Hector Vickers - Sports Journalist

Golfing in Mauritius: A Nirvana to Satisfy The Soul

Around 1,200 miles off the Southeastern coast of Africa, and 500 miles east of Madagascar, lies a faint dot on the map affectionately known as ‘the star and key of the Indian Ocean’.
Roughly the same size as Dorset and boasting over 200 miles of stunning coastline, Mauritius is well and truly an embodiment of tranquillity.
From its rolling hills and dramatic mountains set alongside the tropics, to the milky white sand and emerald green shallows that envelop this tiny nirvana, the country holds a...

England need their Test captain back. Ben Stokes’ performance for Durham shows he is ready

The Athletic has launched a Cricket WhatsApp Channel. Click here to join.As England’s top three folded cheaply on a blisteringly hot Saturday in south London, their exiled captain was rediscovering his batting form in typically swashbuckling style some 250 miles away. Given the national team’s pitiful demise at the Oval, with New Zealand completing victory on the fifth morning, Ben Stokes’ revival in absentia feels like the only consolation from a miserable week.The coach Brendon McCullum sugges...

No century, but another plus point for Ben Stokes | The Cricketer

Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.

Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.

Ben Stokes made to work hard on return to the fray | The Cricketer

Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.

Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.

The 2026 US Open Preview

There’s something about the US Open that rouses a unique sense of anticipation in golfers and fans alike.
‘Golf’s longest day’ acts as a fascinating prelude to the main event, as punters, former greats and forgotten men vie for a shot at golfing supremacy – while murmurs of course analysis start to creep in right at the conclusion of the PGA Championship.
Yes, there are other Majors to lay siege to; The Masters boasts an unparalleled prestige while the Open provides the largely foreign challenge...

Chart Hills poised to host memorable event on the Staysure Legends Tour

The Staysure Legends Tour has added a prodigious new venue to its schedule, as Chart Hills Golf Club prepares to host the 2026 English Legends event.
The event, hosted last year at Brocket Hall, where Steve Webster claimed his maiden Legends victory, is scheduled for the latter part of August.
After competing in the Staysure PGA Seniors Championship at the Trump International Golf Links earlier in the month, the golfers can then enjoy a couple of weeks rest and preparation before heading to Char...

The Weekend Roundup: old-timers, first-timers, and record-breakers on show

Five tours took to the golf course last week, with the LPGA taking a well-earned break before heading to New Jersey for the ShopRite Classic.
In Texas, Scottie Scheffler toiled away for yet another podium finish, while his wait for a win stretches into its fifth month thanks to 60s from both Wyndham Clark and Si-Woo Kim.
Morocco played host to both the Ladies European Tour and PGA Tour Champions, while the DP World Tour trundled along to Belgium.
And in Tennessee, Korn Ferry fans were treated to...

Wales set to play host to leading golfers with disabilities for the first time at the G4D Open

Leading golfers with a disability are set to compete on the world stage at the fourth edition of the Championship.
After three years at Woburn, the tournament is set to be held at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales for the first time.
Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor and Daphne van Houten from the Netherlands will look to defend their respective titles from the 14th to 16th of May.
The G4D Open, in partnership with The R&A and the DP World Tour and supported by EDGA, is one of the most inclusive champions...

The 2026 PGA Championship preview

A lot has happened since Rory McIlroy’s historic win at Augusta National last month.
Cameron Young’s name is now firmly in the hat as a major contender after his win at the Cadillac Championship, Scottie Scheffler made it a hat-trick of second-place finishes on tour, the Fitzpatricks have been an ever-present headline, and LIV Golf continues to spiral.
And through it all, we have arrived once again at an illustrious major week.
In fact, LIV’s headspin is cause for further fixation on the week ah...

The Weekend Roundup: comebacks and close calls in the world of golf

As with most weeks, it’s hard to know where to look in the world of golf.
Heading towards another major, the stars were out in force on the PGA TOUR. McIlroy, Rose and Fitzpatrick were the feature group for the first two rounds at Quail Hollow, but it was the younger of the Sheffield brothers who provided the most entertainment.
Comeback stories were on the menu for Kristoffer Reitan and Brandt Snedeker, who claimed emotional wins in differing fashions, while Boo Weekley and Justin Herbert both...

“It does hurt a little bit more” – Thalia Martin on the life of a professional golfer

Life on tour is not all that it is glammed up to be.
Sure, the Rory McIlroys and Nelly Kordas of the world will happily bring in millions of dollars per year, but for your average professional golfer; that sort of stability is a luxury that can only be dreamed of.
Whether you are fighting it out at Q-school, or trying to make it to the weekend on the LETAS; every drive, every wedge, every putt could cost you a career – or at least a healthy salary.
You just have to watch the recent Netflix serie...

Smilla Soenderby wins inaugural MCB Ladies Classic – Mauritius

Denmark’s Smilla Tarning Soenderby has won the first ever MCB Ladies Classic – Mauritius, carding a five-under-par round of 67.
In a day of firsts, Agathe Liasne’s previous course record of 64 was quickly overturned by Italy’s Anna Zanusso, who tore up the course with a bogey-free round of 63.
The Dane began the day tied with South Africa’s Casandra Alexandra and Germany’s Celina Sattelkau at nine-under-par through the first two rounds.
At one point yesterday, Soenderby had a five-shot lead afte...

