Mark

The most recent death on Mt. Wilson claimed the life of a man identified as New Zealand-born, L.A.-based composer Mark Smythe. Following the tragedy, his colleagues and family poured out their hearts as they remembered a man they called smart, funny and a true supporter of his peers.

Smythe died Saturday at 53 after suffering a cardiac emergency on a hiking trail, according to the coroner’s online database. His cause of death was atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, in which plaque builds up in arterial walls and can lead to a heart attack.

The Sierra Madre Police Department said Saturday that a man — at that point unidentified — died after having a medical emergency on the trail and that no foul play was suspected. First responders arrived at the site around 10 a.m. and administered aid but were unable to save his life.

Smythe had been head of the department of Composing for Visual Media at Los Angeles Music College since last summer, according to his website. Among other honors, he was nominated for a 2023 Society of Composers and Lyricists Award for his work scoring the movie “The Reef: Stalked.”

Kate Ward-Smythe, the composer’s sister, acknowledged his death late Sunday on Facebook.

“It is a comfort to know that he was doing one of the things he loved, hiking in the hills, and we are grateful to his wonderful friends (and emergency service responders) who tried so hard to resuscitate him,” she wrote.

“Mark was a strong larger than life connector in LA, as a professor, composer, musician, and loyal friend. He was also fiercely talented, and an absolute cheerleader for music performance and recording across multiple genres.. he was only just getting started and had so much more to give .. We are heartbroken and trying to process this tragedy, as are all Mark’s friends and family.”

Bear McCreary, known for scoring TV series including “Outlander,” “The Walking Dead,” “Black Sails” and “Snowpiercer” and movies including “Happy Death Day,” “Godzilla: King of the Monsters” and Blumhouse’s “Fantasy Island,” called news of Smythe’s death “awful and surreal,” saying they had just been chatting at a mutual friend’s party a few weeks ago.

“Mark’s enthusiasm and humor were off the charts,” McCreary wrote Sunday on Instagram. “He brought a shark with a bowtie to the red carpet of an SCL awards ceremony when he was nominated for his work on a shark movie – hilarious! When he found out I was writing a metal album, he curated his favorite German folk metal bands for me (turning me on to his favorite band, Finsterforst).”

Having said he always thought he would get to know Smythe better one day, McCreary called his death “a stark reminder to spend time with the people you care about while you can.”

John Massari, who has more than 150 music credits stretching back to “Little House on the Prairie” and contributed music to TV series including “Dancing With the Stars,” “Pawn Stars” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” said in comments that “Mark was a bright light and a refreshing spirit in our community. He is greatly missed.”

“I’m so deeply sad to lose my friend. Mark, I miss you and love you. Thank you for your love, passion, humor, and joy and for always making me feel loved and valued,” singer Baraka May, whose voice can be heard in “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Wicked: For Good” and “Beavis and Butt-Head,” wrote Monday on Instagram.

“He was funny and snarky and whip-smart, yet when we collaborated, he just melted into the music and gushed like a fan with child-like wonder. What a tremendous heart and mind!” the vocalist wrote. “I had the honor of collaborating with him on three of his beautiful pieces as a conductor, and I loved his boyish, genuine joy and excitement even in our rehearsals. He wrote and voiced his music beautifully, which often felt haunting, romantic, deep, and sensitive, and his bass playing was so beautiful and thoughtful. He was such a vivid, enthusiastic music lover, and I was very much looking forward to making more music with him.”

The Los Angeles Film Conducting Intensive also mourned the loss, saying online that “Mark was a brilliant talent and a genuine friend to all, a true pillar in our scoring community.

“During the pandemic, Mark generously joined our 2020 New Music Project to support new repertoire for our music community during a time of great uncertainty and when most traditional pieces could not be performed.”

The Hollywood Music in Media Awards remembered Smythe winning a career-propelling prize at the organization’s 2013 ceremony, soon after he arrived in L.A. from New Zealand.

“He quickly built a distinguished body of work for film, shorts, and television, earned multiple HMMA nominations, served as COO of the Society of Composers & Lyricists, and returned to present at the 2018 HMMA Gala,” the organization wrote. “Mark’s talent and generosity enriched our community — he will be greatly missed.”

Smythe’s death was the second this month on Mt. Wilson. On May 3, a man identified as John McIntyre, 66, was declared dead on the same trail after falling down a ravine at Mt. Wilson Road and the Little Santa Anita fire break in Sierra Madre. His cause of death was blunt force injuries.

May 11 (UPI) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said his department will “review” comments made by Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., about the U.S. military’s weapons stockpiles.

Hegseth’s renewed criticism into Kelly came in response to the senator’s appearance Sunday on CBS’ Face the Nation. Kelly, a retired Navy captain and former astronaut, said he received Pentagon briefings and it was “shocking … how deep we have gone into these magazines.”

“We’ve expended a lot of munitions. And that means the American people are less safe. Whether it’s a conflict in the western Pacific with China or somewhere else in the world, the munitions are depleted,” Kelly said.

In a post on X on Sunday evening, Hegseth questioned whether Kelly violated his oath by discussion the matter publicly.

“Now he’s blabbing on TV (falsely & dumbly) about a *CLASSIFIED* Pentagon briefing he received,” Hegseth said in his post, promising to have the Pentagon’s legal counsel review the comments.

Kelly said the information he shared wasn’t classified because Hegseth spoke on the topic during a hearing of the Senate Committee on Armed Services last week.

“We had this conversation in a public hearing a week ago and you said it would take ‘years’ to replenish some of these stockpiles. That’s not classified, it’s a quote from you.”

Kelly also shared a video of Hegseth’s comments from the hearing in his response on X.

The two leaders have been embroiled in a legal battle after Hegseth tried to censure and demote Kelly from his military rank over comments he made in November telling service members that they have the right and duty to ignore “unlawful orders” made by the Trump administration. Hegseth also sought to reduce Kelly’s retirement pay, calling his remarks “seditious.”

Westlife have paid tribute to Simon Cowell during an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent, with Shane Filan, Nicky Bryne and Kian Egan all taking to the stage without bandmate Mark Feehily

Westlife have paid tribute to Simon Cowell during an appearance on Britain’s Got Talent.

The band – which features Shane Filan, Nicky Bryne and Kian Egan – performed their biggest hits ahead of their 25th anniversary tour. However, they were without bandmate Mark Feehily, who will also not appear on the tour.

