Golf

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Weekley and Slocum to represent US at the World Cup

MIAMI: Childhood friends Boo Weekley and Heath Slocum will represent the United States in a low-profile pairing at next month's World Cup in China following the withdrawal of Arron Oberholser, the PGA Tour said on Friday.

World number 25 Oberholser had initially agreed to play at Mission Hills with Sean O'Hair as his partner but pulled out four days ago to have wrist surgery later this month.

Weekley, world-ranked 36th, was the next available American player and selected Slocum to join him for the Nov 22-25 team competition in Shenzhen.

揟his is really a dream come true for me,

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Estes and Armour still in the lead at Ginn Classic

PORT ST LUCIE (Florida): Bob Estes and Tommy Armour remained tied for the lead at the Ginn Classic on Friday, making it safely into the clubhouse before poor weather cut short play.

The US pair posted matching 68s for a 36-hole total of 132.

Sweden's Daniel Chopra was their nearest rival in the clubhouse after a 6 for 133.

Australian Michael Sim (67), Steve Lowery (66) and Sean O'Hair (68) were all in the clubhouse on 136.

But 63 golfers were still on the course when play was suspended on the rain sodden Tesoro Club course.

Estes strung together three straight birdies from the third before his first bogey of the week at No. 6.

He closed the front nine with a birdie and birdied two of his last three to stay atop the leaderboard.

In the soggy conditions, players have been allowed to lift, clean and place, and Estes said it was a necessity.

揟he balls are just covered in mud once we get to them,

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Wonder shots take Garcia closer to the lead

MALLORCA (Spain): A spectacular approach on the 17th hole at Pula hauled Sergio Garcia two strokes nearer the Mallorca Classic halfway lead yesterday.

After returning to the course to complete his weather-disrupted second round, Garcia's wedge shot 72 yards from the rough sent his ball into the cup for an eagle two, following a stunning 320-yard drive over an out of bounds house garden.

The two telling blows subsequently took him to a three-under 67 and five-under 135 for fifth place, four strokes off the lead held jointly by Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen and Jean-Francois Lucquin of France.

Garcia shares fifth spot with title-holder Niclas Fasth of Sweden, who held the Spaniard to second place last year.

揟he drive was a very strong one,

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Pettersen increases her lead in Thailand Open

PATTAYA: Suzann Pettersen of Norway remained atop the leaderboard yesterday as she fired a sizzling nine-under 63 to extend her lead to seven strokes going into the last round of the US$1.3mil Thailand Open.

The day also saw two US players, Stacy Prammanasudh and Christina Kim, score hole-in-ones on the eighth hole.

Pettersen enjoyed a bogey-free day, firing nine birdies

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Kang and Prom battle for lead before bad weather stops play

JAKARTA: American stalwart Anthony Kang and Thai young gun Prom Meesawat were battling for the lead in the third round when play was suspended at the President Invitational yesterday.

Prom chalked up five birdies against a lone bogey with five holes to play on 13-under before play was called off because of bad weather at the Damai Indah Golf BSD Course.

Kang, who was the joint leader at the end of the second round, remained steady alongside Prom on day three, ending one under after 11 holes in the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.

Ryder Cup star Lee Westwood battled the gusting winds, ending even-par after 11 holes on 12-under alongside India's Harmeet Kahloon, who was two-under after 12 holes.

Australian rookie Neven Basic, who is enjoying his best run on the Asian Tour, fired two birdies against an equal number of bogeys after 12 holes.

Ashley Hall of Australia grabbed the clubhouse lead after a bogey-free four-under-par 68 at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course.

With a nine-under 207 total, Hall was a stroke ahead of compatriot Adam Blyth, who posted a 69.

Before the third round action got underway yesterday, 77 players returned to complete their second round, with Westwood, Kang, Basic and Taiwan's Lu Wei-chih grabbing the joint halfway lead.

A total of 67 players who made the cut.

Play was suspended at 3.28 pm because of lightning and 54 players will resume the third round today at 6.40am local time.

Prom, ranked 25th on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, with one title under his belt, was four under on the front nine before a dropped shot on the 12th.  

He bounced back with a birdie at the 13th.

揑 was coping well with delays this whole week ...But today it is slightly different because I will resume play tomorrow in the bunker.

揑 am a bit nervous that the situation might disrupt the remaining five holes in the third round but I will put my head down and hope to produce a solid result.

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Filipino wins maiden title with an eagle in Jakarta

JAKARTA: Filipino golfer Juvic Pagunsan hit a final hole eagle to clinch his maiden Asian Tour win at the President Invitational yesterday.  

The 29-year-old broke down in tears after sealing his victory with a final round 65 at Jakarta's Damai Indah Golf

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Pettersen staves off late challenge to lift Thai Open title

BANGKOK: An eagle at the last secured Suzann Pettersen of Norway victory in the US$1.3mil Thailand Open tournament in Pattaya, overcoming a late challenge by Britain's Laura Davies yesterday.

