Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 26 June 2018

Switzerland's Roger Federer reacts during the final match
against Croatia's Borna Coric at the Gerry Weber Open ATP
tennis tournament in Halle, Germany, Sunday, June 24, 2018.
Associated Press
Swap at top: Nadal

reclaims No. 1 ranking

from Roger Federer Nasa Hataoka kisses her trophy after winning the NW Arkansas Championship golf tournament,
Sunday, June 24, 2018, at the Pinnacle Country Club in Rogers, Ark.
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Rafael uled to be announced Japanese teen Nasa Hataoka
Nadal is back at No. 1 in Wednesday. Play begins
the ATP rankings, retaking next week.
the top spot from Roger Fe- Nadal holds a 50-point wins NW Arkansas Championship
derer after just one week. edge over Federer in the
Monday's new order is the rankings and will hold onto
sixth change of the year at No. 1 for at least the next By KURT VOIGT with them was really big for did so in a tie with Lee at 13
No. 1, the most since there three weeks. ROGERS, Ark. (AP) — Nasa me, and winning this tour- under.
were eight in 1999. Novak Djokovic rose five Hataoka didn't have the nament was so huge for That didn't last long after
The record is 10 switches at spots to No. 17 after reach- star power in her final me." Hataoka chipped in from
No. 1 in 1983. ing the final at Queen's grouping at the NW Arkan- Hataoka won twice late just off the green on the
Federer still is expected to Club last week. sas Championship. last year on the Japan par-3 third hole for a bird-
be seeded No. 1 for Wim- Borna Coric climbed 13 What the Japanese teen- LPGA and has finished in ie to reach 14 under. Lee,
bledon, where he won his places to a career-best ager did have by the time the top 10 in five of her last meanwhile, left her chip
record eighth champion- No. 21 thanks to his title at she was finished was her six LPGA Tour stars, includ- shot well short on the rain-
ship a year ago. The grass- Halle, Germany, where he first victory on the LPGA ing a playoff loss last month soaked green and two-
court Grand Slam tourna- upset Federer in Sunday's Tour. in the Kingsmill Champion- putted for a bogey that
ment's seedings are sched- final.q Hataoka shot an 8-under ship. This year has been a dropped her two shots off
63 to run away with the far change from last year the lead.
Court backs tournament at Pinnacle when she made only eight Hataoka stretched her
Country Club on Sunday. of 19 cuts on the LPGA Tour, lead to four shots after
The 19-year-old did so in re-
including a missed cut in reaching the 520-yard par-
NCAA transfer rule cord-breaking fashion, fin- Arkansas. 5 seventh hole in two and
ishing with a tournament-
Much of her success has two-putting for birdie.
best 21-under 192 total — come in the last three The following hole, she
requiring year off three better than the mark months after she won the nearly holed out from the
fairway for an eagle. Her
set last year by So Yeon tour's qualifying tourna-
Ryu.
her full tour card. Hataoka edge of the hole, result-
Tied at 13 under with ninth- ment in December to earn approach shot hit the
CHICAGO (AP) — A federal transfer to another school ranked Minjee Lee enter- missed the cut in two of ing in a short break while a
appeals court has backed must sit out a year. ing the day, Hataoka was her first three tournaments rules official did some minor
an NCAA rule requiring Deppe's lawyers argued paired with Lee and third- this year, but she's now repairs, and she settled for
most football players who the Indianapolis-based ranked Lexi Thompson on earned prize money in 10 a two-putt par to remain at
transfer schools to sit out a NCAA enforces the rule Sunday. She jumped to the straight events — including 16 under. It was one of the
year. primarily to ensure trans- early lead and never let up $300,000 on Sunday. few moments that didn't
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court fers don't hurt the quality while matching the lowest "She played amazing," go Hataoka's way on Sun-
of Appeals in Chicago up- of the football and thereby round of the week. Thompson said. "... She's day, or all week. She fol-
held a lower-court finding cut into lucrative revenues. Austin Ernst was second af- just got a great game, no lowed by sinking a 20-foot
that NCAA transfer rules They say that makes it an ter a 65. Lee and Thompson weaknesses, pretty long birdie putt on the ninth hole
don't violate U.S. antitrust unreasonable restraint on topped the group at 13 un- off the tee and just rolls it to reach 17 under, and got
laws. trade. der. amazing on the greens. So, to 17 under on No. 12.
Monday's decision was in a But the 7th Circuit rejected They were all left looking it was great to watch. It was A final birdie at the 15th
lawsuit brought by a former that. Its unanimous opin- up at the 5-foot-2 Hatao- definitely a well-deserved pushed Hataoka into re-
punter for Northern Illinois ion accepted the NCAA's ka, who entered the week win." The final round was cord-setting position at 19
University, Peter Deppe. concern that easy player ranked 30th. delayed by an hour and under. She didn't flinch on
The ruling focuses on a re- transfers would undermine "I (have) played with Lexi a half because of morning the final few holes, birdie-
quirement that most Divi- "the amateur character of and all the big-name play- thunderstorms. When Hata- ing the par-3 17th and par-
sion I football players who college athletics."q ers," Hataoka said. "Playing oka did finally tee off, she 5 18th to reach 21 under.q