14/06/2025

SPORTS SATURDAY | JUNE 14, 2025

28

SHORTS

‘Jos is the boss’ Russell takes sly dig at Verstappen ahead of Canadian GP

Field flourishes at Meijer Classic SOUTH KOREA’S Mi Hyang Lee carded an 8-under round of 64 yesterday and owns a one-stroke lead over Australia’s Grace Kim after one round of the Meijer LPGA Classic in Belmont, Michigan. Twenty-three golfers are within four strokes of Lee on the par-72 layout at Blythefield Country Club. After parring the first four holes during her morning round, Lee needed only 11 strokes to birdie holes 5-8. After turning in 32, she eagled the par-5 10th hole, reaching the green in two and sinking a tough 24-footer. “I didn’t expect I can hit the green there for my second shot,” Lee said. “But it was a great line and good hit with the 3-wood and I made the green. It was almost 24 feet, like right-to left-eagle putt. I didn’t expect to make it.” She birdied 14 and 17 in a bogey-free 64 and played the four par-5 holes in -4. Lee missed the cut in last weekend’s US Open and the 32 year old Seoul native’s best finish was a tie for sixth at the Ford Championships in late March. “I missed only two fairways,” Lee said.“I think that’s a lot of help to hit the greens a lot, too.” Kim also eagled the 10th and played holes 7-14 in 6-under par. Paraguay’s Sofia Garcia, Australia’s Karis Davidson and Japan’s Akie Iwai were two strokes back at 6-under. Six players, including Andrea Lee, the lone American in the top 11, carded 5 under 67s. Reed makes fourth albatross in Open history WITH two swings on a 621-yard hole yesterday at Oakmont Country Club, Patrick Reed made history with the fourth albatross on record at a US Open. Reed leapt into contention early in his first round, but that three shot hole was essentially erased when he closed the day with a triple bogey. Reed, prickly after his round ended with a thud, did not have much to share about his albatross. “One hole doesn’t mean jack, to be honest with you,” Reed said. “It was a 3-wood I hit from 287 (yards), and it went in.” Reed, 34, did not know initially that he holed the shot. He motioned to a spotter to ask if the shot had gone in, then raised two fingers. It was the first albatross at a US Open since Nick Watney had one in 2012. The USGA has tracked the 3 under-par shots since 1983.

Verstappen. – REUTERSPIC

LEWIS HAMILTON launched a passionate defence of Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur yesterday and said that the Frenchman was key to his move to Maranello and his hopes for future Formula One success. Ferrari are second overall but have yet to win in nine races so far this season and there has been media speculation in Italy that Vasseur could be replaced, a suggestion the team has dismissed. “It’s definitely not nice to hear that there are stories like that out there,” seven-times world champion Hamilton said ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix. “Firstly, I love working with Fred. Fred’s the main reason I’m in this team and I got the opportunity to be here, which I’m forever grateful for. And we’re in this together. “Things aren’t perfect but for me, I’m here to work with the team but also with Fred. I want Fred here. I do believe Fred is the person to take us to the top.” G EORGE RUSSELL said Max Verstappen tried to show who was the boss when they collided in Spain two weeks ago, but the scare tactics backfired. The Mercedes Formula One driver told British reporters ahead of the 10th round of the season in Montreal that he did not think Red Bull’s four-times world champion had tried to deliberately ram him. “He was just trying to get his elbows out and show who’s boss. He got it wrong. Jos is the boss,” said the Briton, jokingly referring to Verstappen’s father who enjoyed that nickname while racing. Verstappen collected three penalty points and was also demoted from fifth to 10th in the race. He now stands one point from a mandatory race ban. The incident remained a talking point at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, where the pair lined up together on the front row last year and could be going wheel-to-wheel again tomorrow. Verstappen recognised after Spain that the move was “not right and shouldn’t have happened” but Russell, who finished fourth in Spain, said he was not looking for an apology. “I don’t think he needs to apologise to me for my side,” he said. “His actions cost him and they benefited me. So I should be almost thanking him. “But it’s good to see that he took

