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Deal agreed: Manchester United on BRINK of completing £110million double signing

Manchester United look close to clinching a stunning £110million double deal to kick-start the January transfer window.

According to reports, the Red Devils have taken a significant step forward in their pursuit of Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar ahead of a £65million transfer.

MORE: Top 10 clubs in the world based on social media followers: Manchester United 3rd, Arsenal above Liverpool, Man City surprisingly high on list

The Slovakia international is one of the finest centre-backs in Europe and looks a necessary signing for United, who have been cleared to land him as Inter prepare to bring in Diego Godin to replace him.

Skriniar had been stalling on signing a new contract at the San Siro, forcing the Italian giants to accept an offer from MUFC, who are also chasing Porto starlet Eder Militao.

Valued at around £45m, the youngster has made a superb start to life in Europe this season after a summer move from Sao Paolo.

Milan Skriniar looks set for a transfer to Manchester United

Eder Militao is also a transfer target for Manchester United

Real Madrid are also after Militao, but United are determined to strengthen at the back this winter and could be prepared to spend big on two new central defenders.

The pair would arrive for a similar cost to the amount the club recently bid for Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, with a £95m offer rejected by the Serie A outfit.

101st PGA Annual Meeting to Feature PGA National Awards and PGA Hall of Fame Inductions at Hilton Austin

AUSTIN, Texas – The PGA of America’s 101st Annual Meeting, Nov. 1-3, will focus on the PGA Member and growing the game of golf. Delegates will gather at the Hilton Austin to plan the path for the Association’s future.

The meeting will be accentuated by presentations of the PGA National Awards, PGA of America Hall of Fame and PGA Distinguished Service Award.

Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2017
The PGA of America will proudly recognize the 2017 National Awards winners in the Austin Grand Ballroom at 6 p.m., for their unwavering commitment to represent the PGA Professional and the game of golf at the highest of levels. The PGA of America National Awards program annually acknowledges PGA Members for their outstanding performances both on and off the course. Hosted by David Marr III, the celebration will honor 11 deserving PGA Members led by PGA Professional of the Year Darrell Kestner and PGA Teacher of the Year David Leadbetter.


• PGA Golf Professional of the Year: Darrell Kestner, PGA, Deepdale Golf Club—Manhasset, New York
• PGA Teacher of the Year: David Leadbetter, PGA, David Leadbetter Golf Academy—ChampionsGate, Florida
• PGA Youth Player Development Award: Brendon Elliott, PGA, Little Linksters LLC— Deltona, Florida
• Bill Strausbaugh Award: John Kennedy, PGA Life Member, formerly Westchester C.C.—Rye, New York
• Horton Smith Award: Jeff Adkerson, PGA Master Professional, Mississippi State University—Starkville, Mississippi
• PGA Player Development Award: Tom Morton, PGA Master Professional, Haggin Oaks Golf Complex—Sacramento, California
• Patriot Award: Kevin McKinley, PGA, Treetops Resort—Gaylord, Michigan
• Deacon Palmer Award: Sam Depe III, PGA, Hickory Heights Golf Club—Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
• PGA Merchandiser of the Year–Private Facilities: Mike Strlekar, PGA, Montclair Golf Club—West Orange, New Jersey
• PGA Merchandiser of the Year–Public Facilities: Mark Pfingston, PGA, Bear Dance Golf Club—Denver
• PGA Merchandiser of the Year–Resort Facilities: Zack Chapin, PGA, Arcadia Bluffs Golf Club– Arcadia, Michigan
• Herb Graffis Award: Gateway PGA Section (parts of Missouri and Illinois)*

*The Herb Graffis Award will be presented separately on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Thursday, Nov. 2
The meeting’s Opening Session will feature YUM! Brands Executive Chair David Novak as the keynote speaker, along with a Leadership Session led by Asuka Nakahara, Partner for Triton Atlantic Partners and a Director for Comcast Corporation. A special Folds of Honor presentation will be given by its Founder Maj. Dan Rooney, PGA. It will be followed by a moving discussion about PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) presented by PGA HOPE Coordinator Chris Nowak, a disabled veteran. In addition, the Gateway PGA Section will be presented the Herb Graffis Award, which recognizes a PGA Section for extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in Player Development.