There was no specific mention of Mark, but the trio paid a heartfelt tribute to judge Simon, who was instrumental in their success.

“It’s been a long time since Simon Cowell suggested standing up from our stools on a key change,” Nicky said. Kian went on to pay tribute to Simon and said they wouldn’t have been there without him.

In June, it was confirmed Mark would be absent from the tour. The band said in a statement: “Sadly, Mark will be unable to join the celebrations. We hope he can join us back on stage when he is ready and able. He sends his love and positivity to you all as always.”

Mark announced he would be taking a break from Westlife just days before first ever tour of America in 2024. At the time, he shared: “Hello and much love to you all! It’s Mark here.. Most of you are aware that I have had some health challenges over the past while.

“It actually all started 3.5 years ago in August 2020 when I had surgery. Within a few days of this surgery I was in severe pain and was rushed into A&E. I eventually ended that awful day in ICU (Intensive Care Unit) where I was informed that due to a complication with the surgery, I had developed severe ‘Sepsis‘, a life-threatening infection that would require immediate emergency surgery to rectify the problem and basically save my life.”

He explained that he was in hospital for months during lockdown, and was later told he needed more surgery.

“It was physically and mentally a very difficult time, not to mention traumatic having to spend so long in ICU. In late 2021, I became very ill in Newcastle before a concert and ended up back in A&E, this time being told I had pneumonia. I was told I had to go straight home to recover and regrettably miss the rest of the concerts that December,” he said.

Speaking about Mark missing their big anniversary tour, Kian told us: “We’re devastated he won’t be joining us on this tour. We’ll be missing him every night just as much as the fans will. But he’s given us his full support. This is the 25th anniversary, it’s something that we all felt needed to be celebrated. We hope as soon as he’s ready he’ll be back with us and we look forward to that moment.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle, specially painted to mark 40 years since Operation Eldorado Canyon, the U.S. raid on Libya, has taken to the air for the first. Hauling a load of eight inert 500-pound GBU-12 laser-guided bombs, today the jet flew the legendary low-level routes that run through Wales, better known as the Mach Loop. The spectacular accompanying photos of the sortie were kindly shared with TWZ by David Lister and Alec Walker.

With a color scheme recalling an F-111F Aardvark of the same unit, the 48th Fighter Wing F-15E serial 91-0311 had first been unveiled in a ceremony at RAF Lakenheath in England, on April 28. However, it seems its first flight in its new look was recorded today.

The jet departed Lakenheath in the morning as EAGLE 31, accompanied by its wingman, EAGLE 32. After taking on fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker, the jets headed to North Wales. From there, EAGLE flight went to the Holbeach Air Weapons Range on the coast north of Lakenheath, where the inert bombs were dropped. 

Recalling the F-111, the specially painted F-15E has the same camouflage scheme in two shades of green and tan, and the original 494th Tactical Fighter Squadron marking and red band on the tail. The tails of the jet also bear the legend “40 years Eldorado Canyon,” the panther emblem of the 494th, an F-111 silhouette, and the 48th wing’s Statue of Liberty insignia.

Notably, the nose radome is left in its standard gray paint.

Elsewhere on the nose, the Strike Eagle carries another F-111 silhouette and the inscription “Karma 52” in red. This commemorates KARMA 52, the Lakenheath-based F-111F serial 70-2389, which was the only example of the type lost during the Eldorado Canyon raid. The jet, armed with four GBU-10 laser-guided bombs, was flown by pilot Capt. Fernando L. Ribas-Dominicci, and weapons system officer Capt. Paul Lorence. The exact fate of KARMA 52 remains unknown, with the aircraft wreckage never being located after it came down in the Mediterranean.

Capt. Ribas-Dominicci’s body was later washed ashore; the body of Captain Lorence was never recovered. Their mission had been a hazardous one: a single-ship, low-level attack on a heavily defended target at night.

Two dozen F-111s of the 48th Fighter Wing, also based at Lakenheath, were at the forefront of the Air Force’s Eldorado Canyon strikes, conducted in April 1986, together with Navy assets from the aircraft carriers USS America and USS Coral Sea. The raid was launched by U.S. President Ronald Reagan after the bombing of a West Berlin discotheque, in which two U.S. soldiers were killed and over 70 others wounded. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was blamed for the attack.

Ever since, the 48th Fighter Wing at Lakenheath has remained the first choice for a wide variety of critical missions around the globe, most recently Operation Epic Fury over Iran. This campaign has seen four combat losses of the F-15E, three of them to friendly fire. As to the other loss, this led to one of the most dramatic and complex combat search and rescue (CSAR) missions of recent times, before the two crew were safely recovered.

As of 2025, as you can read about here, the Air Force was planning to return its two squadrons of F-15Es from Lakenheath — the only permanently forward-deployed examples of the aircraft — to the United States.

Currently, Lakenheath is home to the 492nd and 494th Fighter Squadrons flying the Strike Eagle. These squadrons each have a primary aircraft assigned (PAA) complement of 26 aircraft, although this is subject to some fluctuation. Under the 48th Fighter Wing, these operate alongside the 493rd and 495th Fighter Squadrons flying the F-35A, the first of the Air Force’s stealth jets to be based in Europe.

As well as being fitted with the more powerful Dash 229 engines, Lakenheath’s F-15Es have been at the front of the queue to receive a sophisticated new radar warning and electronic warfare suite, the AN/ALQ-250 Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS.

With the F-35A now firmly embedded at Lakenheath and apparently also provided with forward-deployed B61-12 thermonuclear gravity bombs, these stealthy jets may well take over entirely the F-15E, provided Congress approves consolidating the Strike Eagles in the United States. It is also possible that the decision to significantly boost the planned F-15EX Eagle II buy may see these plans changed.

In the meantime, the F-35A flies alongside the F-15E at Lakenheath, where these jets and their airmen continue the proud traditions of the 48th Fighter Wing.

Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.comu

SPICE GIRLS fans might not be getting a reunion tour for their 30th anniversary — but they could be enjoying something a lot more futuristic.

Victoria Beckham has confirmed they are in discussions about a hologram spectacular, a year after I revealed talks were under way with former manager Simon Fuller.

With a full-blown comeback looking unlikely, Posh said the girls all reckon a digital show would be “great” — and have already been chatting about it over dinner.

