01272017 sports

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SPORTS SECTION E

VENUS ADVANCES

FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2017

Australian Open, Pg 7

Georgette Rolle hopes to make today’s final cut DAEJOUR By BRENT STUBBS Senior Sports Reporter bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

W

hile American Brittany Lincicome had a sizzling day on the sunny opening day of the fifth Pure SilkBahamas LPGA Golf Classic on scenic Paradise Island, Bahamian Georgette Rolle had her best showing ever. However, as Lincicome emerged on top of the leaderboard of the 108 field of female golfers with a Ocean Golf Club course record nine-under-par 64, Rolle finished in a two-way tie for 102 with Charley Hull at three-over-par 76. “I got started pretty well. I was three-under after eight, but somewhere along the back (nine) I kind of let a few shots slip away for a couple double bogeys, which was very costly,” said Rolle, who experienced her share of problems on

the 11th and 16th holes where she had the double bogeys. “I’m hitting the ball well and I’m putting very well. I’m just going to go back to the putting range later today and work on my game and hopefully I will play even better.” That was yesterday. Today, she will be back on the course as she improved on her performance yesterday when she also bogeyed the ninth, 14th and 17th holes as she finished with a 34 on the front nine holes, but slipped to 43 on the back nine. It’s definitely her best outing in the three previous years she was awarded the Bahamas’ exemption card in the prestigious tourna-

GEORGETTE ROLLE in action. Photo: Gabe Roux

ment. Last year, she shot rounds of 82-85 for 167 as she missed the cut, matching the 167 (83-84) she produced in 2013. “I just have to keep doing what I did today,” said Rolle as she looks ahead to try and avoid getting eliminated from the tournament when the final cut is made today. “Once I get on a hot start, I hope to focus and keep it going.” Despite dropping down in the standings, Rolle said the weather was excellent and she had a golden opportunity to make her shots to keep her hopes alive. Her caddie, Marcus Pratt, decked out in an army outfit, said she’s right where she needs to be. “On those short irons coming into the green, her shots have to be more precise and then, after doing nine holes, our efforts need to be up a tad bit and we will be solid for

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Brittany Lincicome takes 2-stroke lead BRITTANY Lincicome rode a super-hot putter to the top of the leaderboard yesterday morning at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, firing a record 9-under-par 64 at the Ocean Club Golf Course to take a two-stroke lead over Stacy Lewis, Megan Khang and P.K. Kongkraphan after 18 holes. The bogey-free effort tied the course record Christine Song set last year in Monday qualifying and set the tournament record, eclipsing the previous mark of 65 held by a half-dozen players, including Lincicome, who closed with 65 last year when she tied for eighth. “My putter was...I was making everything - 30‑footers, 10‑footers, five‑footers. It was a pretty easy day,” said Lincicome, a twotime major winner from Seminole, Florida. ”I didn’t really have to make too many par saves, which was nice. And would have loved to have had a 4 on that last hole to have no 5s on the scorecard. Lincicome, who last won in 2015 at the Ana Inspiration, had seven birdies and an eagle at the par-5 seventh hole when she rolled in a 20-footer. She hit 11 of 14 fairways and 13 greens in regulation. She needed only 24 putts, including a 30-footer for par on the opening hole to get her going. Other key par saves came from 11 feet at the 10th hole and seven feet at 16. A Pure Silk ambassador, Lincicome faced a 15-footer for birdie to set the course record but left it out to the right. “I don’t normally look at the leaderboards,” Lincicome said. “But I happened to see it on the last hole and was like, if I can get it to 10 under, that would be really cool. So I already got ahead of myself.” Lincicome’s career low is 11-under 61 in the first round of the 2010 CVS Pharmacy LPGA Classic at Blackhawk Country Club in Dan-

BRITTANY LINCICOME yesterday took a two-stroke lead over Stacy Lewis, Megan Khang and P.K. Kongkraphan after 18 holes in the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, firing a record 9-under-par 64 at the Ocean Club Golf Course Photo: Gabe Roux ville, California. She said she only gave a passing thought to a 59, given that that sub-60 score has been shot the previous two weeks on the PGA Tour by Justin Thomas and Adam Hadwin. “Somewhere through there I missed a putt and

I go, ‘well, there goes 59,’ just jokingly,” Lincicome said. “I had no idea where I even stood. So I could have been shooting 59 for all I know.” Khang and Thailand’s Kongkraphan, who began on No. 10, also

