Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat stepped closer to victory in the season-opening Asian Tour International yesterday, but standing in his way was Filipino Mars Pucay.
The 39-year-old Pucay fired a second successive three-under 69 at the Suwan Golf and Country Club to share the halfway lead with co-overnight leader Kiradech, who returned a 70 for a six-under 138 total.
One shot back is in-form Singaporean Lam Chih Bing, who also carded a 70, while American rookie David Johnson sneaked into contention with another 70 to lie three shots back with Thai duo Thammanoon Srirot and Wisut Artjanawat, and Filipino Angelo Que, who shot the day’s best round of 67.
At 14 years and 71 days Thai amateur Atiwit Janewattananond became the youngest player to make the halfway cut on the Asian Tour after shooting a 73 for tied eighth place. Atiwit was joined on 142 by, among others, Malaysia’s Ben Leong, India’s rising star Gaganjeet Bhullar and eight-time Japan Tour winner Hideto Tanihara.
Atiwit, a grade eight student and a member of the Thai amateur squad, eclipsed Taiwan’s Lo Shih-kai, who was 14 years and 275 days at the 2003 Taiwan Open.
Kiradech turned in 37, but fought back with four birdies and a bogey to keep alive his dreams of a first home Asian Tour win.
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set