Page 22 - AT

A22 SPORTS
Monday 14 January 2019
Hirscher wins slalom for WCup record 9th win at same venue

ADELBODEN, Switzerland '80s and Aksel Lund Svindal
(AP) — Once more in in Lake Louise, Canada,
his stellar career, Marcel since 2005. Hirscher has
Hirscher was racing against also won eight times at Alta
Alpine skiing's history book Badia, Italy.
on Sunday. Hirscher also matched Sten-
The Austrian great almost mark's record of five career
inevitably won a World slalom wins at two different
Cup slalom, his ninth vic- venues. Alberto Tomba got
tory at Adelboden, to set five wins at a single venue.
a men's record on the 52- With 67 career World Cup
year circuit for most wins by wins — including nine al-
one skier at a single venue. ready this season — the
"It is really a special place," 29-year-old Hirscher is main-
said Hirscher, who noted he taining a pace to threaten
got his first World Cup top- Stenmark's all-time mark of
10 finish at Adelboden as 86 wins. Hirscher earned
a teenager in the January 100 World Cup points and
2008 slalom. is 405 clear of Kristoffersen
The Chuenisbaergli slope, in the overall standings. A
a snow-covered cow pas- five-time winner of the sla-
ture, was an original World lom discipline title, Hirscher
Cup venue in January 1967 is now 158 points clear of
and its race winners' roll Austria's Marcel Hirscher competes during a ski World Cup men's Giant Slalom in Adelboden, Daniel Yule of Switzerland,
reads like a list of Alpine ski Switzerland, Saturday, Jan.12, 2019. who placed eighth Sun-
greats. Associated Press day. Switzerland's Tanguy
Hirscher's latest Adelboden Nef placed 25th, one day
win was earned with a sec- Frenchman got his first ca- those mistakes," Kristoffer- He swept the weekend before returning to the Unit-
ond-run charge to victory reer podium finish. sen said. races at Adelboden for the ed States to attend classes
for the second straight day, Henrik Kristoffersen trailed Hirscher, if he stays free third time in his career, and at Dartmouth College. The
and through steadily falling Hirscher by 0.71 in third, one of injury, is making a pro- in back-to-back years. 22-year-old Nef was the
wet snow that affected vis- day after letting a first-run cession of his pursuit of a Hirscher's ninth career win NCAA champion in slalom
ibility. lead slip when runner-up to record-extending eighth at the storied Swiss hill lifted last season. For the second
Third-fastest in the morn- Hirscher in the classic giant straight overall World Cup him over two racers who straight slalom, Hirscher's
ing, Hirscher was quickest in slalom. title, just as two-time de- have won eight times at Austrian teammate Marco
the afternoon to finish 0.50 "When Marcel is at the level fending champion Mikaela one venue: Ingemar Sten- Schwarz wasted his first-run
seconds ahead of Clem- that he is in at the moment, Shiffrin is dominating the mark at Madonna di Cam- lead and was disqualified
ent Noel. The 21-year-old I couldn't beat him with women's title race. piglio, Italy, in the 1970s and for straddling a gate.q

In November, he ended a and it paid off two weeks number of putts from the 50-
four-year drought by win- later on the Gulf side of the foot range. He didn't make
ning the Mayakoba Clas- Mexican coast. any, but he didn't leave
sic in Mexico on another This was more of the same. himself any work for par.
course that requires keep- Putnam, who won for the That added to the stress-
ing the ball in play off the first time last year in the free feeling of a round, and
tee for good chances to Barracuda Championship the overall control he feels
score. held opposite a World Golf in his game.
There's another similarity in Championship, did his best "Kuch is playing well, so I
the two events. to stay in reach. They were feel like I've got to get out
Kuchar had a 54-hole score tied through seven holes there and make some bird-
of 193 in Mexico, the lowest until Putnam made bogey ies if it's not too windy," Put-
of his career. He went one on No. 8 and failed to birdie nam said. "If it's like today,
lower at the Sony Open the par-5 ninth, the easiest it's going to be scorable. I
at 18-under 192. Kuchar Matt Kuchar hits from the first tee during the final round of the hole at Waialae. Putnam have to stay aggressive."
has made only one bogey Sony Open PGA Tour golf event, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019, at Waia- missed an 8-foot birdie at- DIVOTS: Gary Woodland,
through 54 holes at Waia- lae Country Club in Honolulu. tempt on No. 18. who didn't shoot worse
lae, and he only came se- Associated Press "Didn't feel as easy as the than 68 last week and still
riously close to one bogey first two days," Putnam said. had to settle for runner-up
until saving par from a bun- players within five shots of Championship in Arizona in "Still played a good round. at Kapalua, was among
ker on the par-3 17th. the lead, and all of them February and the Memorial Still got a chance." 10 players who missed the
"Good, steady golf," Kuchar are chasing Kuchar. in early June. That put him Bryson DeChambeau had 54-hole cut because more
said. "It felt easy out there. "I anticipate needing an- at No. 4 in the world, the a 63 and led a large pack than 78 players made it to
I didn't find myself in any other good score tomor- highest he has been in his at 11-under 199, seven the weekend. He shot 76.
trouble." row," Kuchar said. "I know I career. shots out of the lead for a Also missing the 54-hole
Putnam was two shots be- can't coast." Kuchar was sliding his way slim chance at winning un- cut was Steve Stricker, who
hind after a 67. Kuchar is 2-2 when he has out of the top 50 toward the less the leaders come back will stay in Hawaii an extra
Keith Mitchell had a 63 to the 54-hole lead going into end of last year, when he to the field. Also tied for fifth week for the opening event
pull within four shots, along the final round. failed to make a Ryder Cup were Charles Howell III and of the PGA Tour Champions
with Chez Reavie, who fell The only other time Kuchar or Presidents Cup team for 54-year-old Davis Love III, season. ... Love is not play-
back with three straight won twice in the same the first time since 2009. But who had one of his better ing next week on the Big Is-
bogeys early on the back season was in 2013, when he had a good session with putting rounds. land because he is playing
nine. Those were the only he won the Match Play his swing coach in Dallas, Kuchar was at his best on a the Singapore Open.q