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SPORTS Wednesday 20 January 2021
Lower scores just an example of golf evolving

By DOUG FERGUSON ing in 2017, played it safe
AP Golf Writer and shot 17-under 267 to
HONOLULU (AP) — Chris Kirk win by five.
shot 65 four days in a row Right behind is Bay Hill, the
and it wasn't enough to win course where Tiger Woods
on the PGA Tour. has won a record eight
Joaquin Niemann can ap- times. He still hasn't had a
preciate the feeling. The week like the late Payne
dynamic 22-year-old from Stewart did in 1987 when
Chile played both tourna- he shot 264. No one has
ments in Hawaii and was a come within five shots of
combined 45-under par. He Stewart's record.
lost in a playoff at Kapalua Tom Lehman shot 268 at
and finished one shot be- Muirfield Village to win the
hind in the Sony Open. Memorial in 1994. Greg
For those who are either Norman, Woods and Pat-
put off or put to sleep by rick Cantlay all have come
low scoring on the PGA within a stroke of that re-
Tour, relief is probably not cord.
on the way. And yes, Woods still has
Next up is The American a few scoring records to
Express in the California claim. One of them is at
desert, a tournament still East Lake, where he shot
known as the Bob Hope in Chris Kirk putts on the 13th green during the third round at the Sony Open golf tournament Satur- 23-under 257 in 2007. Not
some circles and defined day, Jan. 16, 2021, in Honolulu. even Johnson with a 10-
by low scoring under any Associated Press shot head start in the new
name. Since going to 72 FedEx Cup scoring system
holes in 2012, the highest across the ocean. For the par, and seven others fin- too. Nothing is ever exactly could top that.
winning score was 20-un- tournament week, there ished at 20 under or better. how it was. Those records surely will fall
der 268 by Hudson Swaf- was barely enough wind to Golf has been that way for The oldest 72-hole record in time. That's how golf has
ford. He won by one shot in move a palm frond. A year more than a century. on PGA Tour courses re- evolved, much like other
2017 over Adam Hadwin, a ago, with 30 mph gusts ev- Instead of worrying how mains at Riviera in 1985, sports.
day after Hadwin shot 59. ery round until Sunday, the low the scores are getting, when Lanny Wadkins shot Sprinters have better shoes.
None of this should be winning score was 10 shots perhaps it's worth celebrat- 20-under 264 on a soggy Swimmers have better suits.
cause for alarm. Some of it higher. ing which records have course in Los Angeles. That doesn't even account
has to do with the weather. There was only a tropical stood the longest. Wadkins is proud of that for players who are big-
The day after Kevin Na won breeze, not the notorious All of them probably de- mark, and he surely is hap- ger, stronger and faster,
the Sony Open by one shot trade wind, at Kapalua the serve an asterisk because py Dustin Johnson wasn't and equipped with better
over Kirk and Niemann, previous week for the Sen- golf courses only look the aware of the record — nor training, more knowledge
the wind blew so hard it try Tournament of Champi- same. They have become did he particularly care — and video, perhaps the
felt as though the island ons. Harris English and Nie- longer by various measures. when Johnson reached 20 most underrated piece of
of Oahu might get blown mann finished at 25-under Lawn mowers are better, under with 12 holes remain- technology.q

Carolina-Nashville 1st NHL postponement since season started

By TERESA M. WALKER staff members tested posi- such as isolation due to a
AP Sports Writer tive for COVID-19. confirmed positive test or
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — For the Hurricanes, captain quarantines due to being
The NHL has postponed Jordan Staal had been the "a high risk close contact."
its first game since the only player on the NHL's The league did not an-
league's season began, unavailability list due to nounce a make-up date
calling off Tuesday night's COVID-19 protocols. Staal yet. The teams aren't
game between Carolina had been on that daily list scheduled to play again
and the Predators hours af- since Friday, with the Hur- in Nashville until the end of
ter the Hurricanes won the ricanes losing at Detroit on the season with back-to-
first of a two-game set in Saturday then winning 4-2 back games on May 7-8.
Nashville. at Nashville on Monday in NHL Commissioner Gary
"The decision was made that span. Bettman said last week
out of an abundance Nashville had forward Mi- realigning divisions was
of caution to ensure the kael Granlund and defen- done in part in case games
health and safety of play- seman Luca Sbisa on the needed to be postponed.
ers, coaches and game unavailability list Jan. 13 Dallas Stars coach Rick Carolina Hurricanes goaltender James Reimer (47) celebrates
defeating the Nashville Predators 4-2 with defenseman Haydn
day personnel and in con- and 14 with the Predators Bowness said he was mak- Fleury (4) after an NHL hockey game in Nashville, Tenn., Mon-
sultation with medical ex- claiming Sbisa off waivers ing out his team's sched- day, Jan. 18, 2021.
perts," the league said. from Winnipeg on Jan. 12. ule "in pencil" in case it Associated Press
The NHL did not specify Granlund has remained on needed to be changed.
which team prompted the the list. He arrived Jan. 15 Their first four games were after the postponement, their home opener Thurs-
postponement. The NHL al- from Finland and currently postponed after 17 players are scheduled to visit Dallas day against Florida, the first
ready postponed the start is in quarantine. tested positive. on Friday night for the Stars' of six straight home games
of the Dallas Stars' season The NHL's unavailability Now the Predators, who season opener. The Hur- including visits from Tampa
after six players and two list covers multiple factors gave players Tuesday off ricanes are scheduled for Bay and Dallas.q