Faisal Salhab, Saud Al-Sharif make history as second and third Saudi golfers to turn professional

Faisal Salhab, Saud Al-Sharif make history as second and third Saudi golfers to turn professional
Saudi's three professional golfers (from left to right): Othman Almulla, Faisal Salhab and Saud Al-Sharif. (Golf Saudi)
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Updated 31 January 2023

Faisal Salhab, Saud Al-Sharif make history as second and third Saudi golfers to turn professional

Faisal Salhab, Saud Al-Sharif make history as second and third Saudi golfers to turn professional
  • National team stars looking to lead new generation of players into professional arena

JEDDAH: The PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers will provide the stage for the first steps into the professional game for Saudi golfers Faisal Salhab, 26, and Saud Al-Sharif, 23, after the pair announced their decision to turn professional ahead of the Asian Tour’s flagship event.

The duo become the second and third Saudi Arabian golfers to join the paid ranks, following in the footsteps of national teammate and friend, 36-year-old Othman Almulla.

All three will continue to be supported by Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation given the important role they play in demonstrating the benefits of the sport to the Saudi public, who now have more opportunities to try golf thanks to a number of mass participation programs and new access points.

Having had successful amateur careers, turning professional was the natural next step on the career pathway of Salhab and Al-Sharif, and should allow both players a platform to test their games against, and learn from, some of the world’s best players.

Salhab said: “This is another exciting step on our journey and where better to turn professional than in our home country at the PIF Saudi International?

“It has been a long journey to get to this point but the continued support of Golf Saudi, the Saudi Golf Federation, my coaching team, and friends and family has made all the difference.

“I want to thank them for everything and hope that I can continue my amateur success in the professional game, starting this week,” he added.

Al-Sharif echoed Salhab’s sentiments, adding: “Turning professional has been my goal since I first caught the golf bug as young kid, and I am so happy to have the opportunity to fully pursue golf as a career.

“There are so many people to thank but Golf Saudi and the Saudi Golf Federation have been integral to growing the game within the Kingdom and allowing both of us the opportunity to play golf and reach this point,” he said.

“I can’t wait to be on the road with Othman and Faisal testing ourselves against the best players and on the best courses, and hope that our story can help others to see and believe they can do the same and follow in our footsteps,” Al-Sharif added. “As well as winning on the international stage, we each share the dream of inspiring the next generation, and professional golf gives us the platform to do that.”

Both enter the professional game in impressive form, following December’s Saudi Open at Riyadh Golf Club, where Salhab clinched the overall title, with Al-Sharif, Saudi Arabia’s leading amateur, finishing second.

Following their first professional event at Royal Greens, both players will enjoy a full schedule of events on the Asian Tour, traveling from Saudi Arabia onto the International Series Oman and International Series Qatar, before venturing further east to the International Series in Thailand.

Almulla, who became the first-ever Saudi professional in 2019, praised his compatriots in taking the next steps in their careers, and hopes to be able to share advice as the two forge new paths.

“Turning professional is the biggest decision I’ve ever made and I couldn’t have done it without the amazing support I have received from everyone at Golf Saudi, the Saudi Golf Federation and my sponsors.

“Life on tour is a pretty demanding one, so I’m hoping that I can help the guys avoid some of my mistakes and do whatever I can to help them overcome some of the early challenges of turning professional,” he said.

“More than anything, I’m looking forward to competing on the world stage alongside my countrymen and, hopefully, seeing one of them lift a trophy in the very near future,” Almulla added.


Ohtani fans Trout for final out as Japan beat US 3-2 for World Baseball Classic title

Ohtani fans Trout for final out as Japan beat US 3-2 for World Baseball Classic title
Updated 21 sec ago

Ohtani fans Trout for final out as Japan beat US 3-2 for World Baseball Classic title

Ohtani fans Trout for final out as Japan beat US 3-2 for World Baseball Classic title
  • Japan joined the Dominican Republic in 2013 to become the only unbeaten champions of baseball’s premier national team tournament
  • Ohtani, the two-way star who has captivated fans across two continents, was voted MVP of the WBC

MIAMI: Shohei Ohtani emerged from the bullpen and fanned Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out in the matchup the whole baseball world wanted to see, leading Japan over the defending champion US 3-2 Tuesday night for their first World Baseball Classic title since 2009.

“This is the best moment in my life,” Ohtani said through a translator.

