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• JAAA names 31-member World Relays team

  Rising sprint sensations Ackeem Blake and Alana Reid have been included in a 31-member squad named by the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association (JAAA) to represent the island at the World Athletics Relays, scheduled for May 4 and 5 in Bahamas.

  Jamaica’s athletes are expected to contest the men’s and women’s 4x100m and 4x400m relays, as well as the Mixed 4x400m relay, at the two-day spectacle which will take place at the refurbished Thomas A. Robinson National Stadium.

  Blake and Reid have been listed among the respective 4x100m relay pools, which also includes Kemba Nelson, Natasha Morrison, and reigning University champion Kadrian Goldson.

  World Indoor bronze medallist Rusheen McDonald, World and Olympic relay medallist Janieve Russell, and World 400m hurdles finalist Roshawn Clarke, headline the pool for the 4x400m and Mixed 4x400m relays respectively.

  Full team: Female 4x100m –Kemba Nelson, Alana Reid, Jodean Williams, Remona Burchell, Mickaell Moodie, Natasha Morrison, Yanique Dayle

  4x400m & Mixed Relay –Stacey Ann Williams, Charokee Young, Leah Anderson, Ashley Williams, Junelle Bromfield, Janieve Russell, Tovea Jenkins, Roniesha Mcgregor

  Male 4x100m –Ryiem Forde, Nigel Ellis, Bryan Levell, Kadrian Goldson, Odaine Mcpherson, Ackeem Blake, Javorne Dunkley

  4x400m & Mixed Relay –Malik James-King, Rusheen Mcdonald, Zandrion Barnes, Roshawn Clarke, Demish Gaye, Anthony Cox, Karyme Bartley, Assinie Wilson, Sean Bailey

  Management Team –Dennis May (Team Leader), Trevor Campbell (Team Official), Jennifer Brown (Team Official), Maurice Wilson (Technical Director), Paul Francis (Coach), Reynaldo Walcott (Coach), Mark Elliott (Coach), Yanique Weekes (Doctor), Garfield Simmonds (Medical)

• Rory McIlroy dismisses report that he was on the verge of shock move to LIV Golf

  Rory McIlroy has dismissed a report that he was on the verge of a shock move to LIV Golf.

  London financial paper City AM reported at the weekend that McIlroy, who has been among the staunchest critics of the Saudi-funded breakaway, could be about to jump ship in a deal worth USD850million (£680million).

  McIlroy’s manager Sean O’Flaherty told the Irish Independent the report was “fake news” and the world number two was asked about the claim ahead of this week’s RBC Heritage.

  “I honestly don’t know how these things get started,” McIlroy said in an interview with Golf Channel which he subsequently posted on his official account on X, formerly Twitter.

  “I’ve never been offered a number from LIV and I’ve never contemplated going to LIV.

  “I think I’ve made it clear over the past two years that I don’t think it’s something for me.

  “Doesn’t mean that I judge people that went and played over there, I think one of the things that I’ve realised over the past two years is people can make their own decisions for whatever they think is best for themselves and who are we to judge them for that?

  “But personally for me my future is here on the PGA Tour and it’s never been any different.”

  Asked if he knew where the rumour had originated, McIlroy said: “No, no idea.

  “Jeez, I think over the last two years there’s been so many rumours of guys… and I think the one thing I’ve realised as well is guys need to keep an open mind and I’m sure there’s been players who are still playing on the PGA Tour that have talked to the guys from LIV and had offers and whatever.

  “But I have no idea. It’s never even been a conversation for us and it’s one of those things.

  “It’s unfortunate we have to deal with it and this is the state that our game’s in but I’m obviously here today, playing this PGA Tour event and I will play the PGA Tour for the rest of my career.”

• Danny Willett tempted to bring forward full-time return after impressive Masters

  Former champion Danny Willett admits he is tempted to accelerate his planned return to full-time action following an impressive comeback in the Masters.

  Willett had feared he would be sidelined for at least a year following shoulder surgery in September last year but recovered sufficiently to return to the scene of his 2016 triumph and carded a superb opening 68.

  The 36-year-old was also level par for 17 holes in extremely difficult conditions in Friday’s second round before an untimely triple bogey on the 18th, but comfortably made the halfway cut and went on to finish in a tie for 45th along with defending champion Jon Rahm.

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  “Mentally it’s been really tough this week and maybe a little bit of that came in towards the end,” Willett told the PA news agency.

  “But the body feels good, shoulder feels really strong so now I’ve got another seven weeks off to go and do the work that we need to do to progress before we come back properly.

  “If you said at the start of the week that you’re going to have some really good spells and you’d finish 45th you’d have probably taken it, so there’s some good things to work on.

  “The 68 in the first round was fantastic and the last couple of days could have been three or four shots better without being crazy.

  “We played with two guys who won this year on the PGA Tour [Austin Eckroat and Stephan Jaeger] and we weren’t sure how it’s going to be but you come in and you don’t feel like you’re leaps and bounds behind them.”

  Asked if he was now tempted to add tournaments to his schedule, Willett added: “It is tempting, it’s really tempting but my manager’s going to speak to the guys and see what happens with the medical stuff.

  “They’ve always told me to not come back too early because you don’t really gain anything in terms of your medical exemptions and things like that.

  “There’s still no rush. The main plan was the European Open in Hamburg in seven weeks.

  “That’s the only one I’m entered into and I don’t think there’s any reason to compete before that unless I feel a burning desire or Nic [wife Nicole] kicks me out of the house because I’ve been home too long.”