The Korea Herald

Koreans fail to match milestone winning run

South Korean contenders came up short of matching a milestone winning streak on the LPGA Tour on Sunday in Oregon.Kim In-kyung lost to Austin Ernst on the first hole of their sudden death playoff at the Portland Classic at the par-72 Columbia Edgewater Country Club.Kim was trying to become the fourth consecutive South Korean winner on the LPGA Tour. Three other South Koreans, Lee Mi-rim, Park In-bee and Ryu, had taken the past three LPGA tournaments.The last time South Koreans won on the tour fo

GolfSept. 1, 2014

N. Korea to send first batch of athletes next week

North Korea will send its first batch of athletes competing at the Asian Games south of the border about a week before the event’s opening ceremony, officials here said Monday.North Korea plans to send 150 athletes to the Asian Games, which will open in the South Korean city of Incheon on Sept. 19 for a 16-day run. The men’s and women’s football tournaments, however, will kick things off on Sept. 14. With North Korea participating in both, its footballers will arrive on Sept. 11, according to th

More SportsSept. 1, 2014

Big league dream on hold, pitcher Yoon Suk-min to return home: agency

His dream of playing in Major League Baseball on hold for now, South Korean pitcher Yoon Suk-min will soon return home after wrapping up his minor league season in the Baltimore Orioles organization, his agency said Monday.The Orioles designated Yoon for assignment last Sunday to make room for other players in their 40-man roster. Yoon cleared waivers and was outrighted to Norfolk. Such a move is designed to clear space for players not on the 40-man roster, and a player already in the minors, su

BaseballSept. 1, 2014

Koreans fail to match milestone winning run on LPGA Tour

South Korean contenders came up short of matching a milestone winning streak on the LPGA Tour on Sunday in Oregon.Kim In-kyung lost to Austin Ernst on the first hole of their sudden death playoff at the Portland Classic at the par-72 Columbia Edgewater Country Club.Kim was trying to become the fourth consecutive South Korean winner on the LPGA Tour. Three other South Koreans, Lee Mi-rim, Park In-bee and Ryu, had taken the past three LPGA tournaments.The last time South Koreans won on the tour fo

GolfSept. 1, 2014

Dodgers' Ryu ties career high with 14th win in return from DL

Ryu Hyun-jin of the Los Angeles Dodgers tied his career high with his 14th win of the Major League Baseball season Sunday, cruising to a victory against the San Diego Padres on the road in his return from the disabled list.The South Korean left-hander limited the fellow National League West club to one run on four hits in seven strong innings as the Dodgers won the game 7-1. Ryu struck out seven and walked none to improve to 14-6 this year and lowered his ERA from 3.28 to 3.18.In his rookie seas

BaseballSept. 1, 2014

Hur, Pettersen share lead in Portland

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) ― Defending champion Suzann Pettersen shot her second straight 5-under 67 on Saturday for a share of the third-round lead in the LPGA Tour’s Portland Classic.Trying to match Nancy Lopez’s record with her third victory in the event, Pettersen had an eagle, four birdies and a bogey at Columbia Edgewater. The fourth-ranked Norwegian star is winless this season after winning four times last year to push her career total to 14.Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and South Korea’s Hur Mi-jun

GolfAug. 31, 2014

Pro wrestling returns to N. Korea

North Koreans watch a pro wrestling exhibition in Pyongyang on Saturday. (Yonhap)PYONGYANG (AP) ― North Koreans got their first look at pro wrestling in about 20 years on Saturday when an ex-NFL lineman and 20 other grapplers from around the world took to the ring for an exhibition put together by a charismatic former Japanese pro wrestler who is now a member of parliament.Kanji “Antonio” Inoki, who organized the two-day event in Pyongyang, said he hopes it will pave the way for more exchanges w

More SportsAug. 31, 2014

Djokovic, Murray sail on as Serena stands up for U.S.

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray stayed on course for a mouth-watering U.S. Open quarterfinal showdown Saturday as five-time women’s champion Serena Williams stood alone as America’s last singles title hope.But as the heavyweights of the sport eased into the fourth round, the women’s draw was blown open again when Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova became the fifth top 10 seed to exit in the first week.Kvitova’s misery was shared by American tennis after John Isner and Sam Querrey w

More SportsAug. 31, 2014

Chelsea wins big

LONDON (AP) ― Chelsea showed off its newfound attacking sparkle in a 6-3 win over Everton on the day Manchester City slipped to a surprise first defeat in its Premier League title defense.City’s 1-0 home loss to Stoke on Saturday was exacerbated by its title rival’s wild victory at Goodison Park, in which Spain striker Diego Costa scored in the first and last minutes to continue the superb start to his Chelsea career.Another big-money arrival in English football, Angel Di Maria, made a promising

SoccerAug. 31, 2014

South Korea’s Kim increases Portland Classic lead

Kim In-Kyung increased her lead to three strokes in the LPGA Tour’s Portland Classic by shooting a 5-under 67 to reach 12 under after Friday’s second round.The South Korean had seven birdies and two bogeys in her morning round in cloudy, calm conditions at Columbia Edgewater.Spain’s Carlota Ciganda and South Korea’s Mi Jung Hur shot 65 to join Laura Diaz at 9 under. Diaz had a 68.South Korea’s So Yeon Ryu, the Canadian Women’s Open winner on Sunday, was 8 under along with Mina Harigae, China’s X

