Lahiri 27th at World Cup as Bhullar struggles
Melbourne: Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri fired a two-over 73 but stayed in the top half of the elite field of 60 at tied 27th after the third round of the USD eight million ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf on Saturday. However, his teammate, Gaganjeet Bhullar continued to struggle and carded a 76 after rounds of 82 and 77 on first two days. He is 22-over and lying 60th and last. In team standings, too, India were bottom of the heap at 26th. Jason Day of Australia carded a brilliant 66 to go into lead at nine-under 204 and he is one ahead of Danish star Thomas Bjorn (71). American Matt Kuchar, runner-up at the Australian Masters here last weekend, moved into contention with a solid 68. Day and countryman Adam Scott, who is tied eighth, hold the lead in the team category with a combined score of 415, one ahead of Kuchar and Kevin Streelman of the United States. Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and Hideto Tanihara are third on 422. Lahiri, 11 shots behind the leader Day, said, “It’s hard work around golf courses like this. I made one big mistake, double bogey on four and apart from that, I played flawless golf.” The Asian challenge was led by rising Thai star Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who remained on the fringes of contention after a frustrating one-under 70. Kiradech is seven shots behind Day. The 24-year-old Kiradech, who is currently leading the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, rued a cold putter as he took 34 strokes on the tricky putting surfaces at Royal Melbourne Golf Club for a three-day total of two-under-par 211 in tied eighth place in the individual category. (PTI)
IOA calls GBM on Dec 8, Malhotra wants it in January
New Delhi: Left with no other choice but to fall in line after International Olympic Committee served an ultimatum to bar charge-framed persons from contesting elections or face de-recognition, Indian Olympic Association on Saturday called its General Body Meeting On December 8. The IOA on saturday issued a notification, calling for a GBM on December 8 even as its acting chief V K Malhotra wrote a letter to the world body to postpone the deadline of amending the constitution by a month in view of the upcoming Assembly elections in five states. S Reghunathan, who has been chairing the past two Special GBMs of the suspended IOA, told PTI that a notification has been issued today, calling a meeting on December 8 following the IOC’s ultimatum on November 15. “We have issued the notification for a Special GBM to be held here on December 8. It is a requisition meeting,” he said. The last Special GBM meeting on October 27, which was also a requisition meeting, was adjourned sine die so that it can be reconvened in a short notice. Reghunathan said in case the IOC accepts Malhotra’s request to postpone the deadline for amendment of constitution to bar charge-framed persons by a month, then the Special GBM will be held later. “Malhotra has written a letter to the IOC President to postpone the deadline to January in view of the elections in the five states. If the IOC accepts that then the GBM will not be held on December 8,” he said. (PTI)
FIFA opens probe of Simunic
pro-Nazi chants
Geneva: FIFA on Friday announced that they had opened a probe against Australian-born Croatia defender Josip Simunic for his pro-Nazi chants that marred the country’s World Cup qualification celebrations. “Disciplinary proceedings have been opened,” a FIFA spokesman told AFP, declining to make further comment on the player’s case. It was not clear what penalty Simunic could face. (AFP)