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Soccer Euro 2012: Navas scores late to secure Spain’s Group C win / Italy to quarter with 2-0 win over Ireland

June 19, 2012 By Admin

28a49d811e39d0005d5ea43513448e2c Soccer Euro 2012: Navas scores late to secure Spain’s Group C win / Italy to quarter with 2 0 win over Ireland
Iker Casillas of Spain (C) talks to the team during the UEFA EURO 2012 group C match between Croatia and Spain at The Municipal Stadium on June 18, 2012 in Gdansk, Poland.
(June 17, 2012 – Source: Jasper Juinen/Getty Images Europe)

GDANSK, Poland (AP) — Unconvincing as it was, it was still enough for Spain.

The defending champions advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Championship on Monday, getting an 88th-minute goal from substitute Jesus Navas in a 1-0 win over Croatia.

Spain dominated possession as expected but failed to create many clear opportunities at the Arena Gdansk. And on the other end, Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas needed to make a pair of clutch saves in the second half to bail out the world champions.

“It was a question of believing in what we are doing,” said Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta, who flicked a short pass to Navas for the deciding goal.

Spain, which is trying to win its third straight major title, will next face the second-place team in Group D on Saturday in Donetsk, Ukraine. Italy also advanced from Group C after beating Ireland 2-0.

“We made a great step forward. We qualified. That’s what motivates us for the quarterfinal. Our philosophy and style of play are good and we proved it in today’s match,” Del Bosque said. “The team played well even though the match didn’t go as we planned.”

After wasting a number of late chances, Spain finally broke open the Croatia defense when substitute Cesc Fabregas lobbed a through ball for Iniesta. The Barcelona midfielder then passed to Navas, who put his shot into the roof of the empty net.

“We played to the end and we deserved the win,” said Navas, who scored his second career goal for Spain.

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic, who is stepping down from the team following its elimination, wasn’t convinced that Spain can win the European title again.

“I don’t see them as big favorites,” Bilic said. “There are some other teams that have more pace and they are more hungry to win and maybe more aggressive on the pitch than Spain team.”

Navas’ goal came moments after Iniesta and Fabregas failed to convert late opportunities, with the European champions often trying to string together one too many passes.

“We suffered a lot tonight. They are very good,” Iniesta said. “We had to be patient. We had to wait for our chance. That’s what we did in the end.”

Croatia could have reached the quarterfinals with a victory – or a draw depending on the score. Casillas, however, made a reflex save on Ivan Rakitic’s header in the 59th minute and then punched out substitute Ivan Perisic’s low volley in the 79th.

Casillas, who recorded his 76th shutout in his 134th appearance, was Spain’s steadiest player in defense as the backline was often troubled in the second half by balls into the box.

Spain appeared to be more hesitant than against Ireland, but more attacking than against Italy, which held it to a 1-1 draw.

The Spanish defense also did well to shut down Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic, who scored three goals in the team’s first two matches.

—

Lineups:

Croatia: Stipe Pletikosa; Ivan Strinic, Vedran Corluka, Gordon Schildenfeld, Domagoj Vida (Nikica Jelavic, 66); Danijel Pranjic, Ivan Rakitic, Ognjen Vukojevic (Eduardo, 81), Luka Modric, Darijo Srna (Ivan Perisic, 66); Mario Mandzukic.

Spain: Iker Casillas; Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Alvaro Arbeloa; Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso, Xavi Hernandez (Alvaro Negredo, 89), Andres Iniesta, David Silva (Cesc Fabregas, 73); Fernando Torres (Jesus Navas, 61).

b24e543621c164703a76851d8f6c533b Soccer Euro 2012: Navas scores late to secure Spain’s Group C win / Italy to quarter with 2 0 win over Ireland
Mario Balotelli of Italy smiles at Shay Given of Republic of Ireland during the UEFA EURO 2012 group C match between Italy and Ireland at The Municipal Stadium on June 18, 2012 in Poznan, Poland.
(June 17, 2012 – Source: Claudio Villa/Getty Images Europe)

Mario Balotelli secured Italy’s win over Ireland

POZNAN, Poland (AP) — Blowing kisses to the crowd with a joyous grin on his face, it was a different Antonio Cassano who walked off the pitch this time.

Cassano, who wept uncontrollably after Italy was eliminated from the 2004 European Championship, scored the decisive goal Monday when Italy beat Ireland 2-0 Monday to reach the Euro 2012 quarterfinals.

“We Italians are used to suffering, but we always give our best,” said Cassano, who nearly lost his life with stroke-like symptoms seven months ago and then required minor heart surgery. “The victory was something we struggled for but the most important thing was to get through the group.”

