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PGA Tour Tee Times: Robert MacIntyre tees off alongside fellow British players

The WM Phoenix Open, part of the PGA Tour, is about to tee off at TPC Scottsdale (Stadium Course) in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. Defending champion, Scottie Scheffler, will look to defend his title on the Par 71 course with a total prize purse of $8,800,000 at stake.

PGA Tour Tee Times: Spotlight on English, Welsh and Scottish Players

Scotland’s Martin Laird is kicking off the tee times for the UK players at 07:20 for Round 1 on the first day, paired with the USA’s David Lipsky and Carl Yuan from China. Laird, Lipsky and Yuan will hit the course for Round 2 at 12:00.

Meanwhile, Scottish golfer Robert MacIntyre will tee off at 07:31 for Round 1, along with England’s Callum Tarren and Matthias Schmid from Germany. The trio is again teaming up for Round 2, with a start time of 12:11.

Luke Donald, hailing from England, will partner with Sweden’s Alexander Noren and USA’s Davis Thompson. Their tee time for Round 1 is set for 07:42, while Round 2 start is set at 12:22.

Englishman Matt Wallace has a Round 1 tee time set for 08:15, with his counterparts J.J. Spaun and Matt Kuchar, both from the USA. The same group will start Round 2 at 12:55. Matt Fitzpatrick is starting at the same times from different tees alongside Sungjae Im and Irish Shane Lowry.

In addition, English players Aaron Rai and Ben Taylor will start their quest in Round 1 at 08:48 and 08:59 respectively. They will play along with Cheng Tsung Pan of Taiwan, Vincent Whaley from the USA, Seonghyeon Kim of Korea and Lanto Griffin from the USA. Round 2 for these groups will commence at 13:28 and 13:39 respectively.

English player Harry Hall will commence Round 1 at 12:00 along with Andrew Novak from USA and Samuel Stevens also from the USA. Round 2 for this team will begin at the early time of 07:20.

Player Nationality Round 1 Round 2
Martin Laird Scotland 07:20 12:00
Robert MacIntyre Scotland 07:31 12:11
Luke Donald England 07:42 12:22
Matt Wallace England 08:15 12:55
Aaron Rai England 08:48 13:28
Ben Taylor England 08:59 13:39
Harry Hall England 12:00 07:20

(This text was generated by AI)

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Highlights Tours

Ryder Cup 2023 – Robert MacIntyre: “There’s more buzz around it compared to St. Andrews”

Robert MacIntyre will make his first appearance for Team Europe at Ryder Cup 2023 after securing the third automatic qualification spot on the European Points List. The Marco Simone Golf & Country Club arises good memories for MacIntyre. In 2022 he secured his second DP World Tour title at the italian venue, where he now returns to as part of Team Europe.

Marco Simone suits Robert MacIntyre

Joined by Robert MacIntyre for Team Europe. We know team sport has been a part of your life with shinty, but how much have you been enjoying the team environment this week?

Robert MacIntyre: Yeah, it’s good. There’s been a lot going on, obviously, but it feels very much like home. All the guys behind each other for one goal, and it’s part of why, we say in shinty, it’s one goal to win the match, and it’s one goal this week to win the trophy back.

Having won here, you know this place really well. Can you talk about how different it’s set up this week to the Italian Open?

Robert MacIntyre: Yeah, there’s a couple drivable holes than what it was before but still very similar. You’ve got to hit it in the short stuff. The rough’s brutal. But it’s no different. Good golf scores will win matches, and if you keep it reasonably straight off the tee, then you’ve got a great chance.

Even for a young guy like you, Seve is this huge inspiration for European golfers?

Robert MacIntyre: Yeah, he turned it around, didn’t he. He turned the tide. Obviously Americans were dominating, but then kind of Seve took it upon himself to change that, to rectify it. I think ever since then, I mean, I’m sure Jon said it. That’s the reason he plays golf. I mean, Seve has done so much for the game of golf. For me, obviously I didn’t really get to watch him. I didn’t get to meet him. But I’ve watched so many clips of him but there’s so many others. Last night I spoke to Monty, and I mean, for a Scotsman, Monty was everything. Again, just a little bit before my time. But I mean, I’ve heard all about him. I’ve watched so many clips about him. Yeah, there’s just so many idols that have done so well in this tournament.

