Belgium in lead at golf World Cup
MELBOURNE: Thomas Pieters and Thomas Detry zeroed in on Belgium’s first ever golf World Cup title on Saturday, storming to a five stroke lead over the chasing pack with a peerless display of shot-making.
The pair began the third day level with An Byeong-hun and Kim Si-woo, but the South Koreans could only manage a 68 in the fourball format at Melbourne’s Metropolitan Golf Club, where both players have a ball but only the better score counts for each hole.
The young Belgians, former University of Illinois teammates, sank seven birdies and an eagle in a sizzling nine-under-par 63 — the best of the day — to be 19-under for the championship. Italy’s Andrea Pavan and Renato Paratore stayed in the hunt with a 66 to be joint second alongside Mexico’s Abraham Ancer and Roberto Diaz (65) and the Koreans.
Pre-tournament favourites Australia — Mark Leishman and Cameron Smith — remained in touch, six off the pace, tied fifth with England’s Tyrrell Hatton and Ian Poulter and Sweden’s Alexander Bjork and Joakim Lagergren.
Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri could only manage 70, leaving them in a tie for 11th and nine strokes behind Belgium.
RAI STEADY
HONG KONG: Aaron Rai held off fellow Englishmen Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick at the Hong Kong Open on Saturday, to lead by six strokes. The 23-year-old Englishman is on 16-under 194 after four birdies and two bogeys. India’s Shubhankar Sharma is tied-12th.
MICKELSON WINS
LOS ANGELES: Phil Mickelson sank a four-foot birdie putt on the fourth extra hole to pocket $9 million and beat Tiger Woods in an exhibition clash on Friday between two of golf’s greatest rivals.
SHAMIM TRIUMPHS
DIGBOI: Shamim Khan got the better of Gaurav Pratap Singh in a nail-biting play-off to retain the title at the Indianoil Servo Masters Golf tournament here on Saturday. Shamim (70-70-65-74) had edged out Veer Ahlawat in a playoff last year and he repeated the feat for the second year in succession after Gaurav (72-68-69-70) took him into the playoff.