MON DAY, DECEMBER 2, 2013 SPORTS

Sturridge out for Hull owner Allam labels Stevenson retains up to eight weeks protesting fans ‘hooligans’ title london: Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge will be sidelined for up to eight HULL CITY: Owner Assem Allam has called Hull City fans “hooligans” and said QUEBEC CITY: retained his WBC light heavyweight title weeks with an ankle injury, manager Brendan Rodgers said yesterday as he “they can die as soon as they want” following protests over his proposal to Saturday night by stopping in the sixth round. Stevenson (23-1) ruled the player out of a crucial period of the season. change the English Premier League club’s name. The Egyptian-born business- knocked down Bellew (20-2-1) with a left . When the Englishman got The 24-year-old England international has scored nine Premier League man wants to rebrand the 109-year-old club ‘Hull Tigers’, a move that is deeply up, he was stunned with another left, followed by a flurry of shots. Bellew was goals this season and has been instrumental in helping the club make a unpopular with supporters who have formed a protest group called City Till We not fighting back, even though he was still on his feet when referee Michael bright start to the campaign. Die. “They can die as soon as they want, as long as they leave the club for the Griffin stopped the bout. It was a second defense for the Montreal fighter Sturridge was hurt in training and will now miss the majority who just want to watch good football,” Allam told the Independent on since taking the belt with a spectacular first-round of busy festive period, including away Premier League Sunday newspaper. “How can you be supporting a club when you distract in June. He defended with a seven-round win in September matches against Tottenham Hotspur on Dec. 15, attention during a game? “I’m a simple man. Do they want me to stay? If it’s ‘No over Tavoris Cloud. In the co-feature, Sergey Kovalev kept Manchester City on Dec. 26 and Chelsea three days thank you’, fine, in 24 hours the club is for sale ... I do not put in one more the WBO light heavyweight title with a stunning knock- later. pound.” The 74-year-old Allam arrived in Hull as a student in 1968, rescued the out of Ismayl Sillakh only 52 seconds into the second “Daniel Sturridge is out for six to eight weeks which club from the brink of bankruptcy in 2010 and has invested around 35 million round. The hard-hitting Kovalev (23-0-1), a Russian is obviously a big blow,” Rodgers said on Sky Sports pounds ($55.90 million). He changed the name of the club’s holding company based in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is often mentioned as a before Sunday’s league match at Hull City. Sturridge from Hull City Association Football Club to Hull City Tigers in August. future opponent for Stevenson.After an uneventful came off the bench to score an 89th-minute He believes a ‘Tigers’ brand would have more of a “global marketing impact” opening round, Kovalev dropped the 15th-ranked Sillakh equaliser in the thrilling 3-3 draw against having previously said he considered the word ‘City’ to be “lousy” and “com- with a right early in the second. The Russian was jumping neighbours Everton last weekend. —Reuters mon”. “How can they call themselves fans, these hooligans, this militant minori- up and down in his corner waiting to get back as the referee ty, when they disturb and distract the players while taking away the rights of gave Sillakh (21-2) an 8-count, then ran up and floored others to watch the football, and of companies who have paid good money for him with another right that ended the bout. — AP their advertising?,” Allam said yesterday.— Reuters McIlroy overhauls Scott to win Australian Open

SYDNEY: Rory McIlroy buried his 2013 title drought in the most dra- matic fashion at the Australian Open yesterday and said he thought a largely frustrating season might just make him a more com- plete player. The Northern Irishman had a brilliant 2012 but a change of equipment and some off-course legal distractions coincided with a slump in form that saw him slide from number one in the world down to number six. Yesterday, though, the 24-year- old re-entered the winners’ circle when he birdied the 18th hole to snatch the title away from U.S. Masters champion and home favourite Adam Scott with the final stroke of the tournament. “I think I’m more experienced, more patient,” he said when asked what he had learnt this year. “Not getting as down on myself or not being as hard on myself because golf is a long career and you can’t have too many highs and lows in terms of emotions. “You’ve just got to try and keep it on an even keel and I feel like I’ve done a better job of that this year as the months have gone past. “You SYDNEY: Rory MacIlroy of Northern Ireland holds up the Stonehaven Cup after winning the Australian know you have to go through the Open golf tournament in Sydney yesterday. MacIlroy defeated Australia’s Adam Scott by one stroke finish- lows,” he added. “And I’m not saying ing 18-under par. — AP it was a low this year, it’s not like I plummeted off the face of the drain a 10-foot putt and join the to get the first win this year.” end of the season and thankfully I JAKARTA: This handout taken and released by the Asian Tour yesterday shows earth. “I’m still sixth in the world so likes of Arnold Palmer, Jack After