ST ANDREWS, Scotland: South African Branden Grace completed a two-shot victory in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship yesterday and immediately set his sights on topping the European money list.
It was the fourth win of the season for the 24-year-old European Tour rookie and lifted him into third place in this year’s Race to Dubai.
He is now only 730,000 euros ($953,000) behind leader Rory McIlroy and as he accepted his 617,000 euros winners cheque Grace admitted he has was now focused on the beating the world number to the top honor in European golf.
“I am all for catching Rory,” Grace told reporters after shooting a closing 70. “Someone mentioned the possibility to me a couple of days ago and then I said let’s get this week over with first and I have done that.
“And now I am in third place, first place is definitely in my sights. With a lot of big money events coming up 800,000 is not a lot to make up.”
Furthermore Grace will be playing more events through the rest of the season than the young Ulsterman.
In the week ahead McIlroy will be in Turkey with seven of the world’s other top golfers, including Tiger Woods, chasing a $1.5 million first prize in an exhibition tournament.
Grace will be at the European Tour’s Portugal Masters where pocketing the 600,000 euro prize would make a huge dent in McIlroy’s lead.
Although Grace took a four-shot lead into the fourth round his victory which has lifted him from 265th in the world at the start of the year into the top 40, was not a straightforward procession.
When he dropped shots at the seventh and 11th holes around the Old Course he was caught at the top of the leaderboard by the Dane Thorbjorn Olesen who won this year’s Sicilian Open.
After three-putting the 11th green Grace said he turned to his caddie Zach Razego to help him read the lines of his putts and a run of three birdies from the 12th put him back on the victory trail.
Olesen shot 68 to finish second with the Swedish pair of Alexander Noren and Joel Sjoholm in third and fourth places.
Choi wins his own CJ Invitational event again
In Seoul, South Korea’s K.J. Choi completed an energy-sapping week yesterday with a closing four-under-par 67 to win the CJ Invitational which he hosts for the second successive year.
The Asian Tour honorary member will donate his total winnings of $118,875 to his KJ Choi Foundation, as he did following with his victory 12 months ago.
Choi scored a winning total of 15-under-par 269.
“I’ve always said that this tournament is all about giving back to the community and that’s what I’m going to do with my winnings. I’ll never be where I am today if not for golf and the great support from everyone,” said Choi.
South Korea’s Bae Sang-Moon, who was piling the pressure on Choi until a bogey-six on the 14th hole, had to settle for a share of second place with compatriot Jang Dong-Kyu on 271.
Korea’s Kim Dae-Hyun, who shared the third round lead with Choi, signed for a 71 to take fourth place.
Australia’s Scott Hend and seven-time Asian Tour winner Charlie Wi of Korea took a share of fifth place after they closed with matching 70s for a 274 total.
Thailand’s Chinnarat Phadungsil’s putting touch deserted him on the final day and he finished in seventh place, six shots back of Choi at the $750,000 event which is jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Korean Golf Tour.
After heavy fog seriously delayed play over the last two days, Choi had to return in the morning to complete his remaining nine holes for his third round.
He was still trying to find the rhythm in his game as he marked his inward-nine with one bogey and one birdie.
“I was starting to warm up when I came back in the morning to complete my third round. But once I got through those nine holes, three key elements came back into my game — see, feel and trust,” said Choi.
After taking a 15-minute break between rounds, Choi came out strongly with two birdies in his opening four holes.
He dropped a shot on the ninth but answered back with a hat-trick of birdies starting from the 11th hole.
Choi then parred the rest of his holes coming home to seal his sixth Asian Tour victory.
Grace eyes McIlroy after 4th win
Grace eyes McIlroy after 4th win
Al-Hilal complete second-half comeback against ten-man Al-Nassr to extend SPL lead
- Simone Inzaghi’s side move onto 38 points after a 3-1 victory, seven clear of Al-Nassr
- Al-Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi was sent off in the 60th minute for violent conduct
RIYADH: It was an evening of football drama in Riyadh as the much-anticipated Capital Derby between Al-Hilal and Al-Nassr took place at the Kingdom Arena in the headline fixture of Matchday 15. With Al-Nassr four points behind the league leaders prior to the game, victory was essential for Jorge Jesus’ side as they remain in search for their first Saudi Pro League title in seven years.
The game kicked off at a slow place. Inzaghi, setting up his Al-Hilal side in a 5-4-1 defensive shape, tried to draw Al-Nassr deep into their half to exploit them on the counter. With Rúben Neves playing in the middle of a back three, his long passes proved key for the Blues as they targeted the space behind Al-Nassr’s defence.
Al-Nassr did not respond as expected. Jesus’ side have played at a blistering pace this season, characterised by a relentless high press, but this encounter saw Al-Nassr adopt a more cautious approach. Instead, they relied on moments of individual brilliance to break past the compact Al-Hilal structure.
Kingsley Coman was central to that strategy, as his movement between the channels saw the visitors’ most dangerous momment in the 19th minute. Mohammed Al-Rubaie, who had a shaky start in goal, managed to tip the ball wide for a corner.
Neither side appeared willing to overcommit, with the play concentrated in midfield. It was there that João Félix, spotting Coman on the shoulder of his defender, lofted a pass from deep to release the Frenchman, who laid it off to Cristiano Ronaldo for the opener.
Jesus’ first-half paid off, with the goal on the cusp of half-time giving Al-Nassr a vital boost heading into the break. They managed to keep the pressure on early in the second half, but the tide changed within minutes.
Malcom, attempting to cut inside for a shot, was brought down by Mohamed Simakan for a penalty in the 56th minute. Salem Al-Dawsari slotted it with confidence to bring the hosts back into the game, but the defining moment followed shortly after.
As Al-Hilal attempted to retrieve the ball from the net, Al-Nassr goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi intervened. In the ensuing scramble, he struck Neves in an incident deemed violent conduct by the referee as he was given his marching orders in the 60th minute.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Al-Nassr did not retreat. However, with Angelo sacrificed for replacement goalkeeper Mubarak Al-Buainain, their attacking threat diminished, making clear chances increasingly difficult to come by.
This opened the door for Al-Hilal’s return into the game, and in the 81st minute, a pinpoint cross by Neves from the left flank found Mohammed Kanno who finished to give the hosts the lead.
Ronaldo was substituted soon after, as Jesus sought fresh impetus through youngster Wesley, but the change failed to alter the course of the match. Al-Hilal were once again awarded a penalty after Al-Dawsari was brought down in stoppage time, before Neves stepped up to convert his penalty for Al-Hilal’s third of the night.
Al-Nassr, who began the season with ten consecutive wins, have now gone four games without a victory — three of them defeats. Their tally freezes at 31 points, as Al-Hilal move clear at the summit onto 38.
Elsewhere in the Saudi Pro League, Al-Hazem moved further clear of the relegation zone after a stunning comeback against Al-Najma. The latter, who were minutes away from their first win of the season, conceded two goals in the sixth and eighth minute of stoppage time to succumb to a 3-2 defeat. Meanwhile, Al-Ettifaq welcomed Al-Khaleej in the Eastern Province, losing 2-1 after a Jack Hendry own goal in the 86th minute gifted the visitors the win.
Action returns on Tuesday, with Al-Okhdood facing Al-Kholood at 6:25pm, followed by Al-Fateh against Al-Riyadh and Damac against Al-Ittihad, both kicking off at 8:30pm.
