Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Monday 22 May 2017

Langer wins to tie Nicklaus mark of 8 major senior titles

Langer has eight straight point,” said the 60-year-old
JOHN ZENOR rounds in the 60s since Funk, who was seeking his
AP Sports Writer the tournament moved to first individual title since
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Greystone. He took com- 2012. “He makes birdie,
Bernhard Langer pulled mand on 12 and followed I make 7. I’m one back,
away from the other con- with two straight birdies now I’m way back so it’s
tenders — and pulled even and another with a tap-in all over. I never hit it out of
with Jack Nicklaus. on No. 17 after just missing bounds even on the tight-
Langer cruised to his sec- an eagle. est holes.
ond straight Regions Tradi- It was his third par-3 birdie “That hole, I don’t know
tion victory, shooting an of the round. what happened. It was just
8-under-64 on Sunday to Langer has 31 victories on a weird deal.”
match Nicklaus’ record of the 50-and-over tour, also Funk had been 2 for 2 in
eight PGA Tour Champions winning the season-open- protecting 54-hole leads in
major titles. ing event in Hawaii in Janu- PGA Tour Champions ma-
“Yeah, that’s pretty neat,” Bernhard Langer, of Germany, hits an approach shot on the ary. The Hall of Famer won jors, and the third-round
Langer said. “Not many third hole during the Regions Tradition PGA Tour Champions golf the Masters twice for his leader had won the Tradi-
people can say they tournament, Sunday, May 21, 2017, in Birmingham, Ala. lone regular majors, leav- tion five years running.
match Jack Nicklaus in Associated Press ing him 16 behind Nicklaus. McCarron had a chance
anything. To have won as was no drama. He finished “Obviously, it was huge for Funk shot a 72 to tie for for a solo second but sent
many majors on this tour as at 20-under 268 for a five- me and terrible for Fred fourth with Marco Dawson his approach on No. 18 sail-
he has is outstanding obvi- stroke victory over Scott because up until then, it (66). He lost a share of the ing into the grandstands.
ously and a thrill for me. McCarron (69) and Scott was neck to neck,” Langer lead with the messy 12th He had banked in an eagle
“I’m still way behind on the Parel (70), after winning last said. “Even Scott Parel was after his drive went out of on that hole on Thursday.“I
regular tour, though, in ma- year by six. right in there as well. There bounds and Langer took had like 235 or something
jors.” It’s the first time Langer has were plenty of holes to be his first solo lead. like that to the hole into the
The 59-year-old German won a major after coming played, so nobody really Funk, who ranks as the wind uphill and I absolutely
star was way behind at from behind on the final had their nose in front by a tour’s most accurate driv- just smashed a 3-wood,”
times in this one, too. day. great deal. er, said he was baffled by McCarron said. “I don’t
He wiped out a six-stroke He wasn’t challenged af- “When I made birdie and the mistake and that he know what happened.
deficit over the week- ter a birdie on the 12th, Fred made triple bogey, was feeling relaxed at the I think I blanked out or
end and entered the fi- when Funk had a triple bo- that was a big swing in time. something and just killed it
nal round two strokes be- gey. Suddenly, Langer led my favor. At that point, I “Well, it was a close battle, up in the grandstands, and
hind Fred Funk, but once by three strokes over Parel jumped ahead and then I but I hit it out of bounds so then had a very fast putt
again made sure there and four over Funk. never relented.” it was all over for me at that there.”q
Jungels wins 15th stage as

Dumoulin keeps pink jersey

Valdengo to Bergamo, and dropped slightly be- to wait for him. My legs felt
which contained two cat- hind. good today but I’m always
egorized climbs shortly be- Quintana fell while negoti- looking forward to a rest
fore the finish and a shorter ating a corner on a down- day.”
climb up cobblestones in hill stretch and had to Jungels wore the overall
Bergamo’s old city. change bikes. leader’s pink jersey for four
“It’s never easy to plan an Dumoulin ordered his days in the opening week
attack like mine today in teammates at the front to and leads the best young
Bob Jungles celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win a stage like this,” Jungels slow down and let Quin- rider classification. It was
the 15th stage of Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race, from said. “It was more of a tana catch up. his first Grand Tour victory.
Valdengo to Bergamo, Sunday, May 21, 2017. classic than a Grand Tour Tanel Kangert of Astana After the final rest day
Associated Press stage. It’s what I needed and Kenny Elissonde of Sky Monday, Stage 16 on
BERGAMO, Italy (AP) — lead in the final leg before to win a stage.” were involved in more seri- Tuesday is considered the
Bob Jungels took a sprint the high mountains. Dumoulin’s lead was cut to ous crashes.“I didn’t want race’s toughest: a lengthy
ahead of several overall Jungels, of Luxembourg 2:41 ahead of Quintana, to take time on Quintana 222-kilometer (138-mile)
favorites to win the crash- with the Quick Step team, with Pinot 3:21 back in third. when he crashed because leg from Rovetta to Bormio
filled 15th stage of the Giro surged past Nairo Quin- Not looking to take any it wasn’t the right way to do that features three strenu-
d’Italia on Sunday, while tana and Thibaut Pinot at unnecessary risks, Dumou- it,” Dumoulin said. “Some- ous climbs, including the
Tom Dumoulin had six sec- the end of the 199-kilome- lin rode more cautiously times the race goes on but legendary Mortirolo and
onds shaved off his overall ter (124-mile) route from through the final kilometers this was a good moment Stelvio passes.q