escaped without a bogey to shoot 66 on a day of sunshine and unusually light breezes. Khang made her LPGA debut here last year, held a share of the 36-hole lead, and eventually tied for 11th. “Knowing that I did well last year definitely was a little confidence boost again,” she said. Lewis, meanwhile, bogeyed her opening hole, the 10th, and then birdied eight times in the best round from the afternoon wave. “I would say over the last week I’d probably felt it coming,” said Lewis, who last year finished in a three-way tie for second behind Hyo Joo Kim. “I felt like I was doing some better things. Played a match last Saturday at The Floridian and made seven birdies in a row, so it was kind of good because once you get in a groove like that and you start pulling shots off, just seeing that, seeing that happen, it gives you a lot of confidence.” Celine Herbin of France, Simin Feng of China and Gerina Piller were next with 67s, while seven players, including Ilhee Lee, who won the rain-shortened 36-hole inaugural tournament in 2013, carded 68. World No. 5 Lexi Thompson led a large group at 4-under 69. Among the 70s was 56-year-old Juli Inkster, the US Solheim Cup captain. Kim, coming off a win last month in China, opened with a 71. Reigning Rolex LPGA Player of the Year Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand had a 2-over 75. Bahamas native Georgette Rolle shot 76. The second round begins at 7:05am EST today. Live television coverage resumes on Golf Channel from 11:30am to 2:30pm EST. Live coverage of the final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday will air on Golf Channel from 3-5pm. Admission is free for all spectators.

LEADS THE NATIONAL RANKINGS FOR NJCAA DIVISION I By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net BAHAMIAN players are prominently featured on several of the top teams in the latest men’s basketball national rankings for Division I of the National Junior College Athletic Association. Leading the group is Daejour Adderley in his freshman season with the No.4 ranked San Jacinto College Ravens. The freshman guard had his best game for the Ravens in Tuesday night’s 120-60 win over Lonestar College-Tomball. Adderley finished with a season high nine points in just 12 minutes as San Jac remained undefeated at 200. His previous game high was seven points. The 6’2” guard matriculated to San Jac following high school stops at Sunrise Christian and Calvary Christian Academies. Locally he was a student athlete at Queen’s College before he continued his career in the United States. San Jac was predicted to finish first in the Region XIV preseason coaches poll. Kaleel Solomon and the Eastern Florida State College Titans are ranked No.15 in the poll. The former Sunland Baptist Academy product has paid immediate dividends for the Titans in his freshman season. Solomon finished with 11 points in the Titans’ 106-57 win over ASA College on Tuesday night. Through 22 games, Solomon has averaged 5.8 points per game while shooting 45 per cent from the field and 43 per cent from threepoint range. It was the third double figures scoring game for Solomon this season after he scored 10 against Red Devil Academy on November 12 and 11 points against Atlanta Metro College on November 5. The Titans are 19-3 on the season. Nashad Mackey and the Daytona State College Falcons are ranked No.21 in the poll. Mackey, who has committed to join the Embry Riddle Eagles in NCAA Division II next fall is having a stellar sophomore season which has included an NJCAA Player Of The Week award. He posted his third consecutive double double of

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‘Buddy Buckets’ excited to join stacked World Team roster By RENALDO DORSETT Sports Reporter rdorsett@tribunemedia.net SELECTED as one of the league’s top young talents to participate at NBA All-Star Weekend, Buddy Hield relishes the opportunity to compete alongside other players who received the same honour. Hield was named to the “World Team” roster of the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, a game that traditionally features the best rookie and sophomore players in the league. “The World is stacked,” Hield said prior to Wednesday night’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “It’s going to be fun playing with guys like (Joel) Embiid, (Kristaps) Porzingis, Jamal Mur-

ray, (Domantas) Sabonis, Emmanuel Mudiay. It will be fun.” Joining Hield on the World Team is Joel Embiid (Cameroon) of the Philadelphia 76ers, as well as two members of the 2015-16 NBA All-Rookie First Team in Serbian centre Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets and Latvian forward Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks, along with Emmanuel Mudiay (Democratic Republic of the Congo) and Jamal Murray (Canada) of the Denver Nuggets, Danté Exum (Australia) and Trey Lyles (Canada) of the Utah Jazz, Domantas Sabonis (Lithuania) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Dario Saric (Croatia) of the 76ers. The US Team features three rookies and seven second-year players headlined by Karl-Antho-

BUDDY HIELD

ny Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves. The remainder of the team includes Devin Booker and Marquese Chriss of the Phoenix Suns, Malcolm Brogdon of the Milwaukee Bucks, Brandon Ingram and D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers, Frank Kaminsky of the Charlotte Hornets, Jhalil Okafor of the Philadelphia 76ers, Jonathan Simmons of the San Antonio Spurs and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. “It’s exciting,” Hield said of getting to participate in the exhibition game. “As a rookie, you’ve got to be excited for the opportunity. It was always on my bucket list to be a part of it. I’ve just got to stay humble, keep getting better and hopefully I can be in the All-Star

Game like (Anthony Davis) one of these days.” With his family expected to attend, Hield called it an honour to be able to represent both the Bahamas and his new home, the city of New Orleans. “It means a lot. It’s New Orleans. My family is going to be here, to see me play and AD,” Hield said. “It’s a big accomplishment. I’m just happy for it to be in the city and for fans to be able to watch us.” Hield had previously expressed his desire to also compete in the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest. “I would like to do it,” the Oklahoma product said, smiling. “It might not happen, but if any guy decides to opt out, I’m willing to take that spot.”


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