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MONDAY, APRIL 3, 2017 SPORTS Matsuyama eager to deliver Augusta joy to Japan TOKYO: During a normal week on the “Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to report World Challenge to begin the 2016-17 a strong rapport with the Masters, finish- “Look at his swing, look at his game PGA Tour, Hideki Matsuyama might find back to (the media) every day,” campaign, Matsuyama has since fought ing fifth in 2015 and tying for seventh and look at the body that he has. It’s himself shadowed by five-to-10 Matsuyama told Reuters through a his game and hardly factored over the last year. It is his exceptional ball-striking built for a workload and it’s built to han- Japanese media outlets tracking his translator last month at the Arnold last month and a half. “My preparation ability that translates well at Augusta, dle the test of time.” Matsuyama’s most every swing like unofficial scorekeepers. Palmer Invitational where he was (for the Masters) is going slowly,” and any venue for that matter. stern test, though, has always come on But the US Masters is no more ordi- flanked by reporters after an uneventful Matsuyama said. “I’m not quite where I And when Matsuyama is at his best the putting green which is the only nary a week than world number four second round. want to be yet but I’m working toward he can dissect a golf course with place he can appear powerless. Matsuyama is a player, so Augusta “But we’re all family. I’m grateful it.” With four PGA Tour wins and eight on machine-like precision while flashing his Augusta National’s undulating greens National will be swarmed with Japanese they’re here. They are doing their job the Japan Golf Tour, Matsuyama has signature move - a backswing featuring are the course’s greatest defense, and coverage documenting golf’s best hope and I’m doing mine.” Matsuyama is long seemed destined to realize a major a pronounced pause before transition- one Matsuyama knows he must solve if of a first ever Asian-born winner at steadily improving at his craft, but golf- victory. He won the 2010 Asian amateur ing forward with effortless strength. he wishes to challenge for a Green Augusta. The expectations are a lot to ing form, like his anonymity on the championship to earn his place at “He’s going to be one of the top guys Jacket. “Augusta National is so demand- shoulder, even for the sturdy ones of 25- course, can be elusive. Augusta National in 2011 where he fin- to beat for a very long time,” Woods said ing on and around the greens,” year-old Matsuyama who has reluctantly After earning two wins along with an ished in a tie for 27th in his Masters after watching Matsuyama dominate his Matsuyama said. “That’s where I’m going learned to live with the attention. unofficial victory at Tiger Woods’ Hero debut. Matsuyama has since developed tournament in December. to put a lot of work in.” —Reuters GOLF Soggy Augusta boosts McIlroy’s bid for elusive Green Jacket LONDON: Rory McIlroy’s bid for an elusive years. McIlroy tied for eighth place in 2014 first US Masters title and the grand slam of and shot a closing 66 to finish fourth in golf’s major championships has received an 2015, six shots behind champion Jordan unexpected boost from the long-range Spieth. Twelve months ago he rebounded weather forecast. from an ugly third-round 77 to close with a Heavy rain and storms are predicted to solid 71 which earned him a share of 10th, batter the Augusta National course, hand- again six strokes adrift of the winner, Danny ing a potential advantage to the Northern Willett. Although McIlroy’s preparations for Irishman whose four major titles have all the Masters have been hampered by a six- come at tournaments afflicted by adverse week injury layoff, he has finished second, weather conditions. seventh and fourth in his three strokeplay McIlroy, the world number two, is long events this year. overdue a Masters triumph on a course He suffered an early exit from the WGC- perfectly suited to his long driving and cre- Dell Match Play in Texas last week, provid- ative shot-making. ing the opportunity to travel to Augusta Six years ago, the 27-year-old took a early to get in some practice rounds. four-shot advantage into the final round “It’s giving me a chance to prepare a lit- and shot 37 on the front nine to hold on to tle bit better,” McIlroy told reporters. the lead. But he made triple-bogey on the “I feel like I’ve worked a lot on my short 10th hole and four-putted for a double- game. If anything I feel like that