Ohtani, the two-way star who has captivated fans across two continents, was voted MVP of the WBC. He clutched the award against his chest, having clinched the trophy by striking out Trout.

“Whether I got him out or he got a hit off me, I didn’t want to make any regrets. I wanted to make my best pitch,” Ohtani said.

He did, and then some.

Trying to protect a razor-thin edge, with two outs and nobody on base, Ohtani flashed 100 mph heat in getting Trout to swing and miss at two fastballs. With the count full, Trout waved at a sharp slider to end the ninth inning.

“I think every baseball fan wanted to see that. I’ve been answering questions about it for the last month and a half,” Trout said.

“Did you think it was going to end in any other way?” he said.

Ohtani beat out an infield single in the seventh inning as a designated hitter before walking down the left-field line to Japan’s bullpen to warm up for his third mound appearance of the tournament.

After walking big league batting champion Jeff McNeil to begin the ninth, Ohtani got Mookie Betts to ground into a double play.

That brought up Trout, the US captain and a three-time MVP.

“I saw him take a big deep breath to try and control his emotions,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “I can’t even imagine being in that moment, the two best players on the planet locking horns as teammates in that spot.”

Ohtani wound up with a save. His only other save came in a Japan postseason playoff game in 2016.

“He’s got nasty stuff,” Trout said. “He threw me a good pitch at the end.”

Just not the ending DeRosa wanted.

“I was hoping it was going to go our way with Mikey popping one against Ohtani,” he said.

“The whole world got to see Ohtani come in, big spot, battling. It’s kind of how it was kind of scripted. I just wish it would have went different,” he said.

He added: “But the baseball world won tonight.”

Ohtani batted .435 with one homer, four doubles, eight RBIs and 10 walks as Japan joined the Dominican Republic in 2013 to become the only unbeaten champions of baseball’s premier national team tournament. Ohtani, the 2021 AL MVP was 2-0 with a save and a 1.86 ERA on the mound, striking out 11 in 9 2/3 innings.

“What he’s doing in the game is what probably 90 percent of the guys in that clubhouse did in Little League or in youth tournaments, and he’s able to pull it off on the biggest stages,” DeRosa said. “He is a unicorn to the sport. I think other guys will try it, but I don’t think they’re going to do it to his level.”

Japan went 7-0 and outscored opponents 56-18, reaching the final for the first time since winning the first two WBCs in 2006 and 2009. No other nation has won the title more than once.

Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto homered as Japan built a 3-2 lead.

Trea Turner put the US ahead in the second with his record-tying fifth home run of the tournament and Kyle Schwarber pulled the Americans within a run when he went deep in the eighth off Yu Darvish.

It was the second straight major title for the Japanese, who beat the US 2-0 in Yokohama for the 2021 Olympic gold medal. Japan used top players in that tournament while the US sent released major leaguers and top prospects.

Turner put the US ahead in the second inning with a drive to left against Shota Imanaga (1-0), tying South Korea’s Seung Yuop Lee in 2006 for the most in a WBC. That lit up a sellout crowd of 36,098 — fans were given wristbands with colored lights that flickered.

Murakami, at 23 already a two-time Central League MVP, tied the score on the first pitch of the bottom half when Merrill Kelly (0-1) elevated a fastball. Murakami drove it at 115.1 mph into the right-field upper deck, 432 feet away.

Murakami’s game-ending double lifted Japan over Mexico 6-5 in Monday night’s semifinal and his third-inning homer off Nick Martinez put Japan ahead in the 2021 gold medal game.

Japan loaded the bases in the second on singles by Okamoto and Sosuke Genda, and a walk to Yuhei Nakamura. Lars Nootbaar, the first non-Japanese-born player to appear for the Samurai Warriors, followed with a run-scoring groundout off Aaron Loup for a 2-1 lead.

Okamoto boosted the lead in the fourth when he sent a flat slider from Kyle Freeland over the wall in left-center.

Japan was outhit 9-5 as Imanaga combined with six relievers to hold the US to 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. The 29-year-old left-hander and Shosei Togo pitched two innings each, Hiroto Takahashi, Hiromi Itoh and Taisei Ota got three outs each, with Ota escaping two-on, no-outs trouble by retiring Trout on a flyout and getting Paul Goldschmidt to ground into a double play.

Trout and Ohtani hugged behind the batting cage during pregame workouts, then held their nation’s flag while leading their teams toward home plate in single file during the introductions, Trout down the right-field line and Ohtani in left.

