Page 19 - Aruba Today

SPORTS A19
Robert Allenby is seeking to
put ‘nightmare’ behind him
DOUG FERGUSON
AP Golf Writer
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) —
Robert Allenby returned to
paradise with hopes of put-
ting a nightmare behind
him.
Allenby has missed the
Sony Open only three times
in his 17 years on the PGA
Tour, and this would have
been an acceptable oc-
casion to miss. He went
from victim of what he first
described as a robbery
and kidnapping to the butt
of jokes over a bizarre night identified sources at a strip
in Honolulu that left him
with a bloodied forehead
and no memory of what
happened.
So why bother going back?
“I’ve got so many great
memories here that I wasn’t
going to let one bad one
interrupt it,” he said Sunday Allenby believes someone
night after checking into
the Kahala Hotel at Waia-
lae Country Club. “I also
thought for my own well-
being that maybe I could
come here and face it and
put some closure on what
happened last year.”
He had dinner at the hotel
with friends and already
has his dining plans laid out gust to five years.
for the week.
“Room service and (hotel)
restaurant,” he said.
The 44-year-old Australian
last year missed the cut in
the first full-field event of thony Kim was out all night
the year, and then went
to Amuse Wine Bar with his
caddie and a friend. He re-
calls golf fans recognizing
him and wanting a photo.
He said police surveillance
shows him leaving the res-
taurant. And that was it.
Whatever happened that
night — Allenby says he still more than a dozen cad-
doesn’t remember any-
thing during a 2½-hour win-
dow — it might have gone
unnoticed except that Al-
lenby posted a photo his
private Facebook page
of a bloody scrape on his
head and a swollen eye.
Then came the tale of be-
ing tossed from the trunk of
a car. Allenby said he was
told that by a homeless
woman who helped him
escape from the park after
his story was questioned. A
homeless man said he saw
Allenby pass out and hit his
head on a rock.
He was found unconscious
about a block from the res-
taurant.
Golf Channel cited un-
club that Allenby ran up a
$3,400 tab at Club Femme
Nu. However, Honolulu Po-
lice Det. John McCarthy
said the report was not true
and the police investiga-
tion showed Allenby was
never in the strip club.
slipped a date-rape drug
into his drink at the restau-
rant when he was taking
photos, which he said ex-
plains the memory loss.
A month after the incident,
police arrested a Hawaii
man for using Allenby’s
credit cards. Owen Harbi-
son was sentenced in Au-
Through it all, his reputation the PGA Tour record book
didn’t help.
He is renowned for a fierce
temper on the golf course.
Allenby once claimed An-
before the final day of the
Presidents Cup — after Kim
had beaten him badly in
singles. He mixed it up with
Geoff Ogilvy over who was
to blame for a team loss in
the Presidents Cup at Royal
Melbourne two years later.
And he has gone through
dies.
Allenby, however, said he
felt as though he went from
the victim to the culprit and
that it marred the rest of his
year.q
Tuesday 12 January 2016
Jordan Spieth hits from the 18th tee during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf
event Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. Spieth finished at
30 under par for the tournament win.
(AP Photo/Matt York)
Spieth’s statement as big as his 8-shot win
DOUG FERGUSON short of the record Els set at 35-foot birdie putt.
AP Golf Writer Kapalua in 2003. “It’s incredible the way Jor-
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — He also joined Tiger Woods dan manages his game
Jordan Spieth went on Twit- as the only players since going around all 18 holes,”
ter in the final hour of 2015 full records began in 1970 Koepka said. “He doesn’t
to say, “Would rather this to win seven times on the seem to make a mistake.
year not end.” PGA Tour at age 22. Woods When he does get in trou-
Maybe it never did. was a month younger, and ble, he gets out of it and he
Coming off a blockbuster he turned pro later. Spieth makes those 15-foot clutch
year including the Masters, collected his seventh win putts to keep the round go-
U.S. Open, five victories and in his 77th start. Woods won ing. It’s impressive to watch,
the FedEx Cup, Spieth de- his seventh in only his 38th it really is. It’s fun to watch.”
livered a statement Sunday tournament as a pro. Koepka shot 71 and tied for
in the Hyundai Tournament “My putting feels like it’s third.
of Champions by crushing 100 percent ready for ma- Defending champion Pat-
the winners-only field at Ka- jor championships, and I’ve rick Reed had three bird-
palua for an eight-shot vic- just got to dial in everything ies in five holes, and he
tory. else just a little bit more,” he pulled within three shots
“I felt like it was a short said. “But I can sit here and with a birdie at No. 9. The
three-week break and con- say that my putting certain- next time he saw a lead-
tinue what we were doing ly is ready for the Masters to erboard, Spieth was five
last year,” he said. “That’s be next week. It’s a really shots in front and the gap
the way I’ll keep on think- good feeling to have that only got bigger from there.
ing about it. It worked well confidence with the flat Reed closed with a 69 and
this week. All parts were fir- stick.” was runner-up.
ing.” Brooks Koepka played with “He hasn’t given anyone
He made an 8-foot birdie Spieth in the final round opportunities to really
putt on the 18th hole for a and started five shots be- catch up,” said Rickie Fowl-
6-under 67 and a spot in hind. On the first hole, Spi- er, who finished 10 shots
eth’s approach somehow behind in fifth place. “It’s
with Ernie Els. They are the settled inches away on just solid golf, and I think
only two players at 30-un- the top of a steep bunker you’re going to see a lot
der par or lower in a 72- about 50 yards from the of that like he did last year.
hole event. Spieth, playing hole. His pitch rode the You’re going to have to
smart with a big lead on grain to 4 feet for par. Ko- play a good, solid golf tour-
the back nine, finished at epka three-putted for bo- nament to have a chance
30-under 262. That was one gey. Then, Spieth rolled in a to win.”q