part of my bogey on the 12th en route to a final-round game is as sharp as it has been ever going 80 that left him 10 strokes behind champi- into Augusta, so that’s a good thing.” on Charl Schwartzel in a tie for 15th place. McIlroy has played only 10 competitive The experience hardly scarred McIlroy. A rounds since returning to action following few weeks later he surged to his maiden his rib injury. “Right now I can’t see a down- major title with an eight-stroke victory in side to not having played as much as I the US Open at a rain-sodden Bethesda, planned to. I feel really healthy. And fresh- Maryland. McIlroy won the 2012 US PGA ness could help, especially mentally. Championship and took that title again in Mentally, going in there and not being 2014 two months after claiming his first drained is a good thing as well.” OUDENAARDE: (From L) Second-placed Belgium’s Greg Van Avermaet of BMC Racing Team, winner Belgium’s Philippe Gilbert of Quick-Step Floors British Open triumph at Royal Liverpool. A glance at the weather forecast and third-placed Netherlands’ Niki Terpstra of Quick-Step Floors pose on the podium after the 101st edition of the ‘Ronde van Vlaanderen - Tour But the former world number one has nev- should lift McIlroy’s confidence even fur- des Flandres - Tour of Flanders’ one day cycling race, 260km from Antwerp to Oudenaarde, yesterday. — AFP er conquered Augusta. ther and with the Augusta greens unlikely Moderate performances came in 2012 to be as lightning quick as usual he will CYCLING and 2013, when he finished 40th and 25th, fancy his chances of donning the Green before top-10 finishes in the past three Jacket at last. —Reuters Gilbert finally wins Tour of Flanders OUDENAARDE: Belgian champion Philippe catching Gilbert and their crash left the Belgian Gilbert was tiring but with only two men Gilbert carried his bike over the line above his free to ride to victory. Van Avermaet did manage working behind to try to catch him, the gap was head as he won the prestigious Tour of Flanders to climb back on his bike and form a chase trio too much to close. Van Avermaet took the sprint for the first time yesterday with a remarkable with Dylan Van Baarle and Terpstra, who was finish for second leaving him to wonder what solo breakaway. merely sitting in behind the other two chasers. might have been without his crash. — AFP Gilbert, 34, attacked alone with 55km of the 261km race to go and held on to win as world champion Peter Sagan and Olympic gold medal- BADMINTON list Greg Van Avermaet crashed 17km from the end of the cobbled classic. Van Avermaet, the in- form rider this spring, picked himself up to take Sindhu beats Marin to lift second place ahead of Gilbert’s Quick Step Floors team-mate Niki Terpstra but the crash with Sagan and Oliver Naesen potentially India Open badminton title robbed the race of a grandstand finish. Instead, Gilbert’s audacious solo breakaway NEW DELHI: India’s PV Sindhu defeated top second game and maintained a five-point paid dividends. Victory in Flanders added to the seed Carolina Marin of Spain in straight lead at 15-10. She locked the game at 21-16 2012 world champion’s impressive resume that games to win the final match of the India to lift the title. Open badminton tournament in New Delhi The maiden title win helped the Indian Rory McIlroy includes stage wins at all three Grand Tours and victories in two other ‘Monument’ races-Liege- yesterday. Third seed Sindhu beat the shuttler narrow down her head-to-head Bastogne-Liege and the Giro di Lombardia. Spaniard 21-19, 21-16 in a match that lasted record against the Olympian Spaniard to 4-5. Thompson takes 2-shot lead to Gilbert has also won major one-day classics 46 minutes at the Siri Fort Sports Complex. Sindhu had last defeated Marin in the BWF including Amstel Gold, Fleche Wallonne and The 21-year-old Olympic silver medallist took Super Series in Dubai last year. final round of ANA Inspiration Clasica de San Sebastian, but this victory tops an early lead in the match and continued to She won her semi-final clash against sec- the lot. It was his seventh participation at dominate the game throughout in front of a ond-seeded Sung Ji Hyun of South Korea on Flanders and first for five years having previously cheering home crowd. Saturday. In the men’s singles final, Viktor RANCHO MIRAGE: One day after Lexi we’re used to, but it’s a major week,” Sindhu took a crucial 5-1 lead in the first Axelsen of Denmark clinched the title beat- Thompson couldn’t even tee off until short- Thompson said.