GolfAug. 30, 2014

Ex-K Leaguer joins Belgian club owned by S. Korean firm

A Belgian professional football club recently purchased by a South Korean marketing firm has signed its first player from the Asian country, officials said Friday.Sportizen, a Seoul-based sports marketing agency that recently acquired A.F.C. Tubize, said the second-division Belgian club has signed midfielder Hwang Jin-sung to a one-year contract.Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. Sportizen said Hwang could make his Belgian debut at home on Wednesday.Earlier this month, Sportizen a

SoccerAug. 29, 2014

Arsenal in 17th straight group stage

Leverkusen’s Son Heung-min celebrates his goal against FC Copenhagen on Wednesday. (AP-Yonhap)LONDON (AP) ― Alexis Sanchez scored his first Arsenal goal, and the Gunners beat Besiktas 1-0 Wednesday night to reach the Champions League group stage for the 17th consecutive season.The Bulgarian club Ludogorets reached the group stage for the first time when defender Cosmin Moti saved two penalty kicks in a 6-5 shootout win over 1986 champion Steaua Bucharest after goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov was e

SoccerAug. 28, 2014

Sharapova rallies at U.S. Open

Maria Sharapova returns a shot at the U.S. Open on Wednesday. (EPA-Yonhap)NEW YORK (AP) ― Maria Sharapova’s serve and her groundstrokes were abandoning her. What she had was her conditioning.The five-time major champion rallied from a set down to beat 95th-ranked Alexandra Dulgheru 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in the second round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday. Sharapova overcame nine double-faults and 46 unforced errors to improve her record in three-set matches this year to 17-6.Dulgheru had played just twice

More SportsAug. 28, 2014

In prep for Asiad, archers train at baseball stadium

These certainly haven’t been your average archery practice sessions, as South Korean archers prepping for the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon took their aim at targets set up on the field of a baseball stadium, with boisterous crowds making all sorts of noise.Members of the recurve team took to the lines inside Mokdong Stadium in Seoul. The following day, those on the compound squad joined the fray at the same ballpark, which serves as the home of the Nexen Heroes in the Korea Baseball Organizat

BaseballAug. 28, 2014

In prep for Asiad, archers train at baseball stadium

Pettersen looks for third win

PORTLAND, Oregon (AP) ― Defending champion Suzann Pettersen looks to make tournament history as the headliner in the LPGA Portland Classic starting Thursday at Columbia-Edgewater Country Club.The 33-year-old Norwegian hopes to join Nancy Lopez as the tournament’s only three-time champion. Pettersen won the Portland tournament in 2011 and 2013. Lopez claimed her titles in 1985, 1987 and 1992.Pettersen rallied with a final-round 5-under 67 to defeat Stacy Lewis by two strokes in the 2013 Portland

GolfAug. 28, 2014

Asiad organizers vow to put on memorable opening, closing ceremonies

Organizers of the 2014 Asian Games pledged Wednesday to stage impressive opening and closing ceremonies of the continent's largest sports event with programs that will show all 45 participating countries can become one.Film director Im Kwon-taek, who is in charge of the event's opening and closing ceremonies, said that "Dream of 4.5 billion people, One Asia" is the theme of his program to organize the ceremonies.The 2014 Asian Games will kick off on Sept. 19 for a 16-day run in Incheon, a metrop

Olympic GamesAug. 27, 2014

Star-studded lineup to open Asiad

The upcoming Incheon Asian Games’ opening ceremony can hardly be described as a lavish showpiece extravaganza, as was the case in some recent mega sports events. It will send a simple but powerful message to all Asians: “Unite as one,” its artistic director said Wednesday. Jang Jin, a renowned film director in charge of the ceremony, unveiled details of the show, which will kick off Asia’s biggest sports event in the western port city of Incheon on Sept. 9. Three sign bearers for the 2014 Incheo

More SportsAug. 27, 2014

Gun-toting mission

JINCHEON (Yonhap) ― South Korean shooter Kim Jang-mi was one of the country’s surprising gold medalists at the 2012 London Olympics, where she won the women’s 25-meter pistol event.London was her first Summer Games. As she gets ready for her first Asian Games next month in South Korea’s Incheon, Kim said she wants to prove her Olympic title wasn’t a fluke.“I think this Asiad will be a good opportunity to really test myself,” Kim told reporters at the national shooting team’s media day at Jincheo

More SportsAug. 27, 2014

S. Korea to field largest-ever delegation

South Korea will field its largest-ever Asian Games delegation when it hosts the quadrennial competition next month, officials said Wednesday.The Korean Olympic Committee said South Korea will have 1,068 athletes and officials at this year’s Asiad, to run from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4 in the western metropolitan city of Incheon.There will be 831 athletes competing in all 36 sports, along with 237 officials, the KOC added.The previous record for the Asiad delegation was set at the 2010 competition in G

More SportsAug. 27, 2014

Korean Asiad fencers full of confidence

With this year’s Asian Games at home fast approaching, the South Korean fencers said on Wednesday they will take on their rivals from China with confidence.The fencers opened their practice during the media day event at the National Training Center in Seoul, where they’re getting ready for the Sept. 19-Oct. 4 Asiad to be held in Incheon, just west of the capital city.South Koreans will be competing under heightened expectations, after posting excellent results in recent competitions. At the Asia

More SportsAug. 27, 2014