The concept would follow in the footsteps of ABBA Voyage, which turned the Swedish band into digital avatars and has been raking it in since launching in East London in 2022.

Victoria said on SiriusXM radio: “I think it would be a great idea.

“The principle of it would be great.

WANNABE THERE

Spice Girls reunite as stars belt out iconic song on stage – and fans go wild

POSH PAD

Flat where Spice Girls filmed iconic video goes on sale – do you recognise it?

“We were talking about it at dinner, but we’ll see.”

It comes after Melanie C poured cold water on reunion hopes, insisting a tour “is not happening”.

So fans shouldn’t hold out for the band hitting the road together anytime soon.

Still, a Spice Girls show without the stress of rehearsals, travel or arranging five schedules sounds very on- brand.

And if anyone can make Girl Power go digital, it’s music boss Simon, who first dreamed up ABBA’s avatar take

My insiders first told me of the girl-group’s plans last May, with Simon keen to celebrate their greatest hits with the show.

A source added: “Simon is desperate to have one last hurrah with the Spice Girls and this is his latest idea.

“He was the person who came up with the original idea for Abba and their digital show and he thinks this model could work perfectly for the group.

“Simon knows this plan would mean the band would be making money in their sleep and it would open up their music to a whole new generation.

“It’s a really exciting concept and he thinks he could make it work.”

Now he’s got Posh on board, I don’t think there is anything stopping them.

DAMON: TOO BUSY TO WIPE

SUCCESSFUL musicians can be lazy sods after years of having lackeys looking after their every whim.

And Damon Albarn has revealed he’s become so high and mighty, that he’s decided to stop doing anything not worth his time.

The result, my friends, is absolutely disgusting.

The Blur frontman said: “Sometimes I don’t even really wipe my bum properly.

“No, it’s not all the time, but you know what I mean. I just don’t allow many of the conventions that slow the day down to get in my way.”

Defending his toilet habit, Beatlebum singer Damon, insisted: “It’s more of the principle of the thing.

“If I’m in a hurry, I won’t waste extra time doing something that is not necessary to do at that moment.”

Remind me to never sit down wind of him at a party.

DUA TO LINE UP TOUR FILM?

HOLIDAY-loving Dua Lipa wore denim and stripes as she zipped off on another trip with her actor fiancé Callum Turner.

They have just returned from a romantic getaway to Copenhagen and she shared snaps online of them together and him tucking into a burger.

But it sounds like she may soon have a surprise up her sleeve, after sending fans wild with a message about a potential film of her Radical Optimism tour, which kicked off in November 2024 in support of her third album.

Dua shared a video on WhatsApp of herself performing and people screaming in the crowds.

In an accompanying note to fans, she wrote: “Happy 2 years of Radical Optimism . . . how should we celebrate?”

Her song End Of An Era features in new flick The Devil Wears Prada 2 and with the singer already hard at work on her next album, now would be the perfect time to close the book on her previous one.

OLIVIA’S STRIP TEASE BEFORE BARCA GIG

THE World Cup kicks off in just over a month and Olivia Rodrigo is already proving she’s on the ball when it comes to the beautiful game.

But rather than getting behind the US team, she’s more focused on La Liga champs Barcelona, teaming up with the Spanish club and Spotify to create a limited-edition jersey.

Perhaps we just forget about her trip to Stamford Bridge in 2023 to see Chelsea when it was proudly claimed she was a Blues fan.

The women’s team will wear the tops in their home match against Levante on Thursday. On Saturday, Olivia will play a Spotify Billions Club Live gig there.

Olivia, who follows acts such as Ed Sheeran, Drake and The Rolling Stones by featuring on the club’s kit, said: “Seeing ‘OR’ on a Barcelona jersey, I don’t even know how to process that.

“Getting to perform for the fans who’ve been listening since day one, in a city like Barcelona, is going to be special.”

EUPHORIA actor Jacob Elordi has broken his foot.

The Page Six gossip column in the US said the Aussie heartthrob’s injury means he is out of the running to be on the Cannes Film Festival jury, which he was expected to be part of.

The festival starts next Tuesday, but the injury means we are unlikely to see him striding down the red carpet.

HELL OF A START FOR DEVIL 2

THERE were plenty of doubters and mixed reviews – but The Devil Wears Prada 2 certainly hasn’t fallen out of fashion.

It has topped the box office worldwide, and over the weekend banked $233.6million, including $77million in North America.

That’s more than double the $27.5million the original 2006 flick made in its opening weekend.

It’s finally proof there is demand for female-fronted films, after male movies such as Michael and Project Hail Mary dominated in cinemas.

Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Anne Hathaway reprise their roles, with all eyes back on Runway magazine and its editor Miranda Priestly.

Unlike the fictional mag, there’s nothing to worry about with these bumper figures.

CAMERON DIAZ has become a mum for the third time, aged 53.

She and hubby Benji Madden, of rock band Good Charlotte, have welcomed a baby boy called Nautas.

The Charlie’s Angels actress, who had daughter Raddix and son Cardinal by surrogate, previously said she was conscious about being an older mum.

FUTRA LIGHT

RIHANNA gets fruity in an new shoot for her Savage X Fenty’s latest undies range.

The singer, who looked stunning in sett decorated with strawberries, wrote on X: “It’s giving everything but basic for your everyday basics.”

Rihanna has been really quiet lately, with all whispers of new music once again dying down – a decade after the release of her last album, Anti.

C’mon girl, it’s what we RiRi want.

KATY AND JUSTIN GET PICKLED

KATY PERRY and Justin Trudeau have got themselves in a right little pickle.

The singer proved her unlikely romance with the former Canadian Prime Minister had gone from strength to strength – when she shared loved-up photos on Instagram, including one of their personalised jar of pickles.

The label shows the couple under the name “Katy & Justin’s Pop + Policy Pickles.”

Customised jars like theirs set customers back £22, but she clearly enjoyed the savoury souvenir, given that she shared the photo with her 200million followers.

Katy, pictured with her arms wrapped around her boyfriend, will head out on a six-week tour next month with stops in Dublin, Cardiff, and Isle of MTV festival in Malta.

At least with this momento stashed in her suitcase, she will have a reminder of home.

BOBBY’S BOO TO ROCK SIRS

PRIMAL SCREAM frontman Bobby Gillespie has taken a swipe at rock royalty, accusing some of music’s biggest names of getting too cosy with the Royal Family.

