11/02/2025

TUESDAY | FEB 11, 2025

28

SPORTS

Detry earns first PGA win

Giant-killer Shapovalov downs Ruud in Dallas CANADA’S Denis Shapovalov

IT was going so well for Belgium’s Thomas Detry that there was no reason to back off as he was winding down the WM Phoenix Open. Detry was strong all the way to the finish, shooting a 6-under 65 to collect his first PGA Tour victory yesterday at TPC Scottsdale in Scottsdale, Arizona. “It’s what dreams are made of,” he said. Detry kept improving on his way to a 24-under 260 total and a seven-shot victory, becoming the first Belgian to win a PGA Tour event. He put on a dazzling final-round show, playing the last eight holes in a combined 5-under with four consecutive birdies to complete the tournament. He dropped his

last putt from almost 10 feet away. “This is where I want to be and it’s pretty incredible to play golf the way I’ve been,” Detry said. A 32-year-old former University of Illinois golfer, Detry stayed in control throughout most of yesterday. Then he stuck his tee shot about a foot from the cup to birdie the famed par-3 No. 16 Stadium Hole, building his advantage to five strokes. “Considering the circumstances, one of the best shots of the week and of my life, definitely,”Detry said. Detry was in his 68th PGA Tour event, with two previous runner-up finishes. “I’ve given myself plenty of chances in the past and never been able to put a statement out like

that,” Detry said. Michael Kim and Daniel Berger, who both shot 67 yesterday, were runners-up at 17-under. “It was a fun last two days,” said Kim, who had only one bogey during the tournament. There was just no catching Detry. “I drove it well all week and I tried to just do my best to put pressure on him, but every time I felt like I made a birdie, he made one back,” Berger said. “He was playing really great golf today, and he was deserving to win this.” Jordan Spieth (68), who began the round tied for second, couldn’t keep up and finished at 16-under, tied for fourth with South Africa’s Christiaan Bezuidenhout (66). – Field Level Media

November in Belgrade and comes after an injury fightback since mid-2023. “I’ve been facing some difficult injuries with the knee. It has been a long road back,” Shapovalov said. “Struggles to get some titles, to get that momentum going back on the court but my team and the people close to me have kept lifting me up, kept putting me back on the right pathway whenever I’ve been down and these titles, Belgrade and this one, would definitely not be possible without them.” Shapovalov will jump 22 spots to 32nd in the ATP rankings next week. He was 127th at this point last year. “Incredible effort all week,” Ruud said of Shapovalov. “Great to see you back playing so well. Little bit annoying today but really great.” – AFP

completed a giant-killing run to the Dallas Open title yesterday, defeating Norway’s fifth-ranked Casper Ruud 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 for his third career ATP crown. Unseeded Shapovalov became only the fifth player since 2020 to knock out the three top seeds on the way to an ATP title and just the fourth player since 2009 to beat three top-10 rivals on the way to a 250- or 500-level title. Shapovalov ousted two home soil favourites earlier, dispatching world No. 4 Taylor Fritz in the second round and ousting ninth-ranked defending champion Tommy Paul in the semifinals. The 500-level trophy was the biggest of Shapovalov’s career after victories at Stockholm in 2018 and last

No Sinner, no sweat, says Alcaraz

C ARLOS ALCARAZ said yesterday that he had not missed Jannik Sinner at the Rotterdam Open, seizing on the world No. 1’s absence to clinch his first indoor title. Sinner pulled out at the last moment from the Rotterdam draw after triumphing at last month’s Australian Open. Asked if he had missed his Italian rival after overpowering Australia’s Alex de Minaur 6-4, 3 6, 6-2 in yesterday’s final, Alcaraz quipped: “Not really!” “Now that I’m holding the trophy, I’m going to say that I didn’t miss him in the tournament,” he added. “It could have been great having him and me in the same tournament. Probably we could have played a great final,” said the 21-year-old. In the actual final, world No. 3 Alcaraz