With Italy needing a win to stand a chance of advancing, Cassano scored the first goal. He headed in with his back to the goal by the near post following a corner kick in the 35th minute on a warm and muggy night at the Municipal Stadium.

Substitute Mario Balotelli doubled the lead in the 90th, a minute after Ireland was reduced to 10 men when Keith Andrews picked up his second yellow card.

Still, Italy had to wait a few moments after the final whistle to celebrate, before receiving word that Spain beat Croatia 1-0 in the other Group C match.

The victory ended a five-match winless streak for Italy, which began the tournament with 1-1 draws against Spain and Croatia following three friendly losses.

“I couldn’t wait for them to blow the whistle in the other game and for it to finish,” Cassano said.

Italy had been worried about a 2-2 draw between Spain and Croatia, which would have eliminated the Azzurri no matter if they beat Ireland. That’s exactly what happened at Euro 2004, when Italy beat Bulgaria in its final group match thanks to Cassano’s winning goal. But Italy was sent home when Denmark and Sweden finished 2-2.

He cried that night, but eight years later he helped send Italy to the next round despite concerns that he might not even make the squad. In October, Cassano fell ill with stroke-like symptoms on AC Milan’s team plane. He was out for five months and has said repeatedly that he thought he might never recover.

Cassano was also left out of the Azzurri’s last two World Cup squads by former coach Marcello Lippi, who worried about Cassano’s temper. There’s never been any question over Cassano’s talent, though.

Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given got his hand to Cassano’s header, but couldn’t prevent it from going in.

Balotelli’s goal was a work of art, with the 21-year-old striker acrobatically wrapping his shot around defender John O’Shea in mid-air, as he met a corner kick from Alessandro Diamanti.

Having started Italy’s opening two matches, Balotelli replaced Antonio Di Natale in the 74th.

Italy will meet the Group D winner Sunday in Kiev, Ukraine – with France, England and co-host Ukraine among the possible opponents.

“No difference to us (who we play). We have already played Spain, who are reigning world and European champions,” Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. “If we play well, we can take on anyone.”

Spain won the group with seven points, Italy finished second with five, Croatia was next with four and Ireland – which was already eliminated – exited its first major tournament in 10 years with none.

“We played well tonight, but without creating too many chances either,” Ireland forward Robbie Keane said. “We’re disappointed not to get anything out of the group, but we’ve been beaten by better teams.”

Italy controlled the match for long stretches, but Ireland – managed by former Azzurri coach Giovanni Trapattoni – threatened often with counterattacks.

Andrews had been Ireland’s most dangerous player.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon did well to control a bouncing effort from Andrews on the hour mark and the midfielder came even closer with a free kick that Buffon stopped with a diving save in the 79th.

“We had to suffer a lot in this game – perhaps more than in the first two,” Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi said. “We weren’t afraid of them equalizing but they hit the long ball and all you need is one piece of good fortune.”

With the temperature hovering at 30 C (86 F), half the stadium was filled with green-clad Irish fans – even with their team already assured of going home – while there was only a small pocket of Italian supporters.

Ireland wore black armbands to commemorate the 18th anniversary of shootings in Northern Ireland that killed six people.

—

Lineups:

Italy: Gianluigi Buffon, Ignazio Abate, Andrea Barzagli, Giorgio Chiellini (Leonardo Bonucci, 57), Federico Balzaretti, Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, Thiago Motta, Daniele De Rossi, Antonio Di Natale (Mario Balotelli, 74), Antonio Cassano (Alessandro Diamanti, 62).

Ireland: Shay Given, Sean St. Ledger, Stephen Ward, John O’Shea, Richard Dunne, Glenn Whelan, Aiden McGeady (Shane Long, 65), Keith Andrews, Damien Duff, Kevin Doyle (Jon Walters, 76), Robbie Keane (Simon Cox, 86).

Soccer Euro 2012: Navas scores late to secure Spain’s Group C win / Italy to quarter with 2-0 win over Ireland is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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March Madness 2012: Notre Dame vs. Baylor / Championship Game

April 2, 2012 By Admin

Notre Dame women beat UConn in semifinals

DENVER (AP) — Notre Dame is back in the national championship thanks to Skylar Diggins’ steady leadership and Brittany Mallory’s clutch shooting.

Diggins scored 19 points, Mallory hit two big 3-pointers in overtime and the Irish beat Connecticut 83-75 on Sunday night.

Notre Dame (35-3) also beat the Huskies (33-5) in the semifinals last year, ending Maya Moore’s brilliant career and the Huskies’ bid for a third straight national championship. But Notre Dame stumbled 48 hours later, losing to Texas A&M in the title game in Indianapolis.