The Ryder Cup brings more excitement than an Open at St. Andrews

You spoke last year about the excitement you felt arriving at St Andrews ahead of playing an open there. How does the feeling arriving here compare for this week?

Robert MacIntyre: Slightly different. A bit more excitement in it. There’s more buzz around it. There’s more people around it. When I arrived at St Andrews, it was on me. I was the only one that could control what was going to happen. This week, there is so much more to it than just me.

How much detail have Luke and the vice captains given you? Do you know when you’re playing and who you’re playing with? Does that help you in your preparation knowing what your role is going to be?

Robert MacIntyre: Yeah, I’ve got kind of a hint on who I’m going to be playing with and what I’m going to be playing in. Again, nothing’s going to prepare me for that first tee shot. It’s just plain and simple. It’s something bigger than I’ve ever been involved in and ever experienced. Just try and keep it as light as I can so that I can play golf the way I know that I can play golf, and the main part is just enjoy it.

Will you calm down by the time you get to the first tee, or do you need that nervous energy to keep going?

Robert MacIntyre: For me, as I said, I’m as calm as ever just now. I actually said to my family, at the start of the week, do you know, I’ve not got the nerves yet. I’m very chilled. I think it’s because the team environment I’m in, it’s very much what I’m comfortable in. But I think Friday or Thursday night, when I know it’s coming, I think the excitement will pick up and the nerves will start to hit. But it’s part of it and it’s part of the journey, and I’ve just got to enjoy it. It’s there. It’s not going to go away, and just accept it’s there and go and do your best.

Thinking about conditions this week, the course undulations and the weather and stuff, how does everyone think about that?

Robert MacIntyre: Yeah, it’s good. The majority of the guys have been here and played it from kind of 2021. There was a few guys that came. But no, the course is a course. It is hilly. It’s hot. But no, we’ve got all the best stuff. We’ve got the best guys for the job from hydration, nutrition, everything. Just as well we’re athletes.

As a Scotsman, how are you dealing with the sun?

Robert MacIntyre: Yeah, it’s all right. Get out there and enjoy yourself.

Bob, thanks for joining us. We wish you well this week.

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European Tour

ROBERT MacINTYRE: “I’m out here this week to try and win a golf tournament.”

ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 29, 2021

Robert MacIntyre

St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland

Press Conference

CLARE BODEL: Welcome to the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Tell us how much you enjoy this tournament and how good it is to be playing on home soil this week.

ROBERT MacINTYRE: No, it’s great to be back. I mean, it’s always good to play golf at the Home of Golf, and yeah, just hopefully the weather kind of hangs on and we get a good side of the draw at least.

Yeah, just looking forward to playing, playing again. Took a few weeks off there to just kind of refresh myself but now I’m just looking forward to getting going.

Q. How difficult was it to declutter after the wee spell you had when you got home and just tried to have that time to freshen things up?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Pretty easy. The club stayed in the travel case that they went back from Wentworth in for about a week. I just went to spend time with family and friends. I’ve been travelling the world for the last 12 weeks, 15 weeks, I feel that I’ve hardly seen family and friends, and just to finally get home and have time to actually spend it with them. That was really the only way I was going to do it and now I’m feeling as ready as I can be for the week.

Q. Has there been a reset in goals or anything for the next few months during that time you’ve had off?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I’ve not really reset goals. That’s one thing I’ll do at the end of the year. This year I’m just trying tos build on what I started the year on. I started really well, and the last eight weeks, I feel like I’ve just kind of plateaued out. Obviously missed a few cuts.

But at the end of the day, if I go out here this week and I put on a good performance, them three missed cuts, no one’s talking about them. For me, I’m not really thinking about them, or I’m not thinking about them at all. I’m out here this week to try and win a golf tournament.

