CHINA DAILY | HONG KONG EDITION Wednesday, April 8, 2020 | 19 SPORTS

GOLF BASKETBALL A­list imports in shutdown limbo

Americans Lin, Jeter embracing challenges but compatriot Young left ruing quarantine row

By SUN XIAOCHEN [email protected] So much has happened With an expected mid­April restart now delayed amid the coronavirus crisis, the Chi­ over the past two months nese Basketball Association has put its sea­ since I left Beijing last time. son­salvaging effort on hold to leave players and teams stuck in limbo. I spent the 14 days in After recalling some foreign players and isolation reading, thinking, reassembling teams at training camps, the CBA has had to abruptly hit the pause but­ reflecting and praying. ton on its resumption plans for the 2019­20 Nobody should take life for season as the government resists the temp­ tation to ease restrictions on mass gather­ granted. We will hang on ings. together and it’s time to Ireland's Shane Lowry kisses the Claret Jug trophy after winning the British Open at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland The pushback has caught a group of A­list on July 21 last year. The organizers of the major, The Royal & Ancient, announced on Monday that they have decided to imports in a dilemma. Just as the pandemic restart.” cancel this year’s event, which had been scheduled for Royal St George’s in southeast England, due to the COVID­19 was accelerating globally, the likes of ex­NBA Jeremy Lin, pandemic. The championship will next be played at the same venue in July 2021. AP stars Jeremy Lin, Pooh Jeter and Joe Young American Beijing Ducks guard had rushed back to China only to realize the wait for the next opening buzzer to sound former Sacramento Kings guard. would go on. “It will definitely be exciting to play again. I Lin, an American guard who plays for know China. And China definitely wanted to Major reshuffle in bid to salvage season three­time CBA champion the Beijing Ducks, show it did things the right way. And once we has been a regular on Weibo to convey his play, it would be some type of history, espe­ By CHINA DAILY “We want to emphasize that our future Open moves to the week of Dec 7 at Cham­ excitement at rejoining teammates at the cially being part of an organization and plans are incumbent upon favorable pions Golf Club in Houston, Texas. Ducks’ west Beijing training facility after fin­ league that’s continuing to play.” Golf’s top global governing bodies have counsel and direction from health Perhaps the most drastic move is the ishing a two­week quarantine on Friday. Staying in a hotel room for two weeks with announced a revised calendar of events in officials.” complete cancellation of July’s British “Now I am back home (on the basketball three meals delivered, temperatures regularly the hope of salvaging the currently sus­ The PGA Championship, originally Open for the first time since 1945. The court),” Lin wrote in Chinese in a Weibo post checked and snacks prepared, Jeter said the pended season, with the Masters, PGA scheduled for May 11­17, is now slated to R&A said the decision was taken “based accompanied by photos of him practicing biggest challenge during the quarantine was Championship and US Open all post­ take place Aug 3­9 and will remain at TPC on guidance from the UK government, shots on Friday. to maintain his workout routines with little or poned and the British Open canceled Harding Park in San Francisco, California. the health authorities, public services and “So much has happened over the past two no gym equipment. completely. The PGA Tour has tentatively planned The R&A’s advisers”. months since I left Beijing last time. I spent Recalling the moment his quarantine end­ However, it’s still to be determined to complete its FedEx Cup season close to This year’s event was due to be played at the 14 days in isolation reading, thinking, ed after retesting negative for the virus, the when — or even if — golf can resume schedule, with the Tour Championship Royal St George’s in southeast England, reflecting and praying. Nobody should take 36­year­old wrote in the diary: “You know because of the COVID­19 pandemic that finishing on Sept 7. It also is contemplat­ with R&A chief executive Martin Slum­ life for granted. We will hang on together that feeling a dog has in the car, when it keeps has shut down sports worldwide. ing putting tournaments in dates that bers confirming that the 149th British and it’s time to restart,” Lin said in an earlier sticking its tongue out the window? That was Emphasizing that the health and safety previously belonged to the US Open, Brit­ Open will now be played at the same Kent post. me. LOL.” of participants remain top priorities, ish Open and Olympics. course next year, with St Andrews in Scot­ Lin, a hugely popular figure here largely However, not everyone has coped as well Augusta National Golf Club, the Europe­ “It’s a complex situation, and we want land to host the 2022 edition. due to his Chinese heritage, is averaging 24.2 with the physical and emotional challenges of an Tour, LPGA, PGA of America, PGA to balance the commitments to our vari­ “This is the first time since the World points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists for the being isolated from friends and families. Tour, the Royal & Ancient and United ous partners with playing opportunities