FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 5 NBA | Page 8 Non-league Heat roll over To Advertise here Sutton knock Pistons for Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 Leeds out of seventh FA Cup straight win Monday, January 30, 2017 CRICKET Jumada I 2, 1438 AH England choke as GULF TIMES Nehra, Bumrah help India level series SPORT Page 4 HANDBALL France lift sixth world title “We were inspired by the previous rough defence. Les Bleus down generations and we wanted the legend But Gerard found his groove and Les to continue,” said centre back Nikola Bleus were 18-17 ahead at halftime, Karabatic, who now has nine major ti- ending up with 11 saves from 27 shots. Norway 33-26 in tles to his name. His Norwegian counterpart, Torb- “I am so proud of this team. There are jorn Bergerud, managed 13 saves from a tense final no words, there is so much emotion.” 42 shots. Kentin Mahe, who scored five goals Les Blues continued to push forward Reuters in six attempts, praised keeper Vin- after the break and moved fi ve points Paris cent Gerard’s performance: “It’s al- clear (24-19) early in the second half as ways easier when you can rely on such their solid defence made the diff erence. a keeper.” France did not look back and went rance claimed a record-extend- France, coached by their ex-player on to snatch their second world title at ing sixth world handball title Didier Dinart, have won eight of the 10 home after their 2001 triumph. by beating Norway 33-26 in a major championships since 2008, hav- Earlier, Slovenia claimed third place tense fi nal yesterday as their ing only failed at the 2013 worlds where with a 31-30 win over Croatia, over- Fsolid defence helped grind down their they were knocked out in the last eight turning an 18-13 half-time defi cit. opponents. and the 2016 Olympics where they lost It is the fi rst time that Slovenia have Les Bleus were trailing early on but in the fi nal. made the podium at the world event. In once the defence found their mark, Norway got off to a solid start, open- 2004, they won silver at the European Norway, who had never won a medal in ing up a 10-7 lead after 15 minutes championships played on home soil. a major handball championship, had no thanks to Espen Lie Hansen’s fi ne per- answer. formance, but it was France’s Nikola France now have six world titles, two Karabatic who fi nished with the best France players hold the winners’ trophy Olympic golds and three European ti- total, netting six goals from nine at- after beating Norway in the final of the tles ahead of Russia/Soviet Union and tempts. 25th IHF Men’s World Championship Sweden in terms of major champion- Les Bleus were struggling in attack, 2017 at the AccorHotels Arena in Paris ship triumphs. being perfectly handled by Norway’s yesterday. (AFP) Gulf Times 2 Monday, January 30, 2017 GOLF/ COMMERCIAL BANK QATAR MASTERS Wang becomes fi rst Asian winner of CBQM ‘This feels really fantastic. It’s really, really great. I just don’t want to get any pressure this year. I just want to learn from the other players. I just want to keep winning, I hope. I’ve really got a lot of confidence right now, I just want to play another tournament’ By Satya Rath charge and after a birdie on the tle bit. I was lucky, I thought it 2002 — Wang goes home richer Doha fi fth, he made fi ve in a row from went to the hazard but it was over by $416,660. the eighth before dropping a the green,” he said, while adding The South Korean — who won shot on the 13th. that his chipping won him the the Rookie of the Year award last landmark event de- A Van Zyl birdie on the 13th day. “I missed a lot of greens but season after his victories at the serves a compelling and a Lagergen gain on the 16th my chipping was really good to- Trophee Hassan II, also after a climax. And so was meant that when Wang dropped day. I just wanted to try to make play-off , and the AfrAsia Bank it at the 20th edition a shot on the 14th after going a birdie at the last. I didn’t think Mauritius Open, could now Aof the Commercial Bank Qatar over the back of the green, there about anything. I just wanted to climb as high as 39th in