Sport April by Lifestyle Magazine

Sport April

Football News Golf

Sports Personalities

Boxing Tournaments

Premiership Predictions Champions League

Fixtures

Golf Lessons

Football Newcastle United v Fulham

SATURDAY 6TH APRIL

Rafa Benitez

Sunderland on the other hand haven’t been good for much of the season, and are in real danger of being pulled into the relegation dogfight. Martin O’Neill is usually a fantastic motivator and so it’s strange to see his team not respond. I can’t see O’Neill being able to do much today either as they visit Stamford bridge and with no sign of Frank Lampard signing a new contract, he’ll want to score some goals and end up as the highest scorer for Chelsea ever. Chelsea to win here 2-0.

FIXTURES & PREDICTIONS

Chelsea under ‘interim’ manager Rafa Benitez have been solid but not spectacular. Considering this isn’t his team and he’ll be gone in the summer, he’s done a good enough job and looks like taking going one better than last season and ending up in the Champions League positions.

Premiership

Chelsea v Sunderland

Both teams are a little too close for comfort to the relegation zone, but both should just about have enough class and experience to avoid that disaster. France... sorry Newcastle bought well in the January window and they have strengthened considerably. Fulham have been playing well of late but not so well on their travels whereas Newcastle have come into form again at St James Park. Cisse, Sissoko and Cabaye can all score goals and I expect them to get a couple here against Fulham. 2-0 to Newcastle.

Norwich City v Swansea City

Norwich are another team flirting with relegation and aren’t quite out of the woods just yet. Chris Hughton has done a steady job and considering he’s only just taken over the team they’ve played some good football. Swansea however are flying high after their Carling Cup win and look set to seal a top 9 finish in the league. Laudrup has done a fantastic job so far and as he’s just signed an extension to his contract it’ll be interesting to see if he can take Swansea even further up the league table. This could be a pretty open game of football and I expect goals. I’ll go for a 2-2 draw.

Michael Laudrup

Reading v Southampton

Reading are done for and deserve to be relegated. If you sack your manager 33 days after him winning the Premier League manager of the month award, then you get what you deserve. How any new manager can come in with 2 months to go and change things around is anyone’s guess. Harry Redknapp perhaps? But he’s at QPR. Southampton at least waited until January to sack their manager, leaving 4 months for a new manager to have an affect. Mauricio Pochettino has done pretty much what previous manager Neil Adkins did. I do see Southampton winning here though and this might even be the final nail in the coffin for Reading. 0-1 to Southampton.

West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal

This is a potential banana skin for Arsenal as West Brom have had a fantastic season finishing up in the top 9. If Arsenal don’t watch themselves the teams around them could all usurp their position and continued hold on the top 4 that they’ve had for 13 years. Chelsea, Everton, Spurs, Liverpool, Swansea and West Brom have the potential to overtake Arsenal. Wenger made a blunder by not selling Robin Van Persie abroad and it’s come back to haunt him. They also did not buy enough quality in the transfer windows and by being tight and relying on youth, they have come up short. Arsenal on paper should win this game as they have all the superstars but as West Brom have been so good this season, I could quite easily see stalemate and a 1-1 draw.

SUNDAY 7TH APRIL Stoke City v Aston Villa

It’s incredible that eleven teams out of the 20 strong premiership can still be relegated at this stage of the season. Stoke and Villa are two of them and both should have just about enough quality to survive. Stoke have not been good this season and their normal strengths (hard tackling and strong in the air) have not been as effective. Maybe they’ve been found out like Bolton were last season. Villa will probably just about have enough to be in the top rank next season, mainly because all the others around them are pretty useless as well. I expect a Stoke win here though, which should just about ensure their survival and make Villa very nervous for the rest of the season. 1-0 to Stoke.

Liverpool v West Ham United

Spurs want to cement their place in the top 4 and with that a Champions League place, and Everton want to remain in the top 6 and possibly get a route into Europe. I thought it was madness sacking Redknapp in the summer but Daniel Levy, the owner of Spurs, brought in Andre Villas Boas who has improved Spurs even more. Fair play to Levy. Gareth Bale has emerged as a potential world superstar and if he didn’t dive all the time he would be truly class. He’ll be off in the summer though to Real Madrid or Barcelona and so Spurs fans should just enjoy his play for the rest of the season. Though Everton will put up some fight through Felliani (who will also leave Everton in the summer) I think Spurs have just too much quality. They should win through 2-0. Felliani

Jamie Carragher

Liverpool’s second half to the season has shown some signs of encouragement. They have no problem going forward like they did last season, but they’ve got plenty of problems in defence. If they can buy another centre back once Carragher retires and another decent midfielder then Liverpool could challenge for the top 4 next season. West Ham started brightly this season but have fizzled out and will also be keeping one eye on the relegation battle. Even if they are dragged in I think they’re good enough to avoid demotion. They won’t get any points here though as Suarez is on fire and Liverpool have hit good form despite the odd débâcle like losing to Oldham in the cup. Liverpool 2-1 to win.

Tottenham Hotspur v Everton

Queens Park Rangers v Wigan Athletic

A relegation dog fight with both teams hitting form enough to save themselves. Harry Redknapp has experience in the relegation fight with Portsmouth and Southampton and Martinez keeps doing so with Wigan. Whether Wigan can escape relegation again this season is debatable, other teams around them are also playing better so Wigan will have to fight until the last game of the season. At least Wigan can score goals and so they have a chance. Redknapp’s QPR is also better motivated since his arrival, and if anyone can save them, he can. As this game will be a tense cagey affair, I think it’ll end up in a draw. Both teams gaining one point on their rivals and living to fight another day. 1-1.

