Monday, May 18, 2009
THE SPORT 27
DAILY XPRESS
South Korea’s Bae Sang- moon wins in Seoul after a thrilling play-off with Oh South Korea’s Bae Sangmoon fended off a strong challenge from compatriot Ted Oh in a thrilling play-off to win the GS Caltex Maekyung Open yesterday. Bae defeated his rival on the second play-off hole at the Nam Seoul Country Club with a par on the par-four 18th after Oh bogeyed with a disappointing three-putt. Bae has now secured a hat trick of victories on home soil
after chalking up wins on the Asian Tour at the SK Telecom Open in 2007 and the KolonHana Bank Korea Open in 2008. “It’s unbelievable! I’ve never played in a play-off before and to win the event this way is always something special. I want to thank all my fans for coming out here and supporting me,” said the champion. Bae’s win also meant that
Bae Sang-moon after winning the GS Caltex Maekyung Open. the GS Caltex Maekyung Open trophy will be kept on home soil for another year, as there
has been no international winner since Mark Calcavecchia of the United States won in 2004. The South Koreans dominated the tournament, with Kim Jong-duk and Kim Daesub taking a share of third place on 283 with another Korean trio of Kim Hyungsung, Byun Jin-jae and Kang Kyung-nam tied for fifth at 284. Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing
GOLF
A CLEAN SWEEP Thailand boys and girls dominate Asia-Pacific Junior Golf C’ships
ter entering the third round ahead by two strokes.
Lowry, Rock share lead
DAILY XPRESS
hailand made a clean sweep of the titles in the team competitions in the 30th AsiaPacific Junior Championships at the Royal Hua Hin Golf Course yesterday. Their success was never in doubt as they were in supreme form from the opening day before comfortably cruising to wire-to-wire victories in both boy’s and girl’s events. Having endured a disastrous third round on Saturday with a combined score of seven overpar 223, the hosts’ boys comprising Atthachai Jaichalard, Poom Saksangsil, Ratthanon Wanasrichan and Natthawat Suwachanakorn recovered to round off a fine week with a dominant performance. The Thais retained the prestigious Janya Cup title named after Air Chief Marshall Janya Sukhonthasap, the former president of the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation and Thailand Golf Association, for the second successive year with the total score of 873, leaving the Philippines in the second spot, a staggering 26-strokes behind. Poom missed out on winning the top individual honours, though. Prin Sirisommhai edged him to the overall trophy by two strokes with a four-day score of 287. However, Poom was handed a consolation, winning the Class A trophy. Ratthanon needed a play-off to seal the win in the B
T
Thailand Golf Association president Rungsrid Luxsitanonda, fourth from right, with the Thai team’s winning players. category after finishing level with Filipino Miguel Tabuena on 290. “It’s my debut. I can’t believe that I could win the title the first time. But, I’m still not happy with my form,” said the 17-year-old Prin. Kwanchai Kongtawee and Puwit Anusuebsai ensured the hosts take all the honours in the boy’s divisions by claiming titles in Class C and D with threeround scores of 211 and 212 respectively. In the girl’s team competition, the Thai team containing Jutanugarn sisters, Moriya and Ariya, and a 10-year-old Nichakorn Muangkam, also comfortably strode to victory, finishing with a three-round score of 423, 13 strokes ahead of runners-up South Korea. However, all was not sweet for the reigning Junior Open champion Moriya after she failed to clinch the overall title, losing to South Korea’s Kim Dong-Hee who won it with a 214. Moriya and her team-
mates Ariya and Nichakorn, however, claimed the Class A, B and D titles respectively, while Pinyada Kuwanan secured the Class C crown.
Pettersen, Oh lead Suzann Pettersen and Ji Young Oh shot 3-under 69s to take a one-stroke lead over Brittany Lincicome after three rounds of the Sybase Classic on Saturday. Pettersen of Norway and Oh of South Korea had 54-hole totals of 12-under 204 at Upper Montclair Country Club. Paula Creamer and Michelle Wie shot 69s and were three shots behind the leaders in the $2 million tournament that could have a new champion. Three-time defending champion Lorena Ochoa is 10 shots off the lead after a 72. Hee Young Park was four shots off the pace after a 67. The 21-year-old South Korean is looking for her first US LPGA victory. Lincicome shot a 72 af-
Irish amateur Shane Lowry bogeyed the final hole to drop back into a tie for the lead with Robert Rock after the third round in the Irish Open at Baltray. Lowry three-putted the par-5 last as Rock holed a 20-foot putt for birdie. The Irishman finished with 71, Rock had 69. They had totals of 200, 16 under par. Johan Edfors of Sweden shot the day’s best round of 68, four under par, on a day when play was suspended for 5 hours because of high winds. He was two shots behind on 202. Lowry, who took a twostroke lead into the third round after his 10-under 62 in gentle conditions Friday, kept his nose in front throughout the final round – until the last. His third shot was too strong and finished behind the pin 30 feet away. He putted six feet past and missed. “I felt a bit nervy playing the last but I still feel I can win tomorrow,” the 22-year-old from central Ireland said. If he succeeds, he will be the second amateur to win on the European Tour this year following Danny Lee in the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth three months ago. Rock hit a poor second shot at the 18th and his 9-iron third finished 20 feet away. But he holed it. Rock has been second twice this year as he seeks his first Tour victory in his seventh year on tour.
took a share of eighth place together with South Korea’s Noh Seung-yul, Son Hyun-ho, SK Ho and Lee Seung-ho at 285. The race for first place was tight throughout the day, with just one shot separating many of the contenders for the title at the 470,000-dollar event. Oh could have sealed victory, and his maiden Asian Tour title, had he birdied the 18th hole from five feet.
Johnson shoots 60 to top the board A P , San Antonio
efending champion Zach Johnson matched the La Cantera course record with a 10under 60 to take a threestroke lead in the suspended third round of the rainsoaked Texas Open on Saturday. Johnson holed out from 84 yards for an eagle on the par-4 seventh and had eight birdies on the soggy course in the round interrupted by a five-hour rain delay. He tapped in for par on the 18th hole seconds after the horn blew and darkness suspended play. Paul Goydos and threetime champion Justin Leonard were 12 under through 12 holes. “I hit a lot of quality shots. I think I had to get up and down twice for par,” Johnson said. “I don’t think I missed a green on the backside.” Johnson wore his sunglasses down to the end as dusk turned to dark, having to peer over them on the tee box at No 18 before pushing them right back on his face. He needed just 11 holes to erase a sevenstroke deficit after waiting until nearly 4.25pm to start his round. An afternoon storm dumped more than 2 inches (5 centimetres) of rain, causing the longest delay on the US PGA Tour this year. Fourteen players will finish the round on Sunday before starting the final 18, when they’ll re-pair.
D