MONDAY, APRIL 27, 2015 SPORTS Henderson leads LPGA

CALIFORNIA: Canadian teenager Brooke Lydia Ko trails by three. Henderson clung to a one-stroke lead after Pressel birdied four of the final six holes a poor finish to the third round at the to surge into contention for what would be Swinging Skirts LPGA Classic in California her first victory since 2008. Henderson was on Saturday. unsettled after her group was put on the Henderson bogeyed the final two holes clock for slow play over the closing holes, and shot even-par 72 after squandering a but she nonetheless spoke positively about five-stroke lead on the Lake Merced course her position. in San Francisco. The 17-year-old betrayed “Overall it was a great day, and I’m really her nerves in attempting to save par at the happy to be where I am,” Henderson told last, her timid jab at a four-foot putt failing reporters. “If someone told me at the to even threaten the hole. beginning of the week I would be leading Henderson, who does not have exempt going into the final round, I would’ve taken status on the LPGA circuit after being it. “Back home in Canada I have received a denied a waiver due to her age, is nine- lot of pressure the last couple years. under with a total of 207. “If you have pressure it means you’re American Morgan Pressel (67) and doing something right. I try and use it to South Korean Kwak Min-seo (69) are one my advantage and try and use it to help me shot behind, while defending champion get better.” —Reuters

Westwood bags Asian Tour title

JAKARTA: Briton Lee Westwood made it an (my putt on) 18 for the playoff,” Westwood Indonesian Masters hat-trick by winning said. “It was a tough day out there.. but the Asian Tour title yesterday but only after managed to battle back. “It’s nice to have surviving a playoff with Thai Chapchai Nirat won here three times, it’s a good hat-trick.” after blowing a five-shot lead. Westwood had started the day seven clear The former world number one, winner of Chapchai at the Royal Jakarta Golf Club of the event on his two previous appear- after covering his back nine of the third ances in 2011 and 2012, could only muster round in just 29 shots, but gave encourage- a final round of one-over-par 73 and seven- ment to the chasing back with two bogey SHANGHAI: Tournament winner Wu Ashun of China kisses his champion’s trophy during the award ceremony of the Volvo China Open golf tour- under total of 281 after letting slip the fours on his opening nine. nament. —AP healthy overnight advantage. He seemed to find his game again with He had the opportunity to register vic- three birdies in four holes, including a long, tory on the par-five 18th only to fail with a snaking downhill putt on the par-four 11th Wu wins Volvo China Open birdie effort, meaning a playoff with to start his back nine but back-to-back Chapchai, who produced a sparkling 66 bogeys on 16 and 17 dropped him level after snapping an iron against a tree early with Chapchai. SHANGHAI: With two Chinese golfers tied for player to win on the tour and the first since missed a routine 3-foot par putt that caught the in Saturday’s third round. Australian Kalem Richardson finished the lead going into the final round of the Volvo Liang Wen-Chong took the title at the Singapore lip of the cup and curled away, drawing gasps The Englishman made no mistake on third after a strong 66 left him at six-under, China Open, there was a good chance one of Masters in 2007. from the gallery. the 18th in the playoff, however, notching a with Dane Thomas Bjorn (70) a further shot them would become the first from the country Howell missed a five-foot par putt on the It was just the start of an up-and-down day birdie on the first extra hole to edge out back in fourth and former U.S. PGA to capture a European Tour title on home soil. 18th that would have forced a playoff. It was just for the rising star. He made a 50-foot birdie putt the four-times Asian Tour winner Chapchai. Champion Yang Yong-eun (71) in a share of Most eyes were on Li Haotong at the start of one of four bogeys for the veteran Englishman, on No. 8 and then a tremendous approach and “I was lucky that I already had a read on fifth. —Reuters the round, the talented 19-year-old touted as a who also had four birdies in his round of 72. nervy putt for eagle on the par-5 No. 13, but also future golf star in China. Instead, it was Wu Emiliano Grillo of Argentina had a spirited run missed a number of relatively easy putts from Ashun, a player nearing 30 who had recently tak- on