TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14 , 2017 SPORTS Lydia Ko happy with coach, caddie, club changes

ADELAIDE: Lydia Ko says it was just a long-time caddie Jason Hamilton with terday“it was a coincidence that it all always a position for you to get better.” more distance off the tee. coincidence that saw her change her another South African, Gary Matthews. happened at the same time.” “I obviously Ko said she was excited about the “With Gary my caddie, this will be coach, caddie and clubs all at the same The LPGA’s top-ranked player, Ko has wasn’t planning to say ‘hey I want to upcoming season. “A lot of things have my third week working with him,” she time last year. Ko will start the new also changed her clubs. change everything up’,” Ko said. “I felt changed but it’s a really exciting time,” said. “We’re still in the process of get- season at the Australian Open in The changes followed the first minor like I needed some change. she said. “I’m confident in the team that I ting to know each other and I think the Adelaide on Thursday surrounded by a slump in Ko’s career. The 19-year-old “Even though I might be the No.1 have changed, equipment-wise too. relationship will hopefully get better as very different team from the one she New Zealander won 14 LPGA titles ranked player in the world, I still feel like “I think it’s more the excitement fac- we go on. “But coach-wise I just wanted ended 2016. between 2012 and 2016 but hasn’t won there’s a lot of aspects of my game that I tor rather than worrying about ‘hey, is to simplify things. I got compliments She had since parted ways with a tournament since July last year, a can improve on. And I think no matter this going to work out or not’.” Ko said from other players with the new swing coach David Leadbetter, hiring South stretch of nine LPGA tournaments. what ranking you are, you have got to she is still using the same ball but felt so I think we’re going down the right African Gary Gilchrist and replaced her But Ko told reporters in Adelaide yes- have that mindset because there is her new clubs have given her a little direction.” —AP Kuwait shooting tourney begins on Thursday

By Abdellatif Sharaa

KUWAIT: The shooting tournament of the Public Authority for Sports, organized by Kuwait Shooting Sport Club will start Thursday and will continue for three days in the skeet, trap and double trap events. Shooters from the club, National Guard and Saad Al-Abdallah Olympic Shooting Academy will participate. Secretary General of Kuwait and Arab Shooting Federations lauded the interest of PAS, let by Director General Sheikh Ahmad Mansour Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah in the shoot- ing sport, and affording all the support the club needs to guarantee success, and encourage shooters to continue their achievements locally, regionally and inter- nationally. Al-Osaimi said the KSSC board of direc- tors works hard to create the necessary environment for good competition in order to reach the outstanding technical levels. The closing ceremony will be held Sunday 19/2 at Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Obeid Al-Osaimi Olympic Shooting Complex at 7 pm.

GOLF ST MOITZ: Gold medalist of arrives on the podium during the flower ceremony after the men’s combined competition at Jordan Spieth breezes to the 2017 World Championships in St Moritz, Switzerland, yesterday. —AP big win at Pebble Beach ALPINE SKIING

