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LONDON — Italian Franceso Molinari won the PGA Championship title at Wentworth on Sunday as Rory McIlroy faded in the final round to miss out on the chance of victory in the European Tour’s flagship tournament for the second time.

The pair started the day level on 13 under par and while Molinari carded a flawless 68 to finish at 17 under, McIlroy’s 70 left him two shots adrift in second place despite birdies at the last two holes.

“It is disappointing,” said Northern Ireland’s McIlroy who won the Wentworth tournament in 2014. “He [Molinari] was like a robot, he doesn’t hit it off line. I would have needed a great round to beat him.

“Today I played similar to Saturday, I could not get going and gave Molinari a lead early on. It was a little too late for me in the end.”

McIlroy, four-times major champion, wasted a birdie opportunity on the second hole and Molinari birdied the third and fourth to move two clear.

McIlroy dropped shots at the ninth and 10th holes to leave Molinari three ahead, and he never looked like losing his lead until the 18th.

He was close to finding water as McIlroy set up an eagle opportunity, but the Italian’s ball came to a rest on the fringe and the world number 32 safely made par to claim the title after finishing runner-up last year.

Molinari, 35, continued his fine record at Wentworth, having finished in the top 10 in five of the last six years, and boosted his chances of earning a place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team after being on the winning side in 2010 and 2012. 

“If I could pick one tournament to win in my career it would be this one,” Molinari said.

“The Ryder Cup is very special. It hurts to watch it on TV. You really want to be there. I’ve been lucky to be on two winning teams and I hope to be able to win a third time.”

Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, who birdied five of the back nine, and defending champion Alex Noren of Sweden finished in a tie for third on 14 under par.

Meanwhile, Justin Rose used a blistering start to cruise to his second win of the PGA Tour season with a three-shot victory at the Fort Worth Invitational in Texas on Sunday.

The Englishman, who began the day with a four-stroke lead, fired six front-nine birdies en route to a six-under-par 64 at Colonial Country Club that left him one shot off the tournament record score of 21-under 259 set by Zach Johnson in 2010.

With the victory, Rose tied Nick Faldo for the most PGA Tour wins by an Englishman post-World War Two, with nine.

“I am delighted the way I played this week,” said Rose, who played the course for the first time in eight years. “I haven’t played this venue in a while but to win on a golf course like Colonial I couldn’t be more proud.”

Olympic champion Rose had a chance to equal Johnson’s record score but failed to convert his 23-foot par attempt at the last, where he carded his second bogey of the day.

US Open champion Brooks Koepka, who started the final round in a share of second place with Argentine Emiliano Grillo (64), finished alone in the runner-up spot after going one better than playing competitor Rose with a seven-under 63.

Grillo birdied two of the final three holes to finish in third place, four shots behind Rose while sizzling American Kevin Na finished a further two shots back in fourth place after he set a course record with a bogey-free, nine-under 61.

Rose, whose first win this season came at last October’s World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, got off to a fast start with consecutive birdies to open his round before settling for a bogey at the par-four third where he failed to convert an 11-foot birdie putt.

But that did little to take the wind from the former US Open champion’s sails as he birdied four of the final five holes on the front nine before adding another pair at the 11th and 15th holes.

Despite the solid outing, Rose said he still felt he had work to do before next month’s US Open at Shinnecock Hills, where he will seek his second career major.

“This week was a big step in the right direction, taking the range game to the golf course,” said Rose. “There is always a little bit of a lag effect, you know you see your progress on the range long before you see it on the golf course.

“This week it came for me but there is still more work to be done.”

MONACO — Daniel Ricciardo brought back memories of Formula One great Michael Schumacher in his prime on Sunday as the Australian nursed a wounded Red Bull to Monaco Grand Prix victory in the team's 250th race.

Winning from pole position for the first time in his career, Ricciardo drove for nearly two thirds of the race with a car down on power due to problems that emerged on lap 28.

Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, last year's race winner, finished second to cut Lewis Hamilton's overall lead to 14 points after six of 21 rounds.

Hamilton, the reigning world champion, was third for Mercedes.

"You have done an amazing job today," team boss Christian Horner said after Ricciardo took the chequered flag 7.3 seconds clear of Vettel.

