S.Korea’s Ko leads all the way to win Australian Open
Choi settles for 2nd, Green 3rd
ADELAIDE, Australia, Feb 18, (AFP): South Korea’s Ko Jin-young led all the way to win the Australian Women’s Open by three shots at Adelaide’s Kooyonga golf course on Sunday.
Ko, 22, rolled in a short par putt at the last hole to clinch a wire-to-wire victory at 14-under to beat compatriot Choi Hyejin on 11-under with Australia’s Hannah Green on 10-under in third place.
Ko’s victory allows her to take up full LPGA Tour membership for 2018.
The Korean was ranked 20th in the world before the tournament and will likely be close to the top 10 in this week’s new rankings. MUSCAT, Oman, Feb 18, (AP): Joost Luiten of the Netherlands won the inaugural Oman Open on Sunday to break a title drought of nearly 17 months.
The 32-year-old Dutchman shot a 4-under 68 to finish on 16-under 272, two shots ahead of his friend, England’s Chris Wood (69).
It was Luiten’s sixth European Tour title and the first since the 2016 KLM Open.
Frenchman Julien Guerrier (71) virtually assured that he would not have to go to qualifying school for the 12th time with a third-place finish after a 13-under 275.
Luiten started with three birdies in his first four holes, but bogeys on the seventh and eighth set him back. On the back nine, he made three birdies, including a key one on the 16th, where he made a 30-foot putt.
Playing one group ahead, England’s Wood was right in the mix and tied with Luiten at 15-under when their fortunes went in opposite directions almost at the same time. On the 17th hole, Wood drove his tee shot into the hazard left and could do no more than chip his ball out for a bogey. Luiten, meanwhile, drained his 30-footer birdie putt on the 16th for a two-shot swing.
Recovering his form after a series of disappointments, Wood was let down by the loss and said: “It’s golf isn’t it? You are never happy.
Luiten’s win also got him into the top 10 in the Race to Dubai, securing him a start at the WGC-Mexico Championship in two weeks.
MUSCAT:
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Kazakh Alexey Lutsenko clinched overall victory at the Tour of Oman as Norwegian Alexander Kristoff won Sunday’s sixth and final stage.
Kristoff sprinted to victory along the Muscat corniche, a hair ahead of France’s Bryan Coquard and Giamco Nizzolo of Italy in a little over three hours on the 135.5km course.
And the bunch sprint finish meant overnight leader Lutsenko held on to claim overall victory with Astana teammate Miguel Moreno of Colombia second and Spaniard Gorka Insausti third. Stage six results: 1. Alexander Kristoff (NOR/Emirates) 3hrs, 11min, 29sec, 2. Bryan Coquard (FRA/VC) same time, 3. Giacomo Nizzolo (ITA/Trek-Segafredo) s.t., 4. Magnus Cort Nielsen (DEN/Astana) s.t., 5. Nathan Haas (AUS/Katusha) s.t., 6. Davide Martinelli (ITA/Quick-Step) s.t., 7. Amaury Capiot (BEL/Vlaanderen-Baloise), s.t., 8. Greg Van Avermaet (BEL/ BMC) s.t., 9. Benjamin Declercq (BEL/ Vlaanderen-Baloise) s.t., 10. Floris Gerts (NED/Roompot-Nederlandse) s.t. Overall standings: 1. Alexey Lutsenko (KAZ/Astana) 22hrs, 49min, 50sec, 2. Miguel Moreno (COL/Astana) at 11sec, 3. Gorka Insausti (ESP/Bahrain-Merida) 28, 4. Jesus Lopez (ESP/Cofidis) 30, 5. Nathan Haas (AUS/Katusha) 32, 6. Dries Devenyns (BEL/Quick-Step) 1:05, 7. Daniel Garcia (ESP/Cofidis) 1:14, 8. Odd Eiking (NOR/Wanty) 1:24, 9. Merhawi Ghebremedhin (ERI/Dimension Data) 1:29, suffering a left leg strain while batting.
Dhawan made 72 in an Indian total of 203 for five after they were sent in to bat.
Then opening bowler Kumar produced a masterly display as he claimed career-best figures of five for 24 as South Africa were restricted to 175 for nine.
Kumar took the first two wickets and put a clamp on South Africa’s scoring rate with an opening spell of two for 19 in three overs, displaying superb control and changes of pace.
Then he came back to settle the contest and secure the man of the match award by taking three wickets and conceding only five runs in the 18th over.
South Africa were outplayed once again despite a fourth wicket partnership of 81 off 54 balls between Reeza Hendricks (70) and Farhaan Behardien (39) with India superior in all departments.
Kohli hailed “one of our most balanced performances” in a T20 international.
South African captain JP Duminy admitted he was “very disappointed” but backed a policy of short-pitched bowling in an attempt to take wickets when India batted.
The left-handed Dhawan hit ten fours and two sixes in a 39-ball innings.
He was lucky to escape on ten when he flicked at a ball down the leg side from Junior Dala.
South Africa appealed half-heartedly for a catch behind and the ball was called wide. Replays showed the ball had brushed his glove.
India made a flying start, with Rohit Sharma square-cutting the first ball from Dane Paterson for six. He added a second six in an over which yielded 18 runs.