Seven new inductees into the PGA of America Hall of Fame are led by PGA Honorary Member Gary Player, LPGA Tour star Mickey Wright and pioneering PGA and LPGA Professional Renee Powell. They will be honored in a ceremony hosted by NBC/Golf Channel’s Jimmy Roberts, in the Austin Grand Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. Originated in 1940 at the suggestion of famed sportswriter Grantland Rice, the PGA of America Hall of Fame honors and recognizes individuals who through their lives, careers, service and support have made significant and enduring contributions to the PGA of America in its mission to grow the game of golf.
• Gary Player, PGA Honorary Member
• Renee Powell, PGA/LPGA
• George Henry Schneiter, PGA (deceased)
• Mike Schultz, PGA
• Joe Tesori, PGA
• Lew Worsham, PGA (deceased)
• Mickey Wright, LPGA

In addition, Mark and Debi Rolfing will receive the PGA Distinguished Service Award for their leadership and humanitarian qualities.

Friday, Nov. 3
Three new District Directors are scheduled to be sworn-in to the PGA of America Board of Directors on Friday, Nov. 3. The Board is comprised of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Honorary President and 17 directors who establish Association policy. The Directors include representatives from each of the PGA’s 14 Districts, two Independent Directors and a member of the PGA Tour.
• District 4: Steven Aloi, PGA, Bellevue Country Club, in Cortland, New York
(Central New York, Tri-State, Western New York PGA Sections)
• District 8: David Schneider, PGA/CCM, Wakonda Club in Des Moines, Iowa
(Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska PGA Sections)
• District 9: Ron Rawls, PGA, Crane Creek Country Club, in Boise, Idaho
(Colorado, Rocky Mountain, Utah PGA Sections)
 

Arsenal ready to offer Mesut Ozil in bid to beat Liverpool to transfer of £62m-rated star

Arsenal are reportedly ready to offer Mesut Ozil back to Real Madrid in a bid to seal the transfer of unsettled playmaker James Rodriguez.

The Colombia international is currently on loan at Bayern Munich and struggling to impress under Niko Kovac, so could well be on his way out of the Allianz Arena soon.

MORE: Video: Jose Mourinho offers Unai Emery advice on how to get Mesut Ozil firing for Arsenal again

Various recent rumours have linked Rodriguez with a move to the Premier League, with the Mail stating the Gunners could sign him on the cheap by paying out a loan fee to have him for the rest of this season.

Don Balon also recently linked the 27-year-old with Liverpool, stating they were prepared to bid as much as £62million for him.

The latest from Don Balon now is that Arsenal could try to work their way back into pole position for Rodriguez’s signature by throwing Ozil into the mix.

Mesut Ozil has struggled for Arsenal in recent times

Bayern Munich’s James Rodriguez strongly linked with Arsenal transfer

Brandt Snedeker returns at RSM Classic from sternum injury

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. — The final tournament of the calendar year on the PGA Tour feels like a fresh start for Brandt Snedeker.

The biggest question is how long that feeling will last.

Snedeker returns this week at the RSM Classic from a peculiar injury to his sternum that doctors typically see only from contact sports. The injury was to a joint between the upper and lower sternum, and the pain at times was so great that Snedeker had trouble breathing after hitting shots.

That was the case at Royal Birkdale in July, when he was warming up for the opening round of the British Open when he abruptly withdrew because of the pain.

The RSM Classic will be his first competition in about five months.

"Semi-retirement is not all it's cracked up to be," said Snedeker, 36. "It's been a long time. It's fun to be back. Kind of realize what you miss, and I'm probably the most excited guy in the field this week to be playing again."

He also might be the most nervous.

Snedeker said he played 25 holes for three straight days at home in a cart and felt no issues. Even so, there is still the unknown of how it will feel walking over five hours in threesomes over the opening two rounds on two courses at Sea Island, and some of the lies he might face that could cause that jarring impact to his chest.

He opted to treat the injury with rest, although Snedeker conceded that "surgery is not off the table if it doesn't go well this week."

It was a good week to return. He has a second home in Sea Island and knows the Seaside and Plantation courses well. He faces a full field in which Matt Kuchar at No. 14 is the only player from the top 25 in the world ranking.

Davis Love III is the tournament host. Mackenzie Hughes is the defending champion, winning a four-man playoff a year ago that ended on Monday morning with the Canadian rookie holing an 18-foot par putt from just off the green.

The RSM Classic is the eighth tournament of the fall before the PGA Tour takes its winter break until resuming on Maui at the start of next year. Snedeker's plans are to compete this week at Sea Island, and then join Bubba Watson at the QBE Shootout in Florida, the team event that Greg Norman hosts.

