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SPORT SATURDAY 11 FEBRUARY 2017 21 'Cultural' change needed in Russia to lift ban: Coe Melbourne that there is a recognition (in Russia) of Reuters a need for change, particularly with tra- ditional coaching methods. ussia still needs to demonstrate a "But we need to make sure that is "cultural shift" in its commitment consistent with what is also being said R to clean sport if its track and field and expressed publicly. "Some progress athletes hope to compete under the had been made... but there are still some nation's flag again, IAAF President areas where we want to see more Rick Lamb hits his tee shot Sebastian Coe said yesterday. progress. on the 17th hole during Russia's athletics federation (RUSAF) "I don't think (the decision) came as Round One of the AT&T has been banned since November 2015 a huge surprise to RUSAF. And of course Pebble Beach Pro-Am at after an independent World Anti-Dop- WADA has still to look at RUSAF as Spyglass Hill Golf Course on ing Agency (WADA) probe exposed being code-compliant. Thursday in Pebble Beach, state-sponsored doping on a massive "There needs to be some cultural California. Lamb ended as scale. shift as well... but we're moving in the one of the joint leaders An IAAF task force confirmed this right direction." after weather-hit first day. week that the ban will remain in place Coe said the IAAF was considering until at least November, meaning Rus- allowing Russian athletes to compete sian athletes will not compete at the as neutrals at the global showpiece but world championships in London in cast serious doubt on the ability of August, having already been excluded RUSAF to rejoin world athletics this from last year's Rio Olympics. year. The working party's head, Rune "This year? Probably not, but we Anderson, said Russia's efforts to build may still see individual Russian athletes Day behind early leaders a credible anti-doping regime still faced in the world championships in London various headwinds, including problems in a neutral capacity," he added. enforcing provisional doping bans, lim- "There's no guarantee. They have ited drug testing at national level and applied and we need to look at all of "troubling incidents" when testing was those in a case by case study by our own at Pebble Beach Pro-Am taking place. board and let's see where we get to." Although "confident" that RUSAF Russia's credibility in the fight was a very different federation since against drug cheats suffered another New York Unheralded golfers lead cially where you are playing. the ban was enforced, Coe said the IAAF blow in December with the release of Reuters "If you were playing at Spy today, commission was not satisfied that the second report by Canadian profes- Top Aussie golfer grounds it definitely helped a little bit, espe- enough checks and balances were in sor Richard McLaren, which said ason Day ground out a two- out a two-under-par 69 to cially with some of the cover in the place. Moscow had "hijacked international under-par 69 to sit two strokes sit two strokes off the lead trees, but you've just got to take what "We work very well with the new sport" over a five-year period. off the lead on Thursday when in the weather-hit opening you can get and try and win the tour- president of RUSAF (Dmitri Shlya- The report found more than 1,000 the opening round of the round nament at the end of the week," he khtin)," the Briton told reporters in Russian competitors in 30 sports were Jweather-hit Pebble Beach said. Melbourne. involved in an "institutional conspir- National Pro-Am was suspended for Given the weather conditions, "And the view of the commission is acy" to cover up positive tests. Unheralded Americans the day with only half the field back Day was thrilled with his opening Rick Lamb and Joel in the clubhouse. round. Australian Day had to contend Dahmen, and South Korean "I feel pretty good with how with driving wind and rain over his Noh Seung-yul, share top things are going, coming out today last four holes before organisers spot on the leaderboard and shooting a couple under par," halted play at 1:34 pm PST (2134 GMT) said the 29-year-old, a 10-times win- due to unplayable conditions on the ner on the PGA Tour. Monterey Peninsula in California. a field of 156 had completed their "The hardest part about today One hour later, play was aban- rounds and organisers hope to get the was actually committing to the shot doned for the day with unheralded tournament back on track on Friday, more so than anything because you Americans Rick Lamb and Joel Dah- though weather forecasts predict a had a lot of side winds. I'm looking men, and South Korean Noh 