Asia a superpower in women’s golf

Top ranked women golfers Lorena Ochoa (L) and Annika Sorenstam (R) tee-off from the podium by the Singapore’s icon the Merlion at the inaugural US$2million HSBC Champions tournament in Singapore.

South Korean golfer Pak Si Re smiles during a press conference in Singapore Feb 26.

SINGAPORE 

 Lorena Ochoa and Annika Sorenstam might be the top-two ranked women players on the planet, but it is Asians who dominate the world of golf, led by a Korean juggernaut that shows no signs of slowing.

There are 10 Asian women in the world’s top 20 and half of the top 50 are from South Korea, Japan and China. Many will be on show at the inaugural two-million-dollar HSBC Champions tournament in Singapore this week, the biggest and richest women’s event in the region.

Only winners on the LPGA Tour, and champions from the Ladies European Tour and tours in Japan, Korea, Australasia and Asia are eligible.

Korea now has an astonishing 45 players on the US circuit compared to just one a decade ago, led by Hall of Famer Pak Se Ri, with 24 victories, including five Majors. India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Thailand are all represented in 2008.

And this year the first player from China, teen sensation Feng Shanshan, has full status on the LPGA.

“I hope to see more Chinese players playing on the Tour,” said the 18-year-old.

“For now, I’m going to be playing alone on the US LPGA with no other Chinese. Maybe it will be a little difficult for me, but I can learn from the top professional players and then accelerate.”

Feng doesn’t qualify for Singapore this week, but her compatriot Zhang Na does, courtesy of her four wins last year in Japan.

Pak Se Ri led the Asian charge to the United States from South Korea in 1998, with the trickle of Korean players following her turning into a flood.

“With so many good young players in my country who are almost ready to surpass my achievements, the interest at home has never been higher,” she said Tuesday. ;-”In Japan, the popularity of Momoko Ueda and Ai Miyazato is taking the game there to new heights and the achievements of Zhang Na and the surprise of Feng Shanshan earning her LPGA card means China is paying attention to the women’s game for the first time.”

There were high expectations from tiny starlet Miyazato after she raced her way through qualifying school two years ago. But her LPGA career so far has not lived up to expectations with four top-three finishes and no victories in 46 starts.

The latest export to stir emotions in golf-loving Japan is 21-year-old Ueda, who won five times in her home country last season;–She lifted the LPGA-sanctioned Mizuno Classic trophy to gain her American tour card and plays this week, as does Miyazato and most of the Korean contingent.

Also swinging the clubs here will be Malaysia’s Lim Siew-Ai, while Thailand’s Virada Nirapathpongporn and 16-year-old Singaporean Amelia Yong received sponsors invitations. “I’m so proud to see how far Asian golf has progressed in recent years and I will try to do whatever I can to help continue this development,” Virada, who made her US debut in 2006, told reporters.

Other well-known Asians plying their trade on the US Tour include Jennifer Rosales, who teamed with compatriot Dorothy Delasin to help the Philippines win the Women’s World Cup in South Africa in January.

South Korea came second and Taiwan and Japan tied for third, an Asian clean sweep which would be unthinkable among their male counterparts;-While Indian women have never featured significantly, this could soon change with focus now being put on the game in the teeming South Asian nation. Simi Mehra is India’s only full-time professional golfer of note, but if the rest of Asia is anything to go by, it will not be long until there are many more.

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Eduardo out of Euro 2008

Eduardo da Silva … horrendous broken leg

LONDON 

 Arsenal said on Monday they expect Eduardo da Silva to make a full recovery from his horrendous broken leg this year, as it was revealed the player who caused the injury has received death threats.The 25-year-old Brazilian-born Croatian striker fractured his left fibula and dislocated his ankle after a studs-up tackle from Martin Taylor which saw the Birmingham defender sent off just minutes into Saturday’s Premiership clash.

Eduardo underwent surgery on Saturday in Birmingham before being transferred to a London hospital, where a surgeon and Arsenal’s medical staff assessed the injury on Monday.

A statement on Arsenal’s website said: “All being well, Eduardo will have his leg in plaster and using crutches for the next six to eight weeks.

“After that time, partial weight-bearing exercises will be scheduled into a slow rehabilitation process.

“It is hoped that Eduardo will be running again in six months’ time and making a full recovery after nine months,” the statement added.

Taylor has received death threats after the challenge, especially from Croatian fans furious at Eduardo being ruled out of the Euro 2008 finals.

