World Sports News in Brief

Trump awards highest US civilian honour to Tiger Woods

When Tiger Woods won the Masters on April 14, President Donald Trump declared he was going to award him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and ordered his aides to schedule the event as soon as possible.

Golfer Tiger Woods is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour, by US President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, May 6, 2019. (Photo: Reuters)
Golfer Tiger Woods is awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honour, by US President Donald Trump in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, May 6, 2019. (Photo: Reuters)

On Monday, Trump got what he asked for. At a ceremony in the sun-splashed White House Rose Garden, Trump made the 43-year-old Woods the fourth, and youngest, professional golfer to receive the nation’s highest civilian honour, after Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Charlie Sifford. With 81 PGA Tour victories, Woods is one shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record, and with 15 major tournament victories, he trails only Nicklaus, who has 18.

* Three players were sent off and AC Milan coach Gennaro Gattuso was involved in a touchline row with one of his own players as they beat Bologna 2-1 on Monday to revive their Champions League hopes. The win lifted Milan to fifth place on 59 points, ahead of AS Roma on their head-to-head record, although they are still three behind Atalanta who are fourth and occupy the last of the Champions League slots.

* Marin Cilic saved four match points to beat Slovakia's Martin Klizan 6-4 2-6 7-6(0) and reach the second round of the Madrid Open on Monday. American Taylor Fritz made it through qualifying for the first time this season and upset Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(8) 7-6(4) to set up a second round showdown with world number one Novak Djokovic.

* Three-time champion Petra Kvitova defeated Kristina Mladenovic 6-3 7-6(5) to reach the third round of the Madrid Open on Monday. The Dutchwoman faces another Latvian, Anastasija Sevastova, in the next round, after she beat Romania's Mihaela Buzarnescu 6-3 6-4.

* Trump won his first world snooker championship with a comprehensive 18-9 win over John Higgins who was beaten in the final for the third year in a row on Monday. It was the biggest winning margin in a final since Higgins beat Shaun Murphy by the same score in 2009.

* Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas was released from hospital on Monday (May 6) after suffering a heart attack in training last week. The Spaniard, 37, thanked medics at the hospital in Porto, Portugal, as well as the thousands of people who wished him well.

* Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany said he ignored calls "not to shoot" from his team mates as he fired in from long range to earn his side a crucial 1-0 win over Leicester City in the Premier League on Monday. City looked nervy as they reached the hour mark at the Etihad without scoring a goal. Kompany then came to the rescue by arrowing in a stunning strike into the top corner in the 70th minute to score his first goal of the season, his first-ever from outside the box in the Premier League, to win the match for City.

* Felix Sanchez has extended his contract as head coach of Qatar's national team through to the 2022 World Cup hosted by Qatar, the country's Football Association said on Monday. Spaniard Sanchez led the team to the Asian Cup title in the United Arab Emirates in January having been appointed to replace Jorge Fossati during the final stages of the country's failed attempt to qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia.

* Liverpool will be without forwards Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino when they face Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final as they look to overturn a 3-0 deficit, manager Juergen Klopp said on Monday. Egypt international Salah was carried off the pitch with a head injury in Saturday's 3-2 Premier League win at Newcastle United and has not recovered for the game against Barca at Anfield on Tuesday. Brazilian Firmino has a muscular injury and was not included in the squad for Saturday's game at St James' Park.

* International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach has praised Southeast Queensland's early planning for a potential bid for the 2032 Summer Games after meeting with the mayor of Brisbane on Monday. Queensland state capital Brisbane and nearby cities commissioned a feasibility study into hosting the Games but have yet to secure state and federal government support for a formal bid.

* Ligue 1 club Lyon on Monday announced the two-year extension of Brazilian defender Rafael da Silva, who's now linked with the club through June 30, 2021. Joining in 2015 from Manchester United, Rafael originally signed a four-year deal with Lyon after having spent seven seasons in the Premier League.

* Two brand-new accolades will be up for grabs at the Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony, bringing the number of total categories to 11 this year, the world's football governing body announced on Monday. FIFA unveiled the Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper and FIFA FIFPro Women's World 11 as the latest glories.

* French Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain announced on Monday that their first team will travel to China’s Shenzhen, Macao and Suzhou as part of their pre-season tour from July 23 to August 3 in preparation for the 2019-20 season.

Reuters, Xinhua