Real Madrid v Villarreal Prediction

Real Madrid host Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday night and Los Blancos must win to keep pace with Barcelona in the La Liga title race.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side are heavy sports betting outsiders to lift the trophy, with Real trailing Barca by 12 points with 11 league games left to play.

However, buoyed by a 4-0 victory over Barcelona in the Copa Del Rey earlier this week, we could see Real finish the season strongly and you can never say never…

The likes of Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior have been in scintillating form in recent times and Villarreal could find themselves up against it on Saturday evening.

The visitors are currently sixth in the La Liga table but inconsistency has plagued their season and they are hardly a reliable betting proposition in this encounter.

Having said that, Villarreal did run out 2-0 winners over Real Sociedad in their most recent La Liga contest and they cannot be dismissed completely.

Confidence is high at the Bernabeu though and the 4-0 win over Barcelona could well act as the catalyst for Real Madrid to finish the 2022/23 season with silverware.

While La Liga is most unlikely on their possible trophy list, Real can at least put some more pressure on Barcelona ahead of their next match on Monday night.

This isn’t a straightforward affair but Real Madrid should have too much firepower for their opponents. I’m backing Real to score three or more goals in this clash.

Prediction: Real Madrid 3-1 Villarreal

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888Sport is home to various markets to bet on football, which is perfect for anyone backing Villarreal in 2022-23. 

Villarreal Club History

Far from the biggest club in La Liga betting, Villarreal have made a habit of punching above their weight to go toe-to-toe with some of the giants of Spanish football. 

Founded in 1923, the club existed in the lower reaches of the Spanish pyramid for the majority of its history, but has become a regular alongside the historic powerhouses of La Liga through the beginning of the 21st century despite a season in the Segunda in 2012-13. 

Following the Spanish Civil War, Villarreal’s identity and imaging changed multiple times. The club adopted its current crest in the mid-1960s, just a few years before their Tercera Division title.

Existing in Segunda A during the first few years of the 1990s, they enjoyed a breakthrough in 1998 when they secured a playoff spot. The 1998-99 campaign was their first ever in La Liga, which unfortunately ended in relegation.

Their stay in the second tier was short-lived, however, as they bounced back at the first time of asking.

By the middle of the 2000s, Villarreal had a couple of entries and wins in the Intertoto Cup, ultimately earning their first ever UEFA Cup appearance, a journey which ended at the semi-final stage.

In the second half of the noughties, Villarreal went from strength-to-strength.

The highlights were a last four effort in the Champions League and finishing as La Liga runners-up. Diego Forlan starred up front for a short period after a disappointing spell at Manchester United.

Villarreal suffered their most recent relegation in 2012, leading to a lot of important players leaving.

Again, it was just one campaign in the Segunda, and they have since re-established themselves as one of Spain’s elite clubs, winning their first European silverware in 2021 and reaching the Champions League semi-final in the following campaign.

Midfielder Manuel Trigueros is the club’s all-time appearance leader. Gerard Moreno tops the goal scoring charts as the only player in Villarreal history with more than 100 goals. 

Villarreal Honours List

• Tercera Division – 1968-69

• Europa League – 2020-21

• Intertoto Cup – 2003, 2004 

Villarreal Competitions This Season

Initially under Unai Emery and then Quique Setien, Villarreal had to cope with a very congested schedule during the first half of the season.

Such challenges are set to continue into 2023, with the club competing in La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Europa Conference League.

"Fancy a game tonight with my mates?"

"Are they any good?"

"Don't worry about their level, you'll be fine."

The mates: pic.twitter.com/1AoPbaRcJf

— Villarreal CF English (@VillarrealCFen) January 7, 2023

Villarreal has cruised through the first three rounds of the Copa del Rey to secure a place in the Round of 32. In La Liga, their season started with a 3-0 win over Valladolid, followed by an away win against Atletico Madrid. 

It has been a good start to the season from a continental perspective.

Initially seeing off Hadjuk Split in the playoff round, Villarreal booked their place in the group stage of the Conference League and finished top of the section including Austria Wien, Lech Poznan and Hapoel Beer Sheva.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Tottenham are presently in the unusual position of chasing down a top four spot minus a manager. 

