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■ POKER

Dane is youngest champ

A 22-year-old Dane rated 6,941st in poker’s rankings became the youngest champion at the World Series of Poker’s richest event, collecting US$9.15 million in Las Vegas on Tuesday. Peter Eastgate, known as the “Ice Skate,” won the longest final in series history by defeating Russia’s Ivan Demidov — another low-ranked player who learned his poker on Internet sites — to eclipse Phil Hellmuth, a 24-year-old winner in 1989. “I wasn’t thinking about the records or anything like that, I just was thinking about playing my game,” Eastgate said on the series’ Web site. The final, held at the Rio All-Suites Hotel-Casino, started with nine players and lasted 15 hours and 28 minutes — 78 minutes longer than the previous longest final table in 2005.



■ BASEBALL

Marlins suspend Owens

Major League Baseball suspended Florida Marlins righthanded pitcher Henry Owens for 50 games on Tuesday for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Owens, 29, who is currently with the Marlins’ minor league affiliate in Albuquerque, New Mexico, will begin serving the suspension at the start of the regular season next year. “We are disappointed that Henry Owens received a positive test, and fully endorse the discipline outlined in the MLB policy,” Marlins president Larry Beinfest said. “We will continue to work with and educate our players to help prevent any further violations.” Owens was 2-0 with four saves and a 1.96 ERA in 22 appearances with the Marlins last year.



■ GOLF

Daly to play in HK Open

Controversial two-time major-winner John Daly will play next week’s Hong Kong Open as he bids to rescue his troubled career, it was announced yesterday. Daly, who has plunged to 783 in the rankings and recently spent a night in jail after a drinking binge at a Hooters restaurant, said he was keen to reverse the slide. “All I can do is control my effort and attitude. If I can do this, I hope it will be enough to turn things around,” he said. Daly, 42, played the US$2.5 million Hong Kong Open’s 1998 edition, seven years after his shock 1991 US PGA Championship win when he started as ninth alternate. He also won the British Open in 1995. Known as “Wild Thing” and “Long John” for his raucous lifestyle and huge drives, the American joins fellow major champions Nick Faldo, Bernhard Langer, Jose Maria Olazabal, Michael Campbell and Paul Lawrie in Hong Kong.



■ BOXING

Johnson pounds Norwood

Former IBF light-heavyweight champion Glen Johnson of Jamaica, in his first fight since a loss in April, stopped Aaron Norwood of the US in four rounds on Tuesday. Johnson, who lost an April decision to WBC light-heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, outclassed Norwood from the opening seconds of the 10-round bout at Hard Rock Live Arena. Johnson frustrated Norwood early with lead left jabs to the head and then stepped up the pressure in the second round with left hooks to the head and rights to the body. In the fourth, he continued to score with jabs, hooks and body shots. Norwood retreated and offered few counter shots. Later in the round, Johnson caught a defenseless Norwood with two left hooks and two rights to the head. Referee Brian Garry eventually stopped the fight at 1:20. Johnson improved to 48-12-2 with 33 knockouts. Norwood fell to 26-11-2.


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