Sports round-up

Golf: Adam Scott shot a two-under par 68 in the third round of the British Open at Royal Lytham yesterday for a four-stroke lead and a golden opportunity to win a long-overdue first major title. The 32-year-old Australian firstly overhauled faltering third-round leader and playing partner Brandt Snedeker to move ahead, and then he resisted a charge by a fired-up Tiger Woods. When the dust had settled, Scott had a handy cushion out in front at 11-under par 199, four strokes clear of Ulsterman Graeme McDowell, who finished strongly for a 67, and Snedeker, who had a 73.

Rugby Union: Australian Brett Gosper has been appointed as the new chief executive of The International Rugby Board (IRB). The 53-year-old, who was an Australian Under-21 international and played for French club Racing Metro, will start his role on August 15, the IRB said yesterday. “I am delighted to be taking on this role at what is such an exciting time for the game,” said Gosper, who will be responsible for day-to-day IRB operations and have the dual role of Rugby World Cup managing director.

Motor Racing: Formula One driver Maria De Villota has been allowed to return home to Spain to continue her rehabilitation two weeks after a testing accident cost her the sight in her right eye. The 32-year-old required two operations under the care of the neurological and plastics surgical teams at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge after a crash at Duxford Airfield left her fighting for her life. Following lengthy observation, with her family maintaining a constant vigil by her bedside, doctors have now decided to discharge De Villota.

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London Olympics: Reigning Wimbledon champ Serena Williams (picture) has pulled out of an exhibition match to get treatment for back pain, but she said that would not keep her out of the London Olympics. Williams said she needed to rest her back after her two recent titles. “I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to see my (Washington) DC fans, but can’t wait to go for gold in London,” Williams said. The American has never won an Olympic singles crown but she hopes to change that when Olympic tennis competitions begin on July 28 at Wimbledon.

2020 Olympics: Turkey Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is to attend the London Olympics as a sign of his support for Istanbul’s bid to win the right to host the 2020 edition. The 58-year-old, who is an avid sports fan and was a better than average semi-professional footballer, had muddied the waters for the bid by getting Turkey to declare its candidacy for the Euro 2020 football championship as well. While the International Olympic Comm-ittee does not allow another major sporting event to be hosted by the country of the host city in the same year Istanbul managed to make the three-city shortlist for the 2020 Games when it was voted on in Quebec in May.

Basketball: Basketball star Pau Gasol was named as the Spanish team’s flag-bearer at the Olympics in place of tennis star Rafael Nadal, who withdrew from the London Games with a knee injury. The 32-year-old Los Angeles Lakers centre is one of the big stars of the NBA. He told his Twitter followers that he was “very happy to be Spain’s flag-bearer. One of the happiest moments of my career.”Defending champion Nadal dropped out of the Games last week, stating he was not in shape to compete and calling it one of the saddest days of his career.