After stretching her lead to seven strokes in the third round on Saturday, Pettersen saw the gap shrink to just one, as Davies excelled in the last round of the competition, finishing with seven-under 65.

The Norwegian's one-under final round of 71 was far off her nine-under-par 63 of the previous day.

Her round included four bogeys while Davies racked up six birdies as well as an eagle on the first hole.

But it was an eagle on the last hole that ensured Pettersen victory, after the two players had been tied heading up the 18th.

Pettersen finished with a winning 21-under total of 267.

揑ts been fantastic,

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Bourdy gets first win on European Tour

MALLORCA: Frenchman Gregory Bourdy became the European Tour's 18th first-time winner this season when he clinched the Mallorca Classic title yesterday.

Bourdy's closing three-under 67 for a 12-under, 268, four-round total left him two shots clear of Britain's Sam Little, whose 67 made sure he kept his European Tour playing card.

Bourdy helped to create a European record

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Chopra takes control at sodden Tesoro

MIAMI: Swede Daniel Chopra birdied two of the last seven holes to move two strokes clear in the weather-hit third round of the Ginn Classic at Port St Lucie, Florida yesterday.

Although the 33-year-old bogeyed the last after missing a seven-footer, he took control of the PGA Tour's penultimate event of the season by firing a four-under 69.

In pursuit of his maiden Tour title, Chopra picked up shots at the par-three 12th and par-five 16th on his way to a 17-under total of 202 in rain-sodden conditions at Tesoro Club.

His American playing partner Bob Estes, tied for the lead overnight after 11 holes, produced a 72 and a share of second spot.

Swede Fredrik Jacobson birdied the final hole for a 67 and a tie for fourth with Japan's Shigeki Maruyama (68) and American Sean O'Hair (69).  

The globe-trotting Chopra was delighted to be on track for his first title on the world's biggest tour.

揟here's a lot at stake now as I get closer and closer to that finish line for my first win on the PGA Tour,

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Maiden win for Chopra

MIAMI: Swede Daniel Chopra held his nerve to win his maiden PGA Tour title by a stroke at the weather-delayed Ginn Classic in Port St Lucie, Florida yesterday.

With three holes remaining in the rain-hit tournament at the Tesoro Club, Chopra edged ahead with a birdie at the par-five 16th before parring the last two for a two-under 71.

The Swede, who had been tied for the overnight lead with compatriot Fredrik Jacobson and Japan's Shigeki Maruyama, finished on 19-under 273 to become the Tour's 12th first-time winner this season.

Jacobson and Maruyama both parred their last two holes for closing 69s to share second place at 18-under, two ahead of American Dicky Pride, who signed off with a 64.

  

Far and wide: Paula Creamer (left) of the US hits the ball on a runaway at the Incheon International Airport in Seoul yesterday during the longest hit contest, watched by American Brittany Lincicome (right), South Korean Pak Se-ri and Swede Annika Sorenstam. The four players took part in an 18-hole US$110,000 skins game hosted by Se-ri to celebrate her membership in the Hall of Fame, at the Sky72 club in Incheon.

The globe-trotting Chopra, born to a Swedish mother and Indian father, regained control when he birdied his first hole of the morning.

Despite missing the 16th fairway to the right off the tee and finding the first cut of rough with his second shot, he struck his approach to nine feet to set up his fifth birdie of the round.

He safely negotiated the par-three 17th, finding the front portion of the green and two-putting from around 55 feet.

With his closest challengers Jacobson and Maruyama in the clubhouse at 18-under, Chopra coolly parred the last to secure the title and a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour.

Although bunkered off the tee at the par-four 18th, the 33-year-old hit his second shot to 26 feet before lipping out with his birdie attempt. He then calmly tapped in for par before raising both arms in celebration.

Maruyama left with one pretty good consolation prize

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Stadler, Fasth cemerlang

SHANGHAI

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Que pintas Danny

SINGAPURA

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Mickelson hampiri gelaran

SHANGHAI

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Filipino Que pips Danny by a stroke in final round

SINGAPORE: Angelo Que emerged champion of the Laguna National Asean Championship by one stroke at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club here yesterday.

The Filipino closed with a three-under 69 at the Classic Course for a four-round 20-under 268 to pip Malaysia's Danny Chia and Singapore's 20-year-old amateur Quincy Quek to the crown. Danny also closed with a 69 while Quincy posted a 66.

Felix Casas of the Philippines finished fourth after a 68 for a 270 total while Singapore's Mardan Mamat was fifth after a 71 to finish on 275.  

揟his is a great win for me and has given me a lot of confidence. I was so relaxed out there

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Mickelson closing in on title after finishing two shots ahead of the pack

SHANGHAI: American Phil Mickelson took a two-stroke lead after the third round of the HSBC Champions Tournament here yesterday to give himself a big chance of winning for the first time in 14 years on foreign soil.

The world number two, who rarely plays outside the United States, continued to show he is equally comfortable in unfamiliar Chinese territory, with a four-under 68 to be placed at 14 under for the tournament.