The singer didn’t hold back as he blasted those who accept honours, taking aim at the likes of Sir Brian May, Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Rod Stewart.

At the launch of the David Bowie: You’re Not Alone immersive experience in London, Bobby said: “David Bowie was one of the few admirable rock stars who never took an honour from the Royal Family, which I think is incredibly cool.

“Maybe the coolest thing he ever did.

“The rest of them grovel on their knees, Bowie was like, nah. Too cool.”

Bobby made it clear his admiration for Bowie goes far beyond just snubbing a title, though.

He added: “I was a teenager in the Seventies so I’d be going to school in the morning and my mum would have the radio on and The Jean Genie would be blasting out, or Suffragette City or Golden Years.

“So since I was a conscious kid, a teenager, a pop music fan, he’s always been there.”

Bobby also praised Bowie’s constant reinvention, which he says helped shape his own band’s sound.

He added: “The way that he changed as an artist from album to album – he did different styles, as did The Beatles – that’s been a big influence on Primal Scream.”

ROBBIE WILLIAMS had to grin and bare it after breaking off half of his front tooth.

He shared this smiley selfie with the damaged gnasher on full display, telling his Instagram followers he hadn’t noticed it was missing until getting into bed with his wife Ayda Field.

Robbie revealed: “She said I look like Dumb And Dumber. Fair enough, I guess I do.”

But Rob is in Miami and his dentist is in Los Angeles, so he’s in a quandry over whether to fly five hours to get it fixed before his upcoming shows.

Whatever he does, I doubt he will be taking PALOMA FAITH’s advice.

She commented: “Knock them all out to match.”

That sounds more like a threat than a solution.

Mark Vientos hit two homers and drove in four runs and right-hander Clay Holmes allowed one run in 6⅔ innings as the New York Mets beat the Angels 5-1 on Sunday.

Holmes (4-2) allowed four hits with three walks and six strikeouts as the Mets took two of three games from the Angels and won a series for just the second time since April 7. New York also won two of three against Minnesota (April 21-23).

The Mets used Bo Bichette at shortstop Sunday, one day after Ronny Mauricio fractured his left thumb and was placed on the injured list. Shortstop Francisco Lindor also is on the injured list with a calf strain.

Jorge Soler had an RBI single for the Angels and right-hander Jack Kochanowicz (2-1) gave up two runs on five hits over 6 1/3 innings with three walks and six strikeouts. Los Angeles had ended a season-high seven-game losing streak Saturday. The Angels are 2-12 since April 18.

The Angels took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Zach Neto and Mike Trout worked walks to open the game against Holmes and Soler hit a one-out run-scoring single to center.

As Holmes settled in, the Mets grabbed a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Vientos hit a towering two-run homer 427 feet, halfway up the rock pile beyond the center field fence.

The Angels were in the game until the eighth inning when Tayler Saucedo hit Brett Baty with his first pitch of the inning and was replaced by Nick Sandlin. Carson Benge had an RBI double to right for a 3-1 lead and Vientos followed with another two-run home run, this time to left.

The Mets’ outfield made a pair of spectacular plays, with left fielder MJ Melendez making a diving catch in the sixth inning and Benge making a diving catch in right for the second out of the ninth.

Up next for the Angels: RHP Jose Soriano (5-1, 0.84 ERA) will pitch in Monday’s series opener against White Sox RHP Davis Martin (4-1, 1.95 ERA).

Thousands of protesters gathered in India’s northeastern Manipur state to mark three years since ethnic violence erupted in May 2023 between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki-Zo communities. The conflict, driven by disputes over land and political power has killed nearly 260 people and displaced around 60,000.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Every Kentucky Derby evokes emotion in the winning horse’s team, but the 1990 race brought it to a level even beyond a Hallmark movie.

Trainer Carl Nafzger famously described Unbridled’s stretch run to 92-year-old owner Frances Genter, whose eyesight was failing.

“He’s taking the lead. He’s on the lead, Mrs. Genter. He’s on the lead. He’s gonna win. He’s gonna win. … He’s the winner. He’s the winner, Mrs. Genter. … You won it. You won the Kentucky Derby. Oh, Mrs. Genter, I love you.”

As Al Michaels said on ABC, “You couldn’t get it to look that way in a movie if you did 50 takes.”

Kentucky Derby entrant So Happy works out at Churchill Downs on Monday in Louisville, Ky.

(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

Some 36 years later, Mrs. Genter could have company Saturday if So Happy wins the 152nd Derby at Churchill Downs.

The Santa Anita Derby champion is trained by Mark Glatt, a genial but quiet native of Washington state who in February endured tragedy: the heart failure and sudden death of his wife of 25 years, Dena. She was 57, four years older than her husband, with whom she had three children.

Glatt, who wears a bracelet containing some of Dena’s ashes “so she’ll always be with me,” unsurprisingly was emotional after the Santa Anita Derby last month. It was the first victory by the colt since his wife’s death, and it also meant the Monrovia resident would have a horse in the Kentucky Derby for the first time.

“It’s pretty hard to describe,” he said then. “We have had an overwhelming amount of support, and it’s helped us get through this very, very tough time. She got that horse there today.”

For the most part since, including during an interview Thursday morning at his barn at Churchill Downs, he politely has declined to discuss his wife, saying he just doesn’t feel comfortable. But he has opened up a bit on rare occasions.

“I absolutely think she’s above and pushing us through this and hopefully enjoying the ride along with us,” Glatt told reporters this week. “She would be happy for me and all the hard work. She’d be happy for all of the connections. I think she’d be very proud of an accomplishment like this.

“We’re still together, even if it’s just in spirit.”

Hans Maron, one of So Happy’s co-owners along with his wife, Ana, and Robbie Norman, paused to gather himself Thursday when asked how much Dena Glatt would have enjoyed being at the Derby for the first time.

So Happy runs on the track during Kentucky Derby training Thursday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

(Andy Lyons / Getty Images)

“She is here,” Maron said.

Asked if he has allowed himself to dream about what it would be like if So Happy won, Maron said, “I’m not arrogant, but I envision it. I mean, I believe. I’m not a homer but I’m a believer. I really think he’s gonna take us there. I think he’s the right horse at the right time.”

Early wagering seems to indicate the public believes So Happy is a major contender. He was co-sixth choice on the morning line at 15-1 — a surprising number, given his speed figures for the Santa Anita victory were comparable to almost anything his competitors have posted this spring — but as of Friday evening, he was the 6-1 co-second choice along with Commandment and Further Ado, just behind Renegade at 5-1.

