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Mary Hannigan: Golfers happy to let clubs do the talking as US Open begins

Gulf money unlikely to take over GAA; Stephen Kenny brings out the motivational videos

Justin Thomas of the United States hits from a bunker at the 11th green during a practice round for the 2023 US Open. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA

Mary Hannigan's face
Mary Hannigan
Thu Jun 15 2023 - 09:34

Good morning,

There’s a bit of a theme in your sports pages this morning: Gulf money. Ciarán Murphy reckons, for now at least, “the GAA is safe enough from its pernicious influence”, but Dave Hannigan isn’t convinced that it won’t soon “break into America’s national obsession, the NFL”. Golf? It’s already created a “seismic shift” in the sport.

It will be with considerable relief, writes Philip Reid, that the players in the field for the US Open, which gets under way at Los Angeles Country Club today, will get to allow their clubs do the talking after all the chat that followed last week’s news about the PGA Tour merging with LIV Golf.

Over in Athens, meanwhile, Stephen Kenny has been trying to fire up his Republic of Ireland players ahead of tomorrow’s European Championship qualifier against Greece by showing them a motivational video featuring six critical away goals scored by Irish players down the years. “Osmosis being the ideal result,” says Gavin Cummiskey.

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Gavin also hears from Mikey Johnston, the Scottish-born winger who made his Irish debut in March and now hopes to play his part in what is a critical game against the Greeks.

Two of our rugby teams will be on their travels soon too, the under-20 squad heading for Cape Town next Monday for the World Cup, while the men’s Sevens squad will seek out Olympic qualification at the European Games in Poland which get under way on June 20th.

With an eye to next season, Leinster fans – and this might hurt – will have to cheer on La Rochelle when they meet Toulouse in Saturday’s French Top 14 final. If Ronan O’Gara’s men prevail, then Leinster will be a Tier One seed in the next Champions Cup – if Toulouse triumph, then they’ll take that slot.

And in Gaelic games, Ian O’Riordan talks to Louth’s Conor Grimes who is dividing his time between his Spoonful Botanical business – it’s a natural anti-inflammatory product – and aiming to keep his county in this year’s football championship. To do that, they must beat All-Ireland champions Kerry in Portlaoise on Sunday. No small task.

Telly watch: Sky Sports brings you round one of the US Open, its Los Angeles venue ensuring a very late night for golf diehards (3pm-4am). BBC Three has coverage of the Bislett Games in Oslo (7.0-9.0), the fifth stop on the Diamond League featuring a host of stars, while the Nations League semi-final between Spain and Italy (kick-off 7.45) is live on Virgin Media Two & Premier Sports 1.

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