■ GolfTaiwanese golfer on the up
A weekend victory at the Taiwan Masters catapulted unheralded Taiwanese golfer Lin Wen-ko into the No. 7 spot on the Asian PGA Tour's Order of Merit, the tour said yesterday. After making the cut for the first time in three events this season, Lin went on to beat Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee by one stroke and win US$76,878 on Sunday. The victory put the 27-year-old Lin just behind Thailand's Thammanoon Srirot, who has earned US$94,339, and one place ahead of Canada's Rick Gibson, with US$75,898 in winnings. Thongchai, winner of the Order of Merit title in 2001 and second last year, won US$47,126 at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club in the Taipei suburb of Tamsui. The winnings moved the Thai star from fifth to third on the list. So far this year, he has earned US$138,001.
■ Wrestling
Japan takes women's title
Japan won five golds to seize the women's team title and Georgia took the men's final at the World Freestyle Championships on Sunday. Georgia finished with 33 points. The US men and Iran both finished with 31 but the Americans finished second by virtue of winning two silvers to just one for Iran. Chiharu Icho earned Japan's first gold by defeating Russia's Natalia Karamchakova at 51kg, and Seiko Yamamoto followed with Japan's third gold in as many matches by defeating Russia's Natalia Ivashko 4-0. The US women had led the team race going into the finals. But Japan's five golds won out over the US' one gold and six other medals. Japan defeated the US in all three of the nations' head-to-head matches, as Saori Yoshida defeated Tina George with three consecutive single-leg takedowns at 55kg and Kyoko Hamaguchi clinched Japan's win with a 4-1 win over Toccara Montgomery at 72kg.
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