MONDAY 8TH APRIL Manchester United v Manchester City

Title decider. If United win then it’ll be all over for City but if City win then it’ll be game on. The stakes couldn’t be higher and what a game this could turn out to be a classic. Ferguson desperately wants his crown back and Mancini’s side have stared showing good form since Mario Balotelli left for Milan. Both Tevez and Aguero have been excellent recently and with Dzeko also chipping in the odd goal they can seriously threaten United here. City have been out of Europe since December and with them playing less games then this could make a difference in the title run in. United also have to play an extra game due to the FA Cup reply against Chelsea. If United throw away a 12 point league over 10 games then it will be an even bigger miracle comeback than last year. Ferguson and the team will be mindful of this and if they lose even one game, doubts again will appear. United

have been strong at home and both Rooney and Chicarito will want to prove something to the manager, if they can get a game that is. I have a feeling that this will be Chicarito’s last season for United as he’s being criminally underused and Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have shown interest. So who will win here today? A draw is the likeliest option and while it may Chicarito benefit United more, City will not want a stalemate. Winner takes all and I think City will go for it. They are quite capable of winning at Old Trafford and want to win. This might fall into the hands of United though by using Robin Van Persie in counter attack. A real close call. But United have shown to be vulnerable of late and giving away goals when they should be coasting, I’ll go for a city win 1-2.

SATURDAY 13TH APRIL Arsenal v Norwich City

Arsenal will have to win this one to stand any chance of getting into Europe let alone top 4. Coming out with statistics like having a 115 million transfer kitty to spend a month after the transfer window closes smacks of trying to placate the fans for another wasted season. Arsenal sold their best player to their nearest rival and allowed Manchester United the chance to win back their crown. Indefensible in my opinion. Walcott and new signings Podolski, Giroud and Cazorla have been fine going forward but Arsenal look brittle at the back and this has undermined their whole campaign. They still have a chance of 4th if they can catch Chelsea and they will go all out to beat Norwich. Norwich will try to get something from the game and will fight tooth and nail.

Even a point here would seem like a victory and make them safer in the premiership. I can’t see Norwich getting anything though and see an Arsenal win 2-0.

Aston Villa v Fulham

Crunch time, more so for Villa than Fulham but both are still in the mix for the drop. Villa have to win and Fulham haven’t been great away from home, but with the added threat of relegation this might end up in stalemate. Berbatov for Fulham has enough class to score important goals and Villa has Benteke who has been in fine form. I’ll go for a 1-1 stalemate.

Everton v Queens Park Rangers

Everton have been slowly dropping down the table as they lose form at the end of the season. This is unusual because they’re usually hopeless at the start but pick up momentum. Their good start might have created unrealistic expectations for the team and now their small squad has been found out. The arrival of the reborn QPR will also test them to the maximum. Can I see QPR winning here though? Possibly but I still think Everton are a better unit and Goodison Park is always a tough place to come. 1-0 to Everton.

Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion

This should be an appealing game to watch and as West Brom are just happy with being in the top half, City have bigger fish to fry. City know that they can win the premiership in the last minute of the last game of the season, been there done that. So the arrival of West Brom will provide a challenge but Mancini’s men should win. 2-1 to City.

One of the biggest rivalries in British football takes place here. If Newcastle can also beat Sunderland and put them in danger of being relegated then all the better. If circumstances meant that Sunderland were relegated by Newcastle then the Mackems would never live it down. Everything is too play for here and the Sunderland players will know that if they underachieve here, the fans will be furious. Expect Sunderland to play well above themselves and to clash with Newcastle players who will want to kick them when they’re down. There will be goals, there will be plenty of huff and puff and incidents. I think Newcastle will sneak it 2-1.

Reading v Liverpool

Reading are Coutinho probably relegated now and so will have little to play for. Liverpool still fancy their chances at a top 5 finish and getting into the Europa League so they’ll want to win here. With the likes of Suarez, Gerrard and new boys Sturridge and Coutinho Liverpool should dispatch a newly managerless Reading. When Liverpool are in the right mindset they could put a few past Reading. So I’ll go for 3-0 to Liverpool.

Southampton v West Ham United

With little difference between them in the league, and Southampton’s home form slightly improving (but not by much) this game has all the hallmarks of being a cagey negative game with little incident. West Ham have some pretty decent players with Joe Cole, Nolan and Carroll while Southampton have Rickie Lambert who has scored 12 goals so far this season. West

Ham have hardly scored any goals all season with Ian Nolan being top scorer with 6, while for Southampton has Lambert on 12 and Puncheon on 6. They’ve also been pretty awful away from home lately. So a stalemate would be the obvious conclusion. 1-1.

Wigan Athletic v Swansea City

Desperate times for Wigan who are trying the great escape yet again. All things good for Swansea who are guaranteed top 10 and after winning the Carling Cup are guaranteed a place in Europe. Both sides can score and with that in mind, this could go either way. Swansea are a better side but they may be a little lax now that they have no real hunger. If Michael Laudrup manages to get them focused I can see them winning. 1-2 to Swansea.

SUNDAY 14TH APRIL Stoke City v Manchester United

Stoke aren’t the same side as they were in their prime a few years back, players get older, slower and have less fight. With one eye on the relegation zone, Stoke might even hark back to the old days here. Manchester United will want a solid win to cement their place at the top of the table but I have a funny feeling that Stoke will match them today. United are a far better side but Stoke’s Britannia Stadium is a difficult place to come to and United might just struggle to win. I’ll go for a 1-1 draw.

Andre Villas Boas

Newcastle United v Sunderland

Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur

Cracking game with Spurs manager, Andre Villas Boas, wanting to prove a point by beating Chelsea and the Chelsea players wanting to beat Villas Boas who they never really took to. This is essentially a 6 pointer as both sides battle for third place. Spurs have played better football all season but they play away here and to a Benitez Chelsea side which is full of experience. Most likely this game will end in stalemate and both managers will be pretty happy with accepting a point. 1-1.

