ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2021 SPORTS 14 Purdy out of PGA Tour event with positive COVID-19 test Westwood, still without a major, reaches unwanted milestone SANDWICH, England, July 14, (AP): The unwanted milestone Lee Westwood has been creeping toward is fi nally here. The British Open at Royal St. Vince helps England clinch George’s will be Westwood’s 88th major championship, and no other player has competed in that many without winning one. That’s painful, right? Apparently not. “That’s nice, that record,” he said series sweep over Pakistan Wednesday. “It shows I’ve been a good player for a long, long time.” So, it was put to Westwood, a former top-ranked player, a 27-time Poms beat tourists by 3 wickets winner across the European and PGA Tours, and the reigning three- BIRMINGHAM, England, time European No. 1: How does it July 14, (AP): James Vince feel to be described as the best player never to win a major? posted his maiden inter- “Another accolade,” he said, in a national century to help matter-of-fact way. “Yeah, I love it.” England’s Lee Westwood plays Glib? Maybe. Sarcastic? For sure. his tee shot from the 1st tee dur- England to a three-wicket ing a practice round for the British win over a Pakistan and a He’s long mastered that. Open Golf Championship at Royal Yet there might be a hint of truth St George’s golf course Sandwich, sweep of the three-match behind it all, highlighting the men- England, on July 14. (AP) one-day international se- tal toughness and thick skin the ries. 48-year-old Englishman has had to Vince scored 102 from 95 balls develop over the years after so many Sharks ink Korenar as a depleted England lineup heartaches on golf’s biggest stage. chased down 332 at Edgbaston After all, he has been in the top Ducks re-sign Carrick with two overs to spare. 10 on 19 occasions in majors and, Pakistan captain Babar Azam more pertinently, has nine top-three brothers and Lettieri scored 158 as his team tallied 331-9 fi nishes — eight of them coming in a fi ve-year period (2008-13) during after being sent in to bat by England. ANAHEIM, Calif., July 14, (AP): Most of England’s fi rst-choice which he became world No. 1. Yet still Westwood comes back The Anaheim Ducks have re-signed ODI lineup had to isolate after a brothers Sam and Trevor Carrick and COVID-19 outbreak just over a for more. And, make no mistake, he’s still in the conversation for the right wing Vinni Lettieri to one-year week ago following the Sri Lanka contract extensions. series, giving 30-year-old Vince title, even approaching 50. “I think when you get to our age,” The Ducks announced the moves. another chance in the international Sam Carrick got a one-way contract, arena. he said, “we maybe don’t treat it as seriously as we once did, and it’s while Lettieri and Trevor Carrick will “I hadn’t given up on this moment, be on two-way contracts. but this time last week I didn’t ex- easy to play golf when you’re a little bit more fl ippant about it and see it Sam Carrick scored an NHL ca- pect it at all,” Vince said. ”I wasn’t reer-high six points in his 13 games sure it was going to come. There was for what it is — getting a small ball in a small hole.” with the Ducks last season. The probably a realization I wasn’t going 29-year-old center has appeared in 47 to be in the squad or be high up in NHL games with Anaheim and To- the pecking order, so I was delighted GOLF ronto, but has spent most of his pro I got another opportunity.” career in the AHL. He is the career That almost carefree approach is scoring leader for the Ducks’ top af- CRICKET serving him well. In December, he fi liate in San Diego. fi nished the 2020 season as the Race ❑ ❑ ❑ Vince said scoring a hundred for to Dubai champion — formerly The San Jose Sharks have signed his country “was one of my dreams known as the winner of the Order goaltender Josef Korenar to a one- growing up.” It took until his 50th of Merit — for the third time in his year contract. innings across all formats in inter- career and 20 years after the fi rst. San Jose, which has missed the national cricket to reach the century His victory in Abu Dhabi last year playoffs the past two seasons, an- milestone. ensured he is the only active golfer “I don’t know when the next will to win titles in four separate decades. be or if there will be another one,” he More recently, there were the ICE HOCKEY said, “but that was without doubt one back-to-back runner-up fi nishes — of the best days I’ve had.” both by one stroke — at Bay Hill nounced the deal. England was 165-5 in the 24th and The Players Championship on The 23-year-old Korenar played in over before Vince shared a stand the PGA Tour in March. 