But at least he's playing. And for the longest time, he wasn't sure that would be the case.

"This was an injury that I probably talked to 15 doctors over the course of these last 12 weeks or 14 weeks, and not one of them had ever really seen it in a golfer before," he said. "They'd never really run into this kind of injury without a blunt force trauma to cause it. So the uncertainty of how to fix it, the uncertainty of can it be fixed without surgery, will it go away, will it not? It's just tough when you don't have any real idea of how you're going to fix it."

Snedeker said a single swing or a shot didn't cause the injury; rather, it was progressive through repetition.

"It gets to a point where it gets so inflamed and so sore, my sternum was moving independently of each other," he said. "So it literally felt like my sternum was cracked or broken. Couldn't breathe. Couldn't do anything if I went and practiced for an hour. But if I go hit a ball and wait 10 minutes, I was OK. But if I practiced or did anything like that, it would just really get to a point where it hurt to breathe, hurt to move, hurt to do anything."

Snedeker was at No. 32 in the world after he tied for 14th in the Travelers Championship, which turned out to be his last event. He now is at No. 47, and risks falling out of the top 50 by the end of the year, which would cost him an automatic spot in the Masters.

For now, he wants to play and feel good doing it.

He has worked with swing coach John Tillery on a game that will alleviate some of the pressure from his chest area. He also has changed his diet to avoid foods that could lead to inflammation, specifically carbohydrates. That means more vegetables and no french fries.

What hasn't changed is his optimism.

"I'm excited about stepping in and playing some good golf," he said. "And I firmly believe that my best golf is still ahead of me."

This article was from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

Chelsea star refusing to sign new contract as he holds out for transfer to club who’ve made repeated bids

Chelsea wonderkid Callum Hudson-Odoi has reportedly decided he doesn’t want to sign a new contract with the club and wants a transfer to Bayern Munich.

The 18-year-old has been strongly linked with the Bavarian giants in recent times, and the latest from Kaveh Solhekol of Sky Sports is that he is set to turn down a new deal at Stamford Bridge worth £85,000 a week.

The England youth international may well get more playing time at Bayern, with English players seeming to have some luck with moves to the Bundesliga in recent times.

Jadon Sancho has been a particular success story since leaving Manchester City for Borussia Dortmund, while Reiss Nelson has also done well with more playing time on loan at Hoffenheim from Arsenal.

Hudson-Odoi looks to have the talent to make a similar impact and Chelsea seem to be fighting a losing battle to keep the teenager.

Solhekol claims above that Bayern have already made as many as four bids for Hudson-Odoi, the latest being worth around £35million.

Phil Mickelson hopes Dell showing can merit return to Presidents Cup team

NORTON — Phil Mickelson admits it might be too little, too late, but he's doing his best to force Steve Stricker to consider him for one of his two captain's picks for the U.S. Presidents Cup team.

Mickelson shot a 4-under 67 on Saturday and is tied for sixth at 6-under 136 after two rounds of the Dell Technologies Championship at TPC Boston. He's only three shots off the lead.

Prior to this week, Mickelson suffered through a subpar season with only four top-10 finishes and the last of his 42 PGA Tour victories came way back in the 2013 British Open. In his last four events, Mickelson missed two cuts and finished tied for 39th and tied for 54th to drop to 18th in U.S. Presidents Cup points. The top 10 in points at the conclusion of the Dell Technologies Championship on Monday will make the U.S. team, and Stricker will announce his two choices on Wednesday.

MORE: Full scores

Mickelson, 47, has been a member of every U.S. Presidents Cup team since 1994.

"I would love to be the one he felt (should be) added to the team," Mickelson said, "but if I'm not, he's got to make that tough call. I totally understand it. I've had a tough time for a while. But these two rounds, although they've been great, I don't know if that's enough or not. Let's see how the weekend goes."

After missing the cut at the PGA Championhip last month, Mickelson visited the doctor who helped him when he was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis in 2010. Mickelson refused to get into specifics, but he credits the doctor with helping him improve his focus and energy which he had lacked for much of the past year.

"It's encouraging," Mickelson said. "It's been so frustrating to know that I've been striking it or playing at a certain level, and the scores haven't reflected it. It's been frustrating being on the course and not being able to visualize or see the shot I'm trying to hit and make a swing without much purpose or direction."

