MONDAY, APRIL 17, 2017 SPORTS

GOLF Cristie Kerr wins LPGA Lotte in Hawaii for 19th tour title

KAPOLEI: Cristie Kerr won the LPGA fell in the hole. “People think that I do it The American overcame sponsor Lewis (6) were 14 under. swing feel it was an unbelievable run.” Lotte Championship on Saturday for her intentionally,” she said. “It never happens invite Su-Yeon Jang, the South Korean Ko was too far back to really chal- She has four Top 10s at Lotte, and is 19th tour title, closing with a 6-under 66 when I try to do it intentionally. It’s just player who led after the second and lenge Kerr. “Going into the day eight the second American to win in the tour- for a three-stroke victory. that once I know it’s in, I walk after it.” third rounds and was five ahead of Kerr shots behind there is a huge difference nament’s six years here, after Hawaii’s The 39-year-old Kerr broke the tour- Kerr called it “epic” and began to after three holes Saturday. between eight shots and five shots,” Ko Michelle Wie. Kerr also is the second nament record at 20-under 268, a day count the ways. She had complications Jang had a 70 to drop into a tie for said. “I knew that it would take the round American to win on the LPGA Tour this after shooting 62 at Ko Olina to match with knee surgery in November, keeping second with top-ranked Lydia Ko (64) of my life versus a mediocre round by year. “Experience is huge,” Kerr said. “Very the event mark. She earned $300,000 to her from hitting a shot for eight weeks, and In Gee Chun (67). Jang’s first bogey everybody else. With how the girls are few players are lucky enough like I am to top $18 million in her career. Kerr hadn’t and from playing the first tournament of of the week came at No. 6 and she suf- playing, it’s just really hard to mend the have a career as long as I’ve had and be won in 30 starts since the season-ending the year. “It feels so good to have over- fered double-bogey two holes later, gap. Considering where I was after the competitive as long as I’ve been com- CME Group Tour Championship in 2015. come so many things to be sitting here,” falling into a tie for first with Kerr. first day (73), I’m pleased with where I petitive. Having that experience and She was a pedestrian 4 under halfway Kerr said. “I played great the last couple Canadian Alena Sharp, looking for her finished.” Kerr, who was a rookie the year being competitive, it’s an advantage. through Lotte, then made a made a big weeks coming into here, and I just have first LPGA Tour win in her 241st start, Ko was born, has Top 10s in her last “I felt like I didn’t have it on the first move. She birdied seven of the last eight a different perspective on life now. I felt bogeyed the final hole for a 70 to finish three starts. “I can’t remember in 2 1/2 four or five holes, I didn’t worry, I didn’t holes Friday, soaring into contention it on the golf course today. I was able to alone in fifth at 16 under, a shot ahead of days that I had made so many birdies in rush, and soon as I made my first birdie it with the 62 and growing comfortable keep going forward because I didn’t put second-ranked So Yeon Ryu (67). Third- my life,” she said. “That (first) day and a was kind of like off to the races. So expe- walking in her birdie putts before they that extra pressure on myself.” ranked Ariya Jutanugarn (69) and Stacy half that I had struggled a little with my rience definitely helps.” — AP

NHL Maple Leafs beat Capitals for first playoff win since 2013 WASHINGTON: Kasperi Kapanen scored span of 2:20 to tie the game. his second goal of the game 11:53 into the second overtime and Frederik Andersen PREDATORS 5, BLACKHAWKS 0 made 47 saves as the Toronto Maple Leafs Pekka Rinne made 30 saves in his sec- beat the Washington Capitals 4-3 Saturday ond straight shutout and picked up two in Game 2 to even the first-round NHL play- assists, helping Nashville pound Chicago off series. for a 2-0 lead in the first-round playoff Kapanen also scored in regulation for series. Ryan Johansen had a goal and two Toronto along with James van Riemsdyk assists as Nashville added a dominant per- and Morgan Rielly, and Andersen made formance to its taut 1-0 victory in Game 1 several big stops to keep the Maple Leafs on Thursday. alive. Alex Ovechkin, John Carlson and Chicago coach Joel Quenneville shuffled Nicklas Backstrom scored for the top-seed- his lineup, inserting rookie Vinnie ed Capitals, who are now feeling the heat Hinostroza and Dennis Rasmussen and going into Game 3 Monday in Toronto. benching veteran Jordin Tootoo and John