TUESDAY 16TH APRIL Arsenal v Everton

Both sides looked like they could end up in the top 4 this season, and both sides now look like they could miss out on the top 4 completely. In past seasons Everton would raise their game and play hard against Arsenal but that edge seems to be diminishing now that Felliani has been quiet. Everton’s manager David Moyes contract ends in the summer and I think the speculation on whether he about to leave is also affecting the players. Moyes has done a superb job of keeping Everton up and challenge for the top 6. He’s had no money for

David Moyes

players and that he’s been there for 10 years shows that he’s loyal. He himself might fancy a different challenge now and I can see him leaving in the summer. Arsenal simply must win this game to stand any chance of getting a place in Europe and with the likes of Walcott and Podolski they should win through. They’re suspect at the back however and so there may be a few goals in this one. 2-1 to Arsenal.

SUNDAY 17TH APRIL Sunderland v Norwich City

Sunderland welcome a struggling Norwich to the Stadium of light and because of their positions at this stage of the season, both teams are on pretty much even terms. Sunderland are the better side with better players but Norwich are well aware of the peril they are in from relegation. Sunderland’s Fletcher has been in good form and I think he’ll extend that scoring run here today. 2-0 to Sunderland.

SATURDAY 20TH APRIL Fulham v Arsenal

Dimitar Berbatov

A London derby with both sides wanting the points for different reasons. Arsenal have been ever present in the Champions League for 13 years and Fulham want to stay in the premiership. Dimitar Berbatov will probably shine today against Arsenal 46

as he always seems to do against some of the bigger clubs. As Berbatov is ex Spurs and Manchester United he might be receiving quite a few phone calls from players of those teams to wish him luck. I don’t see Fulham winning here but I can see a draw. 1-1.

Norwich City v Reading

The perfect game for Norwich because they play a team who’s probably been relegated by now. Norwich also play at home and if they get 3 points here then Norwich will start to breathe easier and pull away from the relegation pack. Reading have been pretty dire all season apart from a brief period after Christmas and to be honest haven’t been good enough to survive. There may be a caretaker manager in and if he can revive Reading into a team again then his next miracle will be to walk on water. Norwich to sneak it. 1-0.

Swansea City v Southampton

Southampton come a calling to Swansea in search of points but I can’t see them getting any this day. Swansea play good stuff and I can’t see them letting a pretty poor Southampton side beat them this day, especially as it’s at home and in front of their fervent supporters. Southampton will huff and puff but if they are to survive, then they’ll have to look elsewhere for points. 2-0 to Swansea.

West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United West Brom have been excellent at home and Newcastle pretty useless away. I don’t see anything happening in this game to change season form and so I’ll go for another home win for West Brom.

Steve Clarke

Queens Park Rangers v Stoke City

Another winnable game for Redknapp’s great escape artists, QPR. I can definitely see QPR being up for this game and with the added bonus of the home crowd, I can see them beating Stoke by the odd goal. This might be in the last minute to add to the drama and so we can all see Redknapp puffing nervously and looking at his watch for most of the game but QPR might just have enough passion to win through in the end. 1-0 to QPR.

Sunderland v Everton

Everton come calling and while Everton have fallen on leaner times, they’re not that bad to fall to a Sunderland side that has lost all it’s heart. I know this is at Sunderland but I still can’t see them beating a solid (if lacking earlier style) Everton. If Felliani gets back his match fitness that he’s been lacking recently, then I can see Everton winning 0-2.

West Brom manager Steve Clarke has done a magnificent job this season considering this is his first season as a full manager. His work with Liverpool under Kenny Dalglish was shown with the excellence of their defence last season and this nous has now come to West Brom. It was a gamble to place a rookie in charge but it’s paid off handsomely. 2-1 to West Brom.

West Ham United v Wigan Athletic

West Ham are better at home than they are away. Wigan are pretty poor either way. Both teams need the points and this game could go either way. Sam Allardyce did well bringing West Ham back after relegation, but they haven’t really sparkled yet. The on-loan Andy Carroll looks like a complete waste of money for 35 million let alone the supposed 17 million contract

that West Ham can pay for him once his loan deal ends. A long walk back to Liverpool is on the cards unless Newcastle step in once more and buy him for 15 million or so. This game has all the hallmarks of a draw. Wigan will want the win, but West Ham will do their damnedest to stop that. 1-1.

SUNDAY 21ST APRIL Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City

Wow what a Sunday of football! 2 top games featuring 4 of the top 6 teams. These 2 games will go a long way in how the final standings turn out. Manchester City arrive at White Hart Lane to battle Spurs who are in fine form, and they know that if they lose this game, they may lose their Premiership title to their neighbours over in Salford. City on paper have the better team but for most of the season they haven’t been performing as they should. Spurs on the other hand have been greatly improved by Andre Villas Boas and Gareth Bale in particular has been allowed to shine. This is one of the most important games of the season and both will want to win this one desperately. I have a feeling that Manchester City will just edge it 0-1.

5th place. Liverpool have been good at Anfield of late and after beating Spurs in March they finally beat a top four side this season. If they strengthen midfield and their defence they may even get to beat Chelsea. I’ll go for a draw though 1-1.

MONDAY 22ND APRIL Manchester United v Aston Villa

Villa come to Old Trafford like lambs to the slaughter and though they’re fighting off relegation, no matter how much they huff and puff, they won’t beat United. Villa were a good side under Martin O’Neill but they’re not now, no matter how good Paul Lambert is as a manager, the damage was done when Alex McLeish turned them into a dour footballing unit. There have been flashes of good football but they’re still favourites for the drop. United will take no pity on them and I think it will end up 3-0 to United.

