■GOLF
Miyazato scolds fans
Japan’s top woman golfer Ai Miyazato has hit out at Japanese fans for applauding an error by a rival on the final day of a tournament last weekend. The world No. 9 described fans cheering when South Korean Jeon Mi-jeong’s approach splashed into the lake at the last hole of the Sankyo Ladies Open as “hurtful.” “It pained my heart very much,” Miyazato, who went on to capture her first title on the Japanese tour in three years, said on her Web site. “That clapping was a real disappointment,” said the 24-year-old, a winner on the US LPGA Tour and third-placed finisher at this year’s British Open.
■BASKETBALL
Yao battles tobacco
Basketball star Yao Ming has joined up with the wife of China’s vice president to lead an anti-tobacco campaign in the country with the world’s largest number of smokers, state media said on Tuesday. The NBA All-Star Houston Rockets center was named as an ambassador to the Chinese Association on Tobacco Control and is expected to appear in public service announcements urging people not to smoke, Xinhua news agency said. Also named was folk singer Peng Liyuan, the wife of Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping, the report said.
■BASKETBALL
NBA fines quiet Arenas
Gilbert Arenas of the Washington Wizards has been fined US$25,000 by the NBA for failing to make himself available to the media for interviews, the league said in a statement on Tuesday. The Wizards were also fined US$25,000 for failing to ensure that its players comply with NBA media interview rules. NBA regulations explicitly state that teams must make players avaliable to the media at given times prior to and after games and also during daytime “shootaround” practice sessions.
■FOOTBALL
Cobbs ‘done,’ coach says
Miami Dolphins running back Patrick Cobbs has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament injury. “Patrick’s done,” said Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano when asked the status of his reserve running back. Cobbs suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of the Dolphins 31-27 win over AFC East rivals, the New York Jets, on Monday. The Dolphins regularly make use of three running backs in their wildcat formation and Cobbs has been part of that line-up alongside starters Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams.
■BASEBALL
Former pitcher dies at 89
Larry Jansen, the winning pitcher for the New York Giants in the 1951 playoff game decided by Bobby Thomson’s “Shot Heard ’Round the World,” has died. He was 89. The San Francisco Giants said Jansen died at his home in Oregon on Saturday. Jansen spent nine years in the major leagues, making his biggest mark with the Giants during their pennant-winning season. He won 23 games in 1951, including one of the biggest in team — and baseball — history. Jansen, in relief of Sal Maglie, struck out two batters in the top of the ninth before the Giants rallied with four runs in the bottom half of the inning — three on Thomson’s homer off Ralph Branca — to beat the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-4 in the third and deciding playoff game. He allowed Mickey Mantle’s first World Series hit — a bunt single in Game 2 of the 1951 Series — and gave up a double to Joe DiMaggio in the eighth inning of Game 6, the final at-bat of the Hall of Famer’s career.
US track and field athletes have about four dozen pieces to choose from when assembling their uniforms at the Olympics. The one grabbing the most attention is a high-cut leotard that barely covers the bikini line and has triggered debate between those who think it is sexist and others who say they do not need the Internet to make sure they have good uniforms. Among those critical or laughing at the uniforms included Paralympian Femita Ayanbeku, sprinter Britton Wilson and even athletes from other countries such as Britain’s Abigail Irozuru, who wrote on social media: “Was ANY female athlete consulted in
Four-time NBA all-star DeMarcus Cousins arrived in Taiwan with his family early yesterday to finish his renewed contract with the Taiwan Beer Leopards in the T1 League. Cousins initially played a four-game contract with the Leopards in January. On March 18, the Taoyuan-based team announced that Cousins had renewed his contract. “Hi what’s up Leopard fans, I’m back. I’m excited to be back and can’t wait to join the team,” Cousins said in a video posted on the Leopard’s Facebook page. “Most of all, can’t wait to see you guys, the fans, next weekend. So make sure you come out and support the Beer
Former US Masters champion Zach Johnson was left embarrassed after a foul-mouthed response to ironic cheers from spectators after a triple bogey at Augusta National on Friday. Johnson, the 2007 Masters winner, missed the cut after his three-over-par round of 75 left him on seven-over 151 for 36 holes, his six on the par-three 12th playing a big role in his downfall. Television footage showed Johnson reacting to sarcastic cheers and applause when he tapped in for the triple bogey by yelling: “Oh fuck off.” Such a response would be considered bad form in any golf tournament, but is particularly out of keeping
Taiwan’s Lee Jhe-huei and Yang Po-hsuan on Saturday won the men’s doubles bronze medal at the Badminton Asia Championships in Ningbo, China, after they were bested by the hosts in their semi-final. The Taiwanese shuttlers lost to China’s Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang, who advanced to yesterday’s final against Malaysia’s Goh Sze Fei and Nur Izzudin. The Chinese pair outplayed Lee and Yang in straight games. Although the Taiwanese got off to a slow start in the first game, they eventually tied it 14-14, before Liang and Wang went on to blow past them to win 21-17. In the second game, Lee and