The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Conventional quarter-final match–ups shaken up after Irish shock win
- 16–year–old American becomes youngest ever champion in LPGA Tour
- Divers Bryan and Ken Nee our best bets to stop China in Asia Cup meet
| Conventional quarter-final match–ups shaken up after Irish shock win Posted: 19 Sep 2011 07:05 PM PDT RUGBY'S big powers sized up their likely World Cup quarter–finals yesterday as the knockout round began to take shape after the second weekend of action. Ireland's shock upset of in–form Australia looked to have blown the draw wide open with the odds now on northern and southern hemisphere teams being separated until the final on Oct 23. Teams refused to look too far ahead with about half the pool stage yet to be played. But Wales assistant coach Shaun Edwards said Ireland had struck a blow for the northern sides. "I thought Ireland sensed an opportunity... and they showed that we can also play rugby a little bit in the northern hemisphere, not just in the southern hemisphere," he said. Rugby's heavyweights are understandably wary after a series of strong performances by the sport's lesser teams, including Canada's fighting loss to France on Sunday. Edwards hoped that Ireland's win, coupled with the new challenge posed by the minnow teams, would make for a more open and watchable World Cup. "Let's hope so because openness creates more and more interest," he said. "It's not much fun watching a competition where you know who's going to win it. "That's what will put people in front of their TV screens and get them turning up in their thousands (at games). I hope it's right because that creates more interest." The seven–week tournament took a one–day break before Italy play Russia today, Tonga face Japan tomorrow, South Africa take on Namibia on Thursday and Australia are against USA on Friday. After this weekend's action, the likeliest quarter–finals see Ireland against Wales, England against France, New Zealand against Argentina and Australia against defending champions South Africa. All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith said Ireland had set the blueprint for the tournament with their high intensity, physical approach which muscled Australia out of the game. "The physicality of their game was way up compared to what we've experienced so we've got to get that really quickly," Smith said. "They've issued a blueprint for rugby in showing that nothing changes. If you win up front and you win the gain line and you win the collisions, then you're probably going to win the game." Meanwhile, All Blacks winger Zac Guildford admitted he had a problem with alcohol and apologised for drinking "excessively" after last month's Tri-Nations defeat to Australia. A chastened Guildford told a press conference, organised to head off rumours about him, that he "had let myself down and let the team down... in making a few bad decisions off-field. "I'm taking positive steps to make sure it doesn't happen again," he said. The All Blacks denied Guildford's drinking was behind his non–appearance at the World Cup so far, while centres Richard Kahui and Sonny Bill Williams have both been used on the wings. – AFP |
| 16–year–old American becomes youngest ever champion in LPGA Tour Posted: 19 Sep 2011 07:04 PM PDT PRATTVILLE (Alabama): American Lexi Thompson became the youngest champion in the LPGA's 61–year history, the 16–year–old prodigy firing a two–under 70 on Sunday to capture the Navistar Classic by five strokes. Thompson, who is seven months and eight days beyond her 16th birthday, finished 72 holes on 17–under 271 at the US$1.3mil event to defeat compatriot Tiffany Joh by five shots and American Angela Stanford by six. "I knew I was going for the record but I was focusing on the golf course and doing my best," Thompson said. "I was nervous on the first tee but I had a lot of fun out here." American Marlene Hagge won the 18–hole Sarasota Open in 1952 just two weeks past her 18th birthday to become what had been the youngest LPGA champion. Paula Creamer, another American, was nine months and 17 days past her 18th birthday when she won the 2005 Sybase Classic to become the youngest winner of a typical multi–round event until Thompson's triumph. Thompson, who turned pro in June of last year, birdied the par–3 second and suddenly only playing partner Meena Lee of South Korea was within eight strokes of the lead, and Lee was six adrift. A birdie at the par–5 eighth gave Thompson a personal–record 20th birdie of the week. Lee birdied the ninth to stay within six but began the