Braden Holtby made 48 saves before being Hayden. But it was more of the same for the beaten on the overtime winner. Blackhawks, who once again looked out of Not unraveling in a tough atmosphere, sync against the Predators’ active defense. the young Maple Leafs showed they Ryan Ellis, Harry Zolnierczyk, Colton Sissons belonged on the same ice with the Capitals and Kevin Fiala each scored their first after losing Game 1 in OT. Brian Boyle made career playoff goal. Game 3 is Monday a slick backhanded pass to Kapanen, who night in Nashville. put the puck into a wide-open net to give Toronto its first playoff victory since 2013. DUCKS 3, FLAMES 2 Ryan Getzlaf scored the tiebreaking SENATORS 4, BRUINS 3, OT power-play goal with 4:46 to play on a Dion Phaneuf scored at 1:59 of overtime bizarre deflection off Lance Bouma’s skate, and Ottawa rallied for a victory over and Anaheim took a 2-0 lead in their first- Boston. The Senators rallied from a 3-1 round playoff series. deficit with a two-goal third period to force Getzlaf’s attempted pass across the high overtime. The Eastern Conference series is slot banked off Bouma’s foot and somehow tied 1-1 and Game 3 is Monday night in arched through the air and past Calgary’s Boston. Clarke MacArthur, Chris Wideman Brian Elliott for the Anaheim captain’s sec- HONG KONG: Britain’s Elinor Barker celebrates winning gold in the Women’s Points Race Final on the fifth day of the 2017 Track yclingC World and Derick Brassard also scored for the ond goal of the series. Jakob Silfverberg Championships in Hong Kong yesterday. — AFP Senators and Craig Anderson made 26 and Rickard Rakell scored first-period goals saves. Drew Stafford, Tim Schaller and and John Gibson made 35 saves in the Patrice Bergeron scored for the Bruins. Ducks’ 29th consecutive victory over the CYCLING Tuukka Rask stopped 25 shots. Flames at Honda Center since April 25, The Senators started the overtime with 2006, extending the longest such streak in the man advantage as the Bruins took a NHL history. Mikael Backlund scored a delay of game penalty with 12.5 seconds short-handed goal and Sean Monahan had Golden Barker hails remaining in regulation. Trailing 3-1 to start a power-play goal for the Flames. Game 3 is the third, the Senators scored twice in a Monday in Calgary. —AP embattled British team

HONG KONG: Elinor Barker praised the support can do it’. They gave me the space and the focus rider Tomas Babek, who shared silver after a rare she had received from her embattled British I needed.” dead heat. Thomas, who brilliantly won the four- team after she won a morale-boosting gold A leaked draft of the review reportedly event omnium on the last lap of the last race on medal at the Track Cycling World Championships described a “culture of fear and bullying” at Saturday, also crossed the line on the 200-lap yesterday. but Barker, 22, said many people madison to clinch his second gold in two days. Barker’s victory in the points race was among had a false perception of the team. “I’ve been “It’s not easy to stand on my legs,” an exhaust- the highlights on the final day as France cele- going on Twitter and been going ‘Oh, really? Is ed Kneisky said, adding: “Everyone was motivat- brated two wins and Australia finished top of the that the case?’ ed to give everything at the end of the week. medals table. Britain’s second gold in Hong Kong Because I think if I didn’t have Twitter I would- “Today was so incredible for us-now we’ll be came as they await an independent review into n’t know about it,” she said. Barker looked like focused for the future.” allegations of sexism and bullying levelled at she would have to settle for her third silver But the championships didn’t end happily for team leadership last year. medal in Hong Kong before she pipped Hong Kong’s former Olympic bronze-medallist But Barker, an Olympic gold-medallist and Hammer, an eight-time world champion, with a Sarah Lee, who bombed out of the women’s two-time world champion in the team pursuit, strong finish. The Briton crucially picked up 20 keirin in spectacular style. Lee finished fifth in said she couldn’t have had better support in her points for gaining a lap with just four of the 100 her second-round heat but not before, in her successful bid for a maiden individual rainbow laps to go, winning the first individual world title haste to place among the leaders, she appeared jersey. “I’ve been unbelievably supported in of her career. to send South Korea’s Lee Hye-Jin crashing on order to try to win this,” she said at the Hong the