War II that golf’s original championship, Ducks as the franchise looks to secure a play­ Nanjing Monkey Kings’ American guard States Golf Association on Monday for our members — while providing com­ first played in 1860, has been canceled,” off spot in the 20­team league with 16 games Young, who was selected by the Indian Pacers issued a joint statement detailing the pelling competition to our fans,” PGA said Slumbers, who added that the deci­ remaining. as the 43rd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, pro­ changes. Tour commissioner Jay Monahan said. sion had been made with “a heavy heart”. According to industry analyst Lanxiong voked a backlash on Chinese social media as “In recent weeks, the global golf com­ “But all of that must be done while navi­ “I can assure everyone that we have Sport, 21 of the league’s 46 foreign players and fans branded him arrogant after he got munity has come together to collectively gating the unprecedented global crisis explored every option for playing The coaches had made it back to China before the involved in a quarrel with staff at the hotel put forward a calendar of events that will, that is impacting every single one of us.” Open this year but it is not going to be pos­ country imposed a temporary entry ban on where he was quarantined. we hope, serve to entertain and inspire The PGA reconfirmed the Ryder Cup sible,” Slumbers said. foreign nationals on March 28 to control According to a Chinese media report, the golf fans around the world,” said the remains as originally scheduled, Sept Irishman Shane Lowry gets to keep the imported infections. 27­year­old native of Houston, Texas, and a statement. 22­27, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Claret Jug longer than anyone since Dick Fujian SBS point guard Jeter is another friend of his demanded that hotel staff bring “We are grateful to our respective part­ Wisconsin. Burton, who won in 1939 at St Andrews in who has returned to China with a positive them take­out food in between meals at about ners, sponsors and players, who have Gian Paolo Montali, the general direct­ the last British Open before World War II. mindset despite ongoing uncertainties. 3am on March 30, a time when all services were allowed us to make decisions — some of or for the 2022 Ryder Cup, said on Italian “You can trust me when I say the Claret The Los Angeles native, who has played for supposed to be unavailable. them, very tough decisions — in order to radio on Monday that officials faced a Jug is going to be in safe hands for anoth­ various CBA teams over the past eight years, It has been alleged the pair threatened to move the game and the industry forward.” May deadline to postpone the Ryder Cup er year,” Lowry said in a video tweet. finished his mandatory quarantine on the break out of the quarantine and fetch the food Augusta National in Georgia hopes to back to odd­numbered years (as it was same day Lin did. themselves. stage the Masters, originally scheduled before the matches were postponed by Summary of revised schedule: Jeter revealed in his online diary that Young later apologized in a video posted on for April 6­12, from Nov 9­15, with the US the Sept 11 terror attacks). He also said — Aug 6­9: PGA Championship league executives and club representatives the Monkey Kings’ official Weibo account and Open, previously scheduled for June 15­21 players have already vetoed a Ryder Cup — Aug 13­16: End of PGA Tour regular sea­ will meet later this month to discuss alterna­ pledged to abide by China’s strict coronavirus at Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New without its raucous fans. son at Wyndham Championship tive solutions for the CBA’s pending restart. quarantine rules following the “misunder­ York, rescheduled for Sept 14­20 at the The European Tour is still working on — Aug 20­23: Start of FedEx Cup playoffs “I know they’re having a meeting on April standing”. same venue. its schedule “due to the many complexi­ at The Northern Trust 20 to discuss the future of everything, but as “In the future we (will) strictly abide by the Augusta National chairman Fred ties involved” and “will make further — Aug 27­30: BMW Championship, sec­ of right now, we’re starting in May,” he wrote Chinese epidemic prevention regulation rules Ridley stressed the Masters identified announcements on these in due course”. ond playoff event in the diary published on slamonline.com on and will improve our words and our deeds,” November as “intended dates”. The first two women’s majors of the — Sept 4­7: Tour Championship for the Sunday. he said. “We hope the anticipation of staging year have been rescheduled. The ANA FedEx Cup “I feel like we need this month to get back “We will not cause any trouble with the peo­ the Masters in the fall brings a moment of Inspiration moves to the week of Sept 7 at — Sept 17­20: US Open at Winged Foot into that game type of shape. If we do start the ple around us and cause any misunderstand­ joy to the Augusta community and all Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho — Sept 25­27: Ryder Cup at Whistling season, it’ll be great. But I’m not going to look ings. I love China, I love Nanjing and this is those who love the sport,” Ridley said. Mirage, California; and the US Women’s Straits at this like a waste of time if we don’t,” said the the truth.”

