Many sporting eyes will turn towards the Royal Troon golf course near Glasgow where the action will involve four Kiwis, a great result already for our golf.
There’s been the obligatory Tiger Woods controversy – this time a spat with fellow old-timer Colin Montgomerie.
But the heartwarming story is that of Kiwi Michael Hendry, whose cancer treatment after a frightening leukemia diagnosis sidelined him from the 2023 Open.
As the tournament develops, the storylines should include in-form Rory McIlroy’s bid to end his long Major drought after his US Open heartache.
Royal Troon is a split-personality course offering a fairly safe beginning before things turn nasty with the scary holes including the famous 123-yard par three eighth known as the “postage stamp”. It has a small, sharply-contoured green on top of a sandhill – and those aren’t the only issues on a hole rated among the hardest in the world.
The Kiwis’ second-round tee times on Friday are Ryan Fox (6.08pm), Kazuma Kobori (9.53pm), Hendry (10.58pm) and Daniel Hillier (11.09pm).
Coverage: Sky
Warriors v Canberra, Friday 10pm
The handbrake might be off.
Injuries have helped persuade coach Andrew Webster to include centre Ali Leiataua and bench forward Leka Halasima, two of the club’s finest prospects, which adds significant interest to this crunch NRL game in Canberra.
We are starting to see a glimpse of the future from a coach who has been too conservative at times, sticking with stop-gap players like Ed Kosi and Bunty Afoa – who won’t take the club into a great era.
Of more immediate concern, forwards Mitch Barnett and Kurt Capewell are named to play but must be affected by Wednesday night’s brutal State of Origin clash.
The Raiders are bolstered by the return of all-important halfback Jamal Fogarty for his first game since injuring a bicep three months ago.
Both teams are in danger of missing the playoffs.
Fun fact (for Warriors fans): The Raiders’ recent form at home is poor.
Coverage: Sky/Sky Open
All Blacks v Fiji, Saturday 2.30pm
Many Kiwi rugby fans would love a return to Saturday afternoon rugby tests, so here you go people... from San Diego.
Searches of the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper have failed to turn up any mention of the game this week.
Playing in the USA isn’t about satisfying an American lust to watch a one-sided rugby test. Instead, it is another twist in rugby’s game of international intrigue involving a battle to survive financially.
Olympic watch... you must watch this.
The Paris Games begin at the end of next week... Sky has the rights.
Which brings me to this.
A fabulous BBC documentary about Daley Thomson, the greatest decathlete of all time, has just been released.
Entitled Daley: Olympic Superstar, it is well worth hunting down (I’d rate it compulsory viewing).
The Brit, who won the 1980 and 1984 gold medals and but for injury could have won a third, was a fascinating figure at a time when athletics ruled. His background was tough, he did some daft things, and he was the ultimate competitor.
The documentary also shows – although not by design – why the Olympics were so amazing back then, and (through comparison) how they have lost their aura.
The Games used to be about characters and rivalries. The combatants felt like they came from our communities. Those like Thompson were running, jumping, throwing headlines.
In contrast, modern Olympic athletes - operating with the buffer of state funding and professionalism - have become remote automatons spouting PR lines.
Sad, but life moves on.
I’ll be watching the Paris Games, but not with the sort of joy that this BBC documentary inspired.