back nine with a bogey to leave Thompson seven clear of the field at 17–under. Thompson, who made only three bogeys in the first three rounds, stumbled with back–to–back bogeys at 11 and 12, missing six–foot par putts on both holes as her lead shrank to five shots with six holes to play. Lee birdied the par–3 13th to move within four shots but faded as Joh charged into contention with a run of four birdies in a row through the 15th hole to pull within three of Thompson, including a chip–in at 14. "She got on a roll, chipped in, got a birdie – she could have birdied all the way in," Thompson said. "I was just focusing on my own game." Thompson had led after 54 holes earlier this year at Mobile, Alabama, and squandered the lead with a last round nightmare to finish in a share of 19th. But Thompson made it clear that another collapse was not in the offing this time. After Joh had a short birdie miss at the par–3 16th, Thompson tapped in for a birdie and sank another from 20 feet at the 17th hole. "That was a big shot," Thompson said. "I knew I was playing pretty good lately. I had a few struggles but I came through here. I was just trying to make good shots and smart plays. "Coming up the 18th was like all the pressure was let off. I could wave at the fans." After tapping in for par at 18, Thompson raised her hands in victory and her father Scott, who also serves as her caddie, embraced her. "The feeling is unbelievable. I wanted to cry but I held back. It's awesome," Scott Thompson said. "I couldn't be more proud. We have been working really hard. The last month she has been hitting the ball pretty well. "This is the most nerve-wracking thing I have ever done. It's harder on me than her. I just give her the number." Thompson successfully petitioned for a place in this year's LPGA qualifying tournament. A victory would allow the prodigy to seek LPGA membership but because she is under 18, the move would have to be approved by Tour officials. Joh said: "If I can say I was a speed bump on her run to history that was good enough for me." – AFP |
| Divers Bryan and Ken Nee our best bets to stop China in Asia Cup meet Posted: 19 Sep 2011 07:03 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: The spotlight will be on men divers Bryan Nickson Lomas and Yeoh Ken Nee to outshine China's back-up team when they compete in the Asia Cup at the National Aquatics Centre in Bukit Jalil from Sept 25-27. China have sent a 12-member strong team to make a clean sweep of all the four Olympic Games tickets on offer at the meet. FINA, the world governing body for aquatics, have given the nod for the Asia Cup to be an Olympic qualifier for Asia. Prior to this, only the World Championships and World Cup were marked as the qualifying events for the Olympics. Bryan, who has already qualified for the Olympic Games in the 3m springboard event, is now primed to win another ticket in the platform event. As for the seasoned campaigner Ken Nee, hopes are high on him to make a breakthrough performance to compete in the Olympics for the first time next year. The 28-year-old Ken Nee plans to quit the sport next year and is desperately looking to qualify for the Olympic Games. At the recent Olympic qualifier in Shanghai in July, all that Ken Nee needed to do was to finish among the top 12 finalists in the 3m springboard event – but he plunged to a miserable 25th placing. Amateur Swimming Union of Malaysia (Asum) secretary Edwin Chong confirmed yesterday China's interest to participate in the tournament. "They are sending 12 divers from the back-up team but these athletes can be as good as their first team. All of them are eying the four Olympic Games tickets. China will be the favourites," said Edwin. Besides the 21-year-old Bryan, Malaysia have also booked a ticket to the London Games through woman diver Pandelela Rinong. "Despite a strong challenge from China, we hope that our divers will take this opportunity to check into the Olympics. This is a good chance for us to have a bigger representation at the Games," said Edwin. "Bryan has qualified for the Olympic Games ... now we are banking on Bryan to ensure that we will have a representation in the platform event too. "This is also a good chance for Ken Nee to make amends (after the world meet disappointment) and win a ticket for the London Games." In the absence of Pandelela, who is skipping the tournament to give others an opportunity to win a berth, Malaysia will be represented by Leong Mun Yee, Cheong Jun Hoong, Wendy Ng Yan Yee and Elizabeth Jimie. |
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