SATURDAY 27TH APRIL

Liverpool v Chelsea

Liverpool welcome back Rafa Benitez for the first time since he left by mutual accord. When Rafa left Liverpool, they were number 1 in Europe and missed out on the Champions league places by 3 points. The carpetbaggers that were Hicks and Gillette finally got rid of a manager who was not scared of criticising their shenanigans at the club. This game may be a close affair and if Liverpool continue their recent upturn in Rafa fortunes Benitez then this could even be a battle for 4th and

Aston Villa v Sunderland

Chelsea v Swansea City

An interesting game because Swansea can be fairly relaxed as visitors and show the world what they can do. They’ve been playing good football and with Laudrup signing another deal he can really tune Swansea into a strong skilful footballing side. Swansea can relax and play their natural game and if they gain points they can challenge for a top 6 finish, Chelsea on the other hand need the points to remain in contention for a Champions league place. This might make all the difference to the game and I think this will be a close affair. Chelsea will win it but it will be touch and go. 1-0 to Chelsea.

Everton v Fulham

Everton should win this game fairly comfortably as they are better at home than away. Fulham aren’t great away so I don’t see them getting anything from the hard working Toffees. Berbatov might spring a few surprises but I can only see one winner. 2-1 to Everton.

Manchester City v West Ham United

City should dispatch West Ham with few problems. They’re at home and in good form and West Ham aren’t. The class of Silva, Aguero, Tevez will win through in the end. While Diame and Nolan will provide some problems for the City midfield, if the City players can step up to the mark then West Ham should be swept aside. 2-0 to Manchester City. z Carlos Teve

At least Villa have a chance in this game, unlike their last. Sunderland haven’t been travelling well this season and are a pale shadow of a couple of seasons ago where they were a top ten side. Villa have every chance of winning here at home and taking all 3 points. If they do so they might even leap frog past Sunderland, so this is an a typical 6 pointer. I think Villa will win this but it will be a close run thing. 2-1 to Villa. 47

Wigan Athletic v Tottenham Hotspur

Newcastle United v Liverpool

Tricky game for Liverpool as Newcastle play well at home and raise their game considerably. Newcastle have been plagued by injuries this season and so if there is ever a time to beat Newcastle at St James Park then it’s now. This may be yet another one of those rollercoaster games that both sides score. 2-3 to Liverpool.

Southampton v West Bromwich Albion

Southampton at least are at home and so they have a chance of some points but I think West Brom will be too strong for Southampton and they’ll end up winners here. Southampton 1 – West Brom 2

Stoke City v Norwich City

FA CUP Saturday 13th April, 2013

SUNDAY 28TH APRIL Reading v Queens Park Rangers

QPR will fancy their chances here and this could be an invaluable 3 points to save them from the drop. Reading have been pretty bad all season and deserve to go down. If they can regroup and strengthen for next season then they can use the premier league money to come back even stronger. Reading will fight but I think Redknapp will provide the inspiration for the QPR players will go for the jugular and the win. 0-2 to QPR.

Arsenal v Manchester United

Arsenal have at times been brilliant this season and at other times they’ve been woeful. Defence as usual is their major problem and Manchester United with old boy Robin Van Persie come to the emirates thinking they have a good chance to take all 3 points. Arsenal won’t lie down though and I think their players will certainly want to show that they’re not washed up just yet. If they can mess up their old foe United’s title run in then all the better. This could be a 1-1 draw. Alex Furguson

A must win game for both sides as they both seek safety. Stoke have underachieved (or perhaps simply been found out) this season and Norwich are just happy to stay in the Premiership. Norwich have played more entertaining football while Stoke still do their thing. The problem with Stoke is that there doesn’t seem to be a Plan B and so once things start going wrong there’s no alternative. Will Tony Pulis even be there next season? 1-1 in this game.

Can Wigan escape again? Last season they won 7 in 8 games and beat many of the bigger clubs as they forged up the table. Can they do it again and beat Spurs? Personally I think they might escape relegation but they won’t beat Spurs today. They might get a draw though and I’m expecting a few goals too. 1-3 to Spurs.

Manchester United or Chelsea v Manchester City Before this semi final can take place, there is the small matter of the replay between Chelsea and Manchester United. In the first game United took the lead only to then be completely battered by Chelsea for their comeback. That the replay is at Stamford Bridge and Chelsea’s home ground. I have a funny feeling that Chelsea might edge this one. 1-0. So the final will be either Chelsea or Man U against Manchester City and will City’s fresher legs be the difference? City haven’t been involved in Europe since December. This extra rest and the fact that they’re possibly out of the running for the title, may make all the difference at the end of the season. This will be a close game but I have a feeling that City might win through in the end. 1-0.

Millwall v Wigan The winner gains a place in the Europa league, so there’s everything to play for. Millwall have done well to get this far and Wigan will have one eye on their Premiership relegation worries. Wigan should win this game because they’ve got the better side and will represent England better in Europe next season. I’ll go for 2-0 to Wigan.

Champions League Quarter-finals Malaga v Borussia Dortmund

This is probably the worst team that Malaga could have drawn, Dortmund are among the favourites in the last eight and playing very well. Having said that, Malaga are just happy to be here so anything extra is a bonus. Malaga’s manager Pellegrini is fantastic and he will make this a tight game over two legs but I still see Klopp’s Borussia Dortmund winning through.

Ties to be played on April 2/3 and April 9/10 Real Madrid v Galatasaray

Real Madrid have had a tough draw so far and beaten everyone. Galatasaray have newly acquired Didier Drogba and Wesley Sneider and that has added to their threat levels. This will be close and could go down to the away goals rule but I still see Real Madrid going Didier through. Drogba

PSG v Barcelona Jurgen Klopp

New rich boys on the block against the mighty Barcelona. Barcelona has a bad 10 days or so back in

Europa League Chelsea v Rubin Kazan

Benitez brings the best out of Torres and if he hits form at the right time, Chelsea could go on and win the whole competition. They should qualify against Rubin Kazan but they’ll have to treat them with respect because Rubin beat Athletico Madrid in the last round and so they are a danger. Chelsea to win this, but it will be tight.

