Sports Shorts: Madappa earns full playing rights on Asian Tour

A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Sunday

Young Indian golfer Viraj Madappa on Sunday earned his maiden Asian Tour card in only his second season as a professional, while former winner Himmat Rai too secured his playing rights on the tour after a year.

Madappa, who became the 2017 PGTI Emerging Player of the Year after amassing the highest earnings among the rookies in the season, finished tied 29th at the 2018 AsianTourQualifyingSchool's Final Stage.

Madappa (73-67-69-72-71), posted an even-par-71 in the fifth and final round of the Final Stage here today to total three-under-352 for the week and finish inside the top-35 and ties for the week to claim his Asian Tour card.

Madappa, who as a rookie had six top-10s on the PGTI last year including a runner-up finish, made three birdies and three bogeys in the last round that saw him slip five spots from his overnight tied 24th. Nonetheless, Madappa's final round performance was good enough for him to not only secure his card but also end up as the highest-placed Indian at the event.

Himmat (71-71-71-66-74) was the other Indian to earn full playing rights on the Asian Tour as he closed the week in tied 34th place at two-under-353.

ISL: Hume goal helps Kerala down Mumbai

Canadian striker Iain Hume became the hero of Kerala Blasters for the second game running as his lone first-half goal helped the visitors get the better of Mumbai City FC 1-0 in a rousing Indian Super League match in Mumbai on Sunday.

Hume, playing with a bandage around his head, took advantage of a quickly taken free-kick by teammate Courage Pekuson of Ghana and sprinted forward to the bewilderment of the entire home side players before coolly slotting the ball past Mumbai custodian Amrinder Singh to the left corner in the 23rd minute of play.

Much as Mumbai protested as even the referee Pranjal Banerjee had not taken his position when the free-kick was taken by Pekuson from well outside the Mumbai penalty area, the goal was allowed to stand much to the chagrin of the home side players and eventually was the match-winner.

The victory enabled Kerala to draw level on points (14 each from ten games) with Mumbai who, however, remained in fifth spot by virtue of a superior goal difference after suffering a second defeat of the season at the Mumbai Football Arena.

Kerala now take on JamshedpurSC in another away game on January 17 while Mumbai take on second-placed Bengaluru FC at home a day later.

William's strike guide Minerva to 1-0 win over Shillong Lajong

William Opoku Asiedu produced the solitary goal to guide Minerva Punjab FC to a 1-0 win over hosts Shillong Lajong FC in an intense Hero I-League match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Sunday.

In a fast-paced game, William scored the only goal of the match in the 58th minute to continue Minerva Punjab FC's fairytale run in the ongoing league.

Minerva Punjab FC have now amassed 22 points from 9 matches whereas Lajong remain in the fourth spot with 14 points having played one match more.