Defending champion Lu Wen-teh heads into this week’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters knowing that another win will etch his name into the country’s golf folklore. The 46-year-old veteran enjoyed a memorable home triumph when he lifted a fourth title in Taiwan last year, and securing another will extend his record as the leading all-time winner.
Lu makes a return to his home course at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club hoping that his familiarity will help him notch his first win on the Asian Tour this season.
“I’ve always enjoyed a good track record at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club. This course has been my home course since my childhood days and I like playing here as it suits my game,” said Lu, a five-time Asian Tour winner.
PHOTO: CHAO HSIN-TIEN, TAIPEI TIMES
While his younger contenders may have an edge over him in terms of age, the evergreen Lu believes that his wealth of experience will put him in good stead.
“I’ve been a professional golfer for more than 20 years and I still have the same drive and mental approach. I’m able to handle pressure at the highest level and I believe this week’s event will not be any different,” Lu said.
As he continues his pursuit of more trophies, rookie Matthew Griffin, the top-ranked amateur in Australia before he turned professional, is hoping that he can win his first.
“It’s good to know that I’ve been playing well in Macau and also in Japan last week. I’m looking forward to another solid week again,” the 26-year-old said. “It has been a pretty good learning experience on the Tour, bit of a slow start but I did play some really good golf in the second half so I’m looking forward to some good results.”
Meanwhile, American Bryan Saltus is also relishing another title prospect at this popular event that was inaugurated in 1987.
“I’m on the verge of greatness. There have been so many little things bothering me lately, my head, my clubs and my luck,” he said. “I think with my experience here, I should have a good week and I’ve been waiting for a good week for a while now.”
Among other hopefuls, India’s Gaurev Ghei, who won in 2006, will be eager to turn his lackluster season around after having missed the cut in his last three events.
A sumo star was born in Japan on Sunday when 24-year-old Takerufuji became the first wrestler in 110 years to win a top-division tournament on his debut, triumphing at the 15-day Spring Grand Sumo Tournament in Osaka despite injuring his ankle on the penultimate day. Takerufuji, whose injury had left him in a wheelchair outside the ring, shoved out the higher-ranked Gonoyama at the Edion Arena Osaka to the delight of the crowd, giving him an unassailable record of 13 wins and two losses to claim the Emperor’s Cup. “I did it just through willpower. I didn’t really know what was going
The US’ Ilia Malinin on Saturday produced six scintillating quadruple jumps, including a quadruple Axel, in the men’s free skate to capture his first figure skating world title. The 19-year-old nicknamed the “Quad god,” who is the only skater to land a quadruple Axel in competition, dazzled with an array of breathtakingly executed jumps starting with his quad Axel and including a quadruple Lutz in combination with a triple flip and a quadruple toe loop in combination with a triple toe. He added an unexpected triple-triple combination at the end to earn a world-record 227.79 in the free program for a championship
Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter is being criminally investigated by the IRS, and the attorney for his alleged bookmaker said Thursday that the ex-Los Angeles Dodgers employee placed bets on international soccer — but not baseball. The IRS confirmed Thursday that interpreter Ippei Mizuhara and Mathew Bowyer, the alleged illegal bookmaker, are under criminal investigation through the agency’s Los Angeles Field Office. IRS Criminal Investigation spokesperson Scott Villiard said he could not provide additional details. Mizuhara, 39, was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties to an illegal bookmaker and debts well
HSIEH MAKES QUARTERS: Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens of Belgium won in the women’s doubles and face Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin of the US Top-ranked Iga Swiatek and US Open champion Coco Gauff were knocked out of the women’s singles at the Miami Open on Monday, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced in the women’s doubles. Swiatek lost to Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 6-2, hours after third seed Gauff fell in three sets to No. 23 Caroline Garcia 6-3, 1-6, 6-2. Alexandrova beat a top-ranked player for the first time and advanced to face Jessica Pegula, a 7-6 (7/1), 6-3 winner over Emma Navarro, in the quarter-finals. Alexandrova recorded her second win over Swiatek, following a 2021 victory in Melbourne. Swiatek had won their three matches since. “We played quite