Milwaukee Brewers' Choi Ji-man has opened the new major league season by scoring the winning run in extra innings.Choi hit a pinch-hit double and crossed home plate for the go-ahead run in the top of the 12th inning, as the Brewers defeated the San Diego Padres 2-1 at Petco Park in San Diego, California, on Thursday (local time).After reaching a minor league deal with the Brewers in January, Choi was a non-roster invitee in spring training. He played his way onto the Opening Day roster, hitting

South Korean LPGA golfer Park In-bee has accomplished virtually everything a golfer can in a career: seven majors among her 19 LPGA wins, an Olympic gold medal and a place in the LPGA Hall of Fame.And what's left for the 29-year-old? Just to enjoy the game of golf."I should be really ready to enjoy tournament golf. But that's something that I haven't been able to do, and that's what I'm trying to do," Park told a press conference before the start of the ANA Inspiration, the season's first major,

INCHEON -- South Korean midfielder Lee Chang-min said Thursday he'll keep working hard to be part of the World Cup squad after scoring his first international goal in a friendly football match against Poland.Lee, who plays with Jeju United in the K League 1, earned his first goal for South Korea at Silesian Stadium in Chorzow, Poland, on Tuesday when his right-footed strike from the penalty arc found the net in the 85th minute. With his goal, South Korea cut the deficit to one and later got an e

South Korea men's national football team head coach Shin Tae-yong said Thursday that its two recent friendly matches in Europe have boosted their preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.Shin returned home after suffering consecutive defeats in their World Cup warmup matches against European opponents. South Korea fell 2-1 to Northern Ireland last Saturday and lost 3-2 to Poland three days later.Despite the losses, Shin claimed that the two matches gave them a big help for their World Cup prepar

South Korean players will enter the 2018 Major League Baseball season with much to prove on the mound and at the plate.Four players have been assured of big league jobs to start the season Friday morning (South Korea time): Los Angeles Dodgers' starter Ryu Hyun-jin, Texas Rangers' outfielder Choo Shin-soo, Toronto Blue Jays' reliever Oh Seung-hwan and Milwaukee Brewers' first baseman/outfielder Choi Ji-man.Choi had been on the bubble all spring as a non-roster invitee. But he played his way onto

Korean Chung Hyeon has crashed out of an ATP Tour quarterfinals in Miami.The 23rd-ranked Korean was eliminated in the final eight at the Miami Open in Miami, Florida, on Wednesday (local time), as the 17th-ranked John Isner beat him in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, in 67 minutes.Chung was making his sixth straight quarterfinal appearance on the tour.Isner, known for his powerful serves, recorded 13 aces, against Chung's three, and improved to 3-1 all time against Chung. The Korean committed four doub

South Korean tennis player Chung Hyeon has reached his sixth straight quarterfinals on the ATP Tour, a performance that will likely take him inside the top 20 in the next world rankings.The world No. 23 defeated the 80th-ranked Joao Souza 6-4, 6-3 at the Miami Open on Tuesday (local time), and has now reached the final eight in his sixth consecutive tournament, dating back to the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, in January. The streak also includes a shocking run to the semifinals at the Au

CHORZOW -- South Korean forward Son Heung-min believes that the national team needs to make better efforts after suffering two friendly losses in Europe in the runup to the World Cup.South Korea fell 3-2 to Poland in their friendly match at Silesian Stadium in Chorzow, Poland, on Tuesday. It was their second straight defeat following a 2-1 loss to Northern Ireland in Belfast last Saturday.Against Poland, South Korea leveled the score from two goals down but surrendered the winner to Piotr Zielin

PAJU -- South Korean women's football coach Yoon Duk-yeo said Tuesday his side is determined to grab a ticket to the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.Yoon's team will depart for Jordan on Thursday to compete in the 2018 Asian Football Confederation Women's Asian Cup that will be held from April 6 to 20. The competition will double as the final Asian qualifier for the 2019 World Cup in France, with the top five nations qualifying for the showpiece event of women's football.Yoon already unveiled his 23

CHORZOW, Poland -- South Korean attacking ace Son Heung-min will be the primary target for opponents when he is on international duty, but the Tottenham Hotspur man has claimed that he is ready to overcome tough challenges. Son, who has netted 18 goals for Spurs this season, is one of the 23 players who have been called up for South Korea's friendly matches against Northern Ireland and Poland. South Korea suffered a 2-1 loss to Northern Ireland on Friday and are scheduled to face Poland on Tuesd

CHORZOW -- South Korea national football team head coach Shin Tae-yong has hinted at changes for the friendly against Poland.South Korea, ranked 59th in the latest FIFA rankings, will face No. 6 Poland at Silesian Stadium in Chorzow, Poland. The match will start at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday (Poland time) or 3:45 a.m. Wednesday (Seoul time).Shin on Monday said there could be a possible change of players and tactics for the upcoming match but didn't unveil details. The 48-year-old coach brought 23 players

Korean baseball pitcher Kim Kwang-hyun has cut off his long locks for cancer-stricken children.The SK Wyverns in the Korea Baseball Organization said Monday that the left-hander got a haircut for a good cause following his start Sunday. He will donate his hair to make wigs for children who've lost their own hair following cancer treatment.The Wyverns said it will hold a ceremony to mark the occasion before their home game against the KT Wiz on Tuesday at SK Happy Dream Park in Incheon, 40 kilome

South Korean golfer Ji Eun-hee has picked up her fourth career LPGA victory in California, powered by an ace on the back nine.Ji won the Kia Classic at Aviara Golf Club in Carlsbad, California, with a four-round total of 16-under 272 on Sunday (local time). Her final round of five-under 67 included a hole-in-one on the 14th hole, as Ji beat two Americans, Cristie Kerr and Lizette Salas, by two strokes.This was Ji's first win since October last year. The world No. 38 had gone more than eight year

Chorzow, Poland -- After suffering a painful defeat against Northern Ireland, South Korean national football team players said that they are ready to perform better against Poland. South Korea, No. 59 in the latest FIFA rankings, will take on sixth-ranked Poland at Silesian Stadium in Chorzow on Tuesday. This is South Korea's second friendly this month after they fell 2-1 to Northern Ireland on Saturday. South Korea, led by head coach Shin Tae-yong, began their first training in Chorzow on Sunda

The international baseball governing body has announced the qualification system for the sport at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.The Switzerland-based World Baseball Softball Confederation announced Saturday (local time) that the first opportunity to qualify for the six-team Olympic baseball tournament will come up at 2019 Premier 12, the WBSC's flagship event.The WBSC said the top finisher from the Americas and the top country from the Asia/Oceania region, excluding Olympic host Japan, will