Ben Shelton stumbles in Davis Cup return

Manila Times - Sep 19, 2026

PRAGUE — US Open finalist Ben Shelton struggled to dominate with his serve and was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by 24th-ranked Jiri Lehecka on Friday as the Czech Republic drew level 1-1 with the United States in the last qualifying round for the Davis Cup Final 8. Lehecka broke Shelton’s serve early in each set on the indoor hard court at Prague’s O2 Arena. Earlier, Learner Tien beat Jakub Mensik 6-2, 6-4 in his Davis Cup debut to give the 32-time champion Americans a 1-0 lead. Tien had only 15 unforced errors to Mensik’s 34. Shelton, who is up to a career-high No. 4 in the rankings after his US Open run, dropped to 0-3 for his career in the Davis Cup. In his only previous action in the competition, he lost both singles and doubles matches (with partner Tommy Paul) as the US was beaten by Australia in the 2024 quarterfinals. Doubles and reverse singles are scheduled for Saturday in the best-of-five match series. The winning team advances to the Final 8 in Bologna, Italy, in November. It was Shelton’s first match since losing to Alexander Zverev in New York on Sunday in his first Grand Slam final. South Korea nears Asian success South Korea moved within one victory of...

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Sep 19, 2026

McIlroy charges back in contention at PGA Championship

VIRGINIA WATER, UK — Rory McIlroy revived his hopes of victory in the European Tour’s flagship PGA Championship with a five-under par second round that left him four strokes off the lead as Ryan Gerard of the United States took the lead. McIlroy had a poor finish to his first round at the Wentworth course, southwest of London, with three bogeys in his closing six holes. But it was a different story on Friday for the Northern Irishman, one of just six men golfers to have won all four of golf’s major titles. McIlroy, the reigning US Masters champion, made three birdies in his opening five holes. The 37-year-old McIlroy is trying to reel in the injured Patrick Reed to win a record-equalling eighth Race to Dubai title -- the competition which crowns the best player on the European Tour. McIlroy dropped a shot on the par-four eighth to head into the turn on 33, but regained that stroke with a birdie from 16 feet on the 11th hole. A birdie on the par-three 14th was followed by a bogey at 16. McIlroy narrowly missed an eagle chance on the 17th but he tapped that in and then made another birdie on the last for a round of 67. Reed retired midway through his second round with an injury, the American having been nine over. “Unfortunately he’s pulled out this week, which gives me an opportunity to try to claw back some ground that I lost last week in Ireland,” said McIlroy, the world number two. “This weekend is a big weekend for me to pick up a few points and make the race even tighter going into these last few weeks.” Gerard, who had started the day at five under, rolled in a fine eagle from 20 feet on the 17th to take the outright lead, before finishing with a birdie in a superb round of 65. Australia’s Adam Scott finished at 10 under after his 67 left him two shots off the lead and sharing second place with Italy’s Filippo Celli. US PGA champion Aaron Rai, playing alongside McIlroy and British Open champion Ryan Fox in a showpiece group, also had a birdie-birdie finish for his 69, which leaves the Englishman at nine under alongside Spain’s Manuel Elvira. New Zealand’s Fox was one of a quintet of players on eight under, with McIlroy, England’s Ross Fisher, Spain’s Ignacio Elvira and JJ Spaun of the United States.

Ciganda channels Spanish spirit at SC

Sep 19, 2026

Ciganda channels Spanish spirit at SC

CARLOTA Ciganda doesn’t have the career resume to inspire any level of intimidation. She has only three wins in 15 seasons on the LPGA Tour, eight more on the Ladies European Tour. Ciganda has never won or even finished runner-up in the 74 majors she has played. The 36-year-old Spaniard missed the cut in four of the five majors this year. But dress her in blue and gold, put 11 teammates around her with nothing more than the Solheim Cup at stake and American players standing in her way, and Ciganda is a different player. “I love beating the Americans,” Ciganda said after silencing Jennifer Kupcho in singles for the final point in a 15-13 victory in the Netherlands. That’s not an original thought, but it is key to European success in both cups. Some 20 years ago, Paul Casey caught some heat when he said he learned to “properly hate” the Americans in the Ryder Cup. Nothing personal. It’s just sport. Americans love to win, but do they love beating Europe? Dottie Pepper did. She once said Europeans would be bagging groceries if not for the LPGA Tour. That might have been a little personal. “Just winning for Team Europe, it’s the best feeling,” Ciganda said. “Playing for something bigger than yourself, I guess my mind gets to be very focused and I love this week. This is why I play golf.” There will be second-guessing for the American team, as there is for any losing team in any cup. The lingering question about this US loss was not about pairings or captain’s picks or lineups or even a lack of statistics. Whose idea was it to post their beer-happy celebration on the bus — on Saturday? The ultimate payback was Europe singing on the bus after leaving Bernardus Golf with the crystal trophy: “They drink on Saturday. We drink on Sunday.” And the payback for Ciganda? That was personal. Kupcho delivered a big moment in an otherwise pedestrian performance Saturday when she made a 93-foot birdie putt — so long she didn’t even study the break before giving it a whack — and then won the match with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 18th. “Vamos!” Kupcho screamed on the 17th green, directed at the equally vocal Spaniard. Imagine the delight when the blind draw for Sunday singles was announced, and Ciganda saw her name against Kupcho in the 11th spot on the card. “I was really happy to see that I was playing against Kupcho,” Ciganda said. “She’s a fighter, I’m a fighter. And I told her, ‘Look, great playing.’ What she did was amazing on 17 and 18. But today I knew she had no chance. I was like, ‘I want to kill you.’”

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