Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Wednesday 8 January 2020

Matthias Walkner of Austria rides his KTM motorbike during stage
three of the Dakar Rally in Neom, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Jan.
7, 2020.
Associated Press Patrick Reed reacts to missing his putt on the third playoff hole on the 18th green during final round
of the Tournament of Champions golf event, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020, at Kapalua Plantation Course
Sainz latest new in Kapalua, Hawaii. Associated Press

leader after Dakar Continued from Page 18 was a team event, and tunity to talk to Patrick at

Still to come is Pebble Reed was on the visiting length, and I believe when
Rally 3rd stage Beach and the TPC Saw- team. The heckling was he says that 'I did not in-
grass, Harding Park for the harsh, and Reed didn't help tentionally improve my lie.'
PGA Championship and matters by pretending to And so you go back to that
Winged Foot for the U.S. use a shovel after winning moment."
NEOM, Saudi Arabia (AP) bec's commanding victory Open. a hole. That moment was in front of
— Two-time winner Car- from 10 minutes to six over Reed really dug himself a Whether the punishment a TV screen, the evidence
los Sainz became the third Honda teammates Jose hole in the Bahamas, and fits the crime is up for de- laid bare with rules official
new leader of the Dakar Ignacio Cornejo and Kevin there's no easy way out. bate. Slugger White ready to slap
Rally after winning the third Benavides. It started with a shot from Reed was penalized two him with a two-shot penalty
stage ahead of defending The change also benefit- the sand in a waste area shots. A case could be unless Reed could make a
champion Nasser Al-Atti- ed defending champion left of the 11th fairway at made that it should have case. There was none to be
yah on Tuesday. Toby Price and Xavier de the Hero World Challenge, been more like two months. made. He accepted the
Sainz and Al-Attiyah vied Soultrait. They were origi- the unofficial event hosted But what recourse does the penalty. For Monahan to
for the lead throughout the nally 35 and 48 minutes off by Tiger Woods as a holi- PGA Tour really have? punish him further is effec-
427-kilometer loop out from the pace, but that was re- day gift to 18 players who Commissioner Jay Monah- tively calling Reed a liar. He
and back to Neom near duced to 8 1/2 and nearly get $100,000 for finishing an was asked about an- can't do that. No one can
Saudi Arabia's northern 14 and they stayed in the last. Video shows Reed other allegation of cheat- with absolute certainty.
border with Jordan. top eight. using his wedge to brush ing, this one at the BMW They can only think it.
Sainz prevailed after nearly Brabec took over the lead away sand behind his ball Masters in Shanghai in 2013 The question now is how
four hours, beating Al-Atti- in the general standings, — twice — before his shot. when Simon Dyson marked many will say it to him.
yah by 3 1/2 minutes on a nearly five minutes ahead That's improving his lie, his ball, and then quickly And then it becomes a
course with a fast first half of Benavides. Matthias and when shown a replay, reached over and used the matter of how long Reed
and mountainous second. Walkner was third. Price Reed accepted the two- ball to tamp down a spike can take it.
Jakub Przygonski, who en- was less than 12 minutes shot penalty. He really had mark in the line of his short He seems to play at his best
dured six hours of mechani- back. no choice. putt. when the world is against
cal problems on the first Ross Branch, the winner He did have a choice in He was disqualified the him, and that's what he did
stage, was third. Former of stage two, slammed his how to explain it. next day because of an Sunday at Kapalua. His 66
Formula One driver Fernan- back wheel into a rock Instead, he claimed his club incorrect scorecard, a rule in the final round matched
do Alonso was fifth. while taking a corner too was far enough behind the that no longer exists. Dy- the low score of the tour-
Overnight leader Orlando wide after 88 kilometers ball — holding his hands 8 son appeared before a nament. Joaquin Niemann
Terranova was nearly 13 and fell and hurt his shoul- inches apart — and that he three-member disciplinary shot 66 in breezy conditions
minutes behind Sainz on der. didn't feel it would have af- panel — effectively a trial on Thursday. Reed shot 66
the stage and dropped to He finished, though, unlike fected his lie. That was be- — and ultimately was giv- in 35 mph gusts three days
third overall, eight minutes others who crashed and fore he got into the "cam- en 18 months of probation later.
back. had to withdraw, including era angle" defense, which during which he would be Thomas, and then Xander
Sainz led Al-Attiyah by Guillaume Cholet, Adrien induced as many snickers suspended two months for Schauffele, let him into the
nearly five minutes overall. van Beveren, Olaf Harm- as raised eyebrows. Missing any rules violation. three-man playoff, and
The motorbike standings sen, and Martien Jimmink. was a mea culpa. And it's The tour has no such tribu- Reed nearly pulled it off.
had to be modified be- De Soultrait also fell but fin- too late for a mulligan. nal. It has a commissioner. He twice had putts to win,
cause of GPS problems. ished with a tourniquet on The reaction in Australia the "Golf is a game of honor from 30 feet for eagle on
Organizers used the times his bleeding right arm. following week at the Presi- and integrity, and you've the first extra hole at the
after 389 kilometers. The rally finishes on Jan. dents Cup was predictable heard from Patrick," Mo- par-5 18th, and from 12
That reduced Ricky Bra- 17.q because the violation was nahan said Sunday at Ka- feet for birdie on the sec-
fresh and the competition palua. "I've had an oppor- ond playoff hole.q