Matt Wallace hits career-best 12-under round to lead DP World Tour Championship

The 33-year-old Englishman Matt Wallace in line to win the $3 million first prize at DP World Tour Championship. (DP World)
Short Url
Updated 18 November 2023
Follow

Matt Wallace hits career-best 12-under round to lead DP World Tour Championship

  • England’s world No. 15 Tommy Fleetwood and Norway’s world No. 4 Viktor Hovland are just one behind after day 3

DUBAI: Matt Wallace needed to shoot a bogey-free five-under par in tough conditions in the final round of Nedbank Challenge in South Africa last week just to get into the field for this week’s $10.5 million DP World Tour Championship.

On Saturday, he added another incredible chapter to his late surge, shooting a 12-under par 60 — the lowest round in the history of the tournament — to sensationally move to the top of the leaderboard.

The 33-year-old Englishman now has a chance to win the $3 million first prize, even though his 60 will not count as an official record because preferred lies was in play after Friday’s heavy rains in Dubai.

The leader was being chased by two of Europe’s biggest stars. England’s world No. 15 Tommy Fleetwood, who now lives and practices in Jumeirah Golf Estates, and Norway’s world No. 4 Viktor Hovland, were just one behind at 15-under par. Both shot rounds of 66.

Wallace, winner of this year’s Corales Puntacana Championship on the PGA Tour, was seething after missing a short birdie putt on the seventh hole, but he channeled it in the best possible manner.

After a birdie on the eighth hole and a par on the ninth, he made the turn at three-under, before going on his birdie blitz.

On the par-4 10th hole, the world No. 87 made a long 30-footer for birdie, and never took his foot off the accelerator after that. He had a chance to shoot a rare 59, but his second shot on the par-5 18th hole went just right into the greenside bunker and he could only salvage a birdie from there. An eagle would have given him only the second 59 on the DP World Tour after Oliver Fisher’s in the 2019 Portugal Masters.

Wallace said the thought of a possible 59 never entered his head, and that he realized how close he was to making history when playing partner, Dan Bradbury, reminded him after the penultimate bunker shot.

“Kind of gutted now. It was a great opportunity to do it. I’ve done it at Moorpark on the West Course, which is only a par 68, but to do it out there would have been really special,” said Wallace. “And then I was told that someone has already made nine successive birdies (Bernd Wiesberger in the 2017 Maybank Championship). Well, I have a chance to make one on the first hole tomorrow and make it 10-in-a-row.”

Bradbury, who shot a 68 and was four-under par on the back nine, said shaking his head: “I shot a four-under, but it felt like a five-over! Incredible round by Matt. When they say ‘did not miss a shot,’ his back nine was just that.”

Wallace said it was fantastic that he now had a chance to win the tournament, for which he was in doubt of qualifying earlier in the year as he focused on playing on the PGA Tour in the US.

“Not to make any bogeys in the last two rounds is nice. I’m playing solid. I felt like my game was right there. And this proved that. I played in the Czech Republic (in August) and I was just kind of playing to keep my card on the DP World Tour as I played mostly on the PGA Tour this year. So, once I came second there, it kind of boosted me and then I wanted to make it to the DP World and now I’m here and we’ve got a chance to win tomorrow, which is fabulous.

“Money doesn’t drive me. It inspires me a little bit, but the bigger the tournament, I want to compete in them against the best players. I am happy we’re doing that this week.”

Both Fleetwood and Hovland have a point to prove in Sunday’s final round. World No. 15 Fleetwood has not won any title this year despite his consistent displays. And Hovland could become only the second player after Henrik Stenson in 2013 to win the Tour Championships on both sides of the Atlantic.

Fleetwood said: “It would be great. I’m very happy that I get to the final day of the year and I’m still playing well, still feeling fresh, still motivated and in contention. I take a lot of pleasure out of that.”

On the possibility of a Tour Championship double, Hovland said: “It would be cool. It’s been a crazy year. This is another big one and would be really nice to have it on the resume.”

Denmark’s Jeff Winther, assisted by two eagles on the back nine, moved into solo fourth place at 14-under after a round of 64.

