South Korea’s Mo Joong-kyung claimed a three shot victory at the Singha Thailand PGA Championship yesterday, ending a 12-year title drought on the Asian Tour.
He held off challenges from Filipino Juvic Pagunsan and local hero Prayad Marksaeng with a superb final round seven-under 65 to claim the US$47,550 first prize.
But Mo had to fight for his prize as Pagusan — with whom he shared the overnight lead — battled brilliantly on the back nine to stay hot on his heels before settling for second following a 68.
In-form Prayad, chasing a third victory this month, got to within two shots of the lead, but ran out of holes to finish with a 66 to share third place with Australia’s David Gleeson, who charged up the leaderboard with a blistering 64.
“This is a very special moment for me,” said Mo, who lifted his second Asian Tour title with a 21-under 267 total. “The first time I won in Guam in 1996, that got me going in my career and I won four times back home after that. But winning in Asia again after 12 long years is very special.”
Mo got to the turn in 33 to open up a two shot advantage, but a bogey on the 10th kept the chasing pack in with a chance. It was exhibition golf as Mo and Pagunsan traded three straight birdies from the 11th to the 14th.
The lead was back to two after Mo knocked in a 10 foot birdie on 15. After Pagunsan ran his 25 foot eagle attempt well past the pin on 18, Mo birdied it and celebrated with a clenched fist.
Pagunsan said: “I played good, but Mo putted so well, he made nearly everything. There was no doubt he was the deserving winner. I threw everything at him and kept going at him, but he was just too good.”
Malaysia’s Ben Leong settled for fifth after a final round 69, while Thailand’s Prom Meesawat was sixth after carding a 67.
The Asian Tour will take a break for a month before resuming with the Selangor Masters in Malaysia in early August.
BRITISH OPEN
AFP, LONDON
Ryder Cup stars Darren Clarke, Paul McGinley and Jose Maria Olazabal will be among 120 players at Sunningdale today battling it out for just 12 last-gasp slots for next month’s British Open.
Two-times Masters winner Olazabal will be playing his first competitive golf since missing the halfway at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth five weeks ago.
He missed last year’s Open at Carnoustie with knee trouble, was out for seven months over the winter because of rheumatism and since his return in March has been battling fatigue.
Clarke and McGinley would have avoided the qualifier with a top-three finish in the French Open, but now face this route of trying to keep their Open runs going.
Asian Open champion Clarke, runner-up to Justin Leonard in 1997 and third behind David Duval in 2001, has played every championship since failing to qualify as an amateur in 1990.
McGinley, second after the opening round last year, last missed out in 1995.
Also in the field are Thomas Bjorn, who came close to winning at Sandwich in 2003, last July’s leading amateur Rory McIlroy and France’s Thomas Levet, beaten only at the fifth hole of a play-off by Ernie Els at Muirfield in 2002.
A further 12 spots are on offer in America and the 120 players there include Jesper Parnevik, twice a runner-up, Australian Steve Elkington, who was in the same play-off as Els and Levet, and Davis Love.
Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen yesterday exited at the BWF World Tour Finals in China, losing in the semi-finals to China’s world No. 1 Shi Yuqi. Shi, who was named the BWF Men’s Singles Player of the Year, had a 9-4 record against Chou going into the match. He extended that record to 9-5 with a 21-14, 21-18 victory. Chou advanced to the men’s singles semi-finals on Friday by upsetting top-seeded Anders Antonsen of Denmark in a must-win match at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium. The 16-21, 21-18, 21-15 victory saw Chou secure his second semi-finals appearance at the tournament, despite his relatively older
‘REMARKABLE’: Gaelic football is a traditional Irish sport that blends the skills of soccer and rugby, and hurling is an ancient sport played with a wooden stick and ‘sliotar’ The Taiwan Celts Gaelic Football Club marked a milestone achievement at the Asian Gaelic Games in Bangkok on Nov. 23 and 24, with two sides advancing to the knockout stages and competing at hurling for the first time. The event brought together 68 teams from 16 clubs across Asia, with more than 800 players in men’s and women’s tournaments. Gaelic football is a traditional Irish team sport that blends the skills of soccer, rugby union and basketball. Hurling is an ancient Irish sport played with a wooden stick, called a hurley, and a small ball, or sliotar. The Taiwan Celts’ women’s team reached
India’s chess star Gukesh Dommaraju returned to a hero’s welcome in his home city yesterday after becoming the youngest world champion aged only 18. Hundreds of fans crowded the arrivals area of Chennai International Airport, cheering alongside banks of television cameras as Gukesh made his way out of the airport after victory in taking the World Chess Championship title. “It means a lot to bring back the trophy to India,” Gukesh told reporters, with garlands of flowers draped around his neck, brandishing the glittering trophy in his hand. “I can see the support and what it means to India, I
LIVERPOOL WIN: The 50th Champions League goal by Mohamed Salah helped the leaders of the Premier League to keep their perfect record intact Real Madrid’s big stars on Tuesday turned on the style to revive the Spanish giant’s faltering UEFA Champions League title defense. Galacticos Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham all scored in a thrilling 3-2 win against Serie A leaders Atalanta BC. However, Madrid still had to ride their luck as Mateo Retegui fired over from in front of goal in stoppage-time when handed a golden chance to level the game. It was only Madrid’s third win in the competition’s revamped league phase and leaves the 15-time champions in the unseeded playoff positions in 18th place. “It’s a very important win. Not everyone wins
RSS