Having featured prominently for some weeks in the next Premier League manager to be sacked odds Antonio Conte inevitably succumbed to type, his overly critical comments about his side and the board leaving him nowhere to go but the exit door.

Frankly the only surprise was that the Italian stayed as long as he did because all season long the irascible gaffer has been unhappy with his lot, with many Tottenham supporters hardly ecstatic about his residency in return. It was an open secret that Conte planned to leave this summer. 

So for the second time in two years, Spurs face a tough run-in with an interim boss at the helm, the previous occasion of course resulting from Jose Mourinho’s sacking, another coach hardly shy in talking down the club and blaming everyone for its failings but himself.

Add in the disastrous and short stint of Nuno Espirito Santo and you have to say that Daniel Levy’s choice of managers in recent years has been oddly awry. 

Even overlooking the character flaws inherent in two of them, all three favoured a conservative playing style that was a distinctly poor fit for Spurs.

The one time when the divisive chairman did get it right – and spectacularly so – was in appointing Mauricio Pochettino back in 2014, the Argentine establishing a reciprocal relationship with the fans while forging a brilliantly put-together team that came close to winning a title on two occasions, reaching a Champions League final along the way. 

Above and beyond these considerable achievements, this was an era when Spurs fans felt immeasurably bonded to their side, proud of the front-foot, adventurous mandate that Pochettino implemented and furthermore grateful for the unforgettable moments his team produced.

On that very special May evening in Amsterdam, when Tottenham came from three goals down on aggregate to secure a Champions League final at the death what we saw was a manager, team and fan-base as one, all living their best lives. 

Naturally therefore, so many of that fan-base are desperate for Pochettino to return, the away end at Goodison this week ringing out his name, making it plain to the club’s board that he has their vote.

Evidently, what they want is to put three-and-a-half years of stultifying mediocrity down as a prolonged and unfortunate aberration and go again.

Given the drudgery of the Conte / Stellini Spurs, it is easy to see why the idea of Mauricio Pochettino's return is so seductive for their fans. He is a symbol of the things they have lost: https://t.co/nXpII1qSs9

— Richard Jolly 🇺🇦 (@RichJolly) April 4, 2023

As for the man himself, it is now approaching a year since PSG dispensed with his services – a period that has seen him flirt with the Manchester United vacancy – and for sure he is ready to get back in the technical area. To finish what he began in North London would greatly appeal to him. 

It is a surprise then to learn, via various reports, that Spurs have four candidates in mind, none of whom is their former prodigal son. A reputable source even puts Brendan Rodgers in the frame following his dismissal at Leicester. 

One of the oldest sayings in the game is you should never go back but in this instance, for all concerned, Poch heading back to Tottenham makes sense.

A coterie of the club’s most seasoned and influential players – namely Lloris, Dier, Son and Kane – enjoyed their best football under the Argentine and would be delighted at being reunited.

Moreover, their sliding price in the Premier League betting would surely be boosted by the feel-good factor his reinstalment would bring.

Perhaps though, that is precisely why this recoupling won’t occur. Because it makes such sense. 
Tottenham have been in scant supply of that for some time now.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Presently, Arsenal are eight points clear at the top as they endeavour to win their first league title for close to two decades and the Premier League betting odds reflects their healthy lead. 

The Gunners are 4/6 to be victorious come May, no doubt prompting wild celebrations across one half of North London. 

Manchester City, for their part, are 5/4 in the football betting, their lean odds partly explained by a game in hand they hold over their new and unexpected rival while a forthcoming, blockbusting six-pointer between these sides is also a significant factor.

In all likelihood, a home win on April 26th beneath the Etihad lights, will put Pep Guardiola’s men firmly back in contention.

There is however another reason why City should be fancied to ultimately prevail, despite the sizable points difference, and it’s got very little to do with the current state of play, or even who has got the toughest run-in. 

It’s because at this juncture of a title-chasing campaign, the Blues have proven form for turning into match-winning, pressure-negating machines.

