Allen Doyle, nine shots behind after the third round of the U.S. Senior Open, shoots a course-record 63 (tied for the lowest round ever in the event) and wins his third senior major by one stroke. His final-round comeback is the most in the history of the senior majors; among the mainstream men's majors, only Paul Lawrie's comeback from 10 shots down on the final day of the 1999 Open Championship surpasses this feat. (USSeniorOpen.com)[permanent dead link]
The New York Knicks officially name Larry Brown as head coach, signing a five-year, $50 million contract, the richest ever for a coach/manager in sports history.
Football: UEFA Cup 2005–06 First Qualifying Round, second leg. Teams progressing to the next round shown in bold.
The Tampa Bay Devil Rays beat the Boston Red Sox, 4–3, in 10 innings. The game is significant in that it was the Red Sox' first extra-inning game this year, after 98 nine-inning games. Never before in the history of Major League Baseball had a team played so many games without going into extra innings.
Internazionale will proceed with their planned pre-season tour of England, reversing their decision from the previous day to cancel the tour due to security concerns related to this month's bombings in London. (BBC)
Stage 20, Individual time trial, 55.5km, starting and finishing in Saint-Étienne. In the Tour's penultimate stage Michael Rasmussen suffers a disastrous performance, losing his overall third place following a fall after 3km, requiring four bike changes, and then crashing into a ditch. Lance Armstrong wins his first stage of this Tour, the twenty-second of his career, in 1h 11m 46s. Jan Ullrich was 23 seconds slower but moves up the General Classification. In the GC, Lance Armstrong leads the parade toward Paris tomorrow in 82h 34m 05s, followed by Ivan Basso in +4m 40s, Jan Ullrich in +6m 21s, Francisco Mancebo in +9m 59s, Levi Leipheimer in +11m 25s, Alexander Vinokourov in +11m 27s, Michael Rasmussen plummets from 3rd to 7th in +11m 33s, Cadel Evans in +11m 55s, Floyd Landis in +12m 44s and Óscar Pereiro in +16m 04s. (Le Tour)
The National Hockey League lockout officially ends as the NHLPA votes in favor of the new collective bargaining agreement by an 87–13% margin.(AP/ESPN)
Stage 18, 189.0km from Albi to Mende. In the stage ending on the airport runway at Mende, Marcos Serrano wins the stage in 4h 37m 36s, followed by Cédric Vasseur and Axel Merckx 27 seconds later. Cadel Evans, Lance Armstrong, Ivan Basso and Jan Ullrich finish in 11th–14th places at +11m 18s, followed by Alexander Vinokourov, Michael Rasmussen, Levi Leipheimer and Francisco Mancebo at +11m 55s. With only four stages remaining, the General Classification is Armstrong 3,254.5km in 77h 44m 44s (average 41.664km/h), followed by Basso at +2m 46s, Rasmussen at +3m 46s, Ullrich at +5m 58s, Mancebo at +7m 08s, Leipheimer at +8m 12s, Evans at +9m 49s, Vinokourov at +10m 11s, Floyd Landis at +10m 42s, and Christophe Moreau at +13m 15s. Rasmussen is confirmed at the winner of the King of the Mountains competition, however, he must finish the race in Paris on Sunday to officially claim the title. (Le Tour)
Stage 17, 239.5km from Pau to Revel, Haute-Garonne. Seventeen riders break away from the peloton early in the stage, opening a lead of up to 25 minutes. At the end of the stage Paolo Savoldelli beats Kurt Asle Arvesen with the last turn of the pedals. The peloton arrives 22 minutes 28 seconds after Savoldelli, including Lance Armstrong, Ivan Basso and Michael Rasmussen. The General Classification leaders are unchanged. (Le Tour)
The Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association release coach Larry Brown from the final three years of his contract, allowing him to move to the New York Knicks nine days later.
Elite cyclist and former Olympic rower Amy Gillett was killed and five teammates seriously injured when an out of control car runs into the members of the Australian women's national team on a training ride. The riders were due to compete in the Tour of Thuringen. The start of the tour has been delayed until the 21 July as a mark of respect. (BBC)
The final rest day for the Tour de France. Action will resume on Tuesday (19 July).
The Kansas City Royals defeat the Detroit Tigers 5–0 in a game that is marred by a massive bench-clearing brawl in the sixth inning. It begins when Royals starter Runelvys Hernández hits Tigers batter Carlos Guillén in the helmet with a pitch, the third batter in the game Hernández plunks. The two exchange words, and both benches and dugouts clear. At first, only words are exchanged between the teams. Then, Tigers pitcher Kyle Farnsworth picks up Royals reliever Jeremy Affeldt and slams him to the ground, resulting in exchanged punches. When all is said and done, seven people are ejected — Hernández, Guillén, Farnsworth, Jeremy Bonderman, Emil Brown, Alberto Castillo, and Royals manager Buddy Bell. (Yahoo!)
