Tag: Davis

Davis Thompson qualifies for Open Championship after record-setting win at PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic | Golf News

Davis Thompson qualifies for Open Championship after record-setting win at PGA Tour’s John Deere Classic | Golf News
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Davis Thompson put in record-setting performance as he wrapped up victory at the John Deere Classic and secured a spot in the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.

Thompson’s final total of 28 under par in Illinois eclipsed the previous tournament record of 27 under set by Michael Kim in 2017 and earned him a first PGA Tour title as well as a debut appearance in the British major from July 18-21.

The 25-year-old carded a seven-under 64 on Sunday to finish four strokes clear of CT Pan, Michael Thorbjornsen and amateur Luke Clanton, with Pan securing the second Open qualification spot by virtue of having the higher world ranking.

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CT Pan will tee it up at the Open Championship for the first time since 2021

Thompson led fellow American Eric Cole and England’s Aaron Rai by two strokes heading into the final round and never looked in danger of being caught as he birdied five of his first six holes at TPC Deere Run and reached the turn in 29.

The Georgian – who came joint-second at last week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic after a ninth-placed finish at the US Open in June – saw his lead trimmed to three shots after he bogeyed 12 with Thorbjornsen making six birdies on the trot between eight and 13.

However, Thompson birdied 14 to effectively clinch victory with Thorbjornsen bogeying the same hole before picking up a birdie at 18 to end up alongside Pan and Clanton at 24 under.

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Thompson told CBS: “Qualifying for the Open was just an added incentive into this. The goal was to win the golf tournament after getting off to a great start and I was able to finish it off.”

Bizarrely, the winner of this tournament has stayed in the same rental house for three years running, with Thompson following in the footsteps of JT Poston in 2022 and last year’s winner Sepp Straka.

Clanton – who played the back nine in six under – became the first amateur to finish in the top 10 in back-to-back starts on the PGA Tour since 1958 having come 10th at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

England’s Rai ended up tied for seventh at the John Deere Classic after a two-under 69, with compatriot Harry Hall a further stroke back in a tie for 12th after closing with a six-under 65 that featured eight birdies and a double bogey.

Watch the 152nd Open Championship, from Royal Troon, live on Sky Sports Golf from 6.30am on Thursday July 18.

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PGA Tour: Davis Thompson two ahead of Aaron Rai going into John Deere Classic final round | Golf News

PGA Tour: Davis Thompson two ahead of Aaron Rai going into John Deere Classic final round | Golf News
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American Davis Thompson fired nine birdies in a third-round 62 to take a two-shot lead into the final day of the John Deere Classic.

Soft conditions on the TPC Deere Run in Illinois continued to bring low scores, Thompson moving to 21 under par – two clear of England’s Aaron Rai and fellow American Eric Cole.

“I guess it was just my day today,” said Thompson, who is seeking his first PGA Tour victory. “The guys behind me are playing really well.

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Aaron Rai is two off the lead with 18 holes remaining

“I know it’s going to be tough to finish off a golf tournament, but I’ve done it before. I just have to stay present-minded.”

With the final day being played in threesomes with a delayed start in a bid to beat storms, Rai, co-leader after the second round, will play in the last group for the second successive week.

He had six birdies in a round of 66 as he bids to go one better than his second place at the Rocket Mortgage Classic last week.

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Hayden Springer, who shot a 59 on the opening day, is a further two strokes back on 17 under par after a 66, alongside Taiwan’s CT Pan.

Rookie Michael Thorbjohnsen and amateur Luke Clanton are among those on 16 under par, while a third-round 70 saw England’s Harry Hall tumble down the leaderboard to seven shots adrift.

Watch the final round of the John Deere Classic live on Sky Sports Golf from 5pm on Sunday.

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PGA Tour: Cam Davis wins Rocket Mortgage Classic after late three-putt from Akshay Bhatia in Detroit | Golf News

PGA Tour: Cam Davis wins Rocket Mortgage Classic after late three-putt from Akshay Bhatia in Detroit | Golf News
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Australia’s Cam Davis won the Rocket Mortgage Classic for the second time in
four years following a last-hole blunder from Akshay Bhatia.

Bhatia had a birdie putt from 32 feet on the 18th to win his third PGA Tour title but left it four feet short and also missed the par attempt.

That gifted the win to Davis, whose closing 70 had set a clubhouse target of 18 under which none of the other contenders were able to match at Detroit Golf Club.

Fellow Australian Min Woo Lee had birdied the 14th, 15th and 17th to claim a share of the lead only to bogey the last, while American Davis Thompson birdied the same holes to reach 17 under but left a birdie attempt on 18 short.

England’s Aaron Rai was part of the four-way tie for second after following a birdie on the 14th with four straight pars in a closing 72.

“From where I was a couple of weeks ago to today, it’s just completely different. I’m a little emotional actually,” Davis told CBS.

“I wouldn’t wish what happened to Akshay on anyone but I’ve done a lot of grinding to try and get myself out of a hole and to just all of a sudden do that, it’s pretty good.

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Cam Davis won the Rocket Mortgage Classic for a second time

“I’ve got so many people behind me that have helped me along the way. I had a lot of support to kind of get me out of the doldrums there. I saw a little bit of a spark last week but nothing to show this coming so this is great.”

Asked about the three-putt on the 18th, a disappointed Bhatia said: “That green’s old school, so a lot of slope, downhill left to right. It’s a tricky putt just to get the speed correct and I did such a good job all day of my speed being really good until that last hole.

