The Star Online: Sports

Glover stretches lead at New Orleans
Spain's Ciganda seizes LPGA lead
Byrne takes four-stroke lead in Langkawi

Posted: 27 Apr 2013 05:47 PM PDT

NEW ORLEANS: Lucas Glover, the 2009 US Open champion, fired a two-under par 70 on Saturday to stretch his lead to two strokes after the third round of the $6.6 million US PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

Glover stood atop an all-American leaderboard on 14-under par 202 after 54 holes with Kyle Stanley, Jimmy Walker, Billy Horschel and D.A. Points on 204 and Kevin Stadler another stroke off the pace.

"My speed was a little off today," Glover said. "I left a bunch of 8- and 10-footers short. I just didn't have the speed right."

Early starters fired low scores before afternoon winds began swirling, with Stanley shooting 65 and Walker and Horschel firing 66s while Glover played a roller-coaster round that included five birdies and three bogeys.

"The wind picked up more than was forecast," Glover said. "It was good to see some good scores up there early."

Glover, whose wife is expecting a baby in the next few days, birdied the par-5 second and answered a bogey at the fifth with birdies on the par-5 seventh and par-4 eighth.

On the back nine, Glover made bogeys on the par-3 14th and 17th holes but birdied the par-5 11th and 18th to stay on top.

"I knew there were some birdies there," Glover said. "I just didn't take advantage as much as I should have."

Sweden's Henrik Norlander fired a 65 to stand on 206 in a group that included Americans Ricky Barnes, Ken Looper and Boo Weekley.

Chinese schoolboy Guan Tianlang, who became the youngest starter in Masters history earlier this month at age 14, struggled to a 77 on Saturday to stand on 218, last among the 71 who made the cut.

Guan made three birdies but also had five bogeys and a triple bogey.

"Today was not that good, but it's still a great experience," Guan said. "I didn't have a good start and I tried to start back in the middle and made a couple birdies, but it was not a very good round."

Guan plans to take a chance on qualifying for the year's next major event, June's US Open at Merion.

"I'm probably going to try the US Open qualifier and then go back to China after that," he said. -AFP

Spain's Ciganda seizes LPGA lead

Posted: 27 Apr 2013 05:42 PM PDT

IRVING, Texas: Spain's Carlotta Ciganda fired six birdies in a five-under par 66 on Saturday to seize a two-shot lead after three rounds of the inaugural North Texas LPGA Shootout.

Ciganda, 2012's Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour, had a 54-hole total of 11-under par 202.

World No. 1 Park In-Bee of South Korea carded a 67 to claim a share of second place on 204. She was tied with German LPGA rookie Caroline Masson, who led after both of the first two rounds.

Masson shook off a double-bogey at the first to post a 69.

South Korea's Choi Na-Yeon carded a 66 to stand alone in fourth on 205.

Ciganda, a two-time winner on the LET last season, will try to become the fourth Spanish player to win an LPGA tour title.

"It would be a dream," Ciganda said. "I mean, winning is always great, but I just want to try to focus on each shot.

"Just like today, have a great round and then at the end if someone plays better, just congratulate."

Ciganda's six birdies included an unlikely one at the par-four 12th, where she hit her drive right into a lateral hazard to leave her ball part underwater in a concrete drainage ditch. She blasted an eight-iron off the concrete and with a fortuitous bounce her ball rolled 10 feet from the pin and she made the putt for birdie.

"I just tried to hit it as well as I could, and I think I was pretty lucky," Ciganda said. "It bounced really well to the right, and then I was lucky again to make that putt."

The 22-year-old has plenty of proven talent chasing her, including Park, who claimed the world number one ranking less than two weeks ago.

Park opened with a bogey, but nabbed five birdies - including two to end her round - to keep herself in contention.

Choi, ranked third in the world, carded a five-under 66 to move up from a tie for 11th.

Choi has three top-10 LPGA finishes this season, including a runner-up showing at the HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore.

She was tabbed by compatriot Park as the player to watch on Sunday.

"When it comes to the final round, I think a more experienced player definitely has an advantage going into the pressure conditions," Park said. "I think Na-Yeon will be one of the ones to beat tomorrow. She had a very good day today. She was struggling a little bit with the putter last week, and you know, she changed her putting grip, and I think it's working really good."

A second cut was made on Saturday, trimming the field to 51 players. Those who didn't make it included US star Michelle Wie and 2012 Kraft Nabisco Championship winner Yoo Sun-Young. -AFP

Byrne takes four-stroke lead in Langkawi

Posted: 27 Apr 2013 04:25 PM PDT

PETALING JAYA: Scotland's James Byrne closed in on his second title for this season after shooting a three-under 69 for a four-stroke lead in the third round of the RM200,000 PGM LADA Langkawi Masters.

Byrne, who won the PGM CCM Rahman Putra Masters in February, finished yesterday's third round at the Gunung Raya Golf Resort with a 198 total and a comfortable cushion over Singapore's Lam Chih Bing and Japan's Mitsuhiko Hashizume.

Chih Bing carded the best score of the day – a 65 that took him to 14-under 202, along with Mitsuhiko, who worked his way to a five-under 67.

The best-placed Malaysian was Nicholas Fung, the reigning PGM Tour Order of Merit title holder, who found himself in a three-way tie for 12th on 208.

Byrne, meanwhile, is confident he can hold his game together today and become only the second player after Danny Chia to win twice in a year.

"I played exceptionally well over the first two days (15-under) ... so, to go into the last round with a four-stroke lead after a 69 today, is good for me."

Kredit: www.thestar.com.my

Sabtu, 27 April 2013

The Star Online: Sports

The Star Online: Sports

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