10 games for the Sharks last season, of 129 with Lewis Gregory (77) to A self-declared “working-class coming in as a reserve on April 10 for accelerate the chase. Vince chipped lad,” Westwood puts his ability to his NHL debut against the Kings. Haris Rauf (4-65) to mid-off in the stay relevant at the top end of golf “Josef took a big step in his devel- 43rd. — he is ranked No. 29 — on stay- opment last season, showing his ath- Craig Overton (18 not out) and ing fi t, having other interests in his leticism and awareness in net while Brydon Carse (12 not out) fi nished life like horse racing and skiing, and appearing in the NHL for the fi rst things off. having a better perspective. He also time,” general manager Doug Wilson Pakistan’s innings was built got married last month for a second said in a statement. around Babar’s partnership of 179 time, to Helen Storey, who often ❑ ❑ ❑ with Mohammed Rizwan, who works as his caddie and is on the bag Buffalo Sabres forward Jeff Skin- scored 74 from 58 balls. England’s James Vince plays a shot during the third one day international cricket match between England and this week. Babar reached three triple fi gures Pakistan at Edgbaston cricket ground in Birmingham, England, on July 13. (AP) He said the thing that lets him ner has agreed to waive his no-move- from 104 deliveries, getting there down is an inability to maintain in- ment clause, freeing the team from hav- with two boundaries in three balls when he survived a run out attempt tensity week in, week out. But he ing to protect him during the Seattle by pulling Carse (5-61) with author- in the 48th over, but Carse fi nally knows that just comes with age. Kraken’s expansion draft next week. ity and then middling a compact cut ended Babar’s entertaining stay, “When the intensity is there and Skinner’s agent, Don Meehan, shot. producing a rare mis-hit to Dawid Ireland upset South Africa my game is there, mentally I think confi rmed his client’s decision in an England broke up the partnership Malan with four balls remaining in I’m stronger,” Westwood said. email to The Associated Press on when Rizwan went after a leg-side Pakistan’s innings. “Probably putt a little bit better now Wednesday. The Athletic fi rst report- bouncer from Carse but feathered a Carse and Saqid Mahmood (3-60) with 43-run win in 2nd ODI than I did 10 years ago. Short game ed the player’s decision. nick through to John Simpson. collected two wickets apiece in the is defi nitely better. Tee to green, The Sabres initiated the move, Carse picked up two more late last two overs as Pakistan slumped DUBLIN, July 14, (AP): Ireland re- for the hosts. probably not quite as good, but good knowing it’s unlikely Skinner will wickets as the visitors moved to from 324-5 to 329-9 fi nished his 10 corded its fi rst-ever victory over South Balbirnie’s tally included 10 fours. enough.” be selected by the Kraken given the 309-5. overs with two wickets in six deliv- Africa, beating the visitors by 43 runs South Africa won the toss and chose Westwood has missed the cut in under-performing winger has six Babar was on a career-best 150 eries. after captain Andy Balbirnie’s century to fi eld, as they did in Sunday’s match, his two appearances at Royal St. years left on an eight-year, $72 mil- in their second one-day international. when Balbirnie top-scored with 65 off George’s but that doesn’t bother lion contract. Balbirnie scored 102 from 117 balls 79 balls. him. After all, he did the same at and Harry Tector added 79, including Andile Phehlukwayo took 2-73 off Muirfi eld in 2002, only to fi nish 12 days to get a positive test. four sixes, as Ireland posted 290-5 in 10 overs for South Africa. third there in 2013 when he went The Barbasol Championship is the second of their three-match ODI Meanwhile, the International Crick- into the fi nal round in the lead.