the final day, making four birdies in five holes close in, the frustration apparent on his face. en six months off to rebuild his swing and had on the front nine and two more on the back to He carded five bogeys - more than his first never had a top-10 finish on the tour, who took pull within one shot of the lead. But his chances three rounds combined - and finished tied for home the trophy. of winning a maiden European Tour title slipped sixth at 6-under 282. “It’s a great experience for Wu proved to be the steadiest player during a away with a tee shot into the water on No. 17, me, especially considering I still finished sixth, final round filled with momentum swings, leading to double bogey. He shot a 69 to finish which is much better than last year, so I learned delighting the crowd in his hometown of in a tie for third with defending champion a lot,” he said. Shanghai with a final-round 71 to secure a one- Alexander Levy of France (73) and Prom Howell had vastly more experience than the stroke victory over David Howell yesterday. Wu Meesawat of Thailand (71). Chinese players, with 523 starts on the European finished at 9-under 279 overall. Wu started the day in a four-way tie for the Tour compared to just 26 for Wu and 13 for Li. “I tried my best to play every shot well,” he lead with Howell, Levy and Li, but he had played Ten years ago in Shanghai, he fought then-No. 1 said. “I played very good today - not down, not the least recently. He was coming off a six- Tiger Woods in the final round of the HSBC up. Just simple golf today.” It was not only the month break to work on his swing with his Champions - and won the title. biggest title of Wu’s career, but also the biggest coach in California and didn’t make the cut at a But Howell missed when it mattered most, paycheck. He takes home nearly 500,000 euros Japan Tour event last week. trying to save par after his approach on the 18th ($543,000) - more than doubling how much he’s Li, on the other hand, nearly won his first left him with a long putt. When his shot skirted earned in seven years on the European Tour. European Tour title last week at the Shenzhen by the left side of the hole, thousands of Chinese “There’s a long journey in a golf career, some- International, losing in a playoff to Thailand’s fans around the Tomson Golf Club erupted in one can hit a low score in their 30s, 40s, so I have Kiradech Aphibarnrat. cheers. “Obviously a crying shame for me not to to just be patient and keep practicing, keep Li, however, didn’t look sharp from the first come home with the trophy, but there’s I don’t JAKARTA: This handout picture taken and released by the Asian Tour shows Lee playing the tournaments, and it will come,” Wu hole Sunday. With hundreds of excited fans lin- know how many billion people who are rather Westwood of England posing with the trophy after winning the Asian Tour’s said through a translator. Wu is the third Chinese ing the green, phones poised to snap photos, he pleased I made six on the last,” Howell said. —AP Indonesia Masters golf tournament.—AFP

Dongfeng bounces back from broken mast in Ocean Race ALICANTE: Dongfeng Race Team, the Chinese-backed crew whose hopes of victory in the Volvo Ocean Race were rocked when they had to quit the fifth leg because of a broken mast, have bounced back by taking the lead yesterday in the next 5,010-nautical mile stage from Brazil to the US. Dongfeng mast broke about 200 nautical miles from Cape Horn last month and they were forced to limp to Argentina for some makeshift repairs before a new rig was fitted in Itaja√≠, Brazil. The sixth leg from Itaja√≠ to Newport, Rhode Island, is promising to be even more closely fought than the previous stages since the race started in Alicante, Spain, last October. After approaching 1,500 nautical miles of sailing in a week, all six boats in the fleet are bunched within 20 nau- tical miles of each other with Dongfeng protecting a nar- row 5.7 nautical-mile advantage early yesterday over Dutch boat, Team Brunel, with Spanish challengers MAPFRE 1.3 nautical miles further adrift. For the first time, the all-women’s crew of Team SCA (Sweden) are serious challengers for leg honors, 9.5 nautical miles off the pace with Saturday’s pace-setters Team Alvimedica (Turkey/U.S.) 6.2 nautical miles behind them and overall race leaders, Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, bringing up the rear, 19.7 nautical miles off the lead. This leg, unlike the previous stage that was contested in the roughest of conditions