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SPORTS Wednesday 21 december 2022

Tiger has shots and a limp to keep everyone guessing

By DOUG FERGUSON out.
AP Golf Writer “If there’s a chance which
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Ti- you know there is a chance
ger Woods relished the two he’s going to find it.”
days spent with his son, Opinions vary widely. Last
along with the chance to week alone, Colin Mont-
remind anyone watching gomerie doubted Woods
he still has game. Some of could ever win again. He
the shots he hit during the said Woods would have to
PNC Championship did not return to a higher than ever
belong to a ceremonial standard of golf to be able
golfer. to beat players 20 years
Woods hasn’t lost his nee- younger than him and “I
dle, either, as sharp as his don’t see that happening.”
short game. A few days later, Harrington
The fifth fairway at the Ritz- said he thought Woods can
Carlton Golf Club Orlando still win a major.
was immaculate except Woods turns 47 on Dec. 30.
for a scorecard stuck into Once he stepped out of
the grass next to the tee the cart and set up over a
shot of Justin Thomas, 3-iron into the 18th green
which was some 15 yards Saturday, he looked every
behind where Woods had bit of 27.
hit his drive. Tiger Woods tees off on the 4th hole during the final round of the PNC Championship golf “There’s not many in the
On the card, a note that tournament Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. world of golf that could hit
Woods wrote in cursive: Associated Press that shot 159 (mph) ball
“You’ve got mail.” was reduced to being only Tour. Not even he knows. dangerous game involv- speed, off the fairway with
Padraig Harrington broke the tournament host be- A year ago, when he was ing Woods. Remember, in an iron, knowing his irons
into laughter when he cause of plantar fasciitis in still recovering from broken a span of five years he had have quite a bit of loft,”
heard about this. The mes- his right foot, that he could bones in his right leg from four surgeries on his lower Harrington said. “That’s a
sage takes on different still hit all the shots. The trou- a car crash in Los Angeles back and had to deal with very impressive strike.
meaning to different peo- ble was walking to them. some 10 months earlier, his a DUI arrest stemming from “There are people hitting
ple for the Irishman, it refers He was in a cart at the PNC only hope was to play the a mix of painkillers. And 3-irons out on tour who are
to being in a different post- Championship because British Open at St. Andrews. then he won the Masters. low 140s ball speed,” he
al code but it translates the PGA Tour Champions He wound up playing two “You’d figure not a added. “There’s not many
to how far Woods blew it runs the event and carts other majors, making 2022 chance,” Matt Kuchar people who can do that in
by him. “You don’t even are allowed on the senior a success.The speculation said. “He’s proven me the world of golf.”
have to write it down. We circuit. John Daly is about on his return will start in Feb- wrong on multiple guesses Given the atmosphere of
all know when somebody to have knee replacement ruary for the Genesis Invita- of will he play again, will the PNC Championship
does that,” Harrington said. and took a ride. So did Da- tional at Riviera and con- be win again, all of those. Woods never smiled so
“He was airmailed.” vid Duval, playing with a tinue until azaleas begin to I’ve probably been proven wide when playing in the
Small victories? Not really. torn muscle in his calf. bloom at Augusta National. wrong several times, and final group and tying for
Woods said in the Bahamas The question is when Woods For now, everyone is left I’m a guy of the mindset eighth he was in self-dep-
earlier this month, when he will play next on the PGA with predictions, always a you can never count him recating form.q

Kipyokei gets 6-year doping ban, loses Boston Marathon title

MONACO (AP) — Kenyan documentation which she Association announced been disqualified, and that presence of furosemide,
marathoner Diana Kipyokei alleged came from a hos- that Kipyokei’s result in the Edna Kiplagat of Kenya which is a diuretic. “In her
has been banned for six pital.” The Boston Athletic 2021 Boston Marathon has has been elevated to win- explanation, she claimed
years and stripped of her ner. Kiplagat is now recog- to have been prescribed
2021 Boston Marathon title nized as a two-time Boston medication by a doctor at
for doping and tampering, winner, having also won in a hospital to treat an ankle
the Athletics Integrity Unit 2017. injury and presented sup-
said Tuesday. The BAA had said in Oc- porting documentation.
Kipyokei’s urine sample tober that it would annul However, investigations re-
after winning in Boston in Kipyokei’s result pending vealed that, though Rion-
October 2021 had traces completion of the AIU in- oripo was treated at the
of triamcinolone aceton- vestigation and sanction hospital, she had altered
ide — an anti-inflammatory announcement. her prescription form to in-
prohibited at races when The AIU also announced clude Lasix (the commer-
an athlete does not have that a second Kenyan mar- cial name for furosemide),”
permission to use it as a athoner, Purity Rionoripo, the AIU said. Rionoripo
medication. has received a five-year could have been banned
The AIU said Kipyokei “pro- ban for similar offenses. for six years but received a
vided false/misleading Rionoripo won the 2017 one-year reduction “due
information” in trying to Diana Kipyokei, of Kenya, holds a Boston Marathon Paris Marathon. to an early admission and
explain her use of the sub- championship trophy following a news conference, on Oct. 12, Her sample taken in May acceptance of the sanc-
stance, “including fake 2021, in Boston. in Kenya revealed the tion,” the AIU said.q
Associated Press