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A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 8 January 2019

Xander the Great: Schauffele joins golf’s rising generation

By DOUG FERGUSON sic, a two-shot deficit to
AP Golf Writer beat Thomas at the Tour
KAPALUA, Hawaii (AP) — To Championship in 2017, a
say that Xander Schauffele three-shot deficit to win
has come a long way de- his first World Golf Cham-
pends on the view. pionship in Shanghai, and
Eighteen months ago, a five-shot deficit to beat
Schauffele had played the winners-only field at Ka-
18 times on the PGA Tour palua.
and missed the cut in half He is one ranking spot be-
of them. But after he tied hind 25-year-old Bryson
for fifth in his first U.S. Open DeChambeau, who has
at Erin Hills, the 25-year-old four PGA Tour victories.
from San Diego has taken He is one spot ahead of
his place among golf’s 24-year-old Jon Rahm, who
emerging generation of has two PGA Tour victories
stars. Schauffele picked and three on the Europe-
up his fourth PGA Tour vic- an Tour. “I just still feel like
tory Sunday when he holed an underdog,” Schauffele
two shots for eagle, nearly said. “I feel like until you’re
chipped in for two more No. 1, you’re chasing. So
and finished with two clutch guys like Bryson and Justin
birdies for an 11-under 62 ... JT has put together a ton
to win the Sentry Tourna- of good years. Brooks (Ko-
ment of Champions at Ka- Xander Schauffele hits onto the 10th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions epka) has been crushing it.
palua. He tied the Planta- golf event, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at Kapalua Plantation Course in Kapalua, Hawaii. They keep putting that flag
tion Course record and set Associated Press way out there for me to go
tournament records for the myself doing it, but it’s hard an assistant, who never fin- He is part of the fabled high chase, and I feel like that’s
lowest closing round by a to believe just sitting here ished his PGA certification school class of 2011, which what I’ve been doing.”
winner and largest come- and talking about it.” but knew enough about includes Jordan Spieth, Did anyone see this coming
back over the last 18 holes Watching the trophy pre- golf, passion and determi- Justin Thomas and Daniel when he won a playoff for
(five shots). sentation was Alex Naka- nation to pass it along to his Berger. Spieth and Thomas one of the last spots in that
The victory, his second of jima, the general manager son. already have risen to No. 2017 U.S. Open at Erin Hills?
the PGA Tour season fol- at Kapalua Resort, whose “It’s awesome,” the father 1 and won majors. That’s “I really wasn’t surprised,”
lowing his HSBC Champions view is much longer than said as he spoke of his brief where Schauffele wants to said his father, the only
title last fall, moved him to 18 months. time on Kauai, and the get. coach Schauffele has had.
No. 6 in the world. He first saw Schauffele be- friends who were at Ka- To even be mentioned in “I was hoping he could win
“This is the stuff you dream fore the boy could even palua to watch the riveting that group, he said, has in the first year and we’d
about,” Schauffele said af- hold a golf club. It was 1994, charge Sunday. “kind of a weird sound to see from there. Top 50 was
ter his one-shot victory over when Nakajima was an as- Nor is he willing to inject it.” a goal, and now he has
hard-luck Gary Woodland. sistant pro at Princeville on himself into the category In his four victories, he over- progressed a little quicker.
“But to actually pull it off, it Kauai. The club had just of the best young players came a three-shot deficit You’ll only find out when
feels awesome. I could see hired Stefan Schauffele as in golf. to win the Greenbrier Clas- you’re there.”q

Al-Attiyah wins opening stage of Dakar Rally in Peru

Associated Press of the Dakar.
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Nasser Seven-time winner Stepha-
Al-Attiyah made a great ne Peterhansel was three
start to winning a third Da- minutes back in seventh,
kar Rally title when he won and Sebastien Loeb was
the opening stage by al- more than six minutes back.
most two minutes on Mon- Joan Barreda showed the
day. focus of his buildup on be-
Al-Attiyah made light work ing fit paid off when he won
of the 84-kilometer special first motorbike stage by a
on the dunes around Pisco minute from Pablo Quin-
along the Pacific coast. tanilla. Barreda’s Honda
He led by 38 seconds at the teammate, Ricky Brabec,
first marker, and by 45 sec- was third.
onds at the halfway point. Barreda had to withdraw
Defending champion Car- last year on the 11th stage
los Sainz, another two-time while lying second overall
winner, was second. because of knee and hand
Jakub Przygonski was third. injuries.
The overall champion of This Dakar has been re-
the Cross-country Rallies duced to a 10-stage race
World Cup is trying to be- on Peruvian sand, finishing Joan Barreda of Spain rides his Honda motorbike during the first stage of the Dakar Rally between
Lima and Pisco, Peru, Monday, Jan. 7, 2019.
come the first Polish winner in Lima on Jan. 17.q Associated Press