24/06/2025

SPORTS TUESDAY | JUNE 24, 2025

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Fleetwood fights back tears in Connecticut TOMMY FLEETWOOD was dealt one of the most sickening feelings in golf at the Travelers Championship, after collapsing on the final hole and surrendering the title – one that would have been his first on the PGA Tour. All those rooting for Fleetwood then experienced heartbreak. Cameras panned to Fleetwood, who looked entirely shellshocked and inconsolable. Despite this, the Englishman still fulfilled his media duties and immediately spoke to reporters. Fleetwood fought back tears and continually rubbed his eyes as he tried to find the appropriate words for Sky Sports and the CBS cameras. “I’m pretty gutted right now,” Fleetwood began. “There was a couple of wrong clubs down the last couple, I didn’t putt great today. “Putted really well all week but felt there was a stretch in the back nine that was my time to take control. “On 18 you know, especially after flushing a drive, was feeling really good. But we got that all wrong, and the putt I left in the worst possible place in front of Keegan’s ball. “Probably the worst way to finish, not even making it to a playoff. But Keegan played great. I’m gutted really, but we’ll go home and start practicing again.” Fleetwood must now somehow compose himself and rally once more, with the final major of the golf season fast approaching. The Open Championship is to be held at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, from July 17-20. – Express Newspapers Marquez extends MotoGP lead MARC MARQUEZ won the Italian Grand Prix to extend his lead at the top of the riders’standings in MotoGP. The Spaniard had already won Saturday’s sprint race and secured a record-breaking 100th pole position to start Sunday’s race from the front at the Mugello circuit. From the very first corner Marquez, his brother Alex and home favourite Francesco Bagnaia swapped positions in a breathless start. With Bagnaia tailing off the front two, Marc Marquez was able to regain the lead from his brother on lap nine and pulled away in the remainder of the race to take the chequered flag. The 32-year-old Ducati rider now leads the championship by 40 points from Alex Marquez after securing his first victory in Italy since 2014. “It is an amazing feeling,” said Marc Marquez. “We are at a Ducati track and I know it’s super special for them so (it’s good) to have three Ducatis on the podium. “From the beginning Francesco (Bagnaia) and Alex (Marquez) attacked me but I was calm and I am happy to take the deserved points.” Bagnaia was looking to make it four straight wins at his home grand prix but was beaten into third place by fellow Italian Fabio di Giannantonio. The championship continues next weekend with the Dutch Grand Prix at Assen. – Reuters/Agencies

Lee wins in Texas

Minjee Lee poses with the trophy after winning the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship 2025 at Fields Ranch East. – AFPPIC

Aussie hangs on at breezy Frisco to win Women’s PGA Championship for third major title A USTRALIAN Lee Minjee fired a gritty 2 over par 74 to win the Women’s PGA Championship yesterday, capturing her third major title by three strokes on She gave a stroke back at the 10th, but after rolling in a tense nine-foot putt for par at 13 she drilled a nine-footer for birdie at the 14th to boost her lead back to three strokes. victory, applied as much pressure as she could. After a birdie at the par-five first she strung together three birdies in a row at the seventh, eighth and ninth – landing her tee shot at the par three eighth a foot from the pin.

She added a birdie at 15, holing a five-and-a half-foot putt, remaining in control from there despite a last bogey at 16. Through it all, Lee said, she was keeping an eye on her nearest rivals while trying to maintain her focus on another hot, wind-whipped day at Fields Ranch East in Frisco, north of Dallas. “Pretty much I saw every single leaderboard and I knew exactly where I was pretty much all of today,” she said. “I just

another demanding day in Frisco, Texas. The 29-year-old from Perth added the title to her 2021 Evian Championship and the US Women’s Open title she won in 2022, finishing with a 4-under par total of 284. American Auston Kim and Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen tied for second on 1 under 287. “A lot of patience out there today,” said Lee, who started the day with a four-shot lead after a brilliant, bogey-free round on Saturday but had three bogeys in her first six holes. “I just felt like some shots were going my way and some shots weren’t,” Lee said. “I just said stick to my game plan. It was a battle against myself pretty much, especially with how tough the conditions were this whole week – not just today, just amplified today because it’s a major Sunday.” Lee made her first birdie of the day at the par five ninth, where she missed the green but chipped to two feet. Bradley lifts Travelers trophy

“I just wanted to charge and get as close as I could to the top,” said Kim, who posted her best finish in a major. Prior to this tournament, she’d missed more major cuts (five) than she had made (four). “I knew that the course is hard. I just played my percentages and tried to capitalise on good shots today.” World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, who led after each of the first two rounds and started the day in solo second four behind Lee, was never able to get much going. She closed with a three-over-par 75 that left her tied for fourth on 1-over 289 with Japan’s Chisato Iwai, who carded a 1-under 71. World No. 3 Lydia Ko carded a 1-under 71 to finish in a group sharing 12th on 293. World No. 1 Nelly Korda fired a final-round 76 for a share of 19th on 294 and world No. 4 Yin Ruoning was in a group on 295 after a closing 76. – AFP

tried to check the scores and then I just come back to each shot and try and execute it the best that I could. “I really played within myself today.” Kim, a 24-year-old American ranked 98th in the world and seeking a first LPGA

US RYDER CUP captain Keegan Bradley won the Travelers Championship for the second time in three seasons yesterday, a dramatic last-hole birdie denying England’s Tommy Fleetwood his first PGA victory. Bradley, trailing Fleetwood by one at the 18th tee, dropped his approach to six feet while Fleetwood was short of his green, left himself a par putt from just inside seven feet then missed it to the right. Bradley then sank his tension-packed birdie putt for the title, shooting a 2-under-par 68 to finish 72 holes on 15 under 265 and defeat Fleetwood and American Russell Henley by one stroke at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut. “Of all the shots and all the putts I’ve hit, I think I’m going to remember that one the most,” Bradley said of his winning putt. “Absolutely incredible.” World No. 21 Bradley, the 2023 Travelers winner, marked the one-year anniversary of being told he was this year’s Ryder Cup captain with a victory that prompted more questions

about him playing against Europe in September at Bethpage Black. “Go USA,” was his only reply. The 39-year-old from nearby Vermont treats the lone PGA event in New England as his home tournament. “I feel an obligation to play for the people of New England and the Northeast and represent them and this is the best way I can do it,” Bradley said. Bradley, who sank a 64-foot birdie putt at the ninth hole, won his eighth career PGA title, including a win in his major debut at the 2011 PGA Championship. Two-time Masters champion Scheffler went bogey-free in the last round. “Overall not a bad week. I fought back nicely today and posted a decent score. You got to limit your mistakes and this week I just wasn’t able to do that,” Scheffler said. McIlroy was pleased heading into July’s British Open. “Good, positive vibes going into a couple-week break and get ready for Scotland and The Open Championship.” – AFP

Keegan Bradley celebrates with the trophy after his winning putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Travelers Championship 2025. – AFPPIC