comfortableSunCitywin todenyWoods · to go out there four back and man age to do the job.’’...

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Robinson racks up 21 points

NATE Robinson scored 21 points as a last-minuteinjury replacement for Rajon Rondo to spark theBoston Celtics past New Jersey 100-75 yesterday,stretching their NBAwinning streak to seven games.Kevin Garnett scored 13 points and grabbed 14rebounds, while Ray Allen added 13 points and GlenDavis came off the bench to contribute 16 points forthe Celtics, who improved to 16-4.

Sydney-Hobart fleet cut to 90

AMAXIMUM of 90 yachts will contest this year’sSydney to Hobart after entries closed for the greatocean race. The fleet, whichwill sail from SydneyHarbour on Boxing Day, is down from 100 last year.Initially, therewere 102 applications, but 12werewithdrawn for various reasons. The list ofwithdrawals includedWild Oats X, the sister yacht offour-time line-honours winnerWild Oats XI, whichwill be favoured to reach Hobart first again this year.

Baseball star signs for $126m

THEWashington Nationals have agreedwith rightfielder JaysonWerth on a $US126million($A127.2 million), seven-year contract. The 31-year-oldWerth, who helped the Phillies win the 2008World Series title, hit .296 this year in his fourthseasonwith Philadelphia and had an NL-high 46doubles and 27 homers. His deal was announced twodays after the Nationals’ clean-up hitter, AdamDunn,left for a contract with the ChicagoWhite Sox.

McDowell starsto deny Woods

Reigning US Open champion Graeme McDowell (left) and former world No. 1 golfer Tiger Woods toughed itout in a playoff before the Northern Irishman won the World Challenge yesterday Picture: ROBYN BECK

LEADERBOARD

World Challenge - Thousand Oaks,California (Final Round)272: Graeme McDowell (Nir)66-69-68-69 (won after a play-off),TigerWoods (US) 65-66-68-73276: Paul Casey (Eng) 73-65-69-69277: Rory McIlroy (Nir) 66-70-73-68278:Hunter Mahan (US) 72-67-70-69279: Stewart Cink (US) 69-75-68-67, IanPoulter (Eng) 72-67-71-69283: Luke Donald (Eng) 70-66-73-74284: Zach Johnson (US) 75-67-70-72,Sean O’Hair (US) 72-67-70-75288: Jim Furyk (US) 72-73-71-72289: Steve Stricker (US) 72-76-70-71290:NickWatney (US) 72-67-71-80291: Camilo Villegas (Col) 70-75-76-70,BubbaWatson (US) 76-69-74-72292: Dustin Johnson (US) 69-72-80-71,Anthony Kim (US) 79-66-74-73295:Matt Kuchar (US) 75-71-74-75

US Open champion GraemeMcDowell denied Tiger Woods’bid to claim a lone tournament ti-tle in 2010 with a playoff triumphat the World Challenge at Thou-sand Oaks, California yesterday.

Woods, who had let slip a four-shot lead, appeared poised toseize the victory at the 72nd holewhen he put his approach shot 1mfrom the pin.

But McDowell, of Northern Ire-land, drained from 6m for birdieto send the unofficial event host-ed by Woods to a play-off.

Returning to the par-four 18thfor the play-off, McDowell thenmade another birdie while Woodsjust missed from 4.5m.

Woods has not won since the2009 Australian Masters.

McDowell carded a three-under69 for 272 while Woods shot a two-over 73. England’s Paul Caseywas third after a 69 for 276.

The defeat marked the firsttime in his professional careerthat Woods lost a tournamentwhen he led by three or moreshots after 54 holes.

‘‘I was aware he was a prettydamn good closer,’’ McDowellsaid. ‘‘It’s a pretty special feelingto go out there four back and man-age to do the job.’’

McDowell improved on hisrunner-up finish in this event lastyear, when he was a last-minutereplacement for Woods – who opt-ed out of his own event as he wasengulfed in a sex scandal that ev-entually ended his marriage.

