WP Sport News

Witter out to restore Yorkshire pride
by Mark Doyle, 05 May 2008

Bradford’s Junior Witter is determined to hold on to his WBC light-welterweight title after seeing fellow Briton Clinton Woods stripped of his belt in a unification bout with Antonio Tarver last month.

Sheffield light-heavyweight Woods lost his IBF strap to IBO titlist Tarver in a one-sided bout in Tampa three weeks ago.

Witter has plenty of sympathy for his fellow Yorkshire native but felt that Woods froze on the big occasions, something The Hitter has no intention of doing in his May 10 bout with Timothy Bradley.

“This is a chance for me to pick up Yorkshire boxing after Clinton’s loss. It was disappointing because I really wanted him to win, but Clinton was well beaten,” he lamented.

“The big lights seemed to get to him but I bet if the fight was in Sheffield Clinton could have beat Tarver.

“It’s up to me now to make sure I keep my world title because there are not that many world champions left in Britain now.

“I’ve not taken Bradley lightly and have had a long training camp for this one, so expect to see the best from me.”

Source: sports.setanta.com

Super Aguri denied access to Istanbul

By Alan Baldwin in London
May 05, 2008

Jay Townsend on The Players
by Richard Field, 05 May 2008

The Players Championship is almost upon us and Setanta analyst Jay Townsend is one of those who believes this event, which is live on Setanta, is one of the best on the golfing calendar.

The action gets underway on Thursday and the spectacular island hole, at the 17th,  provides plenty of excitement as the competitors’ golf balls face a watery grave.

This event has long been known as the ‘Unofficial Fifth Major’ and Jay Townsend is one of those who feels the ‘unofficial’ aspect should be shelved.

“Presently, The Masters, US Open, the Open Championship, and the US PGA make up the four majors. But, I along with a lot of other so called experts, feel that The Players is also a Major.

“What is it that makes it so good? Like The Masters, it has the same venue each year, and like Augusta National, TPC Sawgrass is a wonderful course that tests the best players in the game with tons of drama on the finishing stretch.

“It has a wonderful field, made up of the best tournament professionals in the world, which is unlike the US Open, Open Championship and US PGA who have watered down fields being made up from international qualifiers to entice television contracts from around the world. The Masters has a limited field, usually of about ninety players.”

Source: sports.setanta.com

Nolan: let Diouf leave
by Toby Davis, 05 May 2008

Bolton captain Kevin Nolan has warned boss Gary Megson not to keep El-Hadji Diouf at the club against his will.

The Senegal international announced at the start of April that he intended to quit The Reebok Stadium whether or not they were relegated.

Megson insists the player will only be allowed to leave for a sizeable fee, but Nolan has urged the club not to stand in his way if he is not fully committed to Bolton.

Nolan told the Bolton News: “We have always prided ourselves at Bolton Wanderers in knowing that everyone wants to play for the club. Everyone is in it together.

“There’s no question that Diouffy has shown that while he has been here, but if the lad wants to go, let him go.

“Obviously we are going to miss a player like Diouffy, but we have got Jussi Jaaskelainen out of contract, Ricardo Gardner and Ivan Campo, all massive players.

“We need to secure their futures too, but none of them have come out and said they want to leave.

“Diouffy has and that’s entirely up to him, but we can’t just be thinking about El-Hadji Diouf.”

Source: sports.setanta.com

The Players Championship
by Richard Field, 05 May 2008

The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass is quite simply known as the “Unofficial Fifth Major”.

Phil Mickelson is the defending champion and for the highs and lows of last year’s tournament. Click here.

The final stretch of holes which includes the famous island green at the 17th makes for an exciting finale. Click here to read about five memorable wins.

The Stadium Course, at TPC Sawgrass, was greeted with a chorus of derision from the players following the inaugural tournament. Click here.  

Setanta golf analyst Jay Townsend on the TPC.

Hole-by-hole guide to the Stadium Course.

Source: sports.setanta.com

Mahon frustrated by penalty decisions
by Niamh O’Mahony, 05 May 2008

UCD boss Pete Mahon was left fuming by another penalty decision over the weekend - this time the decision cost his side two points against Bohemians.

The Students had taken the lead against Pat Fenlon’s outfit - against the general run of place - but matters were levelled at the death when the visitors were awarded a spot kick after Glen Crowe crashed to the ground in the box.

“That’s five weeks on the trot that a penalty has been given against us,” Mahon raged. “I had no problems with the penalty against Shamrock Rovers the week before last, and, again, no problem last week in Cobh.

“But that was never a penalty against Bohemians and to add insult to injury, Glen tells us he fell over the ball.”

Mahon was sent to the stands for his reaction on the night, and has demanded more consistency from the league’s referees.

“These are crucial decisions and we’re depending on the officials to get those crucial decisions right, nothing else.

“Everyone makes mistakes, I make mistakes but those crucial decisions are killing us.”

Source: sports.setanta.com

Tander - Build new WA complex

By Robert Grant
May 05, 2008

TPC Sawgrass hole-by-hole guide
by Richard Field, 05 May 2008

Hole 1

Par 4, 392 yards

Accuracy is demanded off the tee, as the golfers look to drive up the right side to a narrow landing area to set up a good approach. Errant drives will be met by a long fairway bunker and lateral water hazard.

Hole 2

Par 5, 532 yards

This green can be reached in two with an accurate tee shot, but plenty of trees on either side of the fairway will cause problems for wayward shots. Mounds located around the green give spectators a great view of the action.

Hole 3

Par 3, 177 yards

This medium-length short hole culminates with a two-tiered green which slopes from back to front. This hole will probably offer up more birdies than any of the other par-threes.

