MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014 SPORTS Larrazabal wins in Abu Dhabi ABU DHABI: Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal claimed his third European Tour victory after holding off Phil Mickelson and Rory McIlroy to win the $2.7 million Abu Dhabi Championship by one shot yesterday. Larrazabal held his nerve on the final green, a birdie taking him to 14-under after a final round of 67, his path to victory eased by a calamitous 13th hole for world number five Mickelson. The Open champion took a triple bogey seven after fluffing an escape attempt from a bush and despite getting back into con- tention with birdies at 14 and 16, he could not get the eagle he needed at the last to force an unlikely playoff. Mickelson, who had surged into con- tention with a dazzling 63 on Saturday and started the final round with three birdies in the first 10 holes, closed with a 69 for a total of 275, the same finishing score as Northern Irishman McIlroy who, like the American, LA QUINTA: Patrick Reed hits from the 10th tee during the third round of the birdied the last for a round of 68. “It feels Humana Challenge PGA golf tournament on the Nicklaus Private course. — AP great,” 103-ranked Larrazabal told the European Tour website (www.europeantour.com). “Only me and my Reed ahead at La Quinta team know how much we’ve worked during the last three years.” Larrazabal started the LA QUINTA: American Patrick Reed moved to post a PGA Tour record low, with regard day three off the lead, but after two early closer to his second victory on the PGA to par, of 27-under 189. birdies he fell off the pace with a bogey at the Tour in record style after stretching his lead “Just keeping everything in play and fifth. to a commanding seven shots in Saturday’s when I am doing that my iron play right A wonderful chip from a bunker set the 30- third round of the $5.7 million Humana now is good enough that I’m giving myself year-old up for a birdie at the eighth, and he Challenge at La Quinta, California. a lot of good chances to get birdie,” Reed sunk a six-foot putt at the 11th, placing him in Two strokes ahead overnight, Reed told Golf Channel. a strong position when Mickelson faltered. again took advantage of ideal scoring con- “My putter is hot and when the putter is He birdied again at the par-four 13th, and ditions with superb iron play and brilliant hot, you’re going to go low. It doesn’t mat- held his nerve at the 18th despite a poor first putting as he fired a nine-under-par 63 on ter how far I am (from the hole), I feel I am putt creating some tension after he had found the Nicklaus Private course, one of three going to make it.” Reed shot a 63 for a third the green in two. venues hosting the pro-am event. successive day and eclipsed the previous “The birdie at 13 gave me the confidence With barely a whisper of wind in bright mark of 25 under held by fellow Americans to keep it going and I hit great shots coming desert sunshine, the burly 23-year-old piled Steve Stricker (2010 John Deere Classic), in,” Larrazabal added. “The five wood at 18 is up eight birdies, an eagle at the 16th and a Pat Perez (2009 Bob Hope Classic) and Gay maybe the best shot of my golfing career.” ABU DHABI: Pablo Larrazabal of Spain holds the trophy after he wins the final round of the bogey on the easiest of the three courses Brewer. — Reuters World number seven McIlroy was left to Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. — AP rue a two shot penalty in the third round, as very positive start to the season so I’m not that on, so I’m really excited for the rest of the well as a string of missed birdie opportunities going to let one little negative ruin that. season.” Kittel wins prelude after strong play off the tee and approaching “I came in here telling everyone that I’m Overnight leader Craig Lee’s hopes of the green. really happy with my game and done some scooping the first European Tour victory of his “It’s frustrating - I’ve played well the whole good work and felt like it was coming togeth- career were scuppered after the Briton to Tour Down Under week,” the two-time major winner said. “It’s a er for me at the end of last year. I’ve continued slumped to a 77 and a tie for 10th. — Reuters ADELAIDE: Marcel Kittel of Germany and you need that little bit of luck to outsprinted illustrious compatriot be in the perfect spot at the right Putin denies Olympic corruption Andre Greipel Sunday in a thrilling fin- moment. I think we did great work and ish to the People’s Choice Classic, the in the end I was in the perfect position traditional prelude to the Tour Down and could do my sprint.” Greipel, who MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin Winter Games, making them the most expen- problem,” he said. In a separate interview Under cycle race. Kittel, riding for the won the Tour Down Under in 2008 and denied that any large-scale corruption sur- sive in Olympic history. Putin’s government with the BBC broadcast in London, Putin said: Giant-Shimano team, came from two 2010 and has claimed 14 individual rounded the Sochi Winter Olympics and chal- hopes to show the world a modern face of “If you want my personal attitude I don’t care bike-lengths back in the final sprint to stage wins in four appearances, again lenged those with allegations of misconduct Russia, which has faced increased criticism about a person’s sexual orientation. I myself win by half a wheel, denying Greipel looked sharp at the start of the season to come forward with proof. Western and from the West over human rights. know some people who are gay. We are on his third-straight win in the event that but is unlikely to be suited by this Russian opposition critics have made allega- A law passed last year banning the promo- friendly terms. I am not prejudiced in any was raced over 50 kilometers on a year’s course, which contains several tions that large amounts of money have been tion of homosexuality among minors has way.” closed-street course in downtown testing climbs. stolen during construction for the 2014 drawn criticism from the West and human Asked whether he would meet gay British Adelaide. He took second place on Sunday Olympics in the Black Sea city, but have pro- rights activists. Calls for a mass boycott of the celebrities like singer Elton John and actor After winning four stages on last ahead of Australian Caleb Ewan while vided little concrete evidence. games have failed, but the row has clouded Ian McKellen if they travelled to Russia to dis- year’s Tour de France, including the last Christopher Sutton of Australia, riding Some Olympic subcontractors have said the build-up to the event. cuss his policies towards homosexuals, he stage on the Champs-Elysees, Kittel is for Britain’s Team Sky, was fourth. corruption has been endemic during prepa- Critics say the law is discriminatory and said he would “definitely” talk to them. regarded as a leading chance to win Giovanni Visconti of Italy was taken rations for the games, which start on Feb.7. part of a rolling back of human rights and “I’ve honored several members of the gay the Tour Down Under, the first event of to hospital after a crash that brought “We don’t see any large-scale instances of democratic freedoms under Putin, who has community in this country but for their per- the 2014 UCI ProTour. While late yester- down several riders at the end of the corruption during our preparations ...in Sochi. taken a more conservative course on social sonal achievements regardless of their sexual day’s race doesn’t count towards gen- sixth lap. Early reports said Visconti, If anyone has any information about corrup- issues since returning to the presidency in orientation,” said Putin. eral classification, Kittel will wear the who won two stages on last year’s Giro tion in Sochi, please hand it over, we will be mid-2012. With less than three weeks to go before tour leader’s jersey in the opening d’Italia, had suffered a compound leg glad and grateful,” Putin said in an interview Putin said yesterday he has gay acquain- the start of the games, Putin said while all of stage tomorrow. fracture. He is the second high-profile with ABC, BBC and Russian and Chinese jour- tances and would be happy to meet mem- Sochi’s venues had been completed, the host Greipel had maneuvered into a win- rider to suffer a serious injury before nalists broadcast yesterday. bers of the US Olympic delegation, which city still needed some cleaning. ning position on the last of 25 laps of a the start of the tour. “A few years ago local bureaucrats tried to includes openly homosexual athletes. “Everything has been done, now we two-kilometer circuit straddling the French star Thomas Voeckler frac- buy and sell land intended for Olympic ven- “I will be glad to see the representatives of have to get things in order: organise the Torrens River and seemed to have the tured his right collarbone when he ues.