Westwood ends year withcomfortable Sun City win

LEADERBOARD

Sun City Challenge - South Africa (FinalRound)271: LeeWestwood (Eng) 68-64-71-68279: Tim Clark (Rsa) 73-67-68-71280: Miguel Angel Jimenez (Esp) 69-69-71-71,Retief Goosen (Rsa) 72-70-70-68283: Ernie Els (Rsa) 71-68-71-73, Ross Fisher(Eng) 67-68-73-75285: Robert Allenby (Aus) 70-70-73-72,Padraig Harrington (Ire) 66-72-72-75286: Anders Hansen (Den) 72-70-68-76, JustinRose (Eng) 70-72-72-72

Lee Westwood

ENGLAND’S Lee Westwood shot afinal-round 68 yesterday to win theSun City Challenge in South Africa byeight strokes and remain world num-ber one going into the new year.

The 37-year-old needed a top-two fin-ish at the north-west South African re-sort to ensure he stayed ahead ofAmerican golf icon Tiger Woods.

Westwood chipped into the holefrom behind the green at the final holeto finish a four-under round of 68 on ahigh while South African Tim Clarkcarded a 71 to snatch second place.

It was the second tournament tri-umph of the year after the mid-year StJude Classic for Westwood, who listscars, cinema, snooker and backingsecond-tier English football club Nott-ingham Forest among his interests.

‘‘What a wonderful way to finish myseason — chipping in at the last hole. Ihave come close to winning this tour-nament and finishing first today isvery special,’’ said Westwood.

‘‘I took nothing for granted goinginto the final round as sometimes a biglead (five strokes) can put more pres-sure on you, but birdies at nine and 10

set me up nicely for theback nine.

‘‘My caddie Billy Fosterdeserves a lot of credit forthis victory.

‘‘He always gives methe right information and

we are going to have a great Christmasstaff party — the two of us.’’

Trailing Irishman Padraig Harring-ton by two strokes after the openinground of the 12-man invitation tourna-ment known as the African Major,Westwood fired an eight-under 64 onthe second day and never looked back.

Lyle’s odds-on favourite

Jarrod Lyle

AUSTRALIAN golferJarrod Lyle is odds-on toclinch a US PGA Tourcard for 2011.

With just one roundleft at the tour’s qualify-ing tournament, Lyle isequal ninth at 11-under-par 346.

The top 25 playersafter Monday’s finalround will be exempt fornext year, with a finalscore of 10-or-11-underprobably needed to getthe job done.

Lyle is by no meansassured of earning hiscard, but a solid finalround should be enoughto get him across theline. Compatriot LukeHickmott is also in therunning at eight-under,

only onestroke outof the top 25,but the oddsare againstthe otherAustral-

ians, with probably onlyMathew Goggin andGavin Coles, both at six-under, in the hunt.Despite dropping threeshots in the final sevenholes yesterday Lylewas satisfied with hisone-under 70 at OrangeCounty National.

‘‘I’m in a good pos-ition,’’ said the 29-year-old Victorian. ‘‘I’m stillin front of the number,so I just need to stay infront of it tomorrow andbe in that top 25.’’

Swede wins Indian Open

Rikard Karlberg

SWEDEN’S Rikard Kar-lberg won the IndianOpen in New Delhi onSunday with a grand-stand finish as Austral-ian Marcus Both clai-med a share of fifthplace, four strokesdown.

Karlberg earned awell-deserved secondAsian Tour title of theseason at the Delhi GolfClub, where he also wonthe SAIL Open in April,by closing with a two-under-par 70 after twosuperb birdies.

His two-shot victoryfrom overnight leaderBaek Seuk-Hyun ofKorea, who carded afinal round 73, wasworth $203,400.

Baek, 20,birdied thelast hole fora career-best secondplace and aTour card

for next season.Indian Manav Jaini,

who held the lead on theback nine after turningin 31, dropped three bo-geys to settle for a shareof third place after a 70alongside countrymanShiv Kapur, who shotthe day’s best of 67.

Both, who tied forsecond at the openinground, had a final roundof 70. Karlberg has nowearned nearly $600,000in his rookie season onthe Asian Tour.