Strong Day 4 showing from World’s Top 10 as Saudi Smash livestream viewership surpasses 2 million globally

HOUSTON: Australia’s Min Woo Lee held off a final day charge from world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler to clinch his first PGA Tour title on Sunday with a one-shot victory at the Houston Open.

Lee, who had opened up a four-stroke lead with a dazzling 63 in Saturday’s third round, carded a closing 3-under par 67 to finish on 20-under at Memorial Park.

The 26-year-old from Perth withstood ferocious pressure down the stretch from Scheffler, who posted a 63 to finish tied for second alongside Gary Woodland.

“It’s hard, really hard,” a relieved Lee said after his triumph. “Scottie is a wonderful golfer and he keeps you on your toes.

“This is my first time being in front and trying to hold a lead. I’m glad I got it done, but man, I’m just very exhausted.

“It was a lot of mental grind. I’m so proud of the way I handled myself.”

Lee, who has won four times on the European and Asian tours, had looked to be cruising to victory after going bogey-free through 15 holes to lead by three shots with three to play.

But after a flawless round to that point, Lee wobbled on the par-five 16th, slashing his tee shot into the water before salvaging a bogey.

Scheffler, playing in the group immediately ahead of Lee, had meanwhile missed an eagle putt on the 16th that would have given him a share of the lead. Instead the two-time major champion settled for a birdie to move within one of the Australian with two holes remaining.

Woodland, meanwhile, had entered the equation with a scintillating eight-under-par 62, equalling the course record which Scheffler had matched in Friday’s second round.

Former US Open champion Woodland had moved to within one of Lee with a brilliant birdie on the par-four 18th, drilling a 199-yard second shot to two feet of the hole to tap in for three.

Scheffler still had a chance to force his way into the reckoning on the 18th.

But desperately needing a birdie to put the pressure on Lee, Scheffler under-hit his second shot to leave himself just off the green and 77 feet from the pin.

He recovered to make par, but it left Lee heading to the 18th with a one-shot lead and knowing that a par would be enough for victory.

Lee had to work hard to seal his win though.

Lee’s tee shot on 18 went wide of the fairway before he went through the back of the green with his second, which left him 53 feet from the hole.

But with the tension building, Lee produced a brilliant putt to within inches of the hole, allowing him to tap in for par and victory.

Finland’s Sami Valimaki finished alone in fourth place on 17 under, three off the lead, after a course-record 62, while Rory McIlroy, Wyndham Clark and Taylor Pendrith were tied for fifth on 15 under.

McIlroy closed with a six-under-par 64 which included six birdies and an eagle.

MINNEAPOLIS: Five players and two coaches were ejected after a wild brawl broke out during the Minnesota Timberwolves’ clash with the Detroit Pistons in the NBA on Sunday.

Detroit lost head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, center Isaiah Stewart, forward Ron Holland II and guard Marcus Sasser. Minnesota forward Naz Reid and guard Donte DiVincenzo also were tossed, along with assistant coach Pablo Prigioni.
“Obviously things went too far,” Bickerstaff said. “But what you see is guys looking out for one another, guys trying to protect one another, guys trying to have each other’s backs. ... Those are non-negotiables in our locker room.”
The skirmish began with 8:36 left in the half with the Pistons up 39-30. Stewart had received a technical foul just moments earlier when he bumped DiVincenzo hard after the whistle. Then Holland was called for a foul as he slapped the ball out of Reid’s hands near the baseline.
The two exchanged words, DiVincenzo stepped between them and grabbed Holland’s jersey, and soon all 10 players on the court and multiple coaches and trainers were part of the scrum.
As the players were being separated, Bickerstaff and Prigioni were screaming at each other and had to be separated by team personnel.
The whole scene played out just 20 feet from new Timberwolves owner Alex Rodriguez, who walked over from his courtside seat in the aftermath and appeared to call for assistance for a young fan who got caught in the middle of the melee.
The game featured 12 technical fouls, the most in an NBA game since March 23, 2005, per OptaSTATS.
“I thought leading up to that the game was way too physical,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “It’s unfortunate, but we knew they were a super physical team. They hit you, they hold you, all the stuff that you want your physical teams to do. But I just thought it got to a point where players were going to take matters into their own hands. You don’t ever want that.”
The Timberwolves rallied from an early 16-point deficit to beat the Pistons 123-104.