"That is right up there with what Schumacher did... and this is payback for 2016."

Ricciardo's only previous pole had been in Monaco two years ago, when he lost out to Hamilton on strategy and finished runner-up.

This time Ricciardo also made a clean start and, controlling the pace and the race, looked as much of a nailed-on certainty for victory as ever exists on Monaco's treacherous metal-fenced streets.

And then it all seemed to unravel when he reported a loss of power over the team radio.

"OK mate, we can see what's going on," his race engineer replied after a pause. "You just need to keep it smooth, keep focused."

"Will it get better?" enquired the Australian.

"Negative", came the reply.

From then on, Ricciardo — down on power and with Vettel in his rearview mirrors — was a model of consistency on a track where overtaking is a challenge for even the greatest of talents.

For lap after lap he kept the gap until Vettel's tyres showed signs of wear.

"Absolutely amazing, I don't know how you did that, Daniel," said engineer Simon Rennie.

"We had problems. We had a lot to deal with during the race. I felt a loss of power and I thought the race was done. I got home just using six gears," Ricciardo told reporters later.

"Thanks to the team. We got it back. I'm stoked.

"From two years ago I feel we got some redemption now, we can put 2016 behind us," he added.

A largely processional race under cloudy skies saw the safety car stay in the pits, with only a virtual safety car needed in the closing laps.

That was triggered by Sauber's Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc, the first local F1 driver in 24 years to compete on his home streets, having piled into the back of New Zealander Brendon Hartley's Toro Rosso at the tunnel exit.

MONACO — Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo showed his Monaco mastery by dominating every phase of qualifying for Formula One’s most glamorous race to seize pole position in track record time on Saturday.

The Australian, in blistering form since leading the way in Thursday practice around the streets of the tiny Mediterranean principality, made sure of the top slot for his team’s 250th race start with a lap of one minute 10.810 seconds.

Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, last year’s race winner in a Ferrari one-two, joined his former Red Bull team mate on the front row with world championship leader Lewis Hamilton lining up third for Mercedes.

Neither man could match the Australian’s pace on the hypersoft tyres, with Vettel 0.229 seconds slower.

“We sent a statement on Thursday and have been quickest every session. Just the race tomorrow and then we will celebrate,” said Ricciardo.

“I have done everything I can so far, so let’s finish the job tomorrow. I’m pumped.”

Vettel, whose team mate Kimi Raikkonen starts fourth and ahead of Mercedes’s Valtteri Bottas, said Ricciardo had “owned” the qualifying session.

Red Bull’s hopes of locking out the front row of the starting grid disappeared before qualifying had even started after the gearbox on Max Verstappen’s car was changed following a crash in final practice.

That incurred a five-place grid drop, which became academic when the 20-year-old Dutch driver failed to emerge for even one timed lap.

He will now start from the back of the field, on a track where overtaking is extremely difficult.

“It feels a little bittersweet. We’re delighted with pole but we should have had two cars up there. It’s frustrating with such a fast car not to have both cars on the front row of the grid,” said team boss Christian Horner.

“This place bites hard if you abuse it. Max is a very fast driver, we know that, and this weekend he has a great car... He should have been competing for the front row today.

“There is no more brutal lesson than what he has just had,” added Horner.

Second pole

Hamilton leads Vettel by 17 points after five rounds of the 21-race championship, and the Briton will have been boosted at least by his car’s performance after a disappointing showing in Monaco last year.

Ricciardo’s pole was his second in three years in the principality, the second of his career and also Red Bull’s second of the V6 turbo hybrid era that started in 2014.

The Australian was fastest in 2016 qualifying but lost out in the race to Hamilton.

“I gave it everything I could. I was up a little bit on the last lap but wasn’t able to hold on to it,” said Hamilton, chasing a hat-trick of wins on Sunday after Azerbaijan and Spain.

“It’s still a long race ahead of us tomorrow. I don’t think Red Bull have tried the other tyres yet so it will be interesting to see how we all go.”

Behind the usual suspects, French driver Esteban Ocon qualified sixth for Force India with McLaren’s Fernando Alonso, who missed last year’s Monaco race to compete in the Indianapolis 500, seventh on the grid.

