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Golf: Britain’s Danny Willett (picture) won his fourth European Tour title yesterday when he took the Dubai Desert Classic by a stroke from compatriot Andy Sullivan and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello. Overnight leader Willett shot a final round 69 at the Emirates Golf Club to finish on 269, 19 under par, after a 15-foot putt on the last to clinch the title. Sullivan made up one shot on him and Cabrera-Bello to finish joint second. Spain’s Alvaro Quiros and South Korea’s An Byeong-Hun were joint fourth after carding final round 65s for a 16-under par total, with world number two Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson joint sixth a further shot behind.

Cricket: Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah has been given a three-month ban after pleading guilty to an inadvertent doping offence, the International Cricket Council said yesterday. The 29-year-old’s urine sample, provided in an in-competition test conducted on Nov. 13, was found to contain the presence of chlortalidone and he was subsequently provisionally suspended in December. Shah pleaded guilty to the charge and said he had mistakenly taken his wife’s blood pressure medication which contained the banned substance.

Rugby Sevens: Teenager Rieko Ioane scored a dramatic last-gasp try to give New Zealand a 27-24 win over Australia in a thrilling final yesterday and dash hopes of a home triumph in the inaugural Sydney Sevens. With time having already expired, the 18-year-old silenced the 37,000 crowd at the Sydney Football Stadium by securing a hat-trick to give the All Blacks back-to-back titles after their Wellington triumph on home soil last weekend. Ioane was named player of the tournament for his seven tries but his 20-year-old brother Akira, who set up Rieko’s first try with a trademark burst down the sideline, won the Man of the Match award after another tackle-busting performance.

Basketball, NBA: Retiring Los Angeles guard and future Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant may have won the battle on Saturday in his final trip to San Antonio, but it was the Spurs who won the war, thanks to a combined 46 points from their two starting forwards and a pair of huge baskets by point guard Tony Parker down the stretch. The Spurs survived a riveting command performance in the Alamo City by Bryant and outlasted the Los Angeles Lakers 106-102 to win their fourth straight game and remain unbeaten at home. Bryant finished with 25 points, 16 of them in the third period to help lead the Lakers back into the game.

American Football: Strong-armed quarterback Brett Favre, an ironman at the position and a bold playmaker, headlined the eight-member Class of 2016 voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame last weekend. Favre, who retired five years ago, was elected in his first year of eligibility after a 20-year NFL career that included a Super Bowl title with the Green Bay Packers in the 1996 season. Joining Favre into the Canton shrine are coach Tony Dungy, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, pass-rusher Kevin Greene, tackle Orlando Pace, quarterback Ken Stabler, guard Dick Stanfel and former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo, Jr.

Snooker: German Masters final – Gould bt Brecel 9-5.