That was certainly the case in 2018/19, when City went head-to-head all season long against a formidable Liverpool creation that frankly looked unstoppable, going into the new year unbeaten. 

A rare defeat by the reigning champions in the north-east left them five points adrift of the relentless Reds going into February and even this slender gap left many to believe the league crown was destined for Anfield. Certainly, City would have to be immaculate from that point on.

And remarkably they were, signing off their season with 14 straight wins, all of them accompanied by suffocating tension, in each game knowing that a single slip-up would cost them dear. 

By the conclusion of this titanic struggle, Liverpool finished one point short despite losing just once all season.

Aside from admiring such fortitude under extreme duress, what is most pertinent from City’s imperious feat is how it differed to their successful run-in the season before. 

Then, 38 points were picked up from a possible 45 from mid-January onwards as they romped uncontested for their first title under Guardiola, and as they marched to an unprecedented century of points, opponents were deconstructed in trademark style.

It was, all told, an exhibition of their greatness down the final straight. 

Yet one year on, with each result essential, we saw another side to the Catalan’s collective. We saw the grit and belief and craftiness that all lie beneath this generational side who are routinely capable of playing wonderfully expressive football but also have in their arsenal the ability to grind.

On five occasions, City won out 1-0, each time eking down the clock, closing the game off. Just doing enough. 

This we saw in evidence once again last term, when astonishingly the 2018/19 campaign was nigh-on repeated. This time, Liverpool lost only twice all season but they still had no response to City unbeaten streak from mid-February on keeping them at bay.

Even a final-day near-disaster at home to Aston Villa was navigated, the Blues coming from two down to secure a fourth title in five years. Once again, they found a way.  

All of which should be immensely concerning to the Gunners as City pick up the pace once more with the finish line almost in sight.

Since losing to Spurs in – you’ve guessed it – February, Guardiola’s men have been superb, accruing 19 points from 21 and overcoming every obstacle put in their way. We have seen this movie before.

Very likely then, Arsenal will need to be all-but-perfect from now until the season’s end. But as Liverpool will sorely attest, even that is not always enough.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Strictly speaking, the search to find the bargain buy of 2022/23 begins and ends at the size 13 feet of one man. Step forward the goal-scoring phenomenon that is Erling Haaland.

Bought for just £6m more than Manchester City received from Arsenal for their peripheral attacking talent Gabriel Jesus, and a whopping £34m less than Liverpool shelled out for Darwin Nunez, the formidable Norwegian has smashed records for fun this term, finding the net 42 times in 37 appearances to date.

In the Premier League he has already out-scored seven of the last 10 Golden Boot winners while his recent fifth strike against RB Leipzig in the Champions League means he has fired more goals in a single season than any other player throughout Manchester City’s long history.

Remarkably, the Blues have a maximum of 17 games still to play for Haaland to extend on his unprecedented output.

In an era when gold-standard superstars fetch well over £100m, his £51m represents a superb bit of business for the reigning league champions. It’s a snip at half the price for a forward who could very conceivably go down as one of the greatest ever to inhabit his position. 

Indeed, so incredible has been Haaland’s impact – and so astronomical are his projected accomplishments - it is tempting at this juncture to announce, ‘case closed’ and move on to the infinitely more juicy ‘flop of the season’ but wait, because there is a notable hitch. 

Can any player, no matter how sensational, ever be deemed a ‘bargain’ when his fee surpassed the entire summer spending of Brighton and Leicester combined? It feels incongruous. It feels wrong.

Some criteria therefore must be met and it’s a criteria that additionally rules out a pair of Manchester United signings, with Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro transforming the Reds but both for a pretty penny. Furthermore, while we’re explaining the rules here let’s point out that only players bought last summer count. 

All of which takes us first to Craven Cottage and a signing last August that went under the radar a little, largely because it just made a whole lot of sense.

Bernd Leno

Having lost his number one spot at Arsenal, Bernd Leno was in desperate need of games and that looked especially unlikely at the Emirates when the Gunners swooped for Matt Turner as their preferred back-up.

