G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: "One of the reasons Arnie Palmer is playing so well is that, before each final round, his wife takes out his balls and kisses them. Oh my God, what have I just said." - US Open TV Commentator

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🔥 New expansion team bid

⚽️ Coach told he has to play 126kg kid

⛳️ USPGA Preview

⚽️ Goal of the Season contender, as Cavani puts United in front in their 1-1 draw with relegated Fulham.

🇦🇺 AFL

💰A Sydney-based private equity group says it has fielded interest from AFL clubs and believes there is no reason why private ownership cannot happen in the next five years. (age)

👋🏼 Billionaire Collingwood vice-president Alex Waislitz has announced his resignation from the club board.

🦁 Brisbane has been dealt a savage blow with defender Darcy Gardiner to undergo shoulder surgery on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old will be hopeful of returning by the end of the season or possibly finals with the club setting a timeframe of 12-14 weeks. (AFL)

🦶 North Melbourne is hopeful a new course of medication could lead to prized free agency recruit Aidan Corr making his comeback in the second half of the year. (AFL)

✅ North Melbourne midfielder Tarryn Thomas has been successful in overturning his one-game suspension at the AFL Tribunal.

The 21-year-old was originally slapped with a ban by the Match Review Officer for a rough conduct charge in the Kangaroos' drought-breaking win against Hawthorn on Saturday.

🏉 NRL

🔥 The Brisbane Firehawks have officially submitted an expression of interest to become the NRL’s 17th team and the fourth team in Queensland.

“Part of the Brisbane Easts Group, Firehawks are a new breed of club that promise to energise the future of rugby league,” the club released in a statement. 

👴🏼 Albert Kelly will play his first NRL game in seven years, replacing star No.6 Anthony Milford as Brisbane coach Kevin Walters opts for his fifth halves combination in just 11 games. (NRL)

🦈 Craig Fitzgibbon is adamant he won't "blow up" a Cronulla roster with at least $4 million in contract calls to make, insisting the Sharks' rising stars and existing playmakers can make up for missing out on Adam Reynolds.

🤕 A candid Paul Gallen has revealed he's beginning to worry about the lasting effects of head knocks off the back of a 400-game rugby league career and his ventures into professional boxing.

"I carry a pen with me whenever I'm doing radio now because sometimes I think I'm going to forget things so I write things down and that sort of worries me.

⚽️ Football

🔁 Harry Kane 'believes he has gentleman's agreement to leave Tottenham Hotspur - Man City?

❌ Crystal Palace have announced Roy Hodgson (73), will leave the club at the end of the season and the veteran boss says he will not manage in the top flight again.

Frank Lampard is expected to be named as his replacement.

📺 Network Ten is one of two primary contenders - the other being Nine - for the broadcast rights to the A-League and W-League, which are likely to be settled this week. 10 is owned by ViacomCBS who’s new service Paramount+ could be used to show games. [SMH]

🤣 A Chinese businessman bought Zibo Cuju, second tier Chinese side, and told the coach he had to play his son.

⛳️ USPGA

The USPGA Championship returns to the Ocean Course, Kiawah Island, this week, where Rory McIlroy romped to victory nine years ago.

Venue: Ocean Course, Kiawah Island Golf Resort, Kiawah Island, South Carolina.

Course Details: Par 72, 7,876 yards

• The course is described by Golf Digest as the hardest in the United States.

Angle to find the winner:

• Fifteen of the last 21 majors have now gone to a first-time major winner

• Seven of the top-ten were Northern Europeans nine years ago.

• A previous win earlier in the season has been a very strong pointer historically with as many as 18 of the last 21 winners having already won an event prior to success in the USPGA Championship.

Four that fit the bill:

• Jon Rahm @ 16.0

• Viktor Hovland @ 25.0 (in great form)

• Tyrrell Hatton @ 56.0 (no form)

• Alex Noren @ 150.0

🌏 World Sport

🦿 Blake Leeper's smile. He hopes to be the first double amputee athlete to compete in the Olympics.

🎾 Roger Federer's preparation for the French Open later this month got off to a disastrous start on home soil as he was immediately knocked out of the Geneva Open by Spanish player Pablo Andujar.

Number-one seed Federer, who had received a bye in the first round of the tournament, was dispatched 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 by Andujar 

🎾 Serena Williams suffered the same fate with defeat by Katerina Siniakova, which saw her exit in the second round of the Emilia-Romagna Open in Parma.

🏏 Cameron Bancroft has backed down from his inflammatory comments about Australia's ball-tampering saga. (nine)

🏎 Daniel Ricciardo could have another Australian for company in F1 next season, following Oscar Piastri's strong F2 form.

