Woods’ comeback win propels Ryder Cup to higher dimension

PARIS, FRANCE: Already the most intense competition in golf, the Ryder Cup doesn’t need help to boost the excitement.

Tiger Woods managed to take it to another level.

He looked like the Woods of old by leading the final 36 holes of the Tour Championship, not letting anyone near him until it was too late, a vintage performance made all the more remarkable by four back surgeries and a future that looked bleak only a year ago.

One PGA Tour event into his return, Jim Furyk selected him as a vice captain for the Ryder Cup. And then he picked him for the team. And then Woods won for the first time in more than five years.

“I spent 25 years playing professional golf with Tiger Woods on the scene, and any time he does anything great, that’s a story. And that’s where we want to see him. He does so much for the game of golf,” said European captain Thomas Bjorn.

The television ratings show as much. NBC Sports Group said the overnight rating from the Tour Championship was 5.21, the highest-rated telecast in the 12-year history of the Fedex Cup playoffs, which cover 48 events featuring some of the strongest fields.

WOZNIACKI, KERBER ADVANCE IN WUHAN

WUHAN,CHINA: World number two Caroline Wozniacki and Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber eased through their opening matches at the Wuhan Open in China on Tuesday.

Australian Open champion Wozniacki, who received a firstround bye, was barely troubled Swede Rebecca Peterson, winning 6-4, 6-1 to set up a thirdround clash with Olympic champion Monica Puig.

World No 3 Kerber has already qualified for next month’s Finals which will be held in Singapore and advanced after a knee injury forced her American opponent Madison Keys to retire.

GIOVINAZZI TO PARTNER RAIKKONEN AT SAUBER

LONDON: Sauber have promoted Italian Antonio Giovinazzi as their second driver for the 2019 season alongside former world champion Kimi Raikkonen, the team said on Tuesday.

Giovinazzi, the team’s reserve driver, made his Formula One debut last year, starting two races as a replacement for the injured Pascal Wehrlein.