Green, McDowell share lead on 64 in Saudi International

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Graeme McDowell is joint-leader after Round 1 of the Saudi International. (Getty Images)
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Saudi Arabia’s leading amateur Saud Alsharif gets a masterclass from British Open champion Shane Lowry, third left, ahead of Thursday’s first round. (Getty Images)
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Gavin Green is joint-leader after Round 1 of the Saudi International. (Getty Images)
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Phil Mickelson had a storming finish as he came back in 29 shots to be tied with five others at four-under at the Saudi International. (Getty Images)
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Henrik Stenson shot a 65 and is one behind the leaders at the Saudi International. (Getty Images)
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Updated 30 January 2020
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Green, McDowell share lead on 64 in Saudi International

  • Tour veterans Stenson and Mickelson go low in packed leaderboard

KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY, Saudi Arabia: Veteran Graeme McDowell, trying to refocus to keep up with the demanding life on tour in his forties, caught early finishing Gavin Green at the top of the leaderboard on 6-under after the first round on Thursday in the Saudi International golf tournament.

“It’s focus and motivation since last year in the summer. I really do feel I didn’t play well enough. I got myself new coach, kind of changed my approach to what I’m doing. Nothing major technical, just more on practicing better and thinking better, preparing myself better … I’m getting back to doing what I used to do very well, which was to come out as one of the best prepared players in the field. Because what I lack in talent I make up for with good preparation,” said the 40-year-old from Northern Ireland of his opening day effort of 64 that matched the Malaysian’s card.

McDowell birdied the last three holes and had a chance to overtake the 26-year-old Green but his long eagle putt on No. 18 grazed the left side of the hole.

“It was nice to get out of there with 6-under par because I felt like I played great today. It would have been a horrible round to let get away but to finish birdie, birdie, birdie was nice, just feeding off Phil (Mickelson) finishing with seven birdies on the back nine. It was Phil the thrill out there. It was fun to watch him and fun to play with him,” said McDowell.

Swedish veteran Henrik Stenson, nicknamed The Iceman, kept his cool in the glorious sunshine at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City to shoot 65 — one off the lead — in a group that included fellow countryman Sebastian Soderberg, Spain’s Adri Arnaus, France’s Victor Perez and Venezuelan Jhonattan Vegas.

Stenson’s encouraging start gave him a good chance of making up for a missed cut, along with Soderberg, in last year’s tournament inaugural.

“I certainly putted well. It was a lot of fighting and a lot of scrambling and some really good two-putts and chip shots around the greens. Probably the scorecard is a little tidier than I feel I played out there today,” Stenson said.

US star Mickelson, making his debut in this second edition of the European Tour’s Middle East swing, was in a big group at 66, just two shots off the joint leaders.

Mickelson said: “On the back nine, things really started to come together. Meaning I hit a lot of good shots. I started making the putts, and made a lot of birdies, and it was just a good back nine that gave me a good chance heading into tomorrow. I feel like my game is a lot sharper than I’ve been scoring, so it was nice having that back nine.”

Commenting on his eight-birdie round of 64, Green said: “Played solid. Really a few mistakes here and there, which is pretty normal. A couple of pretty big par saves, and a couple of mistakes, a couple of three-putts, which was tough to take in because I was playing well and I was playing solid. Just a couple slipped off. You know, it’s the nature of the game. You just have to live with it and move on, and that’s what we did. We closed off strong, birdied 16, 17. Had a look at 18. Had a nasty little lip-out but it is what it is. I’ll take it.”

Defending champion and world No. 5 Dustin Johnson of the US kept himself in the hunt at -3 with six others in a packed leaderboard, as the elite field of 132 players slug it out in Friday’s second round to try to make the cut for the weekend in chase of prize money totaling $3.5 million.

Of the Saudi trio and local favorites, professional Othman Almulla and amateurs Saud Alsharif and Faisal Salhab, it was the Kingdom’s first and only pro thus far that has a fighting chance to make the cut after shooting 5-over 75.