Digest

ATHLETICS brating successful jumps in an exu­ China’s next World Cup qualifier will clubs came during a 10­month spell toilet­paper roll. “It was a real honor OLYMPICS Twerking high jumper berant fashion, twerking and be staged. with Real in 1991­92. and privilege to be a part of some­ Phelps in mental health Zhang calls it a day striking poses, before sprinting thing beyond my imagination,” said plea amid Tokyo delay towards spectators. La Liga legend Antic ATHLETICS Wardian. China’s world Olympic silver medalist dies after long illness 63­hour runner picks great Michael SOCCER up toilet­paper prize BASEBALL high jumper China’s ‘big family’ Serbian coach MLB considers playing Phelps has Zhang Guowei, Radomir Antic, American Michael Wardian was voiced his con­ renowned for ends training stint the only person the last runner standing in the all games in Arizona cerns over the his flamboyant Naturalized striker Ai Kesen said to manage ‘Quarantine Backyard Ultra’ on Putting all 30 teams in the Phoe­ negative impact twerking cele­ China’s men’s team has been like “a Atletico Madrid, Tuesday as the endurance athlete nix area and playing in empty ball­ on athletes’ brations, has Zhang Guowei big family” amid weeks of disrupted Real Madrid took the title after completing 422 parks was among the ideas mental health of Michael Phelps stunned fans by training during the ongoing COVID­ and Barcelona, kilometers in 63 hours. discussed on Monday by Major the Tokyo announcing his 19 pandemic. died on Monday Radomir Antic With sports events around the League Baseball and the players’ Games post­ retirement aged 28. After returning from a training at the age of 71 world canceled or postponed due to association. ponement prompted by the corona­ The colorful Zhang won silver at stint in Dubai on March 23, Team following a long the COVID­19 pandemic, the event The sides held a conference call to virus pandemic. the 2015 Beijing world champion­ China observed a mandatory two­ illness. saw participants running 6.7 km talk about paths forward for a sea­ “You go through something for ships and also competed at the Lon­ week quarantine in Sanya, Hainan “The Atletico de Madrid family is every hour with the last person son delayed by the coronavirus pan­ four years and we kind of know don 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics. province, which ended on Monday. mourning the passing of Radomir standing declared the winner. demic, people familiar with the exactly when it’s going to come and “I’m sorry, I really can’t jump any­ “Today we ended a training camp Antic, one of our legendary coaches. Participants had the option of discussion told Associated Press. our bodies are ready for it, then we more, I’ve decided to retire,” Zhang for the national team. The past sev­ You will forever live in our hearts. running indoors on a treadmill or They spoke on condition of anonym­ have to wait,” the retired swimmer, told his 3.4 million followers on Wei­ eral months have been very hard for Rest in peace,” the club tweeted. on an outdoors course and were ity because no details were who won 28 Olympic medals, told bo on Sunday. all of China,” Brazil­born Ai Kesen, Spanish sports daily Marca said linked via the video­conferencing announced. NBC in an interview on Monday. Zhang’s form and fitness tailed off aka Elkeson, wrote on his Weibo Antic had been suffering from a seri­ app Zoom throughout. Ideas are still in the early stage, The 34­year­old American urged after his 2015 triumph and his sea­ account on Monday. ous illness for a long time. The race began on April 4 and and the Arizona option would have athletes to use the downtime as an son’s best performance of 2.28 “We have been staying united like Antic, who first moved to Spain as came down to a battle between Vir­ many obstacles to overcome, the opportunity to further hone their meters, set in Italy’s Siena in Februa­ a big family, and finished the train­ a player with Real Zaragoza in 1978, ginia­based Wardian, who was run­ sources said. skills. ry, was some way short of the Tokyo ing well during this difficult period. managed Atletico across three dif­ ning outdoors, and Czech Republic’s Half of MLB clubs hold spring Phelps added that he had enor­ Olympics qualifying standard of Now we can go home safely after ferent spells between 1995 and 2000 Radek Brunner on his treadmill for training in Arizona, the other half in mous empathy for athletes grap­ 2.33m. getting through a 14­day quarantine, and led the club to a league and cup the final 15 hours. Florida. pling with the delay, with the The 2020 Tokyo Games were last and go on training at our clubs.” double in his first season. Wardian prevailed after Brunner Arizona’s advantage is 10 spring Olympics now scheduled to be held week switched to the summer of None of the 25­player squad test­ He also coached Barcelona during failed to start the 63rd loop when training ballparks plus the Arizona from July 23­Aug 8 2021, and said it 2021 because of the coronavirus ed positive for COVID­19 in Sanya. the second part of the 2002­03 cam­ the hourly buzzer sounded. Diamondbacks’ Chase Field all with­ was imperative they were “taking pandemic. The Chinese Super League remains paign after replacing the fired Louis Wardian’s reward was what the in about 50 miles. Florida’s spring care of their mental health”. Zhang had many fans in China suspended indefinitely while it van Gaal. organizers described as the “world’s training ballparks are spread by as because of his quirky character, cele­ remains unclear when and where His first stint at one of Spain’s big most coveted prize” — a golden much as 220 miles. XINHUA — AGENCIES