American golfer Scottie Scheffler demonstrated a strong start in defending his title at the British Championship, placing just one stroke behind the club's overall leader, who holds a four-stroke advantage below par after the first nine holes at Royal Birkdale.
The American found it more comfortable to play under the bright sun and hot temperatures on the northwest coast of England than during the Scottish Championship last week, which was disrupted by fog. It was there that the world number one saw his record of 78 consecutive rounds, spanning four years, come to an end.
Scheffler noted that extra rest before a major tournament 'is never the worst thing, but I really don't like missing rounds.' He won at Royal Portrush last year, which dispelled doubts about his ability to adapt to links conditions on the other side of the Atlantic.
Nevertheless, Scheffler is having a disappointing year by his own high standards, with only one victory on the PGA Tour in January and failing to add to his four major titles. The world number one managed to recover by making four birdies in five holes between the second and sixth, before a missed attempt on the seventh hole brought him back to three strokes below par.
Another American player, Bryson DeChambeau, is also in a position three strokes below par, with six holes remaining to play in his first round. The club leaders, four strokes below par, are English golfer Daniel Brown and South Korean Im Sung-jae.
Scottish golfer Robert McIntyre also showed a strong start, playing a round with a score of three strokes below par—67. The world number 15 has never won a major tournament but has made the top 10 three times at the British Championship out of six attempts. McIntyre stated: 'If I won The Open, any major tournament, if anything happened, I could happily retire from golf.' He added that achieving this would fulfill all his long-held goals, but 'there is still a long way to go.'
Tommy Fleetwood is also striving to complete his wait for a major victory in his home country in Southport. Despite the warm support of the world number nine, he started steadily, but not impressively, over the first ten holes, recording only one birdie and one bogey.
Rory McIlroy begins his challenge for the first 'Claret Jug' since winning the tournament in 2014. His marquee afternoon group includes 2024 winner Xander Schoffel and world number three Matt Fitzpatrick, scheduled for 3:15 PM local time (2:15 PM GMT).
Lionel Scaloni stated that he aims for the Argentine national team to be immortalized as a team that 'never gave up,' preparing the champions for the encounter with hardworking Switzerland in the World Cup quarterfinals.
The defending champions successfully passed the group stage of the 2026 global event, but in the tense playoffs, they faced serious challenges from Cape Verde and Egypt. The South American team has not lost in 11 World Cup matches, striving to become the second nation after Brazil in 1962 to win the trophy twice.
However, in Kansas City, they face a serious test against a well-prepared Swiss team. During a press conference before the match at Arrowhead Stadium on Friday, Scaloni emphasized that support for La Albiceleste is a matter of pure passion.
The 48-year-old head coach shared that he would like the national team to be remembered as a collective that never yielded. He admitted that he felt strong emotions watching the support shown by a young fan. Scaloni noted: 'We, the technical staff and the players—we play football for this. We don't play football just for the win. And when you see what comes from our heart, it's just amazing. When you see a ten-year-old child saying such things with such passion, and everyone shouts 'Argentina,' it's very emotional. That is the legacy I want.'
In the upcoming quarterfinal, Lionel Messi will return to the field where he scored an impressive hat-trick in the first match, securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Algeria. The Inter Miami forward is currently tied with Kylian Mbappé of France on eight goals in the race for the Golden Boot, and has also increased his record as the top scorer in World Cup history, scoring 21 goals in his career.
Messi's tally could potentially have been even more impressive if he hadn't missed two penalties, which was uncharacteristic for him. Nevertheless, Scaloni firmly rejected any suggestions that he might deny his inspiring captain the right to take free kicks. Scaloni insisted: 'It wouldn't even cross my mind to tell him not to take the next penalty. Let him do what he wants. We have players who can take them, but he will take it if he wants to, and if not, it depends on him. Let him do what he wants on the field.'
The Argentine coach added that the 39-year-old talisman will remain at the highest level of world football as long as he wishes. Scaloni stated: 'At 39, some might think he cannot handle the challenge, but I said earlier that as long as he wants to, he will be the best. I say this not because I coach him, but because I think if he wants to, he will continue to be the best.'
He continued, recalling the past: 'Those who see his training, those who see him today, cannot even imagine what he was like at 23 years old when he played for Barcelona under Pep Guardiola.'
Scaloni warned that the resilient Swiss team, led by influential captain Granit Xhaka, presents a serious obstacle in the pursuit of finals. He added: 'They have a long history in the World Cups. They have very experienced players, and they are physically strong. This will be a difficult opponent, that's for sure. We respect them very much, as we respect all our opponents. They eliminated the Colombian team, which showed exceptional results during this tournament.'
If Argentina overcomes the Swiss hurdle, an exciting semifinal awaits them against England or Norway.
Wilko Lou, a tighthead prop for the Springboks, is preparing for a serious confrontation in the scrums against his long-time acquaintance, Scottish loosehead prop Pierre Schoman. This match will take place in Pretoria as part of the Nations Cup on Saturday.
Lou intends to return to the starting lineup after the victory over England last week. He expects Scotland to be well-prepared for the upcoming Nations Cup match in Pretoria. Although Lou is happy to return to the familiar Loftus Versfeld ground, he acknowledges that playing in one of South Africa's most intimidating arenas always carries special significance.
Over the past three seasons, Lou played for the Bulls before returning to the Stormers, so he knows Loftus well. He believes that international teams have become more aware of acclimatization preparations and no longer fall into ambushes, even though altitude remains a factor.
In Lou's opinion, teams can prepare for altitude conditions, as the English team did by training on stationary bikes at high altitude. He emphasized that although the level is at an altitude of 1,300 meters above sea level, modern international rugby is characterized by all players being in good physical condition and capable of running.
He noted that success depends on how the team approaches these conditions, citing the final URC match between the Bulls and Glasgow, where the team managed to maintain a high tempo in the second half thanks to fresh energy.
Lou's return creates an interesting front-row clash with Scottish loosehead prop Pierre Schoman, whom he knows well from joint training sessions in South African rugby. However, Lou expects that friendly relations will be suspended as soon as the starting whistle blows.
He joked that there is little talking in the scrums due to the darkness there. He added, however, that it is always pleasant to play against Pierre because he is a good friend and an outstanding rugby player, and he hopes they can chat after the game.
Lou also shared personal feelings about Loftus, calling it a fortress for the Bulls and South Africa. He mentioned that the Bulls provided him with great support when he came here after school and recently returned from England, especially when his family needed his help during a critical moment of the season. He called it a special place to play.
Despite changes in the Springboks squad after the win against England, Lou is ready to perform as the world champions strive to maintain their momentum in the Nations Cup. The experienced tighthead knows that the Boks cannot rely solely on the altitude of Loftus or home advantage; against well-prepared Scottish players who have shown the ability to cope with altitude alongside Glasgow Warriors, Lou predicts that the outcome will depend on physical strength and better management of the conditions.
