The Northern Territory news Thu 7 Apr 2022
NT news
The Northern Territory news; NewspaperNT
2022-04-07
English
Community newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.; Australian newspapers -- Northern Territory -- Darwin.
News Corp Australia
Darwin
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News Corp Australia
https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C00042
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/869399
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/869663
34 SPORT Thursday April 7 2022 NTNE01Z01MA - V1 The Masters Live coverage on Foxtel & Kayo ROUND 1 starts Friday 4.30am Smith: Ill win for Australia MASTERS mullet man Cameron Smith says he wants to do it for Australia but first hell have to navigate an outbreak of Tigermania. World No.6 Smith has been drawn to play in the group ahead of Tiger Woods early Friday and Saturday where monster galleries will be scrambling for vantage spots to catch a glimpse of the golfing legend. Fellow Aussie and 2013 Masters winner Adam Scott will play alongside world No.1 Scottie Scheffler and American long-bomber Tony Finau. Im not a bookmaker, but I think Ive been playing generally well, and I really like playing here, Scott, 41, said of his chances. Im comfortable here. Ive addressed a few things in my golf game that are moving in the right direction. At the top level, theres fine lines between contending, winning and being one of the top players in the world. Theres no reason why, if I find a nice rhythm out on the golf course this week, I cant be right there at the end on Sunday. Marc Leishman starts his Masters campaign at 2.27am Friday (NT time) and Min Woo Lee, whose LPGA Tour pro sister, Minjee Lee, will caddie for him at Wednesdays par 3 competit ion, tees off at 10.25pm Thursday (NT time). Victorian Lucas Herbert drew US bad boy Patrick Reed, while Cameron Davis, the last of the six Australians in the field, is grouped with former champion Bernhard Langer. Hopefully we can make another run of it, one of us, Leishman said. Wild weather and a tornado warning forced the abandonment of Tuesdays practice rounds but Smith, a short-game specialist coming off victory at last months Players Championship, said he hoped the Augusta greens stayed fast. The course is probably the best Ive seen it hopefully we dont get too much rain, I think that may ruin the condition of it and the play-ability a little bit, Smith said. Fingers crossed we get a firm and fast one over the weekend. Im out there to play my best golf and I want to do it for Australia, but at the same time, one shot at a time, just trying to hit good shots. I think (Augusta) just allows me to be creative. You have to be smart around here, too. Augusta legends Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson winners of a combined 11 Masters will be honorary starters for the years first major tournament. michael.warner@news.com.au Michael Warner augusta national Golf expert Mark Allens Augusta form guide Top 5 picks NN Justin Thomas JT is my outright favourite. His form is indisputable and those super quick Elvis hips that cause him trouble are in sync. Hes ready to peak. I love him tender. NN Dustin Johnson Dusty won by five when the leaves were falling at Augusta National in November 2020. Hes a ballstriking freak. Pay no attention to him sitting as low as world No.8. Hes at $17 and even his wife, Paulina Gretzky, is embarrassed by those high odds. NN Viktor Hovland The kid from Oslo is the world No.4 and has won three times on the PGA Tour. He is a super hero of golf. If the putter holds up on the slippery slopes at the Masters, he may well be saying yeah, baby when they slip on the green jacket. NN Hideki Matsuyama The defending champion is the best fairway wood player in the game. Dont worry about him defending, or the long pause at the top of his swing. Hideki is clutch. If hes close on the back nine on Sunday, he wont dishonour your investment. NN Jon Rahm The world No.2 can turn his ball right to left with his 3-wood when required. Hes the most consistent tee-to-green player in the game and will extend Spains list of Masters winners at some stage. If hes within a bulls roar on the weekend, hes every chance. NN Leading Aussie Cameron Smith could win the green jacket the way hes playing. Maybe the Players champion has peaked a bit early? I hope Im wrong. NN Augusta flop As hard as Bryson DeChambeau has been swinging the club the last few years, its no wonder hes been out injured. If he gets to the first tee, I wouldnt be surprised if his last long drive in Augusta is to the airport on Friday afternoon. NN FIRST-ROUND LEADER l look for a player who has been down Magnolia Drive a few times but is just a fraction anonymous. Tyrrell Hatton and Harris English are perfect types at huge odds. Key Day 1 and Day 2 Masters pairings Group 13: Cameron Smith, Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey Group 14: Tiger Woods, Louis Oosthuizen, Joaquin Niemann Group 16: Adam Scott, Scottie Scheffler, Tony Finau Group 30: Jordan Spieth, Viktor Hovland, Xander Schauffele Group 31: Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Matt Fitzpatrick Augusta forecast Round 1: Chance of showers. Top of 22 Round 2: Cloudy. Top of 19 Round 3: Cool and partly cloudy. Top of 17 Round 4: Mostly sunny. Top of 22 Markos Masters Cameron Smith and (inset) Tiger Woods during practice at Augusta yesterday. Pictures: Getty Images Barca bonanza as Spanish giant heads Down Under to play All Stars ONE of the biggest football clubs in the world, FC Barcelona, will bring its top-class players to Australia for the first time in its 123-year history for an exhibition match against the A-Leagues All Stars. The blockbuster will take place at a packed Accor Stadium in Sdyney on Wednesday, May 25. FC Barcelona boasts 26 La Liga titles, five European Cups, 31 Copa Del Rey trophies and three World Cups. They have been home to the worlds best players, including Lionel Messi, and feature international stars Dani Alves, Adama Traore, Ferran Torres, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Gerard Pique. FC Barcelona is managed by the legendary Xavi Hernandez. Barca has 396 million followers across its social media platforms and Australian fans will be able to get up close and personal with community events and an open training session ahead of the match. They are the third international football club to announce a pre-season friendly tour to Australia, with Manchester United and Crystal Palace announcing last week they would play in Melbourne in July. The match will serve as a curtain-raiser to the A-League mens grand final weekend on May 28-29 and footballs Dolan Warren Awards. NSW Sport Minister Stuart Ayres said the event would again highlight Sydney as the home of football in Australia. The FC Barcelona v ALeagues All Stars match will generate significant international interest and put Australian football back in the international spotlight. Its an incredible opportunity to showcase both our domestic professional A-leagues and our beautiful Harbour City to the world, Ayres said. The 80,000-strong crowd at Accor Stadium will be significantly less than the 99,354 fans Barcelona normally entertain at the iconic Camp Nou but FC Barcelona vice-president marketing Juli Guiu said it was a fantastic opportunity. It has been nine years since an A-League All Stars team was created for an international clash. In July 2013, 83,217 fans watched Manchester United beat the Aussie stars 5-1 in Sydney, with Robin van Persie man of the match. Erin Smith