Englishman Justin Rose insists he feels no added pressure to avenge last year’s play-off heartbreak after moving into halfway contention at the Masters.
The former world number one carded a three-under-par 69 at Augusta National to reach five under for the tournament.
His impressive second round comes a year after he narrowly missed out to Rory McIlroy at the first extra hole, marking his third career runner-up finish at the prestigious major.
Chasing an elusive second major
Despite the painful memories of that near-miss, the 2013 US Open champion is using the patrons’ support to his advantage in pursuit of the Green Jacket.
“I feel no added pressure or expectation because of what happened last year,” Rose said.
“I’m enjoying the crowd, they seem to be pulling for me out there, so I’m using that as good energy.”
The veteran recovered from a bogey on the opening hole to register four birdies during a scintillating five-hole stretch from the seventh.
He then cancelled out a frustrating three-putt on the 12th by taking full advantage of the par-five 15th to secure the early clubhouse target.
Hatton joins the English charge
Rose is not the only British hopeful making significant strides up the leaderboard heading into the crucial weekend action.
Fellow Englishman Tyrrell Hatton sits just one shot further back at four under par after delivering a magnificent round of 66.
The Ryder Cup star amassed seven birdies during his Friday charge, significantly boosting his chances of securing a maiden major championship.
His only blemish of a stellar afternoon came via a frustrating bogey at the difficult par-four 18th hole.
Keeping it light and aggressive
For Rose, the weekend objective is simply to maintain the relaxed mindset that has propelled him into this promising position.
“Whenever I play well, I tend to play controlled golf and get pretty focused,” he explained.
“The goal is just to try to keep it as free as I can as well. You’ve still got to keep it fun, light and aggressive, and keep it as loose as you can.”
If he can maintain that delicate emotional balance, a long-awaited second major crown could finally be within his grasp.
Bath completed a remarkable comeback from 21 points down to defeat Northampton 43-41 at the Rec and secure their place in the Champions Cup semi-finals.
In a truly breathtaking encounter, the current Premiership leaders dominated the early exchanges.
The visitors surged into a commanding advantage by scoring five blistering tries within the opening half hour.
However, the home side refused to fold and responded with four vital scores of their own before the interval.
Saints dominate early exchanges
The top two sides in English rugby produced an unforgettable 61-point first half that showcased sensational attacking flair.
Northampton looked completely in control as Henry Pollock, Fraser Dingwall, and Ollie Sleightholme all crossed the whitewash.
The Somerset club managed to stay in the contest through crucial finishes from Tom Dunn, Finn Russell, and Henry Arundell.
Bench depth proves decisive
The momentum shifted dramatically in the second period as the hosts utilised their powerful replacements.
Northampton’s attack stalled after the break, leaving them reliant on two Fin Smith penalties to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
The decisive moment arrived with just seven minutes remaining when Saints talisman Pollock received a controversial yellow card under heavy defensive pressure.
Replacement forward Ted Hill immediately capitalised on the numerical advantage, driving over to give his team their very first lead of the match.
French opposition awaits
The home side successfully held their nerve during a frantic final five minutes to seal a famous European victory.
They will now face either Bordeaux Begles or Toulouse in the last four of the prestigious tournament.
This dramatic victory highlights their serious title credentials both domestically and on the continent.
Australian jockey Shane McGovern has been placed in an induced coma and could lose both legs after spending six hours trapped beneath a deceased horse following a training accident.
The 67-year-old was pinned beneath his nine-year-old gelding, Reformist, during a routine morning ride on Wednesday.
The animal suffered a sudden fatal aneurysm, collapsing on top of the veteran rider and cutting off circulation to his lower extremities.
It was not until six hours later that his wife, Kim, finally discovered the harrowing scene.
Wife’s desperate discovery
She had initially assumed her husband was simply undertaking an extended training session ahead of a scheduled race the following Monday.
Upon locating the stricken horseman, she recalled a ghostly arm slowly rising from beneath the fallen animal.
“I’m absolutely kicking myself, and it’s a thing I will never forget. This ghoulish little arm comes up and he says, ‘I’m all right.'”
Fears of permanent nerve damage
The experienced rider is currently receiving specialist care at Townsville Hospital, where his condition remains highly critical.
King Ring, a health and safety officer for the Australian Jockeys’ Association, warned that the prolonged compression has caused severe medical complications.
“He couldn’t move his legs so that naturally affected his blood circulation and caused nerve damage as well. There’s a possibility he may lose one or both legs.”