It’s hard to find a trainer who isn’t happy with their horse at this point, and Glatt is no different: “Nothing’s told me that he’s not sitting on a really good race,” the trainer said.

Those who doubt So Happy point to his breeding: His sire, Runhappy, was a champion sprinter not known for producing horses who can run more than a mile. But Runhappy’s sire, Super Saver, won the 2010 Derby, and So Happy’s grandsire on his mother’s side is Blame, who captured the Breeders’ Cup Classic later that year at Churchill Downs.

“If you watch him train,” Maron said, “he’s long and he covers a lot of ground. He’s just a really smart horse, actually. That’s the biggest thing. He uses his energy when it’s needed.”

Maron, a co-founder of Fairlife Milk (which was sold to Coca-Cola), said he has been a racing fan since he was 14 but never dreamed of owning a horse, let alone being in the Derby. The Marons, who live in Arizona, have been with Glatt for about five years, and they were close friends with the trainer and his wife. Glatt has credited the couple with supporting him emotionally the last few months.

They’ll all be together Saturday for the race that elicits emotion like no other. Even So Happy’s jockey, 60-year-old Mike Smith, who has more Derby experience than any other rider, including two wins, struggled to explain what a victory would mean.

“I wish I had some words to tell you what it would mean, but those are just things that you’d have to just feel and see to really understand it,” said Smith, who would be the oldest jockey to win the Derby (Bill Shoemaker was 54 in 1986).

Glatt paused a long time before saying he has not allowed himself to think about what it would be like to win.

“That’ll all hit if … you know, I don’t want to get ahead of myself,” Glatt said. “I’m sure that would all hit me if we would be so fortunate.”

One more scratch

Right to Party was withdrawn Friday morning with what state veterinarians said was lameness in his right front leg, moving Robusta into the field and giving trainer Doug O’Neill two (long shot) chances for his third Derby win. O’Neill, who also has Pavlovian as a starter, named Cristian Torres to ride Robusta because Emisael Jaramillo had commitments at Santa Anita.

Weather outlook

The last rainfall here was Wednesday and there is none in the forecast for Saturday. It’s not warm, though: The high temperature the last couple of days barely touched 60, and the post-time forecast calls for 55 degrees with fairly light winds.

Wu Yize and Mark Allen produced a session of spellbinding snooker and finished locked at 11-11 to perfectly set up the final session of their World Championship semi-final at the Crucible Theatre.

Resuming at 7-7 on Saturday, the third session of the match was a complete contrast to their epic slugfest on Friday, that produced the longest frame ever played at the famous venue.

China’s Wu set the tone, opening with a sublime 142 and also constructing breaks of 76 and 121 to lead 10-8 at the mid-session interval.

However, Allen, who is attempting to become the first player from Northern Ireland to reach the final since Dennis Taylor in 1985, showed he had also thrown off the shackles of negativity.

The 40-year-old enjoyed a run of 56, and well-crafted breaks of 85 and 99 enabled him to draw level at 10-10.

Wu, 22, who defeated Lei Peifan, Mark Selby and Hossein Vafaei to reach the last four, responded with his third century of the day.

But as the tension increased, in what felt like an important concluding frame to the session, Wu was unable to capitalise after getting the first opportunity.

That allowed Allen, who could become the oldest first-time winner at the Crucible, to make a couple of useful contributions and ensure there was nothing to divide the pair.

They return to play the final session of their best-of-33 encounter at 19:00 BST on Saturday, with a possible 11 frames still to get through, as they attempt to set up a title match against John Higgins or Shaun Murphy.

Mark Allen’s bid to become the oldest first-time world champion in the modern era gathered momentum as he reached the semi-finals with a 13-11 victory over Barry Hawkins at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

The 40-year-old Northern Irishman is aiming to complete snooker’s Triple Crown having previously triumphed in the UK Championship and Masters.

However, snooker’s biggest prize has so far eluded him in 19 previous attempts with his win over Hawkins earning him a place in the last four for only the third time.

Having resumed at 8-8, Allen took the opening two frames of Wednesday morning’s session only to be pegged back by the 2013 finalist, who knocked in breaks of 70 and 83 in response.

The players traded frames before Allen constructed his third century of a high-quality affair to move 12-11 ahead.

In a dramatic final frame Allen took control with a break of 59 and sealed his passage to the single-table stage after the Englishman underhit an attempted snooker on the pink just seconds after fluking a red to give himself the chance to force a decider.

Allen will now face either Wu Yize or Hossein Vafaei in a best-of-33 encounter that begins on Thursday at 19:00 BST.

Should Allen win the world title he will become the oldest first-time winner in the modern era, eclipsing Stuart Bingham, who claimed the world title in 2015, aged 38 years and 343 days.

More to follow

LONDON — The fabled two-hour barrier for a marathon has been broken, officially, in an once-inconceivable achievement in sports.

Not by one runner, but two.

In a race for the ages, Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the London Marathon in 1 hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds on Sunday, shattering the previous men’s world record by an astonishing 65 seconds.

“What comes today is not for me alone,” the 29-year-old Sawe said, “but for all of us today in London.”

Just 11 seconds further back was Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who — running in his first-ever marathon — also covered the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) course in under 2 hours.

Completing the podium was Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo, who broke the previous world-record time — set by Kenya’s Kelvin Kiptum in Chicago in 2023 — by seven seconds, finishing in 2:00:28.

In an exhilarating sight, Sawe ran quicker as the marathon went on, covering the second half of the race in 59 minutes and 1 second. He pulled clear with Kejelcha after 30 kilometers and then made his solo break in the final two kilometers, sprinting along the finish on The Mall to loud cheers.

Sabastian Sawe of Team Kenya runs ahead of Yomif Kejelcha of Team Ethiopia during the London Marathon on Sunday in London.

(Warren Little / Getty Images)

Sawe, who retained his title in London, said it was a “day to remember for me” and thanked the huge crowds who lined the streets of the British capital to witness what might be regarded as a feat marking the peak of human physical achievement.

“I think they help a lot,” he said, “because if it was not for them you don’t feel like you are so loved … with them calling, you feel so happy and strong.”

Under two hours has been done before — unofficially

Breaking two hours in a marathon has been a long time coming — and has been done before.