Renault’s Carlos Sainz lines up eighth with Force India’s Mexican Sergio Perez, who holds the current race lap record that is sure to be bettered on Sunday, in ninth and Frenchman Pierre Gasly 10th for Toro Rosso.

MONACO — Former champions Red Bull can scoop the jackpot in Monaco this weekend as they celebrate the team’s 250th Formula One race start.

The most glamorous Grand Prix on the calendar, with its historic track winding past the 19th century casino and along the harbourside, could favour Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo.

“We don’t head into the weekend as favourites — they are Red Bull and Ferrari,” Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff warned ahead of the sport’s showcase event.

“Red Bull are strong in the slow-speed corners and where straight line speed is less important, while Ferrari dominated last year.”

Mercedes are leading both world championships, with Lewis Hamilton 17 points clear of Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel after five races.

But the Briton’s hopes of three wins in a row, after Azerbaijan and Spain, could be dented by rivals who — on past form and circuit characteristics — can be expected to come back strong.

Ferrari swept the front row last year and finished one-two, with Vettel leading polesitter Kimi Raikkonen, while Hamilton could manage only seventh. His Finnish teammate Valtteri Bottas was fourth.

Vettel could do with a boost after winning the first two races and then failing to make it onto the podium in the last three.

“Going to Monaco I’m fairly optimistic, I don’t see why we shouldn’t be in a good shape,” the German told reporters after Barcelona. 

“But then you need to see when you get there. The tyres are different, also significantly softer and the track is unique. So we’ll see. Hopefully it’s a nice surprise,” added the four times world champion.

Bullish Ricciardo

Australian Ricciardo, who finished third in the Mediterranean principality last year and was on pole position in 2016, has every reason to feel as bullish as the branding on his overalls.

“To win in Monaco would be huge, for the 250th, for the team,” said Ricciardo, the winner in Baku in April. “It’s a place I’ve always enjoyed going, always enjoyed racing and I’ve always believed I’ll win there.

“Coming so close has made that fire even greater,” added the Australian, who finished runner-up behind Hamilton in Monaco two years ago.

“That’s a big one on my list which I want to tick off. Even if I retire from F1 one day without winning it, I’ll probably keep coming back for one race a year just to try and make it happen,” he joked.

Should Verstappen, who finished third in Barcelona, qualify on pole then the Dutch 20-year-old would replace Vettel as the youngest ever to achieve the feat.

“It was great to be back on the podium in Barcelona and our car was very strong in the last sector there, which is mainly low speed corners and what we need for Monaco,” commented Verstappen.

“Monaco also doesn’t have any long straights, so I think it should be a good circuit for us.”

The race could also be good for Sauber’s Charles Leclerc, who will be the first Monegasque driver to race in front of his home crowd since Olivier Beretta in 1994 — three years before the 20-year-old was born.

“I have dreamt of being part of this event ever since I was a child and it is incredible for this dream to finally come true,” said Leclerc, who will be hoping to score points for the third race in a row. 

Eric Gordon’s first 3-pointer of the game gave Houston a late five-point lead, and the Rockets held on from there to defeat the Golden State Warriors 95-92 in Oakland, California, on Tuesday night to even the Western Conference finals at two games apiece.

James Harden scored 30 points and Chris Paul 27 for the Rockets, who regained home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series that returns to Houston for Game 5 on Thursday night.

Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said of his players, “They found a way. They’ve done it all year, and they’ll keep doing it.”

Stephen Curry had 28 points and Kevin Durant 27 for the Warriors, who had their NBA-record, 16-game home play-off winning streak snapped.

The victory was the Rockets’ first on the road against Golden State in the play-off in franchise history.

In a see-saw affair in which both teams led by double figures, the Rockets got the better of the finish after Curry converted a three-point play to get the Warriors within 91-89 with 3:18 to go.

After Harden and Curry traded missed 3-point attempts, Gordon, who was 0-for-6 from beyond the arc to that point, buried a 27-footer for a five-point cushion with just 2:25 to play.

The Warriors got back within 94-92 and had possession of the ball in the final seconds, but Klay Thompson misfired on a heavily pressured 16-footer.

