Taiwan's golfers have hit a rough patch on the Asian PGA tour, failing to make an impression so far this season.
While South Korea's Charlie Wi managed to improve his position to number two in the Asian PGA tour Order of Merit with his successful defense of the South Korea Telecom Open last Sunday, Wang Ter-chang (汪德昌) was the country's best-placed finisher in 20th position.
The 39-year-old, who has been playing professionally for 17 years, cleared US$4,614 for the long-weekend of work, but must improve if he is to do better than last season, when he was 25th on the Order of Merit with winnings of US$53,147. Presently he is 42nd on the money list with US$14, 109.
Yeh Wei-tze (葉偉志) is ahead of him in 29th position in the Order of Merit, with total winnings so far of US$21,591.
Chen Yuan-chi (陳元車) managed a 32nd-place finish in South Korea, pulling in US$3,177.
The 30-year-old, who turned professional seven years ago, had his best season ever last year.
He finished in the top-60 on the Asian PGA Order of Merit for the first time and missed just two cuts in nine starts to earn US$25,862.
He also tied for seventh place in the Mercuries Masters on home turf and hit headlines all round the world when he beat Tiger Woods in an 18-hole exhibition match at Mission Hills Golf Club in China.
Compatriot Hsieh Yu-shu (謝玉樹) was 39th in South Korea on the Lakeside Country Club course and earned himself US$2,496.
The US$68,079 Wi won in South Korea moved him up from 18th position and took his earnings so far this year to US$96,320.
Wi was one stroke behind Australian Kim Felton with three holes to play on Sunday in South Korea, but birdied the 16th and 18th holes to claim his fifth victory on the Asian PGA tour.
The 30-year-old won the SK Telecom Open last year at Il Dong Lake Country Club after a seven-hole playoff and went on to finish second on the Merit list behind Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee.
India's Arjun Atwal was competing at the Spanish Open last week, but still leads the Asian PGA tour list with winnings of US$173,189.
The Asian PGA tour stays in Korea this week for the Maekyung LG Fashion Open at Nam Seoul Country Club, where Korean Choi Gwang-soo is the defending champion.
Soccer officials yesterday offered “full support and assistance” to the Iranian team in Australia for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup after the US and Israel launched massive attacks on their homeland. Iran’s 26-strong squad arrived on the Gold Coast days before the strikes on Saturday killed supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as Washington and Tel Aviv seek to topple the Islamic republic. They are due to open their tournament today against South Korea. The AFC in a statement said it “continues to closely monitor the recent developments in the Middle East during this challenging period.” “The AFC’s foremost priority remains the welfare, safety and
ROAD RASH: Marc Marquez retired after a crash, marking the first time after 88 consecutive races stretching back to 2021 that a Ducati bike failed to make the podium Marco Bezzecchi yesterday won the MotoGP season-opening grand prix in Thailand from pole position as defending world champion Marc Marquez retired late with a buckled wheel. Aprilia’s Bezzecchi led from start to finish to top the podium in Buriram, with KTM’s Pedro Acosta second and Trackhouse’s Raul Fernandez third. Ducati’s Marquez is chasing a record-equaling eighth world title this season, but he exited the race in dramatic fashion while in fourth place with five laps to go. The Spaniard, who started from second on the grid, took a corner wide, with the jolt to his bike dislodging the rear tire, badly damaging his
EVERY DAY A VICTORY: Players on the women’s team faced pressure from society just getting out onto the field as they prepare for their first Women’s Asian Cup game today Bangladesh’s national soccer team face daunting odds at their first-ever Women’s Asian Cup, but have already scored a major victory by qualifying. In the South Asian nation of 170 million, social stigma, family expectations, poverty and religious hardliners have long relegated women and girls to sports sidelines. The first women’s soccer league matches took place in 2011 and the squad, known to fans as the Red and Green, have kept pressing forward despite deeply embedded prejudices. “Many more girls would have joined us if the community had been even slightly supportive,” captain Afeida Khandaker told AFP ahead of her side’s March 3
Liverpool on Tuesday suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the English Premier League’s bottom club. Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux. Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November last year. However, Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool. It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017. Liverpool
RSS