THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 2017 SPORTS

Ex-Spurs striker Soldado clinch deal Souare close to return to join Fenerbahce: Club for Algerian Boudebouz to training after car crash

ISTANBUL: Former Tottenham Hotspur striker Roberto Soldado is set to join MONTPELLIER: Spanish side Real Betis have signed Algerian inter- LONDON: Crystal Palace’s Senegalese left-back Pape Souare has returned Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce after two seasons at Villarreal in his native Spain, national attacking Ryad Boudebouz from outfit to full training after sustaining serious injuries in a car crash 11 months the Istanbul club said yesterday. An agreement with Spain international Soldado Montpellier, the French club announced yesterday. The 27-year-old ago, his club revealed yesterday. Souare, 27, had to be airlifted to hospi- has been reached in principle, Fenerbahce said. The player will arrive in Istanbul lat- has penned a four-year deal with the Seville-based team, who paid tal with a broken leg and jaw after the accident on the M4 motorway in er Wednesday to finalise the deal. After stints at Spanish sides including Montpellier seven million euros ($8.22m) for his services. London in September 2016. Having undergone a lengthy period of reha- Real Madrid and Valencia, Soldado joined Tottenham in 2013, staying Boudebouz, who previously played for Sochaux and Bastia, scored bilitation, he was shown going through fitness drills and ball work in a with the English Premiership side for two seasons. He joined Villarreal 11 goals and made nine assists in the French top flight last season. video posted on Twitter by Palace. “I heard you were looking for in 2015 but much of last season was blighted by a knee injury. He has 24 international caps, having made his debut in me. Feeling blessed to come back for my first training session Fenerbahce are looking to reinforce their side after finishing well 2010. Real Betis finished 15th in last term, but new head with the 1st team,” Souare wrote on Twitter. “I want to say behind champions Besiktas and surprise runners-up Basaksehir coach Quique Setien has bolstered his squad significantly since tak- Thank You to all of you for your love and support on this jour- Istanbul in the Turkish Super Lig last season, thus missing out on a ing over in May after a successful spell in charge of Las Palmas. ney! I read every msg and I hope to make u all happy soon.” Champions League place. Other signings for Fenerbahce in the close Boudebouz is Setien’s eighth signing of the close season, joining Senegal international Souare joined Palace from Lille in season have included Moroccan international defender Nabil Dirar, the likes of former winger Cristian Tello, Victor January 2015 and has made 46 league appearances for the French attacking midfielder Mathieu Valbuena and Chilean Camarasa and Andres Guardado, as well as former Swansea City club. Palace begin their Premier League season at home to international defender Mauricio Isla. —AFP defender Jordi Amat, in moving to the Benito Villamarin. —AFP promoted Huddersfield Town on Saturday. —AFP Mickelson and Els reach milestone in 100th major

CHARLOTTE: On the monitor below them met. I think we played 18 holes together was a photo from the first time they met. there that time, and I would never have The 14-year-old South African with an easy thought that we’d be playing basically for smile was holding the winner’s trophy from life.” Mickelson remembers it well, specifi- the 1984 Junior World Championship. Next cally a shot Els hit in the final round when to him was the golden boy from San Diego, he was 20 yards short of the green on a par slightly taller at the time, holding his tro- 5. “You hit this little skipping, spinning phy as the runner-up. wedge shot that checked up about a foot Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson are still from the hole, and that’s when I knew you going at it, rarely rivals, always friends. The were going to be a good player because I next time playing together, this week at the had not seen anybody else at 14 hit that PGA Championship, marks a special occa- shot,” he said. “It’s amazing that we’ve sion for both. Three decades later, Els and played together and against each other for Mickelson join an elite club by competing so many years. It doesn’t seem that long in their 100th major championship. Els won ago from those days.” his first one in 1994 at the US Open at And then he looked at the photo and Oakmont. Two-time US Open champion said, “But it sure looks like a long time ago.” Curtis Strange was quoted as calling Els the Their daughters were born a month apart, “next god.” Only later did the media realize and now Els and Mickelson are sending that what Strange had actually said was them off to college this year. Samantha Els that Els would be the “next guy.” It just was accepted to Stanford. Amanda sounded the other way because of his thick Mickelson is headed