The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Malaysian golfer Nicholas Fung claims first ADT title by one stroke
- Irish Open: McIlroy fails again
- In-bee ahead by two strokes as fog sets in
| Malaysian golfer Nicholas Fung claims first ADT title by one stroke Posted: 29 Jun 2013 06:14 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian golfer Nicholas Fung kept his nerves in check over the closing three holes to claim his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title at the PGM-UMW Templer Park Masters yesterday. The Sabah-born Nicholas beat American Berry Henson by one stroke despite making bogeys on 16 and 18 for a one-over 73 for a 10-under 278 at the Templer Park Country Club. Henson carded a 72 after making four straight bogeys from the 14th hole to settle for second place while Malaysian Shaaban Hussin recorded a 73 for third place on 281 in the RM200,000 tournament. Rising star Michael Tran of Vietnam also shot a 73 to finish a further shot back in fourth. Talented Filipino Miguel Tabuena posted a 69, the day's lowest score, to share fifth place with Malaysians Sukree Othman and Zurie Harun on 286. The bespectacled Nicholas was elated when he finally managed to join the winner's circle after coming close on several occasions. The victory also elevated him to the top of the ADT Order of Merit with his US$23,471 earnings. "This feels great because I've been trying to win on the ADT for so long. "I was feeling nervous on the last hole and I'm fortunate that I made bogey and not worse. "Berry and I had a good fight but when he had the stretch of bogeys, it gave me more confidence," said the 23-year-old. Nicholas, the second Malaysian after Danny Chia to triumph on the ADT this season, is now setting his sights on winning on the Asian Tour. "I'm getting better because I can win on the ADT. Now, I'm looking forward to win on the Asian Tour. "There are many international players here so it isn't easy to win. I tried really hard today," said Nicholas, who earned his Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School in Thailand earlier this year. "I want to be an example to other Malaysians. I hope more Malaysians will play on the Asian Tour. "If I can do it, so can the other players," said the smiling Nicholas, who won US$11,010 and earned six Official World Golf Ranking points. Henson, a winner on the Asian Tour and ADT, rued his lapse in concentration on the closing stretch but was gracious in defeat. "I'm going to forget about everything today. I don't want to remember about anything on the last few holes. I was mentally exhausted and couldn't keep it together. "Fung played brilliantly. He is tough to play against. He doesn't hit it far but he hits it straight and puts himself in position to score. This win might springboard him to do better on the Asian Tour. I wish him the best of luck," said the American. |
| Irish Open: McIlroy fails again Posted: 29 Jun 2013 06:29 PM PDT MAYNOOTH (Ireland): World number two Rory McIlroy's troubles with his driver continued as he failed to make the cut in the Irish Open at Carton House on Friday. McIlroy continues to struggle with the driver, revealing he will meet Nike technical staff again next week before the British Open at Muirfield. The 24-year posted a second round 72 for a two-over tally to miss the cut by two shots in windy and overcast conditions. In 43 stroke-play rounds this year on either the European or US PGA Tours, McIlroy has only managed to break 70 on 11 occasions. "I am spending more time with Nike's technical staff as this was a new driver I had in the bag this week but it still wasn't 100% what I want," he said. "So I am testing with them again next week. "I am still confident in my ability to hit the golf ball and hit good shots but then confidence comes from hitting good shots and seeing the ball go in the hole, and shooting good rounds and posting good results. "I guess in that way the results are not great but from being on the golf course and seeing some good shots today I am definitely more positive now than this time yesterday." And unlike earlier this year when McIlroy added the Valero Texas Open in the week prior to the Masters, McIlroy will not be tempted to add either next week's French Open or the following week's Scottish Open to his schedule. "No, I am not going to add a tournament as I am going to take the next two weeks off," he said. "I have a couple of commitments, including my cousin's wedding next weekend, and then I'm planning to play a first practice round at Muirfield next Monday week, and the start of the week before The Open week," he said. "If I didn't have these couple of things to then I would probably add a tournament but I just need to find a little consistency in my ball-striking. "I hit quite a few good shots out there but there are a few bad ones in there and it's those bad ones that are costing me, and I wasn't sharp enough around the greens. "I was confident when I played in San Antonio because I found something on the range on the Friday night and had a really good weekend that gave me a lot of confidence." Florida's Peter Uihlein (68) and England's Robert Rock (66) head the ‚2mil event on nine-under. Six players – Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal, Sweden's Oscar Floren, Holland's Joost Luiten, Portugal's Ricardo Santos and Ireland's Shane Lowry – share third place at seven- under. Scotland's Scott Henry recorded a new Carton House course record of an eight-under 64 and two shots fewer than the previous mark set by four players including Denmark's Thomas Bjorn on route to victory in 2006. — AFP |
| In-bee ahead by two strokes as fog sets in Posted: 29 Jun 2013 04:39 PM PDT SOUTHAMPTON (New York): World number one Park In-bee, chasing her third Major title of the year, fired a four-under 68 on Friday to take the US Women's Open lead just as fog halted the second round. The South Korean superstar had a nine-under total of 135 and a two-stroke lead over compatriot I.K. Kim. Kim was in the clubhouse on seven-under 137 after a three-under 69 that included five birdies and two bogeys. American Lizette Salas carded a 72 at Sebonack Golf Club for a four-under total of 140. England's Jodi Ewart Shadoff was four-under for the tournament through 15 holes when play was halted for the day, with the second round to resume yesterday morning. "I think we got very lucky that we finished today," said In-bee, who capped her round with the last of her six birdies at the par-five 18th. "I played very good golf today. I gave myself a lot of good opportunities, a very good ball-striking day. The long putts seemed to be going well today. I left a couple out there, but very satisfied with today's score." In-bee, whose five titles in 2013 include Major triumphs at the Kraft Nabisco Championship and the LPGA Championship, opened her round with a birdie at the first. She had two bogeys and two more birdies in her outward run, then gathered steam on the back nine. At the 13th, she hit a wedge over the green but made a 20-footer for birdie. At 15th, she landed a sand wedge within a foot before draining a 12-footer at the last. "I'd say it was a little tougher to play in the fog, but I made a birdie so I don't think it really came into effect for me," she said. "I was able to see the pin on the third shot, so I think that was good enough." Overnight rain softened the course, but players found it windier on Friday, with the conditions changing frequently from sunny to overcast to foggy and back. That made a good round all the more satisfying, In-bee said. "It really made me think today that with the wind and fog, it just really made me think. I think that is what the US Open is all about." Kim had five birdies and two bogeys in her three-under 69. She missed a 12-foot birdie putt at her final hole of the day, the ninth, but was pleased to emerge with the clubhouse lead on seven-under 137. "Anything under par I thought was going to be a great score," Kim said. "Definitely more wind out there. The wind was a little different direction and it was changing a little bit. Definitely tricky to adjust to the wind on some holes. "But the greens were a little softer with the rain, so I was able to give myself some chances." — AFP |
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