Bren Esports, RRQ Hoshi make play-offs

Filipino team Bren Esports and Indonesian team RRQ Hoshi secured the final two spots in the upper bracket of the M2 World Championship play-offs yesterday after finishing top of Group C and D respectively.

Bren notched 2-0 wins over fellow favourites Alter Ego from Indonesia and Japan's 10S Gaming Frost at Shangri-La Hotel.

M1 runners-up RRQ Hoshi beat local team Evos SG 2-1 after losing 2-0 to Brazil's DreamMax to join the Philippines' Omega Esports and Myanmar's Burmese Ghouls in the play-offs.

Atletico to appeal Trippier suspension

MADRID • Atletico Madrid will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after Kieran Trippier's 10-week ban for breaching betting rules was upheld by Fifa on Monday. Atletico will request Trippier's suspension is again put on hold while the appeal is being heard, raising the possibility of the defender returning to action.

He is banned until Feb 28 and is due to miss eight La Liga fixtures and Atletico's first leg at home to Chelsea in the Champions League last-16.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Hagy replaces Rahm at La Quinta event

LOS ANGELES • World No. 2 Jon Rahm has withdrawn from this week's The American Express in La Quinta, California but did not give a reason for his decision, a PGA Tour spokesman said on Monday.

The Spaniard has been replaced by Brandon Hagy. World No. 10 Patrick Cantlay will be the highest-ranked player at PGA West, although fellow American and four-time Major champion Brooks Koepka is in the mix.

REUTERS