Spaniard overpowers De Minaur to clinch first indoor title

into the match. The second set saw a shift in momentum as De Minaur managed an early break of his own and raced into a 3-0 lead. De Minaur squandered two chances at a second break but clung on to his serve to give himself an opportunity to close out the set. He levelled up the match, as Alcaraz dumped a backhand into the net, having smashed two wild forehands long out of court earlier in the game. The decisive set went with serve until the sixth game when Alcaraz got his nose in front, breaking the Australian’s serve with a drop shot that De Minaur pushed wide. De Minaur served to stay in the match at 5-2 down but hit a catastrophic double-fault to give Alcaraz two match points.

Carlos Alcaraz poses with the winner’s trophy after winning his final match against Alex de Minaur (left). – REUTERSPIC

He then pushed a tired-looking backhand into the net to give Alcaraz victory and a 17th tour title, the Spaniard roaring vamos as the crowd rose to its feet. For De Minaur, it was a

had too much weight on his shots off both flanks for De Minaur, who retrieved valiantly but lacked the weapons to topple the top seed. “This week has been a

case of deja vu , as he lost in the final last year as well to Sinner. “It’s been two years with this runner-up trophy. I’m hoping I’ll get my hand on the winners’ one day,” said the Australian. Speaking to

really good week,” said Alcaraz. “I came here not feeling 100% well with a cold but every day I felt better and better,” added the Spaniard, who wore a nose-clip all week to help him breathe easier. Alcaraz was first to seize the initiative, breaking De Minaur’s serve in the third game, helped by a double fault and some ferocious groundstrokes.

reporters after the match, De Minaur revealed he had also been struggling with illness. “I’m just looking

forward to getting into bed and hopefully getting some rest,” he said. “I don’t need excuses, I go out there, compete, I tried my best, wasn’t enough today.” – AFP

The Spaniard secured the opener at the first time of asking, De Minaur netting a forehand return and giving himself an uphill battle to get back

American Noh captures Founders Cup for maiden LPGA victory

YEALIMI NOH captured her first LPGA title yesterday, outdueling South Korean Ko Jin-young down the final holes to win the Founders Cup by four strokes. Noh, a 23-year-old American, fired a 3-under 68 to finish on 21-under 263 after 72 holes at Florida’s Bradenton Country Club. “This means so much to me,” Noh said. “I’ve worked really hard the past few years and I went through a lot of struggles. “I really told myself that 2025 is going to be my year so this is the best way to start it.”

Three-time Founders Cup winner Ko, a two time major champion, stumbled with three bogeys in the last six holes to shoot 71 and settle for second on 267 with American Megan Khang third on 268 after firing 68. Noh’s best prior LPGA finishes in six seasons were runner-up efforts in 2019 at Portland and 2020 at the Volunteers of America Classic. “I’ve been in contention a couple of times and told myself I could do it but this is the first time I got it done,” Noh said. “This is a really big confidence booster for me for the rest of the year.”

Noh credited her improved game to a change last year to a broomstick putter. “Switching to the broomstick helped me so much,” Noh said. “I was really struggling with my putting. Switching to the broomstick, that just gave me back my confidence.” Noh birdied the par-4 second and followed with 10 consecutive pars before making back-to back birdies at 13 and 14. World No. 11 Ko, meanwhile, had grabbed a one-stroke lead with birdies at the fourth and par 5 sixth and eighth holes.

But Ko made bogeys on 13, 14 and 16 to fall four adrift of Noh. Noh found a greenside bunker at the par-5 17th but saved par and tapped in to par 18 to close the triumph. Australia’s Hannah Green shared fourth on 271 with South Korean Im Jin-hee and Japan’s Miyu Yamashita. Top-ranked Nelly Korda, who won last year here on her hometown course, shared seventh on 272 with France’s Celine Boutier and Japan’s Minami Katsu. – AFP