A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Timely Masters boost for Mickelson in Houston
GOLF: Phil Mickelson gave his preparations for this weeks US Masters a timely boost by winning the Houston Open by three shots yesterday. Masters champion Mickelson who equalled the course record with a blistering nine-under-par 63 at Redstone Golf Club on Saturday, returned a final round 65 for an overall total of 268.
Compatriots Steve Verplank (68 - 271) and Chris Kirk (67 - 271) ended the tournament in joint second place. The American left-hander, who had not won on the USPGA Tour since clinching his third Masters title at Augusta National last April, was elated after shooting his lowest score on the US circuit in more than two years. A fun round, the 40-year-old said after setting the tone for the day with three birdies in the first four holes. I got off to a good start ... and was able to kind of maintain the momentum. I knew that I was close (to form) game-wise but I hadnt been putting together the score. To get a good round like this means a lot.”
Pádraig Harrington finished with a 70 for an overall total of 277.
Djokovic extends his unbeaten run
TENNIS:Novak Djokovic’s unbeaten start to 2011 continued in Miami last night as he came from a set down to beat world number one Rafael Nadal in a thrilling final of the Sony Open. The Serbian won 4-6 6-3 7-6 (7/4) to pick up his 24th straight win this year, backing up his Indian Wells final win over Nadal a fortnight ago.
After Nadal had bludgeoned his way to the first set, Djokovic’s defence improved in the second and, with a firm base to steady him, he began to work his durable opponent around the court more and more.
He eventually ground him down in a third-set tie-break to pick up his fourth title of the year in three hours and 21 minutes.
Djokovic went into the final having not lost his serve throughout the tournament, but did so in the first set.
In a howling breeze, Djokovic held to 2-5 then broke Nadal for only the second time in the tournament, before Nadal closed out the set 6-4.
Ireland finish fifth in Costa Del Sol
GOLF: Ireland finished a creditable fifth in the European Nations Cup at Sotogrande on Spain’s Costa Del Sol at the weekend – a result which augurs well for the forthcoming season.
With three of the four cards counting on each of the days the Irish ended the 72-hole contest with an aggregate of 870, some 18 strokes behind England who won the title for the third consecutive year.
Ballymena teenager Dermot McElroy failed in a gallant bid to take the individual honours.
Nevertheless he finished on 285 and in a tie for third place just four strokes behind France’s Julien Brun and one adrift of Austria Lukas Nemecz.
Banbridge’s Rory Leonard left his best until last returning a final round 67 for a 304 aggregate ,the same as Irish champion Alan Dunbar while Paul Cutler of Portstewart ended on 295.
Lorenzo triumphs on wet track
MOTOR CYCLING: Champion Jorge Lorenzo leapfrogged Casey Stoner to the top of the MotoGP standings when he won an incident-packed Spanish Grand Prix yesterday after Stoner crashed out in a collision with Valentino Rossi.
Spanish Yamaha rider Lorenzo, second behind Stoner at the season opener in Qatar last month, finished 19.339 seconds ahead of compatriot Dani Pedrosa on a slippery Jerez circuit in rainy Andalusia.
American Ducati rider Nicky Hayden was third, 29.085 seconds behind Lorenzo, who claimed his second straight Jerez victory.
“It was tough but finally I managed to win on a wet track which I had never done before,” a beaming Lorenzo said in an interview with Spanish television.
Nuyens takes Tour of Flanders
CYCLING: Belgium’s Nick Nuyens won the Tour of Flanders from a three-man break yesterday. Second behind the Saxo Bank rider was Frenchman Sylvain Chavanel, with pre-race favourite Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland third. The three men took off three kilometres from the finish line from a group of around a dozen riders. Cancellara started the sprint, but Nuyens, second in Flanders in 2008, surged past him for the biggest win of his career.
Irish qualify with win over Scots
RUGBY: Ireland will play in elite group semi-finals of the FIRA under-18 championship in Tarbes later this month after qualifying for the last four with an impressive 31-12 victory over Scotland yesterday at Braidholm in Glasgow.
The Scots had come into this match having defeated England sevens days earlier. In the event Ireland know that they had to win with a bonus point and deny the Scots a share of the spoils.
In the event they achieved their goal with a dominant display of rugby that gave the Irish side a try advantage of five to two. “Scotland gave us our game plan after their win over England. We applied pressure on them and played with good shape” said Ireland coach Terry McMaster, adding: “We can now go to France with confidence.”
Ireland could not have made a better start with two tries by man-of-the-match Chris Farrell and outside half Rory Scannell and one conversion form scrum half Luke McGrath. By half time Ireland led 19-7.
