Australia’s Gavin Flint yesterday continued the push for his maiden win on the Asian Tour by taking a share of the second round lead with Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat at the Brunei Open.
The Singapore-based Australian posted a three-under-par 68 for a two-day total of 10-under-par 132 to head into the third round of the US$300,000 Asian Tour event with Wisut as joint-leaders.
Flint’s compatriot Scott Barr carded a 67 to stay one shot behind the duo on 133, while overnight joint-leader Ted Oh of Korea and Philippines’ Jay Bayron are tied for fourth on 134.
PHOTO: AFP
Flint remained on course for his career breakthrough on the Asian Tour despite having to battle the unpredictability of the wind directions that swept across the Empire Hotel and Country Club in the afternoon.
The 27-year-old Australian, who started on the back-nine, birdied the 10th and 12th before starting to make pars from the 13th. Flint dropped a shot on the 18th but made a quick recovery with successive birdies from the first to third at the start of his homeward run. He dropped another shot at the par-four sixth before returning in 68.
“I think you just have to be tough and hang in there. I’ll try to keep the ball as low as possible and keep attacking the pins as there are so many people staying very close at the top,” Flint said of his strategy for the weekend.
Wisut, who started his round in tied-11th, stormed up the leaderboard quickly by making his charge with six birdies in his opening front-nine to reach the turn in 29 for the outright lead in the morning. The 27-year-old Thai continued to hold on to his morning lead when he posted another birdie on the 11th. A closing bogey on the 18th, however, spoiled his otherwise blemish-free card.
“It was another good round for me today and I hope that I can continue playing as well as what I’ve done for the past two days,” said Wisut.
Taiwan’s Lu Chien-soon was tied for 11th on 136 after posting a 71.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
The lights dimmed and the crowd hushed as Karoline Kristensen entered for her performance. However, this was no ordinary Dutch theater: The temperature was 80°C and the audience naked apart from a towel. Dressed in a swimsuit and to the tune of emotional music, the 21-year-old Kristensen started her routine, performed inside a large sauna, with a bed of hot rocks in the middle. For a week this month, a group of wellness practitioners, called “sauna masters,” are gathering at a picturesque health resort in the Netherlands to compete in this year’s Aufguss world sauna championships. The practice takes its name from a
Japanese players are moving to English soccer in record numbers and more look set to follow with clubs attracted by their quality, strong work ethic and value for money. Kaoru Mitoma is the standout talent of five Japanese players in the English Premier League, with eight more in the Championship and two in League One. Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo, the captain of Japan, believes his compatriots are “being held in higher esteem” by English clubs compared with the past. “The staff at Liverpool ask me about lots of Japanese players, not necessarily with a view to a transfer, but just saying this or
Taiwan yesterday survived Bosnia and Herzegovina to win their Davis Cup World Group I tie at the Taipei Tennis Center. The tight series started on Saturday with world No. 123 Jason Tseng losing 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Mirza Basic in the opening singles matchup. However, teammate Tony Wu kept the tie even, dominating world No. 86 Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-1. Yesterday, 24-year-old Ray Ho and partner 25-year-old Hsu Yu-hsiou kept up the momentum, making short work of Basic and Nerman Fatic, winning 6-3, 6-4. Tseng then suffered another defeat, losing 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Dzumhur in a brutal match that lasted more than two