This week we send our congratulations to Open Champion Phil Mickelson for a fantastic performance at Muirfield and also Edinburgh and Leith Bowling Association for winning the coveted Andrew Hamilton Trophy. Well done to Spartans for reaching the Ramsden Cup with an aggregate win over Threave Rovers.
We look forward to Hibs’ Europa League qualifying tie with Malmo on Thursday, and look at the behind the scenes activity at Tynecastle.
Golf
Phil Mickelson came from five strokes back to clinch his first Open title at Muirfield. The 43-year-old triumphed by three shots from Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, with English pair Ian Poulter and Lee Westwood four back, alongside Australia’s Masters champion Adam Scott
The American, who won the Scottish Open, last week, birdied four of the last six holes. Afterwards he said: “This is such an accomplishment because I never knew whether I’d be able to develop my game to play links golf. I played arguably the best round of my career, and shot the round of my life. It’s such a difficult six-hole finish, I putted so good. It feels amazing. The range of emotions I feel are as far apart as possible after losing the US Open. But you have to be resilient in this game. These last couple of weeks, these last couple of months, I’ve played some of the best golf of my career.”
The final scoreboard read:
3: Mickelson (US) Par: Stenson (Swe)+1: Scott (Aus), Poulter (Eng), Westwood (Eng)+2: Matsuyama (Jpn), Z Johnson (US), Woods (US)Selected: +3: Mahan (US)+4: Cabrera (Spa)+5: Jimenez (Spa)+7: Garcia (Spa), Clarke (NI)
Football
Hibs face an uphill struggle to progress to the Europa League group stages after a two goal defeat to Malmo in Sweden on Thursday.
Hibs started brightly, and summer signing Owain Tudur Jones, making his competitive debut, went close with a header from a Liam Craig free kick in the sixth minute. The Swedish club went ahead three minutes later, when James McPake was booked for a foul just outside the box and Malmo’s captain Jiloan Hamed sent the resultant free kick into the top corner of the net, leaving Ben William helpless.
Malmo doubled their advantage a minute later when Emil Forsberg cut the ball back from the left flank and found Magnus Eriksson who slotted the ball home.
Hibs fought back and continued to create chances, with Tudur Jones going close with a header from a corner while fellow debutant Rowan Vine saw his well struck effort cannon off the inside of the post.
The return leg is on Thursday at Easter Road, and the winners of the tie will play Premiership side Swansea City.
Hearts
Hearts administrators BDO have emailed the three interested parties, Foundation of Hearts, Bob Jamieson’s HMFC Limited and Angelo Massone’s Five Stars Football Limited – requesting proof of funding.
The Foundation of Hearts will submit financial documents to BDO by the middle of next week, which demonstrate that an initial £2m cash is available from investors for a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA). Converted monthly pledges from supporters will provide the remaining £3.75m in working capital to run the club for the next three years.
HMFC Limited and Five Stars Football Limited have offered £1.8m for control of the club plus £3.2m in working capital for three years.
Bob Jamieson has denied being in dispute with his American backers, Club 9 Sports, over funding for his £5m offer for Hearts.
Massone’s bid is around £4m; however it is debatable whether he would be considered a “fit and proper person” to run a football club under Scottish Football Association guidelines on owners.
His offer does not include a plan for working capital.
Any party which is unable to provide proof of funding will no longer be considered a serious bidder by BDO, who hope to name a preferred bidder within the next three to four weeks.
Meanwhile, the disciplinary hearing for Hearts entering administration has been postponed until August 1 due to unforeseen circumstances.
On the field goals from Kevin McHattie, Billy King, Jamie Walker, Ryan Stevenson and Gary Oliver helped Hearts to a 5-0 victory over Raith Rovers at Starks Park In Saturday Hearts drew 0-0 with Queen of the South..
Ramsden Cup
Congratulations go to Spartans after their 4-3 aggregate win against Threave Rovers sets up a 1st Round tie against Ramsdens Cup holders Queen of the South in Dumfries next Saturday.
The Ainslie Park side travelled to Meadows Park with a 4-2 advantage from the first leg. The game was played in very hot conditions, but both teams gave 100%.
After a goalless first half, Spartans almost grabbed the lead when a Motion free-kick was floated into the Threave penalty box, with MacKinnon inches away from connecting with his head.
Robbie Ross then went close after good work from Jack Beesley as Spartans looked to be in control however it was Threave Rovers who scored against the run of play in the 72nd minute with a well taken strike from Fyfe.
Scott Bennett then made a fantastic save from a Wilby free kick as Rovers fought hard for a second goal, but Spartans almost wrapped it up on the break when Beacher’s shot was well saved by the Rovers’ keeper and when the final whistle sounded, the Spartan Army who had made the journey from the capital cheered on loudly from around the ground, knowing they’d be making another road trip next Saturday.
Spartans Team: Bennett, Main, Blaikie (Anderson 72), Sivewright, MacKinnon, Cenerrazzo, Motion, Whatley, Ross, Beacher & Beesley. Subs: Anderson, O’Donnell, Gray & Jackson (GK).
Speedway
Newcastle Diamonds managed to get revenge for being knocked out of the cup earlier in the season by beating The Scotwaste Monarchs 41-52 on Friday night at Armadale.
The pair meet again in Newcastle on Sunday.
Boxing
Lochend’s Lewis Benson, 69kg Stephen Tiffney 56kg and Tommy Philbin 81kg along with Craigmillar’s Jason Easton (64kg) flew out to the Russian capital with their Scottish team-mates to compete in the Valeri Popenchenko Memorial tournament, a knock-out event which will see some of the best amateur boxers in Europe go head to head.
The first day’s action saw Jason Easton take on Maksim Akopov (Russia). Jason won the first round, however his opponent won the next two to secure the victory.
In addition, Tommy Philbin fought Sergii Litvinov (Russia), but the Russian proved to be too strong and took all three rounds.
The tournament is still on-going and a roundup of the results will appear next week.
Bowls
Huge congratulations to Edinburgh and Leith Bowling Association for winning the coveted Andrew Hamilton Trophy for the first time since 2001, beating Ayrshire North127-100 in the final at West Kilbride.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
