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SPORTS Wednesday 15 May 2019

PGA champ

Continued from Page 18 motivate yourself and give
you that extra little some-
Just the way they did last thing going into a tour-
June about 60 miles east nament or going into an
of Bethpage when he out- event, whatever it might
lasted everyone at Shin- be, to really want to push
necock Hills for his second you over that line.”
straight U.S. Open victory . In fact, Koepka has said for
He is trying to join Woods as a while that getting over
the only back-to-back win- that line in majors is easier
ners of the PGA Champion- than winning regular PGA
ship in stroke play; Woods Tour events, of which he
did it twice. has only two. His reason-
“It’s always nice to defend, ing reveals a level of confi-
but being in New York, dence that only the elite of
I’ve got good memories,” their sport own.
Koepka said. “It’s a fun “The easiest way I can
place to play in front of the break it down is there’s ...
fans. They’re all energetic, 156 in the field, so you fig-
and you come back and ure at least 80 of them I’m
you’ve got good feelings just going to beat,” he ex-
this week and just kind of plained. “From there, the Brooks Koepka watches his shot off the second tee during a practice round at the PGA
hopefully you ride that mo- other, you figure about half Championship golf tournament, Tuesday, May 14, 2019, in Farmingdale, N.Y.
mentum.” of them won’t play well, Associated Press
No one has more momen- so you’re down to about 12th hole when the wind “Like I said, I think some- a back-nine collapse. They
tum in the big tournaments, maybe 35. And then from changed might have kept times the majors are the will be paired together for
not even Woods, who dra- 35, some of them just, pres- him from beating Woods. easiest ones to win. Half the the first two rounds.
matically won his 15th ma- sure is going to get to them. And at the British Open, people shoot themselves Woods likes the idea of that
jor at Augusta National It only leaves you with a where he already has two out of it, and mentally I pairing; who wouldn’t want
in April. Koepka was right few more, and you’ve just top-10 finishes. know I can beat most of to be in a group of the most
there challenging Woods got to beat those guys. At 29, Koepka envisions them, and then from there recent major winners?
for the green jacket. “If you just hang around — I winning both of those at it’s those guys left. Who’s “As far as this week, this
“I get Tiger was back, so it’s think one of the big things some point in his itinerant going to play good and week is going to be a lot
a little bit different,” Koep- that I’ve learned over the career that began on the who can win? I don’t see of fun with the crowds, the
ka said of where the focus last few years is you don’t European Challenge Tour. any reason it can’t get to excitement that we’ve had
went at the Masters — and need to win it, you don’t And plenty more majors. double digits.” here the last, what, three
always will go with Woods have to try to go win it. Just “Yeah, I mean, I’ve got a To get to four major tro- events that we’ve played
around. “You know, a lot of hang around. If you hang number. I don’t see why phies on his resume, Brooks here,” Woods said, refer-
the attention was going to around, good things are you can’t get to double will need to contend with ring to two U.S. Opens — he
be there. But some of it was going to happen.” digits,” Koepka said. “I the reinvigorated Woods, won it in 2002 — and a Bar-
a little bit manufactured on Good things such as con- think you keep doing what and with British Open clays. “The pairing that I’m
myself. But I think you’ve tending at the Masters, you’re supposed to do, you champion Francesco Mo- involved in, it’s going to be
got to find a chip or you’ve where a tee shot into play good, you peak at the linari, who was in control just a boatload of fun for all
got to find something to the water at the iconic right times. at Augusta National until of us.”q

Revolution hire 5-time MLS Cup champ Bruce Arena as coach

By KYLE HIGHTOWER news conference Thursday. change in leadership and
AP Sports Writer “Bruce is one of the most there is no one better suit-
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) successful coaches in ed to usher in a new era of
— The New England Revo- American soccer history, success in New England,”
lution are turning to one and we feel his commit- Bilello said in a statement.
of the most decorated ment to excellence, track Arena brings a wealth of
coaches in Major League record of winning cham- both domestic and inter-
Soccer to help revive a pionships in Major League national coaching experi-
season and a franchise. Soccer, as well as his suc- ence to the job.
Bruce Arena, a five-time cess at the international He has coached 14 sea-
MLS Cup winner and former level, makes him the best sons in Major League Soc-
U.S. national coach, was person to bring the Revolu- cer, with a record of 202-
hired Tuesday as the Revo- tion back to MLS Cup con- 121-89 with the New York
lution’s coach and sports tention,” team owner Rob- Red Bulls, D.C. United and
director. ert Kraft said in a statement. L.A. Galaxy. He won titles
He succeeds Brad Friedel, In this July 22, 2017, file photo, United States head coach Bruce The Revolution have never with D.C. United in 1996
who was fired as coach last Arena sits on the bench prior to a CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal won an MLS Cup but have and 1997 and with the Gal-
week, and Michael Burns, soccer match against Costa Rica, in Arlington, Texas. been to the finals five times. axy in 2011, 2012 and 2014.
the general manager who Associated Press The last was in 2014 when He has had two stints as
was dismissed Monday. Arena said in a statement. and that can be part of the they lost to the L.A. Galaxy U.S. national coach and
New England is 3-8-2 and “And I am looking forward tradition of success in New team coached by Arena. holds the record for victo-
is last in the Eastern Con- to working with the staff England.” Revolution President Brian ries with 81. Arena also won
ference. “Boston is a great and players to make the The 67-year-old Arena, the Bilello said Arena shares the five NCAA Division I cham-
sports town with a history Revolution a club that our eighth coach in club his- club’s vision. “We believe pionships over 18 seasons
of championship teams,” supporters can be proud of tory, will be introduced at a that now is the time for a at Virginia.q