Tottenham v Basel

Spurs meet Basel with Gareth Bale this time. The last game they played in Europe against Inter Milan they came very close to losing, showing the importance that Bale is to the team. Luckily

they had the underachiever that is Emmanuel Adebayor to thank for the goal that put them through. Adebayor seems to play better before a contract is signed and so maybe the way to get the best out of him is too keep him on a monthly rolling one. With Bale back, I don’t see Basel being any real threat. It will be close and I see both legs being separated by only a goal or two, but Spurs will go through to the semis.

Fenerbahce v Lazio

Both teams could win this one, with Fenerbahce second in the Turkish league and Lazio sixth in their league. Lazio haven’t been playing well recently with only one win in

february and so everyone started to write them off. That was until the 4-0 thrashing of AC Milan. Miles ahead in the league, Barca can afford to lose 2 or 3 games and still win easily and so the Champions League I think becomes their priority. I think PSG will put up a good fight but Barcelona will win.

Bayern Munich v Juventus Dortmund

Bayern looked awesome in the first leg against Arsenal and then looked tepid in the return second leg. Juventus beat Celtic and are currently clear at the top of the Italian league. So this will be a close contest and it could go either way. Having said that I think Bayern will win because they’re stronger and have more experience.

Quarter-finals Ties to be played on 4th and 11th April six and so could struggle against a confident Fenerbahce side. Fenerbahce to win both legs.

Benfica v Newcastle

A tricky game for Newcastle who have done well to get this far. Benfica are top of the Portuguese league and are in very good form and I think Newcastle will do well to keep the scoreline respectable. I think Newcastle have a chance of winning their home game but Benfica will win over the 2 legs and continue in the competition.

Golf

Tiger Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods is a renown professional golfer on the PGA Tour. With 14 major championships and 75 PGA Tour victories, he is arguably the greatest golfer ever. He has been awarded the PGA Player of the Year a record 10 times and has been on top of the money list nine times. In 2009, he also became the first athlete to reach $1 billion in career earnings, according to Forbes. He unfortunately experienced a downturn in his career following a tumultuous end to his 2009 season. A car accident the night after Thanksgiving led to revelations of infidelities in his marriage to Elin Nordegren. He had to take a leave of absence from the PGA Tour, eventually returning at the 2010 Masters. Tiger went winless in the 2010 and 2011 seasons, before ending his drought with a victory at the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Woods Early Years Tiger Woods was born on Dec. 30, 1975, in Cypress, Calif. His father, Earl Woods, was African American, Chinese and Native American and his mother, Kultida, is from Thailand and of Chinese, Thai and Dutch ancestry. Because of his parents’ ancestry, he refers to himself as “Cablinasian.” (Caucasian, Black, American, Indian and Asian). He was raised Buddhist, a religion that he stated he lost track of during his 13-minute apology on Feb. 19, 2010. His parents discovered their son’s talent for golf at a young age, and he played the sport before the age of 2. Tiger gained national attention at 2 when he appeared on “The Mike Douglas Show,” defeating comedian Bob Hope in a putting competition. At the age of 3, he shot a 48 over nine holes at the Cypress Navy golf course and at the age of 5 He was featured on the television show “That’s Incredible!” due to his rare talent. As a child, Tiger won the Junior World Championships six times and at the age of 11, was able to defeat his father for the first time on the golf course. He attended Western High School in Anaheim, where he won the U.S. Junior Amateur Champion three consecutive years making him the youngest winner of the event and the only amateur to win on multiple occasions.

His Time as a College Student at Stanford University Tiger attended Stanford University on a golf scholarship and enrolled in the fall of 1994. He wasted no time living up to the hype, winning his first collegiate event at the William H. Tucker Invitational. During his two years at Stanford, he was named a two-time NCAA first team All-American, twotime first team all-Pac-10 Conference and the Pac-10 Player of the Year. As a college student, he competed in the 1995 Masters and was the only amateur to make the cut and finished 41st for the tournament. At the age of 20, Tiger became the first golfer to win three consecutive U.S. Amateur titles. After two years at Stanford, he decided to leave school and turn professional.

Professional Career Tiger Woods became a professional golfer in August 1996 and immediately signed a $40 million contract with Nike and a $20 million deal with Titleist. He made his professional debut at the Greater Milwaukee Open on Aug. 29, 1996, tying for 60th place. He soon after won his first PGA tournament on Oct. 6, 1996, at the Las Vegas Invitational, defeating Davis Love III in a playoff. Two weeks later, Tiger edged Payne Stewart by one stroke at the Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic. His two victories and splash on to the PGA scene was enough to earn Him the 1996 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year Award, and he was named Sports Illustrated’s 1996 Sportsman of the Year. Tiger’s first shot playing in a major since turning professional was at the 1997 Masters. He won the tournament by shooting 18 under par, winning by a record 12 strokes. The 21-year-old became the youngest player to win the Masters and the first African American to win the event. A victory at the GTE Byron Nelson Golf Classic a month after the Masters helped him rise to the top of the Official World Golf Ranking. It took only 42 weeks as a professional for Woods to become the top-ranked golfer in the world, the fastest to achieve such a feat. Tiger was named the 1997 PGA Player of the Year. He suffered a slump the following year with his only victory coming at the Bell South Classic on May 10, 1998. The issues with his swing were worked out and he bounced back, starting off with a win at the Buick Invitational on Feb. 14, 1999. After scoring victories at the Memorial and Motorola Western Open, he won his second major championship, winning The Tour Championship by one stroke over Sergio Garcia.

