Sports Tuesday, August 4, 2020 11 Ronnie O’Sullivan records fastest win in Crucible history

AFP up a crushing victory with a London further break of 48. While the official match Ronnie O’Sullivan recorded time was yet to be confirmed, the fastest win in Crucible his- it was clear O’Sullivan had tory as he completed a 10-1 smashed the previous record demolition of Thepchaiya Un- time for a Crucible win and Nooh in less than two hours become the first man to win in the first round of the World a World Championship tie in Championship on Monday. under two hours. The five-time world cham- O’Sullivan shrugged off pion took just 82 minutes to his record-breaking perfor- storm to an 8-1 advantage in mance, saying: “I’m not re- the first session of their match ally bothered by records – I behind closed doors on Sun- stopped bothering about re- day, with an average shot time cords when I reached them of less than 14 seconds. and they didn’t really give you And the 44-year-old re- that buzz for very long. turned to quickly wrap up the “They’re nice when you’re two frames needed for victory missed a chance to prolong break of over 50 in the match chasing them but once you and shatter the current Cruci- the inevitable in the opening – to move within one frame of get them they’re over-rated in ble record of 149 minutes that frame of the session but was the second round. many ways. Shaun Murphy took to white- punished for missing a simple Despite breaking down on “So I think you just take Five-time snooker world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan of England recorded the fastest win as he wash China’s Luo Honghao red on 22. 41 when he missed a relatively each game as it comes and it’s demolished Thepchaiya Un-Nooh of Thailand 10-1 in less than two hours in the first round of the last year. O’Sullivan stepped in with simple red, O’Sullivan was just nice to be out there play- World Championship in London on Monday. Thailand’s Thepchaiya a clearance of 93 -- his eighth gifted a second chance to wrap ing some snooker.”

Kang edges Boutier to capture first Thomas outduels Koepka for title of LPGA return WGC win, World No. 1 ranking AFP Washington AFP you’re doing because I could Washington Leading scores after final round lose that tournament just as Danielle Kang held off (par 70; USA unless stated): easily as I won it. France’s Celine Boutier over the Justin Thomas reclaimed 267 - Justin Thomas 66-70-66-65 “I was really proud of my- final holes on Sunday to win the the world number one rank- 270 - Daniel Berger 71-67-67-65, Tom self to stay in the moment and LPGA Drive On Championship, ing on Sunday by outdueling Lewis (ENG) 73-70-61-66, Phil get it done,” he said. the tour’s first tournament since defending champion Brooks Mickelson 67-70-66-67, Brooks February after a COVID-19 Koepka down the stretch to Koepka 62-71-68-69 ‘Unbelievably lucky’ shutdown. win the WGC St Jude Invita- 271 - Xander Schauffele 68-70-67-66, A back-nine shootout saw Jason Day (AUS) 68-67-69-67, Shane It was the fourth career ti- tional by three strokes. Lowry (IRL) 68-69-67-67, Chez Reavie Americans Koepka, Thomas, tle for the 27-year-old Ameri- Thomas, who began the 66-67-70-68, Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) Berger and 54-hole leader can, whose first win was a ma- day four shots off the lead, 68-67-68-68, Matthew Fitzpatrick Brendon Todd deadlocked jor, the 2017 Women’s PGA fired a five-under par 65 final (ENG) 70-64-69-68 with Lewis for the lead on Championship, and whose round to thwart Koepka’s re- 272 - Dustin Johnson 69-68-68-67, 11-under, while Australian Ja- other two came at Shanghai in peat bid and take the title at Webb Simpson 69-66-69-68, An son Day, American Chez Reav- 2018 and 2019. TPC Southwind in Memphis, Byeong-hun (KOR) 68-65-66-73 ie and England’s Matthew Tennessee, on a 72-hole total 273 - Ryan Palmer 69-69-71-64, Fitzpatrick were on 10-under. Abraham Ancer (MEX) 67-75-65-66, of 13-under 267. Scottie Scheffler 69-67-69-68, Rickie Koepka sank a birdie putt “It means a lot, especially Fowler 64-67-69-73, Brendon Todd from just inside 10 feet at the with how I felt like I did it,” 64-65-69-75 par-4 13th to seize the lead at Thomas said. “In the past, I 274 - Erik van Rooyen (RSA) 71-70-68- 12-under. struggled with coming from 65, Collin Morikawa 70-71-67-66, Thomas found the left behind. I got wrapped up in Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 68-71-67-68, rough at 15 but blasted his ap- how far I was behind and how Joel Dahmen 72-67-65-70, Christiaan proach to six feet and made many people.” Bezuidenhout (RSA) 71-69-64-70 the birdie putt to match Koep- 275 - Kevin Kisner 70-68-72-65, Matt The 27-year-old Ameri- Kuchar 66-72-71-66, Bubba Watson ka for the lead. can became the third-young- 68-70-71-66, Billy Horschel 70-70-68- Thomas then sent his tee est US PGA Tour player 67, Cameron Champ 71-68-67-69. shot way right at the par-5 in the past 60 years to 16th, but recovered by blasting reach 13 career wins, behind to the low rough just left of the Tiger Woods and Jack Nick- fairway and dropped his ap- laus and just ahead of Rory Justin Thomas of the United States poses with the trophy and his father, Mike Thomas, after winning the World Golf Championship-FedEx proach three feet from the cup, McIlroy. St Jude Invitational at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, on Sunday. (AFP) tapping in a birdie to claim the Koepka, who seeks a third lead alone at 13-under. consecutive PGA Champion- and Phil Mickelson and Eng- number one, a spot he held for lead with three holes to play, anytime those last two, three “I got unbelievably lucky,” Danielle Kang celebrates with ship victory next week in San land’s Tom Lewis. four weeks in 2018. two bogeys dropping him into holes, where I felt like my Thomas said. “Somehow, that the trophy after her victory in the Francisco, closed with a dou- Thomas, the 2017 PGA “It was a hard-fought day, a playoff with Collin Morikawa mind was kind of wandering calmed me down. You usually LPGA Drive On Championship at ble bogey after finding water Championship winner, but it meant a lot,” Thomas that he lost. and maybe thinking about only get lucky like that when Inverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, US off the 18th tee and slid into jumped from third past McIl- said. “I feel like I learned a lot winning. you win the tournament. on Sunday. (Getty Images/AFP) sharing second on 270 with roy and top-ranked Spaniard Three weeks ago, Thomas from that,” he said. “I just “I basically just told myself “Luckily, I hung on and US compatriots Daniel Berger Jon Rahm to retake world squandered a three-stroke didn’t get ahead of myself to shut up and figure out what stayed patient and positive.” “I worked really hard for the last seven months,” Kang said. “I’m really excited right now.” Kang fired a two-under par 70 to finish 54 holes at Iverness Club in Toledo, Ohio, on 7-un- der 209, one shot better than Boutier, who missed a four-foot birdie putt on the last hole that Woakes eager to keep England place against Pakistan would have forced a playoff. Boutier was alone in sec- AFP mentioned and they’re very ond after a closing 71 with London good in England,” said Australian Minjee Lee third We should be ready from the word go: Misbah Woakes, who has taken 106 on 212, Japan’s Yui Kawamoto Chris Woakes is happy to AFP “We are aware that England have a slight in 35 Tests overall. fourth on 213 and England’s be an unsung hero but the London advantage but if we are alert and go 100 per- “At my age and where I am Jodi Ewart Shadoff fifth on England paceman says he is cent in the first Test match, that is the only way now, at 31, it’s unlikely that 214 after a closing 75. as keen as any of his more Pakistan coach Misbah-ul-Haq has urged his side we can beat England, otherwise we will find our- I’m going to go on and get 500 The LPGA managed to play high-profile colleagues to to get off to a flying start in their Test series with selves in difficulty.” Test wickets like Jimmy and only two events in January in play in the first Test against England, saying they must be at their best “right Both England and Pakistan, who have played Broady but I still want to go the United States and two more Pakistan on Wednesday. from the word ‘go’”. two intra-squad warm-up matches, boast talented on and get as many as I can in February in Australia before The 31-year-old bowling England are