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.
Badminton world No. 3 Anders Antonsen clinched his first Indonesia Open title yesterday after beating Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen, while South Korea’s An Se-young won her second championship in Jakarta. The 28-year-old Dane sank world No. 7 Chou at the Indonesian capital’s Istora Senayan arena, winning 22-20, 21-14 in a 60-minute match to secure the prestigious Super 1000 event. Antonsen came out on top in a tightly contested first game before cruising to victory in the second. In a more closely fought women’s singles final, South Korean ace and world No. 1 An fought back from one game down to beat China’s
Spain starlets Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams dazzled on Thursday as La Roja beat France 5-4 in a thriller in Stuttgart, Germany, to set up a UEFA Nations League final with Portugal. Yamal bagged a brace, while Williams scored and provided an assist as the two wingers cut France’s makeshift defense to ribbons. Mikel Merino and Pedri were also on the score sheet for the UEFA Euro 2024 champions. Kylian Mbappe netted a second-half penalty, but Spain were 5-1 up and cruising, before Les Bleus suddenly woke up as their opponents took their foot off the pedal. France’s three late goals — a
Italy crashed to a 3-0 loss away to Norway, as the four-time FIFA World Cup champions made a disastrous start to their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on Friday, while Belgium had to settle for a draw in North Macedonia. Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland all scored in the first half in pouring rain in Oslo as Norway made it a night to forget for Italy, who missed out on the past two World Cups. “I have no explanation. Our supporters don’t deserve this kind of match. We need to do some soul-searching. It’s unacceptable,” Italy captain and goalkeeper Gianluigi
The Crusaders yesterday produced a clinical performance in difficult conditions to beat the Queensland Reds 32-12 and claim home advantage in next week’s Super Rugby semi-finals. Lock Scott Barrett and prop Tamaiti Williams scored first-half tries to reward an outstanding performance from the Crusaders’ forwards in wet, slippery conditions and bitterly cold temperatures. Scrumhalf Noah Hotham defied the conditions in the second half to score a superb solo try and, after kicking a conversion and penalty to make the score 22-0 at the hour mark, flyhalf Rivez Reihana scored a try which took the game beyond the Reds. “Typical Christchurch weather, cold, wet
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