“I wanted the timeout,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of the decisive possession. “Draymond [Green] was trying to call one around four seconds, once he got trapped, and at that point the officials weren’t looking and they’re not going to look down at our bench. So I saw Draymond trying to call it, but we didn’t get it.”

D’Antoni said of the Rockets’ defence on the play, “Just guys doing what they’ve been doing the whole quarter. They got into people. That’s where Trevor [Ariza] got on Klay [Thompson] really in the corner and locked him down. You know they have a lot of movement, and we switch it, and guys just read it and played as hard as they could. They knew that one stop, the game’s over more or less, and came up large.”

Paul, fouled on the rebound, made one of two free throws with a half-second remaining to make it a three-point game and the Rockets then sweated out a missed desperation 3-point try by Curry at the final horn.

Harden credited the Rockets’ defensive intensity for changing the game in the fourth quarter.

“Third quarter, Steph was getting too free, stepping out and making long threes,” Harden said on ESPN. “We put the pressure on him to make him drive a little bit. Great team win.”

Harden hit 11 of his 26 shots and Paul 10 of his 20 for the Rockets, who have won four of six road games in the postseason.

Gordon finished with 14 points while PJ Tucker contributed 16 rebounds and Clint Capela had 13 boards for Houston, which has rebounded from all four losses this postseason with a win.

Durant hit just nine of his 24 shots and Curry 10 of his 26 for the Warriors, who had been 4-0 in Game 4s during the Kerr era when up 2-1 in a series.

Green recorded an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double while Thompson chipped in with 10 points for the Warriors, who played without Andre Iguodala, sidelined due to a sore left knee.

“Our normal sub pattern obviously was skewed with Andre’s absence,” Kerr said. “I felt like in the fourth quarter, we just ran out of gas. Scored 12 points. Tried to buy a little bit of rest for our guys, but, yeah, they just outplayed us in the fourth and they earned it.”

Both teams made big runs in the first half, with the Rockets’ lasting longer and producing a 53-46 half time lead.

With all five starters scoring, the Warriors put up the game’s first 12 points, holding the Rockets scoreless on 0-for-8 shooting for more than five minutes.

However, the Rockets got much the better of the rest of the half, outscoring Golden State 53-34 to build the seven-point edge.

Harden had 15 of his 30 points in the second quarter, during which the Rockets went up by as many as 10.

“They’re a really good team, especially at home,” Harden said of the Warriors. “You knew it wasn’t going to be easy. They started out 12-0. We kept fighting, kept fighting. I kept telling the guys, ‘We can win this game.’ And now it’s a best-out-of-three.”

AMMAN — Olympic gold medallist Ahmad Abu Ghaush will miss this weekend’s 23rd Asian Taekwondo Championships after pulling out with injury during a training camp in South Korea, according to the Jordan Olympic Committee News Service.

The 22-year-old will sit out the tournament in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, in order to be ready for the first Grand Prix event of the season in Rome in June.

Head coach, Faris Al Assaf, said that apart from Abu Ghaush’s set back, the camp went well with the rest of the team setting their sights on podium places.

Jordan will be represented in Vietnam by Zaid Mustafa, Mohammad Al Tamimi, Ruslan Lebzo, Hamzeh Qattan, Saleh Al Sharabati, Bana Daraghmeh, Rama Abu Al Rub and Juliana Al Sadeq.

PARIS — Alexander Zverev has emerged as the main threat to Rafael Nadal’s French Open crown in recent weeks as he bids to end Germany’s 81-year wait for a men’s singles title at Roland Garros.

The 21-year-old suffered his fifth defeat in five meetings with Nadal in Sunday’s Italian Open final, but the way he fought back from losing the first set 6-1 only enhanced his already-burgeoning clay-court credentials.

The rising star has never reached the quarter-finals of a Grand Slam tournament, but he will be the second seed in Paris after winning his second Masters title on clay in Madrid, where he beat Nadal’s conqueror Dominic Thiem in the final.

A run of 13 wins in a row was only ended by ten-time French Open winner Nadal on Sunday, and Zverev is looking to continue his momentum.

“I try to play the same way, play the same way over a longer period of time, which will be in Paris,” he said.