Fulham, meanwhile, on gaining promotion to the top-flight were keen on upgrading their goalkeeping options, ideally bringing in someone with a wealth of experience at the highest level. After a prolonged bout of haggling an agreement was eventually struck.

At the time, before a ball had even been saved in anger, it was a deal that screamed value for money for the Cottagers, managing to secure the services of a German international for a paltry initial sum of £3m, that would rise to £8m should Fulham avoid relegation for two years running with Leno playing a pivotal role in that happening. 

Now that we’re actually witnessing these events occur, his fee just looks distinctly silly. 

For Leno has been fantastic for the London club this term, keeping seven clean sheets and putting in a clutch of game-changing performances. Furthermore, his presence and know-how have been key in Fulham routinely subverting the football betting and remaining in the upper half of the table.

Nick Pope

Leno therefore has to be a contender, while elsewhere another keeper should absolutely be in the running, the player in question being Newcastle’s cheapest purchase last summer yet undoubtedly to this point their most important post-takeover.

Providing a surety in between the sticks that they previously lacked, Nick Pope has kept 13 shut-outs so far, performing heroics behind a defence that boasts the best record in the top-flight, and then some.

No player has done more to ensure that the Magpies remain short-priced in the Premier League betting to grab a top four spot while his £10m fee is proof that even the exceedingly rich can spot a bargain just like the rest of us.

Tavernier, Lavia & Hickey

Going around the grounds we find further steals, with Marcus Tavernier a reliably high performer for Bournemouth and all for just £12.5m after signing from Middlesbrough.

A little further along the south coast, midfielder Romeo Lavia is proving on a weekly basis that he is destined to become a household name before his career is out. Southampton saw Manchester City coming when their bid of £15m was reluctantly accepted.   

Lastly, Aaron Hickey’s switch to Brentford from Bologna warrants due acknowledgement, the left-back arriving in West London for just £18m. If the Scot isn’t sold on for an enormous profit in the near-future then something is very amiss. 

All things being equal however, the award for the Bargain Signing of the Season for 2022/23 should be shared on this occasion with the consistency, importance and influence of Leno and Pope hard to ignore and impossible to separate. 

It can be said for certain that the award will be in safe hands.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

Barcelona Betting Tips & Prediction

Valladolid vs Barcelona Tips

Barcelona have already clinched the La Liga title but the visitors will want to cement their status as top dogs in Spain with a strong finish to the campaign.

La Blaugrana have an excellent record in this fixture, winning the previous six meetings and La Liga betting markets are firmly in favour of the champions.

Having said that, Valladolid may see this as a game with nothing to lose and that could end up being advantageous, especially if Barcelona are already in holiday mode.

The hosts have lost five in a row though and must stop the rot sooner rather than later if they are to avoid relegation to the second tier of Spanish football.

As it is, it looks like Valladolid’s clash with Getafe on the final day could be an ‘all or nothing’ contest to remain in La Liga next season.

However, Valladolid can take confidence from Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad at the weekend and the visitors may not be fully focused on the job at hand.

The trends are not on their side though, with Barcelona not only winning the last six head-to-heads but also keeping a clean sheet in their last four meetings.

With that in mind, it may prove prudent to back a low scoring contest. Valladolid would take a point no doubt and Barca are in cruise control so an uneventful clash looks likely.

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Can Barcelona get their hands on the La Liga trophy for the first time since the 2018/19 season?

La Blaugrana are one of the biggest football clubs in the world but the Camp Nou faithful have had to be patient in recent times. Those who bet on football will expect Barca to bounce back in the near future…

Barcelona Club History

Founded by Swiss native Joan Gamper in 1899, Barcelona quickly developed into one of Spain’s top football clubs with a number of early triumphs.

The club enjoyed plenty of success in their initial years and soon built their first official stadium – with a capacity to host a total of around 8,000 spectators.

In June 1929, Barcelona won the inaugural Spanish league title. While Real Madrid have gone on to lift more titles, Barca will always be the first team to lift the crown.

The Spanish Civil War impacted the club with president Josep Sunyol shot because he was a member of a left wing party.

