The Guardian

It felt like nothing would top Tiger Woods’s Masters win, but then the Northern Irishman completed his career grand slam on an extraordinary final day at Augusta At 7am on 14 April in an Augusta rental home, Rory McIlroy awoke and immediately spotted a Green Jacket draped over a chair. “You think: ‘Yeah, that did happen yesterday,’” he says. “That.” McIlroy was now the sixth man to win all four o…

Pivotal items from the legendary leg-spinner’s career, including the ball of the century, make up the exhibit “I feel like a medieval pilgrim being ushered into a chapel to behold some holy relics,” whispers Tom Holland as we head deeper into the bowels of the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The historian and The Rest Is History Podcast co-host, his wife, Sadie, and producer Dom are getting an exclusiv…

Midfielder will be part of the conversation for a Ballon d’Or if he continues his ascent with trophies for club and country Declan Rice likes to call it “clean feedback”, which sounds like a euphemism for a bollocking, though he would probably say that is a misconception. Rather, it is part of the reason why Rice is being discussed as one of the best players in the world. “You can’t eff and blind…

Despite tactical flaws and a fixture pile-up, Eddie Howe still has a ‘glass half full’ attitude before Manchester United trip Newcastle supporters are starting to regard Eddie Howe’s team as an unreliable friend. Catch them on the right night and they invariably prove the life and soul of the thrillingly high-intensity party but, on other days, the once-dependable Sandro Tonali and company simply…

The Harry Redknapp-owned chaser can foil a strong challenge from the all-conquering Willie Mullins yard There is a case to be made for seven of the eight runners in what promises to be a memorable renewal of the King George VI Chase, but the horse with the most appealing profile going into the Boxing Day showpiece is Ben Pauling’s The Jukebox Man (2.30 ) , the fourth-favourite in the betting at a…

‘It’s impossible to replace Bruno … we need more leaders’ United host Newcastle in Premier League on Boxing Day Ruben Amorim has described Bruno Fernandes as “impossible to replace” but has told Manchester United’s players the captain’s injury is a chance for them to step up. Fernandes was forced off at half-time of Sunday’s loss at Aston Villa owing to a soft-tissue injury that will rule him out…

The Spin’s annual selection marks a history-making World Cup triumph for India, and work to do for England India’s mission to build a global women’s cricket dynasty advanced apace in 2025. Few will forget the sight of Harmanpreet Kaur’s team converging joyously on the field at the DY Patil Stadium to celebrate a fairytale World Cup win that was five decades in the making. That final was the highl…

Egypt forward could change face of a league so far mostly reliant on ageing stars and alter perception of football in the Arab world Mohamed Salah has made an impact in Morocco with an injury-time winner to spare Egypt’s blushes in their Africa Cup of Nations opener against Zimbabwe but his future intervention in Saudi Arabia could be more meaningful. A Saudi Pro League (SPL) that had been moving…

Five-time major champion looks poised to become a fascinating test case for golf’s future after exiting Saudi-funded breakaway tour It was portrayed as amicable when it felt so inevitable. News that Brooks Koepka will step away from LIV Golf in 2026 comes as no shock. This never felt a particularly sensible alliance; an individual who craves glory at the top level and a disruption regime that has…

With just one top-flight Boxing Day fixture this year, our cartoonist takes a look at how players, coaches and officials might spend their time David’s favourite cartoons of 2025 | Buy one here And his latest book, Chaos in the Box: get it now Continue reading...

Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Magalhães among those playing games with children, some of whom have been receiving treatment for several years There’s a buzz going around Great Ormond Street hospital’s Koala ward. After the England captain, Leah Williamson, and her Arsenal teammate Steph Catley visited the previous week, rumours have been spreading that there could be some more very special guests arriv…

Portland Fire are set for their debut season in the WNBA. Their coach has completed an unlikely journey to the top of his sport As an aspiring basketball coach in his teens and early 20s, Alex Sarama was often met with snickers when he talked about the game he loved. For the British-born Sarama, who on 28 October was named the head coach of the WNBA’s newest expansion team, the Portland Fire, peo…

Footage emerges of what appears to be Ben Duckett worse for wear England team director defends decision to allow Queensland rest Rob Key has defended England’s mid-tour break in Noosa but confirmed he will look into reports that excessive drinking by players in between the second and third Ashes Tests turned it into a “glorified stag do”. Key was speaking before unverified social media footage em…

Opening salvos before a huge MCG crowd are often among the most memorable meetings between Australia and England – here are five crackers In the first session Australia set off at a lick, surging to 102 without loss with David Warner’s 83 the crux. Warner would go on to notch his 21st Test century, but not without a spot of drama when one run shy. Pity poor Tom Curran, who thought he had claimed …

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