Top female golfers to duel for honors in only LPGA stop in Korea

The world’s top two-ranked female golfers will take their battle for season-end honors to South Korea this week, as the LPGA Tour makes its only annual stop in the country in the season’s final stretch.The Ocean Course at Sky72 Golf Club, near Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul, will host the LPGA KEB-HanaBank Championship starting Friday. The 54-hole competition will have a $1.9 million purse.This is the sixth year that the Ocean Course will stage the LPGA tourney, which started out i

GolfOct. 14, 2013

[Photo news] Fighter-turned-ring girl makes her debut

Former mixed martial arts fighter Song Ga-yeon debuted as a ring girl for South Korea’s MMA organization Road FC on Saturday.Song made her first appearance as a member of the “Road Girls,” a ring girl team operated by South Korea’s MMA, in the Road FC 013 event in Gumi, South Gyeongsang Province. The 19-year-old became a member of the Road Girls last month.As a fighter, Song has a perfect 4-0 record, two of which came against a male fighter of same weight class, the organization said.(khnews@her

More SportsOct. 14, 2013

Brazil defeats S. Korea in football friendly

Brazil blanked South Korea 2-0 in their football friendly here on Saturday, as its brightest stars came through with goals worthy of highlight reels.Before a record crowd at Seoul World Cup Stadium, FC Barcelona star Neymar and Chelsea sensation Oscar scored a goal apiece, as the visitors outclassed aggressive South Koreans all game.Brazil, currently No. 8 in the world, has beaten the 58th-ranked South Korea in four of their five meetings.Following a relatively quiet early stretch, Neymar lived

SoccerOct. 13, 2013

Federer out in double whammy

SHANGHAI ― As if one loss wasn’t bad enough, Roger Federer was defeated in the third-round singles and second-round doubles back to back on Thursday at the Shanghai Rolex Masters, both in three sets.The whole stadium seemed to be rooting for the world No. 7 ― dubbed the “icon” of this tournament ― but underdog No. 42 Gael Monfils said that didn’t faze him, outplaying the fifth-seeded Swiss icon, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3, for his second win in their eight head-to-heads. Though Federer bounced back from a

More SportsOct. 11, 2013

Seven-way tie for lead in Portugal Masters

VILAMOURA, Portugal (AP) ― Alviro Quiros’ knowhow of his home course was of little advantage as six others tied the 2008 champion for the lead after the first round of the Portugal Masters on Thursday. All seven scored 6-under 65, four of them finishing their rounds with birdies on their last holes at Oceanico Victoria Golf Course. Nine other players shot 66. In all, 68 players, more than half of the field, went under par in ideal conditions. Jamie Donaldson of Wales had the lead at 7 under unti

GolfOct. 11, 2013

Shanghai top seeds sweep 2nd round

SHANGHAI ― The rain clouds cleared and the top eight seeds came out to play at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Wednesday, sweeping round two of the singles.At the outdoor courts, seventh-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pleased the swarms of compatriot fans here as he breezed past Spaniard Pablo Andujar, 6-3, 6-2, while third-seeded David Ferrer of Spain picked up his 50th win of the season over Czech Lukas Rosol, 6-3, 6-4.But winning wasn’t easy, particularly with center court opener Argentine

More SportsOct. 10, 2013

Wainwright, Cards oust Pirates

ST. LOUIS (AP) ― Nobody’s better than the St. Louis Cardinals when they can’t afford to lose.Adam Wainwright went all the way on the mound and St. Louis got two-run homers from David Freese and Matt Adams to beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-1 Wednesday night, advancing to the NL Championship Series for the third straight season.Wainwright scattered eight hits in his second dominant win of the division series, coming through for the Cardinals in a winner-take-all Game 5. St. Louis gets to stay at ho

BaseballOct. 10, 2013

Treble would be tops for Korea’s Choi

SEOUL (AFP) ― South Korean star Choi Kyung-ju Wednesday said he was hoping to become the first player to win the same Asian Tour event three times in a row at this week’s CJ Invitational.Choi, who hosts the event, won the inaugural edition in 2011 and defended his title last year. However, the eight-time PGA Tour winner is without a victory this season.“I’m eyeing a third win in this event but obviously it won’t be easy,” said Choi, ahead of the $750,000 event in Yeoju, South Korea.“No player ha

GolfOct. 9, 2013

Park In-bee opens Malaysian defense on confidence high

KUALA LUMPUR (AP) ― World No.1 Park In-bee will have the Rolex Player of the Year rankings in mind when she opens her LPGA Malaysia title defense at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club on Thursday.The 25-year-old Park recovered from a recent dip in form by finishing third at the Reignwood Classic in Beijing last weekend. Park marked the first half of the season with six wins including three majors. What followed was a frustrating period from July when she found it hard to even record a top-10 finis

GolfOct. 9, 2013

China’s last man falls

SHANGHAI ― China’s No. 1 male player Zhang Ze was unable to translate the success he had seen at Roger Federer’s side in his first-round singles match at the Shanghai Rolex Masters on Tuesday, as the last of China’s singles wild cards folded. Although the seats were packed with people lining the stairs of the bleachers to cheer him on, Zhang saw none of the rah-rah that came from his doubles victory at center court the previous day, when he and fifth-seeded Roger Federer trumped South Africa’s K

More SportsOct. 9, 2013

Red Sox put Rays away

ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (AP) ― Shane Victorino’s infield single snapped a seventh-inning tie and journeyman Craig Breslow gave Boston a huge boost out of the bullpen, sending the Red Sox into the AL championship series with a 3-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.Back in the ALCS for the first time in five years, they’ll open at home Saturday against the Athletics or Tigers. Oakland hosts Detroit in a decisive Game 5 on Thursday.“It’s great, but we’ve still got one more to get whe

BaseballOct. 9, 2013