Defending champion and world No. 3 Jon Rahm moved to tied ninth place with a bogey-free 67, while world No. 2 Rory McIlroy finally came into his own with a 65 that elevated him to tied 19th place.


McLaren’s Lando Norris wins wet and wild Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton finishes 10th

Updated 16 March 2025
Follow

McLaren’s Lando Norris wins wet and wild Australian Grand Prix. Hamilton finishes 10th

  • Norris holds off Verstappen to win rain-hit Australian Grand Prix

MELBOURNE, Australia: McLaren’s Lando Norris has won a chaotic rain-affected Australian Grand Prix, his first at Albert Park, with the Brit just managing to stay ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen following a third safety car late in Sunday’s season-opening Formula 1 race.
Lewis Hamilton had a miserable Ferrari debut. The seven-time champion finished 10th and was annoyed by constant radio messages from his pit team.
Norris started Melbourne’s first wet race since 2010 from pole position. But, while he initially came under increasing pressure from Piastri, who set a series of fastest laps until his papaya team told him to hold position, the Australian spun at the penultimate corner on lap 44 as the rain intensified and dropped down the order. A late race fightback helped Piastri recover to take ninth place — including passing Hamilton on the final lap — and two championship points.
Verstappen finished 0.895 of a second behind Norris after starting from third on the grid, and took advantage of Piastri’s misfortune and the final safety car and tire stops. Mercedes’ George Russell closed out the top-three.
“I knew I had a good pace, but I made one mistake in turn six and he got me in the DRS and the DRS around here is probably like a second or something so that allowed it to keep staying within that second,” said Norris, who scored McLaren’s 12th win in Australia to steal the outright record from Ferrari.
“I know what I’m capable of, I know what I can do, but obviously it’s just round one, so we need to go and do it again next weekend and then continue from there. A long season ahead, we’ve just got to keep our head down and keep pushing.”
Williams endured a mix bag, with Alex Albon securing his best result since Abu Dhabi 2020, and new recruit Carlos Sainz – who won here last year driving for Ferrari – out at the final turn on the opening lap.
Mercedes was thrilled to get two cars in the top five, with Russell onto the podium, his first since winning in Las Vegas last year. Rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who replaced Hamilton at the silver squad, showed his class with a superb fightback drive from 16th on the grid, following his Q1 exit, to finish fifth.
Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll also made the best of the chaotic conditions to move up from 13th to sixth, ahead of Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg, bringing home eight points in what has been a difficult weekend for the green team with its car uncompetitive in dry running.
Ferrari is the most successful constructor at the Australian Grand Prix, with 11 wins since its first in 1987, but it will leave Melbourne disappointed with just five points to show after Charles Leclerc finished eighth and Hamilton 10th.
The Scuderia was seen as a potential championship challenger ahead of the season start and has plenty of work to do ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix next week.
The Melbourne race had a thrilling start with Racing Bull’s Isack Hadjar out on the formation lap, and Alpine’s Jack Doohan joined Sainz in crashing out on the opening lap.
There were just 14 finishers, after Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso hit the turn eight barriers on lap 34, while Red Bull’s Liam Lawson and Sauber’s Gabriel Bortoleto went into the barriers and out of the race 10 laps from home in the treacherously wet conditions.


New Zealand romp to nine-wicket win in first Pakistan T20

Updated 16 March 2025
Follow

New Zealand romp to nine-wicket win in first Pakistan T20

  • Pakistan began New Zealand tour in poor fashion, managing only 91 runs after batting first
  • New Zealand opener Tim Seifert got Kiwis off to a flying start, scoring fiery 44 off 29 balls

