Ryder Cup star Rory McIlroy vowed yesterday to lay to rest the ghost of two runners-up spots at the Hong Kong Open and make it third time lucky against a glittering field.
The current world No. 10, who tees off in Hong Kong today, lost a thrilling play-off to Taiwan’s Lin Wen-tang in 2008 before falling just short a year later against Frenchman Gregory Bourdy.
“It’s fair to say that I have some unfinished business in Hong Kong,” the 21-year-old from Northern Ireland said. “I won’t rest until I have the UBS Hong Kong Open title in my bag.”
McIlroy, who described the event as one of his favorite weeks of the year, revealed he would be relaxing ahead of the tournament with a visit to the city’s Happy Valley racecourse.
McIlroy caused a stir on Tuesday after arriving in Hong Kong sporting new blond highlights.
“It can get pretty boring in Belfast in November and they say blonds have more fun, so we’ll see if that can work this week,” he said.
Among McIlroy’s biggest rivals in a wide-open field will be compatriot Graeme McDowell and defending Hong Kong Open champion Gregory Bourdy, as well as PGA Tour star John Daly and China’s top pro, Liang Wenchong.
McIlroy, McDowell and Ian Poulter were instrumental in Europe’s -momentous Ryder Cup win last month, as was two-time Hong Kong Open champion Miguel Angel Jimenez, who returns in search of his third title.
Poulter said the course was in the best condition he’d ever seen and favored “positional golf.”
“I’ve had seven birdies in the Pro-Am today,” he said. “So you can shoot any score on this golf course if you really get it going, take advantage of the par fives that you can reach in two and also take advantage of some of the short fours.”
The Europeans will be performing under the watchful eye of their Ryder Cup team captain and vice captain, Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley, both of whom are also competing in Hong Kong.
Santiago Castro on Tuesday had an immediate impact off the bench as he scored the goal to send Bologna into the Coppa Italia semi-finals for the first time in 26 years. Bologna won 1-0 against last year’s runners-up, Atalanta BC, and are to play either holders Juventus or Empoli in the final four. Juventus are to host Empoli in their quarter-final on Feb. 26. The last time Bologna reached the semi-finals was in 1999, when they lost 4-2 to ACF Fiorentina. There were chances for both sides in a high-tempo match in Bergamo, but it was Bologna who broke the deadlock 10 minutes from
After nearly six years away from the NBA, New Taipei Kings player Jeremy Lin (林書豪) is set to participate in the 2025 NBA All-Star Weekend’s Rising Stars mini-tournament as the coach of Team G League. The NBA announced Monday (U.S. time) that the Taiwanese-American player will join a trio of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famers – Tim Hardaway Sr., Chris Mullin, and Mitch Richmond – as honorary coaches for four teams featuring 28 rising talents. "See you soon in the Bay," Lin wrote in an Instagram story sharing the news. As the All-Star Weekend will take place at
The former interpreter for baseball star Shohei Ohtani on Thursday was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for bank and tax fraud after he stole nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers player’s bank account. Ippei Mizuhara, who was supposed to bridge the gap between the Japanese athlete and his English-speaking teammates and fans, was sentenced in federal court in Santa Ana to four years and nine months after pleading guilty last year. He was ordered to pay US$18 million in restitution, with nearly US$17 million going to Ohtani and the remainder to the US Internal Revenue Service. He was
The 40-year-old LeBron James on Thursday became the oldest player to score 40 points in an NBA game, putting up a season-high 42 in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 120-112 victory over the Golden State Warriors. James passed the record held by Michael Jordan, his idol and the only other NBA player to score 40 after his 40th birthday. “I’m old, that’s my take,” James said when asked about his latest achievement. “I need a glass of wine and some sleep, that’s what I think.” Jordan did it for the Washington Wizards just three days after turning 40 in February 2003. James is 38