Fans aren’t happy with ironman Bryson
BRYSON DECHAMBEAU revealed he hears the fan dismay when he hits irons off the tee after plotting his way into contention at The Players Championship.
The US Open champion leads the PGA Tour driving distance stats with an average of 323.5 yards.
But the muscle-bound Californian struggled with his driver at Sawgrass TPC yesterday and twice hit a four iron off the tee on par
■ fives as he carded a second consecutive 69.
Dechambeau, who started his second round with a double-bogey six, said: “I wasn’t feeling as good with my golf swing out there today.
“That was quite unfortunate but I was able to scrap it around.
“I have got to be less sensitive with the driver.
“It is a bit hit and miss. I hit a driver off the tee perfect one hole and then the next hole it will be pretty far right.
“How do the fans react when I pull an iron out instead of a driver? It’s always like, ‘Aww,’ with an iron. Driver, it’s like, ‘Yeah!!’ And then I hit it right.”
The world No.6, who rated his driving “C+ to B”, promised to spend up to two hours on the practice range last night to get ready for the final two rounds. He added: “I’m a perfectionist and I’ll continue to be so until the day I die and until the day I stop playing this game. That’s just the way I am.”
Dechambeau sits on six-under par along with fellow Americans Brian Harman and Denny Mccarthy.
World No.221 Mccarthy made his first hole in one on the PGA Tour with an eight iron on the 164-yard third hole.
Spain’s Adri Arnaus has become the third player to pull out of the Qatar Masters because of Covid-19 after experiencing symptoms during the second round.
Italy’s Lorenzo Scalise and Englishman Matthew Jordan both failed tests earlier in the week.
Denmark’s Jeff Winther leads by two shots after a second successive 67.
BRITISH cycling was plunged into crisis after former Team Sky doctor Richard Freeman was found guilty of ordering testosterone intended to help a rider cheat.
A Medical Practitioners Tribunal yesterday branded Freeman’s evidence “dishonest”, while his conduct was “incapable of innocent explanation”.
Freeman, who also held the post of chief doctor for British Cycling, claimed he had been bullied into ordering the testosterone to treat former performance director Shane Sutton’s erectile dysfunction.
The Australian coach strongly denied the claim.
Freeman admitted 18 of the 22 charges relating to the delivery of Testogel to British Cycling’s HQ in
Manchester 10 years ago, and his attempt to cover it up, but had denied the outstanding allegation about its purpose.
Freeman now faces a new investigation by UK Anti-doping. The verdict reflects poorly on British Cycling and road team offshoot Team Sky (now Ineos Grenadiers).
Sutton gave a measured but damning reaction, saying: “I’m saddened by the whole affair. I feel for the doctor and I remain disappointed that I was used as a scapegoat.
“It also saddens me that this episode has cast a huge shadow over the success we enjoyed.
“I think it’s important to find out who the doctor ordered it for. Hopefully that will emerge from the investigation by UK Anti-doping.”
SEAN DYCHE hopes a comical piece of ‘touch Wood’ brings his Burnley side some end-of-season luck.
The Clarets mugged a point off Arsenal last week when a calamitous back pass from Granit Xhaka struck striker Chris Wood and flew into the net.
Wood is now top scorer with five as Dyche prepares to try to shackle Everton’s prolific strike force of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-lewin, who have scored 30 – 10 more than Burnley’s entire team.
Dyche hopes that Wood’s flukey equaliser can be a tonic. “Joking apart, goalscorers will take a goal however it comes about,” he said.
“At the end of the season it doesn’t say what style of goal it was, it just says how many you’ve got, so strikers don’t really care.
“I don’t think he’s got a lack of belief in scoring goals. He’s working hard for the team, but yeah, it’s another goal for him and he’ll be delighted whatever way they come.” Dyche cast an admiring glance at Everton’s front men who have flourished under boss Carlo Ancelotti this season.
He said: “Fair play to those two. They’ve really taken it up.
“Let’s put it this way, it’s very helpful if you’ve got players up front who are scoring loads of goals.
“That’s something I definitely know about football. It’s helpful!”
CARLO ANCELOTTI has no fears that the attack on Robin Olsen’s home will turn him off staying at Everton.
The on-loan Roma keeper, 31, is a man the Toffees boss wants to make a permanent signing this summer.
But Ancelotti doesn’t believe the armed robbery at Olsen’s family home, which saw machetewielding thugs threaten him last weekend, will
by CHRIS MCKENNA
force the Sweden international to move back to Italy.
He said: “I think he’s happy to stay.
“In this moment he has to talk with his family and manage that.
“But he wants to stay and we want him for next season.”
Ancelotti confirmed the club have heightened security around the players after his own home was also broken into last month.
But ahead of today’s tea-time kick-off against Burnley, where the Toffees will be without injured James Rodriguez, Ancelotti has no concerns it will be a distraction for his side.
He said: “Of course we are really close to Robin but I think we have to look forward.
“The club is working to keep the safety of the players at the best as they can. Unfortunately sometimes it can happen and we have to try to go forward of this.”
Ancelotti has also revealed Everton will open contract talks with Gylfi Sigurdsson this summer.
The Italian added:
“I think that everyone is pleased that he is here and I think the next period we are going to talk to him to renew the contract or stay here.”