Several thousand fans had arrived hours early to watch Ohtani take batting practice and applauded when he hit a drive off the video board above the second deck in center.

Trout hit .296 in the tournament with one homer, seven RBIs and 12 strikeouts.

Japan get $3 million in prize money and the US $1.7 million. Half of each goes to players, the other half to the national baseball federation.

MLB openers are March 30, the same day the season starts in Japan.


Idle Sixers ride Cavs victory over Nets into playoffs

Idle Sixers ride Cavs victory over Nets into playoffs
Updated 27 min 11 sec ago

Idle Sixers ride Cavs victory over Nets into playoffs

Idle Sixers ride Cavs victory over Nets into playoffs
  • Boston Celtics gave the high-flying Kings a postseason reality check with a blowout 132-109 win

LOS ANGELES: Donovan Mitchell scored 31 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Brooklyn Nets 115-109 on Tuesday to send the Philadelphia 76ers into the postseason.

Mitchell made 10-of-22 from the field including five three-pointers while Caris LeVert added 18 from the bench against his former club as Cleveland improved to 46-28 to tighten their grip on fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Cleveland’s victory ensured that third-placed Philadelphia became the latest team to punch their ticket to the playoffs despite not playing on Tuesday.

While Cleveland are yet to clinch, it will take a monumental collapse in the final weeks of the season for them not to advance to the postseason.

Tuesday’s game could well turn out to be a sneak preview for the playoffs, with Brooklyn still occupying the sixth automatic qualifying spot in the Eastern Conference.

Against Cleveland they started brightly, taking a 30-23 lead into the second quarter before being outscored 71-48 in the next two periods to effectively cede the game, even if they managed to reduce the deficit to single digits in the final stages.

Day’Ron Sharpe led Brooklyn’s scoring with 20 points while Spencer Dinwiddie had 19 points with 11 assists and five rebounds.

Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff was unhappy that his team eased off late in the fourth quarter.

“We need to play a complete game,” Bickerstaff said.

“We allowed the lead to dictate our emotions, we allowed a big play to dictate our emotions, instead of doing the job and finishing the game the way we need to finish the game,” Bickerstaff added.

Nets coach Jacques Vaughn lamented his team’s collapse in the second and third quarters.

“That’s a big question for us,” Vaughn said. “I think we got a little stagnant with the basketball. Tough second quarter for us.

“Along those lines of putting four quarters together, it all seems as if there’s one quarter that punches us in the gut a little bit.”

Elsewhere Tuesday, the Los Angeles Clippers stumbled to a 101-100 defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder in a game that saw Clippers ace Paul George exit with an apparent right leg injury in the fourth quarter.

George needed to be carried back to the locker room after his right knee buckled in a collision with the Thunder’s Lu Dort in the fourth quarter.

There was no immediate word on the extent of George’s injury, with Clippers coach saying the eight-time All-Star was still being evaluated.

In Sacramento, the Boston Celtics gave the high-flying Kings a postseason reality check with a blowout 132-109 win.

Sacramento have been one of the surprise packages of the Western Conference this season, sitting third in the standings.

But the Kings were overpowered by a Celtics lineup that showed flashes of their dominant early season form as they cut loose in the second half to outscore Sacramento 72-55.

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics scoring with 36 points while Jaylen Brown added 27 points and Derrick White 20.

In other games on Tuesday, Trae Young finished with 30 points in Atlanta’s 129-107 win over the lowly Detroit Pistons, who are propping up the East with a league-worst record of 16-57.

Atlanta improved to 36-36 with the victory and are on track for at least a spot in the play-in tournament.

In Orlando, Gary Harris finished with 22 points and Franz Wagner 20 as the Magic dented Washington’s playoff aspirations with a 122-112 victory.

The Wizards are currently outside the play-in places in 12th spot in the East with a 32-40 record.


Europe’s top teams get ready to start Euro 2024 qualifying

Europe’s top teams get ready to start Euro 2024 qualifying
Updated 22 March 2023

Europe’s top teams get ready to start Euro 2024 qualifying

Europe’s top teams get ready to start Euro 2024 qualifying
  • After leading Belgium’s golden generation, Roberto Martinez now gets to take over an exciting Portugal squad
  • Germany coach Hansi Flick suggested the national team needed a rethink after early elimination from the World Cup

MANCHESTER: Three months after the World Cup ended, qualifying for the next European Championship starts this week with several of the biggest teams looking to rebound.