Unfinished business has been their mantra all season, and now they get a chance to take care of business Tuesday night in the title game.

The game was tied at 67 after regulation following an 8-2 run by UConn that was fueled by a series of hustle plays from Kelly Faris, who had a steal and a basket and four free throws in the final 90 seconds.

The Huskies, who were led by Stefanie Dolson’s 20 points despite foul trouble, stretched their run to 11-3 when Bria Hartley opened the extra period with a 3-pointer.

The Huskies had the ball again after a missed free throw but Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis fired up an off-target 3-pointer early in the shot clock and UConn never recovered.

Diggins’ best play came on defense. With Notre Dame clinging to a 73-72 lead, the Huskies had a 2-on-1 fast break but Diggins held her ground and forced a turnover, and the Irish scored the next eight points.

“We put ourselves in a position to win the game,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said. “The last two minutes, minute and a-half of regulation were pretty amazing. As most games do, it turned on one great play by a great player.

“In overtime we didn’t have enough. We took a chance on making it difficult, but Brittany Mallory made two huge shots. That’s who we wanted to take the shots, and God bless her, she made them.”

Mallory was 0-for-4 from behind the arc in regulation.

“It was a big sigh of relief when that first one went in,” Mallory said.

After Diggins tied it with a 3-pointer, Mallory’s back-to-back 3s and a free throw pushed Notre Dame to a 77-72 lead.

“My teammates just kept talking to me, ‘You’re going to hit a shot. You’re going to hit a shot,”’ said Mallory, who had seven of her 11 points in OT. “I was getting a little down on myself and I just happened to keep finding the 3-point line and my teammates found me and they couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Out of sync, the Huskies kept firing up misses and the Irish grabbed the boards, then hit all six of their free throws over the final 32 seconds.

“I am euphoric right now for Brittany Mallory,” Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. “What a way for senior to come through in one of the last games of her career.”

Natalie Novosel led the Irish with 20 points, including her follow-up hook shot with 4.6 seconds left in regulation that tied it at 67 after Diggins’ shot was off.

“It was a whirlwind,” Novosel said. “Two turnovers from each team. Sky was going to take them off the dribble and we were going to work off of her. I was fortunate the ball came right to me and I was able to put it in.”

Even though the Huskies were unable to get off a shot in the final few seconds of regulation, they were the ones who were excited heading into overtime.

“I thought we had a lot of momentum,” Hartley said. “There was a lot of excitement and we felt good going into the overtime. It didn’t work out.”

Because of Mallory.

“She’s the calming influence, the mom, she makes big shots and she knows where everyone is supposed to be,” Kayla McBride said of the fifth-year senior. “She’s been doing that for five years. It’s so easy to play with her.”

Devereaux Peters added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Irish, who also knocked out UConn in the semifinals in 2001, when they won their only national title.

This was the eighth game between the bitter Big East rivals in the last 14 months. The Huskies are 20-2 in the NCAA tournament since 2009 and both of those losses have been to Notre Dame.

Hartley had 18 points for the Huskies, who were wearing blue at the Final Four for the first time since 2004, their more familiar white uniforms packed away because the Irish were the higher seed.

Baylor beats Stanford to reach title game

DENVER (AP) — One win from perfection.

Brittney Griner was constantly hounded and double-teamed, scoring only one basket in the second half. So the Baylor supporting cast jumped in and carried the unbeaten Lady Bears to the national championship game.

Griner finished with 13 points and nine rebounds to lead Baylor to a 59-47 win over Stanford on Sunday night and into the women’s NCAA final against Notre Dame.

Baylor (39-0) is one victory from becoming the seventh team to finish undefeated and has a chance at being the first squad in NCAA history to win 40 games in a season.

The top-seeded Lady Bears will face Notre Dame on Tuesday night for the title. The Irish beat UConn 83-75 in an overtime thriller in the first semifinal. Baylor and Notre Dame met in the preseason WNIT final, with the Lady Bears winning in Waco 94-81 on Nov. 17.

Stanford (35-2) fell short in the Final Four for the fifth straight season, ending its school-record 32-game winning streak.

The Cardinal refused to let the 6-foot-8 Griner beat them, collapsing on her in the paint. The strategy worked for the first 20 minutes before the other Lady Bears started making shots.

Trailing 31-29 early in the second half, the Lady Bears went on an 11-1 run keyed by Jordan Madden. The junior guard had an acrobatic three-point play and then a layup that made it 40-32. Griner followed with her only basket of the half, hitting a tough baseline turnaround that capped the burst.

The Cardinal could only get within six the rest of the game despite Nnemkadi Ogwumike’s best efforts. The senior led the Cardinal with 22 points and nine rebounds. Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer took her out with about 30 seconds left and gave her a long embrace.

The 6-foot-2 forward, who will most likely be the top pick in the WNBA draft on April 16, did all she could to keep the Cardinal in the game, but got little help. Her younger sister, Chiney, who had such a strong sophomore season, was ineffective. She fouled out midway through the second half with just four points.

Baylor has been focused with the mantra of “Unfinished Business” all season long. Every player on the team is wearing a wristband with those two words on it. Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said the team used the same motto the year it won its only title in 2005. The Lady Bears had been knocked out the year before on a tough last-second lost.

Stanford could easily claim that motto for itself, having matched UConn and LSU with its five-year Final Four run. But like the Lady Tigers, the Cardinal couldn’t win a title during their run. Stanford hasn’t won a national championship since 1992.

These two teams hadn’t played since 2008 — the year before Griner showed up, but Ogwumike and her Cardinal teammates were eager for the chance. Ogwumike faced Griner in an AAU game back in high school, and that’s when she insists she learned to shoot 3-pointers because scoring in the paint was a big problem. Although Ogwumike missed all five of her 3-point attempts, she succeeded in drawing Griner away from the basket.

That opened up the middle, allowing the Cardinal to get a lot of easy backdoor layups. On the defensive end, the Cardinal packed it in, doubling Griner every time down the court. They dared any other Baylor player to beat them. Griner finished the first half taking just five shots, while her teammates combined to go 7 for 24.

The Lady Bears led 25-23 at the break as neither team could build more than a four-point lead in the first half.

Stanford didn’t change its strategy in the second half, but the other Baylor players started making plays.

Terran Condrey scored 13 points and Odyssey Sims had 11 for the Lady Bears.

As usual, Griner put on a show in warmups, thrilling the crowd with a series of impressive dunks. The Associated Press Player of the Year has already dunked twice in the NCAA tournament. The junior phenom has already matched Candace Parker for most dunks by a woman in the NCAA tournament and during their collegiate career.

Griner and Baylor football star Robert Griffin III have playfully talked about having a dunk contest next year. The Heisman Trophy winner was in the stands supporting the Lady Bears and gave Mulkey a big hug as they walked off the court.

Mulkey showed no ill effects from her bout with Bell’s palsy. She was recently diagnosed but on Saturday, she dismissed it as nothing more than an inconvenience.

March Madness 2012: Notre Dame vs. Baylor / Championship Game is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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Golf Recap: Luke Donald wins four-way playoff at Transitions Championship, returns to No. 1

March 19, 2012 By Admin

Luke Donald of England reacts to winning the Transitions Championship in a playoff at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club on March 18, 2012 in Palm Harbor, Florida.
(March 17, 2012 – Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images North America)

PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — One great round. One solid swing out of the rough. One clutch birdie putt.

That’s what Luke Donald needed to win the Transitions Championship in a playoff and get back to No. 1 in the world.

Donald was starting to feel overlooked in the two weeks since Rory McIlroy replaced him atop the world ranking, and he even allowed a few doubts about his game to creep into his head.

That changed on a steamy Sunday at Innisbrook, where Donald closed with a 5-under 66 and won a four-man playoff on the first extra hole with a 7-iron out of the rough to 6 feet below the cup for birdie to beat Jim Furyk, Robert Garrigus and Bae Sang-Moon.

“I think people … thought that my last year was maybe a little bit more of a – not a fluke, but I don’t think many people thought I could do that all over again this year,” Donald said. “Hopefully, I can prove them wrong.”

With his fifth win in his last 31 starts around the world, Donald went back to No. 1 and will stay there until he gets to Augusta National and tries to capture his first major championship.

McIlroy wasted no time sending his congratulations through Twitter.

“Well I enjoyed it while it lasted! Congrats (at)LukeDonald! Impressive performance!” he tweeted.

He followed with another tweet that at least he won’t have to change his profile picture, taken late last year with McIlroy flashing a No. 2 sign alongside his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.

“I’m sure he got a taste of the view and I’m sure he’ll want more of it. He’s a great player,” Donald said. “I think golf is in a good spot right now. There’s a lot of excitement going on.”

The only fluke was how Donald returned to No. 1 – by winning a playoff, just like he did at Wentworth last May when he first rose to the top of the world ranking.

With so many possibilities in this wild final round, only the best golf was going to get rewarded.

