Thomas defends CIMB title
American fires 65 to win again in Kuala Lumpur
Justin Thomas successfully defended his CIMB Classic golf title yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, closing with an 8-under 65 for a 3-stroke victory over Hideki Matsuyama.
A year after setting the tournament record of 26-under 262, the 23-year-old American finished at 23-under at TPC Kuala Lumpur for his second PGA Tour title. Thomas birdied the final five holes Saturday in a thirdround 71, then birdied four of the first five in his bogey-free final round.
Matsuyama closed with a 66. Anirban Lahiri, the third-round leader, had a quadruple bogey on the third hole and finished with a 72 to tie for third with American Derek Fathauer at 19-under. . . .
Minjee Lee got up-and-down one last time at Jian Lake to win the Blue Bay LPGA in Hainan, China, for her second victory of the year and third in 17 months.
The 20-year-old chipped to 3 feet from the front runoff area on the par-5 18th to match Jessica Korda’s birdie and beat the American by a stroke.
Ariya Jutanugarn tied Lee with a 2-stroke swing on the par-3 17th, then hooked her 3-wood drive into the water on 18 to end her chances for a tour-high sixth win.
Lee rebounded after losing a 6-stroke lead Saturday, closing with a 2-under 70 to finish at 13-under 275. Korda had a 71. Jutanugarn shot 70, her closing bogey leaving her 2 strokes back. . . .
Padraig Harrington got up an down for par on the final hole to win the Portugal Masters in Vilamoura for his first European Tour victory in eight years. Harrington’s 6-under 65 and 23-under 261 total gave him a 1-stroke victory over defending champion Andy Sullivan.
Sullinger set for surgery
Forward Jared Sullinger of the NBA’s Toronto Raptors will have surgery today to insert a screw into the fifth metatarsal in his left foot. The Raptors say the procedure is a preventative measure to alleviate symptomatic stress reactions and will be done by Dr. Martin O’Malley in New York.
The former Celtics forward signed with Toronto as a free agent in July. . . .
The Golden State Warriors exercised the third-year contract option on forward Kevon Looney to keep him under contract through 2017-18. He appeared in five games for Golden State last season, averaging 1.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per contest while being hampered by an injured hip.
Kerber opens with win
Top-seeded Angelique Kerber struggled to defeat No. 7 Dominika Cibulkova 7-6 (5), 2-6, 6-3 on the opening day of the Women’s Tennis Association Finals in Singapore.
Third-seeded Simona Halep won the first Red Group match of the day, taking a 6-2, 6-4 win over No. 6 American Madison Keys. ...
Juan Martin del Potro won the Stockholm Open to end a 33-month title drought, beating sixth-seeded Jack Sock 7-5, 6-1, for his his 19th ATP tour title — and his first since winning in Sydney in 2014.
Hamilton wins USGP
Lewis Hamilton won his fourth U.S. Grand Prix in five years, bolting from the pole position at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, and cruising to an easy victory that cut Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg’s championship lead to 26 points with three races left in the Formula One season. . . .
Carli Lloyd scored twice and the U.S. women’s national soccer team routed Switzerland, 5-1, in an exhibition in Minneapolis. . . .
Shoma Uno landed three quadruple jumps en route to winning the Skate America men’s figure skating title in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Americans Jason Brown and Adam Rippon placed second and third in the first event of the Grand Prix season. . . .
Alexis Pinturault built on his first-run lead to win skiing’s season-opening World Cup giant slalom in Soelden, Austria. Pinturault beat defending overall champion Marcel Hirscher by 0.70 seconds. Olympic and world GS champion Ted Ligety of the U.S. improved from 14th position after the opening run to fifth, 1.65 seconds off the lead.