Major Dominance Tiger closed out 1999 with four consecutive victories, including the PGA Championship. His eight victories were more than enough to earn him PGA Tour Player of the Year and Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year honours. He kicked off 2000 with his fifth consecutive victory, winning the Mercedes Championships. At the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Tiger trailed by eight strokes before rallying back. Over the final four holes, he recorded an eagle and two birdies to win his sixth consecutive tournament by two strokes. At the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, he won by a record 15 strokes over Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez. It was the largest victory margin in a major championship, eclipsing Old Tom Morris’ previous record of 13 strokes at the 1862 British Open. Tigers’ victory is regarded by some as one of the greatest performances in golf history. With a 19 under par at the 2000 Open Championship at St. Andrews, at the young age of 24, He became the youngest person to win all four major championships. It was the lowest score to par for any major championship. He won his third consecutive major championship at the 2000 PGA Championship, defeating Bob May in a three-hole playoff. He became just the second golfer to win three majors in a season. Continuing on 51

he wrapped up the season with victories at the NEC Invitational and the Bell Canadian Open. Of the 20 events he participated in, he finished in the top three 14 times and won nine tournaments. At the 2001 Masters, He defeated David Duval by two strokes, becoming the first player to hold all four major championship titles at the same time. The accomplishment would later be nicknamed the “Tiger Slam.” He repeated as Masters champion in 2002, joining Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only golfers to win backto-back championships. Tiger won his second U.S. Open and eighth major championship at Bethpage Black in New York, defeating his rival Phil Mickelson by three strokes. His attempt for a third consecutive major championship came up short at the Open Championship, tying for fourth place at 1 over. He erased a five-stroke deficit in the final round at the PGA Championship but finished in second at 9 under, one stroke behind Rich Beem.

Swing Adjustments Over a span of just under three years, Tiger went without a win at a major championship. During this span, he would win 10 tournaments but his streak of 264 weeks as the top-ranked golfer came to an end in September 2004 when Vijay Singh moved to the top of the rankings. After just one victory in 2004 (at the Accenture Match Play Championship), he started off 2005 on a winning note 52

with a win at the Buick Invitational. He ended his majors drought at the 2005 Masters, earning his fourth green jacket after defeating Chris DiMarco in a playoff.

Resurgence Tiger reclaimed the world’s top ranking after winning the Open Championship by five strokes over Colin Montgomerie. He closed out 2005 with a win at the American Express Championship and finished on top of the PGA Tour money list for the first time since 2002. Tragedy struck in 2006 when his father and mentor, Earl, passed away at the age of 74 from prostate cancer. Tiger left the PGA Tour for nine weeks to deal with his loss, returning at the 2006 U.S. Open. The time away from the golf course was evident as he missed the cut for the first time as a professional at a major, ending his streak at 39. However, Tiger was back on track in time for the 2006 Open Championship, defending his title with a twoshot victory over DiMarco. He dedicated his victory to his father, shooting 18 under, one stroke behind his record-setting score at the 2000 Open Championship. At the 2006 PGA Championship, he won by five strokes over 2003 winner Shaun Micheel, his first PGA Championship since 2000 and second victory at Medinah Country Club. He started off the 2007 season with his seven consecutive PGA Tour victories, winning the Buick Invitational for the third straight year. Despite being in the hunt on the final day, he finished tied for second at the 2007 Masters, two strokes behind winner Zach Johnson. Tiger would also finish tied for second at the 2007 U.S. Open, one stroke behind winner Angel Cabrera. He was finally able to get over the hump at the 2007 PGA Championship with a two-shot victory over Woody Austin. It marked the second time Woods had won the PGA Championship on back-to-back occasions (1999-2000, 2006-2007), the first golfer to achieve such an accomplishment. Tiger cemented his victory in the inaugural FedEx Cup with wins at the BMW Championship and The Tour Championship, the final two events of the competition.

Injury-shortened Season Tiger won the Buick Invitational for the fourth consecutive year and fifth time in six years to start the 2008 season, winning by eight strokes. After another second-place finish at the Masters, he underwent left knee surgery for the third time. The operation sidelined from the PGA Tour for two months. He returned at the 2008 U.S. Open and struggled in the first round of the tournament, shooting 1 over par and

falling four strokes off the lead. Tiger moved within one stroke of the lead after a second round that saw him connect on five birdies and an eagle. He took the lead after 54 holes, heading into the final round as he looked to improve to 14-0 when having at least a share of the lead in a major championship. However, Tiger needed a 12foot put on the 18th hole to force a playoff with clubhouse leader Rocco Mediate. In the 18-hole playoff, both Tiger and Mediate shot par, forcing sudden death. Tiger won the championship on the first sudden death hole. Throughout the tournament, he favoured his left leg and it was revealed on June 18, 2008, that he needed reconstructive anterior cruciate ligament surgery on his left knee. He also said he suffered a double stress fracture in his left tibia while rehabbing from his earlier knee injury. Tiger was sidelined the rest of the 2008 season, causing a decline in television ratings for the PGA Tour.

Return to Tour After an eight-month layoff, Tiger returned at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship on Feb. 25, 2009. He defeated Brendan Jones 3 and 2 in the first round before losing to Tim Clark, 4 and 2. Tigersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; first victory since his return came at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, rallying from a five-stroke deficit heading into the final round. He made a 16-foot birdie put on the final hole to defeat Sean Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Hair by one stroke. While winning six tournaments in 2009 and the FedEx Cup, he had marginal success at the major championships. For just the second time in his professional career, he missed the cut at a major at the 2009 Open Championship. At the 2009 PGA Championship, Tiger blew a two-stroke lead in the final round of the tournament, losing to Y.E. Yang by three strokes. He finished the year on a high note at the 2009 Presidents Cup, winning all five of his matches. He was paired with Steve Stricker and he defeated Yang in the singles competition, clinching the cup for the United States. Tiger won the JB Were Masters in Melbourne, Australia, in November 2009, his first victory on the PGA Tour of Australasia and his final event of the year.