Young Englishman Ross Fisher was in outright second place on 12 under after also shooting 68, while countryman Paul Casey was in third position one shot further back after shooting a six-under 66, the best round of the day.

American Kevin Stadler, who led for the first two days, slipped back to fourth spot with a one-over 73 playing alongside Mickelson and Fisher, but he remained in contention at just four shots off the pace.

  

Reel them in: Ross Fisher of England tees off in front of a Chinese crowd before finishing in second place on the third day of the HSBC Champions Tournament Saturday.

After a tough day in cool and breezy conditions, Mickelson stormed home with three birdies in the last five holes to ensure he would have the outright lead going into today.

揑 fought hard early in the round, I made a couple of birdies and bogeys and was back and forth for a while,

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Creamer opens five-stroke lead in Alabama

MOBILE (Alabama): Paula Creamer grabbed a five-stroke lead halfway through the US$1mil LPGA Tournament of Champions, firing a bogey-free seven-under 65 on Friday to seize command.

The 21-year-old US standout birdied her final seven holes on Thursday, then picked up where she left off by starting round two with a birdie. Creamer added birdies at six and eight and began the back nine with a birdie as well.

Birdies at 15, 16 and a 35-footer for birdie at the 18th left Creamer on 12-under par 132 after 36 holes, five ahead of second-place Jin Joo-hong of South Korea.

揑 felt very confident,

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Golf: Gandingan AS kuasai hari kedua

SHENZHEN, China

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Rose and Immelman head into the final round tied for lead

SUN CITY: A terrific duel between Justin Rose of England and South Africa抯 Trevor Immelman in the Nedbank Golf Challenge continued at the Gary Player Country Club yesterday.

Both players scored five-under 67s to share the 54-hole lead on 16-under 200.

The pair of 27-year-olds were also joint leaders at the halfway mark in this 12-man line-up featuring eight of the world抯 top 20 players.

Rose, the world No. 8, is bidding to become the first tournament rookie to win here and pocket the US$1.2mil first prize, while world No. 22 Immelman made his debut last year when he was seventh behind winner Jim Furyk of the United States.

  

Rough it out: Trevor Immelman of South Africa hits a shot during the second round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City on Friday. Immelman finished the day on 11-under for a share of the lead.

Furyk is not defending his title because he has a neck injury.

While most would like to think today抯 final round will be a two-man race between Rose and Immelman as third-placed Ernie Els is five off the pace, world No 5 Els himself will have nothing of it.

The big South African is capable of some explosive golf, especially when it comes to chasing the leaders on the final day, and he has made up as many as six shots in the last round before to win.

Rose was trailing playing partner Immelman by three strokes with five holes to go yesterday but played those holes in three under with birdies at the 14th, 15th and 16th followed by solid pars at the long and treacherous par-4 17th and 18th holes.

By contrast, Immelman stumbled coming in, with a bogey at the last dropping him back into share of the lead on 16-under.

揑 actually didn抰 feel that comfortable with my game out there today,

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Groom clings on to slim advantage in Cambodia

SIEM REAP: Australia's Adam Groom held on to a narrow one-stroke lead over American Bryan Saltus after a two-under 70 in the third round of the inaugural Cambodian Open yesterday.  

Groom, ranked 47th on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit, is on course for his maiden Asian Tour title after he shot three birdies against a lone dropped shot for a 13-under 203 total.  

American Saltus stayed in contention after a 71, matched by third-placed American Anthony Kang in the US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

The Thai trio of Thaworn Wiratchant, Chapchai Nirat, and Prom Meesawat were four strokes behind the leader, also in joint third spot, having fired a 67, 68 and 69 respectively at the Phokeethra Country Club.

England's Yasin Ali, who is ranked 70th on the money list, kept his hopes alive for a card next season when he blasted his second straight 68 to lie in lone seventh spot.

Groom, 28, was two-under after 10 holes and held onto his slim advantage when he parred the remaining eight holes on the way home.  

揑 guess knowing that I have secured my card for next year has helped me relax on course this week. I haven't played four rounds under par this season and doing that this week would be a great result.

揟he conditions are not that tough and with a solid game tomorrow, it might just work out.

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Rose falters as South African wins by one shot in Sun City

SUN CITY: South Africa抯 Trevor Immelman won the 27th edition of the Nedbank Golf Challenge yesterday, in spite of bogeying the final three holes on the Gary Player Country Club course.

He outduelled England抯 Justin Rose, who blew up with a double-bogey six at the last, in what turned into a nervy two-horse race between the two players in the final round.

  

It抯 mine: Trevor Immelman holding up the trophy after winning the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City, South Africa yesterday

Immelman shot a 72 for a 16-under-par aggregate of 272, with Rose signing for a 73 and 273.

South Africa抯 Ernie Els was third on 277 after a 72, and Swede Henrik Stenson fourth on 279, also following a 72.

揑抳e always been very determined to be a world class golfer and winning the World Cup for South Africa was one highlight, and outplaying Tiger Woods to win the Western Open on the PGA Tour last year was another,