“It was an interesting day. This was actually the first time in a long time I’ve felt comfortable on the golf course. Having a nightmare last week actually put me in a much, much better position mentally to go out and perform this week. Obviously five-over par still isn’t good enough, but I can take a lot of positives from today — especially in how I struck the ball,” said Almulla.

“If I can go out and continue to put myself in a position where I feel comfortable with my ball-striking, and I give myself opportunities, I think I can take another step up in my career.”

For debuting Salhab, he said: “It’s a good experience. It’s a bad experience. I was really disappointed. I’m hitting good shots but I can’t cash in.”


Giannis, Lillard lead Bucks over Hornets as Spurs beat Warriors

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Giannis, Lillard lead Bucks over Hornets as Spurs beat Warriors

  • Despite a career-high 50-point performance by Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, the host Bucks improved to 8-9 on the season with a 4-0 home streak
  • At Chicago, Scotty Pippen Jr. — the son of former Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen — scored 30 points and added 10 assists to lead Memphis over the Bulls 142-131

LOS ANGELES: Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 32 points and Damian Lillard added 31 to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over visiting Charlotte 125-119 on Saturday, stretching their NBA win streak to four games.

Despite a career-high 50-point performance by Hornets guard LaMelo Ball, the host Bucks improved to 8-9 on the season with a 4-0 home streak while Charlotte fell to 6-10.

“It just feels great to get another win on our home floor,” Lillard said.

“The way we started the season was rough. We’re starting to play the kind of basketball we wanted to play coming into the season. Now we’re starting to feel good about ourselves, on offense and defense.

“We’re starting to do what the coaches want us to do and we’re starting to get the results we want.”

Greek star Antetokounmpo went 12-of-23 from the floor and 7-of-10 from the free throw line while adding 11 rebounds and six assists for Milwaukee. Ball had 10 assists for the Hornets.

Brandon Miller, who had 32 points and 11 rebounds, sank a 3-point shot with 15 seconds remaining to lift Charlotte within 121-119 but Taurean Prince sank two free throws for the Bucks. Ball and Miller missed late 3-point attempts and Antetokounmpo added two final free throws to seal the victory.

Lillard said the players had to find a deeper bond to escape an early season funk.

“Just having to figure it out,” said Lillard. “Nobody is going to come save us. Nobody is going to feel bad for us having a hard time.

“We had to come closer, come together in practice, we’re talking through things in film, talking good things on the court, getting shots up together. Our group chat has been extremely active trying to encourage each other. It’s just coming together on the court.”

French star Victor Wembanyama had 25 points, seven rebounds and nine assists to spark the San Antonio Spurs over Western Conference leader Golden State 104-94.

The host Spurs also had 22 points from Harrison Barnes, 19 by Stephon Castle plus nine points and seven assists from Chris Paul, who played for Golden State last season.

San Antonio outscored the Warriors 33-13 in the final quarter to rally for the victory, improving to 9-8 while Golden State tumbled to 12-4, the same record as Oklahoma City.

The Warriors, who shot only 36.9 percent from the floor, were led by 20 points from Andrew Wiggins and 14 from Stephen Curry.

Finland’s Lauri Markkanen scored 34 points to lead the Utah Jazz over visiting New York 121-106, snapping the Knicks’ four-game win streak and a four-game Utah losing skid.

Markkanen hit 11-of-15 shots from the floor, 5-of-8 from 3-point range, and 7-of-8 free throws for the Jazz, who also had 25 points from Collin Sexton.

O.G. Anunoby led New York with 27 points while Jalen Brunson added 23 and Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 points and 16 rebounds.

At Chicago, Scotty Pippen Jr. — the son of former Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen — scored 30 points and added 10 assists to lead Memphis over the Bulls 142-131.

Pippen topped eight double-figure scorers for the Grizzlies while Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 29 points.

Germany’s Franz Wagner had 30 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to lead Orlando over Detroit 111-100, the Magic improving to 8-0 at home.

At Houston, Portland’s Anfernee Simons scored 25 points, Shaedon Sharpe added 24 and Donovan Clingan grabbed 19 rebounds to spark the Trail Blazers over the host Rockets 104-98.