Mickelson was able to visualize his 67-foot approach that he hit to within 2 1/2 feet for an easy birdie on 18.

"I've got a 64-degree wedge for a purpose like that," Mickelson said, "where I can get underneath the ball and stop it a lot easier than a lot of guys who don't have that club, and that's where I save shots."

Mickelson said his energy level has boosted to the point where he planned to practice after his round, something he hadn't done in a while.

Should he have seen his doctor earlier?

"Yeah, but I didn't," he said. "I wouldn't have thought that that would have been the issue. I just thought, I don't know, I wasn't seeing the shot. I didn't think it was a medical thing."

Murray, Glover card aces

Grayson Murray carded a hole-in-one on the eighth hole, and before the applause even ended, Lucas Glover scored an ace on 16.

Murray used a 6-iron from 196 yards for the eighth hole-in-one of his career and his second this year. He scored one at the Travelers Championship in June. Last year, he won an Acura for scoring a hole-in-one in a Web.com Tour event in Kansas, but he decided to take the cash instead.

MORE: Watch both aces

"This year, I haven't won anything yet," said the 23-year-old native of Raleigh, North Carolina. "So I'm a little bummed about that."

Murray, one of the contenders for PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, shot a 3-under 68 to get to 6 under for the tournament.

Just 65 seconds after Murray's ace, Glover hit an 8-iron from 177 yards for his seventh hole-in-one. Glover saw Mickelson, his playing partner, hit a 7-iron shot that almost bounced through the green, so he decided to hit an 8. After his ace, Glover felt an adrenaline rush.

"Step up on 17," Glover said, "and hit a 3-wood 25 yards farther than I usually hit it because I was so pumped up. It was awesome."

Glover, the 2009 U.S. Open champion, shot a 2-under 69 and after opening with a 71.

Glover also won a car for one of his previous aces.

"Hit a big hook up off the hill, rolled back in," he said. "That one was garbage. This one was legit."

Kevin Tway, who played with Murray, aced the 11th hole on Friday. So Murray joked that Rod Pampling, the third member of their group the past two days, felt a little left out because he didn't score a hole-in-one.

Hopkinton High graduate Keegan Bradley recovered from an opening-round 76 to shoot a 68 and make the cut.

This article is written by Bill Doyle from Telegram & Gazette, Worcester, Mass. and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

Talks happening now: Chelsea edging closer to extremely risky piece of transfer business

Chelsea are reportedly holding talks now with Atletico Madrid over a transfer that will see Alvaro Morata leave Stamford Bridge and return to Spain.

The 26-year-old has majorly flopped in his time in the Premier League, scoring only 24 goals in 72 games in all competitions, and just 16 in 47 top flight matches.

MORE: Barcelona eye transfer for another Chelsea star following Alvaro Morata links

It looks vital for Chelsea to sign a top class replacement up front as soon as possible, with plenty of big names linked with the Blues this January.

However, according to journalist Pipe Sierra, it’s not exactly looking promising for CFC at the moment as Morata holds talks over a move away, but with no replacement signing yet close.

As seen above, Sierra tweets that Morata’s representatives are holding talks now, with what looks like many of the details on the terms of the fees sorted out.

Of course, things might still fall through, but with the Evening Standard suggesting Sevilla are now out of the running as Sky Sports also link the player with Atletico, it seems things are moving very much in one direction.

Myrtle Beach PGA Professionals playing golf marathon for US military patriots

For the fourth consecutive year, a group of Grand Strand club professionals and a few others in the golf business collectively known as the Myrtle Beach PGA Patriots will participate in a fundraising golf marathon for Patriot Golf Day.
 
At least 18 participants who are mostly area pros will attempt to play 100 holes of golf on Sunday, Sept. 3 at Rivers Edge Golf Club in Shallotte, N.C., and they are accepting donations for the Folds of Honor Foundation, which awards scholarships to the spouses and children of soldiers killed or injured during military service.
 
The effort was started by East Coast Golf Management pros and is spearheaded by Crow Creek Golf Club head pro Jimmy Biggs.
 
The golf marathon has raised nearly $90,000 in the past three years, including $40,000 last year. Donations have already reached $60,000 for this year's event. The group has a goal of $70,000 for Folds of Honor this year.
 
"The golf community has run with it," said participating pro Mike Benson of The Pearl. "For me personally I love that we're paying back something for the sacrifices these men and women have made for us."
 