Q. Last week we were watching The Ryder Cup. Was there any thoughts of what might have been or was it just something you enjoyed or didn’t enjoy?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I watched it but I didn’t actually sit down and watch it all night. I don’t watch a lot of golf, I’m being honest with you, but look, a great golf course and two great teams going at it, and Americans were just — they got the breaks when they needed them. They just holed the right putts, and that’s match play.

I mean, it’s a big momentum game. When you see some of the guys missing, they have got about a 10-foot for birdie to go, say, 3-up and they miss, it and the next hole they lose, and now they are 1-up and it’s just a battle. It’s just momentum in match play, and it’s harder against the best players in the world.

Q. I just heard you very nicely wishing the best to both sides in whatever tournament it was. I thought that doesn’t sound too like the Americans we were hearing. I mean, what was it you were wishing?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It was just about a wedge. I gave Brian a golf club that I used for a golf day, and there’s going to be two teams going at it and someone’s going to win it.

Q. Did you think the American crowds were a bit hard on the Europeans?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I think you were hearing it more because there wasn’t European fans there. It was just — I mean, it’s like any sport, football, when you’re at home, they are going to shout for you. So it doesn’t — at the end of the day, it’s only you that can control what you do with the golf ball. You’re in charge of when you hit the shot.

So I mean, that’s what golfers try and do, we try and blank out the noise and we do that to the best of our ability.

Q. The crowds shouted — they are terrible at shinty, are they.

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Shinty and football. Doesn’t matter. If you go and sit in the crowd, you’ll hear some shouts.

Q. You weren’t so close to the selection for The Ryder Cup this year and even though it’s two years away, the road to Rome, what was your determination Sunday night when you saw the result?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Again, it’s golf. I don’t know what’s going to happen from here to the end of the season. I don’t know what’s going to happen from here to Rome. But that is high on my list. Now I’ve got two years to achieve it, and just turned 25 years old, so it’s not — this year I was close, but I mean, I was trying to achieve other things.

As much as I was trying to get on The Ryder Cup Team, I was trying to, golf is an individual sport, and for me I was trying to get my PGA TOUR card, and that’s what’s best for my career, that’s what’s better for myself. That’s the reason I didn’t played in the States and done what I done.

But no, Rome is top of the list. Come the start of next season, there’s going to be goals set, and I’m 100 per cent sure that Rome is going to be top of the list for a two-year goal.

Q. Any aches and pains from the shinty at the weekend?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: No, all good. Couple of bruises but I get that just running about at my mum’s house.

Q. Did you get a call at all from P�draig in the lead-up to the wildcard announcement? Was there any communications?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I did. I got it just before he went on to announce the team just out of respect, and I kind of knew it was coming, so it wasn’t a surprise. No, disappointed obviously, but we go again.

Q. There would be encouraging words in there?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: There was. It’s just he’s always going to be encouraging to me, and I get on great with him. Again, he picked the team he picked and I respected the guys he picked end of the day, top-class players. Obviously disappointed but that’s the way it goes.

Q. Just on the Dunhill Links, your debut as an amateur was a few years ago, 2013 in the Dunhill?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Something like that.

Q. It was a big, huge event and a great experience for you then. Did that springboard in many ways to the professional career?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: That was pretty much the time that I realised I could play at this level when I was — I think I must have been 16. And yeah, I played with Eduardo de la Riva, and we still laugh about it every time we cross paths.

No, that really opened my eyes to the world of golf. I thought, I could do this for a living, and here we are now.

Q. What were the laughs with Edoardo? Just the good time you had with him?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, it was brilliant. I think we finished fifth that year. Obviously I was off forward tees; so the better they played off of the forward tees. But it was great fun, and he had done well that year in The Open. I think he finished top 15 in The Open that year. So he knew what he was doing on links golf and it helped me out.

