Category News

Genesis Scottish Open third round leaderboard

-11 R McIlroy (NI), C Gotterup (US); -9 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), M Penge (Eng), J Knapp (US), W Clark (US); -7 K Yu (TPE), S Straka (Aut), A Rozner (Fra), A Novak (US), T Kim (Kor), H English (US), L Aberg (Swe), M Schmid (Ger)

Selected others: -6 S Scheffler (US), -5 X Schauffele (US), V Hovland (Nor) -4 J Rose (Eng), G Forrest (Sco)

Rory McIlroy says he is now close to his Masters-winning form after putting himself in prime position for another Scottish Open title with an imposing third-round 66 to share the lead.

The Northern Irishman began the day four shots adrift of overnight leader Chris Gotterup but ended it alongside the unheralded American on 11 under.

The duo take a two-shot lead into the final day after English pair Matt Fitzpatrick and Marco Penge both bogeyed the last to card one-under 69s and drop into a share of third alongside Americans Wyndham Clark and Jake Knapp.

He compiled five birdies – including on all three par fives – with his sole bogey coming on the seventh after having to hack out of a fairway bunker.

The world number two clearly revels in competing at the Renaissance Club – posting the joint-lowest round of the day and his 11th consecutive score of 68 or lower on these links.

“I think I’m pretty close to being back to the level I was at going into the Masters,” said the 36-year-old.

“I think I’ve had a little bit of a lull, which I feel is understandable. When you do something that you’ve been dreaming your whole life to do, it was a huge moment in my life, my career.

Gotterup, the world number 158, followed his course record-equalling 61 with a level-par 70.

And Clark matched McIlroy’s 66 welcome to provide welcome relief amid his torrid season.

The 2023 US Open winner has missed the cut in two of his past three events and mustered just one top-10 finish this year.

“It’s just nice to be back in this position and let’s see if I can go put a good round together and have four solid days of golf,” said Clark.

“I’ve hit a lot of good putts all year and just haven’t holed anything. Now it’s nice to see the ball go in the hole. Made a couple adjustments and they seem to work.”

Ludvig Aberg was jostling for the lead before a triple-bogey seven on the 13th was sandwiched by bogeys as he spilled five shots in a wretched three-hole stretch.

The Swede’s 71 leaves him four shots back.

World number one Scottie Scheffler is one further adrift after a frustrating 71 in which he had to wait until the 13th for a first birdie.

Frenchman Romain Langasque provided a wonderful moment with a hole in one on the 145-yard par-three 14th.

When Julian Cash sent down the irretrievable overhead smash that sealed a historic Wimbledon men’s doubles title, his partner Lloyd Glasspool’s reaction was somewhat unexpected.

Becoming a champion at the All England Club usually involves falling flat on your back on the turf, tears of joy or dashing to the coaching box to embrace loved ones.

But for Glasspool, it was a much more muted affair.

“My celebration is no celebration,” he told BBC Sport.

While Cash turned to his doubles partner and raised a fist before leaping in the air, Glasspool simply walked towards the net to shake their opponents’ hands with a blank look on his face.

“It’s a little flip on the norm,” Glasspool said.

“It stems from when I used to play with [Harri] Heliovaara – the winner here last year – because he was known for his massive celebrations.

“I always felt I’ve got to be the opposite otherwise it’s just too much and it’s just stuck with me. I kind of like it – I’ll keep it going.”

Cash and Glasspool made history by becoming the first all-British pair to win the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon for 89 years with a 6-2 7-6 (7-3) victory over unseeded team Rinky Hijikata and David Pel.

Cash, 28, and 31-year-old Glasspool had already become the first all-British pair to reach the final since Mike Davies and Bobby Wilson in 1960.

But this is the first time since Pat Hughes and Raymond Tuckey at Wimbledon in 1936 that two Britons have been crowned men’s doubles champions at a Grand Slam.

“When you say it, it sounds incredible. I didn’t think too much about it,” Glasspool said after a thrilling match.

“We will never forget this day for all our lives.”

Cash added: “We had two goals this year – one was to make it to Turin [ATP Finals] and the other was to win a Slam.

Cash and Glasspool watched on 12 months ago as their former partners won the title at SW19 – Cash has previously partnered compatriot Patten, while Glasspool was paired with Heliovaara.

Having immediately clicked with a similar game style and ambition, they have now had a taste of that success themselves with a maiden Grand Slam title less than one year after teaming up.

As a child, Brighton-born Cash immediately showed promise with a tennis racquet, obsessing over the sport to the point that his mum, Alison, says he would take his racquet to bed.

Both he and Glasspool attended university in the United States, with Cash only turning professional in the doubles in 2022, while Glasspool has competed on the Tour for the past decade.

The pair will split the £680,000 prize money and while Glasspool has been trying to “figure out his mortgage numbers”, Cash says he may use the money to buy a new motorbike.

“I think that shows where we’re at in our lives, one of us is responsible and the other one is not!” joked Cash.

Seven different British men have now won Grand Slam men’s doubles titles since 2012.

At Wimbledon, Cash and Glasspool’s triumph follows that of Neal Skupski winning the title alongside Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof two years ago before Henry Patten and Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara last year.

Last month, Cash and Glasspool became the first all-British partnership to win the men’s doubles title at Queen’s in the Open era.

They followed that up with victory at Eastbourne and have won 17 matches on grass this season, losing just one.

“We have played a crazy amount of tennis on the grass,” Cash said.

Betfred Super League

Catalans (2) 20

Tries: Balmforth 2, Aispuro-Bichet Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 4

Warrington (18) 24

George Williams created a brilliant late try for Josh Thewlis to give Warrington victory just as it seemed Catalans Dragons had pulled off a remarkable comeback Super League win.

Skipper Williams had scored one try and made another for Jordy Crowther, while teenager Zack Gardner added another on his full debut to seemingly put Sam Burgess’ team in the driving seat with an 18-2 lead at half-time.

Catalans fought back impressively, however, with on-loan Hull FC hooker Denive Balmforth scoring two tries and full-back Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet – a late replacement for the injured Sam Tomkins – another to edge the French side ahead 20-18 with six minutes to go.

Williams had the last word by leading a Warrington break and then producing a delicate kick with the outside of his boot to feed Thewlis for the winning try and make it three successive wins for the Wolves.

Catalans: Aispuro-Bichet, Makinson, Laguerre, Cotric, Yaha, Keary, Rouge, Satae, Da Costa, Navarette, Pangai Jr, Seguier, Partington

Interchanges: Bousquet, Dezaria, Maria, Balmforth

Warrington: Dufty, Josh Thewlis, Wrench, Gardner, Jake Thewlis, Williams, Sneyd, Yates, Powell, Vaughan, Stone, Fitzgibbon, Currie

Interchanges: Harrison, Ratchford, Philbin, Crowther