MEN’S GOLF:

2008’s winner Padraig Harrington is joined by Nicolai Hojgaard and Tom McKibbin at 6:35 on Thursday morning to tee off this year’s Open Championship at Portrush.

Xander Schaufelle begins the defence of his title he won at Troon last year when he partners Jon Rahm and current US Open champion JJ Spaun while Rory McIlroy will play his first round with Tommy Fleetwood and Justin Thomas.

MEN’S RUGBY LEAGUE:

It’s third against fourth in the Super League tomorrow evening when Leigh travel to St Helens.

Leigh have beaten table-toppers Hull KR and second-placed Wigan in their last games while the Saints are on a five match winning run.

Leeds will be without prop Mikolaj Oledzki for tomorrow’s game with bottom of the table Salford after he was diagnosed with a fractured cheekbone following last week’s loss to St Helens.

HORSE RACING:

Newmarket-based trainers John and Thady Gosden have been fined £3,000 after two of their horses, Zilfee and Morrophore, both tested positive for traces of ketamine following an out of competition inspection.

It’s the second time in five years that John Gosden has been fined for this offence and both of the breaches were blamed on cross-contamination caused by a member of staff who used the drug recreationally.

MEN’S FOOTBALL:

The New Saints slipped to a 2-1 extra time defeat at North Macedonia’s Shkendija on Tuesday evening and crashed out of the Champions League at the first hurdle.

The Cymru Premier champions now drop to the Europa Conference League where they will be joined by Haverfordwest, if they can overturn a 2-1 deficit against Malta’s Floriana tonight, and Penybont, who are 3-0 down to Lithuania’s Kauno Zalgiris.