Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY
P. 22
A22 SPORTS
Tuesday 7 augusT 2018
Kenny Perry wins 3M Championship for third and final time
By MIKE COOK he said. "It's hard to go out ing about that today, and
Associated Press with a five-shot lead and (four) years ago I shot 62 in
BLAINE, Minn. (AP) — Kenny be the hunted instead of the last round," said Short,
Perry created more drama being the hunter. It felt very who finished seventh last
than he wanted Sunday in odd out there. I didn't want year and ninth in 2014. "I
the last 3M Championship. to give it away; I didn't knew that catching Kenny
He closed with a 3-under want to play too aggres- was probably going to be
69 for a three-stroke victory sive, I didn't want to play out of the question, but I
in the PGA Tour Champi- too safe." thought maybe I could get
ons event that is being re- He came out flat and mishit second with a good round
placed by the PGA Tour's many shots. today."
3M Open. Back-to-back bogeys on Playing two groups in front
Also the 2014 and 2015 win- Nos. 6 and 7 — Perry had of Perry, Short got within
ner at TPC Twin Cities, the one in the first two rounds two shots with three holes
57-year-old Perry matched — coupled with a seventh- to go, but Perry made a
Hale Irwin's tournament hole birdie by Glen Day birdie putt at 16 for a three-
record of three victories dropped Perry's lead to shot advantage.
in the final edition of the one stroke. Day had a bo- "I knew I needed to make
event that started in 1993 Kenny Perry holds the trophy after winning the 3M Championship gey at the par-3 eighth and that, somehow get that in
golf tournament Sunday, Aug. 5, 2018, at TPC Twin Cities in
at Bunker Hills. Blaine, Minn. Perry rolled in a birdie putt there to give a little bit of a
"It's an honor. Incredible. Associated Press at nine, pushing the lead cushion," Perry said.
He's one of the greatest back to three. In his first tour event, Tom
players of all time," Perry tion to return to the tour af- finished at 21-under 195 to "That calmed me down Gillis (67) joined Day (70)
said. ter they've lost status. win his 10th senior title and and I was able to go out six shots back at 15 under.
Perry's not done at the "This golf course fits me to a first since the 2017 U.S. Se- there and shoot a good Gillis, who turned 50 July 16,
course where he finished in T. ... It's going to be so long nior Open. He won the last back nine," said Perry, who won the Tuesday qualifier.
the top seven in all but one next year, I probably won't of his 14 PGA Tour titles in was 14-under on the back "I haven't played golf for
of his eight appearances, even recognize it when I 2008. nine this week. seven days in a row in over
saying he'll participate in come back," he said. "I'll be Following offseason shoul- Looking for his first win since two years, so I was happy
the 2019 3M Open. Play- back here hitting long irons der surgery, Perry's best fin- the 2014 Quebec Cham- how I held up physically
ers in the top-50 PGA Tour while those kids will be hit- ish this season had been pionship, Wes Short Jr. was and mentally," Gillis said. "I
career money list — Perry is ting wedges." fifth at the Insperity Invita- second after a 63. lost my status on the tour
26th — can cash in a one- Five shots ahead after tional in early May. "Last year I shot 62 in the fi- when I was 48. ... I'm overly
time, season-long exemp- rounds of 66 and 60, Perry "I was very nervous today," nal round and I was think- pleased."q
France takes leave from NASCAR following DWI, drug arrest
on Sunday, police said. pulled over and arrested tendance and TV ratings
"I apologize to our fans, our at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday and departing sponsors,
industry and my family for after police said they saw attributing the down turn to
the impact of my actions his 2017 Lexus roll through a the challenge of connect-
last night," France said in a stop sign near the Sag Har- ing with a new, younger
statement Monday. "Effec- bor waterfront. generation of fans.
tive immediately, I will be His eyes were red and France last month charac-
taking an indefinite leave glassy and he struggled to terized as "rumors" reports
of absence from my posi- keep his balance during that his family was looking
tion to focus on my person- field sobriety tests, police into selling its racing prop-
al affairs." said. Tests showed France's erties.
France has been NASCAR's blood-alcohol content "The France family is
chairman and CEO since was 0.18, police said. The locked and loaded in its
2003. His uncle, Jim France, legal limit in New York is dedication to NASCAR,"
a vice chairman and ex- 0.08. France told SiriusXM NAS-
ecutive vice president, will Officers found five oxyco- CAR Radio. "We're focused
take over those roles on an done pills during a subse- on ruling and managing
interim basis. quent search, police said. NASCAR. There's nothing
France, 56, was arraigned TMZ first reported the ar- to report on that. Rumors
In this May 23, 2018, file photo, NASCAR Chairman Brian France at Sag Harbor Village Jus- rest. are always interesting, but
watches a video of driver Jeff Gordon after after announcing
Gordon will be inducted into the 2019 class of the NASCAR Hall tice Court after spending France is a third-genera- they're seldom right."
of Fame, in Charlotte, N.C. the night in jail. He was re- tion leader of NASCAR. France was involved in a
Associated Press leased on his own recogni- His late grandfather, Bill 2006 incident in Daytona
zance and is due back in France Sr., founded the Beach, Florida, when a
SAG HARBOR, N.Y. (AP) — criminal possession of oxy- court Sept 14. company in 1948. police report stated he
NASCAR chairman and codone. His lawyer referred report- He's introduced a play- crashed his Lexus into a
CEO Brian France an- France had a blood-al- ers to a NASCAR statement off system, overhauled tree after entering a res-
nounced Monday he was cohol content that was on the matter. The organi- the design of its cars, and taurant parking lot.
taking an indefinite leave more than twice the legal zation said it takes France's pushed for diversity within France later told an of-
of absence a day after his limit, smelled of booze and arrest "as a serious mat- the circuit's predominantly ficer called to his home
arrest in New York's Hamp- slurred his words after he ter and will issue a state- white, male ranks. that he was drinking a
tons on charges of driv- was seen blowing through ment after we have all of In recent years, he's been soda and "bumped into
ing while intoxicated and a stop sign in Sag Harbor the facts." France, 56, was dealing with plunging at- something."q