Layoff and Struggles After taking four months off from professional golf due to personal issues related to his marriage, Tiger returned to the tour in April 2010. In his first tournament after the break, the Masters, he finished tied for fourth place. He also finished tied for fourth at the U.S. Open but would go on to endure a tough 2010 season and go winless for a calendar year for the first time in his professional career. Results included his worst four-round finish as a pro, when he shot 18 over par and tied for 78th place (second-to-last) at the WCC-Bridgestone Invitational in August. By October, Tiger had lost the world’s No. 1 ranking to Lee Westwood. Tigers’ 2011 season got off to a slow start, with a 44th-place finish at the Farmers Insurance Open and a second-round loss at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. However, he was in contention on the final day at the Masters, taking the lead at one point, before finishing 4th for the second consecutive year. A knee injury he aggravated during that event forced him to miss a month of action. He returned at The Players Championship, but withdrew after just nine holes. He was 6-over-par at the time of his withdrawal. After missing the U.S. Open and the British Open (due to the injury), Tiger then dismissed his long-time caddie Steve Williams in July of 2011, ending a 12-year relationship during which he won 72 tournaments worldwide and 13 majors. He finally ended a two-year winless drought at the 2011 Chevron World Challenge, beating Zach Johnson by a stroke to top the 18-player field. The win came the same week Chevron announced it was ending its title sponsorship of the event. The following season, Tiger opened his season at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, where he entered the final round with a 54

share of the lead. However, he shot a final-round 72, falling to Robert Rock by two strokes. In March, he nearly broke through at the Honda Classic. His final-round 62, the best final round score of his career, vaulted him into contention, but Rory McIlroy ended up holding on for victory. He suffered a set back the next week, when an injured Achilles forced him to withdraw during the final round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship. He returned healthy two weeks later at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and followed a first-round 69 with a 65 on Friday, taking a share of the lead. Tiger shot 71-70 on the weekend, earning a 5-stroke victory, his first on the PGA Tour in more than two years. He added wins at the Memorial and the AT&T National, passing Jack Nicklaus for second on the PGA Tour’s all-time wins list. He opened his 2013 PGA Tour season with a win at the Farmers Insurance Open -- following a missed cut in Dubai on the European Tour -- marking his seventh win at the event. His career total stands at 75 wins, second only to Sam Snead.

Ryder Cup Tiger has struggled in six Ryder Cup appearances, with a record of 1317-3. He made his Ryder Cup debut in 1997 and earned just 1½ points. Tiger was a member of the 1999 team that defeated The Europeans 14½-13½. In 2004, He was paired with rival Phil Mickelson but lost both matches. Tiger was unable to compete in 2008 because of a knee injury. In the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, Tigers’ 3-1 record included a final-day singles win, but the U.S. was defeated by Europe 14½-13½. He had his worst Ryder Cup appearance in 2012 at Medinah, going 0-3-1 overall and being benched for a session (on Saturday) for the first time in his career. His only half-point came from his singles match, which was the last of the day and was

finished after Europe had already completed its record comeback and clinched the Cup.

Presidents Cup Tiger is 20-14-1 in Presidents Cup play. The United States has won the Presidents Cup five out of the seven years he has participated in, most recently in 2011, when Tiger went just 2-3, but clinched the title for the U.S. in singles play.

Tournaments For the first time in its history, the 2013 Valero Texas Open will be held the week before the Masters Tournament as it returns for its fourth year at the beautiful TPC San Antonio and JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa in northeast San Antonio. At 7,252 yards the 72 Par golf Course designed by Greg Norman will surely once again be a great venue for this competition.

Valero Texas Open

Defending Champion Ben Curtis will sure be trying his best to regain this title and grab a share of the $6.2 million purse.

1st - 7th April

2013 Masters Tournament The 2013 Masters Tournament will be the 77th edition of the Masters Tournament, the first of golfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s four major championships.

Hole Name

Yards Par

Hole Name

Yards Par

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

445 4 575 5 350 4 240 3 455 4 180 3 450 4 570 5 460 4

10 Camellia 11 White Dogwood 12 Golden Bell 13 Azalea 14 Chinese Fir 15 Firethorn 16 Redbud 17 Nandina 18 Holly

495 4 505 4 155 3 510 5 440 4 530 5 170 3 440 4 465 4

3,725 36

3,710 36

Total

7,435 72

Tea Olive Pink Dogwood Flowering Peach Flowering Crab Apple Magnolia Juniper Pampas Yellow Jasmine Carolina Cherry

Out

FIRST TIME AT THE MASTERS

8th - 14th April

Source:

Wiratchant, who won the 2012 Asian Tour Order of Merit, will be making his first Masters appearance when he competes at Augusta National in April. He holds the Asian Tour record for most career victories, having won for the 15th time at the Hero India Open last October, a co-sanctioned European PGA Tour event.

45th RBC Heritage 15th - 21st April

Harbour Town Golf Links, Hilton Head Island.

The RBC Heritage is more than just a golf tournament to the residents of Hilton Head Island and South Carolina. It is a major economic engine, bringing $80 million into the state each year and funds that are raised through the annual tournament are distributed to those in need throughout the area. Since 1987, more than $23 million has been donated to hundreds of organisations. Four PGA TOUR Pros with huge fan bases are playing in this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RBC Heritage. John Daly, Brian Gay, Zach Johnson and Hunter Mahan have all committed to the 45th annual event. They will be joined by other PGA TOUR Professionals including defending champ Carl Pettersson, KJ Choi, Jim Furyk, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Brandt Snedeker and Boo Weekley. The entire group will be shooting for the top prize of $1,044,000 from a purse of $5,800,000. 55

MAGAZIN E

LIFESTYLE

GOLF TOURNAMENT Enter our Pro-Am Competition at

Estepona Golf Call for details: 952 937 605 or 952 937 604 Or email: information@esteponagolf.com

Pro-Am Tournament

Teams of 3 (each team will be allocated a professional) Shotgun Start. Best 2 scores. Great prizes! Prize presentation.

