on a fuel-only stop gave him the track position he needed to lead the final 24 laps and hold off Stewart Friesen for the win.
“When I got the win here last year everyone was overflowing with emotion,” said Rhodes. “They were all happy, but I was angry. I was happy, but angry at the same time because it took so long for me to get the win. Kentucky is a special place; it holds a special place in my heart. Certainly, the last win is the most special, but Kentucky just holds a special place in my heart. I saw my first NASCAR Cup race here and pass the place every time I go up to the ThorSport shop.”
So far in 2019, the 22-year-old ThorSport Racing driver has finished runner-up three times at Martinsville, Kansas and Iowa. He’s had two additional top-five performances and eight top-10 finishes in the 12 races run.
He now sits fifth in points and currently would be the final driver in the Playoffs on points if Ross Chastain is able to work his way into the top-20 in points.
A win Thursday would make Rhodes’ odds of making the Playoffs much easier.
“The stage has been set at this race for us here at Kentucky,” Rhodes said. “We have been leading multiple times this year and something happen. Whether it be mechanical, pit road, or something else, we have just been set back. I been coming here for a very, very long time, I have so many memories of this place when I raced Bandoleros and Legends. I hope to make another memory tonight. Kentucky is special, it holds a place other tracks don’t.”
SPARTA, Ky. – Grant Enfinger earned his second pole of the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series season during qualifying on Thursday afternoon at Kentucky Speedway.
Enfinger toured the unique 1.5-mile oval in 29.678 seconds (181.953 mph) with his No. 98 Champion Power Equipment Ford F-150 to earn the top starting spot ahead of the Buckle Up In Your Truck 225.
The pole is the fifth of Enfinger’s Truck Series career. He’s seeking his first win of the season.
Joining Enfinger on the front row will be rookie Sheldon Creed, who qualified a career-best second with a lap of 29.706 seconds (181.781 mph) in the No. 2 Chevrolet Accessories Chevrolet Silverado.
Todd Gilliland completed the top three (29.721/181.690) in the No. 4 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports, with Enfinger’s teammate Matt Crafton and two-time winner Ross Chastain following.
Harrison Burton was sixth, ahead of defending series champion Brett Moffitt, defending race winner Ben Rhodes, Tyler Ankrum and Brennan Poole.
Johnny Sauter, the 2016 Truck Series titlist, starts 11th. Daytona winner Austin Hill rolls off 22nd.
Stewart Friesen starts last in a backup truck after his primary truck was confiscated by NASCAR during initial inspection earlier in the day. Consequently, he posted the slowest qualifying time.
With 34 drivers on hand for 32 starting spots, Norm Benning and Ray Ciccarelli missed the field.
STARTING LINEUP: NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series; Kentucky Speedway; July 11, 2019
- Grant Enfinger
- Sheldon Creed
- Todd Gilliland
- Matt Crafton
- Ross Chastain
- Harrison Burton
- Brett Moffitt
- Ben Rhodes
- Tyler Ankrum
- Brennan Poole
- Johnny Sauter
- Chad Finley
- Gus Dean
- Tyler Dippel
- Jordan Anderson
- Austin Wayne Self
- Natalie Decker
- Joe Nemechek
- Codie Rohrbaugh
- Dylan Lupton
- Spencer Davis
- Austin Hill
- Mason Massey
- Clay Greenfield
- Spencer Boyd
- Tyler Hill
- Brandon Jones
- Jeb Burton
- Camden Murphy
- Josh Bilicki
- Jennifer Jo Cobb
- Stewart Friesen
DNQ: Ray Ciccarelli, Norm Benning
CONCORDIA, Kan. – Thursday’s Chad McDaniel Memorial, round two of Mid-America Midget Week from the Concordia High Banks, has been canceled.
A combination of wet grounds from previous precipitation that have created parking difficulties, plus track safety concerns, have forced cancellation of the event.
The race was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but was postponed by wet weather.
“Mid-America Midget Week continues for two-straight nights at Nebraska’s Jefferson County Speedway on Friday-Saturday, July 12-13 for the Midwest Midget Championship. The mini-series concludes this Sunday at Sweet Springs Motorsports Complex in Sweet Springs, Mo.
FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Stars have re-signed center Jason Dickinson to a $3 million, two-year contract, bringing back an emerging leader after he established career highs in scoring and playing time.
Dickinson was a solid playoff performer in his postseason debut as the Stars reached the second round before losing a Game 7 to eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis. He had five points (three goals, two assists) in 13 games.
The 24-year-old Dickinson had career highs in goals (six), assists (16) and points (22), while averaging the most minutes in his four seasons (13). He hadn't played more than 27 regular-season games before getting into 67 in 2018-19.
A first-round pick in 2013, Dickinson has nine goals and 18 assists in 105 career games.
Facts and figures for the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – Facts and figures for the British Open golf championship:
Event: 148th Open Championship
Dates: July 18-21
Site: Royal Portrush
Length: 7,344
Par: 71
The course: The club dates to a nine-hole course in 1888, expanding to 18 holes a year later. Harry Colt designed the Dunluce Links in 1929. Royal Portrush in 1951 hosted the only British Open not held in Scotland or England. To allow for the size of the championship, two holes from the Valley Links were used to create a new seventh and eighth holes on the Dunluce Links, while the previous 17th and 18th holes are now the site of the tented village.
