The Korea Herald

Park signs with agency in hopes of landing MLB deal

South Korean slugger Park Byung-ho, hoping to reach Major League Baseball next year, has signed on with the same U.S. agency that represents his ex-teammate and current Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Kang Jung-ho, an informed industry source told Yonhap on Wednesday.The source, privy to big league player movements, said Park, the hard-hitting first baseman for the Nexen Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organization, has joined Octagon, and that the agency has been in touch with at least two MLB clubs,

BaseballJan. 28, 2015

New star Lee puts team ahead of personal goals

SYDNEY (Yonhap) ― South Korea has made an impressive run to the championship final at the AFC Asian Cup this month, with little-known forward Lee Jeong-hyeop having emerged as an unlikely source of offense.Lee, who’d never before played for South Korea internationally, is tied for the team lead with two goals at the tournament. Lee Jeong-hyeop (Yonhap)He has started each of the past three matches as the team’s featured striker.On Wednesday, Lee said it doesn’t matter if he gets to play as long a

SoccerJan. 28, 2015

New star Lee puts team ahead of personal goals

Serena through to Australian Open semis

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) ― Serena Williams moved one step closer to her 19th Grand Slam title by beating Dominika Cibulkova 6-2, 6-2 in 65 minutes Wednesday to advance to the Australian Open semifinals.The No. 1-ranked Williams displayed her immense power, reeling off heavy returns that included 58 winners compared to 38 from Cibulkova, last year’s runner-up.Williams played on Rod Laver Arena right after her older sister, Venus, lost her quarterfinal to 19-year-old American Madison Keys. The lo

More SportsJan. 28, 2015

Wie set for LPGA Tour opener

OCALA, Florida (AP) ― Well-rested and healthy, Michelle Wie is ready to get back to work.“I’m very excited for this year,” said Wie, set to begin play Wednesday in the LPGA Tour’s season-opening Coates Golf Championship. “No major swing changes. Just working on building upon last year. I want to just keep the momentum going, just keep building.“My goal for this year is the same. I want to be consistent, but at the same time I want to get a little bit better each and every day.” The 25-year-old W

GolfJan. 28, 2015

Koreans tough enough for Aussies, says captain Ki

South Korea could thrive in the role of underdogs when they face hosts Australia in the Asian Cup final this weekend, says skipper Ki Sung-Yueng.Having reached the final for the first time in 27 years battered, bruised and held together by team spirit and sheer bloody-mindedness, the Swansea City midfielder told Korean reporters on Wednesday that the Red Devils had the steel to go all the way. "I believe it will come down to mental strength," said Ki, who has been a calming influence on South

SoccerJan. 28, 2015

Diamond in the rough

SYDNEY (Yonhap) ― The improbable success story of South Korean forward Lee Jeong-hyeop became even more so on Monday at the AFC Asian Cup, as the 23-year-old forward scored his second goal of the tournament against Iraq, putting South Korea in the championship final.Lee headed in the team’s first goal in the 20th minute of the 2-0 semifinal victory in Sydney. Lee, who had previously never played in an international tournament, has now scored three times in his first six international matches.Wit

SoccerJan. 27, 2015

Park faces hearing after positive doping test

Reeling from the shocking news of a failed doping test, South Korean Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan faces an international hearing, officials said Tuesday.The news of Park’s positive test emerged Monday, and his Seoul-based agency Team GMP, while confirming the result, blamed it on an injection given by a local hospital.The Korea Swimming Federation said Tuesday that Park had actually failed a test administered by FINA, the international swimming governing body, rather than the World An

More SportsJan. 27, 2015

Park faces hearing after positive doping test

Arsenal faces tricky FA Cup game against Middlesbrough

LONDON (AP) ― Defending champion Arsenal was handed a potentially tricky fifth-round game in the FA Cup on Monday when it was drawn at home against second-tier Middlesbrough.Middlesbrough eliminated Premier League champion Manchester City in one of Saturday’s many fourth-round upsets and will hope to produce another shock at the Emirates Stadium.Bradford was rewarded for its 4-2 win at Chelsea with a home game against either Premier League struggler Sunderland or League Championship club Fulham.

SoccerJan. 27, 2015

LPGA opens with top field

OCALA, Florida (AFP) ― Top-ranked Park In-bee of South Korea and second-ranked New Zealand teen Lydia Ko will try to follow stellar 2014 campaigns with hot 2015 starts when the LPGA season begins Wednesday.The inaugural $1.5 million Coates Championship in suburban Orlando, Florida, marks the opening of a 33-event global calendar offering $61.6 million in prize money.The opening tournament features a field of 120 with a Wednesday to Saturday schedule to avoid a final-day conflict with American fo

GolfJan. 27, 2015

Swimmer Park Tae-hwan faces hearing after positive doping test

Reeling from the shocking news of a failed doping test, South Korean Olympic swimming champion Park Tae-hwan faces an international hearing, South Korea's national swimming body said Tuesday. The news of Park's positive test emerged Monday, and his Seoul-based agency Team GMP, while confirming the result, blamed it on an injection given by a local hospital.The Korea Swimming Federation (KSF) said Tuesday that Park had actually failed a test administered by FINA, the international swimming govern

