Lawrence headlines field at South to East Challenge

Contingent eyes breakthrough

JOHANNESBURG, June 6: MENA Golf Tour hotshot Thriston Lawrence will be seeking to exploit some home advantage when he headlines a strong field for the South to East Challenge at Zwartkop Golf Club in Centurion, Pretoria, from June 7-9.

Co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Big Easy Tour, the event, which marks MENA Golf Tour’s first foray into the Rainbow Nation, will see leading players from both the tours pit their skills against each other for a share of the R500,000 prize fund in addition to earning world ranking points.

Lawrence, a 19-year-old South African prodigy, who in 2015 became the youngest to win MENA Golf Tour’s Order of Merit title, has already racked up two top5 finishes in three events he played this season, but will need a strong finish, if not five from South Africa, and Benjamin David of England. They will test the waters on the professional circuit at Zwartkop Golf Club.

Founded in 1933, Zwartkop Country Club has hosted many significant professional events over the years, including the SA Open, the Sunshine Tour’s ICL International and a memorable exhibition game between Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player during the 60’s.

Some of the greatest names in golf to have walked the fairways includes Sam Snead, Peter Thompson and Bobby Locke to Gary Player, Seve Ballesteros, Lee Trevino, Nick Faldo, Ernie Els, Nick Price and Retief Goosen.

The South to East Challenge will be decides over 54 holes of strokeplay with leading 50 professionals and ties making into the final round after the cut which will be made after round two.

An initiative of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation, the MENA Golf Tour was created in 2011 with the aim of developing golf in the region. It is affiliated to R&A, the worldwide golf governing body based in the home of golf, St Andrews, and the Arab Golf Federation and enjoys the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status.

Multiple European Tour starts, including the Omega Dubai Desert Classic, the Hassan II Trophy and the Maybank Championship Malaysia in addition to full playing privileges on the Sunshine Tour and exemptions into the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Q-School for the leading three professionals are some of the added incentives for the MENA Golf Tour members. then bounced a single up the middle, and a third run scored on the play when center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury threw wild to the plate.

T.J. McFarland (1-1) pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Kevin Gausman and Zach Britton got three straight outs for his 17th save.

In Boston, Marco Estrada took a no-hitter into the eighth inning for the third time in a year before it was broken up by Chris Young’s home run with one out, and Toronto held off Boston.

Jose Bautista opened the game with a home run, the first of four Toronto hit over the Green Monster. Edwin Encarnacion added a two-run shot, and Darwin Barney and Russell Martin each had a solo homer.

Estrada (4-2) walked three, struck out five and was lifted after giving up his second hit Dustin Pedroia’s leadoff double in the ninth with a 5-1 lead.

In Arlington, Texas, Jurickson Profar hit a tiebreaking single in a threerun fifth inning and Texas beat Seattle, sweeping a three-game series between the top two teams in the AL West.

Profar now has hits in all nine games with a .390 average in the leadoff spot since he was recalled from Triple-A Round Rock.

Derek Holland (5-4) allowed two runs on former teammate Nelson Cruz’s two-run homer in the fourth with six strikeouts in seven innings, both season highs for the left-hander.

In Chicago, Jake Arrieta’s winning streak ended at 20 games when Patrick

Thriston Lawrence

Corbin and struggling Arizona beat Chicago.

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner had gone 24 regular-season starts without a loss since Cole Hamels pitched a no-hitter for Philadelphia at Wrigley Field on July 25.

Arrieta (9-1) lasted five innings this time, allowing three runs and nine hits. He threw 108 pitches and struck out a season-high 12 while walking one.

Corbin (3-5) went seven innings to lead Arizona to its second victory in seven games.

In St Louis, Aledmys Diaz, Matt Adams and Yadier Molina each had an RBI during a four-run sixth inning and St. Louis came from behind for the second straight game to beat San Francisco.

The tiebreaking run came on an RBI fielder’s choice with the bases loaded by Molina, who entered the at-bat in an 0-for-20 skid. Shortstop Brandon Crawford made an error on the play when he dropped the ball on the exchange trying to flip to second to start a double play.

Carlos Martinez (6-5) allowed three runs in six innings and Matt Carpenter had three hits and an RBI for St. Louis. Trevor Rosenthal earned his 10th save in 11 chances.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy used three relievers in the sixth trying to preserve the lead for Jake Peavy (2-6), who missed a chance at his 150th career victory.

