GOLF
Pieters wins KLM Open
Thomas Pieters of Belgium won his second European Tour title on Sunday, two weeks after his first, by shooting a five-under 65 to win the KLM Open in Zandvoort, the Netherlands, by one shot as Lee Slattery faltered on the final hole. The 23-year-old, who won the Czech Masters on Aug. 30, parred the final five holes at the Kennemer Golf and Country Club to finish with a 19-under total of 261. Slattery, the joint overnight leader who was trying to win back-to-back tournaments after taking last week’s Russian Open, had only one bogey all day — but it came on the 18th when a par would have forced a playoff. “I’m a bit surprised,” Pieters said after Slattery’s putt slid just past the hole on the 18th. “I was confident. I teed it up to win and I did it. Next time I’ll do the same.” Eduardo de la Riva of Spain tied Slattery for second after a 63, one shot ahead of Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay.
BASKETBALL
Moses Malone dies aged 60
Moses Malone, a Hall of Famer and three-time NBA Most Valuable Player who played for nine professional teams in a 21-year career, died on Sunday at the age of 60. Malone died in his sleep of an apparent heart attack at a hotel in Norfolk, Virginia. Nicknamed the “Chairman of the Boards” for his rebounding skills and “Big Mo” for his 2.08m frame, Malone led the 1982-1983 Philadelphia 76ers to the NBA title in his only championship campaign. “We are stunned and deeply saddened by the passing of Hall of Famer Moses Malone, an NBA legend gone far too soon,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “Known to his legions of fans as the ‘Chairman of the Boards,’ Moses competed with intensity every time he stepped on the court.” Malone scored 29,580 points and grabbed 17,834 rebounds during his professional career, averaging 20.3 points and 12.3 rebounds a game. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.
CYCLING
Wellens wins in Montreal
Belgian Tim Wellens beat Britain’s Adam Yates in a sprint finish to win the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal on Sunday. It was the 24-year-old Lotto-Soudal rider’s third UCI WorldTour victory following success in the Eneco Tour of the Benelux countries the past two years. In terrible weather with driving rain, Wellens beat escape companion Yates of Orica-GreenEdge, who had launched hostilities on the final ascent of the Camillien-Houde climb. However, after 205.7km and 17 laps of a street circuit around Montreal, Wellens sprinted to victory with former world champion Rui Costa of Lampre-Merida taking third just two seconds back. “I like these conditions, there was air. I prefer this to a heatwave,” Wellens said.
CYCLING
Boasson Hagen triumphs
Norway’s Edvald Boasson Hagen claimed victory in the Tour of Britain on Sunday after the eighth and final stage was awarded to Italian Elia Viviani. A close sprint finish to the 86.8km stage in London saw Viviani lose out to Germany’s Andre Greipel of Lotto-Soudal, but the Team Sky rider was declared the winner after protesting that his opponent had impeded him. It gave Viviani his third stage victory of the race, while Spain’s Juan Jose Lobato of Movistar took third place. MTN-Qhubeka rider Boasson Hagen finished 13 seconds clear of Dutch rider Wouter Poels of Team Sky in the general classification, with Britain’s Owain Doull of Team Wiggins pipping Denmark’s Rasmus Guldhamer of Cult Energy ProCycling to the remaining podium place.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke, 29, has died, the NBA team said in a statement on Tuesday, while the family of Jason Collins, the first openly gay man to play in a major US pro sports league, announced the former Grizzlies and Brooklyn Nets player had died after a battle with brain cancer. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of Brandon Clarke,” the Grizzlies said in a statement posted on social media. “Brandon was an outstanding teammate and an even better person whose impact on the organization and the greater Memphis community will not be forgotten.” The statement did not provide
Mathys Tel was hero and villain as Tottenham drew 1-1 at home to Leeds United on Monday — a result that leaves their English Premier League future hanging in the balance. The Frenchman broke the deadlock early in the second half to ease the tension at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but then gave away a penalty with a reckless attempted clearance. In the dying minutes, Spurs were grateful to Antonin Kinsky, who produced an astonishing save to deny the visitors a win. Tottenham are now two points clear of 18th-placed West Ham United with just two games left this season. The
Houston Astros right-hander Teng Kai-wei, the only active Taiwanese pitcher in MLB, on Sunday suffered his third loss of the season, throwing a season-high 63 pitches in his second start of the year. Teng allowed three earned runs over three innings on five hits in the Astros’ 5-0 road loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He struck out one, walked one, and hit one batter among the 15 hitters he faced, raising his earned run average to 3.12. It was the Astros’ second attempt to use the 27-year-old Taiwanese as a starter, after he had established himself as a reliable bullpen
‘DONE IT ALL’: LeBron James is now out of contract with the Lakers and would head into the off season as a free agent with uncertainty swirling around his future LeBron James on Monday said he would take time to consider his future after the Los Angeles Lakers were swept out of the NBA playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder in what could turn out to be the final game of his career. James, 41, delivered a typically defiant performance with 24 points and 12 rebounds, but it was not enough to prevent the Lakers from falling 115-110 as the Thunder completed a 4-0 sweep in the Western Conference semi-finals series. The four-time NBA champion is now out of contract with the Lakers and would head into the off season
RSS