The Korea Herald

Korea sets sights on WBC title

Despite carrying a roster depleted by injuries, South Korea has set its sights on winning the upcoming World Baseball Classic, the national team manager and its players said Tuesday.During a ceremony at a Seoul hotel, Ryu Joong-il, who will manage the squad for the March 2-19 tournament, said the goal is nothing less than to win the country’s first WBC title.“I know that expectations will be high on this team, because we’ve done so well at the previous WBCs,” Ryu said. “If our players put the co

BaseballJan. 15, 2013

Nike announces sponsorship deal with Rory McIlroy

ABU DHABI (AP) ― Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods are on the same team now ― at least when it comes to sponsorship.McIlroy officially made the switch to the swoosh on Monday as Nike confirmed one of the worst-kept secrets in golf, announcing it had signed a multi-year deal with the top-ranked Northern Irishman.The deal means Nike now has golf’s two biggest names representing its brand, as Woods has been with the sportswear company since turning pro in 1996. Nike did not disclose any financial detail

GolfJan. 15, 2013

After a tumble, Serena advances at Open

MELBOURNE (AP) ― Serena Williams tumbled to the court and needed a medical timeout in the first set for treatment on her right ankle. Once she got up, it was all over for Edina Gallovits-Hall.Williams routed Gallovits-Hall 6-0, 6-0 in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday despite the scary sequence in the first part of the match.The No. 3-ranked Williams is favored to win the season’s first major, rolling into Melbourne Park with 35 wins in her previous 36 matches, including titles a

More SportsJan. 15, 2013

Clippers clobber Grizzlies despite playing without Paul

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (AP) ― Reserves Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes each scored 16 points, and the Clippers easily routed the Memphis Grizzlies 99-73 Monday night with Chris Paul missing his first game this season because of a bruised right kneecap.The matchup between two of the best teams in the West wasn’t close much of the way. While Paul watched from the bench, the Grizzlies were without their leading scorer: Rudy Gay was excused for his grandmother’s funeral in Baltimore.This also was the Cli

More SportsJan. 15, 2013

Korea lays out plans to stop sports violence

South Korea on Tuesday laid out plans to eliminate violence in local sports, hoping to better protect rights of victims and discipline abusive coaches.The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said in order to protect abused athletes at all levels, the Center of Athletes’ Rights and Interests, an organization under the Korean Olympic Committee that currently provides counseling for amateur athletes, will also help professional athletes.Under the ministry’s plan, the center will also strengthen

More SportsJan. 15, 2013

Armstrong admits doping in Oprah interview: report

Cyclist Lance Armstrong has admitted to talk show host Oprah Winfrey that he used performance-enhancing drugs in a lengthy interview to be aired later this week, USA Today reported Monday.Although Winfrey did not reveal details of the interview ahead of its Thursday night air date on her OWN cable network and its website, she took to Twitter to say the exchange had lasted more than two and a half hours."He came READY!" she tweeted.For years, Armstrong has repeatedly denied taking performance enh

More SportsJan. 15, 2013

Armstrong admits doping in Oprah interview: report

Armstrong tells Oprah he doped

A person familiar with the situation says Lance Armstrong confessed to Oprah Winfrey during an interview Monday that he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France.The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the interview is to be broadcast Thursday on Winfrey's network.Armstrong was stripped of all seven Tour titles last year in the wake of a voluminous U.S. Anti-Doping Agency report that portrayed him as a ruthless competitor, willing to go to any lengths to win the prest

More SportsJan. 15, 2013

Djokovic eases past Mathieu

MELBOURNE (AP) ― Novak Djokovic didn’t have any trouble in his first match back on Rod Laver Arena since his shirt-ripping victory celebrations last year, starting his bid for a third consecutive Australian Open title with a 6-2, 6-4, 7-5 win Monday over France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu.The top-ranked Djokovic faced only three break points in the match, saving them all, and lifted his tempo when it counted most.His five-set, 5-hour, 53-minute win over Rafael Nadal in the 2012 final is already part of

More SportsJan. 14, 2013

Pats beat Texans, Ravens next

FOXBOROUGH. (AP) ― Tom Brady became the winningest quarterback in postseason play, throwing for three touchdowns Sunday to beat Houston 41-28 and lift the New England Patriots into the AFC championship game.Brady got his 17th victory, surpassing his childhood hero, Joe Montana, by throwing for 344 yards. Seldom-used running back Shane Vereen scored three times, twice on receptions.If Brady can lead the Patriots (13-4) past Baltimore (12-6) in next Sunday’s conference title game, then win the Sup

More SportsJan. 14, 2013

Oosthuizen wins Volvo Champions

DURBAN, South Africa (AP) ― Louis Oosthuizen shot a final round 6-under 66 to beat Scott Jamieson of Scotland by a single stroke and win the Volvo Champions on Sunday.Oosthuizen finished with a 16 under total of 272 at Durban Country Club to wrap up the victory after the Scot narrowly missed a chip on the 18th hole for eagle. Jamieson, who led by five shots heading into the last day, carded a final-round 72, and missed out on second successive European Tour win in Durban by a solitary shot.Thong