However, when Eliud Kipchoge — the Kenyan long-distance great — achieved the feat in Vienna in 2019, it was in a specially tailored race called the “1.59 Challenge” that was arranged by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe in favorable conditions, on a 6-mile (9.6-kilometer) circuit, and using rotating pacemakers.

That meant it wasn’t classed as an official race setting, so Kipchoge’s time of 1:59:40 didn’t go in the record book.

In any case, Sawe surpassed that time by 10 seconds on a mostly flat course across London in dry, sunny conditions.

Sabastian Sawe, of Kenya, smiles and holds up his adidas shoe with his world-record marathon time written on it Sunday in London.

(Alex Davidson / Getty Images)

“The goalposts have literally just moved for marathon running,” Paula Radcliffe, a former winner of the London Marathon, said during commentary of the race for the BBC.

At the turn of the century, the world’s best time for the men’s marathon was 2:05:42, set by Khalid Khannouchi in Chicago in 1999.

Khannouchi broke his own record by four seconds in 2002 — the last time the fastest men’s marathon was run in London — and it has been whittled down gradually over the last 24 years by a succession of Kenyan and Ethiopian runners, including Haile Gebrselassie, Wilson Kipsang, Kipchoge and most recently Kiptum.

Assefa wins fastest-ever women’s-only marathon

A record was also set in the women’s race, with Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa pulling away with about 500 meters remaining to win in 2:15:41 and defend the title in the fastest-ever time in a women’s-only marathon.

However, it was 16 seconds slower than the course record set by Radcliffe in 2003 when it was a mixed race.

Tigst Assefa celebrates as she crosses the finish line during the London Marathon women’s race in a record time Sunday.

(Ian Walton / Associated Press)

Kenya’s Hellen Obiri was 12 seconds back in second place in a personal-best time on her London debut and compatriot Joyciline Jepkosgei was third, a further two seconds adrift. It was the first time three women have run under 2 hours, 16 minutes in a marathon.

“I screamed when I finished because I knew I was breaking the world record,” Assefa said.

“I felt much healthier today and have worked really hard on my speed and all my training has paid off.”

Swiss double in wheelchair races

In the wheelchair races, there was a Swiss double with Marcel Hug powering to a sixth straight men’s title — and eighth in total — and Catherine Debrunner beating Tatyana McFadden in a close finish to defend the title.

April 19 (UPI) — Citing steep tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Sunday his country’s historically close trade and economic ties to the United States have become a “weakness.”

In a video statement posted to YouTube, the Canadian leader asserted the United States has “fundamentally changed its approach to trade, raising its tariffs to levels last seen during the Great Depression.”

This has meant that “many of our former strengths, based on our close ties to America, have become our weaknesses — weaknesses that we must correct.”

Carney’s comments as Trump’s trade war with Canada has disrupted decades of cross border cooperation, triggered in part by a broad 10% tariff slapped by Washington onto all goods not excluded under the Canada-US-Mexico free trade agreement known as CUSMA.

Significantly higher U.S. levies have also been imposed on key strategic sectors, including a 50% tariff on Canadian products that are almost entirely made of steel, aluminum or copper, and a 25% tariff on products that are “largely” made of those metals.

Many types of Canadian heavy equipment also face a 15% tariff upon entry into the United States.

Ottawa says the effect of these measures has been profound, “displacing workers, disrupting supply chains, forcing companies to rethink where they source their materials and products, and causing uncertainty that is curbing investment.”

Although Canada still has the best deal of any U.S. trading partner in an era when Trump has used the threat of tariffs and against both allies and adversaries for strategic and political ends, “we cannot rely on our most important trade relationship as we once did. We must build our strength at home,” Carney said.

“Workers in our industries most affected by U.S. tariffs in autos and steel and lumber are under threat,” he added. “Businesses are holding back investments restrained by the pall of uncertainty that’s hanging over all of us.”

Triggered by the U.S. trade actions and Trump’s oft-repeated desire to annex Canada as the “51st state,” Carney’s Liberal Party government in January made a milestone deal with China to lower some of the tariffs imposed by one another on some of their trade goods.

Under that pact, China lowered its tariffs on Canadian agricultural products, while Canada slashed its tariffs on up to 49,000 electric vehicles that are made in China.

The deal was denounced by Trump, who threatened to impose a 100% tariff on all Canadian goods sent to the United States in response.

“China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric and general way of life,” the U.S. president asserted.

But Carney on Sunday again defended his expansion of trade away from the United States, saying, “We will attract new investment so we can build more for ourselves, striking new partnerships abroad so we can sell into new markets.

“It’s about taking back control of our security, our borders and our future.”

Williams’ cautiousness about going under the knife suggests he still has ambitions to continue on the baize for years to come – and who can blame him.

Last October, at the age of 50 years and 206 days, he beat the mark set back in 1982 by fellow Welshman Ray Reardon to become the oldest winner of a ranking event when he triumphed in the Xi’an Grand Prix.

Even now, having turned 51 last month, he is ranked sixth in the world going into the World Championship this weekend..

“When I was 45 I said I’d like to see where I am in the rankings when I’m 50,” Williams recalled.

“I’m not retiring, I made that decision years ago. Let’s see where I am in the rankings at 55, that’ll be interesting.”

He may have ruled out retirement but is not feeling quite so confident about his chances at the Crucible this year.

“I’m still fighting. I’m still trying and that’s all I can say,” he said.

“I try my best in every tournament and if you win, great, if you lose, that’s not the end of the world.

“I’ve been doing this since I was an eight-year-old kid. My father was going down the mines for 30 years, my grandfather for 50 years.

“I’m just travelling around the world playing the stupid game of snooker, getting paid well for it and enjoying it. You can’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

Mark Jones has been an on-air staple on ESPN since the first Bush administration — as in George H.W. Bush, who served from 1989 to 1992.

So, yeah, it’s been a long time.

And now, Jones says, “it’s time to move on.”

Jones’ final ESPN broadcast will be Sunday, when he will serve as the play-by-play announcer for the Orlando Magic at Boston Celtics game on the final day of the NBA’s regular season. It could very well be the last time the phrase “hotter than fish grease” is uttered on the network.

“It’s been a memorable journey these decades with the ABC/ESPN family, but I have decided that it’s time to move on,” Jones wrote in a statement posted Friday on Instagram. “From the day Dennis Swanson hired me in 1990 and working with the best producer in the business, Kim Belton, until today I will forever be grateful for the many friends and colleagues along the way.”

