LIV Golf has postponed its scheduled June tournament in New Orleans as the breakaway circuit attempts to secure new funding following the withdrawal of financial backing from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

The event was originally slated to take place between 25-28 June at Bayou Oaks at City Park in Louisiana.

A formal announcement regarding the schedule change is expected to be released on Tuesday.

Officials from the Saudi-backed league have been collaborating with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry’s office to explore potential new dates in the autumn.

Search for new investment

The necessity for rescheduling comes amid significant uncertainty surrounding the long-term future of the 54-hole competition.

Reports indicate that the primary financial backer, the PIF, has ended its commitment to fund the series beyond the current campaign.

Since its controversial inception in 2022, the sovereign wealth fund has injected more than $5bn into the enterprise.

Much of that vast expenditure has been allocated to lucrative player contracts and escalating tournament prize pots.

Logistical challenges and costs

Beyond financial restructuring, organisers cited a desire to avoid peak summer heat and scheduling conflicts with the World Cup as secondary reasons for the delay.

The state of Louisiana had already invested $2m into course improvements to prepare the venue for championship-calibre play.

Following the postponement, the golf organisation has agreed to return a $1.2m portion of the public funds it had already received.

Chief executive remains defiant

Despite the withdrawal of guaranteed Saudi backing, chief executive Scott O’Neil recently reassured staff that the 2026 season would proceed exactly as planned.

Speaking during a recent broadcast in Mexico City, the former sports executive acknowledged the upcoming commercial hurdles.

“The reality is you’re funded through the season and then you work like crazy as a business to create a business and a business plan to keep us going.”

The circuit has seven remaining events on its current calendar, with the next fixture scheduled for May in Virginia.

Dallas Mavericks teenager Cooper Flagg has been named the NBA Rookie of the Year after narrowly defeating former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel in Monday’s voting.

The number one overall draft pick edged out the Charlotte Hornets guard by just 26 points to claim the prestigious honour.

A panel of 100 media members awarded the versatile forward 56 first-place votes, with the remaining 44 going to his closest rival.

This razor-thin margin represents the second-smallest gap between top finishers since the league’s current voting format was introduced in 2002.

A record-breaking teenage campaign

The 19-year-old sensation averaged an outstanding 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game during his debut professional campaign.

Those phenomenal statistics place the prodigy alongside legends Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, and Luka Doncic as the only rookies to achieve such numbers since the NBA-ABA merger.

Furthermore, the young star joined Jordan as the only first-year player in history to lead their entire roster in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals.

“I was watching Kon just because that’s one of my brothers,” Flagg told NBC after the announcement.
“We have that connection and we’re always going to be there for each other, but there’s also going to be that competition at the same time.”

Contrasting team fortunes

Despite his individual brilliance, the Mavericks endured a dismal season that ended with a 26-56 record.

Dallas pivoted to a long-term rebuild around their new franchise cornerstone by trading 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis to the Washington Wizards midway through the campaign.

Conversely, the fourth overall pick played a pivotal role in transforming the Hornets into postseason contenders.

The Charlotte sharpshooter shattered the rookie record for three-pointers with a league-leading 273 makes as his side achieved a 25-win improvement to reach the Eastern Conference play-in tournament.

The two prodigious talents famously clashed in late January, where an astonishing 49-point performance from the Dallas talisman set a new single-game scoring record for a teenager.

Manchester United moved a significant step closer to securing Champions League qualification after recording a nervy 2-1 Premier League victory over Brentford at Old Trafford.

Goals from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko secured back-to-back league wins for Michael Carrick’s side.

The interim manager collected his ninth victory since taking charge, strengthening his case for the permanent role next season.

However, the hosts were forced to survive a late scare after Mathias Jensen struck from distance to set up a tense finale.

Veterans and new faces deliver

The opening breakthrough came courtesy of a familiar source when a 34-year-old Brazilian midfielder headed home from an early set-piece.

Casemiro’s ninth goal of the campaign temporarily made him the club’s joint-top scorer, masking earlier profligacy when Amad squandered a golden opportunity.

Just before the interval, the home side delivered a clinical counter-punch to double their advantage.

Bruno Fernandes orchestrated the move before releasing his Slovenian teammate, who produced a ruthless finish for his 10th league goal of the season.