One website specifically set up after the incident during the 2-2 draw at St Andrews has already received 27,000 messages directed at the former Blackburn player;-Birmingham City’s security personnel had to restrain Croatian journalists who ran onto the road and tried to force their way into Taylor’s car as he left the club’s training ground on Monday.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish condemned the reaction and said Taylor was “mentally shattered by the whole experience.” -”I’ve heard about the death threats and you are going to ridiculous proportions if that is the case. You’ve just got to get on with it and dismiss those things. There are some crazy people in the world,” McLeish told SkySports.

“I think Martin’s wife was upset at the weekend but he has come in this morning and got on with his life again thanks to the support of everyone who knew it wasn’t a challenge with malicious intent to injure a player.” David Busst, the former Coventry defender whose career ended after he broke his leg in a collision with Manchester United defender Denis Irwin in 1996, said he was hopeful Eduardo would regain full fitness. “If there’s no complications, I’m sure he will be back playing again,” Busst told BBC Radio 5 Live. “It wasn’t the break that stopped me playing again but the infections I caught after that.

“I suffered a double compound fracture of the tibia and fibula. The only difference with Eduardo’s and mine is I was hit on both sides of my leg, by two players. “The bottom part of my right shin was in an L-shape. It was hit either side and the bone had nowhere to go so it went through the skin. The bottom part of my leg had folded underneath and came out at the side.;-”Busst added: “I had 20 operations on my right leg, with 10 operations in the first 12 days. I’d like to reassure Eduardo and tell him not to let people compare his injury to mine because I did have to give up.”

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Beckham’s exhibition game in Hong Kong