England Watch: Gainer, Hewson and Humphries off to solid starts at the MCB Ladies Classic-Mauritius

The MCB Ladies Classic – Mauritius is finally underway, and the golfers made sure to put on a clinic deserving of such a majestic setting.
Blue skies and a beating sun reigned supreme once again at the Legend Course at Constance Belle Mare Plage, but unlike the preceding practice rounds, golfers were treated to an intermittent breeze that made the Mauritian climate slightly more bearable.
15 English golfers are taking part in this week’s inaugural tournament.
Three of those competing Englishwoma...

‘Buffets, back-to-backs, and a local hero’ ahead of the MCB Ladies Classic – Mauritius

On the eve of the inaugural MCB Ladies Classic – Mauritius, Golf Today spoke to three of the 120 golfers that will be fighting it out over the next few days.
The globe-trotting Ladies European Tour (LET) have made their way from Saudi Arabia to Australia, on to America then South Africa, and at last – the paradise that is Mauritius.
As the great Mark Twain notes: “Mauritius was made first, and then heaven; and that heaven was copied after Mauritius.”
Twain’s thoughts are unquestionably shared by...

Carly McDonald wins the R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship in record-breaking fashion

Carly McDonald has completed a record-breaking win at the R&A Girls’ U16 Amateur Championship at Gog Magog.
The St Andrews native joins her fellow Scots Grace Crawford (2022) and Hannah Darling (2018) as a winner of the distinguished title thanks to a clinical final day performance in Cambridgeshire.
The 14-year-old shot a closing seven-under-par 65, the lowest final round from a champion, to go with her opening scores of 68 and 69 for a total of 14-under.
McDonald, hailing from the St Regulus c...

The MCB Ladies Classic – Mauritius: all you need to know about the inaugural tournament on the Ladies European Tour

Following on from a successful two-week stint in South Africa, the Ladies European Tour now turns its attention to the pearl of the Indian Ocean.
A 120-player field will vie for the inaugural ‘MCB Ladies Classic – Mauritius’ this week, across three rounds.
Those 120 golfers will be cut to the top 60 following the conclusion of the second round on Saturday.
A first for women’s golf in Mauritius, the week is set to be a belter.
Here’s all you need to know about the event.
The Legend Course at the...

Global participation rises north of 112 million, with The R&A planning to open golf to the world

The R&A have unveiled a new five-year global strategy, aiming to open golf to the millions, and accelerate the current participation boom that the sport is experiencing.
The new strategy aims to have more people playing and engaging with golf more frequently worldwide.
The strategy also plans to showcase golf’s transformational impact on individuals and communities, highlighting its health, wellbeing and social benefits while ensuring it remains relevant and accessible to all.
Under this new str...

Prostate Cancer UK’s ‘Big Golf Race’ returns with top sports stars leading the fundraising charge

A host of familiar faces from the worlds of golf, sport and entertainment are getting behind Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race this year – helping to raise funds and awareness for the most common cancer in the UK.
The supporting sports stars and TV celebrities, who have supported the charity on social media, boast a combined global audience of over 17 million.
The 2026 Big Golf Race – also the UK’s biggest golf fundraising challenge – is well placed to spread far and wide.
Prostate cancer affec...

OGIO releases bold new Poker Collection

OGIO Europe has released another limited-edition colourway in the form of a new Poker Collection.
The launch is inspired by poker chips and playing cards – built for golfers and travellers who know when to go all in.
Following the strong reception of last month’s Ham and Eggs colour palette, the Poker Collection pursues OGIO’s mission to permeate personality, attitude and style into the fairways and beyond.
Combining a playful design with clean styling, the latest collection is a safe bet for th...

The Weekend Roundup: playoffs, records, and deja vu in the world of golf

Fans were once again privy to a thrilling weekend in the world of golf, with three out of the six active tournaments culminating in the drama of a playoff.
Agathe Laisne and Hannah Green triumphed in their respective women’s tours, as Matt Fitzpatrick gave Scottie Scheffler further cause for frustration on a windy Sunday at Harbour Town.
There were firsts on the Korn Ferry Tour, Spanish dominance at LIV, and a masterclass at the Senior PGA thanks to a certain Stewart Cink.
Here’s your weekend ro...

Pedlar’s on the gas in last-gasp score

By HECTOR VICKERS
Esher.........................41
Old Albanians........34
ANTHONY Pedlar’s late try saw Old Albanians suffer a huge blow to their title bid, with grateful hosts Esher sealing the win.
Owen Waters took a while to get firing after missing both kicks from Jacob Morris and James Botterill’s tries. He couldn’t miss the third, after Pierre Thompson’s try under the posts. Waters’ penalty then took his side’s tally to 20-points, before as many minutes.
Oluwaseyi Ajeigbe provided some b...

Botterill bags a hat-trick as Esher finally win in ’26

■By HECTOR VICKERS
Esher.........................22
Henley Hawks....... 17
ESHER recorded their first win of 2026 with a scrappy victory.
The ever-reliable James Botterill’s hat-trick gave the home fans cause to celebrate.
The Esher winger had his first score within six minutes – a fantastic solo effort running through the 22 to score under the posts, with Owen Waters netting the extras.
Thanks to a yellow card to Lailand Gordon, Botterill had his second 10 minutes later, making the most of th...
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