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TUESDAY, JULY 12, 2016 SPORTS Griezmann named best Montgomerie to hit first West Ham sign Turkey player of Euro 2016 shot at 145th British Open winger Tore on loan PARIS: UEFA yesterday named French forward and tournament top scorer Antoine TROON: Colin Montgomerie, an honorary member of Royal LONDON: Winger Gokhan Tore has joined West Ham United from Turkish Griezmann as the best player of Euro 2016, a day after the hosts’ 1-0 final defeat to Troon who knows the links course inside out, has been granted champions Besiktas on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent Portugal. “Antoine Griezmann was a threat in every game he played. He works hard the honour of hitting the first shot at the 145th British Open move, the English Premier League side said yesterday. The 24-year-old, for his team and possesses technique, vision and quality finishing,” said UEFA chief there on Thursday. The 53-year-old Scot, who had to pre-qualify who worked under West Ham manager Slaven Bilic at Besiktas, scored technical officer Ioan Lupescu, who led the panel that picked the striker. for the third major championship of the year, will tee off at 0635 four goals in 24 appearances last season. “I am very happy Alex Ferguson, the former Manchester United manager, was among local time in the opening round after being paired in Monday’s to be at West Ham. I watched many games that they UEFA’s 13-strong panel of technical observers. Atletico Madrid man draw with Australian Marc Leishman and England’s Luke Griezmann, 25, for whom Sunday’s defeat was a second major final played last season and saw how passionate the fans Donald. Eight-times European number one Montgomerie, are. That made me want to come here and I am look- loss in a month after the loss to arch-rivals Real Madrid in the renowned as one of the finest golfers never to win a major on Champions League, also won the Golden Boot award for his six ing forward to playing in front of them,” Tore told the the main tour, is playing at the Open for the first time in six club’s website (www.whufc.com). “Slaven was also a goals. He also had two assists in France’s run to the final, but had a years. World number one Jason Day launches his campaign at rare off-night in front of goal on Sunday and was unable to haul the big factor in me coming here... He is the main man and 0925 alongside American Rickie Fowler and England’s Danny hosts to victory. Griezmann and midfield schemer Dimitri knows me very well. I could not have said no to him. He Payet were included in the UEFA team of the tournament Willett, the US Masters champion. Second-ranked Dustin is the best manager I have worked under and he is named Monday, as was Portugal skipper Cristiano Johnson, the hottest player in the game after winning last like a father to the players. You feel like you Ronaldo, who was stretchered off injured and in tears month’s US Open and the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio are family.” West Ham, who finished seventh after a crunching tackle by Payet. Portugal defen- eight days ago, tees off at 1404 with German Martin Kaymer in the league last season, travel to Stamford sive lynchpin Pepe was also included, along with and Russell Knox of Scotland. Third-ranked Jordan Spieth will Bridge to face London rivals Chelsea for fellow Portuguese goalkeeper Rui Patricio and have England’s Justin Rose and Shane Lowry of Ireland for com- their first game of the new league cam- Raphael Guerreiro. — AFP pany when he starts at 0903 on Thursday. —Reuters paign on Aug. 15. —Reuters Ko misses history as US Open bid unravels CALIFORNIA: World number one Lydia Ko first day, and even to be leading after three was seemingly well placed to carve out days, I think, was a good performance,” she another slice of golfing history at the US said, initially referring to her opening 73. Women’s Open on Sunday until she stun- “So I’m proud of the way I played. And ningly dropped five shots in seven holes this is the best finish I’ve had at the US around the turn. Open.” From leading the championship by two Ko became at 18 the youngest woman strokes with 12 holes to play, the 19-year- to win a major with her six-shot victory in old South Korean-born New Zealander last year’s Evian Championship in France. In found herself trying to play catch-up on a April, she became the youngest to have challenging layout with little margin for two grand slam trophies in her cabinet error at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin, when she birdied the par-five 18th to clinch California. the ANA Inspiration by one stroke in Ko is renowned for the best wedge California. game on the LPGA Tour and remarkable At CordeValle, she was one ahead of the composure for one so young but the holes chasing pack after 54 holes and extended steadily ran out for her as she slipped back that advantage to two before her round into a tie for third after closing with a three- unravelled with bogeys at the eighth, 12th over-par 75. and 14th, and a damaging double-bogey at Had she triumphed on Sunday, Ko the ninth. would have become the youngest golfer to “I played really solid for the first seven win three major titles, eclipsing the long- holes, couldn’t get some putts rolling, but established mark set by Young Tom Morris just to be one-under through seven, I was when he clinched the 1870 British Open in a good position,” said Ko. aged 19 years and four months. “I made kind of a dumb bogey on eight “Unfortunately, I am not the one hold- and found some trouble on nine, and that ing the trophy, but I feel proud of the way I kind of took me off a little bit. “But I tried to played,” Ko told reporters after finishing at have a positive mindset. There were still four-under 284, just two shots behind play- nine more holes to go, and you just never off winner Brittany Lang. know what (might have) happened. I just “I wasn’t in any good position after the try to put a smile on my face.” — Reuters SAN MARTIN: Brittany Lang poses with the trophy on the 18th green after defeating Anna Nordqvist of Sweden in a three hole playoff to win Outsiders bidding for the US Women’s Open at CordeValle Golf Club on Sunday in San Martin, California. — AFP British Open title Lang wins US Women’s TROON: A look at a few of the dark hors- majors. The South African romped to a es hoping to surprise the favourites and stunning victory at St Andrews in 2010, Open in dramatic playoff win the 2016 British Open, which gets and came agonisingly close to repeating underway at Royal Troon on Thursday: the trick 12 months ago, only to lose to Zach Johnson in a play-off. The South SAN MARTIN: Eleven years after finishing run- Both players made pars on the first hole of Lang took sole possession of the lead when HENRIK STENSON (SWE) African has had a solid season so far, with ner-up as an amateur in her first US Women’s the playoff, which was played on the final three she perfectly read a putt from more than 20 feet Age - 40 his one win coming in the Perth Open, Brittany Lang won her first major title - holes of the course. Then things got interesting that broke slightly right before going in the hole World ranking - 6 International. He also showed his class in with help from a playoff penalty against Anna on the next hole after Nordqvist hit her tee shot to move her to 7-under, with Nordqvist in the Best British Open - Second in 2013 a run to the WGC Matchplay final, which Nordqvist. into a fairway bunker. clubhouse at 6-under after making an eagle on Stenson has been known as one of he lost to world number one Jason Day. Lang made par on all three holes of the While preparing to hit the shot, the Swede’s the par-5 15th. the best players to have never won a aggregate playoff and Nordqvist was given a club barely touched the sand. She did not realize But Lang followed that up with her first three- major title for many years now, and at 40 BRANDT SNEDEKER (USA) two-stroke penalty for touching the sand with it and both players made par on the hole, head- putt of the week when she just missed a par he may be starting to run out of time. Age - 35 her club in a fairway bunker on the second playing to the final playoff hole seemingly tied. from about 5 feet, leading to groans from the The Claret Jug is the major trophy he has World ranking - 23 off hole Sunday, helping deliver Lang the title. crowd. She followed with a two-putt for birdie come closest to winning, when he was Best British Open - Tied for third in The players were not told of the penalty until PENALTY on the par-5 18th, setting the stage for the play- runner-up to Phil Mickelson at Muirfield 2012 they were in the middle of playing the final hole But television replays showed the infraction off.

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