Brentford rue missed opportunities

Keith Andrews will be deeply frustrated by his team’s inability to capitalise on a fragile home defence.

The visitors arrived on a six-match unbeaten run but saw their momentum halted by an extraordinary display of poor finishing.

Thiago was the main culprit for the Bees, squandering a slew of premium chances that ultimately cost his side dearly.

Injury woes mount ahead of Liverpool clash

Despite welcoming Harry Maguire back from suspension, the Red Devils faced renewed fitness setbacks.

Matheus Cunha, who scored the winning goal against Chelsea nine days ago, was entirely absent from the matchday squad.

Carrick provided an update on the forward’s hip flexor issue following the final whistle.

“It looked promising in the week but he didn’t recover in time, as hoped. It’s nothing too serious but, unfortunately, he misses out tonight.”

The defensive situation worsened in the second half when Luke Shaw was forced off with an apparent injury.

The England full-back now faces a race against time to be fit for Sunday’s crucial encounter against Liverpool, where a victory could mathematically guarantee a top-four finish.

Fifa is poised to introduce a new yellow card amnesty at the expanded World Cup to prevent players from missing crucial knockout matches.

World football’s governing body intends to wipe all bookings at the end of the group stage, in addition to the existing reset after the quarter-finals.

The proposed rule change addresses concerns that the newly expanded 48-team tournament artificially increases the likelihood of suspensions.

Under the previous 32-team format, nations played five matches to reach the last eight, with any two cautions resulting in a strict one-game ban.

Reducing the suspension jeopardy

The upcoming global showpiece introduces an additional round of 32, meaning individuals would face six fixtures before the traditional quarter-final wipe.

Tournament organisers fear this prolonged sequence leaves competitors walking a disciplinary tightrope for an unreasonable duration.

Without amending the regulations, several elite athletes could unfairly miss out on featuring in a prestigious semi-final clash.

Council to debate disciplinary tweaks

The formal discussion regarding these structural adjustments will take place when the governing council convenes in Vancouver on Tuesday.

While the fundamental threshold of two bookings for a suspension remains untouched, the dual amnesties create smaller, manageable windows to accumulate cards.

Competitors will now only trigger a ban if they are cautioned twice in their three group games, or twice across the three subsequent knockout ties.

American sprinter Allyson Felix has announced her intention to come out of retirement at the age of 40, targeting a return to competitive track and field ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The 11-time Olympic medallist stepped away from the sport in 2022 following a historic career on the track.

However, the mother of two recently revealed plans to resume full-time training in October under the guidance of long-time coach Bobby Kersee.

Speaking to Time Magazine, the American expressed her desire to embrace vulnerability and challenge societal expectations surrounding age and motherhood.

“You know, at this age, I should probably be staying home and taking care of my kids, doing all that. And just, why not? Let’s flip it on its head,” she said.

Chasing history in her hometown

The proposed comeback timeline aligns perfectly with a potential appearance at the 2028 Games, which will be hosted in her native Los Angeles.

Returning to the highest level would offer the American icon a chance to add to her record-breaking haul of 20 World Championship medals.

Her Olympic resume is equally unmatched, featuring seven gold medals alongside a memorable individual victory in the 200m at the 2012 London Games.

Despite her incredible pedigree, the 40-year-old remains completely realistic about the immense physical challenges ahead.

“I know, at 40, I am not at my peak. I have no illusions about that. I’m very clear in what it is and what I want to see. And so I hope it’s seen that way,” she added.

Advocacy and life beyond the track

Since initially hanging up her spikes, the former sprinting champion has become a prominent advocate for maternal rights in professional sports.

She has campaigned tirelessly for athletes seeking to balance elite careers with motherhood, drawing directly from her own experiences raising seven-year-old Camryn and two-year-old Trey.

Alongside this vital advocacy work, the celebrated athlete currently serves on the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission.

Athletics fans will now wait until later this year to see if the legendary runner can successfully navigate the demanding road back to elite competition.

Beau Greaves has become the first woman to win a Professional Darts Corporation ranking title after defeating Michael Smith 8-7 in the Players Championship 11 final in Milton Keynes on Monday.

The 22-year-old sealed her monumental triumph in a dramatic last-leg decider.

She produced a stunning 142 checkout to snatch the victory away from the 2023 world champion.