In the General Classification, Lance Armstrong picks up yet another yellow jersey in 62 h 09 min 59 s, and Ivan Basso (+2 min 46 s) leapfrogs Michael Rasmussen (+3 min 09 s) into second place. Jan Ullrich is at +5 min 58 s, followed by Francisco Mancebo (+6 min 31 s), Levi Leipheimer (+7 min 35 s), Floyd Landis (+9 min 33 s), Alexander Vinokourov (+9 min 38 s), Christophe Moreau is the leading Frenchman at +11 min 47 s while Andreas Klöden is in 10th place at +12 min 01 s. Monday is a rest day. (Le Tour)
Tiger Woods scrambled to a one-under-par 71 and retain a lead that was reduced to two strokes after three rounds on The Old Course at St Andrews. José María Olazábal was in second place after a two-under-par score of 70. (The Open website)
In the General Classification, at 55 h 58 min 17 s Lance Armstrong increases his lead over Michael Rasmussen to +1 min 41 s, with Ivan Basso (+2 min 46 s), Jan Ullrich (+4 min 34 s), Levi Leipheimer (+4 min 45 s), Floyd Landis and Francisco Mancebo (both +5 min 03 s), Andreas Klöden (+5 min 38 s), Alexander Vinokourov (+7 min 09 s), and Christophe Moreau (+8 min 37 s). (Le Tour.)
At The Open Championship at The Old Course at St Andrews, Tiger Woods extended his lead in the event to four strokes, this day over sentimental favourite Colin Montgomerie. Jack Nicklaus, in what would turn out to be his final competitive round of golf as a professional, would miss the cut shooting a par 72, but will end his career after a birdie on the 18th hole and a two-round total three strokes over par. Also missing the cut was defending champion Todd Hamilton, shooting two over par. (AP/Yahoo! Sports)
Michelle Wie lost her quarter-final match at the U. S. Public Links Men's Championship, and will not qualify for the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia next April. (AP/ESPN)
Robbie McEwen (AUS) won Stage 13 from Miramas to Montpellier (173.5km) in 3:43:24. Lance Armstrong finished 33rd with the same time, and retains the yellow jersey as he keeps a lead of 35 seconds over his competition, Denmark's Michael Rasmussen. (OLN)
Tiger Woods leads after the first round at The Old Course at St Andrews with a six-under par 66. Jack Nicklaus, playing in his final competitive event at this year's Open Championship on The Old Course, shot a three-over par 75.(AP/ESPN)
The San Francisco Giants defeated their hated rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers, 4–3, to win their 10,000th game in the club's history, the most of any professional sports franchise.
Stage 11 of the Tour, 173km from Courchevel to Briançon. Before the stage begins, Italian rider Dario Frigo is excluded and arrested when performance-enhancing drugs are discovered in his wife's car. In the first stage to have not one but two "hors catégorie" climbs (the highest categorisation for mountains, indicating maximum difficulty), the Col de la Madeleine (2000 m) and the Col du Galibier (2645 m – the highest point of this year's Tour) T-Mobile's Kazakh rider Alexander Vinokourov wins in a sprint, just ahead of ColombianSantiago Botero. Lance Armstrong's group finishes one minute and a quarter behind, so the American keeps the yellow jersey, while its former wearer, Jens Voigt of CSC is eliminated for not finishing within the time limit.
Armstrong remains 38 seconds ahead of Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank), and his next closest rival is Christophe Moreau. The only majorly movement in the general classification is Vinokourov making up some time on the leaders. The other jerseys have not changed hands, and the lanterne rouge, the last placed rider in the race (presently Iker Flores) is more than two and a quarter hours down on Armstrong. (Le Tour)
Stage 9 of the Tour, 171km from Gerardmer to Mulhouse. After a breakaway of 167 kilometres, Michael Rasmussen (Rabobank) wins the stage in 4 hours 8 minutes 20 seconds, 3 minutes 4 seconds ahead of Christophe Moreau (Crédit Agricole) and Jens Voigt (Team CSC) who takes the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification from Lance Armstrong. The peloton arrives 6 minutes 4 seconds after Rasmussen. The first yellow jersey wearer of this year's race, David Zabriskie (Team CSC) retires because of the injuries he sustained in his fall in the time trial in stage 4. Rasmussen also substantially extends his lead in the King of the Mountains competition, winning all 30 points on the Ballon d'Alsace for the mountains classification. In the General Classification, Voigt now leads at 32 hours 18 minutes 23 seconds, followed by Moreau (+1 min 50 sec), Armstrong (+2 min 18 sec), Rasmussen (+2 min 43 sec), Alexander Vinokourov (+3 min 20 sec) and Bobby Julich (+3 min 25 sec). Monday is a rest day. (Le Tour)
Stage 8 of the Tour, 231.5km from Pforzheim, Germany to Gérardmer, ends in an apparent photographic dead heat between Pieter Weening (Rabobank) and Andreas Klöden (T-Mobile Team) in 5 hours 3 minutes 54 seconds, eventually awarded to Weening by .0002 of a second, the smallest victory margin ever. Jan Ullrich (T-Mobile Team) finished in 6th place.