Christchurch, New Zealand: Pakistan slumped to a nine-wicket loss in the first Twenty20 against New Zealand in Christchurch on Sunday after failing to defend a meagre score of 91.
The tourists began the five-match series in disastrous fashion, reduced to 11-4 at the end of the fifth over after towering paceman Kyle Jamieson ran amok with the new ball.
They were eventually dismissed for their lowest score in a T20 on New Zealand soil and the home side had few problems in responding with 92-1 off just 10.1 overs.
Jamieson claimed three of the first four wickets to finish with 3-8 off four overs.
New ball partner Jacob Duffy returned later in the innings to sweep up the tail and, like Jamieson, claimed career-best T20 figures of 4-14 off 3.4 overs.
Pakistan never recovered from their top-order collapse after being sent in on a Hagley Oval pitch offering early life, with only three players reaching double figures.
Newly-installed captain Salman Agha scored 18 and put on 46 for the fifth wicket with top-scorer Khushdil Shah, who struck three sixes in his 32 off 30 balls.
Jahandad Khan scored 17 at a run-a-ball before the innings ended with eight balls still to be bowled.
Pakistan’s previous lowest T20 score in New Zealand was 101 all out in a 95-run loss in Wellington in 2016.
Opener Tim Seifert got New Zealand off to a flying start, with 44 off 29 balls, striking seven fours and one six.
Finn Allen on 29 and Tim Robinson on 18 completed the chase off the first ball of the 11th over.
The second match is in Dunedin on Tuesday.
 


Al-Hilal win to keep in touch at the top

Updated 16 March 2025
Follow

Al-Hilal win to keep in touch at the top

  • The result means that Al-Ittihad, who left it late to defeat Al-Riyadh 2-1 on Thursday, are top with 61 points while Al-Hilal are in second with 57

Al-Hilal won 2-0 at Al-Taawoun on Saturday to cut Al-Ittihad’s lead at the top of the Saudi Pro League back to four points. 

Both Hilal and Taawoun had enjoyed success in Asian competitions during the week, and returned home to play out a hard-fought clash in Buraidah.  The champions' form in the league may have been patchy of late but they bounced back to return to winning ways with a strong performance. 

Al Hilal's Malcom in action with Al-Taawoun's Muteb Al Mufarrij during the Al-Hilal vs. Al-Taawoun match at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Buraidah on March 15, 2025. (REUTERS)
 

There were only 12 minutes on the clock when Mohamed Kanno put the defending champions ahead. Salem Al Dawsari swung over a corner from the left which was met by the midfielder who directed his header home.

Hilal goalkeeper Yassine Bounou made a number of saves to maintain the champions’ lead though the Riyadh giants had, and missed, plenty of opportunities, but then with a quarter of an hour remaining, Marcos Leonardo added a second to seal the win.

Hamad Al Yami floated over a deep cross for the in-form Brazilian to head home for his 17th league goal of the season, just two behind top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo.

The result means that Al-Ittihad, who left it late to defeat Al-Riyadh 2-1 on Thursday, are top with 61 points while Al-Hilal are in second with 57. 

Al-Ahli also won in Asia in midweek but came home to lose 2-1 at Al-Okhdood to stay in fifth behind Al-Nassr and Al-Qadsiah.

The Jeddah club have been in fine form of late and were full of confidence and took the lead just before the half hour thanks to an own goal from Damion Lowe.

Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus before his team's clash with Al-Taawoun on March 15, 2025. (REUTERS)

It was all looking good for the Greens until the 95th minute when the hosts equalised through Saleh Al-Abbas. There was still time for it to get worse for Al-Ahli as Godwin Saviour struck to win the game for the relegation-threatened Al-Okhdood 

Al Ahli’s shock defeat means that they are in fifth in the table, on 48 points, three behind Al-Qadsiah and Al-Nassr. Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad are, however, out in front.


Sabalenka to face teen Andreeva in Indian Wells final

Updated 15 March 2025
Follow

Sabalenka to face teen Andreeva in Indian Wells final

  • The misfiring Keys finally held serve for 5-1 in the second, but minutes later Sabalenka sealed the win

INDIAN WELLS: Aryna Sabalenka avenged her Australian Open loss to Madison Keys, thrashing the American 6-0, 6-1 to book an Indian Wells title showdown with teen sensation Mirra Andreeva.

Red-hot Russian 17-year-old Andreeva showed plenty of poise in a 7-6 (7/1), 1-6, 6-3 victory over defending champion Iga Swiatek, ending the second-ranked Pole’s bid to become the first woman to win three titles in the California desert.

“I was hungry,” said Sabalenka, who had made no bones about wanting revenge after Keys denied her bid for a third straight Australian Open title in January.

“That Australian Open match was really heartbroken for me, and I really needed some time to recover after that.

