US Open: Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia have been kept apart, for the first two rounds at least, in next week's US Open at Merion.
Woods will play alongside Rory McIlroy and US Masters champion Adam Scott in a group containing the world’s top three, with Garcia paired with former British Open champions Pádraig Harrington and Stewart Cink.
Garcia escaped punishment for what could be construed as a racist remark about Woods after offering an unreserved apology for his “stupid and out of place” comments at the European Tour’s annual awards ceremony ahead of the BMW PGA Championship last month.
Garcia said he had been asked to wait until Merion to apologise in person to Woods, who said last week: “It’s already done with. It’s time to move on.”
Garcia’s group will tee off at 7:44am local time from the 11th hole in the first round, with Woods, McIlroy and Scott starting at 1:14pm from the first.
Ryder Cup team-mates Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer start at 12:52pm from the first with 2010 champion Graeme McDowell in the following group with 2003 winner Jim Furyk and former US Masters champion Zach Johnson.
American Webb Simpson gets the defence of his title under way at 1:36pm alongside British Open champion Ernie Els and 2012 US Amateur champion Steven Fox, while Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts is in the second group out from the 11th at 7am, just ahead of four-time major winner Phil Mickelson.
It is the first time McIlroy and Woods have been paired together in a major, and McIlroy wrote on Twitter: “Decent group for the first 2 rounds at Merion I see . . .”
The group is also certain to attract more attention as Scott’s caddie Steve Williams worked for Woods during 13 of the American’s 14 major victories to date.
European Tour: Dutchman Joost Luiten will take a slender lead into the third round of the Lyoness Open as England's Tom Lewis fell four shots off the pace.
Luiten added a 68 to his opening 65 at Diamond Country Club to finish 11 under par, one shot clear of England’s Paul Waring, Scotland’s Callum Macaulay and Spain’s Eduardo de la Riva.
Lewis began the day with a two-shot lead over Luiten following a flawless 63 on Thursday, but could only manage a 74 which contained three birdies and five bogeys.
Gareth Maybin was the best of the Irish, a 68 leaving him on four-under par 140. Damien McGrane was a shot further back after a level par 72. David Higgins was also around in level par to leave him one under par.
Alan Dunbar looks as if he will just miss the cut, after finishing on one over par despite a 71.
Starting from the 10th, Luiten covered the back nine in 35 with three birdies and two bogeys before coming home in 33 thanks largely to some brilliant approach shots.
And the 27-year-old could have been further in front if not for missing from four feet for birdie on the third after his second shot had almost pitched straight into the hole.
Former tennis world number one Yevgeny Kafelnikov missed the cut by 20 shots after rounds of 84 and 80.
US Tour: Harris English was the clubhouse leader after he moved to 10 under par following a superb second round at the FedEx St Jude Classic in Memphis. English's 66 yesterday had put him in a six-way tie for the lead after the first round. However, while many around him could not match their first-round exertions, the American exceeded his efforts with a 64. Pádraig Harrington was one under with one to play.
