MEN’S GOLF: Southport’s Matthew Baldwin will hit the opening shot at this year’s British Open when he tees off at his local Royal Birkdale course early Thursday morning. 

Defending champion and current world number one Scottie Scheffler partners Bryson DeChambeau and Tyrrell Hatton for the first two rounds. Matt Fitzpatrick, last year’s highest-placed Briton in equal fourth, will play with Rory McIlroy and 2024’s winner Xander Schauffele.

MEN’S FOOTBALL: Derry are 3-2 down when they host CSKA Sofia for the second leg of their Europa League first qualifying round tie Thursday night. 

In the Conference League, Glentoran are 2-1 behind before visiting Riga’s RFS, Bohemians lead St Joseph’s 2-0 and Caernarfon take a 5-0 deficit to FSI Levadia Tallinn. Penybont trail Santa Coloma 1-0, Connah’s Quay are level at 0-0 with Ballkani, and Linfield are 1-0 down at Estonia’s Nomme Kalju.

MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE: Bradford host Wakefield when the latest round of Super League action resumes Thursday evening. 

Bradford ended their recent lean spell with a victory over bottom-of-the-table Huddersfield last week, while Wakefield beat defending champions Hull KR for their fourth consecutive win. 

Table-toppers Leeds are not in action until Sunday when they visit Castleford. Second-placed Wigan visit Huddersfield on Friday night.

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL: Millie Turner has left Manchester United for Birmingham, the north-west club announced today. 

The centre-back has been with the Red Devils since 2018, having previously come through the club’s youth ranks before spells with Everton and Bristol City ahead of her return in 2018. 

Turner has the distinction of having made the second-highest number of appearances for United’s women’s team (189) behind only Ella Toone.