Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Friday 12 april 2019
Koepka, DeChambeau share lead at the Masters

By DOUG FERGUSON Paul Casey, coming off a
AP Golf Writer victory three weeks ago in
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — No Florida, failed to make a
need to wait until Sunday birdie in his round of 81.
for the Masters to come to Blinders on, Koepka played
life. bogey-free in his first time at
Brooks Koepka, Bryson De- the Masters in two years. He
Chambeau and Phil Mick- missed last year recovering
elson delivered enough ex- from a wrist injury that left
citement over the final two him wondering if he would
hours Thursday for quite an ever play again. Then he
opening act at Augusta won a second straight U.S.
National. Open, held off Woods to
Koepka, a winner in two win the PGA Championship
of the last three majors, and has established himself
ran off four straight birdies as a major player.
in the middle of the back He holed out from behind
nine by overpowering a the green at No. 12 , picked
soft course. DeChambeau up birdies on the par 5s and
came within inches of two rolled in a bending 20-foot-
hole-outs over the last three Brooks Koepka walks on the 17th hole during the first round for the Masters golf tournament Thurs- er in between on the 14th.
holes as he closed with four day, April 11, 2019, in Augusta, Ga. Dustin Johnson and Ian
straight birdies. Associated Press Poulter were at 68, while
They each had a 6-under Jon Rahm and Adam Scott
66, giving them a one-shot "I've shot this number and "It's there for the taking, knowing it was good from were among those at 69.
lead over the 49-year-old won four coats, so hope- and I'm surprised someone the roar of the crowd. The Justin Rose, who returned
Mickelson, who provided fully, I can do it again," said hasn't run off," McIlroy said. ball ran true to the cup and to No. 1 in the world and
his own brand of entertain- Woods, who slightly mis- And that's right about when smacked into the middle of was among the favorites
ment. calculated. The last green Koepka and DeChambeau the pin with enough force this week because of his re-
Mickelson began the back jacket he won in 2005 be- took off. to knock it backward a cent history at the Masters,
nine with shots into the pine gan with a 74. The goal was More impressive than the few inches. "I guess I should opened with a 75.
trees and the water, only to to not fall too far behind four straight birdies by De- have pulled the flagstick," "It's just a great test of golf
follow with four birdies over early. Chambeau was how he DeChambeau said. to start out the first round
the next five holes, includ- Rory McIlroy's bid for the made them. After a two- He is not the only player to of Masters," DeChambeau
ing a tee shot on the par- last leg of the career Grand putt birdie on the par-5 putt with the flagstick in the said. "And to be honest, it's
3 16th that stopped inches Slam began with a 73, 15th, his tee shot grazed the cup — allowed under the great to sift through some of
from the cup. which featured six bogeys. edge of the cup in the front new Rules of Golf — just the the really good players and
Tiger Woods missed all the "I made five birdies — that left portion of the green. only one to apply science maybe not so great players
action. He played earlier in wasn't the problem," Mc- From the woods, he went to the decision . in this event right now. And
the round and plodded his Ilroy said. "I just made too just over the back of the Koepka shot his 66 while look, it's not to say they are
way to a 70. It was a solid many mistakes, and that 17th green and chipped in playing in the last group bad players. It's just it's very
start for Woods in his quest was the problem." from 35 feet. He didn't see of the day, and not seeing difficult out there and every
to end 11 years without a Even more surprising to Mc- until later how good his shot very good golf alongside aspect of your game has to
major, and he was atop Ilroy was no one from the was into the 18th because him. Jordan Spieth had to be on point. So it's kind of
the leaderboard briefly un- early starters took advan- he was in light rough short rely on his short game to nice, you can almost break
til a late bogey. He sound- tage of soft turf from recent of the fairway bunker, un- salvage a 75, matching his away from the pack if you
ed satisfied. rains. able to see the green but highest score at Augusta. play well."q

U.S. advances to semifinals with 4-0 win over Japan

ESPOO, Finland (AP) — said. "Japan showed up and broke through when
Kendall Coyne Schofield and they're an extremely Knight scored on the re-
scored a tournament-lead- disciplined team. It's fun to bound of Shelly Picard's
ing fifth goal Thursday to see how well they've done shot with 3:12 remaining.
help the United States beat in this tournament and Cameranesi scored the
Japan 4-0 and advance to continue to do. But a win's second goal on the pow-
the semifinals of the wom- a win, and we got it." er play with 10:38 left in
en's world championship. Japan reached the knock- the second period, barely
Cayla Barnes had a goal out round for the first time beating Knight to the puck
and an assist and Hilary since it was instituted in on a rebound in front of
Knight and Dani Camera- 2011, while the U.S. was the crease. Barnes and
nesi also scored for the playing in their first quarter- Coyne Schofield, who ex-
Americans, who have won final after a change in the tended her point streak to
the last four world titles and format meant that the top five games, finished off the
seven of the last eight. finisher in the preliminary scoring in the third.
Maddie Rooney had 10 rounds no longer receives In another quarterfinal,
Hilary Knight of USA and Aoi Shiga of Japan in action during saves for her second shut- a bye to the semifinals. Canada defeated Ger-
the IIHF Women's Ice Hockey World Championships quarterfi-
nal match USA vs Japan, in Espoo, Finland on Thursday April 11, out of the tournament. The Americans, who fin- many 5-0 as Blayre Turnbull
2019. "It was a different game ished with 53 shots, took 22 scored a pair of goals.q
Associated Press than we're used to," Knight of them in the first period