How abruptly the fun can stop. Rory McIlroy’s buildup had included a series of Long Island golf outings in the company of friends, in a re-acquaintance with an element of the sport that is lost when it becomes a professional pursuit. A return to the competitive scene delivered a reminder of its harsh realities; on a brutal opening day at the US Open, where stellar names did little to mask their frustrations, McIlroy stood over an 11-foot putt on the 18th needing to make it to break 80.

The Northern Irishman’s attempt was to slide by, ensuring the matching of his highest single round score in a major championship. US Open Thursdays have been curiously cruel to McIlroy recently; this 80 follows a 78 in 2017 and 77 two years ago. Shinnecock’s par of 70 adds further bruising context.

Opening night in Moscow had grandeur and hugeness, plus a home team so urgent and creative it was tempting to wonder if a Russia+1 filter had been placed over the pitch

Take that! On opening night in Moscow the World Cup turned a full-flush red, setting off like a train inside a periodically delirious Luzhniki Stadium. Every tournament needs a fully functioning host nation. The fear had been that an ageing, stagnant Russia team might bleed a little life from the World Cup right at the start.

In the event it all went off like a dream. There was the required grimly magisterial speech from your host for the night, Mr Vladimir Putin. A commendably short opening ceremony played out like a homespun Saturday teatime TV oddity. And best of all a Russian team that had been written off by everyone with a biro and a scrap of paper to hand produced a powerful, convincing performance en route to a 5-0 thrashing of Saudi Arabia.

• Southgate set to sacrifice Dier against Tunisia
• No place for Rashford in preferred 3-3-2-2 formation

Gareth Southgate’s provisional plans for England’s opening match of the World Cup can be revealed, with Harry Maguire favoured over Gary Cahill in the proposed starting XI, no place for Eric Dier in midfield and Ashley Young beating Danny Rose to the left wing‑back role.

Southgate has set up his team in training to operate with Jordan Henderson as the holding midfielder, which would mean Dier being restricted to a place on the substitutes’ bench in Monday’s game against Tunisia in Volgograd. Young has been awarded a place in Southgate’s provisional lineup and, barring a late change, Maguire has been preferred to Cahill in one of several borderline calls, despite the Chelsea captain’s improved recent form.

David Willey says Yorkshire threatened to rip up his contract over the 11th-hour move to the Indian Premier League at the start of the season.

The all-rounder, who saw England home with the bat in their three-wicket win over Australia on Wednesday, has since buried the hatchet with his employer by this week signing a one-year extension that takes him up to the end of 2019. But the initial reaction to his missing the first seven weeks of the summer to play (somewhat fleetingly) for Chennai Super Kings, the eventual IPL winners, as a late injury replacement still demonstrates the angst caused by overseas Twenty20 leagues.

The governing bodies of 12 British sports have demanded an end to a funding policy that puts Olympic medals above all else.

Describing the current model as “divisive”, the bodies – which include Badminton England and GB Wheelchair Rugby – have called on UK Sport to apply “at least a baseline level of funding” to all Olympic and Paralympic sports.

No one has ever won the U.S. Open after winning the week before, but Dustin Johnson is tied for the lead after Round 1 at Shinnecock.

Kellen Winslow Jr. was charged with first-degree burglary last week, but it was revealed Thursday, he has been charged with much more.

Russell Henley was just one of four players under par when he finished his first round late Thursday.

Follow along live as Sporting News provides live updates of Tiger Woods’ first round at the U.S. Open.

Follow along as Sporting News provides highlights of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.