The political history of Barcelona must be recognised and treated carefully but the club managed to rebuild and compete at the highest level of Spanish football.

The Camp Nou was built in the 1950s and that was an iconic moment for the club, with a venue worthy of ‘Total Football’ and Barcelona would go on to achieve greatness during the period.

The first Champions League crown came in 1991/92 and Barca have been one of Europe’s dominant forces in the sport ever since.

Barcelona continue to make major strides and are now undoubtedly a force to be reckoned with in every competition.

Barcelona Honours List

• La Liga Title: 1929, 1944–45, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1951–52, 1952–53, 1958–59, 1959–60, 1973–74, 1984–85, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1997–98, 1998–99, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19

• Copa del Rey: 1910, 1912, 1913, 1920, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1942, 1951, 1952, 1952–53, 1957, 1958–59, 1962–63, 1967–68, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1980–81, 1982–83, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2020–21

• Supercopa de Espana: 1983, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2018

• UEFA Champions League: 1991–92, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2014–15

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1978–79, 1981–82, 1988–89, 1996–97

• UEFA Super Cup: 1992, 1997, 2009, 2011, 2015

• FIFA Club World Cup: 2009, 2011, 2015

Barcelona Competitions This Season

At the beginning of the 2022/23 season, Barcelona are set to compete in La Liga, Copa Del Rey, Supercopa de Espana and the Champions League.

Unfortunately, Barca crashed out of Europe’s elite club competition in the group stages and dropped into the Europa League. However, they are one of the sports betting favourites to lift that trophy.

💙 T E A M ❤️ pic.twitter.com/nUGVjBahJn

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) December 26, 2022

The La Liga title has gone to Madrid in each of the previous three seasons – twice heading to arch rivals Real and once to Atletico.

Barcelona fans will be hoping that their club can live up to La Liga predictions hype and reclaim the Spanish title for the 27th time in their history.

The Spanish Super Cup looks there for the taking once again and Barcelona have a favourable semi-final tie and a potential clash with Real Madrid looks likely.

Fancy a bet on Barcelona today? Keep an eye on Barca tips and previews at the top of this page for every game this season.

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*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

It would likely be assumed by any individual unenamoured with football that Steven Gerrard is an immensely popular figure, loved by most, admired by the rest.

After all, here is a former all-action England hero and scorer of spectacular goals. Here is someone in receipt of a career’s worth of positive press. He’s more commonly known as ‘Stevie G’ for goodness sake. 

In fact – as you’ll no doubt already know, unless you’ve accidentally strayed onto this sports betting site by mistake and hold little interest in the game – Gerrard is beloved by Liverpool supporters but is disliked by pretty much everyone else.

Indeed, one of the chief reasons for this widespread antipathy is the gushing praise he routinely enjoys in print that jars. 

Gerrard of course cannot be blamed for this. He cannot be crucified for newspaper men and television pundits alike painting him as a saintly Roy-of-the-Rovers figure for two decades and more.

What is he supposed to do? Phone up editors and television executives and ask to be criticised? No, in this regard he is blameless. In this regard he is no footballing villain.

The same goes incidentally for the other reasons why he is unpopular beyond a certain fan-base. Gerrard is synonymous with Liverpool. He is Liverpool through and through. Naturally then, fans of other clubs bristle at the mere mention of his name. Especially when its framed as ‘Stevie G’.

Swap Liverpool for Chelsea, and ‘Stevie G’ for the more banal first-name term of ‘Frank’ and virtually all of the above equally applies to Frank Lampard. 

He too has always been written about all pally-like by reporters who desperately want to be pally with him.

He too is portrayed as an England legend despite the fact that together and apart this duo led the Three Lions to only failure and disappointment across their entire careers.

He too has benefited from more aggrandisement than is normal for a footballer because combined they are the Teflon Twins. All of their professional life they have been placed on a lofty pedestal and kept there come what may

The need to prove themselves over and over – a requirement we demanded from even a much better player in Wayne Rooney – simply did not apply to them.

Worse still, we are witnessing this privilege play out post-retirement too. With very little managerial experience between them both were given plum jobs from the get-go, with Lampard hardly pulling up trees at Derby before bafflingly being handed the Chelsea gig.