Field: 156 players
Playoff (if necessary): 3 holes, aggregate score
Prize money: $10.75 million
Winner's share: $1,935,000
Defending champion: Francesco Molinari
Last year: Francesco Molinari became the first Italian to win a major when he closed with a 2-under 69, playing the final 37 holes without a bogey at Carnoustie. A birdie on the final hole gave him a two-shot victory. Tiger Woods briefly had the lead on Sunday. Jordan Spieth had a share of the 54-hole lead and didn't make a birdie in the final round. Seven players had a share of the lead at some point Sunday, and six were still tied on the back nine.
Last time at Royal Portrush: Max Faulkner built a six-shot lead through 54 holes and held on with a 74 for a two-shot victory over Antonio Cerda in the only British Open not held in Scotland or England.
Tiger Tales: Tiger Woods has played only three tournaments (two majors) and 10 rounds since he won the Masters.
Key statistic: Americans have a chance to sweep the majors for the first time since 1982.
Noteworthy: Support for a return to Royal Portrush began earlier in the decade when three players from Northern Ireland - Graeme McDowell, Rory McIlroy and Darren Clarke - won three of six majors.
Quoteworthy: "It's hard to argue that this will be the finest piece of links land which The Open Championship is played. No other venue, I don't think, has such pure links undulations throughout its 18 holes." - European golf architect Martin Ebert
Television (all times EDT): Thursday-Friday, 1:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 5-7 a.m. (Golf Channel), 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (NBC); Sunday, 4-7 a.m. (Golf Channel), 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. (NBC)
Wolff (67) keeps momentum going at John Deere Classic
The Matthew Wolff Show resumed Thursday at TPC Deere Run, as the newly minted PGA Tour winner picked up where he left off following his maiden professional victory in Minnesota.
There weren’t many fireworks – and certainly a lack of no-look eagle makes – but Wolff’s encore was still impressive.
The 20-year-old phenom has had a whirlwind of a few days since capturing the 3M Open in dramatic fashion on Sunday – hundreds of text messages, an Instagram following that has now pushed past 100,000, a brand-new Tour card, little sleep.
“Been catching up a little bit,” Wolff said.
A hangover from his celebratory “virgin pina colada” would’ve been very much understood despite Wolff entering the week with 25-to-1 odds to win at TPC Deere Run. However, golf’s newest – and arguably most promising – Next Big Thing looked as comfortable as ever Thursday, playing alongside fellow Oklahoma State alums Charles Howell III and Kevin Tway while carding a bogey-free, 4-under 67.
“The weight off my shoulders is really big, just going out here, freeing up, and not just really worrying about I have to get my Tour card or I have to do this,” Wolff said after his round, which concluded with the former Cowboy just three shots back of leader Adam Long. “There's really no pressure on me anymore.”
Full-field scores from the John Deere Classic
Full coverage of the John Deere Classic
Wolff was slow out of the gates in the first round, though he wasn’t careless. He started on the back nine, hit seven greens and didn’t really come close to dropping a shot until he left himself a 30-footer for par at No. 18. (He made the putt.)
Then came the fireworks. Wolff admittedly pulled his tee shot on the par-4 first hole, but his supreme length bailed him out. Wolff’s tee shot traveled 350 yards, cutting the dogleg on the 403-yard par 4 and ending up just steps shy of the green.
Wolff birded the hole, and then followed with birdies on Nos. 2 and 3. He piped a 369-yard drive at the par-5 second before showing off his precision with a 171-yard tee shot to 8 feet at the par-3 third.
“It was little things like that that gave me that little bit of an advantage,” Wolff said.
Whether or not Wolff can repeat and win for the second time in just four professional starts remains to be seen. But the youngster keeps putting on a show and again has another stage that seems to suit his eye-popping game, which continues to fire on all cylinders.
“Everything in my game feels really good right now,” Wolff said. “… Looking to get another win.”
Kuchar (63) grabs share of lead in low-scoring first round of Scottish Open
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland – Matt Kuchar shot an 8-under 63 on Thursday to share the lead with three players in a low-scoring opening round at the Scottish Open.
Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas, the highest-ranked players in the field, opened with 67s - a score only slightly better than the field average on a day when 118 players broke par at The Renaissance Club, which was softened by heavy early-morning rain.
Kuchar, who has two previous top-four finishes at the Scottish Open, made two eagles on his first nine and ran off four birdies in five holes to reach 9 under before bogeying his last hole of the day, the par-3 ninth.
"Conditions were pretty easy when we started the round. Still, 8-under on a links golf course, I didn't see those kind of scores for myself, or even for anybody," Kuchar said. "Wind picked up there the last two hours. It was challenging. I was awfully glad to keep the ball in play and I snuck in a couple eagles, which were awfully helpful."
He was joined atop the leaderboard by Romain Wattel, Nino Bertasio and Edoardo Molinari.
The leading three players not exempt for the British Open who finish inside the top 10 will earn spots in the field next week at Royal Portrush. Wattel, Bertasio and Molinari - whose brother Francesco is the defending champion - have yet to qualify.
Lee Slattery, Erik Van Rooyen, Thomas Pieters, Andy Sullivan, Jamie Donaldson, Kalle Samooja and Thomas Aiken had 64s. Henrik Stenson and Ian Poulter were among those at 65.
Rickie Fowler, who won at nearby Gullane in 2015, struggled to a 71.
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