GOLF
Porteous wins Joburg Open
Haydn Porteous won his first European Tour event at the Joburg Open on Sunday, firing a bogey-free 69 for a two-shot victory. The 21-year-old’s win was the second straight for a South African on home soil following Brandon Stone’s victory in the South African Open last week. It also makes it three South African wins out of five this season after Charl Schwartzel’s victory at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Porteous finished two shots clear of countryman Zander Lombard as both men earned themselves a place at The Open at Royal Troon. “To qualify to get into The Open on merit is a big step in my career,” Porteous said. Sunday’s win also meant he earned a European Tour exemption until the end of the 2017 season. “Words cannot describe how I feel right now, it is surreal to be honest. I have been battling with my golf for the last few months and hats off to [fitness coach] Garth Milne for all the strategy and game-plan and gym.”
BASKETBALL
Grizzlies’ Barnes fined
Memphis Grizzlies forward Matt Barnes has been fined US$35,000 for remarks about New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher deemed detrimental to the best interests of the NBA, the league said on Sunday. Barnes had already served a two-game ban for attacking and threatening Fisher after an altercation between the two at the California home of Barnes’ ex-wife, Gloria Govan. Although Barnes was on his best behavior when the Grizzlies hosted the Knicks on Saturday, he was not shy in the days before the game about voicing his dislike of Fisher. In the comments that prompted action from the league, Barnes defended his decision to resort to physical violence against Fisher. “Violence is never the answer, but sometimes it is,” Barnes said when asked about the October incident.
SOCCER
Cele dies in car accident
South African Premier Soccer League player Mondli Cele died on Sunday after the car he was a passenger in plunged into a river near the eastern city of Pietermaritzburg. The tragedy occurred a few hours after the 27-year-old scored for Maritzburg United in a 3-3 thriller against famed Soweto club Orlando Pirates. Cele and another passenger died when the driver lost control of the car, a provincial transport department spokesman said. A third passenger survived. “His character on and off the field was impeccable,” said Maritzburg chairman Farook Kadodia, referring to the 27-year-old midfielder.
SOCCER
DR Congo beat Ethiopia
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) made a blazing start to the African Nations Championship when they shocked Ethiopia 3-0 in their Group B opener at the Butare’s Huye Stadium on Sunday. Midfielder Heritier Luvumbu was the hero, scoring one and creating two goals to give the 2009 champions an impressive start. Luvumbu tormented Ethiopia and could have opened the scoring on the hour mark when he forced goalkeeper Abel Mamo to save a left-footed effort with his legs. Guy Lusadisu broke the deadlock a minute before the break when he converted Luvumbu’s low cross from close range. Luvumbu still had time to double Congo’s advantage before the interval, while Meshack Elia ended any Ethiopian resistance on 57 minutes. In the second Group B match, 10-man Cameroon defeated Angola 1-0 thanks to Atouba Emane’s 22nd minute free-kick, despite having Alberto Nguem sent off.
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was