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A22 SPORTS
Wednesday 19 december 2018

Ibrahimovic re-signs with LA Galaxy as designated player

CARSON, Calif. (AP) — goal against Toronto FC on
Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the Sept. 15.
LA Galaxy have put to rest "I was told I did good but
any rumors about his fu- I was not satisfied about
ture. the outcome," Ibrahimovic
The team announced said. "I know the opponents
Tuesday that the Swedish and the league more. I
superstar has signed a new know my team more. Phys-
contract that will make ically I feel better."
him one of the club's three Galaxy general manager
designated players. Ma- Dennis te Kloese, who was
jor League Soccer's des- named to the post last
ignated player rule allows week, still has to make a
a club to sign up to three decision about a head
players to higher salaries coach for the upcoming
that do not count against season, which begins in
the salary cap. March.
Ibrahimovic, who made The Galaxy also an-
$1.5 million in 2018, was nounced on Tuesday that
already under contract they have signed midfield-
for next season, but there er Juninho after acquiring
were some rumors about right of first refusal from
whether he would return to In this April 28, 2018, file photo, LA Galaxy forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic kicks the ball into the goal Chicago in exchange for
Europe. during the second half of an MLS soccer match against the New York Red Bulls, in Carson, Calif. $75,000 in general alloca-
"There were a lot of talks, tion money.
rumors and whispers, but The Brazilian was with the
I never left. I have stayed and 10 assists in 27 games He was also named to the final day of the regular sea- Galaxy from 2010-15 and
here and I'm not finished," this season. He was just the league's Best XI team and son to miss the postseason. scored 17 goals in 208
Ibrahimovic said in a video third player in league his- won the league's Goal of Ibrahimovic joined Cris- games. He has spent three
supplied by the club. tory to record a 20-goal, the Year award. tiano Ronaldo and Lionel years with Club Tijuana of
Ibrahimovic was named 10-assist season. The Gal- The Galaxy surged into Messi as the third active Mexico's Liga MX and was
the MLS Newcomer of the axy were 9-2-4 in matches playoff contention late in player to score 500 goals on loan for a year with
Year after scoring 22 goals where he scored a goal. the season, but lost on the for club and country with a Chicago.q

Tour victories, he and wife ment to the depth on the of Champions, which he
Ellie added a third child. A PGA Tour, and how hard it missed last year. He wants
son, Arrow, was born in No- is to win. to start well again and
vember. Bryson DeChambeau went make up ground. The big
Dash was 3 when he ran from No. 99 to No. 5 on test will be contending in a
onto the green at Whistling the strength of four wins. major for the first time since
Straits in 2015 after his fa- Woods started at No. 656 his runner-up finish in the
ther won the PGA Cham- and winds up at No. 13. In 2016 PGA Championship
pionship, and Ellie was those cases, they were low at Baltusrol.
six months pregnant with enough to make up ground More than anything, he
Lucy. The family is growing in a hurry. For players just wants to see if he can
and Day invariably has felt outside the top 10, mak- dedicate himself to a big
a tug. ing up ground requires win- year on the course and at
He has talked about his ning and having a steady home. "You have to learn
constant battle with desire diet of chances. Day had balance," he said. "If you
In this Jan. 26, 2017, file photo, Jason Day, of Australia, left, and and motivation, and now only the two wins. He never want to get to No. 1 in the
Tiger Woods, right, reacts on the fifth hole during the first round there is another challenge. reached the 18th hole with world, you have to be super
of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament, at Torrey Pines
Golf Course in San Diego. "It takes desire, but it takes an opportunity to win at selfish. When that happens,
Associated Press balance in life," Day said. any other tournament. you're sacrificing family,
"Right now, I'm at a differ- What bothered him more you're sacrificing friends,
RETURN TO No. 1 brought a sobering reality: ent stage in my life just hav- was his performance in you're sacrificing every-
Continued from Page 18 Day started at No. 13 in the ing my third child. It's hard. the majors. His best finish thing else other than golf."
He talked that day about world, won twice, and fin- Tiger made it look so easy in the last two years was a He chuckled and said, "I
how his victory at Torrey in ished at No. 14. over the years. Being No. 1 tie for ninth in the 2017 PGA wouldn't mind seeing the
2015 propelled him to his "I wasn't as consistent as for 13 years is very impres- Championship. divorce rate on No. 1 play-
best season. I should have been," Day sive, but to be able to be a "When you don't play well ers in the world."
"I'm hoping to do much of said. "If you have a couple dominant player, that's the in the majors, when you Day has known only one
the same this year," Day of wins, finish with around biggest thing. I wanted to don't finish well in the FedEx way to play his best golf —
said. 10 to 12 top 10s, typically be one of those guys." Cup, that's disappointing to with a relentless, methodi-
He won again in early May, you're in the top-five re- Winning takes care of ev- me," he said. "I always gear cal work ethic. Now he
hitting a towering 7-iron that gion. That's why I was dis- erything. Woods used to myself around playing well wants to find his path with
bounced off the pin on the appointed about this year, talk about that when he in the majors, and the last a wife and three kids along
treacherous par-3 17th at even though I had two was getting back to No. 1 couple of years have been for the ride.
Quail Hollow that sent him wins." after a 2½-year absence. pretty hard." Even if that means giving
to a two-shot victory in the There's one other part of Day won twice and He starts up again in two up a few hours of sleep.
Wells Fargo Championship. the equation. dropped a spot in the rank- weeks at Kapalua for "I don't sleep well, anyway,"
The end of the year Along with adding two PGA ing. Part of that is a testa- the Sentry Tournament he said.q