Garrigus birdied the last two holes for a 64 and was the first to finish on 13-under 271, which turned out to be enough for the playoff. Bae, the South Korean with the fluid swing, made a 6-foot par putt on the final hole for a 68. Furyk had a 69 and was the last one to join the four-man playoff.

Missing from the group was Ernie Els, whose bogey-bogey finish cost him a chance to win – and maybe a trip to the Masters.

Els was leading at 14-under par when he missed a 4-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole, missed the green badly on the par-3 17th for a bogey, then pulled a 4-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a 67 to finish one shot out of the playoff.

The Big Easy could have secured a Masters invitation by winning. Because he tied for fifth, he only moved to No. 62 in the world. Bay Hill does not have as strong of a field, meaning Els might have to win next week or the Houston Open to get back to Augusta National.

“It’s going to be tough,” he said. “I’m pretty hot now, and it’s difficult to talk with a straight head here. If I take stock, I think I’m playing good golf, and I’ve got to head into the next couple of weeks trying to get a win.”

Donald felt the jangled nerves of trying to win, only it was different from Wentworth.

This was more about the trophy, not the ranking.

He started the final round three shots out of the lead, then swiftly moved into position with four birdies in a seven-hole stretch around the turn, showing off his polished iron play on a couple of those birdies.

In the final hour, there was a six-way tie for the lead until two players dropped out – Els with his bogey on the 18th, and Ken Duke with a bogey on the 17th when he rimmed out a 5-foot putt.

Donald had a heavy lie in the right rough, up the hill to a pin tucked over the bunker. He went with a 7-iron from 157 yards – it was playing closer to 170 yards with the elevation change – and the shot narrowly cleared the bunker and settled 6 feet below the cup. It was a remarkable shot, especially in a four-man playoff. That’s what No. 1 players do.

“That shot just came out perfectly,” Donald said. “You never quite know out of the rough. Sometimes it comes out soft and sometimes it comes out a little hot. That one, just when it was in the air, looked good to me.”

Furyk caught an awkward lie short of the fairway bunker and hit 8-iron 40 feet past the hole. Bae, who closed with eight strong pars, missed his 18-foot birdie attempt on the low side. Garrigus hit a big drive and had a wedge to the green. It covered the flag and spun back about 7 feet away. Using a long putter to help steady himself in such pressure situations, he pulled the putt.

“Made a lot of birdies today and didn’t happen,” Garrigus said. “Was a lot of fun, though.”

That set the stage for Donald, who delivered a right uppercut when the putt curled into the side of the cup.

“I was a lot more nervous the first time,” Donald said of getting to No. 1. “That certainly wasn’t my focus. I was just focused on trying to win the tournament, and it worked out.”

Donald and McIlroy figure to see each other next week in Palm Beach County for practice. Neither is playing until the Masters, assuring that Donald will go to Augusta National as No. 1 in the world.

Scott Piercy, who finished his 62 before the leaders teed off, joined Els (67), Ken Duke (68) and Jeff Overton (66) in a tie for fifth. Overton and Piercy had birdie chances on the 18th, neither knowing it would be enough for a playoff. Duke missed a 5-foot par putt on the 17th hole to fall out of a six-way share of the lead.

Retief Goosen showed on the opening hole that it was a minor miracle he was even tied for the lead. His back was in such pain that he could barely finish his swing. He hit his drive into the trees, took five shots to reach the green and made double bogey, a four-shot swing when Furyk holed a bunker shot for eagle.

Goosen was among the eight players atop the leaderboard at some point, though not for long. With bogeys on the last two holes, he closed with a 75. Goosen now goes to Virginia for a protein injection for his back. He could have qualified for the Masters by finishing among the top eight, and now gets an extended break.

LPGA

PHOENIX (AP) — Yani Tseng two-putted for par from 40 feet in fading light to hold off Ai Miyazato and Na Yeon Choi by a stroke at the LPGA Founders Cup.

The top-ranked Taiwanese star won her 14th LPGA Tour title and second in four events this year. She closed with a 4-under 68 to finish at 18 under.

The second-ranked Choi also shot 68, and Miyazato had a 69.

Three strokes behind Miyazato at the turn, Tseng birdied five of the first six holes on the back nine and closed with three pars.

Because of lightning near the Wildfire Golf Club, play was delayed three times for a total of three hours. Tseng holed her winning 2-foot putt at 6:45 p.m. — 8 hours, 4 minutes after the leaders teed off and seven minutes after sunset.

CHAMPIONS TOUR

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Loren Roberts shot a 69 to win the Toshiba Classic by two strokes over Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Kite and Bernhard Langer.