PEBBLE BEACH: Jordan Spieth soaked up are the hardest rounds of golf, when you every step of scenery on the 18th hole at have the lead that he had. It was fun to Pebble Beach, one of the prettiest places in watch him do his thing out there.” Aerni edges Hirscher golf and even more spectacular on a Kraft, who closed with a 67, settled for a Sunday when the only work left is to hoist couple of consolation prizes. The $777,600 the crystal trophy. for second place was nearly double his All that was missing from the AT&T earnings from his rookie season last year. for combined gold Pebble Beach Pro-Am were the highlights. He also earned a spot at Riviera next week That’s just how Spieth wanted it. Staked to in the Genesis Open. a six-shot lead, Spieth never gave anyone US Open champion Dustin Johnson ST MORITZ: Unheralded Swiss racer Luca Aerni (1936), (1934) and 2011 — finished sixth in the downhill but failed much of a chance by putting for birdie closed with a 68 to finish alone in third, produced a remarkable slalom run to edge (1932). Flu-hit super-G silver medallist Kjetil to start the slalom. Jansrud’s teammate on all but one hole. The lone highlight enough to have a chance to reach No. 1 defending champion for an Jansrud, flying the flag for Norway in the finished joint fourth was his 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole next week if he were to win. Spieth’s only improbable gold in the men’s alpine combined absence through injury of -a with Italian , 0.34sec off a podium with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, and other birdie was on the par-5 second when at the World Ski Championships yesterday. two-time world combined winner in 2009 and place. — AFP by then it was already over. he two-putted from 12 feet. One day after Aerni, 23, had scraped into the slalom after “Played a lot of boring golf today,” he took only 23 putts on the bumpy greens finishing 30th in the opening downhill-six-hun- Spieth said, “which was exactly what we of Pebble Beach, he didn’t make hard any- dredths of a second slower, equating to 1.68 RUGBY needed.” He closed with a 2-under 70 for a thing, and didn’t look to be trying to make metres, and he would have missed the cut alto- four-shot victory over former US Amateur them from above the hole to avoid putting gether. But his barnstorming slalom down a rap- champion Kelly Kraft, a close friend from himself in a position to drop shots. idly deteriorating course under a fierce sun saw France edges Scotland in Dallas who couldn’t get a putt to fall that No one could put any pressure on him him clock a combined time of 2min 26.33sec, might have put a little pressure on Spieth. over the opening seven holes, which is making up a deficit of 2.61sec on the downhill. hard-fought 6 Nations match As easy and clinical as Spieth made it where rallies begin at Pebble Beach. If there Aerni finished just 0.01sec ahead of Austrian look, it was no less special. “This is a bucket- was a key shot for Spieth, it came on the Hirscher, who was 28th after the downhill. The SAINT-DENIS: France needed two late penal- Scotland is fifth, and Italy is last. England list place to win - here, Augusta National, eighth hole. He tugged his tee shot into the medal hunt of the host nation, dealt an initial ties from flyhalf Camille Lopez to beat leads after its two opening victories. St. Andrews, there’s only a few in the world. wet rough to the left, facing a 210-yard blow when women’s standard bearer Lara Gut Scotland 22-16 in a hard-fought Six Nations It feels really special. It was amazing walk- shot over the ocean and into the breeze to was ruled out with injury, continued as Mauro match on Sunday, after the Scots had clawed PRESSURE ing up the 18th green knowing that we one of the toughest greens at Pebble. It Caviezel took bronze, a further five-hundredths back to draw level heading into the last 10 “It was a bit of a stop-start affair at times, were going to win. It’s just such a unique came out perfectly, 20 feet from the cup for adrift. “I was really nervous in the last 45 minutes minutes. Scotland won its opening game last we couldn’t get rhythm into our attack,” position. I tried to soak in.” another routine par. waiting for everyone to finish,” said Aerni, who weekend against Ireland but still has not won Cotter said. “Credit to the French, they came It was his first 54-hole lead on the PGA “I was very, very excited once that ball was only named to the combined team late in France since 1999. at us and created pressure. The rucks were Tour since the Masters, where he lost a five- landed on the green,” Spieth said. “That was Sunday, beating out Niels Hintermann, winner of Lopez held his nerve to give France a fiercely contested.” shot lead on the back nine. On this day, really avoiding a big number there. That last month’s Wengen combined. “I could only much-needed win after last weekend’s close Lopez slotted a penalty from nearly 40 Spieth thought back to the 2000 US Open could have been a double or triple very, watch and hope as the others came down. I defeat against England, where the French meters out for an early French lead. at Pebble Beach and the way Tiger Woods very easily, if that doesn’t come out the knew my slalom run was good, but with the were beaten by a late try in a 19-16 loss. Scotland hit back through Hogg, who closed out his record 15-shot victory by try- right way. So that was the shot of the day combined you never know what will happen. It “We’re frustrated in terms of how we scored two tries in a 27-22 win over the Irish ing not to drop a shot in the final round. for me.” Spieth became the seventh straight was definitely a long wait