Jones, 64, started at ESPN in 1990. As a play-by-play announcer, he is best known for calling NBA games but he has also covered college football, men’s and women’s college basketball, the WNBA and UFL. On June 2, 2022, Jones, Mark Jackson and Lisa Salters were the first all-Black crew to call an NBA Finals game on TV.

In addition, Jones has hosted the “NBA Today” studio show and been an anchor and reporter on “SportsCenter.”

“Mark has made an enduring impact at ESPN since 1990, serving as a signature voice primarily within our NBA and college football coverage and across nearly all of our platforms,” ESPN said in a statement. “We’re grateful for Mark’s countless contributions and we wish him continued success.”

Separate from his work at ESPN, Jones has also been the primary TV play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Kings since 2020.

Jones hasn’t indicated what he’ll be doing next, but he ended his announcement with a big prediction for the future — and threw in his signature phrase for good measure.

“As I move on to my next chapter I believe my best work is yet to come,” he wrote. “I’ll be out there cookin’ hotter than fish grease!”

Ireland scrum coach Denis Fogarty said the side must “not let the games go past us” during the Six Nations.

Ireland’s first fixture is against hosts England at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday [14:25 BST] with over 75,000 tickets sold, a tournament record.

World champions England are aiming to secure their eighth successive title and a fifth consecutive Grand Slam.

“One goal for us is to win all our home games, the last couple of years we have only won two games in the Six Nations. It didn’t feel right, we felt we were better than that,” Fogarty said.

“We looked at the occasion, I think it is important that we make our mark in these games and not let the games go past us, even at the back end of the games.

“Especially against England and France, we want to turn one of those teams over and that is our mindset going into it. Obviously, the home games will be really important for us overall.”

Last year, England were the comfortable 49-5 victors against Scott Bemand’s side at Virgin Media Park in Cork for their 12th successive victory over Ireland.

Fogarty also acknowledged that the side struggled with scrums during that match and it “has definitely hurt” him.

“We have spoken about it and the area has probably lingered around for quite some time, it has definitely hurt me and the players,” he continued.

“Even prepping for the World Cup and the World Cup, we have moved that forward, we knew we needed to.

“This week, they have really gone after this area to make sure we don’t let it happen again as it did have a big impact in the game. They have prepped really well and we are confident it will not happen again.”

TORONTO — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has attracted another opposition Conservative lawmaker to the Liberal party, further assuring that he will soon have a majority government.

Ontario Member of Parliament Marilyn Gladu alluded to President Trump’s threats to Canada’s sovereignty and economy for her decision to defect to Carney’s governing Liberals. Trump has talked about making Canada the 51st state and has applied punishing tariffs on certain key sectors.

“The past year has been like no other Canada has ever faced,” Gladu said in a statement Wednesday. “I’ve heard from constituents that you want serious leadership and a real plan to build a stronger and more independent Canadian economy.”

Gladu is the fifth Member of Parliament to defect to Carney and the fourth Conservative.

“She is going to be a great member of our team,” Carney said outside his office. “This all comes at a time when the country as a whole is uniting.”

The floor crossing puts the Liberals closer to having a majority government and being able to pass any bill without opposition party support.

With another lawmaker decamping from the Conservatives, the Liberals would have 171 Members of Parliament in the House of Commons. They need 172 to secure a majority government, which would allow them to unilaterally pass any bill.

Carney has called special elections for three districts for Monday that would give the Liberals a majority government if his party wins one of them.

The prime minister announced March 8 that votes will be cast April 13 in the Toronto-area districts of Scarborough Southwest and University-Rosedale, which are considered safe seats for the Liberals, and in the Montreal-area riding of Terrebonne, which is considered a toss-up.

The three other Conservative Members of Parliament who defected from their party to join the Liberals in recent months were Chris d’Entremont, Michael Ma and Matt Jeneroux.

Jeneroux referenced Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos as helping his decision. In the speech, Carney condemned economic coercion by great powers against smaller countries and received widespread praise and attention for his remarks, upstaging Trump at the gathering.

Carney has moved the Liberals to the center since replacing Justin Trudeau as prime minister in 2025 and winning national elections

The defection is another blow to Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who lost the last national election last year and even his own seat in Parliament. He has since rejoined the House of Commons.

Poilievre won a party leadership review earlier this year but continues to have problems controlling his lawmakers.

Gillies writes for the Associated Press.

April 8 (UPI) — NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was set to kick off a visit to Washington on Wednesday with a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump after European allies’ lack of support for the Iran war prompted fresh threats to pull the United States out of the defensive alliance.

Rutte was expected to use the meeting, at which U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will also be present, to try to smooth over trans-Atlantic tensions stoked by the refusal of several NATO countries to let U.S. military planes to use their airspace or bases.

Allies also declined to take part in military action to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, effectively blockaded by Iran since the start of the war on Feb. 28, and provide naval vessels to escort oil and gas tankers through the key sea lane.

Trump’s frustration with what he views as a NATO relationship that is unfairly weighted in European allies’ favor boiled over last week after the spat over the strait, with him questioning the point of U.S. membership and saying he would rethink how much the United States contributes to the alliance going forward.

Rubio has also adopted an increasingly hawkish stance calling it a “one-way street” where the United States was always there for other NATO members but was told ‘no’ when it needed to use their military bases, begging the question why it was in the alliance.

The position of European NATO allies is that they were not consulted before the United States launched its airborne offensive in Iran — with the majority of states were not even informed beforehand — and that as a purely defensive alliance, the action has no relevance to NATO.

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker told Euronews that vocal criticism of military action against Iran expressed by countries including Germany, France, Spain and Finland ran counter to their own interests.

“The messaging from Europe has been terrible,” said Volker, explaining that it created an opening for Trump to deflect blame onto partners who refused assistance, if his Iran gambit backfires.

“The Europeans could have said, ‘we all have a stake in this and let’s see how we can help,'” added Volker who said this could have been achieved without getting pulled into direct military confrontation with Iran.

Patrick Bury, Senior Associate Professor in Warfare at Bath University, said Rutte had a delicate balancing act to perform of persuading Trump of the alliance’s value while as diplomatically as possible defending members’ right to stay out of the war

“His job is to keep the U.S. in NATO. He represents the alliance as a whole, rather than individual member states,” said Bury.