Induced coma to aid recovery
Surgeons have already operated on the injured athlete, with medical staff closely monitoring his calves for tissue damage and potential infection.
Despite initially being conscious, the immense physical trauma and powerful medication caused severe hallucinations and hyperventilation.
“They knocked him back out into an induced coma, put the breathing tube back in to give his body a rest and they’ll keep him like that for a couple of days.”
The immediate prognosis remains deeply uncertain as specialists wait to determine if the horseman will permanently lose the use of his legs.
Glasgow Warriors will host three-time winners Toulon in the Champions Cup quarter-final at Scotstoun on Saturday as overwhelming favourites.
The Scottish outfit have completely transformed under head coach Franco Smith to become genuine contenders for Europe’s biggest prize.
They boast an extraordinary record this campaign, winning 16 of their 19 matches across both domestic and continental competition.
Remarkably, 14 of those victories have included four-try bonus points, highlighting a relentless attacking philosophy.
Stifling defence and crucial home advantage
While their attacking flair has captured the headlines, the Scotstoun side also possess a highly physical and disciplined defensive structure.
The Scottish franchise have conceded the fewest tries in the Champions Cup this season while winning all five of their European fixtures.
They have successfully built a genuine fortress in Glasgow, securing seven consecutive home victories in European competition.
In stark contrast, their French opponents are enduring a difficult campaign and currently sit languishing in 11th place in the Top 14 standings.
The visitors have struggled significantly on the road, managing to secure just two wins from 12 away matches in all competitions.
Horne absence provides fresh opportunity
Despite their overwhelming momentum, the hosts have suffered a notable setback with an injury to influential scrum-half George Horne.
The Scotland international sustained the knock during last weekend’s victory over the Bulls and remains completely unavailable for selection.
Ben Afshar will start in the number nine jersey, with 22-year-old Jack Oliver providing crucial cover from the replacements bench.
However, head coach Smith remains completely unfazed by the forced reshuffle in his starting backline.
“As much as we tried to get him ready for this week we’ve made the clever decision to trust the boys that we’ve got.”
“Both Ben and Jack have proven over the last six, seven months that they’re ready to take that opportunity.”
The South African tactician suggested that his first-choice scrum-half could return to full fitness within the next fortnight.
For the struggling French giants, Saturday’s high-stakes clash represents a desperate final opportunity to salvage their season with European glory.
United States Senator Richard Blumenthal has written to the commissioners of six major sports leagues demanding information regarding their expanding partnerships with betting and prediction markets.
The Connecticut lawmaker sent letters to the NFL, NBA, NCAA, MLB, NHL and MLS on Thursday outlining his concerns over the rapid integration of wagering in athletics.
He has requested detailed outlines of their commercial agreements by 1 May to ensure sporting integrity and athlete welfare are adequately safeguarded.
“Since the federal ban on sports gambling — a ban supported by the leagues — was overturned eight years ago, gambling has permeated every aspect of the game.”
The Democratic politician stated that this unchecked expansion has accelerated addiction and introduced serious threats to competitors.
Rise of prediction platforms
The increased scrutiny comes as several top-tier American sporting divisions deepen their ties with the financial forecasting sector.
These specialized platforms allow users to trade shares on the simple yes or no outcome of specific events, which the federal representative believes has exacerbated existing integrity issues.
“Pervasive sports betting culture has fans rooting for a payout, not their favorite teams, and dehumanizes players into financial assets.”
Three organizations, including Major League Baseball and the National Hockey League, have signed commercial deals with prediction companies over the past six months.
Conversely, collegiate athletics’ governing body remains the only institution among the six without a direct commercial sportsbook partnership.
Ongoing jurisdictional disputes
The integration of these financial exchanges into mainstream athletics has triggered complex legal battles across the country.
Firms such as Kalshi argue their operations fall strictly under the purview of the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission rather than individual state gaming regulators.
A federal appeals court recently ruled in favour of the trading platform against New Jersey officials, highlighting the ongoing tension over who controls the emerging sector.
Both MLB and Major League Soccer declined to comment on the correspondence, while the NFL referred to previous communications sent to trading operators.
The upcoming Women’s Six Nations is poised to shatter attendance records across Europe, driven by a surge in popularity following England’s historic Rugby World Cup victory.
Rugby union’s profile skyrocketed after the Red Roses defeated Canada in front of 81,885 fans at Allianz Stadium to secure global glory.
That landmark victory achieved a record-breaking peak television audience of 5.8 million viewers in the UK.
Research commissioned by BBC Sport indicates the sport’s domestic fanbase has subsequently swelled from 7.94 million to more than 13 million.
