Sport

The Morning Sports Briefing

Rory McIlroy a man on a Major mission, Lord Scoundrel takes Galway Plate, GAA Statistics and Sonia O’Sullivan on Atlanta disappointment

Rory McIlroy signs autographs on the 18th at Baltusrol. Photograph: AP
Rory McIlroy signs autographs on the 18th at Baltusrol. Photograph: AP
Thu Jul 28 2016 - 08:40

McIlroy on a Major mission

The dust has only just settled on Henrik Stenson’s Open win at Royal Troon but today the next and final Major championship of the year gets underway at Baltusrol.

And Rory McIlroy seems determined to salvage his season with a first Major since 2014 and his third US PGA title. Philip Reid, in New Jersey, writes: “There’s a tell tale sign that provides evidence more than any words can when it comes to Rory McIlroy’s readiness.

“It’s that sense of purpose he possesses, almost a divine right to own the space he inhabits. And, on the 18th green here at Baltusrol Golf Club yesterday, as he finished his preparations for this 98th US PGA Championship, anyone watching couldn’t help but believe that here was on a man on a mission.”

READ MORE

We will be live blogging all four days from Baltusrol as the battle for the Wanamaker trophy commences, and you can follow it live at irishtimes.com/sport.

Lord Scoundrel wins Plate

Lord Scoundrel was a 10-1 winner of the Galway Plate yesterday with 20-year-old Kilkenny jockey Donagh Meyler giving Gordon Elliott his first success in the race. Today’s feature is the Galway Hurdle at 4.45pm and Pyromaniac can give Tony Martin a third consecutive win in the race.

GAA Statistics

Elsewhere in today’s GAA Statistics column Eamon Donoghue looks at the players left in the football championship who are a black card or double-yellow away from missing the All-Ireland quarter-finals or semi-finals through suspension - there are currently 14 of them.

Sonia O’Sullivan

And in her column today Sonia O’Sullivan looks back to her disappointment at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 and questions the success of swimmer Michelle Smith: “This is definitely one chapter in Irish sport which is clouded with doubt and a lack of credibility, rarely mentioned, and much of which has been left unanswered. How was this possible, and in this age of outing athletes we know have cheated the system, will we ever know the truth?”

What to watch out for:

Racing

Galway races including the Galway Hurdle (RTE 1 1.30-5pm)

The Goodwood Cup is the highlight at Glorious Goodwood (Channel 4 1.35-4pm)

Golf

The US PGA gets underway at Baltusrol, with Rory McIlroy teeing off at 1.30pm Irish time (SS1 7pm-1am)

The women’s British Open gets underway at Woburn (BBC 2 1-5.15pm)

Football

Cork City take on Genk in the first leg of their Europa League qualifier (eirSport 7pm ko)