France came within a penalty shootout of winning back-to-back World Cup titles, losing to Argentina in the final, but Spain, Germany and Italy all went through humbling experiences either before or during last year’s tournament in Qatar.

Spain have not won a major tournament since Euro 2012. While they reached the semifinals at Euro 2020, elimination in the round of 16 at the World Cup was a setback for a promising new generation of players.

Germany’s decline since winning the World Cup in 2014 continued after being knocked out in the group stage last year — for the second straight World Cup.

And defending European champion Italy didn’t even qualify for the tournament in Qatar.

Elsewhere, Belgium went into the tournament as the second-ranked FIFA team but couldn’t make it out of the group stage; Portugal’s young team reached the quarterfinals but was eliminated by Morocco in what was likely Cristiano Ronaldo’s last World Cup; and Euro 2020 finalist England endured their earliest elimination under coach Gareth Southgate after losing to France in the quarterfinals.

ONE LAST CHANCE?

Southgate said he needed time to consider his future after losing to France, but quickly decided to stay. With his contract up in December 2024, it’s possible that next year’s European tournament could be his last as England coach.

Despite the early exit in Qatar, there were encouraging performances for England, including the manner in which the team dominated large spells even in the loss to France.

Expect Jude Bellingham to emerge as the central figure. Marcus Rashford is injured for upcoming games against Italy and Ukraine, but is having the best season of his career.

SHINING STARS

Barcelona are back at the top of the Spanish league and Real Madrid are still the team to beat in the Champions League. But the national team’s troubles go on.

It has been a humbling period for a country that won back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012, with the 2010 World Cup title in between.

The loss to Morocco in the round of 16 in in Qatar came despite widespread hope that Barcelona midfield pair Gavi and Pedri could lead a new era of success.

Spain’s hopes of getting off to a winning start against Norway on Saturday in coach Luis de la Fuente’s first match have been aided by Erling Haaland’s withdrawal from his national squad because of injury.

ITALY’S COMEBACK

One moment, Italy coach Roberto Mancini is leading his nation to the European Championship title. The next, he’s enduring the humiliation of failing to qualify for the World Cup.

He has a chance to start redeeming himself on Thursday against England, the team Italy defeated on penalties in the Euro 2020 final at Wembley Stadium.

After failing to qualify for the last two World Cups, it’s hard to know what to expect from Italy. But based on recent years, it’s unlikely to be boring.

MARTINEZ IS BACK

After leading Belgium’s golden generation, Roberto Martinez now gets to take over an exciting Portugal squad.

While Ronaldo is in the twilight of his career at the age of 38 and playing his club soccer in Saudi Arabia, Martinez has a host of stars to pick from, including Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Felix and Diogo Jota.

He didn’t win a major trophy with Belgium, but he could have the tools to lead Portugal to success, starting with matches against Liechtenstein and Luxembourg.

BACK TO BASICS

Germany coach Hansi Flick suggested the national team needed a rethink after early elimination from the World Cup.

“For years we are talking about new goalkeepers and wingbacks, but Germany were always able to defend well. We need the basics,” Flick said in Qatar.

With Germany hosting next year’s European Championship, it will have to prepare for the tournament without competitive action. But that also gives Flick the chance to experiment.

He has picked five new players for the friendlies against Peru and Belgium.

MBAPPE’S MISSION

Not even a hat trick from Kylian Mbappe could stop Lionel Messi from winning the one major trophy that had eluded the Argentina great. But even in defeat in the World Cup final, Mbappe proved he is the next soccer great.

The Paris Saint-Germain striker could make up for the disappointment of losing in Qatar by leading his team to the European title in Germany.

France will face the Netherlands and Ireland.


Barcelona, Bayern earn wins in Women’s Champions League quarterfinals

Barcelona, Bayern earn wins in Women’s Champions League quarterfinals
Updated 22 March 2023

Barcelona, Bayern earn wins in Women’s Champions League quarterfinals

Barcelona, Bayern earn wins in Women’s Champions League quarterfinals
  • Barcelona, who lost to Lyon in last year’s final, have won seven of their last eight European quarterfinal matches

ROME: Salma Paralluelo curled a shot into the net to help Barcelona beat Roma 1-0 in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League quarterfinals in front of a record-setting crowd on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old Paralluelo’s left-footed strike from just outside the area in the 34th minute puts Barcelona a step away from the final four as the teams head into the second leg at Camp Nou next week.

