England yesterday moved to the top of Pool A in the LPGA’s International Crown team event by beating Taiwan in both second-round four-ball matches, while hosts South Korea dropped to second spot after recording a win and a loss against Australia.
The US led Pool B on six points after the defending champions blanked Thailand in their two early matches, while Sweden were two points behind following a split of their games against Japan.
The four-day biennial event, which is being held at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, South Korea, pits four players from eight nations against each other.
Tee-times were moved up to early morning in a bid to avoid the worst of the weather from approaching Typhoon Kong-rey, though conditions were far from easy as heavy rain fell steadily throughout the morning.
However, England’s Bronte Law and Jodi Ewart Shadoff looked at ease in the rain, thumping Taiwanese pair Candie Kung and Phoebe Yao 6 and 4, before Charley Hull and British Open champion Georgia Hall won 2 and 1 against Hsu Wei-ling and Teresa Lu.
“It was playing much longer,” Ewart Shadoff said. “There was a couple of par-fours that weren’t reachable, so that was interesting, but it’s match play, so it doesn’t really matter. Obviously, not as many birdies as yesterday, but I think pars win holes today given the rain.”
England were on seven points after three wins and a tie, with South Korea a point behind.
After helping the hosts win both their matches against Taiwan on the opening day, Kim In-kyung and Park Sung-hyun yesterday failed to find a spark and went down 3 and 2 to Australians Katherine Kirk and Su Oh.
Ryu So-yeon and Chun In-gee saved the day for the favorites with a 2 and 1 victory over Minjee Lee and Sarah Jane Smith.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care