Roberts made a 5-foot birdie putt on the final hole to ensure the victory after bogeys on three of the previous four holes. He began the day two strokes behind Calcavecchia, but made birdies on three of his first four holes.

The Champions Tour victory was Roberts’ 13th and he earned $262,500. His last victory was in 2010, a 34-tournament span.

EUROPEAN TOUR

MARBELLA, Spain (AP) — Julien Quesne tied the course record with an 8-under 64 to win the Andalucian Open for his first European Tour victory.

The 31-year-old birdied four of the final five holes to finish at 17 under, claiming victory by two strokes ahead of Italy’s Matteo Manassero (68) on the Aloha course.

The win earned the Frenchman $219,590 and a one-year European Tour exemption.

Tournament host Miguel Angel Jimenez, who was looking to become the oldest winner on the European Tour at age 48, shot a 71 and finished at 11 under.

Golf Recap: Luke Donald wins four-way playoff at Transitions Championship, returns to No. 1 is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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Golf: Rory McIlroy holds off Tiger Woods at Honda Classic, rises to No. 1 in world ranking

March 5, 2012 By Admin

d18639e7b573b972249fd88906313e8d Golf: Rory McIlroy holds off Tiger Woods at Honda Classic, rises to No. 1 in world ranking
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland hits his tee shot on the third hole during the final round of the Honda Classic at PGA National on March 4, 2012 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
(March 3, 2012 – Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images North America)

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (AP) – Rory McIlroy was six holes away from winning the Honda Classic and going to No. 1 in the world, an outcome that looked inevitable as he stood on the 13th green Sunday at PGA National.

That’s when he heard the roar.

Even from the farthest corner of the course, McIlroy knew it was for Tiger Woods. And McIlroy could tell by the sheer volume that it was an eagle.

“I could hear the huge roar,” McIlroy said. “And it definitely wasn’t a birdie roar.”

For Woods, it was a moment that finally put some color into that red shirt, a birdie-eagle finish for a 62, the lowest final round of his career to get within one shot of the lead and force the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland to play the final hour with little room for error.

But this is no ordinary kid.

McIlroy answered with clutch shots of his own, a performance that showed why he’s the new No. 1 in golf.

He poured in the 8-foot birdie putt on the 13th for a two-shot lead. He gouged out a wedge from grass so deep he could barely see the ball to save par on the 14th, and he twice saved par from the bunker on the scary par 3s for a 1-under 69 and a two-shot win.

“It was tough today, especially seeing Tiger make a charge,” McIlroy said. “I knew par golf would probably be good enough. To shoot 1 under in these conditions, when you go into the round with the lead, is very nice. And I was just able to get the job done.”

McIlroy became the 16th player to be No. 1 since the world ranking began in 1986, and the fourth player in the last 16 months since Woods abdicated the top spot after a five-year reign. McIlroy replaced Luke Donald and became the second-youngest player to be No. 1 behind Woods, who was 21 when he first got to the top after the 1997 U.S. Open.

“It was always a dream of mine to become the world No. 1 and the best player in the world or whatever you want to call it,” McIlroy said. “But I didn’t know what I would be able to get here this quickly. … Hopefully, I can hold onto it for a little longer.”

He celebrated by flying to New York to spend time with his girlfriend, tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, before returning to south Florida next week for a World Golf Championship.

Donald responded quickly to the victory, tweeting “Congrats (at)McIlroyRory enjoy the view!”

Woods made two eagles in the final round and wound up two shots behind, his best finish on the PGA Tour since he was runner-up in the 2009 Tour Championship. Tom Gillis birdied the last hole for a 69 to join Woods as a runner-up.

McIlroy, who finished on 12-under 268, won for the fifth time in his career. Three of those are on the PGA Tour, including his record-setting victory in the U.S. Open last summer at Congressional.

He has finished out of the top five only once since the PGA Championship last August, winning three times, including the Shanghai Masters in an unofficial event against a world-class field.

“There’s very few players as good at him at his age out there winning tournaments,” three-time major champion Padraig Harrington said. “There are guys with potential, but he’s already delivered. And he has a good balance in his life. He doesn’t look like a guy who is going to burn out. He looks like he’s going to be here for a while.”

McIlroy shared a big hug with his father, Gerry, as he walked off the 18th green. His parents have come over from Holywood to stay with him in south Florida through the Masters, where McIlroy figures to be a top favorite.

After a Sunday like this, no one will be quick to rule out Woods.

He was nine shots behind going into the final round, and even a 31 on the front nine in blustery conditions left him five shots behind McIlroy. But the finish – especially that 5-iron into the 18th green – was vintage Woods, and it at least gave him a chance.