A failure to produce the goods at the Bridge didn’t deter Everton from going all weak at the knees at a big name, someone who became a big name via a completely different skill-set. 

He failed at Goodison too. Frankly, he was out of his depth.

As for Gerrard, admittedly he impressed in Scotland with Rangers but Aston Villa was an over-promotion too far, one that more seasoned – and much better – coaches could never dream of getting. The former midfielder duly bombed, badly.  

Yet despite these clear illustrations of their limitations both these men will be in the running in the football betting this summer when prestigious positions become available.

And they’ll likely get them too, each appointment completely undeserved but club owners read newspapers and watch television like the rest of us. They see this pair held up as gods.

From their early twenties, Gerrard and Lampard have been handed a proverbial silver spoon and boy have they ran with it, taking advantage of all their advantages, feeling entitled and believing jobs in the lower leagues to gain valuable experience is beneath them. 

Are they to blame for this, or is football the culprit, star-struck and eternally giddy for reasons that perplex? Bluntly, only us, watching on agape emerge with any credit.

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Golf is one of the most popular sports on the planet, with players from all over the world competing at the highest level. From the drama of the Ryder Cup to the ups and downs of the US Open, golf entertains millions of fans every year.

The golf calendar has been impacted somewhat by the coronavirus outbreak this year, with the US Masters and The Open Championship both postponed until a later date. All being well, we could see both events take place before the end of August.

For now, fans can get their golf betting and news fix on our 888sport blog. Here, we look at the 10 greatest English golfers of all-time but do you agree with our selections? It’s hard to argue against a few but some may be fortunate to make the cut…

 

Luke Donald

Donald was ranked as the best player in the world for over a year back in 2011 but, like Lee Westwood, a first major title eluded the Englishman. Unfortunately for Donald, he could only manage two third-placed finishes at major tournaments.

However, 2011 was still an incredible year for Donald. He became the first Englishman to win the coveted PGA Tour Player of the Year award, the Vardon Trophy and most weeks ranked as the number one player in the world during a calendar year.

Tony Jacklin

With two major wins to his name, Jacklin is a shoo-in for this list. In addition, he made seven Ryder Cup appearances and captained Team Europe on four separation occasions – a unique feat given the standard of competition in golf at that time.

He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame back in 2002 and most golf news sites rank Jacklin as one of the greatest English golfers of all-time. In addition, he claimed eight European Tour titles, as well as four PGA Tour triumphs.

 

Justin Rose

Of the modern players, Rose has probably enjoyed the most success. He claimed his first major success at the US Open in 2013 and hasn’t looked back. Rose consistently finishes in the top 10 of tournaments and has over 20 professional tournament wins.

He has been a thorn in the side of Team USA at the Ryder Cup and the Englishman clinched the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Without a doubt, Rose is well worth his spot on this list.

 

Lee Westwood

Arguably the best player never to win one of golf’s four major events, Westwood is one of the most popular golfers around. In October 2010, Westwood became the world number one – the first golfer to do that since Nick Faldo in 1994. 

He has won tournaments across five continents but has had to settled for second or third on six occasions at major events. Meanwhile, Westwood has helped Team Europe win the Ryder Cup on seven occasions, claiming 23 points in 44 matches.

Harold Hilton

One of the finest amateur players on the planet during his day, Hilton gained recognition whilst playing at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club. He won four Amateur Championships in his career while claiming two Open Championship wins in 1892 and 1897.

Following on from his successful playing career, Hilton was named as the first editor of Golf Monthly – now the world’s oldest golf magazine. Despite his amateur status, it would be unfair to play down his position as one of England’s greatest golfers.

 

Jim Barnes

Known by some as ‘Long Jim’, Barnes was a key figure during the post-World War One era. He moved to the United States at just 20 years old but that decision was the making of him, with Barnes going on to win an astonishing 21 PGA Tour titles.

To this day, he is the only Englishman to win three different majors. Barnes won the PGA Championship in 1916 and 1919, the US Open in 2921 and the Open Championship in 1925. He is a true golfing icon and his record speaks for itself.

