SHRINERS CHILDREN'S OPEN
Site: Las Vegas.
Course: TPC Summerlin. Yardage: 7,255. Par: 71.
Prize money: $7 million. Winner's share: $1.26 million.
Television: Thursday-Sunday, 5-8 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Tom Kim.
FedEx Cup champion: Scottie Scheffler.
Last week: Matt McCarty won the Black Desert Championship.
Notes: Matt McCarty is in the field coming off his first PGA Tour win last week in Utah. He says he always tried to Monday qualify for Las Vegas. ... Henrik Norlander finished in the top 10 last week to earn a spot in the field. He moved up 12 spots in the FedEx Cup to No. 119. ... Tom Kim has two of his three PGA Tour victories in Las Vegas and is going for his third straight win at the Shriners Children's Open. The last player to win the same tournament three straight times was Steve Stricker at the John Deere Classic from 2009 through 2011. ... The field has six players from the top 50 in the world ranking. ... Former British Amateur champion Christo Lamprecht received a sponsor exemption. He gave up his spot in the U.S. Open this year to turn pro and play the Korn Ferry Tour. ... Tom Hoge is among eight players in Las Vegas who finished in the top 50 in the FedEx Cup this year.
Next week: Zozo Championship.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/
ANDALUCIA MASTERS
Site: San Roque, Spain.
Course: Real Club de Golf Sotogrande. Yardage: 7,101. Par: 72.
Purse: $3.25 million. Winner's share: $541,667.
Television: Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel); Sunday, 5-10 a.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Adrian Meronk.
Race to Dubai leader: Rory McIlroy.
Last week: Dan Bradbury won the FedEx French Open.
Notes: Jon Rahm is making his third European tour start in the last four weeks and at No. 14 is the highest-ranked player in golf playing this week. ... David Puig and Eugenio Chacarra, two other LIV Golf players from Spain, are in the field. ... Kevin Chappell is making his second European tour start through a category for players who finished between Nos. 126 and 200 in the FedEx Cup last year. He tied for 38th in the Czech Masters. ... This is the final tournament of the year on European soil for the European tour. The last tournaments are in South Korea, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. ... The field has only two players from the top 50 in the world ranking, Rahm and Thriston Lawrence of South Africa. ... The tournament dates to 2010. Matt Fitzpatrick (2021) and Christiaan Bezuidenhout (2019) are the only past champions who have never played for LIV Golf.
Next week: Genesis Championship in South Korea.
Online: https://www.europeantour.com/dpworld-tour/
BMW LADIES CHAMPIONSHIP
Site: Paju, South Korea.
Course: Seowon Hills GC. Yardage: 6,680. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.2 million. Winner's share: $330,000.
Television: Wednesday-Saturday, 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Minjee Lee.
Race to CME Globe leader: Nelly Korda.
Last week: Ruoning Yin won the Buick LPGA Shanghai.
Notes: This is the second stop in the four-week Asia swing. ... The field features nine of the top 10 in the Race to CME Globe, minus top-ranked Nelly Korda. She has not played since the Kroger Queen City Championship in Cincinnati on Sept. 22. ... Three of the four editions of the BMW Ladies Championship have been decided by a playoff. The exception was Lydia Ko winning by four shots in 2022. ... Danielle Kang is playing on a sponsor exemption. She has gone 30 consecutive starts worldwide without a top 10 and has plunged to No. 191 in the women's world ranking. ... The tournament has a 78-player field. ... Five players have gone over the $2 million mark in earnings this year on the LPGA. ... Mao Saigo of Japan is leading the points race for LPGA rookie of the year. She is in the field this week after finishing runner-up to Ruoning Yin in Shanghai last week.
Next week: Maybank Championship.
Online: https://www.lpga.com/
DOMINION ENERGY CHARITY CLASSIC
Site: Richmond, Virginia.
Course: The Country Club of Virginia (James River). Yardage: 7,025. Par: 72.
Prize money: $2.3 million. Winner's share: $345,000.
Television: Friday-Sunday, 2-5 p.m. (Golf Channel).
Defending champion: Harrison Frazar.
Charles Schwab Cup leader: Ernie Els.
Last week: Jerry Kelly won the SAS Championship.
Notes: This is the first of three tournaments that make up the Charles Schwab Cup playoffs. The top 72 players qualify for the postseason, though the Dominion Energy Charity Classic has only 70 players. ... Steve Stricker (No. 5) and Harrison Frazar (No. 64) are not playing. ... The top 54 advance to the second postseason event in Arkansas, and then the leading 36 players reach Phoenix for the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. ... Ernie Els is the No. 1 seed for the first time in his PGA Tour Champions career going to the postseason. ... Jerry Kelly won last week for the first time in two years. He has been coping with rheumatoid arthritis. ... Angel Cabrera reached the postseason in his first full season on the PGA Tour Champions since serving a prison sentence for gender violence. ... Woody Austin was the only player to move into the top 72 last week to qualify for the first playoff event.
Next week: Simmons Bank Championship.