Hole 4

Par 4, 384 yards

The drive must avoid a lateral water hazard and a deep fairway bunker on the right. A birdie can turn into a double-bogey very quickly due to a number of dangerous pin placements at the disposal of the organisers.

Hole 5

Par 4, 466 yards

Par will be a welcome score at this hole which doglegs to the right and a narrow green is the target for a second shot with a mid to long iron.

Hole 6

Par 4, 393 yards

The drive must avoid dense palm and pine trees on the right and bunkers and a water hazard on the left. Another two-tier green awaits and the elevated lie of this, makes it a tempting target.

Hole 7

Par 4, 442 yards

A vast fairway bunker and, water which skirts almost the entire length of the hole, guard the left side of the fairway. The wind direction can play havoc with the scoring on this particular hole.

Hole 8

Par 3, 219 yards

The longest par-three on the course requires a long iron or fairway wood to carry the obstacles. The short game will be tested to the full.

Hole 9

Par 5, 583 yards

This long hole is rated as one of the best the United States has to offer. A large lake and bunker to the right collect slices off the tee while woods to the left hinder second shots. The fairway narrows from tee to green which is thin and severely sloped.

Hole 10

Par 4, 424 yards

The fairway doglegs to the left with a large bunker also coming into play on this side. Two bunkers guard the front of the green which fades away from the players as they line up their approaches.

Hole 11

Par 5, 535 yards

Trees make their presence known off the tee for players who stray with attempted booming drives. The green can be attacked in two but an oak tree will cause problems for a poor shot and another oak is troublesome for a second shot with the aim of laying up.

Hole 12

Par 4, 358 yards

The shortest par-four on the course needs an accurate tee shot to allow the golfer to approach the heavily guarded green with a short iron.

Hole 13

Par 3, 181 yards

This picturesque short hole is guarded by water all the way down the left side which means the players must avoid this when the pin is placed on that side of the green. Your tee shot really needs to land on the top level of a three-tier green.

Hole 14

Par 4, 467 yards

Large mounds, bunkers of sand and grass can capture tee shots and a vast bunker is strategically placed to gobble up approaches.

Hole 15

Par 4, 449 yards

You drive through a chute of trees and over water on this hole which doglegs right and mid to short irons are next up to a green with plenty of protection.

Hole 16

Par 5, 507 yards

The green at this hole can be reached in two shots but water and a cluster of oaks trees make this manoeuvre a difficult one.

Hole 17

Par 3, 137 yards

This island green is the signature hole at TPC Sawgrass with a watery grave certain for a large number of balls during the tournament.

Hole 18

Par 4, 447 yards

Water guards the full length of the left at this hole which doglegs to the left, while large spectator mounds and trees wait on the right. A collection of grass bunkers sit to the front-right of the green and a sand trap awaits long shots to the left.

Source: sports.setanta.com

Williams steps in to fight Froch
by Mark Doyle, 04 May 2008

Rubin Williams has been confirmed as Carl Froch’s opponent for his May 10 date at the Nottingham Arena.

Froch was originally scheduled to fight Denis Inkin in a WBC super-middleweight title final eliminator but the Russian twice pulled out of the proposed bout.

The Cobra’s team then saw a fight with Alejandro Berrio also fall through, so, unsuprisingly, Froch is relieved that he has finally managed to find someone that is willing to fight him.

“Williams is a tall, rangy box puncher so he will be a good test for me,” stated Froch, who is now the mandatory challenge for the WBC title, which is currently held by Joe Calzaghe, who is now campaigning at light-heavyweight.

“He has been very active this year and has already fought against two world-class fighters that’s why he is ready to fight me right now.

“Williams deserves a lot of credit: he’s obviously prepared to fight anyone, he has a true fighter’s heart. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Inkin or Berrio.

“I’ve heard all of Inkin’s excuses - viruses, bad back, etc - I don’t buy it for a second. After doing this a second time to me, the man’s got no honour, he is a coward. He does not deserve to share a ring with me.

“I am disappointed with Team Inkin for allowing this to happen. I could compile a list of things that have gone wrong with me in the lead-up to both of these fights, from viruses to injuries to everyday niggles, but as fighters we would never fight if we took Team Inkin’s attitude.

“Berrio was just as bad by mucking us about, one minute saying he was in and the next saying he was out.

“It doesn’t matter who is in the corner though, I will still win in style and show everyone why Joe Calzaghe is avoiding me,” he added.

Source: sports.setanta.com

Day defends Hammers display
by Alex Livie, 05 May 2008

Alan Curbishley’s assistant Mervyn Day has insisted West Ham did not roll over against Manchester United on Saturday.

The Hammers were beaten 4-1 by a ten-man Manchester United on Saturday, a result which tightened The Red Devils’ grip on the title.

Curbishley had angered Chelsea boss Avram Grant in the run up to the game by stating he would ‘raise a glass’ to Sir Alex Ferguson if they won the title, but Day has insisted West Ham played on their merits.

“I don’t think he meant raising a glass to United,” he said. “The whole essence of that particular piece was Sir Alex Ferguson and what a good job he’s done over a long period of time.

“Knowing Alan, he thinks an awful lot of Sir Alex, but we’re all professional and all that goes out the window when you cross that white line.

“The lads were absolutely shattered afterwards. They might not have been good enough on the day and got caught in possession, but they worked their socks off and one thing I will defend them on totally is their effort.

“Their goals were from poor defending. We defended too deep for the first goal, but it still took a deflection, and we might have pressed the ball quicker for the fourth goal, but that still took a deflection too.”

Source: sports.setanta.com