The Star Online: Sports

Woods scrambles to 69, trails Rose by four
Serena races into third round at Miami
Li Na makes winning return to WTA tour

Woods scrambles to 69, trails Rose by four

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 05:21 PM PDT

ORLANDO (Florida): Tiger Woods, chasing Rory McIlroy for golf's world No. 1 ranking, scrambled to a 69 on Thursday that left him four shots off the first-round lead of Justin Rose at Bay Hill.

Woods can overtake Northern Ireland's McIlroy atop the world rankings with a successful defence of his Bay Hill title. McIlroy isn't playing the event.

The 14-time major champion got off to an erratic start, hitting just eight fairways and 12 greens and needing 28 putts in a three-under-par first round of the Us$6.2mil US PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"I didn't drive it well, didn't hit my irons well and didn't control my distances or trajectory well," said Woods, a seven-time winner of this event.

But he countered his three bogeys with an eagle at the par-five 16th and four birdies, including three in a row from the par-five fourth.

Several key par saves included one at his opening hole, the 10th, where his approach from a bunker was long. He chipped to within three feet and made the putt.

"I certainly didn't play my best, but I got around and made a few good saves out there," he said.

England's Rose, playing alongside Woods, opened with a 65. His seven-under effort included an eagle and six birdies - including a stretch of four in a row from the fourth.

He had a two-shot lead over American John Huh, whose five-under 67 included six birdies.

American John Rollins and Brad Fritsch of Canada were tied on 68, while Woods was in a group of 10 players on 69 that also included Japan's Ryo Ishikawa and Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen. - AFP

Serena races into third round at Miami

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 05:31 PM PDT

Published: Friday March 22, 2013 MYT 8:18:00 AM
Updated: Friday March 22, 2013 MYT 8:31:00 AM

MIAMI: World No. 1 Serena Williams cruised into the third round of the Miami WTA and ATP Masters hardcourt tournament on Thursday with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Italian Flavia Pennetta.

Williams saved all seven break points she faced and broke Pennetta five times. She had the Italian under pressure often - giving herself 18 break points.

Williams next faces Japan's Ayumi Morita, a 7-6 (7/2), 2-6, 6-3 winner over Belgian Yanina Wickmayer. - AFP

Li Na makes winning return to WTA tour

Posted: 21 Mar 2013 05:21 PM PDT

MIAMI: China's Li Na made a winning return to WTA action on Thursday, beating Kiki Bertens of the Netherlands 6-3, 6-1 in her second-round opener at the Miami WTA and ATP Masters hardcourt tournament.

Li had been sidelined for seven seeks after hurting her left ankle in the final of the Australian Open, where she fell to Victoria Azarenka.

"I wasn't nervous today before the match, but I was excited," Li said. "For the last six or seven weeks I haven't played any tournaments so I was happy with the result and to win my first match after such a long time."

Li, ranked fifth in the world and seeded fifth in a field headed by world No. 1 Serena Williams, didn't drop her serve, saving both break points she faced in the emphatic 67-minute match. She was buoyed by a vocal contingent of fans, something she wasn't expecting.

"There were a lot of fans there to support me today, I was like 'Wow!'" she said.

"My game was pretty good. I followed the plan of what I should do. I just had to believe in myself that I could do it." - AFP

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Khamis, 21 Mac 2013