Matthew Kroenig, vice president and senior director of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, said if any one could talk Trump down it would be Rutte, calling him a “Trump whisperer.”

SOPHIE Kasaei was feeling emotional as she got to spend Easter Sunday at home with boyfriend Jordan Brook after he has spent the last three weeks in hospital.

The Geordie Shore star, 36, was delighted to have her other half back home after his terrifying meningitis battle, which saw him unable to walk.

After a scary few weeks, pregnant Sophie finally got to enjoy Easter with Jordan, 31, as the couple enjoyed a Sunday roast at home.

Sharing a slew of pictures from the day, Sophie could be seen planting a kiss on Jordan as they cradled her growing baby bump.

She captioned the post: “Watching you walk out of those hospital doors felt like getting my whole world back.

“These past weeks have been the hardest I’ve ever known. But you never stopped fighting, not just for yourself, but for us for your family, for our little boy growing inside me.

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“The goal was to be home for Easter, and you did it!”

Thankful that things are finally getting back to normal, she continued: “Having JB home, hand on my bump, smiling again means more than words will ever be able to say.

“We are blessed, grateful, and whole again.

“Happy Easter from us. Enjoy it with loved ones, sit back soak it up. Life is a precious gift.”

Also taking to her Instagram Stories, Sophie admitted she had been “praying” Jordan would return home in time for Easter.

Jordan was discharged from hospital this week after a 22-day stay, which saw him diagnosed with meningitis.

The harrowing ordeal left Jordan unable to walk, with the Towie star using a wheelchair, and with “acute memory loss” amid a host of other symptoms.

As he revealed he was finally getting to return home earlier this week, Jordan also revealed just how awful his health battle has been.

He told fans: “The top 1% percent of the worst case of viral meningitis and encephilitis that my Dr has ever seen.

“Brain swelling, inflammation. Acute memory loss, the only memories I have are ones I would like to forget forever.”

Jordan went on to thank his family for their unwavering support throughout the illness, and the NHS workers for “saving my life”.

Sophie is set to give birth to hers and Jordan’s baby boy around mid June and the pair are hoping Jordan will make a full recovery before then.

They are welcoming their first child following an emotional two-year fertility battle.

Jordan and Sophie have been together since 2022 and have documented their quest to become parents on Towie and Geordie Shore.

SHAMED TOWIE star James Argent left his model girlfriend with cuts and bruises to her neck, arms, and leg during the horror beachfront attack – and a year on he’s reunited with his best pal Mark Wright.

The list of appalling injuries he inflicted on former Miss Sweden Nicoline Arturrson, 33, were contained in a shocking court file after he threw her down the steps of their Spanish villa.

Prosecutors were reportedly so appalled by her injuries they wanted to charge Argent with wounding and were pushing for a nine-month jail sentence.

But as part of a plea deal he agreed to admit the lesser offence of ‘mistreatment’.

James’ jail let-off saw him handed a six month suspended sentence and a two-year restraining order banning him from contacting Nicoline.

He has largely stayed out of the spotlight since the scandal, but now, he has reunited with his reality TV pals in a local boozer.

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The group were seen laughing and joking as they sat down for a meal.

James’ best pal, Mark Wright, 39, was spotted nicking his sandwich and a few chips from his plate.

The TV personality burst into laughter as he told fans, “some things never change.”

Their meet up looked very casual as James was seen wearing a black long sleeve top and Mark was in a pair of black joggers and a white t-shirt.

It seemed the pals reconnected at a big drink up as they were spotted in a large group of four others.

In a group snap James shared on Instagram, the lads were seen sitting around a big table as they smiled for the camera.

James captioned the post: “It’s good to be home and catch up with the boys,” followed by a smiley face emoji.

Mark and James have been close pals for over 10 years, finding fame on The Only Way Is Essex together back in 2010.

They were both central cast members, often appearing in scenes together.

The singer is thought to have moved to Spain following the attack on his ex-girlfriend.

The court report of the incident reads: “During the argument, and with the intention of harming her physical integrity, he grabbed hold of her tightly by her arm and pushed her causing her to fall down the stairs.

“The injured woman suffered several bruises to her neck, a bruise to her right forearm, several abrasions to her right arm, and abrasions to her right hand and on her right leg.

“The injuries she suffered healed in seven days on skin and soft tissue.”

At the time pals close to the couple slammed James – saying: “The plea deal was the easy way out.”

Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre maintained his strong form with a round of 64 for a four-shot halfway lead at the Texas Open in San Antonio.

MacIntyre had four birdies in his last five holes with his playing partner and Ryder Cup team-mate Ludwig Aberg of Sweden his nearest challenger.

Starting on the back nine, the world number 11 put down a marker with an eight-foot eagle putt at the par-five 14th and followed that up with birdies at his next two holes.

The only blemish for the 29-year-old was a bogey at the 17th before he regrouped to finish with a flourish for a confidence boost ahead of the Masters which begins in Augusta on Thursday.

“I’ve been driving the ball nice,” said the Scot. “I’ve got a new driver in the bag. Iron play today was exceptional I would say.

“I hit a pure wedge shot on 17, I thought it was absolutely dynamite there. Approach play, hitting the number, hitting the targets. Got to finish off with good putting. Overall, just really solid.

“I didn’t play here last year, just went straight into Augusta. This was an adjustment for that reason. I wanted to be sharp – or sharper – going into Augusta.”

Aberg had four birdies over his first 14 holes before an eagle at the sixth, but he finished with a bogey.

“For me, golf is about putting yourself in situations where you can win tournaments,” he said.

“I feel like I haven’t really done that very well the last 12 months or so, but starting to see it now, which has been really nice. Starting to get back into that level, which is really nice for me to see. So I’m looking forward to one more shot at it this week.”

Among those one shot back are six-time PGA Tour winner Tony Finau who is chasing a first win since April 2023 and who needs a win to be invited to the Masters.

The 36-year-old American finished his round strongly with an eagle putt at the 18th.

“It was nice to make an eagle on the last,” he said. “I hit a really good drive, pushed my second shot a little, got lucky, covered the water and was able to roll that one in. Sometimes those are the small little breaks that you need to be towards the top of the leaderboard.”

Palestinian Christians in Gaza marked Good Friday at the Holy Family Church during a fragile ceasefire. Once numbering around 1,300, the community’s numbers are believed to have fallen sharply since Israel’s genocidal war began.