Simons sank a 3-pointer with 27 seconds remaining to give the Blazers a 99-96 lead and late free throws by Deni Avdija, Simons and Sharpe clinched the triumph.


Jeeno Thitikul makes late charge to catch Angel Yin in the LPGA finale

Updated 5 min 5 sec ago
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Jeeno Thitikul makes late charge to catch Angel Yin in the LPGA finale

  • At stake is the richest payoff in women’s golf, $4 million to the winner
  • Thitikul already picked up a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge

NAPLES: Angel Yin was making putts from across the green and threatening to build a big lead until Jeeno Thitikul finished eagle-birdie for a 9-under 63 to share the lead Saturday going into the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship with $4 million on the line.

Yin had a 69 after another day of big putts and one chip-in from some 60 feet for eagle on the par-5 sixth hole that put her comfortably ahead at Tiburon Golf Club.

She holed a 30-footer on the eighth hole, another birdie from about 25 feet on the ninth hole and another one from the 30-foot range on the 12th.

Thitikul seemed to be an afterthought until she lit it up on the back nine for a 30. The Thai started the back nine with three straight bogeys, but she made up quick ground at the end with her eagle on the reachable par-5 17th and a birdie on the closing hole.

The birdie briefly gave her the lead until Yin made birdie on the 17th to join her. They were tied at 15-under 201, three shots head of Ruoning Yin, who birdied her last two for a 66.

Charley Hull had seven birdies in her round of 66 and was at 11-under 205, along with Narin An of South Korea.

Nelly Korda, who got back into the mix on Friday after a sluggish start, lost ground with a 69 on a pleasant day that left her six shots back going into the final round. Korda has won four of her seven LPGA titles this year coming from behind. This could be a tall order.

At stake is the richest payoff in women’s golf, $4 million to the winner, nearly as much as Korda has made all year in her seven-victory season.

Thitikul already picked up a $1 million bonus this week through the Aon Risk-Reward Challenge, a competition based on how players score on a designated hole each week. Now she could leave Florida with a total of $5 million.

“Actually, $1 million is really good enough for me,” Thitikul said. “If I can get more, it’s definitely going to be nice, because as my team know I spend a lot of money. That’s why I have to keep playing good golf, like spending on shopping day.”

Angel Yin heard plenty of cheers for her long birdie putts, and the chip-in for eagle. She also was helped by a couple of pars after bad drives. She went well to the left at No. 10, did well to blast out on a blind shot just short of the green and then got up-and-down with a pitch to 4 feet.

And then on the 13th, another tee shot went well to the left. She tried to get it back in play from just in front of some bushes, and from 50 yards hit wedge to about 15 feet. She holed that putt, too, that kept her in front.

“I’m scoring still,” Yin said. “Making some mistakes, but saving a bunch, so a lot of positives.”


Retegui fires Atalanta to top of Serie A ahead of Inter Milan

Updated 24 November 2024
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Retegui fires Atalanta to top of Serie A ahead of Inter Milan

  • Retegui claimed his 12th league goal of the campaign after just four minutes for the visitors before Ederson and Ademola Lookman scored to send Atalanta above Inter
  • Juventus failed to impress in a goalless stalemate with AC Milan

VERONA, Italy: Serie A’s leading scorer Mateo Retegui netted as Atalanta beat Parma 3-1 on Saturday to go top of Serie A on goal difference, overtaking Inter Milan despite the reigning champions’ rout of Verona.

Retegui claimed his 12th league goal of the campaign after just four minutes for the visitors before Ederson and Ademola Lookman scored to send Atalanta above Inter, who hammered Verona 5-0 earlier.

Napoli drop to third before they host Roma on Sunday on Claudio Ranieri’s return to top-flight management.

Juventus, meanwhile, failed to impress in a goalless stalemate with AC Milan and are sixth, one place above their opponents.

Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini said his team were developing a winning mentality.

