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LANGLEY, B. Kent Hrbek Authentic .C. -- As Glenn Howard gets ready to turn 50, he is showing that his curling skills have not diminished with age. The three-time world champion from Coldwater, Ont., is keeping Team North America in contention for its second straight World Financial Group Continental Cup title. In the process, he is preparing for another run at the Brier and world championships. "There should never be anyone over 50 playing at a high level," said defending world champion Jeff Stoughton, 48, of Winnipeg, who plans to stick around for about two more years and then go back to participating in club events. Howard was on the ice for two wins and a loss Saturday. His mixed rink thrashed rising Swedish star Niklas Edin 18-2 for a win in skins play, then his mens rink hammered Edin 25-5 in late skins action. Between the skins matches, Howards usual Ontario rink dropped a 17-15 decision to Thomas Ulsrud of Norway in a singles event identical to the Hot Shots competitions used elsewhere. Howard is shining with a North American squad that is battling a determined Team World, still smarting after a one-sided loss last year, from running away with the title. Team World led the North Americans 170-120 after Saturday nights skins action. "The skins seemed to work for us," said Howard, who will hit the half-century mark in July. "I have to commend (Anderson and Singler). They played great. That was a well-curled skins game -- pretty darn close to as good as it gets. I thought we had Niklas in trouble every end." Howards mixed-rink win over Edin was his second victory over the Swede in two days, albeit in a different format. Howard beat Edin 6-4 on Friday to go undefeated in mens play with a 1-0-1 record. He opened the competition with a difficult 4-4 draw against Norways Ulsrud. "Hes been outstanding," said Stoughton of Howard. "He makes some great shots just to get the tie in his first game and then he came back after being three down against Edin and ended up winning the game." In both of the mens matches, Howard battled back from early 3-0 deficits. to go undefeated in mens play. The Ontario skip opened the competition with a 4-4 draw against Norways Ulsrud on Thursday, when he overcame another 3-0 deficit. Despite Team North Americas struggles, this competition serves as preparation for Howard as gets ready to qualify for his 14th Brier appearance. He has won three national titles and finished second to Stoughton last year. As Howard gets ready to enter his fifth decade, he is rising into rarefied curling air. Few in the games modern era, if any, have excelled beyond 50. Randy Ferbey of Sherwood Park, Alta., 52, is an exception, but he did not advance beyond Edmonton city playdowns this year and will miss the Brier. Stoughton attributes Howards and his own success to improved play, a better training regimen and enhanced fitness among curlers over the past two decades. But Stoughton would rather see more young curlers challenge him and his peers. "Theres not really a whole lot of young mens teams between 20 and 35," said Stoughton. "We dont know why. Maybe they got tired of losing to myself, Glenn or Kevin Martin, or somethings wrong with the programs, because we dont have the young teams like the European teams do." He pointed out that European teams have more government funding available to develop young elite curlers. Although some countries have smaller talent pools, they have the resources to develop young stars. For example, Swedish curlers can get money from the curling federation or the countrys Olympic program. As a result, Edin, 26, is able to spend considerable time improving his skills. But Sweden operates under a different system, with national team coach Peja Lindholm selecting world championship and Olympic rinks rather than requiring squads to go through playdowns and qualification events as Canadians do. "You have so many good teams here in Canada, so it doesnt really matter how you do, because you know Canada will have an outstanding team playing in the championships," said Lindholm. "Its not exactly the same way in Europe and in Sweden. Therefore, we have to have good systems to make sure the best teams will go to the championships." Lindholm attributes Howards success to more than just good fitness. The curlers age is also about state of mind. "Its a question of motivation, I would say," said Lindholm. "Do you have the motivation for practice and stuff like that? If you have that, Im sure you can have a top quality and make sure youre going to be of top calibre as well." The rest of the Continental Cup will test Howards motivation even more. The remaining skins games Sunday are heavily weighted points-wise and strong results will allow Team North America to overcome its struggles thus far. "Itll be interesting from now on to see how this will be, because the first half is more like the preparations and the setup for the last two days," said Lindholm. "Canada is playing very nice and I expect the Canadian curlers, and also Glenns team, of course, to play very good." In other mens team action Saturday, Ulsrud drew 4-4 with Pete Fenson of the U.S., and Scotlands Tom Brewster edged Stoughton 7-6. In early womens skins play, Annette Norberg of Sweden beat Patti Lank, a Midale, Sask., native who lives in Lewiston, N.Y., native and competes for the U.S., by a 16-4 score. In early mens skins play, Scotlands Brewster Scotland also bettered Fenson 16-4. In late skins play, Scotlands Muirhead downed Amber Holland of Kroneau, Sask., 26-4 and Ulsrud drew Stoughton 15-15. Ervin Santana Authentic . The All-Star point guard, sidelined for the past six months with a knee injury, was set