SPORTS DIGEST

Other sports news in brief

Cycling Ireland appoint Leigh

CYCLING:Cycling Ireland have set their course for success at the London 2012 Olympics with the announcement that Philip Leigh is to take up the position of high performance director.

Leigh, a native of Lancashire, is an accomplished professional team manager and former Great Britain team member who has previously worked with some of the most talented riders in Britain, including world champion Chris Newton.

Leigh will be responsible for managing the high performance staff and for overseeing all activities in preparation for World Cup, World Championship and Olympic track events.

“He is considerably experienced in identifying new cycling talent and in putting organisational and support structures in place to ensure that elite athletes achieve success,” said Cycling Ireland executive officer, Geoff Liffey.

McIlroy wins European Tour Shot of Month award

GOLF:Rory McIlroy has been awarded The European Tour Shot of the Month for January for the sublime bunker shot that guaranteed his first professional victory at the Dubai Desert Classic.

Having surged ahead of the field with four consecutive final round birdies between the 10th and 13th holes at the Emirates Golf Club, the 19-year-old looked to have wrapped up his maiden Tour win.

But three bogeys in a row – coupled with a late charge from Justin Rose – put McIlroy under the most intense pressure coming down the 72nd and final hole.

McIlroy’s third shot to the par five 18th hole landed in the bunker at the back of the green, leaving him a treacherous downhill slope to negotiate, with the greenside water hazard threatening any poor shot.

McIlroy produced a sensational stroke, his ball landing sweetly on the downslope before releasing towards the hole and coming to rest some two feet from the cup. A simple tap-in secured the first win of his professional career.

Pakistan unlikely to host World Cup

CRICKET:Pakistan's role as a co-host of the 2011 cricket World Cup is in doubt after the ICC said the country was unlikely to stage internationals in the near future following yesterday's terror attack on Sri Lanka's team in Lahore.

A dozen gunmen attacked Sri Lanka’s team bus, wounding six players and a British coach and killing at least eight Pakistanis as they were being driven to the Gaddafi stadium.

“It’s difficult to see international cricket being played in Pakistan for the foreseeable future,” the International Cricket Council’s Haroon Lorgat told a news conference at Lord’s where he was flanked by sombre ICC president David Morgan.

Lorgat said the sport’s governing body would review whether Pakistan could co-host the World Cup at their next board meeting in April. Pakistan are scheduled to host 14 matches.

The 2011 World Cup is due to be hosted by Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Asian Tour slashes prize-money

GOLF:Indian organisers have slashed the prize-money for this month's Asian Tour event by 25 per cent to $300,000 (€238,000) because of upheavals caused by the financial meltdown.

“We have been informed by the sponsors of this,” Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) director Padamjit Sandhu said yesterday.

“I don’t think it will have a big impact in terms of participation,” he added.

The SAIL Open, scheduled from March 18th-21st near New Delhi, was introduced last year as a $400,000 (€318,000) event with New Zealand’s Mark Brown winning his maiden title on the tour.

Indian media reported the hardening of the US dollar against the Indian rupee was one of the reasons for the reduction of the prize purse.