missing out on the US PGA was able to do that. Gaganjeet Bhullar of India posing with the trophy after winning the Indonesia Open it’s not too bad. It’s not the level Nicklaus and Gary Player as winners Tour playoffs, McIlroy arrived in Asia “I’ve still got one more tourna- golf tournament in Jakarta. — AFP that I feel like I can play to but I feel of the Stonehaven Cup. and said he immediately felt his ment left to try and get that second I’m getting back there, so it’s very “I thought worst case scenario game was improving. He plays one win on the board. “That was the Bhullar cruises to first pleasing.” I’d have a putt for a play off and more tournament at Tiger Woods’s only thing that was missing from McIlroy admitted to a little guilt then all of a sudden I have a putt World Challenge next week before this little stretch. at the manner of his victory, which for the win. I didn’t want to go extra embarking on his preparations for “I feel like I played well but just win of year in Indonesia came when Scott bogeyed the last holes,” he said. the 2014 season. hadn’t quite gotten across the fin- to give up a one-shot lead in a tour- JAKARTA: Big-hitting Indian Gaganjeet “Winning takes a lot of patience,” he told “All I focused on in the putt was “I always said I just wanted to ish line and doing that today was nament he had dominated. my routine. I didn’t do anything dif- build some momentum for next very satisfying but doing it going Bhullar claimed his fifth Asian Tour victory the tour after recording his first win of the Presented with his chance, by easing to a three-stroke win at the year. ferently. I didn’t think about year and I felt like I was doing that,” up against one of the best players though, McIlroy showed the nerves whether it was to win the he said. “The perfect scenario in the world right now is probably $750,000 Indonesia Open yesterday. The “I’m glad I stayed patient and showed a of a two-time major champion to 25-year-old stayed focused despite a lot of confidence. It was difficult for me Australian Open or whether it was would have been a win before the even better.” — Reuters lengthy delay caused by the threat of light- when play was suspended - I find it hard to ning as he posted a closing three-under- regain my momentum - but these kind of par 68 for a 16-under total of 268. scenarios are common in Asia.” Florida fires Pease after losing season Bhullar parred the first 10 holes before Victory provided welcome relief for birdying three out of the next four. The Bhullar after he came last at the World Cup GAINESVILLE: A person familiar with the situa- went down early in the season, joining Debose our attitude to reevaluate every single facet of players were then forced off the course but in Australia a week ago. Malaysia’s Nicholas tion says Florida has fired offensive coordinator (knee) and right tackle Chaz Green (labrum) on what we’re doing and get this thing fixed. he returned an hour later to clinch the title Fung (66) finished tied second alongside Brent Pease after the program’s first losing sea- the sideline. “Yeah, it stinks. It stinks for every Gator fan. with four more pars. Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat (66).— Reuters son since 1979. The person spoke on condition Pease was stuck calling plays with freshman This season has been no fun because we care.” of anonymity Sunday because it has not been and a third-string quarterback down the stretch. Florida owes Pease about $1.2 million for the officially announced. And it surely didn’t help that Pease spent two remaining two years on his contract. It’s unclear Schwartzel wins second Pease was let go a day after the Gators (4-8) years running the kind of offense Muschamp what direction Muschamp will go with his third ended the season with a humbling, 37-7 loss to wanted - a run-heavy, try-to-wear-defenses- offensive coordinator in four years, but the bet- straight Alfred Dunhill title rival Florida State. But the move had been down style that leads to close games and leaves ter question is what will the offense look like expected for weeks, as the losses mounted and little margin for error. after the change. JOHANNESBURG: Charl Schwartzel pro- enough today so I’m very pleased.” it became clear coach Will Muschamp would “I think Will is a really good self-evaluator,” “We need to take a look at ourselves duced a masterclass of consistent golf to Finch had drawn level on the third hole make changes on the offensive side of the ball. athletic director Jeremy Foley said Saturday. “He schematically with what we’re doing,” win his second consecutive Alfred of the final round with two birdies, but Pease was made the primary scapegoat for a can look in the mirror and isn’t afraid to take Muschamp said Saturday. “There have been Dunhill championship yesterday as he Schwartzel refused to budge and hit dismal season that included a dreadful offense responsibility for what’s happened. ... We look at some things that have happened that are very held off Englishman Richard Finch by back with three birdies on the front nine and the worst loss in school history. The Gators ourselves difficult to overcome, but schematically there’s finished the season ranked 112th in total and how we get better. Not just sit here and no question we need to take a look at ourselves. four strokes. before the Englishman creaked under offense. Florida managed just 279 yards in a 26- say, ‘Yeah, we’ve got a bunch of injuries, we’ll be ... I’m willing to do what we need to do to score The Johannesburg native did not the pressure. 