to return to the Oklahoma City Thunder lineup for Sunday nights home game against the Phoenix Suns, weeks earlier than expected. Bert Blyleven White Jersey . Kershaw allowed one run in 6 2-3 innings of a 3-1 victory over Arizona in the March 22 opener at Sydney. The two-time NL Cy Young Award In the process, the reigning NL Cy Young winner strained a back muscle and went on the DL for the first time in his major league career.PALM HARBOR, Fla. -- Robert Garrigus missed two short par putts over the last seven holes Saturday, and just like that, his four-shot lead dwindled to one in the Valspar Championship. Thats about the only thing that went quickly. On a gorgeous afternoon at Innisbrook, pace of play on the PGA Tour reared its ugly head again. Garrigus had to settle for a 1-under 70 when he missed short par putts on the 12th and 18th holes, giving him a one-shot lead over Kevin Na, who laboured and fidgeted his way around the Copperhead course to a 68. The final group turned into a threesome for most of the back nine -- Garrigus, Kevin Na and a rules official with his hand on a stopwatch. Even though they finished in just under four hours, they were as many as two holes behind the group ahead of them. Both players were given a bad time -- a first for Garrigus, but not for Na -- and one more would have meant a one-shot penalty. "Im not used to being put on the clock," said Garrigus, one of the fastest players in golf. "Thats the first time in nine years -- actually the first time in 17 years as a professional -- Ive ever got a bad time on the golf course. I started laughing." They were on the clock when Garrigus had a nasty lie in the rough on the side of the hill on the par-5 14th. He walked some 30 yards up to the green to study his shot, and by the time he walked back to hit it, he was went beyond his allotted 40 seconds. Na was given a bad time on the par-3 13th hole when he was first to play. "Over water, tough to judge the wind and corner pin is obviously brutal, and probably just took some extra time because it was probably a hard golf shot," Na said. "Unfortunately, I was past the time. I know how to play. I dont know what people were saying, but I dont feel like I should be criticized for my play today because Im the first one to admit if I play slow. But I really didnt feel like I played slow today." A traffic jam is likely for the final round. Garrigus was at 8-under 205, and the final seven holes brought several players back into the mix -- most of them needing a win to get into the Masters. David Hearn (70) of Brantford, Ont., is tied for 11th at 2-under par, Graham DeLaet (71) of Weyburn, Sask., and Calgarys Stephen Ames (72) were tied at 38th at 1 over. John Senden of Australia made a 30-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to cap off a 64, moving up 32 spots on the leaderboard into third place, just two shots behind. Justin Rose, at No. 7 the highest-ranked player in the field, made bogey from a wild tee shot on the 18th for a 69 and was three shots behind. Retief Goosen finisshed his bogey-free 64 some 2 1/2 hours before the leaders began the third round. Harmon Killebrew Authentic. He made the cut on the number, and suddenly finds himself within four shots of the lead on a course where he has won before. Goosen was at 4-under 209, along with Scott Langley (69) and Charley Hoffman (67). Luke Donald, a winner at Innisbrook two years ago, was in the group five shots behind. Garrigus did plenty right. He hit two balls off the first tee, only to find his original tee shot had banged off a tree and back into play. He converted that into a birdie, made a 12-foot birdie on the next hole and stretched his lead to four shots with a nifty flop shot from the pine straw that set up a birdie on the par-5 fifth. That was his last birdie. Na remarkably has made only one bogey through 54 holes on a Copperhead course with plenty of bite. He turned a potential bogey into birdie when he chipped in from deep rough on the par-3 15th hole. The pressure came more from the clock held by rules official Gary Young. Na said he was discussing the line of his 15-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th with caddie Kenny Harms when he wanted one last look. "I was about to back off. Kenny goes, You better go," Na said. "I kind of peaked out in the fairway and theres Gary on the cart with a little clock." Even so, Na said he didnt feel a need to apologize. Pat Perez, playing in the group ahead of them, hit a tee shot into the vegetation on the third hole. Taking a penalty drop would leave him in a palmetto bush, so he opted to go back to the tee. Perez was given a cart ride to the tee and back to his next ball in play, and then he was gone. Perez is one of the fastest players. "They took off," Garrigus said. "When Pat is playing bad, he takes four seconds to hit a shot." Na said Garrigus told him after the round that he would tell him if he were playing slow. He said other players have told him he has picked up the pace. He said he has improved "a ton" since The Players Championship in 2012, when he was changing his swing and had trouble taking the club back -- or changing his mind at the top and purposely missing the ball so he could start over. "Its not fair for me because I already have that stamp on me," Na said. He would much rather me known as a guy with multiple wins on the PGA Tour, and he has a chance to get his second title on Sunday. So does Garrigus, whose only other win was at Disney in 2010. At stake for both is a spot in the Masters. Of the seven players separated by four shots going into the final round, Rose is the only one eligible for the first major of the year. cheap jerseys from china cheap jerseys ' ' ' |