“We have to focus on winning every game we can and the rest is not really in our minds,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

“That was the case in the Europa League too, we didn’t start out thinking we’d win it, but as time wore on and we found ourselves in that position, we weren’t going to hold back either.”

Argentina-born Italy striker Retegui, 25, opened the scoring early on with a deft header.

The reigning Europa League champions doubled their lead after 39 minutes as Brazil midfielder Ederson scored his second goal of the season.

But five minutes into the second half, the hosts cut the deficit as Matteo Cancellieri fired home.

Retegui was replaced by attacking midfielder Charles De Ketelaere as Gasperini rested the attacker before Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Swiss side Young Boys.

Parma’s hopes of denying Atalanta a seventh straight league win were dashed with a quarter of an hour to play as Nigerian international Lookman finally scored, netting for a seventh time this campaign to ensure his side take top spot in the table.

Earlier, Marcus Thuram scored twice in Inter’s easy win over Verona as Joaquin Correa, Stefan de Vrij and Yann Bisseck were also on the scoresheet.

Correa’s opener in the 17th minute, a delightful dink after smart interplay with Thuram, didn’t just spark a rout, it was also the Argentine’s first Serie A goal in more than two years.

Out-of-favor Correa had only played 38 minutes this season before this weekend but was excellent in place of captain and star striker Lautaro Martinez who was sent home early on Saturday with the flu.

“I know him well, he’s been training brilliantly since July, he’s got a lot of competition,” Simone Inzaghi told DAZN.

“I’m pleased for him but I’m also pleased for the boys because they played really well,” he added.

Verona have lost nine of their 13 league matches this season and sit 14th, just three points above the relegation zone.

Inter now host Leipzig on Tuesday as they push for direct qualification for the last 16 of the Champions League, having thumped Verona with a clutch of starters either injured or rested.

As well as Martinez, Hakan Calhanoglu, Federico Dimarco and Benjamin Pavard missed Saturday’s match after a busy period on international duty.

Juventus trail Inter and Atalanta by three points after offering little to shout about against AC Milan at the San Siro.

Ravaged by injuries, including to starting center forward Dusan Vlahovic, coach Thiago Motta was forced into an experimental line-up featuring midfielder Teun Koopmeiners up front.

“I’m pleased with our performance, especially defensively against a team which created very little,” Motta told DAZN.

“All in all we played well, I think a point right now keeps us going. I’m happy to see that we’re well-organized and are capable of playing like a big team should.”


10-man Barcelona concede two late goals in draw at Celta Vigo

Updated 24 November 2024
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10-man Barcelona concede two late goals in draw at Celta Vigo

  • Celta poured forward at Balaidos Stadium and Hugo Alvarez rifled in the 86th-minute equalizer with Barcelona unable to mark the extra man
  • Antoine Griezmann converted a late penalty to equalize and Alexander Sorloth struck an 86th-minute winner to give Atletico Madrid a 2-1 win at home over Alaves

BARCELONA: Celta Vigo gave 10-man Barcelona a shock by scoring two late goals and snatching a 2-2 draw at home in the Spanish league on Saturday.

Barcelona were minutes away from a win to pad their league lead after Raphinha and Lewandowski had put Barcelona ahead.

But the game dramatically swung after Barcelona defensive midfielder Marc Casado was sent off with a second booking in the 81st. Moments later Jules Kounde’s poor control of a ball in his area allowed Alfon Gonzalez to pick his pocket and give the hosts hope in the 84th minute.

Celta poured forward at Balaidos Stadium and Hugo Alvarez rifled in the 86th-minute equalizer with Barcelona unable to mark the extra man.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, however, said that he saw it coming since his team had never been able to establish their passing game and was making mistakes even when up 2-0.

“It was not only the 10 last minutes, it was the whole match. We played today a really bad game,” Flick said. “The passing game for us was bad. We made a lot of mistakes and at the end we had no confidence with the ball.”

This was Barcelona’s second straight stumble since Lamine Yamal was sidelined with a right-ankle injury. Barcelona lost 1-0 at Real Sociedad without Yamal before the international break.

