World No. 1 Jiyai Shin, money leader Na Yeon Choi and Player of the Year pace-setters Yani Tseng and Ai Miyazato fight for year-end honors when the LPGA Tour Championship opens tomorrow.
The US$1.5 million showdown at Grand Cypress Golf Club finds every major award up for grabs with a host of Asian stars in the hunt for them all as well as a US$225,000 top prize in the 120-woman season finale.
Taiwan’s Tseng, South Koreans Shin and Choi, Japan’s Miyazato plus Norway’s second-ranked Suzann Pettersen and third-ranked American Cristie Kerr all have a chance to finish as the season-ending world No. 1 on Sunday night.
Photo: AFP
Shin, coming off the LPGA money title and rookie of the year honors last year, has been atop the rankings for three weeks but Pettersen jumped from fifth to second last month in Mexico with her sixth runner-up finish in a winless year.
Kerr has a slight edge on Tseng for third with No. 5 Choi just ahead of Miyazato.
In the Player of the Year hunt, Tseng — a two-time major winner this year — leads with 188 points followed by Miyazato on 179 and Choi on 174 with Kerr another point back and Shin another three adrift.
With 30 points to the -champion, the fight could reach the final holes.
Miyazato has admitted that the chase for season-long honors has become a distraction over the course of a season in which she has collected five titles.
“I’m going to do my best and not think about the awards and see what happens,” Miyazato said.
Choi, the only woman who could sweep all four main season awards, is the woman to beat on the money list with US$1,814,558. Defending champion Shin is US$34,790 behind and the only rival who can catch Choi.
Choi also leads in quest of the Vare Trophy for low scoring average at 69.77 with Kerr the only rival who can deny her, training at 69.86 entering the LPGA Tour Championship.
“I would be lying if I say I do not care much about winning awards,” Choi said. “I have no control over the outcomes. What I can do is control myself. Even if I come up short, I wouldn’t be disappointed and I wouldn’t regret anything because I will do my very best.”
The field will be cut to the low 70 level after 36 holes and a second cut after 54 holes will trim the lineup to the low 30s for the final 18 holes.
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