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INCHEON (AP) — Choi Na-yeon is looking for her third-straight Hana Bank Championship when the LPGA Tour’s annual swing through Asia begins Friday at the South Korean port city of Incheon.
The 23-year-old Korean is ranked No. 4 in the LPGA, but has failed to win on tour this season. She will be up against 48 of the top-52 earners on the LPGA Tour at the Sky 72 Golf Club’s Ocean Course just west of the capital Seoul.
“I have a lot of pressure (to win), but I hope to use that pressure in a good way,” Choi said. “I won a Korea LPGA tournament a month ago, so I have a lot of confidence, especially at this golf course.”
Also in the field is top-ranked Yani Tseng of Taiwan, has five wins this year, including two majors, to become the youngest player ever to win five majors in a career.
Tseng currently dominates all the year-end awards races, including the LPGA Tour money list, the Rolex Player of the Year and the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.
Despite the success, however, Tseng continues to be a student of the game.
“Every tournament I just try my best,” she said. “I need to keep working hard and keep learning. There are a lot of things that I can achieve.”
Cristie Kerr also returns after forfeiting her final-day singles match for the United States this month at the Solheim Cup due to tendinitis in her right wrist. The U.S. team eventually lost by a point, giving Europe its first win since 2003.
Kerr said she is monitoring her wrist and is hopeful she will be able to compete.
“Tendonitis sometimes flares up and sometimes it goes away completely,” Kerr said. “We’re just going to have to take it day-by-day and see."
Manager of struggling LG Twins steps down
Park Jong-hoon, manager of the struggling LG Twins in the top local baseball league, resigned Thursday, the final day of the regular season.
“I am stepping down as manager to take the fall for the poor season,” Park told reporters before the Seoul-based Twins‘ game against the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization.
Park said this would be his final game.
“This is a great franchise and the front office and fans have given so much love and support. I felt it was my fault that we didn’t perform well,” Park added.
Park, who was named the LG manager after the 2009 season, had three years left on his five-year deal. (Yonhap News)
Nadal, Ferrer advance to Japan Open quarters
Top-seeded Rafael Nadal advanced to the quarterfinals of the Japan Open with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Milos Raonic of Canada on Thursday.
Nadal, ranked No. 2, will take on unseeded Santiago Giraldo of Colombia in the final eight. Giraldo beat Dmitry Tursunov of Russia 6-4, 7-6 (4) earlier.
In other matches, third-seeded David Ferrer of Spain advanced with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden
Ferrer will next face Radek Stepanek after the Czech beat Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-1.
Trailing 6-5 and serving at 30-30 in the 12th game of the first set, Raonic double faulted to hand the Nadal set point. The Canadian then hit a forehand long to give the Spaniard the set. (AP)
EARLY LEAD -- Yang Yong-eun (photo) of Korea and Rickie Fowler of the U.S. have a one-shot lead after the first round of the Kolon Korea Open in Cheonan on Thursday. Yonhap News
golf, tennis *************************************
The 23-year-old Korean is ranked No. 4 in the LPGA, but has failed to win on tour this season. She will be up against 48 of the top-52 earners on the LPGA Tour at the Sky 72 Golf Club’s Ocean Course just west of the capital Seoul.
“I have a lot of pressure (to win), but I hope to use that pressure in a good way,” Choi said. “I won a Korea LPGA tournament a month ago, so I have a lot of confidence, especially at this golf course.”
Also in the field is top-ranked Yani Tseng of Taiwan, has five wins this year, including two majors, to become the youngest player ever to win five majors in a career.
Tseng currently dominates all the year-end awards races, including the LPGA Tour money list, the Rolex Player of the Year and the Vare Trophy for the lowest scoring average.
Despite the success, however, Tseng continues to be a student of the game.
“Every tournament I just try my best,” she said. “I need to keep working hard and keep learning. There are a lot of things that I can achieve.”
Cristie Kerr also returns after forfeiting her final-day singles match for the United States this month at the Solheim Cup due to tendinitis in her right wrist. The U.S. team eventually lost by a point, giving Europe its first win since 2003.
Kerr said she is monitoring her wrist and is hopeful she will be able to compete.
“Tendonitis sometimes flares up and sometimes it goes away completely,” Kerr said. “We’re just going to have to take it day-by-day and see."
Manager of struggling LG Twins steps down
Park Jong-hoon, manager of the struggling LG Twins in the top local baseball league, resigned Thursday, the final day of the regular season.
“I am stepping down as manager to take the fall for the poor season,” Park told reporters before the Seoul-based Twins‘ game against the Samsung Lions in the Korea Baseball Organization.
Park said this would be his final game.
“This is a great franchise and the front office and fans have given so much love and support. I felt it was my fault that we didn’t perform well,” Park added.
Park, who was named the LG manager after the 2009 season, had three years left on his five-year deal. (Yonhap News)
Nadal, Ferrer advance to Japan Open quarters
Top-seeded Rafael Nadal advanced to the quarterfinals of the Japan Open with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Milos Raonic of Canada on Thursday.
Nadal, ranked No. 2, will take on unseeded Santiago Giraldo of Colombia in the final eight. Giraldo beat Dmitry Tursunov of Russia 6-4, 7-6 (4) earlier.
In other matches, third-seeded David Ferrer of Spain advanced with a 4-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden
Ferrer will next face Radek Stepanek after the Czech beat Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-1.
Trailing 6-5 and serving at 30-30 in the 12th game of the first set, Raonic double faulted to hand the Nadal set point. The Canadian then hit a forehand long to give the Spaniard the set. (AP)
EARLY LEAD -- Yang Yong-eun (photo) of Korea and Rickie Fowler of the U.S. have a one-shot lead after the first round of the Kolon Korea Open in Cheonan on Thursday. Yonhap News
golf, tennis *************************************
