The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Cup holders United States charge ahead after dominating
- Petrov apologises for Renault outburst
- Cricket: Steyn lauds South Africa fightback
| Cup holders United States charge ahead after dominating Posted: 18 Nov 2011 06:41 PM PST MELBOURNE (Reuters) - The United States struck a decisive blow in their Presidents Cup defence early on Saturday, making light of wet conditions at Royal Melbourne Golf Club to win four of the final five foursomes matches against the Internationals. Leading 7-5 overnight, the U.S. charged to 11-6 in persistent rain to take a stranglehold of the biennial trophy with the final four-ball matches still to be played on Saturday. Bubba Watson and Webb Simpson showed themselves to be equally adept in the wet as they were in Friday's heat and wind, marching to a 3&2 victory over the all-Australian pairing of Robert Allenby and Geoff Ogilvy. The win, their third from three matches in the tournament, continued their dream Cup debut as the Australians' intimate knowledge of the Royal Melbourne layout was rendered redundant by struggles on the greens. "They are two unbelievable kids," U.S. captain Fred Couples told reporters. "I'm very, very proud of them and happy for them ... They just are very good together and it's kind of fun to watch." The pair have a chance to match Tiger Woods and Steve Stricker's record 4-0 partnership from the 2009 Cup in San Francisco against Retief Goosen and Charl Schwartzel in the four-ball matches later on Saturday. The South Africans, who won their four-ball match on Friday, were thrashed 5&4 in the foursomes by Hunter Mahan and David Toms. Ryo Ishikawa provided a rare bright patch on a gloomy morning for the Internationals with some brilliant clutch putting late in his match with Ernie Els to salvage a point against Bill Haas and Matt Kuchar. The 20-year-old Japanese calmly rolled in a four-foot par putt on the 16th to put he and Els one-up, then sparked raucous cheers from spectators as he drained a 14-footer to protect the lead on the 17th. He finished off nervelessly sinking a five-footer to seal the win and give he and Els' a breakthrough victory after two straight losses to Watson and Simpson in their opening matches. "The man's got so much heart, I could see it even in our first two matches," South African Els said in a greenside interview. "I could see Ryo was finding his feet on the golf course ... Today he played unbelievable. "His putting reminds me a little of myself back in the day ... I'm so glad to have played with him." Despite finding some form, Ishikawa's reward will be to sit out the final four-ball matches after the pairings were decided by Norman and his assistants before his hot putting streak. Woods broke his winning drought at this tournament by teaming up with Dustin Johnson to down Adam Scott and KJ Choi 3&2, before Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk closed out their third successive win with a 2&1 victory over Aaron Baddeley and Jason Day. Mickelson, whose putting has plagued him throughout the event, drained a monster putt on the 17th to seal the win. Despite his winning form, Mickelson, along with fellow old-timer Toms, will be rested for the final four-ball matches. "Phil wanted to sit (out) from the beginning and he wanted to be fresh from tomorrow," Couples said. "Yesterday was a grind." A disappointed Norman had planned for his team to pick up at least half a point on the Americans after the morning foursomes but was left staring at the brink of defeat in his second successive Cup as captain. "The guys have got get out and play a little bit looser than they have this morning," the Australian said. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Petrov apologises for Renault outburst Posted: 18 Nov 2011 04:29 PM PST LONDON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Russian Formula One driver Vitaly Petrov has apologised to his Renault team for a television outburst where he criticised their tactics and pitstops. His manager Oksana Kossatchenko told Reuters on Friday that Petrov gave an interview to Russia 2 in the heat of the moment after finishing 13th in Sunday's race in Abu Dhabi but immediately regretted his comments. "It was an emotional interview," she said. "It was an exception and he apologised afterwards to the team. "It will never happen again. We are really sorry and the management has discussed it with Vitaly already." Petrov had said that although his contract barred him from saying anything bad about the team, he had to speak out. "I haven't criticised the team despite what we have lost so many times. How much have we missed at pitstops? With strategy?," he asked in widely reported comments. "We have lost positions in about 10 races or even more. Even without a fast car we could have gained good points, we could have finished with points if we had had a good strategy," added Petrov. "But I couldn't say in interviews we lost it with the pitstops and I cannot talk about that now either. But I can't keep silent any more - it is over. I can't keep everything inside any more." MATTER CLOSED Team principal Eric Boullier smoothed over the incident in an interview on Renault's website (www.lotusrenaultgp.com). "Drivers are not robots, they're human beings," he said. "Like every driver Vitaly is a competitor. Had he been on the podium in Abu Dhabi he would have complained about not winning the race. We take this incident as exactly this - an incident. "Vitaly has apologised to the team and sent an email to all the staff at Enstone. As far as we are concerned the matter is closed," added Boullier. Russia's first Formula One driver has a contract for next year although there has been media speculation about his future. Sunday's outburst triggered fresh speculation about his relations with the team who are changing their name to Lotus for 2012 after their main Malaysian backer. Petrov started the season by finishing third in Australia but he has won just five points in the last 11 races. His team mates have done no better, with Germany's Nick Heidfeld replaced in August and Brazilian Bruno Senna managing to score only two points since then. Petrov said the car was good for the first few races but the team had then failed to develop it. "When the windtunnel developments came, the new parts, because of the front exhausts, they didn't work. We worked on the front wing, the rear wing, the diffusers, the floor - but whatever we changed it was useless," he said. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Cricket: Steyn lauds South Africa fightback Posted: 18 Nov 2011 04:26 PM PST JOHANNESBURG, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Eliminating the inconsistent bowling South Africa produced while Australia openers Shane Watson and Phil Hughes were batting was the key to their fightback in the second and final test, paceman Dale Steyn said on Friday. Watson and Hughes, who both made 88, shared a quickfire stand of 174 at the start of the second day but South Africa rallied to dismiss the visitors for 296 in reply to the home team's 266 all out. "We were staring down the barrel," Steyn told a news conference after picking up four for 64. "We had bowled well in parts but after three good balls we'd concede a boundary, bowl two more good balls and then get hit for four again. "Every time we bowled a bad ball it seemed to go for four and we had to get it in the correct areas which we didn't do enough in the first session. "We had a chat at lunch and we managed to slow the run-rate down and pull the game back. The bowlers did a great job, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander started it and we created more pressure," added Steyn. South Africa were 0-0 in their second innings, after facing just four balls, when bad light ended play for the day. Steyn said his team had not yet discussed what sort of target they wanted to set Australia. "I'm not sure what a good lead will be," said the fast bowler. "We want to knock off the 30-run deficit without any damage and then assess from there. "It's hot, the pitch is pretty flat and you have to work really hard for wickets out there." Hughes said Australia, who lost the opening test, needed to bowl well to avoid losing a series in South Africa for the first time since 1970. "South Africa bowled some very good lines and found their areas more consistently after lunch and that made it tough to score," said the opener. "We need to go in with that attitude tomorrow with the ball, we need to bowl like we did in the first innings. The ball swung all day and we need to start well with the ball and hold our catches. "It was a good partnership with Shane ... but it was disappointing we both failed to cash in and score big 150s," added Hughes Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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