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GOLF

Stenson’s FedEx golf win yields ‘incredible’ payday

Sweden's Henrik Stenson earned the biggest payday in golf by closing with a two-under 68 Sunday to claim two trophies in one day -- The Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup title.

Stenson's FedEx golf win yields 'incredible' payday
'Incredible' FedEx golf win gives Stenson historic payday

Stenson finished with a 13-under 267 overall score to beat Jordan Spieth by three strokes at the East Lake course, giving him the Tour Championship and its $1.4 million payout, along with the FedEx Cup title with its $10 million prize.

“To win both these trophies today it feels incredible,” Stenson said.

Stenson became the first European to win both the FedEx Cup and The Tour Championship.

“I hasn’t sunk in yet,” he said. “But this is going to feel better as week goes on.”

Stenson birdied the 15th hole and cruised home with three consecutive pars for his fourth USPGA Tour title.

He also won the FedEx Cup playoffs, vaulting past runner-up and two-time FedEx Cup winner Tiger Woods.

“Ever since Scottish Open it has been an incredible run,” he said. “It was a tough day out there today and I am really satisfied with the way I hung in there.

“I didn’t feel that confident with my game today. I had to battle it a little bit. I had to fight hard mentally.”

Stenson has a half dozen top-three finishes, a share of 33rd and a tie for 43rd at The Barclays since the Scottish Open.

Two years ago Stenson was outside the top 200 in the world and now he will move to the number four position.

“It shows one should never give up and keep on trying harder. I managed to come back from some bad slumps twice,” he said.

Spieth shot a six-under 64 for the second-top score Sunday. That moved him into second place at minus-10 and he was joined there by Steve Stricker, who fired with a 65.

Webb Simpson had the low round of the day, a seven-under 63, which helped him take fourth place at nine-under-par 271.

Dustin Johnson birdied three of the last four holes. He managed a one-under 69 to end in fifth at minus-eight. Johnson would have claimed even more prize money had he not stumbled to a triple bogey at the 17th hole.

Reigning US Open champ Justin Rose posted a three-under 67 to end in sixth at minus-seven. Zach Johnson and Billy Horschel both closed with 68s to share seventh at six-under 274.

Spieth rolled in eight birdies and had two bogeys Sunday. He posted four straight birdies on the back nine, beginning on the par-four 13th.

Spieth ended his rookie season the PGA Tour with one victory and nine top ten finishes.

“I just wanted another good round on Sunday,” said Spieth, who at 20 is the youngest player to have reached The Tour Championship. “I really wanted to play smart golf today and once the putts started falling I thought maybe I have a shot at it.

“My stroke felt really good on back nine today when I was feeling the pressure.”

The world number one Woods carded a three-under 67 and shared 22nd at even-par 280.

Woods entered the PGA Tour season finale atop the FedEx Cup standings, but rounds of 73-71-69-67 took him out of the running at The Tour Championship and left him as the runner-up in the FedEx playoffs.

Woods was left to ponder his fifth consecutive season without a major championship title.

“[I’m] very satisfied,” he said. “I had a number of chances to win some tournaments. I won five, which is, I think, a pretty good year. I’ve done that a few times over the course of my career.

“I wish I would have been a little more consistent in some of the events, but overall, at the end of the day, you know, to add to the win total for the year, it’s always a good thing.”

Defending Tour Champion and FedEx Cup winner Brandt Snedeker shot two-under 68 to tie Hunter Mahan for 20th at one-under 279.

AFP/The Local/dl

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FOOTBALL

Tennis courts and golf courses to reopen in Denmark

Danes will be able to take up their tennis rackets and golf clubs again after the country's two biggest sports associations announced that outdoor sports with no physical contact can resume again.

Tennis courts and golf courses to reopen in Denmark
Tennis will be one of the first sports to restart. Photo: Søren Bidstrup/Ritzau Scanpix
The Sports Confederation of Denmark and the country's other sports association DGI announced that they had agreed new guidelines for restarting group sports with the Danish Health Authority, in a press release issued on Tuesday. 
 
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“This is the first sign of sport opening up, and we are really pleased that the health authorities have given us guidelines so that some activities can start up again,” Charlotte Bach Thomassen, chair of the Danish sports association DGI, said. 
 
“Of course, joining together in sports clubs must be safe from a  health point of view, so it is important to be aware that in many sports associations you will not be able to meet physically.” 
 
 
DIF chairman Niels Nygaard told Ritzau that the announcement did not mean any organisation would be required to restart activities they did not regard as safe. 
 
“These are voluntary associations where there are differences from association to association and sport to sport,” he said. “Our recommendations are not a requirement for associations to start activities. They can do it if it can be done under safe conditions, and if they have doubts about whether it can be done, then they shouldn't do it.”
 
According to the joint press release, group sports can now restart if: 
 
  • they take place outside 
  • participants can keep a distance of two meters from others
  • participants pay special attention to hand hygiene
  • rackets, clubs or other props are frequently cleaned
  • participants cough or sneeze into your elbow or a paper towel
  • participants stay home if they have a fever, cough or muscle soreness. 
  • shared facilities such as clubhouses and dressing and shower facilities are not used 
 
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