GOLF
Merritt wins first PGA title
Troy Merritt won the Quicken Loans National on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title, closing with a four-under 67 for a three-stroke victory over Rickie Fowler. The victory came a day after Merritt soared to the lead with a tournament-record 61 at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia. He won in his 96th career start on the tour, finishing at 18-under 266. Rickie Fowler, who started the day a shot off the lead, made a birdie on the final hole to claim second, while David Lingmerth was third.
GOLF
Kakko 24-under brings title
Roope Kakko on Sunday became only the second Finnish man to win a European Tour event, when he carded a nine-under-par final-round 63 to clinch the Madeira Islands Open in Portugal. The 33-year-old finished three clear of Scotland’s Scott Henry thanks to the best final round by a European Tour winner this season. It also helped him to set a new record for the lowest score in the tournament’s 22-year history at 24-under-par. Britain’s Andrew McArthur finished in third, six shots off the lead, with Swedish duo Pontus Widegren and Sebastian Soderberg a further two shots back. Mikko Ilonen is the only other Finnish player to have won on the European Tour with five titles to his name.
GOLF
Kiradech wins Paul Lawrie
Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat on Sunday won his second European Tour title of the year when he defeated Robert Karlsson on the final hole to clinch the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay title. The 26-year-old Thai, already a two-time tour winner after capturing the 2013 Malaysia Open and this year’s Shenzhen International, was three-up with four holes to play. However, the Swede hit back on the 15th, 16th and 17th to set up a dramatic last-hole duel. Kiradech held his nerve on the 18th, where he putted from four feet just after Karlsson had dragged his birdie attempt wide.
CRICKET
Hat-trick proves not enough
Worcestershire seamer Joe Leach claimed a hat-trick with his first three balls in a one-day English county match against Northamptonshire on Sunday. The 24-year-old had Richard Levi and Rob Keogh caught by wicketkeeper Ben Cox, and completed his hat-trick when Ben Duckett was caught by Jack Shantry. Sri Lanka fast bowler Chaminda Vaas took three wickets with his first three balls in a World Cup match against Bangladesh in 2003. Sadly for Leach, his team still ended up on the losing side as, chasing just 127 to win, Worcestershire were bowled out for 105. “I can’t quite believe I’m stood here after we’ve lost that game,” said Leach, who ended with 4-30. “Cricket’s a funny old game, isn’t it? On some days you bowl six perfect balls and get taken for eight off an over. Other days you don’t get it quite right and get a hat-trick. That’s the way cricket works.”
CRICKET
Play abandoned in Test
The second and final Test between South Africa and Bangladesh ended in a draw in Dhaka yesterday after heavy rain meant no play was possible on the last four days. The final day’s play at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium in Dhaka was called off in the morning due to a wet outfield, despite the sun shining on the Bangladesh capital. Play was possible only on the first day, when Bangladesh, who won the toss and elected to bat, scored 246-8. With the first Test in Chittagong also drawn, the two-match series ended 0-0.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two