ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 SPORTS 14 Homa wins ‘hometown’ Genesis, beats hard-luck Finau in playoff Buckley claims first Korn Ferry Tour title LOS ANGELES, Feb 22, (AP): Winning at Riviera was As much of a heartbreak as it was for Finau – his 10th runner-up finish always a dream for Max Homa since he fi rst attended the worldwide since his lone victory in the Puerto Rico Open five years ago – the emotion was too much for Homa. PGA Tour event as a toddler. He never could have script- He grew up 30 miles away in Valencia. He grew up idolizing Tiger Woods, ed a fi nish like at the Genesis Invitational. the tournament host who presented him the trophy. He nearly threw it away Homa missed a 3-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for the win. On the with a 3-foot putt. And he walked off with his second PGA Tour victory. fi rst playoff hole, he appeared to have no chance when his tee shot settled Homa not only closed with a 5-under 66, he played the final 26 holes with- inches from a tree. He somehow escaped to extend the playoff, and won out a bogey. it on the next hole when hard-luck Tony Finau failed to save par from a This looked to be a storybook finish for Homa when Sam Burns, who had bunker on the par-3 14th. led from the opening round, ran into a string of bogeys on the back nine. Christopher Bell celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Cup It came down to Homa and Finau, Series road course auto race at Daytona International Speedway, on Feb who saved par on the 18th for a 64, 21, in Daytona Beach, Florida. (AP) the low round of the weekend. Homa made a 6-foot birdie putt on the Logano fi nishes 2nd, Hamlin 3rd par-5 17th to tie for the lead, and he stuffed his approach on the 18th for what looked to be a sure birdie. And Bell snags 1st Cup victory in then he missed. Worse yet was his tee shot on the 10th. Homa managed to hood a another surprise Gibbs win wedge and scoot it up the slope to the edge of the green, and with a DAYTONA BEACH, Florida, Feb 22, who won 16 Xfi nity Series races driv- front left pin – typically the Saturday (AP): Give him good cars and Chris- ing for Gibbs. But there’s only four position, changed this year because topher Bell will win races. But in his Cup seats in the organization and they of the wind – it left him 12 feet second race? With a new team? That were full last season when it was time away. He narrowly missed. Finau, in seemed unlikely. to move Bell to the big leagues. great position, chipped to 7 feet and Bell defi ed the odds and earned his He was instead loaned to Leavine with his shadow over the cup, hit it fi rst career Cup series victory – in just Family Racing, and although it was too weakly. his second race since Joe Gibbs Racing also a Toyota team, the one-car op- pulled him back into its inner circle – eration wasn’t nearly as strong as the to close out an unpredictable week of Gibbs group. Team owner Joe Gibbs GOLF racing at Daytona International Speed- last summer decided not to renew Erik way. Jones, who said he was blindsided by Michael McDowell was the surprise the move, and instead bring Bell back The victory allowed Homa to crack Daytona 500 winner and then Bell into the fold. the top 50 in the world for the first earned an earlier-than-expected fi rst trip It put the pressure on Bell to deliver time, making him eligible for the to victory lane. It’s just the third time in and he did after a rocky opening a week World Golf Championship next week NASCAR history the fi rst two races of ago. Bell was running at the front of the and get him back to the Masters. the season were won by fi rst-time win- Daytona 500 pack when he gave Aric Burns closed with a 69 and missed ners. It was previously done in 1949 and Almirola too big of a shove and trig- the playoff by one shot. 1950 – NASCAR’s fi rst two seasons. gered a 16-car crash on just the 14th lap Homa and Finau finished at of NASCAR’s fi rst race of the season. Tony Finau hits his second shot out of the bunker on sades area of Los Angeles. (Inset): Max Homa poses 12-under 272 on a Riviera course CAR RACING Bell’s win bookended a statement the 14th hole during a playoff against Max Homa in the with his trophy on the practice green after winning the that was fast, firm and bouncy