“To me, it was the old Tiger back, the guy that I remember,” said Ernie Els, who played alongside him. “He never missed a shot or made a bad swing.”

Lee Westwood, playing two groups ahead of Woods, closed with a 63 to finish alone in fourth.

“It was a lot of fun out there,” Graeme McDowell said. “It was just roars going up all over the golf course. “For Rory to go out today with a two-shot lead and have Tiger shoot 62 on him and Westwood shoot 63, it just shows how hard it is to win golf tournaments on any tour in the world, but especially this tour.

“This golf season just got a lot more spicy.”

McIlroy wasn’t at this best on the front nine, though he did what the best players tend to do by turning a suspect round into a decent score. Despite having only two reasonable birdie chances on the front nine – he made one of them – McIlroy saved himself with a pair of par putts from 12 feet and another one from 8 feet.

No one looked capable of catching him.

Woods was still five shots behind until a finish that served as a reminder why this guy can’t be counted out – not at PGA National, certainly not with the Masters around the corner.

“I figured I had to go birdie-birdie to have a chance,” Woods said.

He did one better.

First, Woods dropped a 25-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, followed by a big tee shot on an aggressive line that left him a 5-iron into the par-5 18th, with the pin tucked over a bunker to the right side of the green near the water. Woods said it reminded him of his famous shot on the 18th at Glen Abbey in the 2000 Canadian Open, a 6-iron out of a bunker and over the water to a tight pin.

This one cleared the sand and settled 8 feet away, and Woods swept his fist when it dropped for eagle.

He finished at 270, his lowest 72-hole score since he had a 265 at the 2009 BMW Championship, his last PGA Tour win.

The roar of his eagle didn’t rattle McIlroy.

“I heard the roar on 18 when Tiger made eagle and I was just about to line up my putt for birdie on 13,” McIlroy said. “I was able to hole that putt, which was very important. I knew if I could just play the last five holes at even par, it was going to be good enough.

“Great to get the job done, and very happy to come out on top.”

With so much emphasis on his swing, the final hour was all about his will. No shot was more impressive than the par save on No. 14, when he was 65 feet away in such a mangled lie that he easily could have hit it too hard and gone over the green, or left it well short.

“You just have to really go down for it and hope it comes out the way you think,” McIlroy said. “Luckily for me, it did, and it left me a pretty simple 4-footer up the hill.”

McIlroy had seven one-putt greens (another was a birdie from the fringe) in the final round, and one-putted four of the last six holes.

“Even if I don’t play my best golf, I can still challenge, which gives me a lot of confidence,” McIlroy said. “When I’m firing on all cylinders, I feel like I’m hard to beat.”

Golf: Rory McIlroy holds off Tiger Woods at Honda Classic, rises to No. 1 in world ranking is a post from: PhatzRadio.com

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Golf Recap: Bill Haas wins in playoff shootout at the Riveria

February 20, 2012 By Admin

724c9f07fb363a8c5a14309e76dd7a13 Golf Recap: Bill Haas wins in playoff shootout at the Riveria
Bill Haas celebrates his putt on the second playoff hole during the fourth round of the Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club on February 19, 2012 in Pacific Palisades, California. Haas would beat Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley in the playoff.
(February 18, 2012 – Photo by Harry How/Getty Images North America)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Bill Haas wound up making the biggest putt of them all at Riviera.

On the second extra hole of a three-way playoff Sunday — made possible by clutch birdie putts from Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley on the final hole — Haas rolled in a 45-foot birdie putt across the 10th green to win the Northern Trust Open.

Haas closed with a 2-under 69 and won a PGA Tour event for the third straight year.

He was on the practice range at 7-under 277, warming up for a playoff that didn’t look likely. Mickelson and Bradley, the co-leaders going into the final round, were one shot behind on the 18th hole, which had given up only six birdies all day.

Mickelson rammed in a birdie putt from just outside 25 feet, pointing his putter and slamming his fist as the gallery packed into the hill below the stately clubhouse let out a cheer that could be heard down Sunset Boulevard. Bradley’s birdie putt from just outside 12 feet took one last, slow turn at the cup and disappeared, setting off another enormous cheer.

They started the playoff on the 18th, and Bradley had the best look at birdie with a 15-footer from just off the back of the green that touched the right side of the cup.

It was decided on the 312-yard 10th hole.

Haas went long into thick rough, with enough of the back bunker in his way that he smartly played out to the right and left himself a long birdie putt that at least would assure him par.

Mickelson and Bradley came up short, a horrible angle. Mickelson’s flop shot landed near the hole and rolled into the back bunker. Bradley was in the bunker, and did well to blast out to 15 feet.

