Reuters Sports News Summary
Following is a summary of current sports news briefs.
Formula One teams, minus Ferrari, commit to esports series
All Formula One teams, with the exception of Ferrari, have committed to setting up their own esports outfits to compete in the second edition of the virtual world championship this season. A Formula One spokesman said, however, that talks with Ferrari remained ongoing and there was still a possibility that the sport's most successful and glamorous team could participate.
Games: Schoeman sprints away from Brownlees, Duffy wins first gold
South Africa's Henri Schoeman powered away in the run to upset England's powerhouse Brownlee brothers and win the men's triathlon at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games on Thursday. Bermuda's world champion Flora Duffy earlier won the women's race to clinch the first gold of the Games.
Games: Swimmer Proud's disqualification to stand
World champion Ben Proud will not defend his men's 50 meters butterfly title at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games after his appeal against his disqualification in the heats was thrown out. Proud was seen to move on the blocks before the heat of the event at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre. He blitzed the field in his heat, which included London 2012 Olympic 200m butterfly champion Chad le Clos, by more than a body length.
Games: 'Gutted' Pearson withdraws in blow to Gold Coast Games
A Commonwealth Games already blighted by high-profile withdrawals suffered a hammer blow on Thursday, when the hosts' top track champion Sally Pearson was forced to pull out with a serious Achilles injury. The 2012 Olympic champion Pearson, who won a second world title in the 100 meters hurdles at London last year, had been the face of the Gold Coast event, and far and away the top drawcard for athletics at Carrara Stadium.
Games: Camilla was tired, not 'bored' at opening ceremony - organizers
Commonwealth Games organizers have defended Camilla for looking jaded during Wednesday's opening ceremony at the Gold Coast, saying the Duchess of Cornwall was "shattered" from her travel schedule rather than disinterested in the show. The ceremony at Carrara Stadium garnered mostly positive reviews in local media but many reports focused on the British royal family member's wavering attention.
Watson wins Par-3 for the old guard, young Nicklaus makes ace
Tom Watson struck a blow for the old timers and Jack Nicklaus's 15-year-old grandson and caddie capped a rollicking, fun-filled U.S. Masters Par-3 Contest with an ace on Wednesday. The 68-year-old Watson, playing with fellow greats Nicklaus and Gary Player, needed only eight putts to post a six-under 21 and edge out Englishman Tommy Fleetwood and Belgian Thomas Pieters to become the oldest winner of the tournament's traditional curtain-raiser.
Augusta National to host women's tournament ahead of Masters
Augusta National Golf Club opened its competitive doors to women on Wednesday, announcing it would host an amateur championship in another sign attitudes are changing at one of the world's most exclusive clubs. Making his first State of the Masters address, Augusta chairman Fred Ridley said the club, that had barred women from membership until six years ago, would welcome the world's top female amateurs to compete.
Golf - Augusta's 15th offers high risk, high reward
A pivotal hole, at a critical part of the round, the par-five 15th at Augusta National has catapulted some players to the Green Jacket while drowning the hopes of others. From Gene Sarazen’s albatross in the final round in 1935 -- the only two at the hole in tournament history -- to Sergio Garcia’s 15-foot eagle en route to victory last year, the hole has been the scene of some of the U.S Masters’ most compelling moments.
Games: Gold Coast organizers apologize for transport failure
Gold Coast organizers apologized on Thursday after the public transport network failed its first major test of the Commonwealth Games, causing long delays for ticket-holders traveling to and from the opening ceremony. Hundreds of people had to wait up to two hours at an over-flowing bus station before Wednesday's ceremony due to a shortage of shuttles, and hundreds more were held up from leaving Carrara Stadium after a bus broke down and jammed up the transport flow.
Kvitova, Konta suffer early exits in Charleston
Kristyna Pliskova rallied from a set down to beat second seed Petra Kvitova 1-6 6-1 6-3 in an all-Czech second round clash at the Charleston Open on Wednesday. Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon winner, won a lopsided opening set before her 77th ranked opponent took control.