Q. Tournament golf can be a bit of a groundhog day for you guys because it’s week-after-week with days of traveling between. How important was it to get that wee reset back home with friends and family, switch off a bit and get the old Celtic hoops on?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It was really important. I actually sat down after Wentworth when I missed the cut, or thought I was going to miss the cut and I spoke to Stoddy, my manager, and I’m like, I’m playing well. Just nothing’s happening. Should we go to Holland and play the event.

We sat there and we thought, we need a break. I mean, I’ve just played so much golf. So we decided to take the break. I love going home. I’ve got friends out on the Tour but they are not my pals, you know what I mean. They are not the people that I could — if something is going wrong, I could phone them up and say, look, help is out here or they could phone me up. It’s not really going to happen out here.

But back home is where it’s at for me, and friends, family, and obviously shinty, everyone knows that I’ve been playing shinty for a few years. I don’t think they knew that I was probably playing shinty, but sometimes things come out, and now, I mean, it is what it is.

Q. We were speaking to Dundee’s best French golfer, Victor, earlier on, and he was talking about momentum, confidence, all that kind of stuff. They were saying before, this kind of two-year cycle, do you think it’s time for Scotland’s young golfers to step up? There’s a whole half-dozen of that you could be in contention for The Ryder Cup in two years’ time, and fantastic tournament golf over that period as well.

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, totally. I think that — I personally think that there will be at least one of us, if not two, maybe three of us. We have got the guys, we have got the support around us. I’m not just saying that because there’s three of us in the same management team.

But you see the results. The results speak for themselves. Callum is on a trend that’s rocking. Grant is obviously in great form. And then there’s me, as well, which I’m fully expecting to be there come two years’ time and we support each other as much as we can. If someone is doing well — you seen Grant won Callum just missed out, there was a celebration on the green, even though Callum is disappointed. We’re all behind each other, pushing each other.

CLARE BODEL: Thank you, everyone.

Interview Transcript by ASAP Sports

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Highlights Tours

MacIntyre has his eyes on the prize at Betfred British Masters

Robert MacIntyre will aim to end a more than 20 year wait for another Scottish victory at the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett after confirming he will tee it up at The Belfry from May 12-15, 2021.

MacIntyre is riding the crest of a wave after encouraging debut performances at both the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, where he reached the Round of 16, and the Masters Tournament, finishing in a share of 12th and booking a return to Augusta National in 2022 in the process.

The 24-year-old finished joint runner up in the 2019 British Masters at Hillside – the first year of Betfred’s title sponsorship of the popular tournament which returned to the European Tour’s schedule in 2015 after an eight-year absence.

He is now hoping to go one better and follow in the footsteps of Bernard Gallacher, Sandy Lyle, Colin Montgomerie, Gary Orr and Sam Torrance as Scottish winners of the British Masters since the Tour’s inception in 1972, as he aims for a second European Tour victory, adding to the maiden title he won at the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown last November.

“I’m really excited to play at The Belfry for the first time in my career,” said MacIntyre, who moved inside the Top 50 in the World for the first time in February. “It’s an iconic venue and one that is steeped in history with its Ryder Cup and European Tour heritage.

“Some of the most iconic names in Scottish golf have won the British Masters and I’d love to add my name to that list. I came close to winning this event two years ago at Hillside and I feel as though I learned a lot from that experience of being in contention down the home stretch.”

Also joining MacIntyre and tournament host Danny Willett at The Belfry are British Ryder Cup players Jamie Donaldson, Stephen Gallacher, David Howell, Andy Sullivan, Oliver Wilson and Chris Wood.

Last year’s winner Renato Paratore, of Italy, will bid to defend the title he won last year at Close House as the Betfred British Masters marked the full resumption of the European Tour’s 2020 season following a three month pause due to the global Covid-19 pandemic.

The 24-year-old finished three strokes ahead of nearest challenger Rasmus Højgaard at Close House as he produced a superb display of front-running to win his second European Tour title.

“I’m really looking forward to defending my British Masters title,” said Paratore. “I’m very proud of the way I played at Close House, especially after returning from the break in the middle of the season. I had worked really hard on my game last year and in the build up to the tournament, so it was very rewarding to see that pay off.”