Piastri is fourth in the standings heading into this weekend's second round at Monaco, having won one of the three races on his debut weekend in Bahrain in March.

🥊 The boxing world had been gearing up for an undisputed heavyweight unification showdown between Fury and Joshua in Saudi Arabia this summer and the Gypsy King even declared on Monday a deal was done for August 14.

But less than 24 hours after that announcement, news broke that an independent arbitrator had ruled in Wilder’s favour over his dispute with Fury about their third fight.

🥇 This is what our Olympians will be wearing at the opening ceremony in Tokyo!

📺 Live sport

⚽️ 08:15 - Copa Libertadores - Palmeiras v Defensa y Justicia (BeIN Sports 2) 

⚽️ 08:15 - Copa Libertadores - Club The Strongest v Santos (BeIN Sports 3) 

🏀 08:30 - NBA Play-In Game (9v10) - Indiana Pacers v Charlotte Hornets (ESPN 1)

🏄🏻‍♀️ 09:00- Women's Rottnest Search, Day 4 (7Plus, Fox Sports More) 

🏄🏻‍♂️ 09:00 - Men's Rottnest Search, Day 4 (7Plus, Fox Sports More) 

⚾️ 09:05 - MLB - Baltimore Orioles v Tampa Bay Rays (Sky Sports 3)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 10:00 - WNBA Washington Mystics v Phoenix Mercury (ESPN 2) 

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores - Fluminense FC v Atletico Junior (BeIN Sports 2) 

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores - Sao Paulo v Racing Club de Avellaneda (BeIN Sports 3)

🏀 11:00 - NBA Play-In Game (7v8) - Boston Celtics v Washington Wizards (ESPN 1)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 12:00 - WNBA - Seattle Storm v Las Vegas Aces (ESPN 2) 

⚾️ 12:10 - MLB - Seattle Mariners v Detroit Tigers (Sky Sports 3)

🎾19:00 - ATP Parc Auvergne Rounds 1&2, Day 3 (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 19:05 - A-League - Sydney FC v Melbourne Victory (Fox Sports)

🏀 19:30 - NBL - Brisbane Bullets v Perth Wildcats (ESPN 1 or SBS on Demand)

🚴🏼‍♀️ 20:45 - Giro d'Italia, Stage 11, 162km (SBS on Demand or SBS Viceland)

🎾 21:00 - WTA Belgrade Open, Round 2, Day 3 (BeIN Sports 2) 

⚽️ 21:20 - A-League - Perth Glory v Adelaide United (Fox Sports) 

THURSDAY

⚽️ 08:00 - Copa Libertadores - Velez Sarsfield v Union La Calera (BeIN Sports 2) 

🏄🏻‍♂️ 09:00 - Men's Rottnest Search, Day 5 (7Plus, Fox Sports More) 

🏄🏻‍♀️ 09:00 - Women's Rottnest Search, Day 5 (7Plus, Fox Sports More) 

⚾️ 09:05 - MLB - Philadelphia Phillies v Miami Marlins (Sky Sports 3)

⚾️ 09:20 - MLB - Atlanta Braves v New York Mets (ESPN 2) 

🏀 09:30 - NBA Play-In Game (9v10) - Memphis Grizzlies v San Antonio Spurs (ESPN 1)

⚽️ 10:00 - Copa Libertadores - Flamengo v LDU Quito (BeIN Sports 2) 

⚽️ 10:00 - Copa Libertadores - River Plate v Independiente Santa Fe (BeIN Sports 3)

🏀 12:00 - NBA Play-In Game (7v8) - Los Angeles Lakers v Golden State Warriors (ESPN 1)

⚾️ 12:10 - MLB - Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks (Sky Sports 3)

🏀 17:30 - NBL - New Zealand Breakers v Sydney Kings (ESPN 1)

🎾 19:00 - ATP Parc Auvergne-Rh√¥ne-Alpes, Round 2, Day 4 (BeIN Sports 1) 

🇦🇺 19:10 - VFL - Geelong Cats VFL v Coburg Lions (Fox Footy)

🏎 19:30 - Formula 1 Monaco Practice 1, Round 5 (Fox Sports) 

🏉 19:50 - NRL - North Queensland Cowboys v Newcastle Knights (Fox League or Nine)

🏎 21:20 - Formula 2 Monaco Qualifying, Round 2 (Fox Sports) 

🚴🏼‍♀️ 21:20 - Giro d'Italia, Stage 12, 212km (SBS on Demand or SBS Viceland)

🎾 22:00 - WTA Belgrade Open, Quarter-Finals, Day 4 - Part 1 (BeIN Sports 2) 

🏎 23:00 - Formula 1 Monaco Practice 2, Round 5 (Fox Sports)