 

Sir Henry Cotton

A lot of golf fans know Cotton for his commentary but it was his exploits on the course that initially enhanced his reputation. A three-time Open Championship winner, Cotton was consistently strong on home soil – though he did struggle on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Cotton won 37 professional competitions during his playing career and he earned a place in the World Golf Hall of Game in 1980. He is a legend of the sport and Cotton was rewarded with a knighthood in the 1988 New Year’s Honours.

Dame Laura Davies

Without a doubt, Davies is one of the greatest female golfers of all-time. With an incredible 87 professional titles to her name, she was the dominant force of her era and she leads the way on the all-time Ladies European Tour with 45 wins.

Like many others on this list, she was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2015. Her greatest ever achievement could be becoming the first golfer, male or female, to win tournaments on five different continents during the same calendar year.

 

John Henry Taylor

Taylor’s list of achievements is something else. He won five Open Championships during his career while also finishing as runner up on six occasions. J.H. Taylor had a tough upbringing but living with amateur golfer Horace Hutchinson offered him a way into the sport.

During his illustrious playing career, Taylor won an impressive 18 professional titles. In 1933, he captained Great Britain to Ryder Cup glory in front of a jubilant crowd at Southport and Ainsdale – he was a golfer playing well in advance of his era.

 

Sir Nick Faldo

Look at any list of English golfers and chances are Faldo will be safe and secure in top spot. With 12 European Tour titles, three PGA Tour crowns, six major championships and 97 weeks ranked as number one in the world, Faldo is the greatest English golfer of all-time.

He was fortunate enough to play on 11 Ryder Cup teams, earning a record 25 points for Team Europe. Meanwhile, he was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1997 before receiving a knighthood for his services to golf and sport in 2009.

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to Denis Paquin / AP Photo*

For anyone who has been living in a bunker these past few weeks, LIV Golf is a newly formed rival to the established PGA Tour, an invitational series that will consist of eight events in its inaugural season.

Two of these events have already taken place, in Hertfordshire, England, and at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Oregon, with each extending to 54 holes across three days, instead of the traditional 72 holes over four days.

This format-change explains the new tour’s name, with ‘LIV’ the roman numeral for 54.

Featuring in these competitions are household names and multiple major winners, including Phil Mickelson, Lee Westwood, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson and though these ‘rebel’ players are suspended indefinitely from participating in future PGA events they are still free to compete in majors, such as the British Open Championship due to tee-off this week.

 

Incidentally, the two events in question were concluded without contention in front of curious crowds, with Charles Schwartzel winning the first, and Brenden Grace upsetting the golf odds in the other.

So far then, so not especially controversial although of course a breakaway league was always bound to be newsworthy and it certainly garnered plenty of headlines, mainly focusing on the fractious nature of it.

Only it has been controversial and frankly that’s something of an understatement, with some claiming the sport of golf will never be the same again.

Indeed, consider the criticism and condemnation that greeted a proposed European Super League in football at the height of the pandemic. Now double it. Treble it, even.

Tiger Woods gives damning verdict on LIV Golf pic.twitter.com/JjzXybHDGl

— Golf Monthly (@GolfMonthly) July 12, 2022

The reason for such rancour lies in the country behind the ambitious venture, with financial backing coming from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), a sovereign wealth fund overseen by the state’s ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

With Saudi Arabia’s appalling human rights record it has led to accusations of ‘sportswashing’ while the defected players have had their ethics queried.  Some in the media have even gone so far as to suggest Westwood and company have sold their souls.

And sold for an exorbitant price because the extraordinary money involved is another reason why LIV Golf has prompted uproar.

Phil Mickelson is reputed to have been paid $200m to participate while long-time online betting favourite Tiger Woods turned down four times that amount if reports are accurate.

Each tournament meanwhile offers up a $25m purse, the likes of which even the moneyed PGA cannot come close to matching, and it grates to hear rebel players insist they have jumped ship to ensure financial security for their families.

Just one look at Dustin Johnson’s net worth for example illustrates they are already set for life.