Online: https://www.pgatour.com/pgatour-champions
Asian Tour: Black Mountain Championship, Black Mountain GC, Hua Hin, Thailand. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://asiantour.com/
Challenge Tour: Hangzhou Open, Hangzhou West Lake GC, Hangzhou, China. Defending champion: New tournament. Online: https://www.europeantour.com/challenge-tour/
PGA Tour of Australasia: Nexus Advisernet WA Open, Mandurah CC, Halls Head, Australia. Defending champion: Simon Hawkes. Online: https://pga.org.au/
Sunshine Tour: Fortress Invitational, Glendower GC, Edenvale, South Africa. Defending champion: Robin Williams. Online: https://sunshinetour.com/
Japan LPGA: Nobuta Group Masters, Masters GC, Hyogo, Japan. Defending champion: Nana Suganuma. Online: https://www.lpga.or.jp/en/
Korea LPGA: Sangsangin Hankyung TV Open, South Springs CC, Incheon, South Korea. Defending champion: Jinhee Im. Online: https://klpga.co.kr/
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Jon Rahm tees off on the second hole during day Four of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, at the Old Course St. Andrews, Britain, Sunday Oct. 6, 2024. (Robert Perry/PA via AP)
MULTAN, Pakistan (AP) — Debutant Kamran Ghulam scored a resolute century on a tricky recycled wicket and carried Pakistan to 259-5 at stumps on Day 1 of the second test against England on Tuesday.
Ghulam answered Pakistan’s batting problems at No. 4 with a patient 118 off 224 balls. He became the 13th Pakistan batsman to score a century on test debut and is the first to do so against England.
Off-spinner Shoaib Bashir (1-66) broke through Ghulam's defenses late in the final session when he tickled the leg bail with the second new ball just four overs old.
Mohammad Rizwan, who could have been out caught behind early but England didn’t go for the television referral, was unbeaten on 37 and first test century-maker Salman Ali Agha was 5 not out at stumps.
The 29-year-old Ghulam had long been knocking at the doors of test cricket with 16 first class centuries before he was finally given a chance after Pakistan left out Babar Azam for the remaining two matches of the series.
Ghulam reached his memorable century off 192 balls in the final session when he drove Joe Root to mid-wicket boundary for his ninth four. He knelt down and kissed the turf.
England squeezed the runs early in the final session through some impeccable reverse swing of Brydon Carse (1-14 in 11 overs) and Matthew Potts (1-36 in 17 overs) as Pakistan lost Saud Shakeel cheaply when the left-hander got a thick edge off Carse.
Jack Leach (2-92) had taken two wickets inside the first 45 minutes to give Pakistan an early shock at 19-2 after captain Shan Masood won the toss and elected to bat on a dry wicket tailor-made for Pakistan’s spin-heavy bowling attack.
Ghulam blunted the spin of Leach and Bashir by combining in a 149-run stand with Saim Ayub, who raised his third half century in the last four test matches and made 77.
England captain Ben Stokes, back after two months out injured, kept on pressing for the breakthrough with an umbrella field in front of both sides of the wicket. It was without success before Ayub chipped an easy catch to Stokes at short mid-off at the stroke of tea interval.
But Ghulam didn’t feel the pressure and waited patiently for the loose balls to hit 11 fours and a six in his memorable debut before he was undone by Bashir.
Earlier, Leach knocked back the off-stump of Abdullah Shafique (7) in his second over and Masood (3) fell to the trap of close-in fielders when Zak Crawley pounced on a low catch at short mid-wicket.
England deployed both spinners with the new ball after just five overs after Pakistan opted to reuse the same wicket on which it suffered a historic innings and 47-run defeat in the first test last week.
Potts, one of the two changes made by England, and Carse, virtually found no seam movement or swing on a dry wicket before Stokes turned to his spinners and even Root bowled two overs of off-spin before lunch.
Ghulam struck a straight six against Leach in a show of rare aggression.
Stokes, who missed England’s 2-1 win at home against Sri Lanka and also last week’s victory in Multan, replaced Chris Woakes. Fast bowler Gus Atkinson made way for Potts.
Pakistan, which is on an 11-match winless streak at home, made four changes after it became the first test-playing nation to lose a match by an innings after scoring 500-plus runs in the first innings.
Four senior players, including out-of-form Babar, were rested for the remaining two tests of the series. The spin trio of Sajid Khan, Noman Ali and Zahid Mahmood, who haven’t played first-class cricket for nine months, were included in the playing XI with Agha and Ayub the other spin options for Pakistan.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam, right, and Saim Ayub bumps their fists during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
England's Jack Leach, right, celebrates with teammate after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Saim Ayub, center, follows the ball after playing a shot as England's Jamie Smith watches during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
England's Ben Stokes, right, bowls as Zak Crawley fields during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
England's Brydon Carse, front, celebrates with teammates after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Saud Shakeel during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam celebrates after scoring century during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan bats during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam celebrates after scoring century during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
England's Jack Leach, second right, celebrates with teammate after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
England's Jack Leach, right, celebrates with teammate after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Shan Masood during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam, right, follows the ball after playing a shot as England's Jamie Smith watches during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam, left, and Saim Ayub run between the wickets during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Saim Ayub, second left, plays a shot as England's Jamie Smith, right, and Ollie Pope watch during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Shan Masood reacts as he walks off the the field after his dismissal during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Shan Masood, right, looks to England's Zak Crawley, center, who taking his catch during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
England's Jack Leach, center, celebrates with teammate after taking the wicket of Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
Pakistan's Abdullah Shafique, right, is bowled out by England's Jack Leach during the first day of the second test cricket match between Pakistan and England, in Multan, Pakistan, Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
England's Ben Stokes runs during a practice session, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
England cricket captain Ben Stokes smiles during press conference, in Multan, Pakistan, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)
