Golf

The English amateur champion, Joanne Hockley, had to pull out of the American Express European Women's Tour qualifying school before teeing off in the opening round at La Manga in Spain yesterday. Hockley, making her professional debut, pulled a ligament in her right ankle last week.

Colin Montgomerie was yesterday named the winner of the 1996 Canon Shot of the Year award. The shot was his second to the 547-yard final hole of the Dubai Desert Classic in March. Faced with a 222-yard carry into the wind over water to the green, Montgomerie used his driver and hit it to within 15 feet of the flag. Leading by one at the time, the Scot, who was playing in his first event of the season, took two putts for a birdie which gave him victory and launched what was to become his fourth successive year at the top of Europe's Order of Merit. Last year's winner of the Shot of the Year was Nick Faldo for his pitch to the final hole of his Ryder Cup singles match with Curtis Strange.