Rory McIlroy survives a strong wind for a 69 to lead Irish Open over Manassero

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Rory McIlroy survives a strong wind for a 69 to lead Irish Open over Manassero

2024-09-15 01:31 Last Updated At：02:21

NEWCASTLE, Northern Ireland (AP) — Rory McIlroy delivered enough superb shots in a strong wind Saturday for a 2-under 69, giving him a one-shot lead over Matteo Manassero in the Irish Open as McIlroy tries to erase two bad memories on home soil.

McIlroy had to settle for bogey on the par-5 closing hole at Royal County Down when he hit a half-shank from the rough for his third shot. Even so, the wind was so severe that he matched the low score of the third round. Only three other players shot 69, and four others broke par.

Manassero, who started the day with a one-shot lead, did his best to hold on. He dropped only one shot over the last 10 holes, on the 17th when he pulled his tee shot into high grass and could only chop back to the fairway. He two-putted from 50 feet to escape with bogey.

McIlroy was at 6-under 207 as he goes for his second Irish Open title. He has yet to win in Northern Ireland, and it has not gone well for him previously. McIlroy opened with an 80 when the Irish Open was last held at Royal County Down in 2015. And at the British Open five years ago at Royal Portrush, he opened with a 79. Both times he missed the cut.

“I'm excited to give myself a chance,” McIlroy said. “The last couple of times I've played in Northern Ireland it hasn't panned out the way I wanted. I can't get too far ahead of myself, but I'm excited to go out there and give it my all.”

Robert MacIntyre was in a four-way tie for third after a 69, leaving the Scot in the mix to add a third national title to his credit this year. MacIntyre previously won the Canadian Open in June and the Scottish Open in July.

Jordan Smith (69), Erik van Rooyen (71) and Rasmus Hojgaard (71) also were at 3-under 210.

The roughest day belonged to Todd Clements, playing alongside McIlroy before the largest galleries. Clements started one shot behind and posted an 85.

Manassero did well to stay close. He was in trouble off the 17th tee and made bogey. On the par-5 closing hole, he rammed his 50-foot birdie attempt some 10 feet by the hole, and made that for par to stay one behind.

“They are not birdies but they always feel like them a little bit, and that’s how it is out there,” Manassero said. “I would have loved to not get beaten from the golf course but I think I did really well to finish with two 5s, to be honest.”

McIlroy opened with an approach that used the slope to perfection for his shot to roll down to 6 feet for eagle. His best shot was a 7-iron into 6 feet on the par-3 seventh. Any birdie after the par-5 first hole felt like a bonus.

“It was a matter of trying to par as many holes as possible,” he said.

He saved par from behind the 17th green. On the 18th, he pushed his drive into the right rough, hit into nasty rough on the left and then hit a half-shank that bounced off the grandstands to the right. He chipped beautifully to 6 feet but missed the par putt to settle for 69.

“I definitely would have taken the score before I went out today,” he said.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Paul Pogba doping ban reduced from 4 years to 18 months

2024-10-05 02:05 Last Updated At：02:10

Paul Pogba has had his four-year ban for doping reduced to 18 months after appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The ruling means the France World Cup winner will be free to resume his career in March 2025.

CAS confirmed earlier reports that the ban was reduced when approached by The Associated Press on Friday. CAS did not elaborate on the decision.

Pogba did not immediately comment but made a cryptic post on his Instagram feed of an image — presumably of him — wearing a pair of boots and socks with the initials “PP.”

The Juventus midfielder tested positive for testosterone in August last year and was handed the maximum punishment by Italy’s anti-doping court.

At the time, Pogba said “the verdict is incorrect” and appealed to the Switzerland-based CAS.

“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me,” he said.

Four-year bans are standard under the world anti-doping code but can be reduced in cases where an athlete can prove their doping was not intentional, if the positive test was a result of contamination or if they provide “substantial assistance” to help investigators.

The 31-year-old Pogba was the most expensive soccer player in history when he joined Manchester United from Juventus for a fee of 105 million euros ($113 million) in 2016.

He starred in France's World Cup triumph in 2018 and returned to Juventus as a free agent in 2022. But injuries limited him to just eight Serie A appearances in his second spell at the club before his ban.

Pogba was suspended after the positive test was announced in September last year.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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