THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2014 SPORTS Talented Dubuisson among game’s elite LOS ANGELES: A year ago, Frenchman Victor big events and the Match Play will be a great expe- strong field, you have to stay very patient.” Cup, Dubuisson replied: “The Ryder Cup, I don’t Dubuisson was one of several talented young rience for me. Matchplay golf is such a different really think about it. players toiling away on the European Tour with game and I’ll enjoy the whole experience.” IMPROVED PUTTING “If I play well, I think I will be in the team but I almost no experience in golf’s biggest events and Dubuisson, a brilliant amateur who turned pro- World number 30 Dubuisson, who was ranked am focused more on the majors and the big events still seeking his first victory on the circuit. fessional after he missed the cut at the 2010 British 134th just over a year ago, believes his meteoric that I will play. I don’t really set goals. I just try to Within the past four months, however, Open following his only major start so far, says his rise owes a great deal to his improved putting. do as good as I can on every shot.” Dubuisson has spectacularly broken free of those breakthrough victory in Turkey totally transformed “I have been working very hard on my putting, Dubuisson, who will face American Kevin shackles, his maiden win at the inaugural Turkish his assurance as a golfer. on the stroke, over the last three months,” he said. Streelman in late yesterday’s opening round at Airlines Open in November opening virtually every “It was a really great feeling and it changed my “I have a new coach, Benoit Ducoulombier, and my Dove Mountain, took up golf after watching door to him at the game’s highest level. self-belief a lot,” he recalled of his two-shot tri- short game has definitely improved.” Woods win the 1997 Masters in record-setting In two months’ time, the 23-year-old Cannes umph in a strong field which included world num- After winning his maiden European Tour title style. The Frenchman can hardly believe that he native will make his Masters debut at Augusta ber one Tiger Woods, his golfing idol, and U.S. with an exemplary exhibition of front-running in will compete for the first time at Augusta National National and this week he is competing in his first Open champion Justin Rose. Turkey, Dubuisson went on to place third the fol- when the year’s opening major takes place there elite World Golf Championships event, the “I proved to myself that I could win and now lowing week at the season-ending DP World Tour from April 10-13. Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, that I have played in some big tournaments, I feel Championship in Dubai. “That is going to be very special,” he smiled. “I Tucson. so much more confident, especially when I’m in a That propelled him to sixth in the final Race to know it’s a very tricky course and I will have to “I am really looking forward to the Match Play,” difficult situation,” added Dubuisson, who headed Dubai money list, capping a 2012-13 European really check out the course well before the tourna- Dubuisson, with his eyes lighting up, told Reuters. the world amateur rankings in 2009. “It was a very Tour campaign which had featured seven top-10s ment starts. “I think the practice rounds will be “It’s a great event and I hope I do well because I’ve strong field in Turkey and I’m really proud of what I in 19 starts. very important. I have never played there before. never played matchplay golf before. did because it was the toughest golf day of my life. Asked how much his strong finish had impact- All I know about Augusta is what I have seen on “It’s really exciting for me. Now I can play all the I’ve learned that on the course, when you play in a ed on his goals for 2014, and especially the Ryder television.” —Reuters Inbee Park starts new season with high hopes CHONBURI: Top-ranked Inbee Park thinks she can do better this year than last year. Last year she won the first three majors and six titles over- all, easily the best season of her eight-year pro golf career. Raising her expectations is not about putting any extra pressure on herself, though. “Every new season I think about doing better than last year,” Park said at the LPGA Thailand, where she makes her season debut today. “That’s usually my goal. Obviously, it’s going to be very tough to beat last year’s record. I’m going to have tough weeks, but I think I’ll be fine just being a happier person and not thinking so much about results, and just thinking about MARANA: Jimmy Walker watches his shot on the second hole during the first round what I can do, what I can control.” of the World Golf Championships — Accenture Match Play Championship at The Golf She wasn’t in control a year ago when she Club at Dove Mountain. — AFP won this tournament. It was handed to her when Thai teenager Ariya Jutanugarn, with a two-stroke advantage going onto the last hole, Players ready for blew it with a triple bogey. Park has prepared for the season with five weeks of training and holi- day in Australia, where she did paddleboarding the unexpected for the first time, swam with dolphins, and did touristy stuff like seeing kangaroos and koalas. Meanwhile, others got a head-start, including at Dove Mountain No. 2-ranked Suzann Pettersen, No. 3 Stacy Lewis and No. 4 Lydia Ko. No. 5 So Yeon Ryu will also Inbee Park ARIZONA: Unpredictability is the abiding theme for Hunter Mahan in the 2012 final, said the event’s make her season debut this week. entered. Lewis has already finished second in the the day and I’m right where I need to be. My this week’s WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship unpredictability made it very difficult to hold any The winners of the first two US LPGA Tour Bahamas and sixth in Australia. game is really close to where I want it. I’m excit- at Dove Mountain in Marana, Arizona where every expectations for the week. “What is a good week? events, Jessica Korda in the Bahamas and Karrie “I’ve been right there in both tournaments,” ed I’ve kept my top-10 streak going, which has player in the 64-man field is prepared to expect the You could shoot 67 tomorrow and be going Webb at the Women’s Australian Open, are also Lewis said. “Just a few more putts at the end of been fun.” — AP unexpected. Because of the sheer lottery of the home,” said McIlroy, 24. “It’s hard to know. You matchplay format, good form does not guarantee have to take one match at a time. success in Wednesday’s opening round and a player “The year that I got to the final here, I didn’t could easily be sent packing despite piling up a bunch play very well the first three days and then my Scott gearing up for of birdies in a bogey-free display. game started to come around. I played well in the “We know you can shoot 64 and someone quarters, the semis and the final, as well. else shoot 63 and you’re going home,” Swedish “It’s just one of those formats ... someone can world number three Henrik Stenson told get hot and that can be it. Expectations, I’ve just another Masters run reporters at Dove Mountain on Tuesday. got to go out and try to beat whoever I’m up “You can shoot 74 and you still squeeze by against,” added McIlroy, who meets American Boo because the other guy is having a worse day than Weekley in the opening round. NEW YORK: Masters champion Adam Scott is shaking “It’s hard, when you’re playing well like I was in you are having. “You’ve got to be able to squeeze Mahan, who also reached the final last year off the rust after a break following his triumphant Australia and even in Hawaii, you don’t really want to by on the matches when you’re not playing that before losing to compatriot Matt Kuchar 2&1, was return to Australia and a trip to Hawaii, while plotting take some time off. You want to keep it rolling,” he well. Hopefully you’ll win the ones where you’re delighted be back at a venue where he has pro- some special moments back in Augusta. Scott, who said. “You see a guy like Jimmy Walker out there who is playing well. It’s all about timing in that sense.” duced a lot of winning golf. became the first Australian to win the green jacket hot and he’s taking advantage of it, and that’s what Stenson is the tournament’s top seed with “Excited to be here, excited about this event,” when he beat Argentina’s Angel Cabrera in a thrilling you want to do. world number one Tiger Woods and second- said Mahan, who will face Spaniard Gonzalo playoff last April, said on Tuesday he was gearing up “But I’m also keeping the big picture in mind and ranked Australian Adam Scott opting not to play Fenz-Castano yesterday.