to Brown. Virginia accent. They are linked mostly through compe- Mickelson didn’t win his first major until tition, win or lose. “Phil has had a great he was 34, at the Masters, and it came at time, winning five. I’ve won four,” Els said. the expense of Els. Mickelson holed an 18- “But we’ve been in the hunt many, many foot birdie putt on the final hole. Els, on the other times and it didn’t quite come off. But putting green hopeful of a playoff, heard it’s a hell of a thrill. It’s what we play for, the ground-shaking roar, picked up his golf what we practice four. And you want to pull balls and walked off. He never won a green off great shots in the bigger stage.” jacket. The PGA of America brought them They also had to settle for being second together Tuesday for an interview and a fiddle in the generation that was Tiger celebration, complete with a cake. They Woods. Els was runner-up seven times to become the 13th and 14th players to reach Woods worldwide, including back-to-back 100 majors, a list that starts with Jack majors in 2000. Mickelson lost out to Nicklaus and his 164. He is followed by Woods in the final group of the 2001 Gary Player, Tom Watson, Arnold Palmer, Masters, and he was runner-up to him at Raymond Floyd, Sam Snead, Ben Crenshaw, the US Open the following year. Gene Sarazen, Tom Kite, Mark O’Meara, How different could it have been with CHARLOTTE: Dustin Johnson watches his tee shot on the 16th hole during a practice round at the PGA Championship golf tournament at the Bernhard Langer and Nick Faldo, who Woods? Both say they would not have Quail Hollow Club Tuesday, in Charlotte. — AP played his 100th and final major at St. been the players they became. Woods was Andrews in the British Open two years ago. as tough a rival as anyone would face, All of them are in the Hall of Fame, Els though Els and Mickelson say they relished GOLF and Mickelson included. The PGA of the challenge. “I feel as though had Tiger America had photos from the first major not come around, I don’t feel I would have they played (Els at the 1989 British Open, pushed myself to achieve what I ended up Top-ranked Johnson back on Mickelson at the 1990 US Open); the victo- achieving, because he forced everybody to ries in the majors (five for Mickelson, four get the best out of themselves,” Mickelson for Els); and yes, that 1984 Junior World. “Do said. “He forced everybody to work a little form after Masters mishap you see how grumpy Phil looks there,” Els bit harder. He forced everybody to look at said with a chuckle. “It was quite a while fitness as a big part of the game of golf, ago, I can tell you. We had a great time. It and I think that’s actually helped me with CHARLOTTE: Top-ranked Dustin Johnson was my first time ever to the United States longevity. ... So I don’t think I would have says he feels almost as good at the PGA and what a place to go play golf at in San had the same level of success had he not Championship as he did the last time he Diego. I guess that was the first time we come around.”—AP Kuwaiti shooters power to showed up at a major one hour’s drive from his hometown. And maybe this time he’ll actually get to victory in Asian tourney Nothing to prove, says McIlroy as play. The 2016 US Open winner is playing this week at Quail Hollow, north of his hometown KUWAIT: Kuwait clinched first place yester- Meanwhile, Kuwaiti shooters returned to he tries to end major drought of Columbia, South Carolina. The same dis- day in the team competition of the Seventh the crowning stage on Tuesday under the tance to the south is Augusta, Georgia, where Asian Shotgun Championship held in Kuwaiti flag after the ban was lifted. CHARLOTTE: Rory McIlroy says he has to victory while world number one, saying Johnson was a huge favorite in April until a Kazakhstan. Trap shooter Abdelrahman Al-Faihan nothing to prove this week as he chases his he needed to show how well he could play. fall on the eve of the Masters forced him to Abdulrahman Al-Faihan and Sara Al- won the individual gold medal, followed by first major title in three years on a Quail “I definitely don’t want to be in the withdraw with a back injury. Hawal led their team to victory, as South his teammate Talal Abdallah Al-Rashidi, who Hollow layout where he has two wins and mind-set this week of wanting to make any “I was playing as good as I’ve ever played Korea and India trailed in second and third won silver. the course record. The world number four type of statement or go out and prove will be a favorite when the 99th PGA myself. I’m past that point,” McIlroy said. and consistently every day,” Johnson said. “I place, respectively, Duaij Al-Otaibi, head of The team of Abdelrahman Al-Faihan, Championship tees off today even though “I’ve proven myself enough over the last was as good as I ever felt and confidence the Kuwait and Arab Shooting Sports Talal Al-Rashidi and Khalid Al-Mudhaf won the 28-year-old from Northern Ireland nine years of my career. probably