South Africa's Charl Schwartzel made history by winning the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational Series event on Saturday to earn the biggest winner's cheque in golf as Patrick Reed became the latest big name to join the tour.
Schwartzel carded a final round of 72 at the Centurion Club outside London to finish seven under par and a shot clear of compatriot Hennie du Plessis.
The 37-year-old former Masters champion received a winner's cheque of $4 million and also won $750,000 for being part of the winning team in the 54-hole, three-day event.
"Honestly, I'm relieved," said Schwartzel, who led by five shots with seven holes to play before a double bogey on the 12th set up a nervy finish.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I think we could play for so much money in golf. It's been an amazing experience."
LIV Golf CEO Greg Norman, who attempted to set up a world tour in 1994, said: "The evolution of the game of golf is alive and LIV is alive.
"For 27 years there's been a lot of obstacles put in our path, a lot of dreams have tried to be squashed, but they couldn't squash us and golf was always going to be the force for good out of all this."
Earlier, US golfer Reed became the latest PGA Tour member to join the Saudi Arabia-backed breakaway circuit, with the 17 competing in the first event this week suspended by the Tour shortly after play started in St Albans on Thursday.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said the "same fate holds true" for any players who compete in future LIV events, with Reed and Bryson DeChambeau set to contest the second event in Oregon starting at the end of the month. Fellow American Pat Perez was also confirmed for the second event.
Reed, 31, who won the Masters in 2018 and has nine professional titles under his belt, is the ninth major champion to join the rebel series.
"The growing roster of LIV Golf players gets even stronger today with a player of Patrick Reed's calibre," said Norman. "He has a proven track record as one of the most consistent competitors in pro golf and adds yet another big presence at our tournaments."
Reed said: "I'm super excited – just the thought of being a part of an evolution and a change in golf for the better."
Six-time major winner Phil Mickelson and former world No 1 Dustin Johnson were among other stars who featured in the inaugural $25 million event near London.
Organisers have pledged to "supercharge" golf, offering tournaments with no cuts, simultaneous "shotgun starts" and a team element.
The eight LIV tournaments this year are worth a staggering $255m, with plans in place to expand the series over the coming years.
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Scores
Day 2
New Zealand 153 & 56-1
Pakistan 227
New Zealand trail by 18 runs with nine wickets remaining
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Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush
Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”
A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.
“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
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Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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