Norman receives backlash over comments
Greg Norman’s brushing off of Jamal Khashoggi’s killing as a “mistake” was condemned by the fiancee of the late Washington Post columnist.
The former No. 1 golfer is leading a series of Saudi Arabia-funded tournaments in England and has come under criticism for his comments about Khashoggi’s gruesome death Oct. 2, 2018, at the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul.
“Look, we’ve all made mistakes and you just want to learn by those mistakes and how you can correct them going forward,” Norman, 67, said recently at an event to promote the tournaments.
The Australian noted “the good that the country is doing in changing its culture.”
Khashoggi, who had written critically about Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, had gone into the consulate to collect documents required for him to marry his Turkish fiancee, Hatice Cengiz, and never came out.
Cengiz told the Telegraph newspaper Thursday that Norman’s comments were “so hurtful.”
More golf
Sebastian Munoz shot a 12-under 60 in the opening round of the Byron Nelson in McKinney, Texas, following his only bogey with an impressive mid-round surge to become the first player in PGA Tour history with two rounds of 60 or better in the same season. Munoz was at 2 under before a one-stroke
penalty because of a wayward tee shot at the eighth hole. The 29-year-old Colombian, who lives in the Dallas area, then went 6-under in the next four holes. Munoz also had a 60 in the opening round of the the RSM Classic at Seaside in Georgia in November, although that was a 10-under score.
• Steve Stricker shot a 7under 65 to take a two-stroke lead over Miguel Angel Jimenez and Wes Short Jr. after the opening round of the Regions Tradition in Birmingham, Ala., the first of five PGA Tour Champions majors. Stricker, the 2019 champion, closed his bogey-free round with a birdie on No. 18 at Greystone Golf & Country Club. Jimenez, the 2018 winner, started on the 10th tee and broke out of a 10-player logjam at 4 under with a birdie on No. 8.
• Nasa Hataoka shot a bogey-free 7-under- 65 in perfect playing conditions and grabbed an early one-stroke lead in the $3 million Cognizant Founders Cup in Clifton, N.J. Hataoka sparked her round with a 10foot eagle putt on No. 2 at Upper Montclair Country Club and added five birdies the rest of the way in posting her fifth consecutive round in the 60s. The 23-year-old is seeking her second tour win in a row after winning in Los Angeles a month aog, then returning to Japan for a rest.
Tennis
Rafael Nadal struggled with a foot injury toward the end of a 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 thirdround loss to Denis Shapovalov at the Italian Open in Rome. At one point, Nadal, 35, walked over and leaned on his towel box and grimaced in apparent pain. He also limped between points.
•Top-ranked Iga Swiatek was tested before pulling out a 6-4, 6-1 victory over former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka to reach the Italian Open quarterfinals in Rome and extend her winning streak to 25 matches. Azarenka took a 30 lead before Swiatek won five consecutive games in a grueling first set that lasted 1 hour, 20 minutes.
Soccer
Canada will prepare for its first World Cup since 1986 with an exhibition against Iran June 5 at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver, British
Columbia. Canada plays Curaçao June 9 at Vancouver and is at Honduras on June 13, both in the CONCACAF Nations League.
Rugby
Rugby’s biggest tournament is finally heading to the United States. Now comes the hard part for the sport’s leadership: Generating enough interest and sustainability to secure rugby’s place in a crowded U.S. market. The Rugby World Cup will be staged in the USA for the first time after being voted on as the host of the men’s event in 2031 and the women’s tournament two years later. Some 36 cities, including Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, have expressed interest in playing host to matches.