LOS ANGELES David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy will play an exhibition match March 9 against Hong Kong Union at Hong Kong Stadium, the Major League Soccer club announced Monday.The match will be the third game of the Galaxy’s exhibition tour of Asia which begins next week. The Hong Kong game will mark the final game of the tour designed to tap into Beckham’s huge popularity in Asia. The game will follow matchups against FC Seoul in Seoul, South Korea on March 1 and Shanghai-Hong Kong United in Shanghai, China on March 5. “We are very excited to be able to add this important third match to the Galaxy’s Asia Tour 2008,” said Galaxy assistant GM Tom Payne said. Last week, the Galaxy finished third in the inaugural Pan Pacific Championship tournament in Hawaii, losing their opening game 1-0 to Japanese club Gamba Osaka before beating Australia’s Sydney FC 2-1 in the third-place game. === Holyfield in talks with Tyson LONDON —  American boxer Evander Holyfield said in an interview published Thursday that he was in talks with Mike Tyson for a re-match of their infamous 1997 fight. Speaking to The Guardian, Holyfield, who failed in his quest to regain a version of the world heavyweight title in October, said: “There has been some talk between us. “Mike had Jeff Fenech, who’s been training him, call me a few months ago. Jeff says Mike wants to fight me again – but he needs to know if I would agree to it. I said, ‘It all depends on what they gonna give us – because I’m gonna catch a lot of flak if I say I’m fighting Mike Tyson again. I’ve already said I don’t want to fight Mike no more’. “Jeff says, ‘What if Mike gets in proper shape?’ I told him that’s OK but I can’t be part of it if Mike’s going to pull out. Jeff said, ‘The main thing Mike wants to know is if you would be willing to fight him again?’ I said, ‘Yeah, if the price is right, I probably would’.” –In their 1997 fight, the second between the two boxers, Tyson, now 41, bit Holyfield, now 45, twice and ripped off a chunk of his ear, which he spat onto the canvas. === Boro scrape into last eight of FA Cup MIDDLESBROUGH, England —  Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate admitted his side had enjoyed a huge slice of luck after a freakish extra-time winner sent them into the last eight of the FA Cup with a 1-0 win over Sheffield United. Boro had marginally shaded an uninspiring contest on points but it still took a bizarre own goal by Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny to separate the two sides in Wednesday night’s fifth round replay. With penalties looming in the second period of extra time, Boro’s Egyptian striker Mido fired in a shot that took a deflection off Chris Morgan and looped over Kenny and onto the post. The ball bounced straight back towards the goalkeeper who, caught unawares, contrived to fumble it over his own line, effectively handing Boro a quarterfinal home tie against another Championship outfit, Cardiff. “We had plenty of chances to win but obviously the longer it went on the more it looked like it would be decided on penalties,” Southgate said. “But we have shown a lot of character. They have done that all season and they have done it again. We had the chances to wrap it up but in the end we have been very fortunate with the goal. “It was a classic FA Cup goal but I have to pay credit to Sheffield. Over the two games they pushed us all the way and they have a lot of Premiership quality players in their side.” Southgate handed striker Afonso Alves his first start since his 12.7-million-pound capture in the January transfer window and it was a promising full debut from the Brazilian, described as “a real threat” by his delighted manager. As early as the ninth minute, a clever turn by Alves forced defender Derek Geary to concede a free-kick and it took a fine block by Morgan to prevent him firing Boro into the lead soon afterwards. The visitors best early chance fell to former England striker James Beattie, who fluffed his volley straight at goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer after being found by Gary Naysmith’s cross;-Another good block by Morgan denied Alves early in the second half and the Brazilian came close to scoring his first goal in Boro on 65 minutes after being fed by Julio Arca. Cutting inside, Alves unleashed a low right-foot shot which Kenny did well to hold. The Brazilian was denied once more by a superb challenge from Matthew Kilgallon but his lack of a goal did not prevent him from being warmly cheered when he departed with just over a quarter of an hour left. Boro had enjoyed the better of the first 90 minutes but it was their Championship opponents who finished stronger;-After almost finding Rob Hulse with a knockdown four minutes from the end, Beattie could have won the tie in the final minute of regulation time but failed to hit the target after being found by Welsh veteran midfielder Gary Speed’s ball into the near post. ==== Zanetti saves Inter’s unbeaten start Zanetti stunning late volley.. ROME — Inter Milan’s Argentine captain Javier Zanetti saved the champions and league leaders’ unbeaten start to the season as he rifled home a stunning late volley to earn a 1-1 draw against AS Roma on Wednesday. Roma captain and talisman Francesco Totti had given the visitors a deserved first-half lead at the San Siro but Zanetti’s strike two minutes from time maintained Inter’s nine-point lead at the top. Second-placed Roma needed to win to breathe new life into the title race but they were dealt a cruel blow as French centre-back Philippe Mexes was harshly sent off late on for two bookings in quick succession. Inter capitalised and they have now lost only once in their last 65 league matches. Zanetti admitted they had been a little fortunate to scrape a draw. “It was an important goal because it was a difficult match, we were losing 1-0, there was little time left, (but) we went forward and luckily managed to score an equaliser and keep our nine point gap,” he told Sky Sport. “It’s an important gap but we have to keep going and we have to rediscover our best form because we’re not at the top of our game right now.” Inter had the first clear-cut chance of the match and were within a lick of paint of taking the lead. Argentine forward Hernan Crespo met a cross from France captain Patrick Vieira with an acrobatic volley but saw his effort cannon back off the post. The champions were made to pay for that miss on 38 minutes as the visitors orchestrated a sublime goal. Neat footwork from Macedonia international Mirko Vucinic released Max Tonetto down the left and his pin-point cross was flicked home at the near post by Totti from seven yards out as he stole in front of Romania centre-back Cristian Chivu. Inter centre-back Nicolas Burdisso should have restored parity in first-half stoppage time but his header from Luis Figo’s corner flew over the bar. Figo himself had a great chance on 54 minutes but after having time to set himself up for an attempted volley, he skewed his effort so badly that it didn’t even go out of play. Inter coach Roberto Mancini made three early second-half substitutions introducing David Suazo, Vitor Pele and 17-year-old Ghanaian-born striker Mario Balotelli but the move soon backfired. Brazilian left-back Maxwell was stretchered off moments later, leaving Inter to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match. Roma’s Brazilian midfielder Rodrigo Taddei was next to try his luck but his over-elaborate attempted chip sailed wide;-Roma were often guilty of over-playing the ball but substitute Alberto Aquilani took the direct route midway through the second half only to see his scuffed shot saved by Julio Cesar’s legs in the Inter goal. Five minutes later Aquilani also had a shot deflected wide as Roma increasingly applied pressure on their shell-shocked hosts. The referee evened the numbers up in the last 10 minutes, though, when he gave Mexes two yellow cards in quick succession, the second being more than just harsh. Inter laid siege to Roma’s goal and Brazilian Doni had to be alert to tip over Crespo’s header three minutes from time but he could do nothing about Zanetti’s volley a minute later. AC Milan slipped to fifth place as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Catania. Brazilian teenager Pato gave them the lead early in the second half with a skimming long-range shot but substitute Gionathan Spinesi’s header earned the Sicilians a point;-Fiorentina are up to fourth after they defeated Livorno 1-0 at home thanks to a goal from Senegal forward Ndiaye Papa Waigo. ====