National stadiums take centre stage
All four home nations will host fixtures at their respective national stadiums during this year’s championship.
The existing tournament attendance record of 58,498 is guaranteed to fall during the opening weekend.
More than 75,000 tickets have already been sold for England’s clash with Ireland at Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
Helena Rowland is set to start for a much-changed home side as they begin their latest title defence.
Breaking new ground
Scotland will also enter uncharted territory when they host the reigning champions at Murrayfield next weekend.
More than 25,000 supporters are expected in Edinburgh, comfortably surpassing the national team’s previous home best of 7,774.
Ireland are preparing for their first-ever women’s international at the 51,711-capacity Aviva Stadium on the final weekend.
Over 16,000 tickets have been purchased for their concluding match against the Scots, ensuring another domestic record will be broken.
Meanwhile, Wales are targeting a crowd in excess of 21,000 for their highly anticipated opener at the Principality Stadium.
Sustaining the momentum
Despite the unprecedented surge in ticket sales, officials remain cautious about taking this newfound popularity for granted.
Alex Teasdale, the Rugby Football Union director of women’s rugby, praised the national team’s role as ambassadors but warned against complacency.
“There is probably a line of thinking that audiences will just keep growing, but they are actually hard to maintain.”
“You have to work hard to give fans a brilliant experience so they want to keep coming back.”
The championship will culminate with a potential Grand Slam decider when France host the Red Roses at the 42,115-capacity Stade Atlantique in Bordeaux.
Six-time Olympic champion Sir Chris Hoy has completed his first outdoor bike ride with friends, five months after suffering a severe leg fracture in a mountain biking crash.
The 50-year-old sustained the serious injury in November during his ongoing battle with stage four prostate cancer.
He shared images on social media of himself cycling through the Trough of Bowland alongside a group of friends.
A challenging road to recovery
The former track cyclist required emergency surgery and spent five days in a major trauma unit following the accident.
X-rays at the time confirmed multiple breaks that necessitated the insertion of pins into his leg.
“What a day! First ride back with the lads since I broke my leg mountain biking in November,” he wrote on Instagram.
The Scottish sporting icon noted that the 1,400 metres of climbing was a significant physical effort.
However, the stunning scenery and sunshine provided a welcome distraction as he continues to rebuild his stamina.
“Fitness is coming back slowly but surely, should be ready for the Gleneagles Hotel weekend in a fortnight!”
Navigating health battles
This physical milestone arrives amid the renowned athlete’s broader and highly publicised health challenges.
He was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in September 2023, later revealing he had been given a prognosis of two to four years to live.
Despite these daunting circumstances, the resilient campaigner has continued to work tirelessly to raise awareness about the disease.
He recently launched a screening programme alongside rugby icon Kenny Logan in a bid to save lives.
Speaking about the cycling crash shortly after it happened, he admitted it was the worst accident he had experienced in over four decades of riding.
“I’ve smashed my leg up on the mountain bike, that’s the worst thing that’s happened recently.”
“You just don’t bounce like you do when you’re younger. It was a big one but I’m doing better now.”
Tadej Pogacar aims to complete a historic sweep of cycling’s five Monuments at Paris-Roubaix this Sunday in northern France.
The Slovenian enters the brutal cobbled classic needing only this victory to become the first non-Belgian rider to claim all five of the sport’s most prestigious one-day races.
Victory would place the double world champion alongside legends Eddy Merckx, Rik Van Looy, and Roger De Vlaeminck.
It follows a phenomenal start to the season where the 26-year-old has won every event he has entered, including a record-equalling third Tour of Flanders title last weekend.
Surviving the Hell of the North
Despite his preternatural ability, the unforgiving nature of the French classic presents an entirely different challenge for the five-time Grand Tour winner.
Riders must navigate 258 kilometres of treacherous terrain, including nearly 55km of brutal, bone-rattling pavé.
The massive, uneven cobblestones require immense brute force, perfect positioning, and a significant amount of luck to avoid race-ending punctures.
This inherent unpredictability means normal racing tactics are often abandoned in the face of sheer survival.
Risk versus reward on the cobbles
Participating in such a dangerous event carries massive risks for a rider with grander ambitions later in the season.
Last year, UAE Team Emirates management actively discouraged their star asset from risking his Tour de France preparations on the treacherous French cobbles.
However, the allure of sporting immortality has clearly proved impossible to resist for the relentless 21st-century Cannibal.
He now stands on the precipice of becoming only the 12th rider to complete the coveted Flanders-Roubaix double in the same calendar year.