Cape Town – Ireland’s Shane Lowry withstood howling wind and rain to win his first major at the Open Championship by six shots from Tommy Fleetwood on Sunday.

FULL LEADERBOARD: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

In desperately difficult conditions, Lowry’s one-over par final round was still more than enough as he finished on 15-under for the tournament to claim the Claret Jug.

Fleetwood could never apply enough pressure as Lowry never had less than a three-shot lead throughout his round and a double bogey at the 14th realistically ended the Englishman’s challenge as he finished three-over for the day on nine-under.

Roared on by huge crowds despite the inclement weather at Royal Portrush, Lowry had a nervy start as he bogeyed the opening hole.

However, he looked set to romp to victory after making three birdies in four holes between four and seven to move to 18-under.

Strengthening winds and lashing rain halted Lowry’s charge towards the finish line as dropped shots at eight, nine and 11 to give Fleetwood hope.

World number one Brooks Koepka was hoping for the wind to blow Lowry off course, but it was his chances that were washed away early on.

Four consecutive bogeys on the first four holes realistically ended the four-time major winner’s challenge for a first Open Championship.

Koepka battled back with an eagle at the fifth, but dropped shots at 11 and 17 ensured he narrowly missed out on becoming the first man to finish in the top three at all four majors in a calendar year in a tie for fourth alongside Lee Westwood on six-under.

Westwood registered his 12th top-five finish in a major, but is still yet to win one as he slipped back from 10-under after 10 holes.

Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre in his first Open Championship, Englishmen Tyrrell Hatton and Danny Willett and America’s Ricky Fowler finished on five-under for a share of sixth.

Last year’s champion Francesco Molinari took advantage of easier weather conditions to post the round of the day with a 66 to climb up to a tie for 11th on three-under.

However, J.B. Holmes, who led at the halfway stage with Lowry, and started the day in third endured a horrendous day as the American shot a 16-over 87 to tumble down to 67th.

American’s Tony Finau was the only man in the final 10 groups to manage level par for the day and took third place on seven-under.

Johannesburg – The fairy tale rise of South African scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies continues at Ellis Park on Saturday when he makes his Test debut against Australia. 

It is the first of six games that also involve Argentina and New Zealand in a Rugby Championship cut to a single round because of the Rugby World Cup in Japan from September 20.

Jantjies, 23, began this year as understudy to veteran Jano Vermaak at Super Rugby outfit the Stormers in Cape Town. 

But when Vermaak was injured, Jantjies grabbed his opportunity and became the most impressive newcomer this year among the four South African Super Rugby outfits.

His form attracted the attention of Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and he now gets a chance to become one of three World Cup scrumhalves.

“When Herschel came up against some of the best scrumhalves in Super Rugby this season, he stood his ground,” noted former South Africa loose forward Erasmus.

“He has been consistently good this year and slotted in really well when he joined our training camp.

“Having a number of his Stormers team-mates around him has also helped and now he gets an opportunity to show us what he can do at Test level.”

Springbok backline coach and former sevens star Mzwandile Stick has hailed Jantjies for making a huge impact in his first Super Rugby season. 

“Life is all about opportunities. The boy was given a chance by the Stormers and he grabbed it with both hands.

“Herschel is very clinical in terms of basic skills. He has got a good pass and when the chance arises, he will snipe and score brilliant tries. 

“He is not a big guy, but he makes big tackles. That shows he is in a good mental space,” said Stick.

Scrumhalf has been a problem position for some time with a lack of depth beneath first-choice Faf de Klerk from English Premiership club Sale Sharks. 

Bulls duo Embrose Papier and Ivan van Zyl started this year as the likeliest understudies to De Klerk.

But neither had an outstanding Super Rugby campaign and Jantjies and Northampton Saints’ Cobus Reinach have risen above them in the pecking order. 

Reinach is on the bench for the Wallabies Test while De Klerk is rested ahead of a clash with world champions New Zealand in Wellington next weekend. 

Fullback Willie le Roux, flyhalf Handre Pollard and hooker Malcolm Marx are other probable World Cup first choices sitting out this Test and skipper and flanker Siya Kolisi is injured.

