SPORT Tuesday 25 September 2018 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26 Joshua still fighting Federer, Zverev lead for his place in the way as Europe boxing history retain Laver Cup Woods ends title drought AFP Championship.” The victory erased any last lingering doubts about Woods’ Tiger Woods of the United States ATLANTA: Tiger Woods scored his first ability to compete at the highest level, celebrates his win in the Tour victory in more than five years on something he had served notice of with Championship at East Lake Golf Club Sunday, completing a two-shot win at top 10 finishes at the British Open and in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday. the Tour Championship to crown a fairy US PGA Championships. tale comeback after a near two-year Woods, who returned in January absence. after missing almost the entire previous The 42-year-old, 14-time major two years with a debilitating back injury, winner carded a one-over-par 71 at held a three-shot advantage heading Atlanta’s East Lake Golf Course to claim into the final round. the 80th PGA Tour title of his glittering A birdie on his opening hole career. Woods, who finished with an extended Woods’ lead to four shots to 11-under-par aggregate 269, raised his give the former world number one a arms in delight after the victory, with dream start. several thousand fans ringing the green With the remainder of the 30-man roaring their appreciation. field struggling to make any inroads, Woods admitted he had nearly been Woods then played solid if unspec- overcome with emotion as he walked tacular golf to keep a stranglehold on up the 18th fairway. the lead. “I was having a hard time not crying A bogey on the 10th was a mere coming up the last hole,” Woods said, blip, with Woods re-establishing a five- whose most recent win before Sunday shot cushion at 13 under after rolling in had come 1,876 days ago at the 2013 a 13-foot birdie putt on the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. par-four 13th. Billy Horschel “I kept saying ‘Hey, I could still play closed the gap to four this out of bounds.’ But once I got the shots after after a four- ball on the green I gave (caddie) Joey under-par final round (LaCava) a high five because I knew 66, but Woods it was done.” It was an emotional finale looked to to a year which saw Woods return to the highest level after he had once be in feared he may never play golf again. control. “It was just a grind out there,” Woods, Woods said of his final round. “I loved however, gave every bit of it. The fight, the grind, the his army of fans tough conditions. roaring him on a scare “To win it’s certainly up there with though when back-to-back obviously all the major championships bogeys on the 15th and 16th I’ve won, Players, World Golf Champi- holes cut his lead to two with two to onships but then this is under different play. But he steadied the ship with a circumstances. dogged par on the 17th and then closed “I just didn’t know whether this out the win with a par on 18. would ever happen again. If I could “Billy put a bit of pressure on me at somehow piece together a golf swing the end. The up and down at 17 was this year, I felt like I could do it... huge,” added Woods, who was flying MOST CAREER WINS WOODS FACTFILE somehow I’ve been able to do that, and to Paris later Sunday with the US team List of players with most career win on TIGER WOODS (USA) here we are.” Woods later revealed he for week’s Ryder Cup. Born: December 30, 1975 had also fought back tears on the final “We’re flying tonight with the guys, the PGA Tour following Tiger Woods’ Birthplace: Cypress, California, USA green as he prepared for the par putt it’s going to be fun,” said Woods. “I think Height: 6-feet-1 (1.85m) to complete the win. we’re all going to sleep well.” Mean- victory at the Tour Championship on Turned Professional: 1996 “I realised all of sudden I was going while England’s Olympic champion Sunday: Career US PGA Tour wins: 80 to win the tournament,” he said. Justin Rose ensured he walks off with - ‘It’s been tough’ - “My eyes started the FedEx Cup playoff title after fin- Major titles - 14 tearing up a little bit. I just can’t believe ishing on six under for a share of fourth. 82 - Sam Snead (Masters: 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005; US I pulled this off after I’ve gone through. Woods was made to sweat however Open 2000, 2002, 2008; British Open “It’s been tough. I’ve had a not-so- after a shaky three-over-par 73 on his 80 - Tiger Woods 2000, 2005, 2006; PGA Championship easy last couple of years. I’ve worked final round. “It felt like a slow death out 1999, 2000, 2006, 2007) my way back. I couldn’t have done it there for me today,” Rose said before 73 - Jack Nicklaus PGA Tour Player of the Year: 11 (1997, without the help of all the people saluting Woods, who stood nearby. 