20 loss to lower-division Georgia Southern on fine.’ That better not be our attitude. It better be points and win games.” — AP record a bogey over the final three A bogey at the par-four 11th followed Nov. 23 and then 193 against the Seminoles. rounds as he followed up on his 12 shot by a double bogey on 14 was his undo- Florida’s offense was ravaged by injuries, los- victory on the Leopard Creek par-72 lay- ing as the South African completed his ing quarterback Jeff Driskel, running back Matt out last year with another strong show- third bogey free round in succession and Jones, receiver Andre Debose and three offen- ing on home soil. racked up 20 birdies in 72 holes. sive tackles for the season. Backup quarterback It is his third victory at Malalane, Fellow Englishman Simon Dyson card- Tyler Murphy also missed the final three games Mpumalanga after defeating England’s ed a final round 67 to share third place with a sprained throwing shoulder, leaving third- Neil Cheetham in a playoff in 2004. The with compatriot Ross Fischer and stringer Skyler Mornhinweg to start. tournament also marked the second Frenchman Romain Wattel on 10 under, The injuries surely were a viable excuse for tournament in the 2014 Road to Dubai. while Dane Soren Hansen was one shot this season, but they can’t be blamed for His final score of 17 under was too further back in sixth. Florida’s offense being ranked in the triple digits good for Finch and the rest of the Former world number six Schwartzel, for three consecutive years. field although the 36-year-old from who won his solitary major at the 2011 Pease replaced Charlie Weis and handled Hull will take heart from his best result of Masters, was in dazzling form and carried play-calling duties the last two years. He joined the year that will certainly improve his on from his performance last week when Muschamp after six years at Boise State, choos- initial ranking of 441st in the world. he lost the South African Open in a play- ing Florida over Alabama - a decision he surely “I had a bit of a hiccup during my first off to Denmark’s Morten Orum Madsen. regrets now. Pease was saddled with a first-year round at the 17th but after that I played That win was Madsen’s first win on the starting quarterback in 2012 (Driskel), a BEAVER CREEK: (L-R) Michael Jaquet, Chief Marketing Officer, USSA, Bill Marolt, President and bungling offensive line and few, if any, playmak- almost flawless golf with no bogeys,” said European Tour and he shared the CEO, USSA, Ingolfur Hannesson, Head of Sports Rights, Winter Sports, EUROVISION, Sarah ers. And the team’s receivers coach resigned at Lewis, Secretary General of FIS and Ceil Folz, President of the 2015 FIS World Championships the champion. “If you play some 60 overnight lead with Schwartzel after two the beginning of fall practice. Still, the Gators holes without making a bogey, then rounds only to fall out of contention with Organizing committee address the media as the US Ski and Snowboard Association and EURO- won 11 games last season and earned a spot in VISION, operated by the European Broadcast Union, announce they have sealed an agreement hopefully you’re going to win. a third round 79. He finished the tourna- the Sugar Bowl. “I’ve been putting well all week and I ment on four under after recovering on giving USSA the media rights to the 2015 and 2017 FIS Alpine and Nordic Ski World Pease’s second year was supposed to be bet- Championships during a press conference at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup at Beaver Creek yes- thought a 67 or 68 would be good the last day with a 69. —AFP ter. But Driskel (broken leg) and Jones (knee) terday in Beaver Creek, Colorado. — AP

Sheikh Jaber Al-Abdallah Al-Sabah shooting tournament begins Dec 5 By Abdellaltif Sharaa The tournament which is being held pate in the event. fields be it political, economic or social, cup. Butaiban said the goal chairman at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- KSSC Treasurer Essa Butaiban said the along with their support to Kuwaiti ath- and board members are aiming at is pre- KUWAIT: Preparations are at full swing Sabah Olympic Shooting Complex will club is always please to organize this letes, especially when it comes to sports pare the shooters in a way that takes the at Kuwait Shooting Sport Club for the include the Olympic skeet, trap, double annual event, as it carries the name of of heritage. Kuwait shooting to new heights and dis- tournament of Sheikh Jaber Al-Abdallah trap 10m pistol and rifle in addition to one of Kuwait’s men who gave and are Butaiban urged all participants to cover new talents, as this participation is Al-Jaber Al-Sabah which will officially archery. Club shooters, shooting school, still giving for Kuwait and its prosperity. exert their efforts to achieve the best a good opportunity for technical com- start on Dec 5 and will continue until the National Guard and Kuwait The club also remembers the contribu- results while at the same time maintain mittees to decide the members of 13 of the same month. Handicapped Club Shooters will partici- tions of those personalities in various good spirits towards winning this dear national teams at all levels.