Sports World: Soderberg on top in five-man play-off

Soderberg on top in five-man play-off

CRANS-MONTANA (Switzerland) • Sweden's Sebastian Soderberg sunk a birdie in the first extra hole of a five-man play-off featuring world No. 2 Rory McIlroy to win the European Masters on Sunday.

Soderberg begun the final round at Crans-Montana four shots off the pace, but carded a four-under 66 to finish at 14-under 266 along with McIlroy (67), Kalle Samooja (67), Lorenzo Gagli (67) and Andres Romero (70).

He sealed his maiden European Tour event by holing a 10-footer as McIlroy and Samooja missed from close range.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Green outlasts Noh in Portland Classic

LOS ANGELES • Australia's Hannah Green on Sunday added the LPGA Portland Classic crown to her Women's PGA Championship title in June, out-duelling American teenager Yealimi Noh down the stretch on the way to a one-shot victory.

The 22-year-old from Perth went into the final round three shots behind 18-year-old and Monday qualifier Noh. Green fired six birdies for a closing five-under 67 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club and finished at 21-under 267 while Noh shot 71 for 268.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Iran judoka may fight under different flag

TOKYO • Iranian judo star Saeid Mollaei, who claimed he was ordered to deliberately lose a world championship fight, could compete under a different flag at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the sport's governing body said on Sunday.

International Judo Federation (IJF) president Marius Vizer has thrown his support behind former world champion Mollaei, who complained he had been instructed by Iranian authorities to throw a match in Tokyo last week to avoid facing Israeli Sagi Muki.

Iran does not recognise Israel and Iranian passports remind holders in bold red they are "not entitled to travel to occupied Palestine".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Astros' Verlander in perfect no-hitter

TORONTO • Justin Verlander pitched his third career no-hitter, punctuating a dominant season with an overpowering performance to lead the Houston Astros past the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 on Sunday.

Verlander, 36, threw his two previous no-hitters for the Detriot Tigers, against Milwaukee Brewers in 2007 and the Astros in 2011. He joined Nolan Ryan (seven), Sandy Koufax (four) and Bob Feller, Cy Young and Larry Corcoran (three) in rarefied air of just six major league pitchers with three or more no-hitters.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on September 03, 2019, with the headline Sports World: Soderberg on top in five-man play-off. Subscribe