South Africa have changed 13 of the side beaten by Wales last November in their previous Test with centre Jesse Kriel and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit the sole survivors.

Toulouse flanker Rynhardt Elstadt is the other newcomer in the starting XV and uncapped Bulls prop Lizo Gqoboka is among the replacements.

Australia have chosen one new cap, No 8 Isi Naisarani, as they seek to improve a disastrous record of 16 losses from 17 Tests in Highveld cities Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Coach Michael Cheika has changed 10 of the run-on team beaten by England last November in their last outing, with a number of recalls after lengthy Test absences.

Scrumhalf Nic White plays his first international since 2015, prop James Slipper his first since 2016 and centres Tevita Kuridrani and Samu Kerevi team up for the first time since 2017.

“I am feeling a lot of belief and commitment from this squad,” said Cheika ahead of a match at a venue where Australia were humiliated 53-8 when they last played there 11 years ago.

“They have all invested a lot of effort into our preparation and I know the 23 men selected will do us proud.”

Kick-off is at 17:05 on Saturday.

Teams:

South Africa

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 S’bu Nkosi, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Francois Louw, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Rynhardt Elstadt, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth (captain), 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Frans Steyn, 23 Dillyn Leyds

Australia

15 Tom Banks , 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Reece Hodge, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nic White, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 5 Rory Arnold, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Folau Fainga’a, 1 James Slipper

Substitutes: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Rob Simmons, 20 Jack Dempsey, 21 Will Genia, 22 Matt To’omua, 23 Kurtley Beale

Cape Town – Western Province coach John Dobson was disappointed with the lack of opportunities created by his side in the 20-5Currie Cup victory over the Blue Bulls.

Cape Town – The family of James Small have again asked for privacy following the tragic sudden passing of the former Springbok legend.

James Small: 14 pictures of SA’s greatest No 14

The South African sporting fraternity was shocked on Wednesday when news broke that Small had died at the age of 50.

Following the completion of the autopsy on Friday afternoon, the cause of death was reported as ‘ischaemic heart disease’.

Small played 47 Tests for the Springboks between 1992 and 1997 and scored 20 tries.

He was also part of the Springbok team that won the 1995 Rugby World Cup on home soil.

Small is the fourth member of that Springbok party to have passed away – coach Kitch Christie died from cancer in 1998, flank Ruben Kruger died from brain cancer in 2010 and scrumhalf Joost van der Westhuizen from motor neurone disease in 2017.

READ: Tributes pour in for Springbok legend James Small

The family released a second statement late on Saturday, urging media and the public to respect their privacy, especially that of Small’s two children.

‘Given how well-known James was, we understand the media and public interest. The James we know made mistakes. Yes, he battled tough times. Who hasn’t? However, he took responsibility for those mistakes – the many journalists who interviewed him, and all his teammates and friends will attest to this. James’s legacy speaks for itself.’

‘As his family, our sole concern right now are his two young children, who are shocked and devastated. To lose your father suddenly is traumatic enough without the added pressure they are getting from certain sectors.

‘We again seriously request that the children and the family’s privacy be respected by the media.

‘James lived his life in the public eye. His children did not.

‘The coroner and police have confirmed that James died from a heart attack. No foul play is suspected. This is surely where the public’s ‘need-to-know’ should end.

‘We will not dignify any other stories or rumours with a response and will not be making any further comment.

‘We have a funeral to plan and the life of a hero – a man we loved – to celebrate.’

Small’s funeral will be held on Thursday, July 18 at 14:00 in Johannesburg. The venue will be confirmed on Monday.

“All mourners will be welcome,” the family spokesperson added.

So sad that at a time like this, a time of mourning and true sadness at the loss of a loved one, a statement likes this needs to be issued to ask that the Small family’s privacy be respected. Please… pic.twitter.com/5s0tto0Ngg

— Joel Stransky (@stranners) July 13, 2019

Cape Town – South Africa’s Raven Klaasen and his New Zealand partner, Michael Venus are out of Wimbledon after they were beating in the semi-finals of the men’s doubles tournament by Colombia’s Juan-Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.

The pair went down 4-6, 7-6 (7/4). 6-7 (2/7) and 4-6/

Klaasen and Venus were hoping to fair better than last year were they were beaten in final at SW19.