GOLF
Stanley wins Phoenix Open
Kyle Stanley bounced back from a bitter defeat to win the Phoenix Open in Scottsdale, Arizona on Sunday, erasing an eight-shot deficit to triumph a week after his last-round collapse at Torrey Pines. “I’m not sure what I’m thinking right now,” Stanley said. “I just needed to focus on playing golf. I needed to put last week behind me.” Stanley was brought to tears at Torrey after a triple-bogey at the final hole dropped him into a playoff that he lost. However, on Sunday, he was in position to strike as Spencer Levin suffered a similar collapse — surrendering a six-shot overnight lead to eventually settle for third. Stanley capped a bogey-free 65 with a four-foot par putt and finished with a 15-under total of 269. Ben Crane carded a 66 and finished in second on 270.
GOLF
Lawrie takes Qatar title
Britain’s Paul Lawrie hit a final-round 65 to win his second Qatar Masters title on Sunday, evoking memories of his Open success in 1999. The Doha tournament was reduced to 54 holes because of high winds on Friday and, after carding 69 and 67 in the opening two rounds, Lawrie produced a bogey-free third to leave the chasing pack trailing. After finishing four strokes clear of Australia’s Jason Day and Sweden’s Peter Hanson, he was reminded that the last time he triumphed in Qatar, he went on to claim the Open title five months later at Carnoustie. “Now wouldn’t that be nice to get that again?” he said after finishing on 15-under par with the joint lowest round of the day. The 43-year-old Scot has made a good start to the year with top-10 finishes in last month’s Volvo Golf Champions and Abu Dhabi Championship.
CYCLING
CAS suspends Contador
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) yesterday suspended Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador for two years for a doping offense he committed during the 2010 Tour de France, officials said. The suspension, which runs through to Aug. 6 this year, means that Contador is stripped of his victory in the race that year and will be unable to take part in this year’s edition. Contador tested positive for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour de France, but he was subsequently cleared by the Spanish Cycling Federation in February last year, prompting the World Anti-Doping Agency and the International Cycling Union to appeal the decision to CAS. Apart from losing his 2010 Tour de France title, the verdict means that Contador is stripped of all his wins in 2011, which include the Giro d’Italia.
SOCCER
Terry ruling wrong: Capello
England coach Fabio Capello said on Sunday that he disagreed with the decision by the Football Association (FA) to strip John Terry of the England captaincy, in an interview with Italian television. “I thought it was right that Terry should keep the captain’s armband,” Capello told Rai 1 station. “I don’t agree with the Football Association. I have spoken to the chairman and I have said that, in my opinion, one cannot be punished until it’s official and the court — a non-sporting court, a civil court — has made a decision to decide if John Terry has done what he has been accused of. The fact that the board has decided in this way is because it falls under the competence regarding ethics.” Terry was stripped of the England captaincy for the second time in two years on Friday after mounting concern his ongoing racism court case had made his position untenable.
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38
SPEEDSKATER: Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s run at the Asian Winter Games without a medal since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990 Speedskater Chen Ying-chu yesterday made history as the first athlete representing Taiwan to secure a medal at the Asian Winter Games. Competing at the HIC Speedskating Oval in Harbin, China, Chen clocked 10.510 seconds in the women’s 100m event, finishing third behind South Koreans Lee Na-hyum and Kim Min-sun, who posted times of 10.501 and 10.505 seconds respectively. Her bronze medal ended Taiwan’s drought at the Asian Winter Games since the nation first participated in the second iteration in 1990. This year’s Games mark Chen’s debut at the event. Previously excelling in roller speedskating, she won six medals at world championships before transitioning