Haas ended the suspense with his putt.

Bradley missed his birdie putt after Mickelson failed to hole his bunker shot.

Haas, the FedEx Cup champion, captured his fourth career PGA Tour title and moved to No. 12 in the world.

Mickelson, who rallied from six shots behind with a 64 to win last week at Pebble Beach, was trying to become the first player since Tiger Woods in August 2009 to win back-to-back on the PGA Tour.

Mickelson and Bradley shot 71.

LPGA THAILAND

CHONBURI, Thailand (AP) — Top-ranked Yani Tseng successfully defended her LPGA Thailand title for her 13th LPGA Tour victory, birdieing the final two holes to hold off playing partner Ai Miyazato by a stroke.

The 23-year-old Taiwanese star shot a 6-under 66 to finish at 19-under 269 on Siam Country Club’s Pattaya Old Course. She opened with a 73, then shot consecutive 65s to enter the final round a shot behind Miyazato.

On the par-5 18th, Tseng hit her 104-yard approach to tap-in range after Miyazato also hit close.

Last year, Tseng won the tournament for the first of her seven 2011 LPGA Tour victories, including major victories in the LPGA Championship and Women’s British Open. The five-time major champion finished the year with 12 worldwide victories. She has 33 career worldwide professional victories.

Miyazato, the Japanese player who won the 2010 tournament, closed with a 68. She also birdied the par-4 17th and par-5 18th. South Korea’s Jiyai Shin, tied for the lead with Tseng after a birdie of her own on 17, had a 67 to finish third at 17 under.

ACE GROUP CLASSIC

NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Kenny Perry won the ACE Group Classic for his second Champions Tour title, beating 2011 winner Bernhard Langer by five strokes.

After opening with rounds of 64 and 62 to break the tour’s 36-hole record at 18-under 126, Perry closed with a 2-under 70 on The TwinEagles Club’s Talon Course. Perry, a 14-time winner on the PGA Tour, finished at 20 under to match the tournament scoring record that Langer set last year at The Quarry.

Langer eagled No. 17 for the third straight day in his 70.

Perry tied Allen Doyle’s 1999 tournament mark for the largest margin of victory. Perry had 24 birdies, two short of the tour record for a 54-hole event.

AVANTHA MASTERS

NEW DELHI (AP) — South Africa’s Jbe Kruger won the Avantha Masters for his first European Tour title, shooting a 3-under 69 for a two-shot victory.

The 25-year-old Kruger finshed at 14-under 274 at DLF Golf and Country Club.

Spain’s Jorge Campillo and Germany’s Marcel Siem tied for second. Camppillo had a 67, and Siem shot a 70 in the event also was sanctioned by the Asian Tour.

Scotland’s Peter Whiteford, a stroke back after the third round, was disqualified after television viewers alerted the tour officials to a rule infraction on the 18th fairway Saturday when Whiteford’s ball moved fractionally after he addressed it. He ended up signing for an incorrect score, and was informed about the disqualification on the fourth tee Sunday.

COLOMBIA CHAMPIONSHIP

BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Skip Kendall holed a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole for an even-par 71 and a one-stroke victory in the Nationwide Tour’s season-opening Colombia Championship.

At 47 years, 5 months, 10 days, Kendall became the fourth-oldest winner in Nationwide history. He finished at 10-under 274 at the Country Club of Bogota and earned $108,000 for his third career Nationwide title.

Andres Gonzales and Andrew Svoboda tied for second. Gonzales closed with a 68, and Svoboda had a 72. Svoboda had a chance to force a playoff, but his 20-foot birdie try came up inches short.

NEW ZEALAND WOMEN’S OPEN

CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AP) — Australia’s Lindsey Wright made a 13-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th for a 4-under 68 and a one-stroke victory in the New Zealand Women’s Open.

Wright finished at 10-under 206 at Pegasus Golf Club in the event sanctioned by the Ladies European Tour and Australian Ladies Professional Golf. The 32-year-old former Pepperdine player is an LPGA Tour regular.

American Alison Walshe and Australia’s Jessica Speechley tied for second. Walshe closed with a 69, and Speechley had a 65. Canada’s Lorie Kane and Australia’s Stephanie Na shot 69 to tie for fourth at 8 under.

Fourteen-year-old Lydia Ko, part of a six-way tie for the second-round lead, shot a 74 to tie for 17th at 4 under. The South Korean-born New Zealander, the world’s top-ranked amateur, became the youngest winner of a professional tour event last month in the Women’s New South Wales Open.

Golf Recap: Bill Haas wins in playoff shootout at the Riveria is a post from: PhatzRadio.com