GOLF
Hughes wins RSM playoff
Canadian rookie Mackenzie Hughes rolled in an 18-foot par putt on the third playoff hole to win the RSM Classic in Georgia on Monday and bring the PGA Tour’s final regular tournament of the year to a dramatic close. Hughes, Colombia’s Camilo Villegas, Sweden’s Henrik Norlander and Blayne Barber of the US were back at the Seaside Course in St Simonson on Monday after darkness had ended play following two extra holes on Sunday. Hughes, putting from just off the green at the par-three 17th, fist-pumped as he watched his ball drop into the hole to put the pressure on Villegas, Norlander and Barber, who all missed from inside 10 feet as the Canadian celebrated a wire-to-wire victory.
SOCCER
Baggies thrash Clarets
West Bromwich Albion moved into the top half of the English Premier League table on Monday with a 4-0 victory over a shell-shocked Burnley side who were out of contention by halftime. Matt Phillips (4 minutes), James Morrison (16) and captain Darren Fletcher (37) scored before halftime, and Salomon Rondon wrapped up the win with the fourth goal just past the hour. The win took the Baggies above their opponents as they jumped three places to ninth on 16 points from 12 games. Burnley slipped one spot to 12th as they remained on 14 points. Burnley were totally outplayed by Tony Pulis’ rampant side and have still not won in the league at The Hawthorns since December 1969, losing on nine of their 10 visits since.
SOCCER
Leganes defeat Osasuna
Midfielder Rober Ibanez scored a goal in each half as promoted CD Leganes defeated CA Osasuna 2-0 to win their first home match in Spain’s top flight. Ibanez scored with shots from inside the penalty area in the sixth and 57th minutes to secure the team’s first win at the Estadio Municipal de Butarque. They had opened their home campaign with a draw and then lost four in a row. The win also helped Leganes snap a four-match losing streak in the league and moved them into 15th place, three spots clear of the relegation zone. Ibanez needed to be assisted off the field in the 86th minute because of an apparent knee injury. It was new coach Joaquin Caparros’ first match in charge of Osasuna, who were also promoted last season. The team from northern Spain remained in second-to-last place after the loss, which extended their winless streak to four games.
CRICKET
Pakistan skipper banned
Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq has been banned for one Test and his team fined for their slow over rate during the first Test against New Zealand in Christchurch. The International Cricket Council ruling means the 42-year-old is ineligible for the second Test in Hamilton, which starts on Friday, although he was already set to miss it having returned home following the death of his father-in-law. Pakistan were ruled to have been two overs short of the requirement in the eight-wicket defeat to New Zealand. Misbah’s ban was mandatory, having previously been found guilty of a minor over-rate offense during the Test against England at The Oval in London in August. He was fined 40 percent of his match fee and the team 20 percent. Vice captain Azhar Ali is to lead the team in Hamilton, where the tourists hope to level the series.
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
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care