1999-2003, 2005-2007, 2009, 2013) around me. “I’d like to congratulate Tiger right 64 - Ben Hogan PGA Tour Money Leader: 10 (1997, “Some of the other players knew now. I think the world of golf is really 1999-2002, 2005-2007, 2009, 2013) what I was struggling with. It was really proud of you and is super excited about 62 - Arnold Palmer Highest World Ranking: 1 special to see them at the green on 18. your game and the way the game of (record 683 weeks) It’s just hard to believe I won the Tour golf is going.” A Qatari player in action in the Asian 6Reds Championship at the Qatar Qatari cueists qualify Billiards and Snooker Federation hall in Doha yesterday. for knockout stage THE PENINSULA Cheung Ka Wai. Exhibiting excellent The Qatari trio are set for a tough game, Cheung and Saif, both finished competition in the next stage. Among DOHA: Three players Ahmed Saif, all their league stage matches at the the qualified players include three Ali Alobaidli and Mohsen Bukshaisha cost of one frame only. A total of 22 from India, Kamal Chawla, Varun representing hosts Qatar made it to players qualified for the knockout Madan and Ishpreet Singh Chadha. the knockout stage of the Asian stage after completion of league The top three from the knock out 6Reds Championship 2018 here round on day two stage will get a chance to play in the yesterday. Qatar had six players competing newly introduced Asian Ranking At the Qatar Billiards and in the preliminary rounds with half Tour 2018 whose first leg is starting Snooker Federation hall, Ahmed rep- of them making it to the knock out in Doha from September 26 and will resenting the host nation emerged stage. Apart from Ahmed, the other end on September 29. as one of the two top seeds from the two players from Qatar who qual- The Asian 6Reds championship preliminary rounds of the champi- ified are Al Obaidli and former World will be followed by the Asian 10 Reds onship along with Hong Kong’s 6Reds No.4 Bukshaisha. Snooker championship. 26 SPORT TUESDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2018 Thiem jumps The members of Team Europe pose with the trophy Gavrilova after winning the Laver Cup against Team World at the one place in United Center in Chicago, United States, on Sunday. advances at ATP rankings Wuhan Open AFP REUTERS PARIS: Victory in St WUHAN: Australia’s Daria Petersburg lifted Dominic Gavrilova produced an Thiem one place in the ATP inspired performance to rankings, which Rafael Nadal defeat 10th seed Jelena still leads comfortably. Ostapenko 6-2, 6-4 in the The Austrian climbed to opening round of the Wuhan seventh yesterday, Open, yesterday. exchanging places with the Gavrilova withstood a Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, in flurry of early winners from the only change in the top 20. the 2017 French Open Lower down, the Slo- champion but then broke vakian Martin Klizan- Ostapenko’s serve five times squeaked into the top 50 for to prevail in one hour and 26 the first time since July 2017., minutes. at number 49. World number 33 Gavrilova next faces Czech ATP RANKINGS (TOP 10) Barbora Strycova, who beat 1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8760 pts Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-2. 2. Roger Federer (SUI) 6900 Spaniard Garbine 3. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 6445 Muguruza, seeded 14, beat her Wimbledon conqueror Alison 4. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 5980 Van Uytvanck 6-4, 6-0 to set 5. Alexander Zverev (GER) 4890 up a second-round clash with 6. Marin Cilic (CRO) 4715 Swiss qualifier Viktorija 7. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3825 (+1) Golubic. 8. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 3755 (-1) “I remember the match 9. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 3595 from Wimbledon, like a very 10. John Isner (USA) 3470 tough match for me... It’s Federer, Zverev lead the way always good to play again the same person that beat you... feeling good you did some- thing much better than the Pliskova previous match,” Muguruza as Europe retain Laver Cup said. swaps places Briton Johanna Konta’s REUTERS patchy form continued as she with Osaka their first lead of the tour- fell 7-5 6-4 to last year’s nament at 8-7 after the finalist Ashleigh Barty.