Barcelona is seven points ahead of third-place Real Madrid, which has played two fewer games.

Koundé accepted the blame for what he called his “gross mistake” that helped give Celta hope.

“We didn’t do what we needed to all game, and at the end they made us pay,” Koundé said. “It starts with me. I can’t lose my focus like that. It was a gross mistake that can’t happen. I accept that it was my fault.”

The late rally by Celta came after Raphinha had led Barcelona as he filled in for Yamal on the right side of the front three.

Raphinha opened the scoring in the 15th when he ran onto a long pass by Kounde that bounced over left back Óscar Mingueza, cut back to his left foot and fired home.

Lewandowski doubled the lead in the 61st after Raphinha intercepted a pass by Minqueza and set up his strike partner. The Poland striker scrambled the ball past two defenders before slotting beyond Vicente Guaita.

Lewandowski took his league-leading tally to 15 goals in 14 rounds, while Raphinha has added eight league goals.

Raphinha came close to a second goal that would have made it 3-0 when he hit the post in the 77th, just moments before the wild final stretch when it all crumbled for the visitors.

“We have to learn from this. This can’t happen just because we had a player sent off. But onto the next game,” said Gavi Paez, who started his first match since returning from a serious leg injury last season.

Atletico move into second place

Antoine Griezmann converted a late penalty to equalize and Alexander Sorloth struck an 86th-minute winner to give Atletico Madrid a 2-1 win at home over Alaves.

The comeback victory lifted Atletico into second place — five points behind Barcelona.

Coach Diego Simeone showed his sensitive side after the match when he choked up when speaking about this love for the team he has coached for nearly 13 years.

Valencia honor flood victims

Valencia played their first home game since last month’s devastating floods that killed over 200 people in eastern Spain.

The club honored the victims before kickoff when several fans were seen to cry during the ceremony.

Hugo Duro led the 4-2 win over Real Betis by scoring a double.

Elsewhere, Girona routed Espanyol 4-1 in a Catalan regional derby with Bojan Miovski’s first two goals since joining the club.

Mallorca forward Johan Mojica scored off a set piece from a free kick inside Las Palmas’ area to complete a 3-2 win for the visitors in injury time.


Al-Khaleej stun Al-Hilal with comeback win

Updated 23 November 2024
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Al-Khaleej stun Al-Hilal with comeback win

  • Defeat was first for reigning champions in the league in 46 games since May 2023

RIYADH: Al-Hilal lost 3-2 at Al-Khaleej on Saturday, a result made even more stunning as the all-conquering champions had been winning 2-0.

It is a defeat, a first in the league in 46 games since May 2023, that not only blows the title race wide open but shows that the champions are not invincible.

Al-Ittihad will go two points clear at the top of the Saudi Pro League if they beat Al-Fateh on Sunday. It also means that Al-Nassr stay five points behind and are not out of the running.

The Blues had the better of the play from the beginning and few were surprised when Marcos Leonardo put the leaders ahead after just 12 minutes.

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic won the ball on the edge of the area as Khaleej tried to play out from the back and there was Leonardo to stroke a low shot home.

Eight minutes before the break, Aleksandar Mitrovic struck with his 12th goal in the SPL this season. Salem Al-Dawsari, such a big miss for Saudi Arabia in recent World Cup qualifiers, curled over a corner and there was the Serbian striker to head home.

It seemed to be all over but then the hosts were handed a lifeline on the stroke of half time. Kalidou Koulibaly made a clumsy challenge in the area and while Yassine Bounou saved the penalty from Konstantinos Fortounis, Abdullah Al-Salem reacted the quickest to shoot the rebound home.

Al-Salem stunned Al-Hilal soon after the restart with a stunning goal. The hosts made uncharacteristic defensive mistakes and Khalid Narey fed the ball  to the 31 year-old who chipped Bounou delightfully from the right side of the area.

With five minutes remaining, Fabio Martins side footed home from another Narey assist to provoke wild celebrations as Al-Khaleej move into sixth. Al-Hilal stay top but maybe not for much longer.