South Korea’s Lee Sung surged into a two-shot halfway lead at the Black Mountain Masters yesterday, three weeks after having an implant surgically put into his right ear to help him hear after being born deaf.
It was the first time in his life he had been able to hear the applause from the galleries, the 30-year-old said, after he lit up the Asian Tour season finale with a stunning eight-under-par 64 at the Black Mountain Golf Club.
Thai youngster Namchoak Tantipokakul, fighting for his Tour card, signed for a 64 to trail the leader, who heads the field on 14-under-par 130.
Another Thai newcomer, Piya Swangarunporn, shot a 65 to lie four back in third place, followed by countryman Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who returned a 66.
“I feel happy after the operation. I can hear the ball’s impact, which helps a lot when I’m chipping. I can also hear the applause from the crowds, which is good,” said Lee, whose lone Asian Tour victory was three years ago in Thailand.
Fighting to earn his card for next year, Namchoak battled into contention with a nine birdie round.
He has lost 5kg since August and said carrying less weight has helped.
“The key this week is that I’m ready to play. To play in so many events, you need to be fit,” he said.
“This course is not an easy walk and it’s tiring but I feel confident,” said Namchoak, who tipped the scales previously at 103kg.
SOUTH AFRICAN OPEN
AFP, DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA
Only 143 minutes play was possible due to torrential rain on the opening day of the South African Open at Durban Country Club on Thursday.
Recently resurfaced greens became saturated and puddles of water dotted some fairways on the 6,156m course.
There was sufficient time for five competitors to go two-under, including two-time US Open champion Retief Goosen of South Africa.
Revelations of positive doping tests for nearly two dozen Chinese swimmers that went unpunished sparked an intense flurry of accusations and legal threats between the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the head of the US drug-fighting organization, who has long been one of WADA’s fiercest critics. WADA on Saturday said it was turning to legal counsel to address a statement released by US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart, who said WADA and anti-doping authorities in China swept positive tests “under the carpet by failing to fairly and evenly follow the global rules that apply to everyone else in the world.” The
Taiwanese judoka Yang Yung-wei on Saturday won silver in the men’s under-60kg category at the Asian Judo Championships in Hong Kong. Nicknamed the “judo heartthrob” in Taiwan, the Olympic silver-medalist missed out on his first Asian Championships gold when he lost to Japanese judoka Taiki Nakamura in the finals. Yang defeated three opponents on Saturday to reach the final after receiving a bye through the round of 32. He first topped Laotian Soukphaxay Sithisane in the round of 16 with two seoi nage (over-the-shoulder throws), then ousted Indian Vijay Kumar Yadav in the quarter-finals with his signature ude hishigi sankaku gatame (triangular armlock). He
Rafael Nadal on Wednesday said the upcoming French Open would be the moment to “give everything and die” on the court after his comeback from injury in Barcelona was curtailed by Alex de Minaur. The 22-time Grand Slam title winner, back playing this week after three months on the sidelines, battled well, but eventually crumbled 7-5, 6-1 against the world No. 11 from Australia in the second round. Nadal, 37, who missed virtually all of last season, is hoping to compete at the French Open next month where he is the record 14-time champion. The Spaniard said the clash with De Minaur was
RALLY: It was only the second time the Taiwanese has partnered with Kudermetova, and the match seemed tight until they won seven points in a row to take the last set 10-2 Taiwan’s Chan Hao-ching and Russia’s Veronika Kudermetova on Sunday won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix women’s doubles final in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair defeated Norway’s Ulrikke Eikeri and Estonia’s Ingrid Neel 4-6, 6-3, 10-2 in a tightly contested match at the WTA 500 tournament. Chan and Kudermetova fell 4-6 in the first set after having their serve broken three times, although they played increasingly well. They fought back in the second set and managed to break their opponents’ serve in the eighth game to triumph 6-3. In the tiebreaker, Chan and Kudermetova took a 3-0 lead before their opponents clawed back two points, but