The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Mallinger maintains lead at Frys.com Open
- Ex-Olympic champion Harrison flattened in 82 seconds
- Nicol edges Raneem for 63rd WSA title
| Mallinger maintains lead at Frys.com Open Posted: 13 Oct 2012 06:34 PM PDT SAN JOSE, California: American John Mallinger, winless in seven years on the PGA Tour, fired a one-under 70 Saturday to maintain the lead after the third round of the $5 million Frys.com Open. The 33-year-old had a 15-under 198 total at the CordeValle golf course. He equalled the course record 62 in the second round after opening with a 66 on Thursday. "It was a little scrappy," said Mallinger, who has a two-shot lead. "I didn't have my best off the tee, but I started hitting some good shots coming in. I hit a lot of good putts that just didn't fall. "Hopefully, I can straighten out the drive and make some putts tomorrow." Mallinger had finished second twice, including losing in a playoff to Bo Van Pelt three years ago in Milwaukee. Sweden's Jonas Blixt was second after a 66, while Americans Charles Howell and Jason Kokrak were another stroke back at 12 under. Howell shot a 66, and Kokrak fired a 67. Fiji's Vijay Singh and Brazil's Alexandre Rocha were 11 under after both shot 66. The 28-year-old Blixt birdied five of the last eight holes. He was even-par on the front nine with a birdie and a bogey. He shot up the leaderboard with birdies at 11 and 13 and then rolled in a birdie on 15 to get to 11-under. Blixt birdied the 17th and followed with a six-foot birdie putt at 18 to finish two back. He finished third last week in Las Vegas. "The front nine is a little harder. The back nine you can make a couple birdies," Blixt said. "Hopefully, I can finish like I did today." Greg Owen (68), Scott Dunlap (70), Jhonattan Vegas (71), Danny Lee (67) and Russell Knox (65) share seventh at 10-under-par 203. -AFP |
| Ex-Olympic champion Harrison flattened in 82 seconds Posted: 13 Oct 2012 06:36 PM PDT LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom: Former Olympic champion Audley Harrison's latest bid for a meaningful performance in the heavyweight ring ended in a humiliating 82-second flattening on Saturday. Harrison, now 40, was knocked out by David Price in the first round as the winner retained his British and Commonwealth titles. It was Sydney Olympic gold medallist Harrison's sixth professional loss, coming two years after he was knocked out in the second round in Manchester by David Haye. -AFP |
| Nicol edges Raneem for 63rd WSA title Posted: 13 Oct 2012 06:40 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: World No. 1 Nicol David (pic) rubber-stamped her status as the best women's squash player in the world by beating Egypt's Raneem El Weleily to nail her first US Open on Friday. It was also sweet revenge for Nicol as she carved out a 14-12, 8-11, 11-7, 11-7 win in 45 minutes. The 29-year-old Penangite had lost to Weleily last month in the Malaysian Open final, leading to speculations that she could be on a downward spiral. Memories of a disastrous September – in which Nicol also lost in the quarter-finals of the Carol Weymuller Open – now seemed a distanced thing of the past as she picked up the last remaining major squash title in convincing style. This first US Open win was also Nicol's 63rd Women's Squash Association (WSA) title and eclipsed Sarah Fitz-Gerald's record of 62 titles. At Philadelphia, Nicol was always sharper and managed to take the first set 14-12 despite the second seeded Weleily playing equally well. Weleily, however, came back strongly with some beautiful drops to take the second set 11-8 and appeared to put Nicol into trouble again by surging to a 6-2 lead in the third set. A day earlier, Nicol displayed the determined side of her game by winning 10 straight points against Kiwi Joelle King in the semi-finals. Yesterday, she played with the same nerves of steel to take eight consecutive points to turn the tide around. From then on it was one-way traffic as Nicol eventually sealed the title after Weleily racked up far too many unforced errors. "I just can't believe that I have won it," said a delighted Nicol. "I keep thinking that I should still be out there running after Raneem's dropshots like I've been doing all night. When she gets on a roll like she did in the third set, she can score six points before you can even move out of the 'T'. "But I managed to get my act together, become more positive and stronger on my shots and played my game, not hers. "It feels really fantastic to be the US Open champion and next I just hope that we can get into the Olympics. If we do, I'll make sure I'll be there even if I have to turn up with my walking stick," joked Nicol. The six-time world champion will return to her Amsterdam base before flying off to Shanghai for the China Open from Oct 23-28. Meanwhile, in the men's event, the extremely talented Ramy Ashour of Egypt was also on top of his game to beat France's Gregory Gaultier 11-4, 11-9, 11-9 for his first US Open title as well. "I've lost in this final three years ago so to win now against a great player like Greg feels quite unbelievable," said the 25-year-old Ashour. |
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