accountability, which I was a bit surprised (about). “I think he wanted to just sort of scare me a bit but he just misjudged it. It wasn’t going to scare me, it was just all a bit surprising.” Russell recognised he might also be able to turn the situation to his advantage if Verstappen had to be mindful of suspension. “This weekend if I see him on track, I’m racing the same. I want to win. I’m not going to give him any more space or anything,” he said. Russell said he had spoken briefly with his Dutch rival after they “bumped into each other” at the airport when the Briton was flying to Paris to attend the French Open tennis final. “He was there with his newborn (daughter) and we were at the security machine,” he said. “We just had a quick chat and then he was busy folding the pram down to put it through the machine.” Russell spoke in Spain of his concern about the effect on young racers of Verstappen’s driving, prompting the Dutchman to tell reporters he would “bring some tissues” next time. “That was quite funny, to be fair,” said the Briton, grinning. “I did have a giggle there.” – Reuters

Hamilton backs Vasseur

“There is no question where my head’s at and what I’m working towards achieving for this team. So there’s zero doubts.” Ferrari have not won a championship since the 2008 constructors’ title and Hamilton is seeking a record eighth after missing out controversially to Max Verstappen in the final race of 2021. He joined from Mercedes in January and has yet to stand on the podium in the red overalls, although he did win a sprint race in Shanghai in March – a highlight of Ferrari’s season so far. In Spain two weeks ago the 40-year-old finished only sixth and was overtaken by Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg, who was a surprise fifth. Hamilton said after that race that his Ferrari was the worst it had ever been but it emerged afterwards both he and teammate Charles Leclerc’s cars had undisclosed issues that were affecting handling. “It was a bit of a relief to hear that,” he said. – Reuters

T h e Briton said he would also be racing for Ferrari for “several years”, ad

d r e s s i ng s ep a r a t e speculation that he might be con-sidering retirement. “I’m here for the long haul,” he a d d e d .

Hamilton said he did not think any change was on the cards, the speculation was “nonsense” and he would be against it anyway because it took time to embed new people and to adjust. “I’m here to win with Fred and he has my full support,” he added.

Hamilton. – REUTERSPIC

Spaun tames Oakmont as big names struggle

UNHERALDED JJ Spaun outshined the game’s top players and led the US Open by one shot after the first round at steamy Oakmont Country Club where the big names like Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy all struggled. Much of the talk this week has been how the notoriously challenging course would keep scores in check, and while the layout did bare its teeth Spaun managed the day’s only bogey free round and eighth ever in a US Open at Oakmont. Spaun, who lost to McIlroy in a playoff at The Players Championship in March, fired a 4 under 66 that marked his lowest round in a major and left him one shot clear of South

Koepka, who counts two US Open titles among his majors, cancelled out an early eagle with two bogeys on the back nine but birdied his final two holes to move up the leaderboard. McIlroy made four bogeys over a seven-hole stretch out of the turn followed by a double bogey at the par-three eighth. He signed for a 74. World No. 1 Scheffler opened with a 73 that would have been higher had he not made up for errant drives with a decent putting game. “I made some silly mistakes out there, but at the same time, I made some key putts and some good momentum saves in my round, but overall just need to be a little sharper,” said Scheffler. – Reuters

Defending champion DeChambeau, one of 14 LIV Golf players in the field and looking to become the first repeat US Open winner since Koepka in 2018, spent too much time in Oakmont’s penal rough and opened with a 73. “It was a brutal test of golf. But one that I’m excited for tomorrow,” said DeChambeau. Im, who went off with the late starters from the back nine, roared out of the turn with two consecutive birdies to grab the outright lead from Spaun but handed it back just as quickly after bogeying his next two holes.

African Thriston Lawrence. “I hit a lot of good shots and tried to capitalise on any birdie opportunities, which aren’t very many out here,” said Spaun. “But I scrambled really well, too, which is a huge component to playing well at a US Open, let alone shoot a bogey-free round.” South Korean Kim Si-woo, whose birdie attempt at his final hole just missed the cup, was two shots off the pace and in a three-way share of third place with five-times major champion Brooks Koepka and Im Sung-jae.