Robert Karlsson played a stunning back nine yesterday on his way to a 7-under 65 to take the lead after the first round of the Dubai World Championship.
The 41-year-old Swede, whose score matches last year’s lowest opening round, held a one-shot lead over 19-year-old South Korean Noh Seung-yul. European money leader Martin Kaymer of Germany was at 5-under in the European Tour’s US$7.5 million season-ending tournament.
The 25-year-old Kaymer’s only challenger for the Order of Merit title is Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, who struggled for much of the day on his way to a par 72.
Kaymer can claim the money title and a US$1.5 million bonus by finishing higher than McDowell. McDowell can overtake Kaymer by winning the tournament or ending up alone in second as long as Kaymer finishes no higher than a tie for third. If McDowell is tied for second, Kaymer could afford to finish as low as sixth.
Karlsson’s day started with a bogey but he reeled off eight birdies and an eagle the rest of the way. He was strongest on the back nine, where he birdied two of the last three holes and had an eagle on the 14th after he hit a huge drive and then chipped in from about 114 yards.
Noh, who became the second youngest European Tour winner when he won the Malaysian Open, opened strongly with two birdies on his way to a bogey-free round. The 69th-ranked Noh closed with two birdies in the last three holes.
KING’S CUP
AFP, KHON KAEN, THAILAND
Australian Tony Carolan played through the pain barrier of an injured elbow to set the pace in the opening round at the US$300,000 King’s Cup yesterday.
Chan Yih-shin’s ambitions of retaining his King’s Cup crown came to an end after the Taiwanese retired from the opening round because of illness.
Carolan, who has been struggling with tendinitis in his right elbow this season, posted a flawless six-under-par 66 to take a one-stroke lead over South Korea’s Mo Joong-kyung at the Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club.
Thailand’s Prom Meesawat bounced back from a shoulder injury with a polished performance to share third place with countrymen Pariya Junhasavasdikul and Kwanchai Tannin on 68. Ben Leong and Airil Rizman of Malaysia and Indian duo Anirban Lahiri and Himmat Rai were bunched up in sixth place with Thailand’s Wittawat Sae-Ung, Australian Unho Park, Takafumi Kawane of Japan, Hwang In-choon of Korea and Englishman Chris Rodgers on 69.
Carolan, who started from the 10th tee, turned in 31 but struggled on his homeward nine as the pain in his elbow began to creep in.
“I just tried not to overdo it. I’ve had this injury all year and had a lot of treatment and finally the elbow is now recovered to about 85 percent,” said the 42-year-old, who missed seven out of eight cuts earlier in the year.
The US’ bid for a fourth consecutive CONCACAF Nations League title came to a stunning end as they fell 1-0 to Panama after a stoppage-time goal from Cecilio Waterman on Thursday in Inglewood, California. Despite dominating possession, the US struggled to break down a resilient Panama side for long periods. Panama spent the bulk of the match defending, but pounced on a giveaway by the US before substitute forward Waterman sent a shot from the right side of the area to the bottom left corner late in stoppage time. Up next for Panama in tomorrow’s final is to be Mexico, who beat
DOMINATION: McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris took the first two spots as Mercedes’ George Russell and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen followed them Australian Oscar Piastri yesterday roared back from season-opening disappointment in his home race by winning the Formula One Chinese Grand Prix from pole position in a McLaren one-two with championship-leading teammate Lando Norris. George Russell finished third for Mercedes, ahead of Red Bull’s reigning champion Max Verstappen with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Saturday’s sprint winner Lewis Hamilton fifth and sixth respectively. Piastri’s win denied Norris a third victory in a row, including last year’s Abu Dhabi season-ender, but left champions McLaren unbeaten in two races so far this year. “Mega job guys. The car was very, very lovely,” Piastri said
TO FINAL FOUR: France had 22 chances and scored two goals, while Croatia could not manage a single shot on target in 120 minutes. Les Bleus won 5-4 on penalties France on Sunday overturned a two-goal deficit to qualify for the UEFA Nations League Final Four by eliminating Croatia 5-4 on penalties after a 2-0 victory in their quarter-final second leg at the Stade de France. Dayot Upamecano scored the winning spot kick in a nail-biting shootout in which France keeper Mike Maignan made two saves, sending Les Bleus into the semi-finals against Spain. Michael Olise opened the scoring and Ousmane Dembele doubled their lead 10 minutes from time to send the tie into extra time after their 2-0 loss in Split, Croatia, on Thursday. France had a total of
BRING THE NOISE: Brazil’s Fonseca attracted a boisterous crowd that brought such dominant soccer-style energy the referee switched to Portuguese to ask for quiet Australia’s Alex de Minaur on Monday put an end to Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca’s challenge at the Miami Open, outlasting the 18-year-old 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in an enthralling contest. Attendance on stadium court had been sparse throughout the day, but the Hard Rock Stadium turned into a mini-Maracana Stadium for Fonseca’s match, complete with Brazilian flags and soccer-style chanting. Fonseca brought his energetic brand of ultra-attacking tennis, but De Minaur was up to the challenge, coping with blistering forehands and a partisan crowd. Such was the dominance of Fonseca’s raucous support that the referee switched to Portuguese for his appeals for quiet. However, De
RSS