GolfJan. 14, 2013

Henley gets PGA Tour career off to record start

HONOLULU (AP) ― Russell Henley made a lasting impression in his rookie debut on the PGA Tour with a record-setting performance Sunday in the Sony Open.Tied for the lead with fellow rookie Scott Langley to start the final round, Henley seized control with a birdie on the opening hole and then poured it on at the end.He closed with five straight birdies for a 7-under 63, finally showing emotion with a sweeping uppercut when his 8-foot putt disappeared into the cup. He won by three shots over Tim C

GolfJan. 14, 2013

Henley gets PGA Tour career off to record start

Anthony leads Knicks past Hornets 100-87

NEW YORK (AP) ― Carmelo Anthony was hungry, and not just to end the Knicks’ losing streak.He wanted something to eat.Anthony, struggling to keep his energy up while fasting for two weeks, snapped out of a slow start by scoring 18 of his 27 points in the second quarter, and New York ended its season-high, three-game skid with a 100-87 victory over the New Orleans Hornets on Sunday.Anthony missed seven of eight shots and scored two points in the first quarter of the noon start he dislikes, then ou

More SportsJan. 14, 2013

Three more candidates register on deadline to run for top football post

Three more candidates, including two front-runners, registered themselves in the election for the country’s top football job on Monday, the deadline to officially enter the race.The Korea Football Association, the South Korean governing body of football, said the KFA chairman election, set for Jan. 28, will have four candidates in total.Chung Mong-gyu, the former commissioner of the K League, the governing body of professional football, registered his candidacy Monday, along with Heo Seung-pyo,

SoccerJan. 14, 2013

Title rivals United, City win

LONDON (AP) ― Manchester United’s seven-point lead over Manchester City stayed intact Sunday after the title-chasing rivals defeated two former powers in the Premier League.United scraped its way to a 2-1 victory at home against Liverpool. City won 2-0 at Arsenal after playing against 10 men for most of the match.Robin van Persie sent United on the way to victory over its greatest rival at Old Trafford with his league-high 17th goal of the season. Nemanja Vidic unwittingly made it 2-0 but United

SoccerJan. 14, 2013

Magic beat Clippers to end 10-game skid

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Two streaking teams going in opposite directions. The Clippers, co-owners of the NBA’s best record and on a roll at home. The Magic, playing opponents close only to fall short while piling up the franchise’s longest skid since the 2003-04 season.Something had to give, and this time, it was the Clippers.J.J. Redick gave Orlando its first lead of the game on a 3-pointer with 42 seconds left, Arron Afflalo tied his season high with 30 points, and the Magic won 104-101 on Saturday

More SportsJan. 13, 2013

Ravens rally to stun Broncos

DENVER (AP) ― Baltimore’s Justin Tucker kicked a 47-yard field goal 1:42 into the second overtime Saturday, ending the NFL’s longest game in 26 years and giving the Ravens a 38-35 win over the Denver Broncos in the AFC playoffs.The Ravens (12-6) forced overtime on a 70-yard touchdown pass from Joe Flacco to Jacoby Jones with 31 seconds left in regulation, after Jones slipped behind a pair of Broncos defenders along the sideline.Late in the first overtime, Peyton Manning threw across his body on

More SportsJan. 13, 2013

NHL training camps to open

NEW YORK (AP) ― NHL hockey is finally back, and this time it’s official.Nearly one week after a tentative labor deal was agreed to by the league and its players, the sides agreed to a required memorandum of understanding on Saturday night that truly makes the lockout a thing of the past.Training camps will open on Sunday, and a 48-game regular season will begin next Saturday. The signing of the MOU also paved the way for the NHL to release the long-awaited revised schedule.Twenty-six of the 30 t

More SportsJan. 13, 2013

Two tied for Sony Open lead

HONOLULU (AP) ― PGA Tour rookies Russell Henley and Scott Langley get to play one more round together at the Sony Open, this time with a lot more on the line.Henley two-putted from 30 feet for birdie on the last hole Saturday for a 3-under 67, allowing him to catch up to Langley, who had to settle for a par and a 65. They broke the tournament scoring record through 54 holes at 17-under 193.Better yet, they had a three-shot lead over Tim Clark. At stake on Sunday is a trophy, the customary lei dr

GolfJan. 13, 2013

Korea earns two titles in badminton

Host South Korea earned titles in the men’s doubles and women’s singles at the Korea Open badminton tournament here Sunday.The men’s badminton doubles duo of Lee Yong-dae and Ko Sung-hyun rallied to topple the world’s No. 1-ranked pair, Mathias Boe and Carsten Mogensen of Denmark, 19-21, 21-13, 21-10 for their first Korea Open championship together.Lee and Ko, ranked 10th in the world, avenged their loss to the Danes at the China Open final last November.In the women’s singles final later Sunday

More SportsJan. 13, 2013

Blues rule at Stoke

LONDON (AP) ― Chelsea routed Stoke 4-0 Saturday to move into third place in the Premier League, taking advantage of Jonathan Walters’ two own goals and missed penalty kick.Walters headed the ball into his own net on attempted clearances in the second minute of first-half stoppage time and in the 62nd.Frank Lampard converted a penalty kick in the 65th for his 194th Chelsea goal, moving past Kerry Dixon into sole possession of second place on the club scoring list behind Bobby Tambling’s 202. Eden

SoccerJan. 13, 2013