GOLF
Pan grabs third in Mexico
Taiwan’s C.T. Pan on Sunday overcame a slow start at the Mexico Open to tie for third place in Vallarta. The 32-year-old — who turned professional in 2015 and won his maiden, and only, PGA Tour title in 2019 — shot a six-under-par 65 in the fourth round to finish alongside Germany’s Stephan Jaeger and American Justin Lower with a 14-under 270. Pan had eight birdies in the final round, helping to make up for a level opener, which he followed with two four-under-par rounds to stay in contention. American rookie Jake Knapp won his first Tour title, finishing 19-under par, despite an even final round.
SOCCER
Shinji Okazaki to retire
Former Japan international Shinji Okazaki, who won the Premier League with Leicester City in 2016, yesterday announced that he would retire at the end of the season. The hard-working forward played a key role as the Foxes upset the odds to win their first league title, making 36 Premier League appearances and scoring five goals in the 2015-16 season. The 37-year-old also finished as Japan’s all-time third-highest scorer with 50 goals in 119 appearances. “I have decided to retire at the end of the season,” Okazaki wrote on Instagram. “I have given everything as a football player but I have realised that my body is worn out and I am reaching my physical limit.” He is currently at Belgian side Sint-Truiden, after playing for several Spanish clubs following his Leicester exit in 2019. He has struggled with injury this season and has not played since December last year.
SOCCER
Honduras striker in coma
Honduras striker Alberth Elis remained in an induced coma on Sunday after a serious head injury, with his French club FC Girondins de Bordeaux saying it was “impossible” to comment on his vital signs. Elis, 28, was knocked unconscious just 40 seconds into Saturday’s Ligue 2 game against En Avant Guingamp when he met a cross and collided with the head of defender Donatien Gomis. Although Gomis recovered quickly, Elis was treated for several minutes on the pitch before being sent to a hospital where he underwent surgery on Saturday evening. “Alberth Elis suffered a head trauma which led to him being placed in an induced coma,” Bordeaux said in a statement. “We will follow the evolution of his state of health in the hospital in the coming days.”
GOLF
Englishman’s fortunes turn
Only a week after he was delivering groceries to make ends meet, the 2,930th-ranked golfer Joe Dean on Sunday finished tied for second at the Kenya Open to earn himself more than US$200,000 and a huge shot of confidence for the future. “I don’t think it’s sunk in yet,” the Englishman said. “It’s what people dream of, it’s what I’ve been aiming to do for a long time.” Dean shot a four-under 67, including five birdies, to share second place with Spaniard Nacho Elvira, two shots behind tournament winner Darius Van Driel. The 29-year-old Dean had to go back to working for a British supermarket chain after he missed the cut in Doha earlier this month. “I’ve never been one of the most overconfident people. Coming into this week was a bit daunting,” he said. “Luckily, I managed to get over that quickly and figure out how to get around the golf course.”
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
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