until I realised I had played but not with the result,” France coach at Murrayfield last weekend, and expertly Woods didn’t make a bogey over the final PGA Tour winner in his 20s, and he got back the gold medal! “If I’d started 31st, I would have Guy Noves said. “Last time we lost because of took his opportunity after a gritty opening 15 26 holes in severe conditions. On a course into the hunt for No. 1. He had fallen far had no chance.” Aerni was the least favoured of a a lack of character but this time the last quar- minutes. Following a long spell of pressure, saturated by rain, Spieth played the final 28 enough behind that even by beating a Swiss quartet that also included and ter of an hour went in our favor.” Hogg collected a short pass from center Huw holes without a bogey. His longest par putt strong field at Pebble Beach, it will not Justin Murisier, the latter seemingly best placed Scotland’s tries came from star fullback Jones and then stood up scrumhalf Baptiste Sunday was 5 feet. move him from No. 6. Jason Day, the world after the downhill at just 1.18sec. in the first half - his third of the Serin for a try in the right corner. Scrumhalf “That’s a dream round when you’re lead- No. 1, bounced back from his 75 on But Aerni, who has not even made a podium tournament - and lock Tim Swinson’s effort ’s conversion attempt from the ing by a bunch,” Spieth said. The 23-year- Saturday with a 67 to tie for fifth with Gary in four seasons on the World Cup circuit, bene- after the break. Neither was converted, with touchline hit the bar. Soon after, Lopez’s old Texan won for the ninth time in his PGA Woodland (65) and Torrey Pines winner Jon fited from being first out of the gate for a sim- flyhalf failing to kick the extras penalty made it 6-5. Then, Scotland’s chances Tour and became the first player since Rahm (68). ply set slalom course with the snow melting from in front of the posts after Swinson’s try. were dealt a blow when Laidlaw went off Woods with that many victories before Spieth has four top 10s in his four starts under bright sun on the Suvretta slope. Center Gael Fickou finished off a good with a knock to his ankle after 25 minutes turning 24. Woods won 15 times. Equally this year and already appears to be peaking Murisier eventually finished sixth, one place French move in the first half and his convert- and was replaced by Ali Price. “(It’s difficult) impressive is that Spieth won for the fifth as the Masters gets closer. He has shot ahead of Janka as the Swiss quartet packed into ed try opened up a 13-5 lead. when you lose your captain and playmaker,” time by at least three shots. under par in all 16 rounds he has played the top seven in another impressive day of ski- But sloppy mistakes that allowed the Cotter said. “We’ll see how bad it is.” “He didn’t have his best stuff, but he did this year, 17 in a row dating to the Tour ing for the host nation. Scots back into the game. However, following After Laidlaw hobbled off, France moved exactly what he was supposed to do and Championship last fall. The only disap- Lopez’s two penalties, a converted try in the further ahead. The French drove forward played a great round of golf,” said Brandt pointment for Spieth was not winning the HIRSCHER SILVER, ‘PINTU’ 10TH last four minutes proved too much a task for relentlessly, stretching the Scottish line, and Snedeker, a two-time Pebble winner who pro-am with country singer Jake Owen. Hirscher, seeking a sixth consecutive World Scotland. ’s side picked up a after several phases the ball was moved wide played in the final group with Spieth and They tied for third, four shots behind Ken Cup overall title, finished the opening downhill defensive bonus point, moving it level on five to Fickou, who darted into the right corner shot 70 to finish fourth. “Sometimes those Duke and Carson Daly. —AP 2.30sec behind teammate Romed Baumann’s points with France. France is in fourth place, for a converted try.—AP winning time of 1min 39.25sec, but importantly 0.84sec off France’s , the man seen as most likely to snatch his world crown. “After two days lying in bed I’m impressed that I made the podium in the combined. The sil- ver medal is not too bad,” said Hirscher, who had been suffering ‘flu-like symptoms. “The downhill was a very big challenge for slalom skiers, but it’s fun to do the jumps and to learn a bit about yourself. “I knew conditions would play to our hand as the snow was already very soft for us. The slope is south-facing and there’s pure sunshine on these conditions and it’s not easy.” Hirscher, whose victory in 2015 mirrored that of Aerni’s in that he too finished 30th in the downhill, added: “It was just the same as in Vail/Beaver Creek. It was a good decision to start first!” “Pintu”, the winner of four World Cup com- bined crystal globes, had 1.46sec to make up on Baumann, but botched his slalom, petulantly dubbing conditions “a joke”, and eventually end- ed up 10th, 0.86sec off the pace to leave France still without a medal in St Moritz. Aerni’s gold, however, was Switzerland’s third of the world champs after (women’s combined) and (men’s SAINT-DENIS: Scotland’s Tim Swinson scores a try as France’s Camille Lopez looks on dur- CALIFORNIA: Jordan Spieth poses with his trophy on the 18th green of the Pebble downhill). He becomes the sixth Swiss winner of ing the Six Nations international rugby match between France and Scotland at the Stade Beach Golf Links after winning the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tourna- the combined after (2007), de France stadium in Saint-Denis, outside Paris, Sunday. — AP ment Sunday, in Pebble Beach, Calif. —AP (1985), Rudolf Rominger