Attendance at Stadio Olimpico was 39,454 — a record for women’s soccer in Italy.

Roma goalkeeper Camelia Ceasar limited the damage for the hosts by making several key saves, including denying Caroline Graham Hansen from close range in the first half.

Barcelona, who lost to Lyon in last year’s final, have won seven of their last eight European quarterfinal matches.

Earlier, Bayern Munich beat Arsenal 1-0 in their first leg for a 13th straight win in all competitions.

Lea Schuller’s header in the 39th minute at Allianz Arena separates the teams ahead of the second leg in London next week.

Caitlin Foord hit the post for Arsenal while teammates Stina Blackstenius and Leah Williamson both had efforts cleared off the line as the English team showed more than enough to suggest a semifinal appearance for the first time since 2013 was realistic.

The first legs of the other two quarterfinals — Lyon vs. Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain vs. Wolfsburg — take place on Wednesday.


Messi mania in Argentina as football star mobbed at restaurant

Messi mania in Argentina as football star mobbed at restaurant
Updated 22 March 2023

Messi mania in Argentina as football star mobbed at restaurant

Messi mania in Argentina as football star mobbed at restaurant
  • The scene witnessed in the neighborhood of Argentina’s capital illustrates how Messi has now become like the late Diego Maradona

BUENOS AIRES: A steakhouse in the trendy Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo was mobbed by hundreds of frenzied football fans late Monday night when word spread that Lionel Messi was inside having dinner.

People rushed to the exclusive Don Julio restaurant eager to get a glimpse of the man who led Argentina to its third World Cup title. Messi eventually needed a police escort.

Fans on the street corner chanted “Messi, Messi” and sang the words to “Muchachos,” which became the unofficial anthem for the Argentina squad that beat France in a thrilling final in Qatar.

The scene witnessed in the neighborhood of Argentina’s capital known for its bars and restaurants illustrates how Messi has now become like the late Diego Maradona, who led Argentina to its second World Cup trophy in 1986, and he can no longer walk through Argentina’s streets without being mobbed.

It wasn’t always this way.

The man who is now cheered wherever he goes once used to suffer the indifference and even apathy from many Argentina fans who blamed him for the country’s failings in previous championships. All that vitriol led the man who is often called the best football player in the world to even quit the national team in 2016, although he later backtracked.

All of that now seems to be forgotten as Messi fever has decidedly taken over, recalling what happened with Maradona 36 years ago after he raised the World Cup in Mexico. The then-captain also had to deal with fans who chased him wherever he went in the hopes of getting a photograph or an autograph.

On Monday night, the multitude was so great that police officers had to arrive at the restaurant to accompany the 35-year-old Messi to his vehicle while keeping fans at bay.

Images and video posted on social media showed the furor of the fans who seemed willing to do anything to greet and touch the Paris Saint-Germain player. “Messi I love you” and “Thank you, Leo” were just a few phrases that could be heard as he was escorted out of the restaurant.

“Thank you for looking at me captain, I can die in peace,” one user wrote on Twitter accompanied by a video that showed a smiling Messi being escorted as people shouted “I love you!”

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni celebrated the Messi mania that has been unleashed in Buenos Aires and across the country.

“What Leo is experiencing is beautiful because he deserves all that love, him and all the players who are here,” Scaloni said at a news conference Tuesday. “Leo also needs to see that people love him and what happens when he comes here. I think it’s beautiful, it will stay with him forever.”

Messi arrived in Argentina on Monday to celebrate the World Cup title with a friendly match against Panama on Thursday in Buenos Aires. The 63,000 tickets sold out in a flash.

Security officials are not revealing any details about how the team will travel to the stadium out of fear that fans will block roads and ultimately block the passage of the players. There are rumors the players could travel via helicopter.

After winning the World Cup title in December, a planned celebratory open-top bus ride throughout the city had to be cut short as millions of fans made it impossible for the bus to advance.

The adulation that Messi is receiving comes at a time when his future at PSG remains uncertain and is in sharp contrast to the anger that many fans of the French team feel toward the Argentine player. Shortly before he was cheered in Buenos Aires, the World Cup champion was whistled by PSG fans who blamed him for the team’s 2-0 loss against Rennes.

Messi has yet to say what he will do after June 30, when his contract is set to expire.

For now though, he’ll enjoy the adoration of Argentine fans as the team will play another friendly match against Curaçao on March 28 in Argentina’s central Santiago del Estero province.