last lap. German great Kristina Vogel eventu- WASHINGTON: T.J. Oshie #77 of the Washington Capitals and Jake Gardiner #51 and Kong Velodrome, after securing a thrilling win ‘TODAY WAS SO INCREDIBLE’ ally took gold in the keirin, picking up her ninth Martin Marincin #52 of the Toronto Maple Leafs go after the puck in overtime of over American great Sarah Hammer. France also enjoyed a late rally as they won world title and her second in Hong Kong after Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup “After the Olympics I had a meeting with their second and third gold medals through the women’s sprint. Australia were the most suc- Playoffsat Verizon Center on Saturday in Washington, DC. —AFP about four of the coaches and staff members Francois Pervis in the time trial, and Morgan cessful country, winning three gold medals and said ‘I have a new goal, I want to win the Kneisky and Benjamin Thomas in the madison. alongside Russia and France but collecting five points race at the worlds’.” Pervis won the 1km time trial by 0.334sec silvers and three bronzes for 11 podium places RUGBY “Instantly they were like ‘Yeah, we think you from compatriot Quentin Lafargue and Czech overall. — AFP Canada wins Singapore Sevens all-American final SINGAPORE: Canada beat the United States rugby’s established giants by beating 26-19 to win their maiden World Series Olympic champions Fiji 24-19 in the quarters Sevens title yesterday and cap a day of then Australia 40-7 in the semis but their slow extraordinary upsets that culminated in the start cost them dearly. Canada scored three first ever all-American final. The Canadians tries inside the first five minutes through Matt regained their composure after squandering Mullins, Harry Jones and Mike Fuailefau but a a 19-0 lead as their North American neigh- lapse in concentration let the US back in. bours levelled the final at 19-19 to score the Perry Baker, the leading tryscorer for the winning try through Lucas Hammond less series, scored a brilliant solo try to ignite the than two minutes from the end, denying the US comeback and then Stephen Tomasin US their second tournament success after dived over in the corner to cut the margin to winning at London in 2015. “We made a cou- 19-12 at halftime. ple of mistakes but the character of the team “We had more chances but we needed to came through,” Canadian coach Damian execute and we just didn’t do it.” Baker scored McGrath told AFP. again shortly after the re-start to tie the “This is huge for Canadian rugby. We’ve scores as the US seized the momentum but lost $1 million in funding, our 15s results have Canada re-settled and got the winner been poor, so this just gives us a shot in the through Hammond to seal the victory. arm. It’s a big deal for us.” For the US, it was a “It’s awesome,” Hammond told AFP. “It’s bittersweet moment. The Eagles made the pretty emotional for all of us because it’s final after losing in the semis at each of the been a long time coming. “It shows how far last three World Series tournaments but the sport has come, not just in Canada but coach Mike Friday told AFP the Americans also the States and it’s only going to get bet- lost the final because they gave Canada too ter from here.” South Africa extended their big a start. “The long and short of it is this, lead in the championship standings to 25 you can’t gift anyone 19 points and expect to points with two rounds to go despite finish- win a cup final,” Friday said. “They were always ing sixth, the first time this season they have going to get another chance and even not made the final. “We were very fortunate though we got back to 19-all, the game was to extend our lead,” South Africa coach Neil really lost by us in that first five minutes.” Powell told AFP. “If you had said to me coming Canada had never won a World Series title into Singapore that we’d extend our lead by before and earned their way into the final the another two points we’d have gladly taken it hard way, beating traditional powerhouses but we’re not happy with our performances. HONG KONG: Gold medallists Benjamin Thomas (3rd L) and (3rd R) of France pose with silver medallists (L) and New Zealand 26-14 in the quarter-finals then We made a lot of mistakes and we were own Callum Scotson (2nd L) of Australia and bronze medallists (2nd R) and Moreno de Pauw of Belgium on the podium after the England 17-5 in the semis. The US also upset worst enemies.” —AFP men’s madison final at the Hong Kong Velodrome during the Track Cycling World Championships in Hong Kong yesterday. — AFP