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

PGA of America forms Golf Relief and Assistance Fund to aid disaster victims industrywide

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – In response to the recent series of tragic weather events, the PGA of America has announced the formation of the Golf Relief and Assistance Fund, which will help provide relief to individuals in the golf industry who have suffered as a result of a current or future qualified disaster.

The Golf Relief and Assistance Fund was created so the PGA of America and other industry participants can support PGA Members and other golf industry personnel in qualified disaster situations. The PGA launched this fund with a contribution of $250,000. The fund will be administered by the largest community foundation in the world, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, of Mountain View, California.

“We view the Golf Relief and Assistance Fund as a model of how the PGA Member can help show the positive role the PGA plays in the golf industry,” said PGA President Paul Levy. “We look to our Members to help spread the word about the availability of this fund to their fellow PGA Members and to others in golf industry communities who may be in need.”

To either make a tax-deductible contribution to the Golf Relief and Assistance Fund or to apply for assistance, please visit GolfReliefFund.org.

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Manchester United set to extend wonderkid’s contract amid European transfer links

Manchester United have opened contract negotiations with Luca Ercolani, with his current deal set to expire at the end of the season.

According to Tuttomercatoweb via the Daily Express, the Italian defender will be offered an extension by the club as a reward for his efforts in the development team since his switch from Serie D outfit Forli back in 2016.

The 18-year-old has not yet managed to earn his senior debut for United, but he has been tipped for a bright future and is already attracting interest from a whole host of European clubs.

The Red Devils have taken steps to ensure that they retain his services for the foreseeable future, in the hope that he can soon stake a claim for a place in the first team.

The young defender has already been capped for Italy at U-20 level and he has also been a regular for United in the UEFA Youth League, impressing at the back with a maturity which belies his tender age.

Luca Ercolani

United are currently enjoying a resurgence under caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who has staked his claim to land the permanent manager’s job with six wins from his first six games at the helm.

The Norwegian enjoyed a stellar playing career at Old Trafford and he knows the club inside out, which means he is well aware of the value placed in the future academy stars.

Ercolani is United’s Italian wonderkid and the fact that they have made his future a priority issue to sort out at this stage of the season just goes to show how much faith they have in him long-term.

Solskjaer has managed to shore up United’s leaky defence since coming in, but the damage was already done while Jose Mourinho was in charge and the team’s record now reads 32 goals conceded in just 22 Premier League matches this term.

Some supporters would surely be happy to see Ercolani granted a cameo appearance or two in the coming months, rather than embracing the alternative, which is watching the club shell out extortionate fees for defensive reinforcements in the transfer market.

£53m star attracted by Chelsea transfer offer but Arsenal and Liverpool still in the running

Bayern Munich attacking midfielder James Rodriguez is reportedly attracting a long list of suitors in the transfer market.

According to the latest update on the Colombia international’s future from Don Balon, Chelsea are the latest Premier League club to make him an offer.

MORE: Barcelona closing in on surprise transfer as alternative to Chelsea duo

The Spanish outlet claims this follows interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, who they claim still seem to be leading the charge to snap him up.

Rodriguez has not been at his best at Bayern, and also struggled towards the end of his time at Real Madrid, from whom he is on loan at the Allianz Arena.

A move to the Premier League could now be on the cards for the 27-year-old, who seemed to have the world at his feet just a few years ago when he shone for Monaco and had an outstanding campaign at the 2014 World Cup, winning the Golden Boot.

James Rodriguez is a transfer target for Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea

Don Balon also links Rodriguez with the likes of Napoli, where he could be reunited with his old manager Carlo Ancelotti.

“Sign yours next” – These Liverpool fans call for Reds ace to follow Andy Robertson’s footsteps and extend Anfield stay

Liverpool fans have called for James Milner to extend his contract with the club following the news that Andy Robertson has penned a new five-year deal at Anfield.

According to the BBC, the Scottish international has agreed a new long-term contract with the club that will see him stay at Anfield until 2024, news that will put smiles on the faces of all the club’s fans.

It’s not hard to see why Liverpool have decided to tie Robertson down to a new deal given the form the Scot has been in so far this term, and this news has seen Reds fans call for Milner to follow Robertson’s footsteps and agree a new deal with the club as well.

Milner has been a key part of Liverpool’s side ever since he joined on a free from Manchester City a few years ago, and it looks like Liverpool fans are desperate to see the 33-year-old extend his stay at Anfield if the replies to his latest tweet are anything to go by.

After congratulating Robertson on his new contract, fans replied to Milner’s tweet asking him when he’s going to sign his new deal and extend his stay at Anfield as well.

Given how he’s performed for the Reds over the years, it’s easy to see why supporters of the club are see keen to see Milner put pen to paper on a new deal at Anfield!

Watch Phil Mickelson trash talk Tiger Woods at The Northern Trust

The trash talk started on Twitter. Now it's spreading onto the course.

Earlier this week, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson announced their $9 million head-to-head showdown event, The Match, will be played over Thanksgiving weekend.

MORE: Tiger, Phil announce The Match | B/R Live

Immediately after the announcement, the two had some fun on Twitter (more on that below). But on Saturday, Phil took the trash talking out onto the course.

As Mickelson hit his tee shot on the par-3 No. 2 on Saturday at The Northern Trust, someone said, "That's gotta be better than Tiger's."

"Oh, it is," Mickelson replied.

The crowd's reaction to Phil's trask talk says it all.

Mickelson did beat Tiger on the second hole. While Woods had a par, Mickelson birdied. Woods ended the round bogey-free and shot a 3-under on Saturday to reach 3-under for the tournament.

Mickelson also shot 3-under on Saturday, but he's 9-under through three rounds.

MORE: How Tiger, Phil compare in every round they played together

When the two went back-and-forth on Twitter, Tiger tweeted "It's on" at Phil.

Phil then tweeted back: "I bet you think this is the easiest $9M you will ever make."