Vonn withdraws with back injury, looks to mend for Olympics
After injuring her back in a World Cup race, Lindsey Vonn withdrew from another scheduled super-G in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Sunday before the race was canceled due to fog.
“Unfortunately I will not be able to race today,” Vonn wrote on her Twitter account 45 minutes before the original scheduled start.
“I am extremely disappointed but my biggest goal this season is the Olympics.”
Vonn jarred her back Saturday, early in a World Cup super-G on the same St. Moritz course, and completed the race in obvious pain in 24th place.
Late Saturday on Twitter, she described the injury as “an acute facet (spinal joint) dysfunction,” though she had not had an MRI.
Vonn added Sunday: “I need to take care of myself now so I can be ready for next week, and more importantly, for February.”
The Pyeongchang Olympics are set for Feb. 9-25.
Golf
O’HAIR & STRICKER WIN QBE >> Sean O’Hair made eagle on the par-5 17th hole and teamed with Steve Stricker for an 8-under 64 to win the QBE Shootout over Graeme McDowell and Shane Lowry in Naples, Fla.
O’Hair and Stricker had a one-shot lead playing the 17th hole in the betterball format at Tiburon Golf Club. O’Hair sealed the victory with an approach that settled 12 feet away for eagle. Lowry and McDowell each came up short and had to settle for par, falling three shots behind.
McDowell birdied the 18th as the Irish duo shot 66 to finish two shots behind.
It was the second time O’Hair and Stricker won the event, but the first as partners. Stricker previously won in 2009 with Jerry Kelly, while O’Hair won in 2012 with Kenny Perry. JOBURG TOURNEY SUSPENDED >> India’s Shubhankar Sharma had a fourstroke lead in the Joburg Open in Johannesburg, South Africa, with 11 holes left when lightning and
heavy rain forced the suspension of play.
Making his 10th European Tour start, Sharma was at 22 under. South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen was second.
YIN TOPS IN DUBAI >> American Angel Yin won the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic in a playoff, beating South Korea’s In-Kyung Kim with a birdie on the second extra hole.
The 19-year-old Yin won with a tap-in birdie on 17. The win in the Ladies European Tour season finale was her first on a major tour.
Yin closed with a 5-under 67 to match Kim (65) and France’s Celine Herbin (64) at 15-under 273.
Yin and Kim birdied the 18th on the first extra hole, while Herbin was eliminated after hitting into the water with her third shot.
College football
IOWA STAR GETS LOTT AWARD >> Josey Jewell of Iowa has won the Lott IMPACT Trophy as the college defensive player having the biggest influence on his team.
The other finalists were Harrison Phillips of Stanford, Micah Kiser of Virginia and Minkah Fitzpatrick of Alabama.
Jewell received the award Sunday night from former 49ers and Raiders defensive back Ronnie Lott at the Pacific Club in Newport Beach. It goes to a player with strong academic work, community involvement and team leadership.