Earlier in the contest, the English darting sensation reeled in a massive 170 finish to establish a commanding 6-3 advantage.

Giant-killing run to the final

The path to the trophy was exceptionally demanding for the pioneering star.

She remarkably dispatched three former world champions across her final three matches of the day.

A thumping 7-1 semi-final victory over two-time world champion Gary Anderson highlighted her ruthless scoring.

Before that masterclass, the trailblazer edged past 2018 world champion Rob Cross with a tense 6-5 quarter-final victory.

Anderson achieves nine-dart perfection

Despite suffering a heavy defeat to the eventual champion, Anderson enjoyed his own moment of magic during the tournament.

The Scottish veteran threw a perfect nine-dart leg during his comprehensive 6-1 last-16 victory over Alexander Merkx.

However, the afternoon ultimately belonged entirely to the historic women’s champion.

This landmark achievement shatters another significant glass ceiling in the world of professional darts.

Players Championship 11 key results

The Milton Keynes event featured several high-profile clashes during the latter stages.

Paul Merson believes Arsenal will end their 22-year wait for the Premier League title if they defeat Fulham this weekend, despite Jamie Carragher warning the fixture represents a dangerous banana skin.

Mikel Arteta’s side currently hold a three-point advantage over rivals Manchester City at the summit of the table, though the reigning champions retain a crucial game in hand.

The league leaders moved back into pole position following a nervy 1-0 victory against Newcastle, secured by a ninth-minute strike from Eberechi Eze.

However, the Gunners were fortunate to escape with all three points after Yoane Wissa blazed a late, close-range opportunity over the crossbar.

Nerves creeping in for title chasers

Former Arsenal midfielder Merson expressed concern over the sluggish nature of that performance, highlighting an expected goals output of just 0.49 against the Magpies.

Despite those obvious attacking struggles, the pundit remains adamant that navigating the upcoming test against Marco Silva’s team will definitively end their two-decade championship drought.

“Beat Fulham and it’ll be Arsenal’s league title,” Merson declared on the Premier League Show.

“In the end, they were hanging on. It’s a hard watch because of the nerves.”

The former England international added that the current squad cannot afford the heartbreak of finishing as runners-up for a fourth consecutive season.

European schedule presents a hurdle

Fellow pundit Carragher took a more cautious stance, pointing to the immense physical toll of an impending Champions League semi-final tie against Atletico Madrid.

The crunch domestic fixture against Fulham arrives just four days after their pivotal European first-leg encounter.

Carragher argued that balancing elite continental competition with a ruthless domestic title race could ultimately derail the North London club’s ambitions.

“If Arsenal continue in that vein, as we saw at the weekend against Newcastle, I don’t see them winning all the games,” Carragher told Sky Sports News.

The former Liverpool defender emphasised that playing three high-stakes matches within a gruelling six-day window puts the current pacesetters at a significant physical disadvantage.

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is considering a summer transfer to Juventus following a formal contract offer from the Serie A side.

The 32-year-old Brazilian has reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms with the Italian giants.

He spent two successful seasons in Italy with Roma before completing a then-world-record move to Anfield in 2018.

During his time on Merseyside, the shot-stopper has won every major club honour, including the Premier League and Champions League.

Juventus propose multi-year contract

The Turin club have presented multiple long-term options to the player’s representatives.

A two-year deal with an option for a further 12 months is currently on the table, alongside an alternative straight three-year contract.

However, Liverpool recently activated a clause to extend the South American’s current deal until 2027.

The final decision therefore rests with the Premier League club, who must negotiate a potential exit fee.

“From my understanding, Alisson would be tempted by the possibility to return to Italy, and try a new chapter,” transfer expert Fabrizio Romano explained.
“But Alisson doesn’t want to leave Liverpool in a bad way at all. He wants to respect Liverpool.”

Changing of the guard at Anfield

The Reds have already planned for life without their acclaimed number one.

Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili was signed from Valencia to serve as his long-term successor.

With the 24-year-old now adapted to English football, the club hierarchy may feel ready to sanction a permanent transition.

The veteran goalkeeper has struggled with persistent injuries over recent campaigns, accelerating discussions regarding his future.

Any departure would contribute to a significant squad overhaul this summer, alongside the anticipated exits of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson.