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GOLF

Hanson and Dougherty share SAS Masters lead

British golfer Nick Dougherty rattled off birdies in three of the last four holes to share the midway lead with Swede Peter Hanson at the SAS Masters after Friday's second round.

The 26-year-old Liverpudlian carded a second successive 66 to put him on an eight under par total of 132, a score matched by Hanson.

His late surge began on the 15th when despite missing the fairway he managed to pitch to 15 feet and sink the putt.

Dougherty then got up and down from sand at the 17th, another par five, and hit a peach of a four-iron to 10 feet on the next.

Dougherty and Hanson are two clear of Denmark’s Soren Kjeldsen and Swede Patrik Sjoland, with former Ryder Cup pair Paul Broadhurst and Peter Baker, Scot Gary Orr and another Swede, US Tour-based Daniel Chopra, one further back.

Dougherty has fallen to 15th in the Ryder Cup points race following the death of his mother after a heart attack in April.

“The Ryder Cup would be lovely and I would be an idiot if I said it does not matter, but more important is enjoying my golf again,” he said.

“I’ve had my reasons to feel a bit down, but considering how I’ve played the last few months I’ve a lot to smile about this week.”

The SAS Masters is the largest annual sports event in Scandinavia and a European tour event. The tournament has been played since 1991 and this year is being held at Arlandastad Golf, 30 kilometres north of Stockholm.

FOOTBALL

Tennis courts and golf courses to reopen in Denmark

Danes will be able to take up their tennis rackets and golf clubs again after the country's two biggest sports associations announced that outdoor sports with no physical contact can resume again.

Tennis courts and golf courses to reopen in Denmark
Tennis will be one of the first sports to restart. Photo: Søren Bidstrup/Ritzau Scanpix
The Sports Confederation of Denmark and the country's other sports association DGI announced that they had agreed new guidelines for restarting group sports with the Danish Health Authority, in a press release issued on Tuesday. 
 
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“This is the first sign of sport opening up, and we are really pleased that the health authorities have given us guidelines so that some activities can start up again,” Charlotte Bach Thomassen, chair of the Danish sports association DGI, said. 
 
“Of course, joining together in sports clubs must be safe from a  health point of view, so it is important to be aware that in many sports associations you will not be able to meet physically.” 
 
 
DIF chairman Niels Nygaard told Ritzau that the announcement did not mean any organisation would be required to restart activities they did not regard as safe. 
 
“These are voluntary associations where there are differences from association to association and sport to sport,” he said. “Our recommendations are not a requirement for associations to start activities. They can do it if it can be done under safe conditions, and if they have doubts about whether it can be done, then they shouldn't do it.”
 
According to the joint press release, group sports can now restart if: 
 
  • they take place outside 
  • participants can keep a distance of two meters from others
  • participants pay special attention to hand hygiene
  • rackets, clubs or other props are frequently cleaned
  • participants cough or sneeze into your elbow or a paper towel
  • participants stay home if they have a fever, cough or muscle soreness. 
  • shared facilities such as clubhouses and dressing and shower facilities are not used 
 
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