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A14 SPORTS
Saturday 21 May 2022
Justin Thomas sets the target in the wind at Southern Hills

By DOUG FERGUSON back with a 69, wasn’t buy- on the 12th green, he sent
AP Golf Writer ing it. the putt well out to the right
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — One “They said the wind was and let the wind push it
last birdie in a strong Okla- going to go down this after- back toward the hole. He
homa wind gave Justin noon. No, it’s not. It’s Okla- still had 6 feet and made
Thomas another 3-under 67 homa,” Rahm said. “It’s go- that for par.
and set a daunting target ing to stay just as windy as Thomas holed a 25-foot
for Rory McIlroy and every- we had.” birdie on the par-5 fifth and
one else Friday in the PGA Thomas can only hope closed out his round with
Championship. that’s the case. The heri- his fourth birdie. He gave
Trees were swaying and tage of Southern Hills is that respect to every shot, even
flags were whipping from all seven of its major cham- putts that ordinarily would
the opening tee shot, and pions — three in the U.S. have been treated like tap-
rounds in the 60s were Open, four in the PGA — ins.“Although I played solid
scarce at Southern Hills. have had at least a share yesterday, I played really,
That didn’t stop Thomas, of the 36-hole lead. Justin Thomas hits from the fairway on the 18th hole during the really well today,” Thomas
who leaned on creativity “If I maintain the lead, I second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament at said. “The conditions were
with the shape of his shots, hope that trend contin- Southern Hills Country Club, Friday, May 20, 2022, in Tulsa, Okla. obviously very difficult. I
even on the putting green. ues,” Thomas said. Associated Press stayed very patient, tried
He dropped only one shot Of those who played Fri- Austria (67). They were at without winning. He was to get in my own little world
from a bunker on the par- day morning, Thomas had 1-under 139. not feeling his best earlier and get in a zone and just
3 14th and finished his solid a three-shot lead over Matt McIlroy was in the same in the week, a combination tried to executive each
round with a 10-foot birdie Fitzpatrick (69), who has group as Woods and Jor- of a virus infection and al- shot the best I could.
putt. never won in America but dan Spieth, one of them lergies. “I’m glad to have a good
That put him at 6-under 134, seems to play his best the trying to stay near the top, All that has changed on a round to show for it.”
one shot ahead of Rory tougher the conditions. the other two hopeful of course he only saw for the The strength of the wind
McIlroy, who was making The only other players from making it to the weekend. first time last week when he could have a big effect on
his way to the first tee short- that early group who fin- Woods opened with a 74, joined Spieth for a practice who sticks around for the
ly after Thomas finished. ished two rounds under which was looking to be round. weekend. Masters cham-
McIlroy and Tiger Woods par were Oklahoma native around the cut line. He opened with a pair of pion Scottie Scheffler three-
faced what typically are Talor Gooch, who had 16 Thomas was not trending short birdies on No. 10 and putted for double bogey
tougher conditions in the pars, one birdie, one bo- all that well coming into the the par-5 13th, with a tough on No. 9 to cap a 75 that
afternoon, though the fore- gey in a round of 70; Joa- only major he has won, the par along the way that il- left him at 6-over 146 and
cast was for the wind to quin Niemann of Chile (71) 2017 PGA at Quail Hollow. lustrated the effect of the very much in danger of
die. Jon Rahm, who fought and Bernd Wiesberger of He has gone 14 months wind. From 50 feet away missing the cut.q

Bardet pulls out of Giro d’Italia, Démare claims third win

CUNEO, Italy (AP) — Ro- on the Giro ninth stage on to start the stage, he want- hard to drive the peloton the first half of the route.
main Bardet pulled out of Sunday. ed to go for it. But he was and the four escapees It appeared as if the pelo-
the Giro d’Italia due to a “He slept the whole way already being sick in the were swallowed up with ton let the breakaway gain
stomach bug on Friday be- back in the bus after the neutral and it just wasn’t just 700 meters to go. too much time on the climb
fore French cyclist Arnaud race. He didn’t eat last possible to continue.” That set up the final sprint, as the quartet worked well
Démare claimed his third night, he couldn’t eat any- The 150-kilometer (93-mile) and Démare managed to together to keep the pack
victory in this year’s race. thing. He was awake all stage to Cuneo was ex- head off Phil Bauhaus and distanced, but it was to
Bardet, who was among night being sick,” Team pected to be a final one Mark Cavendish. end in heartbreak for the
the overall title favorites DSM coach Matt Winston for the sprinters but for a “When I got here I was say- four riders, each of whom
and lying fourth overall, said. “This morning there long time it appeared as if ing it would be nice to win was looking for a first grand
climbed off his bike about was a small chance he it was going to be won from one … I’m really happy,” tour stage win.López main-
a third of the way into the could finish today but Ro- a breakaway. However, said Démare, who rides for tained his 12-second lead
13th stage and got into main’s a fighter. He wanted the sprinters’ teams worked Groupama–FDJ. “It was an over Carapaz and João
a Team DSM car. Shortly incredible day. They really Almeida, and will wear the
afterward, the team con- resisted at the front. pink jersey for a 10th day
firmed his abandonment. “We were really riding on Saturday’s 14th stage.
Bardet suffered from a hard and with 10 kilome- It is the shortest one of the
stomach bug the previous ters to go I started to think race at just 147 kilometers
day and was seen holding about the sprint because (91 miles) but includes two
his stomach in pain at the we knew we’d get them ascents of the Maddalena
beginning of Friday’s stage by then and the guys did a and the Superga hill in a
in San Remo. great job. It was monstrous challenging two-lap circuit
He was only 14 seconds actually the leadout … and in the second half of the
behind leader Juan Pedro I did a big strong sprint.” undulating route from San-
López overall, and was The breakaway got away tena to Torino.
expected to be the main early in the stage and the “I need to enjoy, like, every
challenger to favorite Rich- four escapees built a lead day,” López said. “For sure,
ard Carapaz. Bardet had of more than six minutes some guys will try to make
been in great form, finishing France’s Arnaud Demare, second left, crosses the finish line at the summit of the Colle a difference but I will try to
first in the Tour of the Alps as he wins the 13th stage of the Giro D’Italia cycling race from di Nava, the only classified do my 100%.”
last month and almost win- Sanremo to Cuneo, Italy, Friday, May 20, 2022. climb of the day — a steep, The Giro finishes in nine
ning atop the Blockhaus Associated Press third-category ascent in days in Verona.q