Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Friday 22 March 2019

Dahmen, Straka share early lead at Innisbrook

By DOUG FERGUSON ris English made an alba-
AP Golf Writer tross.
PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) — The group at 67 included
The PGA Tour event that Kevin Kisner and Luke Don-
doesn’t have Tiger Woods ald, a former world No. 1
this year instead has the who now is No. 919, largely
Leaping Cougar. the product of a back in-
That’s a childhood nick- jury that has limited him to
name for Joel Dahmen, just six tournaments world-
who took advantage of wide in the past year.
gentle, morning condi- Donald was tied for the
tions Thursday on a tough lead until a bogey on the
Copperhead course for a final hole from a tough
5-under 66 and a share of spot in a bunker some 30
the lead with Austrian-born yards short of the pin on
Sepp Straka in the Valspar the 18th. And while it’s just
Championship. one round, it’s a round he
The tournament, trying needed to see for his state
to have a little fun during of mind, much less his back.
Spring Break in Florida, al- “It makes your back feel
lowed players to put what- better, actually, when you
ever name they wanted on make a few birdies and
the back of their caddie’s hole a few putts,” he said.
bib. Dahmen, a cancer sur- Webb Simpson drives from the first tee during the first round of the Valspar Championship golf “It’s good for the soul. And
vivor who keeps golf and tournament in Palm Harbor, Fla., Thursday, March 21, 2019. it’s been a while since I had
life in perspective, went Associated Press a really good round like
with the name he was giv- he had never seen for the belonged to Dustin John- filled day at Innisbrook, that, and it does feel good.
en as a boy in Washington third straight week. But he son, the No. 1 player in the where Russell Knox wiped I felt very relaxed out there,
state when he was part of has been playing well of world, who had not seen out a double bogey on No. which is somewhat unusual.
a scouts group. late and considers himself Innisbrook in nine years. He 9 by hitting 3-wood into the The last year or two hasn’t
Dahmen doesn’t leap. a streaky player. Com- had a 69, with one birdie cup from 274 yards for an really been that way.”
“I’ve never seen a cougar,” ing off a tie for 12th at The coming on the 578-yard albatross on the par-5 11th, Woods played the Valspar
he said. Players Championship, he 14th hole with a big drive and riding that to a 29 on Championship last year be-
His father brought some handled Innisbrook with six and a 3-wood dead into the back nine. He was one fore enormous crowds and
childhood memorabilia to birdies and a strong finish — the wind to 30 feet. shot behind at 67. finished one shot behind,
the Phoenix Open. Dah- a 6-iron to 4 feet for birdie “I played a little bit better And for the second straight a key moment early in his
men saw the “Leaping on No. 3, a 7-iron to 5 feet than my score,” Johnson week, Peter Uihlein saw the comeback season that
Cougar” label, a tour friend on the par-3 fourth hole, a said. “But first time being rarest shot in golf. He was culminated with a victory.
got hold of it and the cat 20-foot birdie putt at No. 9. here in a while, not real standing on the 12th tee Woods didn’t return this
was out of the bag. The lead stood when the used to the golf course when he watched Knox’s year with The Players mov-
“I figured the rest of the wind picked up in the after- ... all in all, it was a good ball roll onto the green and ing back to March and the
world should see it this noon. Of the 28 rounds in score. I felt the conditions into the cup. Last week at Match Play next week in
week,” Dahmen said. the 60s, only eight were in were tricky.” The Players, Uihlein was in Texas, his final event before
Dahmen is playing a course the afternoon. One of them It was all part of an action- the same group when Har- the Masters.q

Defender Ali Krieger returns to

the U.S. women’s national team

CHICAGO (AP) — Defend- Krieger, a veteran of the been training with her club
er Ali Krieger has returned 2015 World Cup champion- in the outside back posi-
to the U.S. women’s na- ship team, will help shore up tion and with the potential
tional team for the first time the team’s defense in the to add depth on the right
since 2017. absence of Kelley O’Hara, side, it was good timing to
Krieger was named to the who was left off the roster bring Ali into this camp to
team’s roster Thursday for because of an ankle injury. join the other six defend-
exhibition matches against “I spoke with Ali and she’s ers.”
Australia and Belgium as excited to come into camp Krieger has 98 overall ap-
the team prepares for the and help this team in any pearances with the nation-
World Cup in France start- way she can,” coach Jill El- al team. She recently an- In this Feb. 10, 2016, file photo, United States defender Ali Krieger
ing in June. lis said. nounced her engagement (11) controls the ball during a CONCACAF Olympic qualifying
She has not played for the “Opportunities, however to goalkeeper Ashlyn Har- tournament soccer match against Costa Rica in Frisco, Texas.
United States since a game they transpire, are exactly ris, who was also called into Associated Press
against Russia on April 6, that, and Ali has been a training camp in Santa Bar- League. quad injury.
2017. great pro and will no doubt bara ahead of the friendly Ellis named 24 players to The United States plays
Her last call-up to the team lean on her experience matches. the roster. In addition to Australia on April 4 in Com-
was for the Tournament of and strengths when she Krieger and Harris also play Krieger, Lindsey Horan re- merce City, Colorado, be-
Nations in the summer of comes back into this envi- for the Orland Pride of the turns after missing the She- fore facing Belgium in Los
2017. ronment. Recently, she has National Women’s Soccer Believes Cup because of a Angeles on April 7.q