all weekend for JGR’s young drivers. Ty fi nal round of the Genesis Invitational golf tournament Genesis Invitational golf tournament. (AP) week, and was never more difficult Gibbs, the 18-year-old grandson of at Riviera Country Club on Feb 21, in the Pacifi c Pali- than Saturday in 35 mph that led to More important, Bell and McDow- team owner Joe Gibbs, won the Xfi nity play being halted. ell have snagged coveted berths in the Series race Saturday night in his fi rst In Lakewood Ranch, Florida, 16-driver playoff fi eld, a troubling career national series start. Hayden Buckley won the LECOM trend for mid-pack teams that need all McDowell, meanwhile, backed up Sloppy United stay in 2nd place in EPL 26 regular-season races to point their his Daytona 500 win with a career-best Suncoast Classic for his first Korn way into the championship picture. road course fi nish of eighth. Ferry Tour title, beating Dawson MANCHESTER, England, Feb 22, While United fell well short of those ager Steve Bruce at the stadium he used Race winners earn automatic berths Logano for the second week came Armstrong and Taylor Montgomery and the remaining spots are decided by up empty but without the dramatics of (AP): Manchester United overcame a standards against Newcastle, second- to play left his 17th-place team just with a 10-foot birdie putt on the first sloppy fi rst-half performance to beat half goals from Daniel James and Bruno three points above resurgent Fulham in the points standings. his last-lap crash with teammate Kes- hole of a playoff. “The dynamic has changed dramati- elowski as they raced for the Daytona Newcastle 3-1 and stay in second place Fernandes pushed the team to an impor- the relegation fi ght. The last alternate to get in the cally,” Brad Keselowski said. “We’re 500 win. Logano fi nished second. in the Premier League. tant win after Newcastle winger Allan It was a happy end to a day that field Thursday, Buckley closed with very early in the season and it’s now “I hate being that close,” Logano After United managed just one vic- Saint-Maximin had canceled out Mar- started with United announcing that a 1-under 70 to match Armstrong turned into a points race for those last said. tory in its previous fi ve top-fl ight cus Rashford’s opener at Old Trafford. two members of United’s backroom and Montgomery at 13-under 271 at few spots. If you don’t win, you’re in a Denny Hamlin was third to give matches, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer felt a The result kept United within 10 staff – Nicky Butt and Mark Dempsey Lakewood National in the tour’s lot of trouble because it’s not looking Gibbs two cars in the top three. Kurt 4-0 victory at Real Sociedad in the Eu- points of Manchester City and above – would be joining Solskjaer on the first event since early October. like you’re going to be able to get in Busch fi nished fourth and Keselowski ropa League showed his side had got third-place Leicester on goal differ- bench “due to some of the coaching The 24-year-old former Missouri the playoffs.” wound up fi fth for a decent Team Pen- over its recent slump. ence, while defeat for Newcastle man- staff having to self-isolate.” player earned $108,000 and jumped Bell chased down Joey Logano on ske rebound. from 85th to 27th in the points race the winding Daytona road course to Keselowski and Logano before the for 25 PGA Tour cards. grab his fi rst victory. Logano had a race had their fi rst interaction since the commanding lead but Bell, on fresher Daytona 500 crash – Logano called Armtstrong and Montgomery tires than Logano, reeled him in and it “a healthy conversation” – and the each shot 67. Armstrong bogeyed passed him with just over one lap re- team-mates will now try to move for- the 18th in regulation. maining. ward. Billy Kennerly was a stroke out of “This is one of the highlights of “We’re as good as we can be,” Kes- the playoff after a 71. He played the my life,” Bell said. “I’ve prepared my elowski said. last four holes in 4 over, closing whole life for this moment to race in Kevin Harvick fi nished sixth and double bogey-bogey. the Cup Series.” AJ Allmendinger, in his fi rst Cup race Dan McCarthy (68) and Brent The 26-year-old Oklahoman is a since the 2018 season fi nale, fi nished Grant (70) tied for fifth at 11 under.