as high as it has ever been. “But Federations went on to dedicate this mon- the first place with 350 points, Lebanon hasn’t won since last September’s US PGA “Obviously I wouldn’t have won as much things happen. Just when you feel like you umental victory to HH the Amir, HH the took the second spot with 336 points and Tour Championship. as I would have liked this year, and there’s get on top, something happens that knocks Crown Prince, government and Kuwaiti UAE with 331 points. “I’m not putting that much pressure on been a few components to that, injury- you down. But I’m fighting back and I feel like people. He told Kuna via telephone that 350 Honorary President of Asian Shooting myself. I don’t feel like I need to prove any- wise, changing equipment and stuff. It has the game is as good as it was before then. competitors representing 29 nations partici- Federation Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem thing to anyone,” McIlroy said Tuesday. “I been a bit of a transitional year. But I feel “It has finally coming back into form. I felt pated in the tournament which is being in Al-Humoud Al-Sabah attended the award- never lost faith. I’ve always believed in my like everything has settled. I just want to go like I got some things worked out in the swing Kazakh capital. ing ceremony. —KUNA own abilities. I still do.” It was a contrast out and play my game and hopefully that that were just holding me back a little bit. My from how four-time major winner McIlroy will be good enough.” body feels great. I’m looking for a really good felt in 2015, when he fired a third-round 71 McIlroy, the 2012 and 2014 PGA week this week.” to break his own course record on the way Championship winner who also took the Johnson, 33, had won three events in a row 2011 US Open and 2014 British Open, going into the Masters, becoming world num- could become only the third player to win ber one after taking Riviera and adding World five majors before turning 30, joining Jack Golf Championships Mexico and Match Play Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. titles. Then came his stumble down a small set of stairs at a rental home in Augusta. His trip NO BEST, NO PROBLEM to the driving range before his late tee time It won’t hurt that he has played well in turned into a reality television drama that majors in wet conditions, which are expect- ed this week, and that he has a comfort ended with him walking to the tee, shaking zone with Quail Hollow despite changes to hands with his scheduled playing partners toughen the opening third of the course. and then walking away. “You don’t really have to have your best “I think I knew before I even went,” said game and you still feel like you have a Johnson of his Augusta practice swings. “I was chance to win-that’s sort of how it feels just trying my hardest because I wanted to here,” McIlroy said. “For the most part, 15 of play so badly.” “It is frustrating what happened the 18 holes are the same. I just feel good when I was playing so well, but there’s noth- around here. I don’t know what it is. I’ve got ing I can do about that. Things happen, and some great memories. Once you go back to so now I’ve just got to fight and practice and a place where you have great memories, all work hard to get back to where I was. I’m driv- that starts to come flooding back to you ing it really well again.” and it makes you feel good about yourself. Asked for a number grade, Johnson said he That’s sort of how I feel around here.” was a 3 when he returned in May. “It wasn’t McIlroy admits he has been looking for- that good, but then it went down and got ward to this major since it was announced. worse after that,” Johnson said. “But I feel like “This has been a week I’ve been looking I’m about an 8 1/2 right now. forward to for a long time,” he said. “I’m “I’m going to continue to work hard on it glad I’m showing up for this week feeling and hopefully we’re going to have a good like my game is in good shape as well.” week. I’ll be there on Sunday.” Johnson has A poor start doomed his fightback bid at the British Open, but he still shared battled back before, overcoming the fourth at Royal Birkdale and followed by heartache of a penalty for grounding his club sharing fifth at last week’s WGC in an ill-marked sand hazard that cost him the Bridgestone in Akron. “My form is better 2010 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits CHARLOTTE: Rory McIlroy of Northern coming into this event than it was going to win a major last year. Ireland, chips to the 18th green during a into the Open,” McIlroy said. “I’m coming He says he isn’t owed a PGA Championship. practice round at the PGA Championship off the back of a couple of top-5s. Things “I don’t think it owes me one,” he said. “It was golf tournament at the Quail Hollow are a bit different than they were a couple my fault. I grounded a club in what they still Club Tuesday, in Charlotte. — AP of weeks ago.”—AFP say is a bunker.” —AFP