Awards: Rory McIlroy, who won two majors and helped Europe retain the Ryder Cup in a stunning 2014, was named the British Sports Journalists Association’s Sportsman of the Year yesterday. The Irishman, who won the British Open and PGA Championship, finished ahead of Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton and Commonwealth and European long jump gold medal winner Greg Rutherford in a ballot of the British association’s members. Jo Pavey, the European 10,000 metres champion at the age of 40, was named Sportswoman of the Year, while England’s women rugby World Cup winners were team of the year.

American Football: The NFL has announced a new far-reaching personal conduct policy that lays out tough sanctions for unsavoury off-field actions. NFL owners have unanimously agreed to the new regulations, which also apply to coaches and everyone else affiliated with the league. Under the initiative players will be handed six-game suspensions without pay for offences such as assault and battery, domestic violence and child abuse.

Basket, NBA: The Golden State Warriors rolled to a franchise-record 14th straight win as they beat the Houston Rockets 105-93. Klay Thompson scored 21 points and Stephen Curry added 20 to lift the Warriors to 19-2, the best record in the NBA. The Los Angeles Clippers claimed their ninth straight win as they beat the Indiana Pacers 103-95. The Atlanta Hawks ran up their eighth straight victory – their longest winning streak in 17 years – as they beat the woeful Philadelphia 76ers 95-79.

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