“Right now, the next few days, I won’t even think about tennis. And then I’ll go to Paris and do my best to prepare and try to compete for the French Open.

“Of course, Rafa will be the favourite there, there’s no question about it. I’ll be in the other half of the draw. So, that’s a good thing.”

Before thrashing Thiem 6-0, 6-2 in Monte Carlo last month, Nadal said the Austrian was “probably one of the three best clay-court players on tour”, but the last fortnight has shown that Zverev is potentially even more dangerous.

By stepping into the court and attacking Nadal’s fearsome forehand with his double-handed backhand, Zverev turned the tide in the final at the Foro Italico, before the rains came and the Spaniard won five straight games to close out the match.

“I was not far away from beating Rafa on a clay court in a Masters final. So I guess I can take that into Paris,” he added.

“Great backhands help. But right now, I’m 0-5 in the head to head.

“I don’t know. We’ll see next time I play him. But right now, he’s in control of me.”

German woes in France’s capital

The last German man to lift La Coupe des Mousquetaires was Henner Henkel, who later died in World War II’s Battle of Stalingrad, in 1937 under the flag of Nazi Germany.

That victory over Britain’s Bunny Austin was the country’s third in four years at the French Open after two previous titles for Gottfried von Cramm.

Few would have believed then that over 80 years on Germany would still be waiting for another men’s champion, with Michael Stich coming closest in a four-set final defeat by Yevgeny Kafelnikov in 1996.

Unlike Stich and six-time Grand Slam champion Boris Becker, a three-time semifinalist at Roland Garros, Zverev’s best surface is clay.

The world number three’s clinical win over Thiem in Madrid delivered his second Masters triumph on the red dirt, and he was possibly only a rain delay away from beating Nadal to add a third as he narrowly failed to defend the title in Rome.

“I kind of found the way, you know, felt like I had control over most of the points,” said Zverev.

“That is very important against him on clay... And then... The rain delay didn’t help me, definitely.”

Zverev’s poor form in Grand Slams can be put down to inexperience and finding himself lower down the seedings, although last year’s US Open second-round loss to Borna Coric was disappointing.

He was also the fourth seed when running out of gas late in the match against fellow youngster Chung Hyeon earlier this year at the Australian Open, but there can be no doubt that a major breakthrough is only a matter of time.

Stephen Curry hit seven straight shots, including a pair of 3-pointers, in a third-quarter flurry on Sunday night that broke open a competitive game and sent the Golden State Warriors to a 126-85 blowout win over the Houston Rockets in Game 3 of the Western Conference finals in Oakland, California.

Curry, who had been held to a total of 34 points in the first two games of the series, exploded for 35 points in 34 minutes, propelling the Warriors into a 2-1 lead over the top-seeded Rockets in the best-of-seven series.

“That’s what I expected to do, but just like my approach after every game is you don’t get too high after highs, don’t get too low after lows.” Curry said in an on-court interview after the game. “Obviously thankful to hit some shots tonight, eventually.”

Game 4 is scheduled for Tuesday night, also in Oakland.

Kevin Durant had 25 points, while teammate Draymond Green had a game-high 17 rebounds to complement 10 points, as the Warriors rebounded from a 127-105 shellacking Wednesday in Game 2 in Houston.

The Warriors have lost three games in their three series this postseason, and have rebounded to win the next contest by a combined 65 points.

“Tonight was all about defence and taking care of the ball,” Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said. “That’s it. When we defend at that level and take care of the ball, we’re usually in pretty good shape.”

James Harden had 20 points and a game-high nine assists to lead the Rockets, who had won three of their previous four road games in the postseason. Houston had the best road record in the NBA during the regular season at 31-10.

“As a team, we played a lot better defence today, which I think got everybody more involved,” Curry said.

The 41-point margin of defeat was the largest in the Rockets’ postseason history.

“It was not a very good game, and we’re going to have to play a lot better Tuesday,” Rockets head coach Mike D’Antoni said. “We have short memories. Have to.”

The Rockets led by as many as four points in the first quarter and trailed just 54-43 at halftime before Curry almost single-handedly left them in the dust in the third period.