notoriously sluggish starters and pace attacks but Misbah, Pakistan’s when individually. the season was stopped by the all-rounder was a key figure in have lost the opener in eight of their past 10 Test they drew a four-match series in England four years “I still feel like I can provide global pandemic. England’s recent 2-1 series win series, including a recent 2-1 home success against ago, believes his side also have the batsmen to give really good services to England The comeback event, over the West Indies. the West Indies that marked international cricket’s their bowlers enough runs to defend. for many more years to come.” played without spectators on He took 5-50 on the final return from the coronavirus lockdown. “It’s always tough with the Duke ball in England World Cup-winner Woakes the host course for next year’s day of the third Test at Old They now return to Old Trafford, the scene of where the ball moves around off the seam and also said he hoped he had done Solheim Cup team matches Trafford, also the venue for their two victories over Jason Holder’s men, for the in the air,” Misbah said. enough to get into the starting between US and European the Pakistan opener in another first Test in another three-match series, against Pa- “But this is where you can really fight and XI for the first Test. teams, was played ahead of three-match campaign. kistan, starting on Wednesday. our batting looked in great shape in the last “But competition is high next week’s LPGA Marathon But his fine return came on Misbah, suggesting England would have two series. We played in Pakistan but even in at the minute,” he said. Classic in nearby Sylvania so the same day that fellow Eng- the advantage of momentum, told re- Australia we managed to score good runs in “We’ve still got two of Eng- players could stay in the same land seamer Stuart Broad took porters on Monday: “We should be almost every innings. land’s greats charging in and area for both events, easing his 500th Test . ready for an England team that have “Shan Masood, Abid Ali scored centuries taking wickets every time they concerns about contracting With the established new- already had three matches of experience in previous series (at home to Bangladesh in play and we’ve got exciting the deadly virus. ball pair of Broad and James and they won their last two Test matches. February and at home to Sri Lanka in Decem- fast bowlers as well.” The LPGA return came with Anderson, as well as express “We have to really come in this Test ber). Conditions are different but still con- Woakes enjoyed a break- safeguards and social distanc- quicks Jofra Archer and Mark Chris Woakes soon after England series right from the word ‘go’ at our fidence plays a huge role in your mind through series against ing protocols that were appar- Wood vying for spots, compe- won the third Test against the best if we want to win a Test series or a when you’re coming from a series Pakistan in 2016, when he ent on the 18th green as Kang tition for places in England’s West Indies at Old Trafford in Test match here. where you scored runs. took 26 wickets, but it is still celebrated her victory. attack is fierce. Manchester last week. (AFP) 10 years since England last Friends wearing masks That is not even taking into won a Test campaign against poured champagne on Kang account star all-rounder Ben “I honestly really don’t perform and I want to make Yet with 81 Test wick- Pakistan. while she made hugging ges- Stokes, unfit to bowl in the West mind. I’m not one for being the match-winning performanc- ets at 22 apiece in England, “Pakistan are always a tures with her arms, in place of Indies finale because of injury, centre of attention,” Woakes es for England but it really Woakes has a better home competitive team,” he said. the embraces that would have or Sam Curran, who played told reporters on Monday. doesn’t bother me if I’m first average than either Ander- “They’ve got good experience followed the victory before the in the second Test against the “Don’t get me wrong, I choice to write about or not, to son or Broad. and some exciting young play- virus outbreak. West Indies. want to go out on the field and be brutally honest.” “My stats have been ers, as they always do.”