In Pittsburgh, Albert Pujols hit a two-run home run off reliever Tony Watson in the top of the eighth inning to lead Los Angeles over Pittsburgh.

It was Pujols’ 30th career homer at PNC Park, the most of any road ballpark for the 36-year-old slugger.

Watson (1-2), the Pirates usually reliable set-up man, has now allowed seven runs in his last 2 1/3 innings. He failed to protect the lead for Pirates starter Gerrit Cole, who allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings.

Deolis Guerra (1-0) struck out three over 1 2/3 innings of relief and picked up his first win with the Angels.

In Detroit, Justin Verlander pitched seven strong innings and Justin Upton drove in a pair of runs as Detroit swept Chicago.

Detroit came into the series having

lost eight of its last 10 games against left-handed starters, but beat a trio of Chicago lefties: Carlos Rodon, Chris Sale and Jose Quintana.

Verlander (5-5) allowed homers to Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier but got himself out of two major jams in order to win for the third time in four starts.

Francisco Rodriguez got his 15th save.

Quintana (5-6) took the loss, allowing a season-high five runs on nine hits and three walks in 4 2/3 innings.

In Los Angeles, Yasmani Grandal hit a three-run homer, Corey Seager added two more home runs and Los Angeles beat Atlanta to complete a three-game sweep with its seventh win in a row at home.

Seager went 3 for 5, drove in four runs and scored twice two days after hitting three homers in Friday’s 4-2 win in the series opener.

Scott Kazmir (5-3) overcame a rocky first inning in which he gave up two runs before settling down and allowing three runs and seven hits in five-plus innings.

Matt Wisler (2-6) took the loss for the last-place Braves, who dropped their fourth in a row.

In Cincinnati, Daniel Murphy homered and drove in three runs, and Jonathan Papelbon pitched out of his own major jam in the ninth inning to preserve Washington’s victory over Cincinnati.

Papelbon entered in the ninth to protect a 10-8 lead and immediately got in trouble. Tyler Holt singled, Joey Votto walked and Brandon Phillips hit an RBI double that made it a one-run game. Washington left-hander Sammy Solis (1-1) struck out a career-high six in three innings of relief.

The score was tied 5-all in the fifth when the Nationals loaded the bases with nobody out against Daniel Wright (0-2), and then Tucker Barnhart’s error allowed two runs to score.

In Houston, Evan Gattis homered for the third straight game, Carlos Gomez connected for the first time this season and Carlos Correa delivered a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning, helping Houston beat Oakland for a three-game sweep. The Astros have won eight of nine. Lance McCullers (3-1) allowed eight

hits and two runs while striking out nine in seven innings to win his third straight decision. Will Harris threw a perfect ninth for his first save.

It was 2-all in the seventh when George Springer walked and moved up on an errant pickoff throw by Ryan Dull (1-1).

In San Diego, Carlos Gonzalez hit two two-run homers and drove in five runs, Jon Gray struck out a career-high 12 and Colorado beat San Diego to snap a four-game losing streak.

Rookie Luis Perdomo (1-2) started in place of James Shields for San Diego. Shields was traded to the Chicago White Sox on Saturday.

Gray (4-2) struck out the first five batters, becoming the second Rockies pitcher to do so.

In Cleveland, Francisco Lindor hit one of Cleveland’s four solo homers and drove in three runs, and the Indians completed a four-game sweep of World Series champion Kansas City with a rain-delayed victory.

Corey Kluber (5-6) allowed two hits and was pulled after the sixth inning when the game was delayed by inclement weather for 3 hours, 10 minutes.

Lindor, Carlos Santana and rookie Tyler Naquin homered in the fifth. Mike Napoli connected in the fourth.

In Minneapolis, Evan Longoria homered for the fourth consecutive game, connecting twice, and Tampa Bay beat Minnesota.

Logan Morrison also homered twice and Longoria added an RBI single in the ninth for Tampa Bay.

Xavier Cedeno (3-1) got the win despite allowing a game-tying homer to Eduardo Nunez in the bottom of the eighth. Alex Colome stayed perfect with his 15th save in 15 chances.

Kevin Jepsen (2-5) allowed two hits and two walks in the ninth.

In Philadelphia, Aaron Nola pitched six scoreless innings and matched his career high with nine strikeouts and Philadelphia backed him with three home runs in a win over Milwaukee.

Nola (5-4), who turned 23 on Saturday, maneuvered out of several jams. The Brewers stranded 10 runners against him.

Wily Peralta (3-7) allowed earned runs in 4-1/3 innings.

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