FRIDAY 9 MARCH 2018 SPORT 21 What Phil’s doing is showing that we can 6:00PM 6:00PM still do it later on in our Tiger Woods FOOTBALL FOOTBALL careers. Davis won at 51, The former world number Al Sailiya vs Umm Salal vs one seems impressed with Live on Phil at 47 Phil Mickelson’s recent form Al Gharafa Al Sadd TUBE Live on Al Kass Live on Al Kass DeRozan Golf: Woods says he is inspired by scores 42 points as Raptors reach Mickelson, eyes Masters challenge play-offs AFP Sunday encouraged him to Augusta is one of those courses Steve Stricker’s golf believe he could still add to his that favors the vets. It’s a hard bag rests in the 17th AFP MIAMI: Tiger Woods is drawing collection of 106 professional test.” fairway during the inspiration from fellow veteran wins. At this stage of the season, final round of the LOS ANGELES: DeMar Phil Mickelson’s win in Mexico “What Phil’s doing is however, Woods is simply happy 2018 Cologuard DeRozan exploded for 42 last weekend as he plots the showing that we can still do it to be back on the circuit. Classic at Omni Tucson points as the Toronto Raptors latest stage of his comeback this later on in our careers,” Woods “I’m just ecstatic to have a National Resort in clinched their place in the week ahead of next month’s told reporters yesterday. chance to play again and to have this March 4, 2018 NBA play-offs with a 121-119 Masters. “Davis won at 51, Phil at 47,” a chance to win golf tournaments file photo taken in overtime victory against the The 42-year-old former he said, referring to Davis Love and compete,” he said. Detroit Pistons on Tucson, Arizona. world number one will tee off in III. “There was a while there Wednesday. the PGA Tour’s Valspar Cham- “There are a few guys who where I didn’t know if I was ever DeRozan added six assists pionship on Thursday hoping to can do it late in their career.” going to be out there again in the and four rebounds in a vir- get more rounds under his belt Woods, who has missed the capacity of a professional player. tuoso performance that heading into Augusta in three last two Masters, is also not But here I am, and it’s a lot of hauled the Raptors back from weeks’ time. ruling out a member of the old fun.” the brink of what would have Woods has endured mixed guard prevailing at Augusta next Woods said he hopes to use been an upset loss against the results since returning to the tour month. Valspar to fine-tune his game Pistons. Toronto improved to this season, finishing tied for “The favourites are the guys while building up his 47-17 with the win, which 23rd at Torrey Pines in January who’ve always done well there,” endurance. tightened their grip on first before missing the cut at Riviera Woods said, insisting that him- “Keep progressing, keep place in the Eastern Confer- in Los Angeles last month. self and former champions such making small changes, small ence standings and made He followed that up with a as Fred Couples, Bernhard tweaks,” he said. “Hopefully I can them the first team to guar- 12th-place finish at the Honda Langer, Bubba Watson and continue to do that this week. antee their spot in the Classic and is playing the Val- Mickelson were all capable of “I’ve only played 10 rounds. postseason. spar at Tampa, Florida this week challenging. I know some people are saying Detroit fell to 29-36 with in an attempt to hone his game “I’m not going to put it out of that I’ve been a little erratic, or the defeat, leaving them just before the Masters. the realm if Freddie feels good, a little inconsistent. But it’s 10 outside the playoff positions Woods missed all of 2016 he’s still in he mix. Bernhard is rounds. It’s not that many. in ninth place, five wins adrift and most of 2017 because of still in the mix. Phil is in the mix. “I looked up some of my stats of the Milwaukee Bucks in the debilitating back trouble that Myself, Bubba. There’s a few who last night as I wanted to see eighth spot. culiminated in spinal fusion sur- know how to play the golf course where I’m ranked -- I’m not even The Raptors had to work gery last April. and it fits us,” Woods said. on the rankings, because I hard for the win, overcoming He said the 47-year-old “There’s definitely going to haven’t played enough rounds. the early ejection of Serge Mickelson’s victory at the WGC be some young guys who’ve been “That’s basically how my Ibaka and holding their nerve Championship in Mexico on playing well up there. But comeback has been so far.” after a late fightback from Detroit took the game into overtime. Point guard Kyle Lowry Sharma was singled out by Els 10 years ago was content to supply the red-hot DeRozan with AFP Sharma has been invited to the players to the PGA Tour and just ammunition, contributing 15 Masters in April, where he will telling the general public about what assists as well as 15 points. GURGAON: Shubhankar Sharma’s become only the fourth Indian to golf in India is all about and we have Norman Powell had 17 stunning rise up the golf rankings play after Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun so many great players playing at the points while Jonas Valan- has taken many by surprise but Atwal and Anirban Lahiri. world stage.” ciunas chipped in with 14. former world number one Ernie Els And he is setting his sights high. Sharma’s father Mohan Sharma New Pistons arrival Blake predicted the Indian’s ascent a “There still is a lot to be done if also believes that his son’s success Griffin had tied it at 119-119 decade ago. you see golf at an international level. will inspire Indian children to play with 37.3 seconds left in over- The 21-year-old Sharma rock- Obviously if you see from Indian golf, drawing parallels with cricket time, but Detroit were unable eted from 462nd to 66th place in standards some people feel I have great Sachin Tendulkar. to find the go-ahead score. three months following two Euro- done well and have to keep playing “In early nineties I watched pean Tour wins and a strong the way I have and get to the PGA Sachin and his documentaries and NBA Results showing at the WGC-Mexico Cham- Tour,” said Sharma, who was intro- how his name changed the business pionships last weekend. duced to the game by his father at of cricket. Similarly his story is going Denver 108 Cleveland 113 He ended tied ninth at the PGA the age of seven. to be an inspiration and it will be a Detroit 119 Toronto 121 Tour event in Mexico after leading He highlighted Jordan Spieth’s Sachin moment for golf,” Mohan Lal Lakers 108 Orlando 107 going into the final round, when he feat of winning the Masters at 21. said. Sacramento 101 N Orleans 114 was overtaken by American great “You just have to look at the “His honesty, his character is Chicago 119 Memphis 110 Phil Mickelson. greats of the game and then you what he stands for. Milwaukee 99 Houston 110 Speaking to reporters ahead of know how much work you have to “He believes more in listening Indiana 84 Utah 104 the Indian Open in Gurgaon, Sharma put in to get there. than in talking. Same in golf, he revealed that it was Els who spotted “Just the kind of game golf is, speaks with his clubs rather than his his talent at a coaching clinic in anything is possible at any time if mouth,” he added. Flames end 2008. you play well. Just like what hap- Sharma’s peers at the Indian “He put the ball on the tee for me pened to me after November, I was Open praised his achievements, with skid with at Delhi Golf Course range and I hit 571 in the world and now I am 66. I Lahiri calling his rise “massive and two great shots right near the 100- knew I had the game in me.” huge” for Indian golf. romp over yard board and he was really Sharma, after trying soccer, bas- Sharma will be hoping for a happy,” said Sharma. ketball and cricket, stuck to golf fol- better finish in Augusta than in Sabres “He said you are going to be a lowing encouragement from his Mexico, where he closed with a AFP great player one day and just keep father, who served as an officer in three-over-par 74 to share ninth. practising. And for a kid like me who the Indian army. “I am working on every aspect NEW YORK: Mark Giordano, was only 10 at that time it just made He turned pro at 16 and now of my game and (will) be totally pre- Sam Bennett and Mark my day, I was so happy that I hopes his success will inspire India’s pared before I get there. I have to Jankowski all collected one couldn’t sleep that night.” cricket-crazy youth to take up golf.