Akshay Bhatia reacts to missing a par putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament at Detroit Country Club, Sunday, June 30, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
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Akshay Bhatia narrowly missed out on Rocket Mortgage Classic victory

“I hit a good putt, I probably just under-read it a little bit or it lacked a little bit of speed so nothing I can do about it.”

Rai, who had shared the lead with Bhatia after 54 holes, said: “Overall a good week. Obviously being in the position that we were in today, there was a great chance to maybe do a little bit more.

Aaron Rai
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Aaron Rai mixed three birdies with three bogeys in his final round

“Got off to a really good start today, just a few too many loose shots and just didn’t really keep the round going as well as what I could have and as well as the last three days. That part was a little bit disappointing for sure, but so many positives to take. Yeah, really pleased with how my game feels overall.”

Cameron Young bogeyed two of his last three holes to finish three strokes back in tied-sixth alongside Eric Cole, Erik Van Rooyen and Rico Hoey.


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What’s next?

The PGA Tour heads to Illinois next for the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run, where Austria’s Sepp Straka is defending champion. Early coverage begins on Thursday from 3.30pm via the red button and 7.30pm on Sky Sports Golf, ahead of full coverage from 9pm.

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Teofimo Lopez says he is a level above Devin Haney and would rather fight Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis | Boxing News

Teofimo Lopez says he is a level above Devin Haney and would rather fight Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis | Boxing News
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WBO super-lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez says he is a level above Devin Haney and does not need to fight him to prove it.

Lopez makes the second defence of his belt against Steve Claggett live on Sky Sports from 2am on Sunday, and a clash with Haney has been mooted should ‘The Takeover’ come through.

However, the New Yorker says a bout with WBA lightweight champion Gervonta ‘Tank’ Davis would be a more “eye-candy” fight.

Haney is the WBC super-lightweight ‘champion in recess’ following his defeat to Ryan Garcia in April being rendered a no contest after his opponent tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Lopez returns to the ring this weekend as he defends his world title against Steve Claggett, live on Sky Sports

Lopez said of Haney: “He is nowhere near any picture.

“He has been helped a lot, in many ways. They wanted to make him seem like he is the greatest. I don’t hate the kid, I’m not knocking him down.

“When I lost to George Kambosos Jr, he and his father were jumping up and down celebrating.

“When he lost to Garcia, I didn’t jump up and down. I just said okay and wished him nothing but the best because I know what it feels like.

“I don’t believe Haney is the American dream, I don’t believe he is the next Mayweather or any narrative they want to put out there.

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Devin Haney is the WBC ‘champion in recess’ after Ryan Garcia’s positive drug test

“I believe Haney is someone who reaches a certain level in life and is going to stay there forever.

“I have already proved [I am a level above Haney] without having to fight him, I don’t need to face this guy. He has just lost.”

‘I always pick the toughest fights – I aim for greatness’

Lopez (20-1) – who said he would love to fight in the UK one day – will not be taking Canadian Claggett (38-7-2) lightly, insisting he always looks for arduous fights as he “aims for greatness”.

The 26-year-old said: “I have got a tough competitor ahead of me, he is hungry. It is almost like a Rocky Balboa story for this guy. I can’t overlook nobody. He does not stop throwing punches.

“He has everything to gain, I have everything to lose. I always pick the toughest fights – my résumé speaks loudly.

“You can’t say you are arguably the best in the world without facing the best. You can’t say you are the Muhammad Ali of this generation without doing what Muhammad Ali has done.

I want to know more, I want to learn more. You never figure boxing out and just when you think you have figured it out, boom, here comes something else. That’s the reason I love my sport the most.

Teofimo Lopez

“You can’t say you are the throwback fighter without facing adversity and overcoming it. If I say all this stuff and don’t back it up, I am a hypocrite. Then it’s talking smack, not the truth.

“I am only getting better, I am not at my prime just yet but we are reaching it. I think that’s the best part. I aim for greatness and I always have.

“The tremendous amount of fighters I have faced already at a young age… because of those champions and their styles, I have only got better.

“You guys are going to see a whole new genre of Teofimo the next couple of years.”

Watch Teofimo Lopez vs Steve Claggett live on Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Main Event from 2am on Sunday.

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Gervonta Davis knocked out Frank Martin in the eighth round to retain WBA lightweight belt in Las Vegas | Boxing News

Gervonta Davis knocked out Frank Martin in the eighth round to retain WBA lightweight belt in Las Vegas | Boxing News
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Gervonta Davis delivered an explosive knockout of Frank Martin as he retained his WBA lightweight title in Las Vegas.

Davis stunned Martin with a big left uppercut and then followed up with a big hook from the same hand to send his opponent crashing to the canvas in the eighth round.

The unbeaten 29-year-old was returning to the ring after an absence of over a year and Martin started sharper, landing crisp right hands in the opening two rounds.

But Davis gradually raised the intensity of his punishing assault, forcing Martin to seek refuge on the ropes and in the corners.

A string of stinging shots troubled Martin in the sixth round, prompting roars of approval from the crowd at the MGM Grand.

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Davis produced another explosive stoppage win

Davis sensed his moment to strike in the eighth, ripping through Martin’s resistance with destructive punches to bring up another ruthless stoppage win.

On the undercard, David Benavidez marked his debut in the light-heavyweight division with a unanimous decision win over Oleksandr Gvozdyk to secure the interim WBC title.

Alberto Puello also won the WBC interim super-lightweight belt with a split decision win over Gary Russell.

In other world title action in Puerto Rico, Australian Liam Paro claimed the IBF super-lightweight belt after a unanimous decision victory over Subriel Matias.