According to LIV Golf’s official website, the new format will ‘supercharge the professional golf landscape and create new value for fans and players alike’ but to date there has been no evidence of it doing any such thing.

Instead, it has provoked only disharmony and grievous ill-feeling, leaving a whole sport splintered.

Is LIV Golf the future? Let’s hope not.

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One of the most popular sports on the planet, the subject of the world’s greatest golfer is – and has been – up for debate. However, most fans would agree that two men in particular are clear of the rest.

Younger golf fans have grown up watching Tiger Woods win major title after major title while older viewers will recall Jack Nicklaus dominating during his incredibly 25-year professional career.

Both players have been immense servants to the sport and golf followers have debated this topic long and hard over the years. We decided to look at both players in a bid to determine just who is the greatest male golfer of all-time.

Jack Nicklaus

Major wins: 18

Not only is Nicklaus one of the best golfers of all-time but he is there or thereabouts when discussing the best sportsmen of all-time.

That is testament to the great man’s impact and influence in golf, starting from your local driving range to the 18^th hole at Augusta National. For mature golf fans, Nicklaus is unquestionably the greatest of all-time.

If you look purely at performances at major events, Nicklaus ranks as the best golfer to step onto a course.

Six Masters titles, five PGA Championship triumphs, four US Open successes and three wins at The Open Championship shows just how versatile Nicklaus was – he had the quality to cope with different courses and occasions.

Nicklaus had seven-time major champion Arnold Palmer to compete with during his career and that only strengthens his status as golf’s top player.

Palmer is a legend of the sport and he will go down as one of the very best but Nicklaus was a class above. That rivalry remains one of the most competitive golf has ever seen.

The Roger Federer of golf, Nicklaus was a fan favourite across the world and he conducted himself impeccably throughout his career – both on the golf course and in his personal life.

For neutrals, his positive behaviour in interviews and in the public spotlight may give him the edge over Woods.

 

Tiger Woods

Major wins: 15

Walk down the street and ask somebody to name the first golfer that springs to mind and Tiger Woods is likely to be the answer.

A global icon, Woods’ reputation has grown for his exploits on the course but also for his conduct away from the sport. True fans are willing to look past his off-course antics though and prefer to remember his glittering career.

It took Woods just over a year to win his first major event after turning professional – and it was clear that he was destined for a special career.

One of the most successful players in PGA Tour history, Woods was golf’s dominant figure during the 1990s and he was arguably the biggest sportsman on the planet during the decade.

Tiger’s story is incredible. 11 years after recording his 14^th major success, Woods defied the odds to secure title number 15 at the 2019 US Masters.

There were emotional scenes on the 18^th green at Augusta National on that occasion and the golfing universe united to celebrate with the American. Dismissed time and time again, this was Woods’ big moment.

Woods holds the record for the most consecutive weeks at the top of golf’s world rankings while he has also been in top spot on that list for more time than any other golfer in history.

In addition, he has won the PGA Player of the Year award a record 11 times and is a worthy contender for Nicklaus’ crown as golf’s greatest player.

 

*Credit for the main photo belongs to David J. Phillip / AP Photo*

The Open Championship is the oldest golf competition in the world and it is widely regarded as the most prestigious of the four golf majors.

First held in 1860, the Open Championship originally took place at Prestwick Golf Club but there is now a specific rotation of courses.

Open Championship Highlights:

• Bobby Jones (1930)

• Ben Hogan (1953)

• Tom Watson vs Jack Nicklaus (1977)

• Seve Ballesteros (1984)

• Nick Faldo (1987)

• Constantino Rocca (1995)

• Jean van de Velde (1999)

• Tiger Woods (2006)

• Darren Clarke (2011)

• Phil Mickelson (2013)

With the 2020 Open Championship cancelled, British golf fans will have to wait until 2021 for their major fix.

Golf fans will flock to Royal St George’s in Kent in 2021 and punters can follow golf betting tips in the build up to the tournament. Ahead of the 2021 Open Championship, we look back at 10 of the most famous British Open memories.

*Credit for the main photo belongs to AP Photo*