The Betfred British Masters marks the next stage in European Ryder Cup Qualification where all points earned on the European and World Points Lists will be multiplied by two, as the race to be part of Captain Pádraig Harrington’s team continues. MacIntyre is currently just outside the automatic qualification spots as he bids for a debut Ryder Cup appearance at Whistling Straits in September.

Text: European Tour Communications

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Highlights Tours

US Masters: the first-timer from Scotland in the top 10 after round 3

Robert MacIntyre has made quite the Masters debut so far. The 24-year-old is at T10 after playing 2 below in round 3.

Macintyre is trailing leader Hideki Matsuyama by 9 shots and logged 6 birdies in his third round.

The current world number 45 (and world’s highest ranked lefty) grew up in the north western Scottish coastal town of Oban. As a teenager he played shinty for the Oban Camanachd, a traditional Gaelic sport similar to hockey and rugby.

Soon enough, he swapped his “caman” for a golf club.

After a rocky but relatively commendable first round of 74, he shot 70 on Friday and Saturday.

As if it weren’t a remarkable enough performance for his first time at the Masters, MacIntyre, who turned pro in 2017, has so far only one European Tour win under his belt, the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown.

As of Friday, MacIntyre has made the cut in all four major events he has played, with the Masters being the last one where he hadn’t yet played.

It’s safe to say that he’s one to keep on the radar!

Fellow Scotsman Martin Laird, 38, carded a third round of 72 to find himself at T29 position and trailing leader Hideki Matsuyama by 12 shots. Laird, currently ranked 100 in the world golf ranking, registered 2 birdies in his third round.

Overall, Hideki Matsuyama is in first position at the Masters Tournament as we head in to the final round. The Japanese player logged a round of 65 to finish ahead of Xander SchauffeleMarc LeishmanJustin Rose and Will Zalatoris, who are in joint second place.

The Masters Tournament is being played from April 8th until the 11th of April 2021 at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia (USA). This year a total prize money of $ 11.500.000 will be paid to the players. The course for the tournament at Augusta National Golf Club plays at Par 72.

Top-5 Leaderboard: Masters Tournament

PosNameTodayTotal
1Hideki Matsuyama-7-11
T2Xander Schauffele-4-7
T2Marc Leishman-2-7
T2Justin Rose0-7
T2Will Zalatoris-1-7
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Team UK

European Tour: Robert Macintyre Speaks With Media About Late Start to 2020 Season

European Tour professional Robert Macintyre speaks with the media ahead of the 2020 Omega Dubai Desert Classic regarding struggles with injury and his late start to the European Tour Season.

European Tour: Robert Macintyre talks to the media prior to season debut at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic

CLARE BODEL: Welcome to Dubai. The season, a slightly delayed start for you. How are you feeling now? Are you looking forward to this week?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I’m feeling good. I’ve had a bit took of rest I think, to say the least. I was hoping it was going to be last week to start, but things happen for a reason and it’s good to get going this week.

CLARE BODEL: You didn’t play this tournament last year during that fantastic rookie season, but what have you made of it so far? How is the course looking?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It’s an absolute brutal test. You’ve got to keep the ball in the fairway. If you don’t, you’ll probably be home early.

It’s a pretty fair test. If you drive it well, if you play well, you score well. I see that like any golf course, but this week there’s a premium on driving the golf ball, and that’s hopefully where my game’s at.

Q. How is it this morning, and how is the wrist, the hand, and the 18 holes today?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, it was good. I just needed more time. I felt last week my speed was down, hitting bad shots I wouldn’t normally hit, and this week, I’m hitting some — I feel my speed’s back. Like even the week when I was trying to prepare for Abu Dhabi, I was sluggish. Whereas this week, I feel like the speed’s back, and if I’ve got the speed back, I’m using my driving to my advantage.

