Qatari Was in a Class of His Own and Survived the Last of Al-Attiyah (Right) and Baumel with Their Trophies
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GGOLFOLF | Page 2 MMLBLB | Page 5 McIlroy looks to Bellinger hits end drought on two homers Open’s return to as Dodgers Northern Ireland rout Phillies Wednesday, July 17, 2019 FOOTBALL Dhul-Qa’da 14, 1440 AH Belmadi ends years GULF TIMES of turbulence to lead Algeria into fi nal SPORT Page 7 SILK WAY RALLY 2019 Al-Attiyah makes a sweep for emphatic Silk Way win ‘I am so happy... This means that Matthieu and I have now won every rally in which we have taken part this year’ Agencies Dunhuang, China atar’s Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah and French navigator Matthieu Baumel completed Qa clean sweep of stage wins to secure an emphatic maiden vic- tory in the gruelling 2019 Silk Way Rally after the fi nal stage between Jiayuguan and Dun- huang in China yesterday. The Overdrive Racing driver secured a winning margin of 1hr 25min 04sec with a ninth suc- cessive stage win that also gave Toyota a fi rst ever victory at the Central Asian event that was be- ing observed for future inclusion in the FIA World Cup for Cross- Country Rallies. The Qatari was in a class of his own and survived the last of Al-Attiyah (right) and Baumel with their trophies. three demanding stages through the Gobi Desert to earn a stage The Qatari said: “The fi rst Hilux Overdrive 24hrs 25min time of 2hrs 27min 30sec and two stages in the Gobi desert 29sec beat teammate Erik Van Loon by were not easy. There were a lot 2. Wei Han (CHN)/Liao Min (CHN) 2min 25sec on the day. of dunes, camel grass and the Geely SMG Buggy 25hrs 50min China’s Wei Han fi nished average speed was really slow. 33sec second overall and Frenchman We took more than four hours 3. Jerome Pelichet (FRA)/Pascal Jerome Pelichet rounded off the to cover the fi rst one and nearly Larroque (FRA) Optimus 26hrs podium places. four hours for the second one. 09min 08sec The Qatari said: “I am so I think the organisation had 4. Ping Sun (CHN)/Li Ma (CHN) happy. This was one event that I kept these tough stages up their Hanwei SMG Buggy 26hrs 19min really wanted to win and I have sleeves until the end.” 48sec now managed that. It was a Van Loon was third quickest, 5. Ming Zhang (CHN)/Xu Qin long demanding rally with sev- 9min 24sec behind his Toyota (CHN) Hanwei SMG Buggy 27hrs eral diffi cult stages towards the teammate, and moved up to 08min 28sec end in the dunes in China. This 10th in the overall rankings, but 6. Rong Zi (CHN)Xinjian Xing win is also a fi rst for Toyota and Matthieu Serradori damaged his (CHN) Hanwei SMG Buggy 27hrs means that Matthieu and I have car’s suspension on a big rock 58min 33sec now won every rally in which we and lost sixth position to Rus- 7. Feng Chen (CHN)/Cheng Wang have taken part this year.” sia’s Denis Krotov. Yi (CHN) LXTX 28hrs 14min 29sec A delighted Baumel added: Overdrive Racing now 8. Denis Krotov (RUS)/Dmytro “Nine stage wins out of nine. Qatar’s Nasser al-Attiyah (right) and French co-driver Mathieu Baumel celebrate their Silk Way Rally victory in Dunhuang, China, yesterday. switches its attention to the Baja Tsyro (RUS) MINI John Cooper This is an historic record in a Spain Aragón, round four of the Works Rally 28hrs 23min 33sec major rally…” ond stage in Russia. But the in the second of the Overdrive treacherous dunes of the Gobi That enabled the Qatari to 2019 FIA World Cup for Cross- 9. Jean-Remy Bergounhe (FRA)/ Dutchman Van Loon and Dutchman fought back strong- Toyotas. Desert. Around 290km were extend his overall lead to 1hr Country Bajas, at the end of July. Jean Brucy (FRA) MCM Original Frenchman Sebastien Delau- ly with several second fastest Al-Attiyah had taken a lead timed against the clock between 10min 46sec over Han heading 28hrs 24min 27sec nay ruined their chance of stage times and moved up from of 59min 58sec into the penul- Alashan and Jiayuguan, and al- into the fi nal stage after Peli- POSITIONS AFTER SS10 10. Erik Van Loon (NLD)/Sebast- challenging for the title after the foot of the general classi- timate special stage and the sec- Attiyah stopped the clocks in a chet dropped 39 minutes on the 1. Nasser Saleh al-Attiyah (QAT)/ ien Delaunay (FRA) Toyota Hilux transmission woes on the sec- fication to finish 10th overall ond of the passes through the time of 3hrs 52min 17sec. tricky special. Matthieu Baumel (FRA) Toyota Overdrive 29hrs 01min 50sec Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah and co-driver Mathieu Baumel cross the Gobi Desert. Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, July 17, 2019 GOLF SPOTLIGHT Follow-up major proving elusive for Rose Reuters possible. When you’re a quarter of the Portrush, Northern Ireland way there, looking at it, it’s quite an up- hill climb. “When you’re halfway you’re kind of hen Justin Rose tied for at the tipping point.” fourth at the 1998 Open as Rose said even if he ends up with just a 17-year-old amateur he the one he would be grateful but admits was immediately dubbed there have been disappointments, no- Wthe next big thing. He then missed the tably the 2017 Masters when he lost a cut in his fi rst 21 events as a profes- playoff to Sergio Garcia having held the sional. lead late in his fourth round. When Englishman Rose won the US “They are hard to win, and you’ve Open at Merion in 2013, a long overdue seen great players not win one,” he said. fi rst major triumph, many felt it would “Certainly I’ve had three second-place open the gates to many more in the fi nishes in majors since (the US Open years to come. win). He is still waiting. “I’ve had a couple of opportunities, Rose won the Olympic gold medal for sure. Augusta, that was a one arm- in Rio in 2016 as golf returned to the in-the-jacket type situation. Games for the fi rst time since 1904 and “But you never skip through a career has been a key man in several European England’s Justin Rose (also left) takes without a little bit of heartache along Ryder Cup triumphs. selfies with fans at Royal Portrush Golf the way. I’ve defi nitely given myself But adding to his solitary major has Club yesterday. (Reuters) some looks. If I keep doing that I know been a frustrating business. He tied the door will open again.” second at the Masters in 2015 and was Rose will tee off tomorrow as one of Even if he does lift the Claret Jug on second on his own in 2017 while at the the favourites, still fuelled by the belief the Antrim coast this week, however, 2015 PGA Championship he fi nished he can win all four majors. Rose says it might not cut it with his son fourth. “I think if you won both Opens, es- Leo, who has gone cricket-mad after Last year Rose almost pulled off one sentially, that’s a lovely pair, no doubt,” watching England win the World Cup. of the most amazing Open triumphs Rose, 38, said at Portrush yesterday. Asked if his son might pick up a golf when he only made the cut by sinking “That would be halfway towards a club rather than a cricket bat, he said: a 15-foot putt on the fi nal hole of his Grand Slam. If I was able to do that then “That would be nice for sure, although second round but was in the thick of a I would immediately shift to I’m 50 % of it’s proved quite diffi cult, to be honest. thrilling fi nal day battle before fi nish- the way there. “He’s in the garden until the sun goes ing joint runner-up behind Francesco “The next one is really important for down. He says, Dad, can you bowl a few Molinari. me, because it makes the next two feel at me? That kind of thing.” FOCUS COMMENT Woods draws McIlroy looks to end inspiration from Watson, Norman’s drought on Open’s Open near-misses AFP Portrush, United Kingdom iger Woods said yester- return to N Ireland day he is confi dent his body can hold up under the rigours of links golf ‘Just getting my hands on that Claret Jug again would be a huge accomplishment’ Tthis week as he bids for a 16th major title at the British Open. AFP ago through injury but his Brit- The 43-year-old, who capped Portrush, United Kingdom Rory McIlroy takes part in a practice ish Open record has been good, one of sport’s greatest-ever session at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in with two top-10s from fi ve ap- comebacks with victory at the Northern Ireland yesterday. (Reuters) pearances and a best of tied Masters in April, will be play- he British Open returns sixth in 2017. ing in just his fourth tournament to Northern Ireland for Woods will play profession- since winning the green jacket. the fi rst time in 68 years ally in Northern Ireland for the With cold, wet weather pre- this week at Royal Por- fi rst time as he seeks a 16th ma- dicted for all four days as the Ttrush, giving Rory McIlroy the jor to close on Jack Nicklaus’s British Open returns to Northern fort needed to get over that major opportunity on home soil to end record of 18.