SportsJan. 27, 2015

Swimmer Park Tae-hwan faces hearing after positive doping test

Bill Haas pulls away to win Humana Challenge

LA QUINTA, California (AP) ― Bill Haas pulled ahead with a 20-foot birdie putt on the par-4 16th and parred the final two holes for a one-stroke victory Sunday in the Humana Challenge.Haas closed with a 5-under 67 for his sixth PGA Tour title and first since the 2013 AT&T National. He won the 2010 event at PGA West for his first tour victory.Haas was making his first start since November. He took the long break to rest his left wrist, fractured in April when he fell down stairs at Hilton Head.Pa

GolfJan. 26, 2015

Bill Haas pulls away to win Humana Challenge

Order restored in FA Cup as big teams avoid upsets

LONDON (AP) ― After one of the most startling days in the FA Cup’s 144-year history, three Premier League clubs restored order Sunday with fourth-round victories to stem the flow of upsets.Arsenal, West Ham and Aston Villa beat lower-league opponents a day after Chelsea and Manchester City were among five of the Premier League’s top nine clubs to be ousted.Juventus and Lyon, meanwhile, tightened their grips on first place in the Italian and French leagues.Arsenal beat second-tier Brighton 3-2 af

SoccerJan. 26, 2015

Historic Super Bowl no matter the winner

PHOENIX (AP) ― An historic Super Bowl is before us.Next Sunday, Seattle goes for a second straight title, seeking to be the first team to repeat since the Patriots a decade ago. A victory, particularly a convincing one, would stamp the Seahawks as one of the great teams of the Super Bowl era.Meanwhile, New England’s coach and quarterback chase a record-tying fourth Super Bowl ring.Yet, as has been the custom this season, major distractions have taken focus away from the field.As much as Tom Brad

More SportsJan. 26, 2015

S. Korea defeats Iraq 2-0 to reach AFC Asian Cup final

South Korea defeated Iraq 2-0 to reach the final of the AFC Asian Cup on Monday.Forward Lee Jeong-hyeop and defensive back Kim Young-gwon scored a goal apiece in each half to put South Korea on the path to its first Asian Cup title since 1960. South Korea will make its first appearance in the final in 27 years.The championship final will be Saturday, also in Sydney. The other semifinals showdown will be between Australia and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday in Newcastle.The 69th-ranked South

SoccerJan. 26, 2015

Ernie Banks mourned in sports world and beyond

CHICAGO (AP) ― To Chicago Cubs fans, Ernie Banks was sunshine that cut through decades of darkness. To baseball players, he was the spirit of the game.His teammates loved him, and his list of admirers included President Barack Obama to Pearl Jam to athletes from all over the sports world.And they all got the same person, all the time.“Ernie was exactly what you saw,” said Don Kessinger, a shortstop who played with Banks in the 1960s. “He was a great ballplayer, a great teammate and a great frien

BaseballJan. 25, 2015

Ernie Banks mourned in sports world and beyond

Showdown looms

SYDNEY (AFP) ― South Korea will be praying lightning does not strike twice when it faces Iraq in the Asian Cup semi-finals on Monday, having limped to the last four battered and bruised.The Koreans have failed to win Asia’s showcase tournament since 1960 ― a curious anomaly for a country with a proud footballing pedigree and who famously reached the last four of the World Cup in 2002.But as coach Uli Stielike tries to rouse his injury-hit squad for Monday’s clash, memories of Iraq’s fairytale ru

SoccerJan. 25, 2015

Ronaldo sees red in Real Madrid’s win

LONDON (AP) ― World player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo earned a red card for kicking an opponent during Real Madrid’s latest win in the Spanish league to overshadow a day of shocks in England’s FA Cup.In an uncharacteristic outburst, Ronaldo lashed out in anger at a defender and then swiped the face of another opponent toward the end of Madrid’s 2-1 win at Cordoba that kept the European champions top of the standings above Barcelona.Four of the Premier League’s top six were eliminated from the

SoccerJan. 25, 2015

Federer dumped from Open as Nadal, Sharapova survive

MELBOURNE (AFP) -- A stunned Roger Federer was dumped from the Australian Open Friday in his worst showing since 2001 as Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova bounced back to stay in the title hunt.In the tournament's biggest upset, the Swiss world number two had no answer to Italian Andreas Seppi, who he had conquered in their past 10 meetings."Just a bad day. I wish I could have played better but clearly it was tough losing the first two sets," Federer said after crashing out in the third round 6-4

SportsJan. 23, 2015

3 FIFA sponsors won't renew for 2018 World Cup in Russia

ZURICH (AP) -- Three second-tier World Cup sponsors opting not to renew for the 2018 tournament in Russia was normal in sports business, FIFA insisted on Friday.Castrol, Continental and Johnson & Johnson all let their World Cup commercial deals expire in December amid widespread allegations of corruption implicating FIFA executive committee members.The companies were among eight second-tier FIFA partners who collectively paid $524 million to be associated with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which

SportsJan. 23, 2015

Putnam shoots 63 to take Humana Challenge lead

LA QUINTA, California (AP) ― Phil Mickelson got most attention in his return to competition after a four-month break, Blake Adams got a lot more out of his comeback round, and Michael Putnam took the lead in Thursday’s opening round of the Humana Challenge.Putnam made nine birdies in an 11-hole stretch in his 63. He birdied Nos. 7, 9 and 10 on the Jack Nicklaus Private Course and ran off six in a row on Nos. 12-17.“The course is in perfect shape,” Putnam said. “Greens are good. ... I made a lot

More SportsJan. 23, 2015