TO G BE RE H AT EL D ES C P TE O RI IN FO P NT O R N AC D A T ZE M ET G S! AY AI O L LS F 56

Price per team €195 (€65 per person) Includes:

18 holes of golf BBQ & Prizes!

Open De España

18th - 21st April

This year the Tournament will be played at Parador de El Saler in Valencia, Spain Presently, the Spanish Open rotates among golf courses in Spain, so there have been many host sites over recent years. At its beginning, the tournament was played annually at Puerta de Hierro in Madrid. Puerta de Hierro was the site dozens of times from 1912 on, but last hosted this event in 1961.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans

22nd - 28th April

TPC Louisiana is the fourth venue to host the New Orleans Classic. Past courses include City Park Golf Course, Lakewood Country Club, and English Turn Golf and Country Club. Past winners include Billy Casper, Byron Nelson, Jack Nicklaus, Davis Love III, David Toms, and Vijay Singh.

Ballantine’s Championship

25th - 28th April

The Ballantine’s Championship remains Korea’s premier golf tournament, attracting a wealth of world-class talent year-on-year since its inception in 2008. In 2012, Austrian Wiesberger saw off a field, including the likes of Open Champion Darren Clarke and World Number 6 Adam Scott, to seal a dominant maiden European Tour victory in style; holing a 20-foot birdie on the final hole to finish on an 18-under-par 270, five shots clear of Richie Ramsay at Blackstone Golf Club. 57

• • • • • • • •

Amir Iqbal Khan (born 8 December 1986) is a British professional boxer. He is a former four-time world champion by winning WBA (Regular), WBA (Super) twice and IBF Light Welterweight titles. He previously boxed in the lightweight division, where he held the Commonwealth, WBO Inter-Continental, and WBA International titles. Khan is the youngest British Olympic boxing medallist, winning silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics at the age of 17. He is also one of the youngest British world champions ever, winning the WBA Light Welterweight title at age 22. Khan was born and raised in Bolton, England, in a British Pakistani family. He belongs to renowned Janjua family of Matore a village of Kahuta in Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. Khan fluently speaks in English, Punjabi and Urdu. He was educated at Smithills School in Bolton, and Bolton Community College. Khan has two sisters and one brother, Haroon Khan, who is an amateur boxer and has represented Pakistan at an international level. His first cousin is the English cricketer Sajid Mahmood. Khan is a practising Muslim, and is an active supporter of the Muslim Writer’s Awards. In addition to boxing, he enjoys playing sports such as cricket, football and basketball. He is also a fan of his local football club, Bolton Wanderers, and uses the club’s training facilities. Additionally, Khan is involved in various philanthropic initiatives, including the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), National Literacy Trust, and Great Ormond Street Hospital. On 29 January 2012, Khan got engaged to New York student Faryal Makhdoom, at the Reebok Stadium. A thousand friends and family were in attendance, including Ricky Hatton. The couple are set to marry in May 2013 at Astoria Waldorf Hotel.

.. Khan’s Next Fight.

Amir Khan

Record: 27 W, 3 L, 0 D, 19 KOs Alias: King Weight class: Lightweight Stance: Orthodox Style: Boxer Height: 5’10” Nationality: British Date of Birth: 8.12.86

Saturday 27th April 2013 Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield

Amir Khan

Boxing

Julio Diaz Record: 40 W, 7 L, 1 D, 29 KOs Alias: The Kidd Weight class: Lightweight Stance: Orthodox Style: Boxer Height: 5’9” Nationality: Mexican Date of Birth: 24.12.79

Khan’s Latest Statement...

•

He doesn’t feel he has a chin problem

Former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (27-3, 19 KO’s) doesn’t see himself having problems taking hard shots from his opponents, he points out that he’s never been knocked out in the clinical sense as proof of that. Khan said on his social media site, “Getting knocked down is one thing. Getting knocked down + put to sleep is another. It never happened to me. I’ve been stopped two times on my feet. So does that mean [Manny] Pacquiao, [Juan Manuel] Marquez, [Mike] Tyson, [Lennox] Lewis, many more have glass chins cause thy got knocked out / down; Silly people out there. What’s this bull**** about glass chin. LOL [laugh out loud] makes me laugh, 30 fights lost 3. Well, 2 really. So all those who say that make me laugh.”

MACKLINâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BOXING GYM

Train in Marbellaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s renowned boxing gym with state-ofthe-art equipment!

Marbella

We have personal trainers, various classes for men, women, children, and more... Opening Hours: Monday to Friday - 8am-10pm Saturdays - 5pm-10pm Sundays - Closed Avenida De Manolete 10 C.P, 29660 Nueva Andalucia, Marbella. Phone: 952 817 219 info@mgm.com.es www.mgm.com.es Facebook: MacklinsGymMarbella

All proceeds go to charity 60

l l l l l l l l l l l

Two boxing rings Shadow boxing/practice area Full bag area All the latest weights and gym equipment from all over Europe and America Running area with bleep test zone Power strength training area - from pulling ropes to tyre tractor tyre training Fitness rooms Physio rooms Ice baths Saunas Nutrition area

Latest equipment & work stations

Matthew Macklin is a former two-times European, British and Irish Middleweight Champion. Currently rated as No.3 in the world, by ‘Ring’ magazine, the Birmingham- born Irishman has been based in Marbella, Spain, since April 2013. His new professional trainers’ gym has all the latest, high-quality equipment, and it will be the base for all of Matthew’s future fights See him working out and improve your motivation!

Start your new training regime at Macklin’s Gym, you will find a great atmosphere and excellent facilities. It is conveniently situated, with direct access from the N340. 61