50 percent of rain at Pebble Beach forward to Spyglass tomorrow." Seung-yul, sharing top spot on the on Friday morning. Among the other high-profile leaderboard after opening with four- "We only played four holes in the names competing this week, world under 68s. rain," Day told Golf Channel after number six Jordan Spieth was three All three had started out on the mixing four birdies with two bogeys under after 16 holes at Monterey Spyglass Hill layout, one of three ven- at Monterey Peninsula Country Club. Peninsula while four-times cham- ues being used for this week's PGA "It's hit and miss ... sometimes you pion Phil Mickelson was one under Tour event. Seventy-four players in can get lucky with the draw, espe- after 17 on the same layout. Wiesberger Bernd Wiesberger of Austria waits for his turn during the second round Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) reacts after a play grabs lead of the 2017 Maybank against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the fourth quarter of their NBA game Malaysia Championship at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City on Thursday. after birdie golf tournament at Saujana Golf and Country blitz in KL Club in Kuala Lumpur Thunder topple Cavs; yesterday. Kuala Lumpur Celtics and Mavs rally Reuters ernd Wiesberger reeled off Los Angeles NBA RESULTS Only Robertson, with 41 in nine birdies in a row in a AFP Boston 120 Portland 111 1961-62, and Wilt Cham- Bsuperb second round of 63 Dallas 112 Utah 105 berlain, with 31 in 1967-68, to grab a one-shot lead over he relentless Russell Oklahoma City 118 Cleveland 109 have posted more in a Masters champion Danny Wil- Westbrook produced Houston 107 Charlotte 95 campaign. lett at the Maybank This 26th triple-dou- Philadelphia 112 Orlando 111 In Dallas, the Maver- Championship in Kuala Lumpur ble of the season Thursday icks rallied from a 21-point yesterday. to lead the Oklahoma City third-quarter deficit to The 31-year-old lit up the Thunder to a 118-109 tri- with 4:59 to play. Irving stun the Utah Jazz 112-105 Saujana Golf and Country Club umph over the NBA answered with a driving in overtime. with the birdie blitz from the champion Cleveland layup, but after a West- Dirk Nowitzki's jump seventh to 15th holes to go Cavaliers. brook jump shot, Thunder shot with three seconds 12-under after 36 to boost his Westbrook poured in reserve Jerami Grant remaining sent the game prospects of a fourth European 29 points with 11 assists blocked a shot at the other into the extra session. Tour title. and 12 rebounds. Victor end. Westbrook sank Harrison Barnes Wiesberger is the first player Oladipo added 23 points another jumper to stretch scored eight of his 31 in European Tour history to card and about a 20-footer on 11. Scores and seven rebounds and Oklahoma City's lead to points in overtime as the nine straight birdies in a round "Apart from that I just hit them pretty close center Steven Adams of 107-101 with 3:42 remain- Mavs withstood 36 points but with preferred lies in place, and felt like I had a good idea of what the ball was 132- Bernd Wiesberger (AUT)69-63 New Zealand added 21 ing. James missed a from Utah's Gordon Hay- when players are allowed to going to do on the green today again which was 133- Danny Willett (ENG) 66-67 points and 13 rebounds for fadeaway jumper before ward and snapped the improve the ball's lie without nice," added the Austrian, who began the day six Oklahoma City, who Westbrook fed Adams for Jazz's four-game winning 135- David Lipsky (USA) 68-67, Mike penalty on certain parts of the shots off lead. improved to 31-23. an easy basket. After streak. course, the Austrian will not Englishman Willett hit six birdies and a bogey Lorenzo-Vera (FRA) 70-65 Kyrie Irving led the another block, Westbrook Boston guard Isaiah make the record books. in his 67 to sit at 11-under, two shots clear of 136- Shubhankar Sharma (IND) 68- Cavs with 28 points. LeB- had the ball again, dishing Thomas scored 15 of his 34 "I hit really good shots and I Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera and American 68, K.T. Kim (KOR) 68-68 ron James chipped in 18 to to Oladipo for a layup that points in the fourth quar- just felt calm out there," he said David Lipsky. 137- Marcel Siem (GER) 66-71, Sam go with seven assists but gave Westbrook his 10th ter as the Celtics erased a after returning a card that Lorenzo-Vera sank six birdies and an eagle in Brazel (AUS) 66-71, Shiv Kapur (IND) was held scoreless in the assist and clinched his 17-point deficit to beat the included 11 birdies and two his 65, while Lipsky was bogey-free in his card of 70-67, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 69-68, fourth quarter.