Curry, just 1-for-7 on 3-pointers in the first half after going just 2-for-13 in the first two games of the series, connected from 28 and 25 feet during a 14-0 burst midway through the third period that turned a 70-56 game into an 84-56 demolition.

“He’s good, and sooner or later he’s going to erupt,” D’Antoni said. “You can analyse him all you want, but at the end of the day, he’s still a pretty good basketball player.”

Curry made four of his five 3-point attempts in the second half to finish 5-for-12. He hit 13 of 23 shots overall.

Asked what the Warriors had to do to keep rolling in Game 4, Curry answered, “Just do everything we didn’t do in Game 2 and we should be in good shape.”

Klay Thompson (13), Quinn Cook (11) and Andre Iguodala (10) also scored in double figures for the Warriors, who have won 26 of their last 30 play-off games.

Harden’s 20 points came on 7-for-16 shooting for the Rockets, who shot just 39.5 per cent overall in the game and 32.4 per cent (11-for-34) on 3-pointers.

Clint Capela added 13 points, while Chris Paul logged a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double for the Rockets.

Eric Gordon (11), P.J. Tucker (six) and Trevor Ariza (six), who combined for 68 points in the Game 2 win, combined for just 23 points in Game 3.

WEMBLEY — Manchester United Jose Mourinho bemoaned old foe Antonio Conte’s tactics as his side failed to breakdown Chelsea’s defensive wall in losing the FA Cup final 1-0 on Saturday.

Eden Hazard’s 22nd minute penalty proved the difference between the teams to ensure Mourinho’s second season at Old Trafford ends without a trophy.

United enjoyed a far better Premier League season than Chelsea as Conte’s men failed to even qualify for the Champions League by finishing fifth just a year after claiming the title.

However, despite finishing second in the league to a record-breaking Manchester City side, Mourinho’s approach has been much-criticised this season for lacking the flair and invention displayed by City and Champions League finalists Liverpool.

“I congratulate them because they won but I don’t think they deserved to win,” said Mourinho.

“I’m curious to read today and tomorrow, to watch, to listen [to] your [the media’s] opinions.”

Mourinho and Conte have consistently clashed since the latter arrived in England just under two years ago.

But tactically they have plenty in common as despite Mourinho’s protestations, Chelsea’s defensive resistance inspired by Conte’s organisation is exactly what Mourinho has made his own trademark in a trophy-laden career.

Mourinho claimed on the eve of the game that he didn’t understand the media’s interpretation of “entertaining”.

In the Portuguese’s estimations, racking up 6-0 victories is not as exciting as “emotion until the end, the game open, everyone on the edge of their seats, both dug-outs nervous and tense with the result in doubt”.

The final did deliver on that promise as Chelsea ‘keeper Thibaut Courtois saved brilliantly from Marcus Rashford and Paul Pogba headed wide as United tried in vein to force the game to extra time.

Lukaku backlash

Mourinho has not been afraid to publicly criticise his players this season, most notably lambasting his squad after winning their Cup quarter-final against Brighton in March.

However, one of two exceptions that night along with Nemanja Matic was Romelu Lukaku.

The Belgian striker has scored 27 goals in all competitions in his debut season at Old Trafford.

But even he bore the brunt of Mourinho’s frustration for only declaring himself fit enough for a late cameo appearance from the bench due to an ankle injury.

“When a player tells you he is not ready to play, not ready to start, then the question is how many minutes you think you can? How can you convince a player?,” he added.

“Chelsea are not stupid. They know our team without Lukaku does not have a presence, so putting eight or nine players in front of the box they knew they would be dominant in that direct football.

“We tried everything by other ways but they had a huge block of compacted players.”

The damage at the other end was done early on when Chelsea capitalised on a fast start, and a fine individual display by Hazard.

The diminutive Belgian excelled in the space between United’s defence and midfield despite Mourinho’s best efforts to man mark him with Ander Herrera.

Hazard pounced on indecision by Phil Jones to burst clear on goal and was then brought down by the England international as he prepared to shoot before converting the spot-kick himself.

“They only play long ball,” insisted Mourinho. “When you play against a team so predictable, it is quite easy to adapt to it. But of course Hazard is a very good player and of course he created a penalty.”