Q. I saw that when you hit that drive on 18. Did that convince you everything was good to go this week, 325 yards?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: That was one of the good ones. But no, my big test was hitting shots that were hurting me. I had done that on Tuesday, Monday night, Tuesday morning. Hit the shots that were hurting me on the chipping green, and the real test was going to go in the rough. I had to test it. If it hurt, I wasn’t going to play, and I just had to accept it. I just had to go for it. So I went in the deep end, just hit it and if it hurt; but no, it’s been grand.

Q. Were you able to hit it full throttle?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: If I can’t play my — if I can’t compete, I won’t play. There’s no point. I’m not here just to make up the numbers. If I played last week, I was there, I was going to finish close to last. It’s just as simple as that. I couldn’t compete.

Whereas this week, I feel that I can go out there and give it enough go.

Q. Will you be able to practice as much as you would want to, or will you be taking it slightly easy?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: Slightly easier. I just don’t want the same problem. But I’m going to go — after here, I’m going to go out there and get my TrakMan numbers. So back to normal.

Q. Is David still here?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: He’s here. He goes home after this week. We’ll be doing some good work in the last few days.

Q. It’s good to see you again. I know you sound very optimistic, but you had an MRI back in September, and you had an MRI last week. What was the indication from the MRI, and if there’s nothing sort of diagnosed as a problem there, does it still worry you, first time you pick up a club, and there’s pain and you’re on painkillers and have your wrist strapped; does the bigger picture concern you?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: It is in the back of the head. I’ve been taking painkillers since The Open, before the first round of The Open. So the reason I took six weeks off — I could have taken longer and come back and had the same problem.

But I think I done the right thing by not playing. I’m not worried about — if the pain comes back, then we’ve got a problem. We’ve got to go and look into it deeper, and still looking into it deeper, whether it’s technique or whatnot.

But no, I can’t worry about if I go here this week and worry about a sore hand, which could happen, then I’m as well back home in Oban and sit on the couch. I’m just going out there, playing golf full throttles as a normally do and see how we’re going.

Q. You talked about this being a brutal test, and it looks as though your day buy in the event is coinciding with the course being toughened up. Can you talk more about that?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: It’s just there’s a lot of doglegs, not so much with trees, but the fairways kind of — they kink it where the driver is landing. I hit a few good drives today that ran through the fairway, not into the deep stuff, but through the first cut into the second cut, and even then, you can’t hit anything more than 7-, 8-iron. It’s as thick of rough as I’ve played in since probably U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills. That rough out there, if there’s not a ball-spotter spotting the ball and you’re 300 yards away, you’re struggling to find it.

Q. Rory made some comments at the end of last season that he felt some of the courses have been getting a little bit too easy. Your first year last year is maybe too difficult but how do you find the courses in general?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: I found them all right. I drove the ball well last year, so a lot of golf courses weren’t — I was making them easier than they probably were. But I thought they were good tests for my first year out.

Challenge Tour was a wee bit more generous. I turned up in Abu Dhabi at the start of last year, and I was — I played the first two rounds with Richie and I came off on the Friday and I go, “Richie, is that how hard the golf courses are out here?”

He goes, “Well, you have to drive it well here.” That made me realise, I’ve got to improve the driving, and that’s what I’ve done.

Q. Last time you were in Dubai, you won Rookie of the Year, a title you can only win once. What are your aspirations going into the new year? What sort of goals are you set, maybe trying to qualify the Masters, but in the sort of bigger 2020 picture?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: I’ve not looked further than April if I’m being honest with you. I’ve just got one goal, Top-50 in the world by April, and if I do that, then I think my start of the season would have been as good as the end of last.

I’m just going out there, play aggressive, play free and hopefully pain-free.

Q. You still got it strapped up?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah. Again, I don’t know if it’s doing me any good. I’m just doing it because —

Q. Psychologically?
ROBERT MacINTYRE: — in my head, I’m saying, this is strapped up, it’s strong just now, just give it a go.

CLARE BODEL: Thank you.

January 22, 2020

Dubai, UAE

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports