Justin Thomas of the US came close to joining golf’s exclusive 59 club after a spectacular birdie blitz in Malaysia yesterday, but instead had to make do with the halfway lead at the PGA Tour’s CIMB Classic.
The 22-year-old from Kentucky, in his second year on the PGA Tour after a solid rookie season, looked set to achieve golf’s magical mark when he reached 11-under after 15 holes of his second round at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club, but he could only par the remaining three, including the generous par-five last, to miss out on becoming the seventh player to shoot a 59 on the PGA Tour and the first since Jim Furyk of the US two years ago at the BMW Championship.
“It was obviously a great day. It was one of those days when you kind of get unconscious and get rolling out there. They don’t happen too often,” the world No. 64 told reporters. “I would say after I birdied 14, 15, I knew I just needed to get two of my last three. They’re all pretty easy holes. They’re all wedge holes. So it was obviously unfortunate not to get that number, but I’m sure I’ll have many more chances in my career.”
Photo: EPA
Still Thomas, who fired nine birdies and an eagle, takes a one-shot lead into the weekend after posting a tournament-record 15-under 129 tally at the US$7 million event, the third of the new PGA Tour season.
The in-form American is chasing his first PGA Tour win. He achieved his best finish of tied third two weeks ago at the season-opening Frys.com championship.
“Obviously, it’s a great position to be in, but there’s a lot of golf left. I just need to keep firing,” he said.
Brendan Steele of the US led the chasing pack after a bogey-free nine-under 63 left him at 14-under and in sight of only his second PGA Tour title and first in more than four years.
Overnight leader Scott Piercy fell down the field into a share of third after a modest 69, with two bogeys halting his progress, left him at 13-under.
“I think the heat got to me a little bit today and I made some mistakes,” Piercy said.
The 13-under mark was matched by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, who followed up his opening 65 with a 66 to sit level with Spencer Levin of the US (64).
The event, in its sixth year, has always provides a bounty of birdies for the field and this year’s edition has proved no different, with only 10 of the 78 players over par after the second round.
SEESAW CONTEST: The Pistons remain top of the Eastern Conference after battling to a win over the Hawks in a game that saw the lead change 27 times The Phoenix Suns on Monday shrugged off an injury to Devin Booker to end the Los Angeles Lakers’ seven-game winning streak with an emphatic 125-108 victory on the road. Booker exited in the first quarter, but the loss of the star point guard did little to halt the flow of Phoenix points over the remainder of the game. Dillon Brooks led the Phoenix scoring with 33 points, while Collin Gillespie added 28 — including eight three-pointers — as the Suns romped to victory. The Lakers were left ruing a colossal 22 turnovers — at a cost of 32 Suns points — on a
IN-HOUSE BUSINESS: LA Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that the reason for the team’s poor form was not due to Paul, but the player was not a good fit for them Chris Paul’s return stint with the Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, with the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in a late-night meeting on Wednesday that adds another layer of drama to the team’s terrible start this season. The news was delivered in a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, that ended at about 2am, Clippers basketball operations president Lawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decision to sever ties with Paul on Sunday then told the franchise’s career assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta. Frank did not confirm
Kylian Mbappe on Wednesday scored twice and had an assist as Real Madrid beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to end a three-match winless streak in La Liga. Eduardo Camavinga also found the net for Madrid as they moved back within one point of Barcelona, who beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday. Both 19th-round matches were moved forward because Real Madrid, Barcelona, Athletic Club and Atletico Madrid are to play in the Supercopa de Espana semi-finals in Saudi Arabia next month. Real Madrid were coming off league draws against Girona, Elche and Rayo Vallecano. It was their second win in their past six matches in
New Zealand yesterday reached 231-9 at stumps on a first day of the first Test against the West Indies shortened by rain after Justin Greaves triggered a middle-order collapse with the wicket of Kane Williamson. New Zealand tumbled from 94-1 to 148-6 on a bowler-friendly wicket after Williamson was dismissed for 52, his 38th Test half-century. Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith arrested the slide with a 52-run stand for the seventh wicket. Smith eventually fell for 23 and Bracewell for 47. After Matt Henry went for 8, Zak Foulkes and Jacob Duffy were both on 4 when bad light stopped play after 70
RSS