“And if I would lose today again, it would get in my head and I didn’t want that to happen. I was really focused — I was just really hungry to get this win against Madison.”

Keys, who was riding a 16-match winning streak, couldn’t get a foot in the door.

Sabalenka was untroubled by the cold, swirling wind on Stadium Court as she won the first 11 games.

“I think tactically I played really great tennis,” said Sabalenka, adding her strategy was to “just keep her out of the rhythm.”

The misfiring Keys finally held serve for 5-1 in the second, but minutes later Sabalenka sealed the win and lined up a shot at the WTA tour’s newest sensation Andreeva in what 26-year-old Sabalenka quipped would be “kind of like an old mama playing against a kid.”

Andreeva beat Swiatek for the second time in as many tournaments, having stunned the Polish star in the quarter-finals at Dubai last month on the way to becoming the youngest ever WTA 1000 champion.

Swiatek, who hadn’t dropped a set in winning 10 straight Indian Wells matches, looked supremely confident as she dropped just one point in her first three service games.

But it was Andreeva who claimed the first break of the tense first set for a 5-4 lead.

After Swiatek broke back and they reached the tiebreaker, Andreeva seized control, opening with a blistering backhand winner and pocketing the set on her first opportunity as Swiatek sent a backhand wide.

“I felt like I’m gonna go and play the tiebreak like it’s the last tiebreak of my life,” she said. “So I just went for all my shots. My serve was great. I just felt super comfortable and confident,” she said.

Swiatek put her frustrations aside and broke Andreeva to open the second set, breaking her twice more as the Russian’s errors multiplied under pressure from her opponent.

“The second set, it was a bit weird,” Andreeva said. “I just felt like she literally overplayed me, because she was playing pretty deep with good height over the net. It was really hard to do something with these shots.”

The roles reversed again, however, when Andreeva stepped up her attack and broke Swiatek to open the third, and she sealed the win with her third break of the set.

“I just decided to kind of still play the same but maybe go for my shots more, trying to play a little bit more aggressive,” she said.

“I feel also that I was dealing with the nerves and the pressure pretty good, so I just feel proud of myself.”


Real Madrid will never play with under 72 hours rest again: Ancelotti

Updated 15 March 2025
Follow

Real Madrid will never play with under 72 hours rest again: Ancelotti

  • “I think today is the last time we will play a game before 72 hours (of rest),” Ancelotti told reporters
  • “We will never play another game (without) 72 hours of rest”

VILA-REAL, Spain: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Saturday his team will not play another football game after fewer than 72 hours of rest.
Los Blancos beat Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night in the Champions League on penalties and then earned a 2-1 win at Villarreal on Saturday, with the game kicking off at 1630 GMT.
“I think today is the last time we will play a game before 72 hours (of rest),” Ancelotti told reporters.
“We will never play another game (without) 72 hours of rest.
“We asked La Liga twice to change the time of the game and they did not do anything, this is the last time.”
World football governing body FIFA recommends at least 72 hours between matches in order to protect the health of the players.
French striker Kylian Mbappe struck twice for Madrid against Villarreal to take them top of La Liga ahead of Barcelona’s game at Atletico on Sunday.
“I am very proud of this team,” continued Ancelotti.
“It was a potential banana skin, above all for what has happened, the (few) hours of rest, and the strength of the opponent.”
Ancelotti has regularly complained about the packed football calendar, with Madrid one of the clubs who will also be involved at the expanded Club World Cup this summer in the United States.
“Everyone saw the game against Atletico, 120 minutes, a very intense match, it’s hard to play after two days... but we have to respect the club badge and fight until the end, and we did that today and we were able to win,” Mbappe told Real Madrid TV.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said the scheduling of the game was disrespectful to Madrid.
“We don’t want to look for excuses, I’m happy to say we did not lose or draw because of the tiredness, but it’s not normal playing (at this time) today,” said Courtois.
“I know La Liga don’t like to put (the three biggest teams) on the same day, but sometimes it’s what you have to do... it was a lack of respect to the team and our players, because we could have left here with someone injured.
“Tomorrow is Atletico against Barca and that’s not a problem, it could be a ‘Super Sunday’ with Madrid playing first.”