Sport blogs

iBet: Sometimes the most obvious bets are the best

I don’t normally like to bet on friendlies, but World Cup winners Spain have picked a very strong sq...

Paralympian Paul Blake: ‘I used to run and I liked doing that…’

Paul Blake is working to reduce his 400m time in a bid to succeed over 400m and 800m at next year’s ...

Predictions for week 10 of the NFL

ESPN America’s Michael Kim makes his predictions for week ten of the NFL.

The Independent
The Independent around the web
John Daly quits the Australian Open halfway through his first round

'Wild Thing' in hot water Down Under after deliberately running out of balls

There is only one golfer who could take the spotlight away from Tiger Woods, in this of all weeks. Step forward, John Daly. And then depart the scene, stage left, with noises off and a hail of ignominy.

Donald: 'With death there is pain and loss, but out of that comes light and appreciation'

Donald's father passes away

Luke Donald's father, Colin, has passed away. He died suddenly on Monday night, the world No 1's management confirmed yesterday. Luke was at his home in Chicago awaiting the birth of his second daughter. Diane, his wife, was due last week.

Tiger Woods says his former caddie 'is not a racist'

'Hurt' Woods lets Williams escape

It will puzzle a lot of people why Tiger Woods decided to give his former caddie Steve Williams such an easy ride yesterday – in public at least. "Stevie is certainly not a racist – there's no doubt about that," said Woods in Australia as if he was leaping to the defence of a close friend wrongly accused of saying something bad about somebody else.

Steve Williams pictured with Tiger Woods earlier this year

Steve Williams is 'not a racist' says Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods has attempted to draw a line under the race row sparked by Steve Williams by insisting his former caddie is "not a racist" and has apologised for his comments.

Kiwi caddie was stunned by the reaction to his comments at an award ceremony

Williams claims race row 'blown out of proportion'

Steve Williams still doesn't know what all the fuss is about. Yesterday the caddie who last week called his former employer, Tiger Woods, "that black arsehole", told a reporter he believes the race row has been blown out of all proportion.

Kaymer's brilliance leaves McIlroy feeling second best

Rory McIlroy yesterday moved up to the hitherto unvisited heights of the world top two – but was still made to feel inferior in the process.

Caddie Steve Williams appears to have plenty on his mind during Adam Scott's final round in Shanghai

Caddie's future lies in hands of former employer Woods

So it took the Australians, those masters of diplomacy, to ensure the outrage does not boil over on to the fairways. After the game's two most powerful executives allowed caddie Steve Williams to carry on regardless, after referring to Tiger Woods as "that black arsehole", the officials in Sydney vowed to do all they could to take the heat out of the race-row.

The Hacker: I was deep in the mire without my buggy. If only I had some cider

Like most hackers, I have had more than my fair share of golfing days when everything seems to go wrong. But never before have I managed to inflict my miseries on a professional, even to the extent of costing him a few quid.

Staying strong: Steve Williams (left) advises Adam Scott, who fired 69 yesterday to be three shots off the lead in Shanghai

Williams avoids axe for now after saying sorry for Tiger slur

Silence of authorities who have power to ban caddie is deafening but Scott stands by bagman embroiled in race row

Severed alliance: Steve Williams enjoys the company of Tiger Woods, when he was the then world No1's caddie

James Corrigan: Ban Williams now and be done with racism

The Last Word: Golf isn't racist but Williams' remark was, so administrators must get tough for good of game

Paul Casey is in great shape after a second-round 66 in Shanghai

Casey finally on the mend after painful time on and off course

England's 'forgotten man' shows signs of form after a slump down rankings caused by bizarre toe injury.

Steve Williams (left) caddying for Adam Scott in Shanghai this week

Williams commits career suicide with Tiger Woods race slur

Caddie looks set to be ostracised from the game after his shocking remarks at awards ceremony

James Lawton: Rank stupidity to blame for caddie's attack

Williams has lost not only the biggest job in golf but also any contact with reality

Graeme McDowell shot 81-82 over the weekend in Spain but bounced back with a first-round 69 in Shanghai

McDowell is back after pain in Spain

Irishman admits he threw in the towel last week but coach's stern words have him on leaderboard again

Rory McIlroy says splitting with Chubby was toughest decision of his life but it was strictly business

Rory McIlroy: 'Yes, I have changed. It is all part of growing up'

The Ulsterman says splitting with his agent Chubby was toughest decision of his life but it was strictly business.

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