Sports Digest

A round-up of today's other stories in brief.

Kearney eases through

Dubliner Niall Kearney eased his way into the second round of the British Boys' Amateur Championship at Royal Aberdeen yesterday. The Royal Dublin player got through 2 and 1 against Spaniard Borja Etchart and today faces Finland's Ville Vaisanen.

Paul Cutler also made it through to the second round.

The 17-year-old scratch-handicapper from Portstewart lost the first two holes against Ashley Chesters but had levelled matters at the sixth.

He then got himself into a strong position at two up with four to play. After exchanging the 15th and 16th, he closed the door at the 17th with a solid par three.

However, fellow international Liam Reilly, from Galgorm Castle, was beaten on the home green by 15-year-old Tommy Fleetwood from Formby Hall in an exciting match which was always close.

Reilly was two up early on but lost his lead by the turn. Playing the last Fleetwood almost went out of bounds, but recovered to chip stone dead and clinch victory with a par.

Brian Keenan, who plays out of The Heath, battled bravely against Scotland's David Murray but went down by 2 and 1.

Royal Dublin's Gary McGrane, the first of the Irish players in second-round action, met his match in losing 3 and 1 to talented Belgian Hugues Joannes.

Landis fallout rumbles on

Disgraced Tour de France winner Floyd Landis's Phonak cycling team is to be disbanded in the wake of his positive doping test for testosterone, the outgoing sponsors said yesterday.

Phonak owner Andy Rihs said the team had tried to find other sponsors without success and would now be seeking alternative rides for Landis's team-mates.

Phonak had already said before this year's Tour that it planned to withdraw from the sport. "We will never enter a team in the Tour de France again," team manager John Lelangue said.

He declined to speculate on the future of Landis.