The Korea Herald

Korea and other heavyweights gather points

Jun 13, 2012

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) ― Asian heavyweights South Korea, Japan and Australia all took strides toward automatic qualification for the 2014 World Cup by earning creditable results on Tuesday.Iran, another one of the favorites to advance, was forced to settle for a 0-0 draw against Qatar.Japan drew 1-1 away to Australia, which will be grateful for a point after playing most of the second half a man down. Japan tops Group B with seven points from two games with Australia in second with two points
14-year-old to make Open history

Jun 13, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― Andy Zhang walked over to the driving range as just another teenager wanting an autograph from his favorite players. Instead, he had the gallery at The Olympic Club asking for his signature.Welcome to the U.S. Open, kid.All of 14 years old and preparing to start the ninth grade, Zhang is believed to be the youngest player in championship history. He was born in China and has lived in Florida since 2008, and about the only place he doesn’t show his age is on the course.Headin
McIlroy simmers with confidence

Jun 13, 2012

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ― Adding a tournament before the U.S. Open turned out to be a great move for Rory McIlroy.Sure, he squandered a chance to win the St. Jude Classic when he was tied for the lead and hit his tee shot on the 18th hole into the water, leading to a double bogey and a tie for seventh. What mattered to McIlroy was at least he had a chance Sunday, and he had not played golf on Sunday in more than a month.McIlroy had missed the cut in three straight tournaments until last week, which d
Feng wins China’s first major at LPGA Championship

Jun 11, 2012

PITTSFORD, New York (AP) ― Shanshan Feng set two personal goals this year on the LPGA Tour. She reached them both with one memorable round.Feng won the LPGA Championship on Sunday to become the first Chinese player to win an LPGA Tour title and a major event, closing with a 5-under 67 for a two-stroke victory.“I am so excited right now,” Feng said. “I did it! I don’t know how to celebrate. It happened too soon. I’m going to miss my flight tomorrow. I might just go home. Who knows? I want to see
South Korean Kim becomes youngest winner in Japan

Jun 10, 2012

In a file photo, Kim Hyo-ju, 17, holds up the trophy after winning the Lotte Mart Ladies Open in April. On Sunday Kim won the Suntory Ladies Open, an annual golf tournament on the LPGA of Japan Tour, with 17- under-par 271. She became the youngest winner of the tournament and added one more victory to Korean female golfers’ 16 winnings on the JLPGA Tour so far. The prize money of 18 million yen we
Ji Eun-hee leads LPGA Championship

Jun 10, 2012

PITTSFORD, New York (AP) ― Karrie Webb is in territory she used to take for granted ― in contention at a major on the LPGA Tour. She relishes the feeling like never before.“I still get really excited for the majors and the importance they have on everyone’s career,” Webb said Saturday after shooting a 4-under 68 to move within one shot of the lead after the third round of the LPGA Championship. “I probably want it more than I ever have in my career.”Webb, who counts seven majors among her 38 car
Lewis wins ShopRite by 4 strokes

Jun 4, 2012

GALLOWAY, New Jersey (AP) ― Stacy Lewis shot an even-par 71 Sunday to win the ShopRite LPGA Classic.Lewis finished 54 holes at the Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club at 12-under-par 201. It was Lewis’ third LPGA win and her second of 2012; she won the Mobile LPGA Classic in April. And she reached the quarterfinals in the match play even two weeks ago. Last year, her first career victory came in a major, the Kraft Nabisco Championship.This victory was worth $225,000 from a $1.5 million purse.Ka
Tiger Woods’ 73rd career win ties him with Jack Nicklaus

Jun 4, 2012

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) ― Tiger Woods picked the right place to match Jack Nicklaus for career PGA Tour wins, and with a shot that even left Nicklaus amazed.Two shots behind with three holes to play, his ball in an impossible spot behind the 16th green, Woods holed a flop shot from 50 feet away that turned bogey into birdie and sent him on his way to a stunning comeback Sunday in the Memorial.Woods made three birdies on his last four holes for a 5-under 67, matching the lowest score of the final round
Tiger adds epic shot, dramatic win to his legend

Jun 4, 2012

DUBLIN, Ohio (AFP) -- With golf icon Jack Nicklaus watching in amazement, Tiger Woods added another epic shot and tension-packed victory to his own legendary career Sunday by winning the Memorial for his 73rd pro title. Woods won for only the second time since his infamous sex scandal erupted in November 2009 after chipping in for birdie from dense rough 48 feet from the cup at the par-3 16th
Levin in charge as Tiger lurks

Jun 3, 2012

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) ― Spencer Levin gets another crack at his first PGA Tour win, this time with a smaller lead and a lot more star power behind him.Levin felt as though he could do no wrong Saturday at the Memorial when he chipped in for eagle, chipped in for birdie and even had a par putt swirl around the cup and fall in. That allowed him to make a few mistakes on the back nine and still post a 3-under 69 for a one-shot lead over Rory Sabbatini (71).Rickie Fowler also had a 69, one of only three
Stallings leads Memorial as McIlroy recovers

Jun 1, 2012

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) ― Erik Compton considers the Memorial a special week no matter how he plays, knowing his second heart transplant came from a donor in Ohio.The opening round was even sweeter with three birdies on the back nine late Thursday afternoon at Muirfield Village for a 5-under 67, leaving him one-shot out of the lead after a day that featured a timely rally by Rory McIlroy and a surprising departure by Phil Mickelson.When the day ended, Scott Stallings was atop the leaderboard with a 66
Tseng leads strong LPGA field

May 31, 2012

GALLOWAY, New Jersey (AFP) ― World No. 1 Yani Tseng heads a strong field for this week’s LPGA ShopRite Classic, the final tuneup for the LPGA Classic, the second major of the women’s golf season.Taiwan’s Tseng, winner of three titles this year, is coming off a third-round exit a fortnight ago in the Sybase Match Play Championship won by Azahara Munoz of Spain.Even with that setback, Tseng leads the LPGA money list by more than $300,000. She is at No. 1 in the world for the 68th straight week.Tse
McIlroy hopeful of sticking around

May 31, 2012

DUBLIN, Ohio (AP) ― Rory McIlroy is playing more golf than he planned going into his title defense at the U.S. Open.Just not on the right days.McIlroy lost his No. 1 ranking ― and briefly lost his composure ― by missing consecutive cuts at two big tournaments at The Players Championship and the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, where frustrations boiled over to the point that he tossed a 6-iron after an errant shot.If nothing else, it was a wake-up call for McIlroy.“When you’ve went on a run wh
Donald back at No. 1 after victory

May 28, 2012

VIRGINIA WATER, England (AP) ― Luke Donald replaced Rory McIlroy at No. 1 in the rankings for the third time in 10 weeks, successfully defending his title in the BMW PGA Championship. It also lifted his hopes of finally capturing a major at the U.S. Open next month.Displaying his trademark consistency with his driver and putter, Donald won the biggest event on the European Tour by four strokes. The Englishman shot a 4-under 68 at Wentworth on Sunday for his fourth straight round under 70, leavin
Johnson overcomes Dufner to take Colonial

May 28, 2012

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) ― Zach Johnson was so caught up in the emotion of another Colonial title and a victory in honor of his caddie’s late father that he forgot to properly remark his ball before his final putt.Even with a two-stroke penalty, Johnson won by one over Jason Dufner and got to slip on the plaid jacket Sunday for his first victory since also winning at Hogan’s Alley two years ago.“There’s a number of adjectives I’m calling myself right now. And lucky would be the biggest one,” Johns