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SPORTS Tuesday 30 January 2018
Day beats Noren on 6th playoff hole to win Farmers

By BERNIE WILSON is just as special as the first the range hitting that exact
AP Sports Writer one.” Day also won here in same number.”
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Jason 2015, in a four-man playoff Noren, a 35-year-old Swede
Day calmly sank an 18- that took only two holes. trying for his first PGA Tour
inch birdie putt at 8:17 a.m. That victory propelled him win, bogeyed the hole.
Monday in front of empty to a five-win season, includ- “I had a perfect yardage,”
grandstands on No. 18 at ing the PGA Championship, said Noren, who played
Torrey Pines for his first PGA and the world’s No. 1 rank- at Oklahoma State and
Tour win in 20 months. ing. After contending with has nine victories on the
There were no roars, just a balky back the last few European Tour. “And the
cheers from Day’s family weeks, he hopes this victory greens are not super firm
and a handful of mates. also is a springboard after a in the morning like this so I
In a rare Monday morn- dreadful 2017 season. thought it was the perfect
ing finish, Day took all of Day’s tee shot landed in play in the middle of the
13 minutes to navigate the the right rough and Noren’s green and have a putt
par-5, 570-yard 18th on the in the first cut to the left. at eagle and a few yards
South Course to finish a six- Noren tried an aggressive short, so it’s tough.”
hole playoff against Alex second shot, but his ball Day and Noren matched
Noren to win the Farmers landed short of the green each other with birdie, Jason Day, of Australia, speaks in front of the trophy after winning
Insurance Open. and rolled into Devlin’s birdie, par, par and birdie the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament, Monday, Jan. 29,
Day and Noren had to re- Billabong, a pond that pro- through five playoff holes in 2018, in San Diego.
turn after grinding through tects the hole. the twilight Sunday on the Associated Press
five playoff holes Sunday Day shot over some trees blufftop course overlooking of the crowd.’” Day hopes Rahm’s playing some tre-
before it got too dark and laid up onto the fair- the Pacific Ocean. this victory leads to a turn- mendous golf, and I feel
to continue. Spectators way before hitting a lob Ryan Palmer was eliminat- around from a miserable like I should be there as
weren’t allowed in the next wedge approach of about ed on the first extra hole 2017, which included his well, winning.”
day because organizers 85 yards, with the ball roll- with a par. mother recovering from Day is currently ranked No.
said they didn’t have time ing down several feet to set Day was on his “third-string” lung cancer and a game 10 in the world. Getting
to arrange for security. up the winning putt. caddie. He said Luke Rear- that lost some discipline back to the top is the goal.
“It was a little strange, but “It was really unfortunate for don, who caddied for him and focus. “I think last year “I got there for 51 weeks,
we did have a few people him to hit it in the water be- at the end of last year, and was a good kick in the butt, but I’ve always wanted to
up in the stands, which cause I know how good of David Lutterus, who was you know, not really being be a dominant No. 1 player
was nice,” Day said. “It’s a shot he actually hit there going to be on the bag, talked about and being in the world and that is go-
great to finish the tourna- because that’s really tough had trouble securing visas. talked about for the wrong ing to take time,” he said.
ment and all, but it would to go with a 3-wood into a His third in line, childhood reasons,” the 30-year-old “That’s going to take a lot
have been nice to fin- green like that,” Day said. friend Rika Batibasaga, Australian said. “Obvi- of hard work and dedica-
ish yesterday with all the “I think it’s almost a blessing “he’s marrying an Ameri- ously take my mum and tion because I know how
people there. “I’d play until that I actually missed the can and I knew that he’s stuff out of the equation, hard it is to get to No. 1
Wednesday if I needed to fairway knowing that I had in here already,” Day said. but just I see the guys win- in the world and I know
get that win,” Day said. “It’s to lay up and knowing that “So I was like, ‘I’ve got to ning, Jordan (Spieth), and the quality of play that is
why we get up every morn- I kind of worked on that grab someone, either grab Dustin (Johnson) is playing fighting to get to No. 1 as
ing and practice. This win number before. I was on him or grab someone out some tremendous golf, Jon well.”q
Thousands of fans give Patriots a super sendoff

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. out there are try to win it “MVP!” before introduc-
(AP) — Tom Brady praised for you guys. We love you. ing Brady. Tight end Rob
the Philadelphia Eagles, Patriots out!” he shouted to Gronkowski also appeared
dropped the microphone raucous cheers. on stage, although he
and then walked off stage One fan dressed as a didn’t speak. Fans hope
Monday to lead the New snowman while one wore that he’ll be able to play
England Patriots on the a giant replica of a Super in the Super Bowl after suf-
road to the Super Bowl. Bowl ring on his head. One fering a concussion in the
“It’s going to be fun, it’s woman carried a sign that AFC championship game
going to be a lot of hard read “Just like Tom Brady, against the Jacksonville
work, we’re playing a great this never gets old.’ Jaguars. The crowd was
team, but I tell you what, After the rally, the team kept entertained while
we’ve got a locker room boarded buses for a short waiting for the rally to start
full of guys that are ready trip to T.F. Green Airport in by the team’s radio crew
for the challenge,” the Pa- Rhode Island for the flight Bob Socci and Scott Zolak,
triots’ 40-year-old quarter- to Minneapolis for Sunday’s as well as former player Jer-
back said at a sendoff rally Super Bowl. New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, center left, tosses maine Wiggins, a member
outside Gillette Stadium Dozens more fans gath- a microphone after addressing a crowd during an NFL football of the 2001 championship
Super Bowl send-off rally, Monday, Jan. 29, 2018, in Foxborough,
attended by thousands of ered at the airport to see Mass., as free safety Devin McCourty, left, tight end Rob team. Fans also shared in
fans, some of whom arrived the team board the Pa- Gronkowski, center right, and wide receiver Danny Amendola, 16-foot-by-12-foot Boston
in the pre-dawn hours. triots’ plane, known as Air right, look on. cream pie decorated with
Brady, the last of several Kraft after team owner Associated Press the words “Not Done,” the
players to speak, praised Bob Kraft. The Boeing 767 In Foxborough, the fans ceiver Danny Amendola team’s motto for this Super
the fans for their support all is painted with the team’s also heard from coach and defensive back Duron Bowl made by Montilio’s
season. “We got one more logo and its five Lombardi Bill Belichick, and several Harmon, who prompted Baking Co., and cut into
to go. We’re going to go trophies. other players including re- the crowd into chanting 4,000 pieces.q