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31 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 JUNE 2018 SPORTS Ruud Critien Hyundai and Atletico Madrid sign sponsorship deal HYUNDAI Motor entered a multi- year partnership with Club Atlético de Madrid, becoming the Spanish football club's Global Automotive Partner as from the new 2018/19 sea- son. "We join Hyundai, a company that stands out for its desire to excel and its pursuit of excellence to remain at the forefront of technology and in- novation." said Atlético de Madrid Chairman Enrique Cerezo as he un- veiled the partnership at the Wanda Metropolitano. Atletico Madrid's kit will now carry the carmaker's distinctive logo on the sleeves, with Hyundai's first foray in- to the Spanish football. The club will also be provided with a fleet of Hyun- dai cars while the comprehensive partnership includes brand presence on home matchday, LED perimeter branding, as well as media and digital content rights. "We are incredibly excited to begin a new partnership with Atlético de Ma- drid – a hugely successful club with a passionate fanbase that matches the global scale and challenging spirit of Hyundai." said Andreas-Christoph Hofmann, Vice President Marketing & Product at Hyundai Motor Europe. He revealed plans for a range of ini- tiatives and benefits for club support- ers. Hyundai Motor does not only want to support the club but intends to add value by developing ways that make it easier for fans to get access to games. Enrique Cerezo expressed his con- fidence "that the two companies will share and enjoy the good times, that with effort, work and dedication, we will experience in the coming years." Hyundai Motor has a long-standing affiliation with top-flight football, having been a FIFA Top Partner since 1999, as well as having supported UE- FA for 18 years until 2017. The car brand, renowned for its technological innovations and excit- ing designs, is involved with other prestigious clubs, including Olym- pique Lyonnais in France and, from next season, Chelsea FC in the UK. Hoffman described Hyundai's com- mitment to the beautiful game as "a fantastic next step in our new pan-Eu- ropean partnership approach" that, he revealed will include other European top clubs. THE Royal Malta Golf Club's official golf season came to a close this week with the staging of the Club's Championship. Sponsored by IIG Bank, the Championship was played over three days under scratch stroke play medal format. Ruud Critien made a move early in the competition and with a score of two under par for the course led Andy Borg (last year's winner) and JJ Mi- callef by two shots. Nicholas Beck trailed by a further shot whilst young Laurens Schulze Doering by yet another shot. Critien then solidified his po- sition on the second day with another fine display of three under par to lead by four shots ahead of Beck whilst Micallef and Borg slid to third and fourth places trailing Critien by six and eight shots respectively. In normal circumstances, Critien had just to show up on the final day but the game of golf has a habit of showing that it remains the master until the last stroke is played. Indeed, whilst Critien struggled to re- tain his form, Borg, playing in one flight ahead, entered the clubhouse with a magnificent six under par for an aggregate of 201 shots. Critien managed to master a birdie on the last hole to tie Borg and force a play-off. Micallef ended third with a score of 205 whilst Beck surrendered his earlier position to place fourth with a score of 207. The three-hole play-off was conducted over the 1st, 14th and 18th holes. With a birdie, par, birdie finish Critien sealed his victory to claim his second championship in four years and deny Andy his tenth since 2002. Also, of noteworthy, was the fine showing of three teenag- ers in this Championship. The aforementioned Schulze Do- ering together with Samuel Reeves and Finley Gratil man- aged to feature in the first twen- ty places which bodes well for their future in the game. Critien local champion golfer of the year GOLF LA LIGA