The contributions and number of participating pros is increasing.
 
This year it includes: Biggs, Benson, Matt Biddington of Legends, Jay Smith of Prestwick, Brad Crumling of Founders Group, Jeff Diehl of Club Car, radio personality Brian Stefan of The Golf Monger with iNet golf, Wil Weldon, Chad Wiebelhaus of Thistle, Sebastian Beecroft of Rivers Edge, Mike Binder of Ahead headwear, Mike Buccerone of East Coast, Paige Cribb with the Carolinas PGA, Crow Creek and The Pearl teaching pro Jeff Davis, Mike DeLuca of Wachesaw East, Trey Ernstes of Brick Landing, Craig Kenley of Azalea Sands and Eric Morgan of Lockwood Folly.
 
In addition to straight donations, pros can be sponsored per hole, per birdie, etc., through the website address //bit.ly/2w4eesk.
 
The Myrtle Beach PGA Patriots effort is three days of events for the second straight year. A dinner with a guest speaker from the Folds of Honor will be held Friday, Sept. 1 at Crow Creek, and a scramble tournament at The Pearl on Sept. 2 is already sold out.
 
Benson has been part of the past three golf marathons. The group plans to tee off at 6:30 a.m. and play for approximately 12 hours. "It's a ton of fun," Benson said. "After about 36 holes your body kind of goes numb. It goes on autopilot until it wakes back up for the final 18 holes."
 
The Folds of Honor was created in 2007 by Maj. Dan Rooney. According to the organization, PGA pros across the country have raised more than $22 million through Patriot Golf Day over the past 10 years, including $6.1 million in 2016.
 
Folds of Honor donations are also being accepted through the Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Foundation by clicking on the "Warrior Fund" tab at www.mbjgf.org. The foundation's Joe Carbonell will be attending a large event Sept. 25 in Oklahoma City, where he will be giving free lessons to all veterans and their families.
 
 
This article is written by Alan Blondin from The Sun News and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

Barcelona have no interest in sealing transfer of Premier League star that would’ve bolstered weak area of Ernesto Valverde’s squad

Barcelona have reportedly declared that they have no interest in signing Chelsea and Spain forward Alvaro Morata, a player whose transfer has already been offered to the club.

Morata’s time at Stamford Bridge looks like it’s coming to an end, however it doesn’t look like the Spaniard will be ending his nightmare stint in west London by moving to Barcelona.

According to Don Balon, the Blaugrana have ‘no interest’ in signing the 26-year-old, news that comes just days after another report from Don Balon noted that the Spanish giants had been offered the chance to sign the forward.

Morata has had a torrid time at Chelsea, with the former Real Madrid man struggling to produce the form he showcased during his time at Los Blancos whilst with the Premier League side.

Barcelona may be making a mistake by turning down this chance to sign Morata, as the player has already proven during his career that he has what it takes to compete against the best that La Liga has to offer.

During his last season with Real Madrid, Morata managed to bag 15 goals and 5 assists in 26 league outings, something that helped Los Blancos secure the La Liga title that year.

Barcelona have no intentions in bringing Morata to the Nou Camp

Given Barcelona’s limited options at striker, Morata’s arrival could’ve seriously improved their options in the centre of attack.

The Blaugrana only really have Luis Suarez and Munir El-Haddadi to choose from at striker, and if one of the two were to get injured in the second half of the season, Barca’s decision to not sign Morata may end up haunting them in the long run.

Unai Emery gives order to Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey following agreement on Juventus transfer

Arsenal manager Unai Emery has given a clear order to midfielder Aaron Ramsey over his focus and concentration following reports he’s agreed a transfer to Juventus.

The Guardian reported last night that a deal is essentially in place for Ramsey to move to Juventus on a five-year deal worth around £36million.

MORE: Manchester City rival Arsenal for transfer of La Liga star who’s available for €60million

The Wales international will be out of contract at the Emirates Stadium in the summer after over a decade of service to the Gunners.

This is undoubtedly quite a blow for the club, though Emery has simply re-iterated that he wants the 28-year-old to give his best for Arsenal while he remains in north London until the end of the season.

Marca and other sources continue to link Arsenal with Barcelona midfielder Denis Suarez, who could be a fine replacement for Ramsey, but until then, Emery and everyone else at the Emirates will indeed need Ramsey to give his best when he plays.

Aaron Ramsey in action for Arsenal this season