In the General Classification Lance Armstrong (Discovery Channel) still leads in 28 hours 6 minutes 17 seconds (earning his 71st yellow jersey, the 78-day record of Bernard Hinault looking increasingly approachable), followed 1 minute later by Jens Voigt (Team CSC), Alexander Vinokourov (T-Mobile Team) 1 minute 2 seconds behind Armstrong, and Bobby Julich (Team CSC) 1 minute 7 seconds behind the leader.
Baseball and softball will be dropped from the Olympic docket of sports in time for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. Two of the sports being considered to replace them are golf and rugby sevens. However, IOC president Jacques Rogge says these sports are not gone from the Games forever. Update: squash and karate were nominated to replace baseball and softball, but did not get the 2/3 majority needed to become Olympic sports. (Yahoo! Asia)[permanent dead link]
On the day that saw the Tour de France divert into Germany, Stage 7 between Lunéville and Karlsruhe was won in a disorganised sprint finish by Robbie McEwen, with Magnus Bäckstedt second and Bernhard Eisel third. Tom Boonen had his worst sprint finish so far, finishing in seventh place. The big names finished in the peloton, losing no time, Jan Ullrich in 45th place, Lance Armstrong in 53rd place, and Alexander Vinokourov in 65th place. Armstrong and George Hincapie are still in first and second, Hincapie being 55 seconds back, with Vinokourov third, 62 seconds behind Armstrong in the GC. (BBC)
On a day that saw a driving rainstorm which led to several large pile-ups, including one with 500 meters to go, Italian Lorenzo Bernucci of Fassa Bortolo was able to escape the crashes and come in first in Stage 6 of the Tour de France. Lance Armstrong and George Hincapie are still in first and second, Hincapie being 55 seconds back, but a strong second-place finish in today's stage from Alexander Vinokourov puts him in third in the GC. (OLN)
In the fastest team time trial ever, Team Discovery Channel wins Stage 4 of the Tour de France, between Tours and Blois, in a record 1:10:39, 2 seconds ahead of Team CSC. Lance Armstrong takes the yellow jersey away from David Zabriskie, who suffered a crash just outside the 1km-to go marker. Lance's Discovery Channel teammate, George Hincapie, is 2nd, 55 seconds back. Zabriskie is now ninth, more than a minute back of the six-time champion. (BBC)(Le Tour)
Tom Boonen of Belgium wins stage 3 of the Tour de France, sprinting past his rivals on the line. Robbie McEwen, who finished 3rd was relegated to 186th place by the commissaires for hindering Stuart O'Grady's line in the sprint finish. David Zabriskie retains the yellow jersey for a third day, retaining a 2-second lead over Lance Armstrong. (BBC)
Tom Boonen of Belgium wins the first stage proper (stage 2) of the Tour de France, sprinting past his rivals on the line. He thus takes Armstrong's Green Jersey while Zabriskie retains the yellow jersey as leader of the general classification. An attack by last year's hero, Thomas Voeckler, puts him in the King of the Mountainsjersey.
The 2005 Tour de France starts from Noirmoutier, in France's Vendée region. The 19.5km opening time trial is won by American David Zabriskie, with hot favourite Lance Armstrong (also USA) in second place – thus taking the year's first Green Jersey. This is the second successive time Armstrong has done this.
Venus Williams wins the Ladies' Singles for the third time, defeating fellow American Lindsay Davenport 4–6 7–6(4) 9–7. The match is the longest women's final by time in the history of the tournament, lasting 2:45. (BBC)
Stephen Huss (Australia) and Wesley Moodie (South Africa) defeat American twins Bob and Mike Bryan 7–6(4) 6–3 6–7(2) 6–3 to win the Gentlemen's Doubles. They become the first qualifiers ever to win this event at Wimbledon. (BBC)
Australia and England share the NatWest Series trophy after a crowd-pleaser at Lord's. Both sides made 196, England scoring two leg byes off the last ball to tie the game, after being 33 for 5.
In the second Test of the British & Irish Lionstour of New Zealand, the Lions are resoundingly defeated by the All Blacks 48–18. With the win, the All Blacks clinch a series win. Fly-half Dan Carter scores 33 of the All Blacks' points, a record for an All Blacks player against the Lions. (BBC)
Kenny Rogers is suspended for 20 games and fined an undisclosed amount for his tirade that sent cameraman Larry Rodriguez to the hospital on Wednesday. (Yahoo!)
Today's first match at Wimbledon was the conclusion of the Davenport vs. Mauresmo match. Davenport prevailed despite a fight from Mauresmo, 6–7(5) 7–6(4) 6–4. In the Men's semi-final World #1 Roger Federer defeated World #2 Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets 6–3 6–4 7–6(5) in a very powerful performance from the top seed. (BBC Sport)
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