in the Southern Ocean, is a mainly tactical battle in shifting winds, but is no less chal- lenging. SCOREBOARD Dongfeng skipper Charles Caudrelier (France), whose boat is second in the overall standings and seven points ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: Scoreboard on the fifth day of the second behind leaders Abu Dhabi before leg six, admitted in his Test between the West Indies and England at the National latest blog on Sunday that he was feeling the pressure. Stadium in Grenada on Saturday: “The wind is very light and unstable and each of the West Indies 1st Innings - 299 all out (Marlon Samuels 103) boats has good and bad phases,” he wrote. “It’s hard on England 1st Innings - 464 all out ( 182 not out, Gary the nerves, no gain is ever for keeps. Ballance 77, 76) “This Volvo Ocean Race is really something else. The move to a one-design boat has really changed the race West Indies 2nd Innings (overnight 202-2) and made it even tougher. The permanent contact with K. Brathwaite c Root b Anderson 116 GRENADA: England’s cricket team Alastair Cook (left) and his teammate Gary Ballance (second right) cele- our competitors is tiring and stressful.”—AP D. Smith b Anderson 2 brate defeating West Indies during the final day of the second match between the West Indies and D. Bravo c Buttler b Broad 69 England. —AFP M. Samuels c Buttler b Anderson 37 S. Chanderpaul c Cook b Anderson 7 J. Blackwood c Anderson b Jordan 10 D. Ramdin not out 28 England clinch second Test J. Holder run out 2 K. Roach c Anderson b Ali 10 D. Bishoo not out 15 S. Gabriel lbw b Ali 0 Extras (b8, lb2, nb1) 11 Anderson takes four for 43 Total (all out; 112 overs) 307 Fall of : 1-3 (Smith), 2-145 (Bravo), 3-224 (Brathwaite), 4-238 GRENADA: A devastating spell from seam bowler James 2012. “It was a lot of effort on that wicket,” Cook told the rising and was caught by Joe Root in the gully. (Chanderpaul), 5-239 (Samuels), 6-257 (Blackwood), 7-260 (Holder), Anderson set England up for a nine-wicket triumph in the presentation ceremony. “It was a slow wicket throughout In addition, the paceman removed Shivnarine 8-282 (Roach), 9-307 (Ramdin), 10-307 (Gabriel). Bowling: Anderson 22-7-43-4, Broad 21-2-71-1, Ali 24-9-51-3, second test against West Indies on Saturday as the tourists and a pretty flat one. Chanderpaul for seven and Marlon Samuels for 37. Jordan 21-6-69-1 (1nb), Stokes 8-0-34-0, Root 16-7-29-0. went 1-0 up in the three-match series. “To get 20 the way we did was a great effort. We Anderson also caught Jermaine Blackwood at mid-off for A fiery Anderson ripped through the West Indies middle showed a lot of character and obviously a lot of skill.” To 10 off , ran out Holder for two and snaffled up England 2nd Innings order in the opening session of the fifth and final day, mak- add to West Indian misery promising all-rounder Holder Kemar Roach’s chip to mid-on as he fell to spinner Moeen A. Cook not out 59 ing excellent use of the new ball to record figures of four was stretchered off the field after landing badly on his Ali for 10. J. Trott b Gabriel 0 for 43. ankle in his delivery stride. Moeen also trapped skipper Denesh Ramdin lbw for 28 G. Ballance not out 81 The Lancastrian also claimed two catches and ran out and removed last man Shannon Gabriel in identical fash- Extras (w1, nb3) 4 Total (1 wicket, 41.1 overs) 144 Jason Holder as the home team were bowled out for 307 CARIBBEAN INQUEST ion. was the only batsman to fall in Did not bat: , Joe Root, , Ben Stokes, , having resumed on 202 for two. While there will be a Caribbean inquest into the way the England’s second innings. He went for a duck after chop- Chris Jordan, , James Anderson. That left England chasing a small target of 143 to win home team collapsed, most of the credit for the momen- ping a delivery from Gabriel on to his stumps. Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Trott) and captain Alastair Cook (59 not out) and Gary Ballance tum shift must go to Anderson. “We fought hard for the first four days but that one ses- Bowling: Roach 7-1-18-0, Gabriel 7-3-20-1, Holder 1.4-0-11-0 (1w), (81 not out) helped them clinch their first test victory on He claimed the important wicket of Kraigg Brathwaite sion (before lunch) where we lost six wickets really cost us Samuels 12.3-1-54-0, Bishoo 8-0-32-0 (3nb), Brathwaite 5-1-9-0. foreign soil since beating India in Kolkata in December for 116 after the centurion could not keep down a sharply the match,” said Ramdin. —Reuters Result: England won by 9 wickets.