the world Masters at the Doha Golf Club. was a four-way tie for the lead try to make a birdie.” rankings and earn a potential in- Four days, 72 holes, and a but Lorenzo-Vera dropped back The win for Wang comes in vite to the Masters Tournament. tense three-way playoff later, with a bogey-bogey fi nish. just his 29th European Tour “When I was young, I really South Korea’s Wang Jeung- South African Thomas Aiken event. He is the third youngest wanted to play the Masters,” he hun yesterday became the fi rst briefl y replaced Lorenzo-Vera player to win three events af- said. “I always imagined that I Asian winner of the European in the leading group with a fi fth ter Matteo Manassero and Seve would play there. Maybe now I Tour event — the 21-year-old birdie of the day on the 16th but Ballesteros. have a chance to play the Mas- edging out Joakim Lagergren when he dropped a shot on the For Van Zyl, it was a case ters. So I’m so happy about it of Sweden and South African next, Wang sank his third birdie of so-near-yet-so-far, as has and I hope I’m going to get in Jaco Van Zyl in the playoff for of the day on the 16th to hit happened a few times in his ca- the Masters. That’s my dream, his third European Tour title the front again, before another reer. The South African looked dream tournament,” he said. which, signifi cantly, came on poor chip-shot on the 17th set the favourite when he got on He is also hoping to meet his his Qatar debut. up the dramatic fi nale. the green in two on the play-off idol Tiger Woods at next week’s Wang went into the fi nal In the 18th-hole playoff , pres- hole but a second three-putt Dubai Desert Classic. “Oh, yes, round with a three-stroke sure seemed to get the better of of the day cost him dear as he I really want to play with Tiger,” cushion and opened with Lagergren and Van Zyl as they fi nished runner-up on the Eu- he said. “He was my idol when back-to-back birdies. Playing held on for par, while the ever- ropean Tour for the fi fth time in I was young. I’m going to be so partner Van Zyl, three shots calm Wang hit a lovely chip from his 150th event. happy if I see him next week.” behind, too kept pace with the rough to land within three Swede Lagergren is also Wang joins a star-studded three straight gains and added a feet of the fl ag and, after mulling searching for his fi rst win and list of champions of the Com- fourth on the par-4 fi fth to cut over it for an age, quietly sunk it he left himself too much work mercial Bank Qatar Masters Wang’s lead to one shot, before in to pump his fi sts in joy. to do when he pulled his second that includes Ernie Els, Henrik a three-putt bogey on the very “This feels really fantastic for shot in the play-off into the Stenson, Sergio Garcia, Retief next hole helped Wang make me. It’s really, really great. I’m greenside bunker. Goosen and Thomas Bjørn, and the turn with a two-shot lead. so happy. I just don’t want to get Aiken and Lorenzo-Vera both two-time winners Adam Scott, But a run of 11 straight pars any pressure this year. I just want fi nished at 15-under, a shot Branden Grace and Paul Lawrie. followed by bogeys on the 14th to learn from the other players. clear of Spanish pair Rafa Ca- Earlier in the morning, Thor- and 17th allowed the rest of the I just want to keep winning, I brera Bello and Nacho Elvira, bjørn Olesen recorded the sec- fi eld to close in on the leader. hope. I’ve really got a lot of con- and Englishman Jordan Smith. ond hole-in-one of the tourna- Frenchman Mike Lorenzo- fi dence right now, I just want Thai Kiradech Aphibarnrat and ment, hitting the target on the Vera was the fi rst to catch him to play another tournament,” England’s Nathan Kimsey com- 13th with an eight-iron from 182 as he made birdies on the fi rst, said Wang, who was playing the pleted the top 10 at 13-under. yards. However, the 27-year-old third, sixth, seventh, 11th, 12th CBQM for the fi rst time. The youngest ever winner Dane didn’t earn anything for his and 13th and, despite a bogey on He admitted getting nervous of the CBQM — at 21 years and achievement unlike England’s the 15th after fi nding the water, at the playoff .