Real slump to shock LaLiga loss to Girona

MADRID • Real Madrid's resurgent LaLiga run skidded to a halt as they fell to a shock 2-1 home defeat by struggling Girona yesterday, leaving them nine points adrift of leaders Barcelona, who beat Real Valladolid 1-0 on Saturday.

Casemiro gave Real the lead midway through the first half but Girona, whose last league win was in November, equalised in the 65th minute with a Cristhian Stuani penalty before Cristian Portu scored the winner 10 minutes later. Real skipper Sergio Ramos earned a second yellow card in added time as he was sent off for the 25th time in his club career.

REUTERS

Thomas holds slim lead at Riviera

LOS ANGELES • Justin Thomas eagled the first hole and took the sole lead early in the third round of the Genesis Open at Riviera Country Club on Saturday as Tiger Woods made a charge at a tournament he has never won.

American Thomas was on 13 under, one stroke ahead of Australian Adam Scott after two holes when play was suspended in fading light at the rain-hit tournament.

Woods picked up an eagle and three birdies in his first four holes to trail by seven strokes after seven holes.

REUTERS

Hall of Famer 'Gene the Machine' dies

LOS ANGELES • Californian Gene Littler, a US Open champion and Hall of Fame golfer, has died at the age of 88, the PGA Tour announced on Saturday.

Littler, whose silky smooth swing earned him the nickname "Gene the Machine", won 29 PGA Tour events, as well as two in Japan. They included the 1961 US Open at Oakland Hills in Michigan.

REUTERS

Mertens overcomes pain to win Qatar title

DOHA • Belgium's Elise Mertens claimed the biggest win of her career on Saturday, coming from a set down to beat world No. 3 Simona Halep and clinch the Qatar Open.

The world No. 21 won 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, despite being outclassed in the first set, overcoming an eight-minute medical time-out for back pain in the second set, and losing 18 consecutive points at one stage of the match.

Qatar is the fifth title of Mertens' career but notably her first at a Premier-level event.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE