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sports Wednesday 31 august 2022
Big moments in PGA Tour season lost amid LIV Golf

By DOUG FERGUSON spective it was Scottie's
AP Golf Writer laugh on the 18th green in
ATLANTA (AP) — Two weeks Augusta before his fourth
after Justin Thomas won the putt," Spieth said. "It showed
PGA Championship with a the lightness of him and the
record-tying comeback heaviness of the whole situ-
and a defining shot in a ation."
playoff, Dustin Johnson led Jon Rahm was struck by
a pack of players over to the emotion of winless Will
LIV Golf. Zalatoris having twice lost
Two days after Tiger Woods in a playoff, twice been
strode across the Swilcan runner-up in a major and
Bridge at St. Andrews for then making a 10-foot putt
what might be the last in regulation and scream-
time, Cameron Smith sat ing in his best Steph Curry
next to the claret jug and impersonation, "What are
sidestepped questions they gonna say now?" He
about his inevitable depar- went on to win the FedEx
ture to the Saudi-funded ri- St. Jude Championship,
val league. the first FedEx Cup playoffs
There was no escaping. event.
Players kept talking be- "I know how hard it is to
cause the media kept ask- Tiger Woods tips his cap as he walks to the 18th green during the final round at the Masters golf get your first win. I'm one
ing. tournament on Sunday, April 10, 2022, in Augusta, Ga. of the lucky ones that was
And now the PGA Tour sea- Associated Press able to get it done early,"
son is over and LIV fills the Rahm said. "For him to have
void, claiming six more play- when LIV Golf was about to the greatest closing nines as one of the best nines in heartbreaks this year, espe-
ers Tuesday, the biggest of launch, "The tour lost mar- in British Open history. Rory Open history. Given it was cially in the majors, to get
them Smith, the "champion ket shares." That's 32 shares McIlroy tied a nice bow the 150th Open Champi- to that situation ... I know
golfer of the year" and No. — the number of PGA Tour around the season with a onship and it was the pin- there are moments of a lot
2 in the world. players in the 48-man LIV record comeback in the nacle of the year and he more magnitude, but I pick
The next big event — at field outside Boston. Tour Championship for a shot 30 on the back nine, I that just because of how I
least on network TV — will What the tour also lost to third FedEx Cup title. It was say that." feel for him."
be the Presidents Cup at LIV was a season of remark- a chance for him to finally Jordan Spieth, who grew Big moments in golf tend
Quail Hollow, where LIV able moments that were talk about his golf instead up with Scheffler in Dallas, to be built around the ma-
Golf is sure to be front and overshadowed, sometimes of his opposition to LIV Golf. pointed to the 18th green jors, and there were indel-
center because of who's within hours, by the end- Of course, he managed to at Augusta National. Schef- ible moments: Smith's putt
not there. Five players from less chatter about a rival do both. fler had a five-shot lead around the Road Hole bun-
the last International team league. The biggest moment? going to the last hole and ker, Matt Fitzpatrick's 9-iron
at Royal Melbourne now Scottie Scheffler went from Leave that to the players, finally allowed it to sink in from a bunker that secured
are with LIV Golf (so are no wins to No. 1 in the world who had their own criteria. that he was about to be- his U.S. Open title at Brook-
three Americans from the in span of six weeks and "The first thing that comes come a Masters champion. line, the 3-wood Thomas hit
2019 matches). then two weeks later was to mind is Cam Smith's And then he four-putted. onto the par-4 17th green
As one former major cham- fitted for a Masters green back nine," Adam Scott "For me, having watched in the playoff at Southern
pion said in early June jacket. Smith had one of said. "That's got to go down him grow up, from my per- Hills.q

Evenepoel increases Vuelta lead with time-trial victory

ALICANTE, Spain (AP) — faster than second-place is also the first Belgian to
Remco Evenepoel came Primoz Roglic, taking his win an individual time trial
into the Spanish Vuelta general classification lead in the Vuelta since Fons De
with the goal of winning a over the three-time de- Wolf in Valladolid in 1979.
stage. fending champion to 2 Enric Mas, the Span-
He accomplished that in minutes, 41 seconds with 11 iard from team Movistar,
style on Tuesday and now stages left. dropped from second to
also sees himself in position "That's a big surprise," Eve- third in the general classi-
to take the general classifi- nepoel said when told of his fication, sitting more than
cation title as well. gap to his rival from team three minutes off the lead.
The Belgian rider from team Jumbo-Visma. "Now we're Fellow Spaniard Carlos Ro-
Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl going to fight and we're driguez was nearly four
pulled off an impressive going to try to win this Vuel- minutes behind Evenepoel
time-trial victory in the 10th ta. The pressure is off. I won in fourth place.
stage in Alicante, increas- a stage. Now the whole Riders will face a flat 11th
ing his overall lead. team is super confident. stage that will favor the Belgium rider Remco Evenepoel of the Quick-Step Alpha Vi-
nyl team competes during the Individual time-trial stage of La
"It's super nice to win this Everybody is performing so sprinters on Wednesday. Vuelta cycling race between Elche and Alicante, eastern Spain,
time trial in the red jersey," well. Now we just have to Nearly two dozen riders Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.
the 22-year-old Evenepoel fight to keep this jersey and had to withdraw from the Associated Press
said. "It's an amazing feel- take it home." race because of positive
ing. I think I achieved my Evenepoel is the first rider to coronavirus tests, including Monday's rest day came advantage of the time off
dream." beat Roglic in an individual Sam Bennett, a two-time in handy for Astana rider to be with his wife for the
Evenepoel was 48 seconds time trial in the Vuelta. He stage winner this year. Alexey Lutsenko, who took birth of his son.q