Seeks to complete mission at U.S. Women’s OpenCOLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (AP) ― There was a time when Yani Tseng shied away from socializing on the golf course.Usually outgoing, the top-ranked Taiwanese golfer was so insecure about her broken English that she would stay away from others in her group at LPGA events, rather than even attempt a conversation.These days, Tseng’s English has become almo

PGA master professional tells his golf philosophyGolf fans were stunned this week by young Northern Irish golfer Rory Mcllroy when he won the U.S. Open title by eight strokes on Sunday for his first win in a major.The stunning victory of the 22-year-old is welcome news for golf lovers who have long been anticipating a new star, said PGA professional Jay Kyungwoo Na.“Our golf has been lacking star

South Korea’s Yang Yong-eun tied for third at the U.S. Open golf championship, which ended Sunday just outside Washington.At the year’s second major tournament held at the Congressional Country Club, Yang finished at 6-under, 10 strokes behind the champion Rory McIlroy. Yang began the day in second place, eight behind McIlroy, but shot an even-par round of 71 to drop into a three-way tie for third

BETHESDA, Maryland (AP) ― Rory McIlroy kept punishing the golf course and the record book Saturday, setting himself up with an eight-shot lead at the U.S. Open with 18 holes left between him and his first major championship.In a third round that felt more like a regular day on tour than the toughest test in golf, McIlroy shot 3-under-par 68 to finish at 14-under 199, breaking Jim Furyk’s record fo

BETHESDA, Maryland (AP) ― If he keeps playing like this, Rory McIlroy’s next chance to close out a major should come very soon.McIlroy, who blew a four-shot lead in the final round of the Masters, is on top at the U.S. Open, shooting a 6-under-par 65 on Thursday to take a three-stroke lead over Yang Yong-eun and the man who wound up taking the green jacket, Charl Schwartzel.There’s still a lot of

BETHESDA, Maryland (AP) ― Golf’s second major championship of the year seems to have a new name.It’s the U.S. Wide Open.Only a small part of that is because of Tiger Woods. He’s not at Congressional because of injuries to his left leg, and he has been missing from the top of leaderboards for more than a year. This is the first U.S. Open since 1999 that Woods is not No. 1 in the world.The top two p

BETHESDA, Maryland (AFP) ― Not until Choi Kyung-ju captured two key PGA tuneup events for major championships in 2007 did the Korean golf star start thinking he had the talent to win a major title himself.Four years later, and after yet another impressive triumph at last month’s Players Championship, Choi heads into Thursday’s start of the 111th U.S. Open confident on a Congressional Country Club

Mindy Kim sits 1 shot behindSPRINGFIELD, Illinois (AP) ― Top-ranked Yani Tseng shot her second straight 6-under 66 on Saturday to take a one-stroke lead over Mindy Kim in the LPGA State Farm ClassicTseng reached 17 under, birdieing all four of Panther Creek’s par 5s in her bogey-free round. She won the season-opening LPGA Thailand for her sixth tour title in four years.Taiwan’s Yani Tseng acknowle

SPRINGFIELD, Illinois (AP) ― Mindy Kim shot a career-low 64 to take a two-stroke lead after the first round lead of the LPGA State Farm Classic on Thursday.Sarah Kemp and Jiyai Shin were tied for second at 6-under at the Panther Creek Country Club. Brittany Lincicome, last week’s winner at the ShopRite Classic, birdied the final hole to finish at 67 and in a tie for fourth with Yani Tseng and Juli

JACKSONVILLE, Florida (AP) ― Tiger Woods pulled out of the U.S. Open on Tuesday because of lingering issues with his left leg, leaving him uncertain how soon he can resume his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus’ record for major titles.It will be the first time Woods has missed the U.S. Open since 1994, when he had just graduated high school.“I am extremely disappointed that I won’t be playing in the U.S. O

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (AP) ― Cristie Kerr was in the zone on the range before the second round of the ShopRite LPGA Classic and even a double bogey on the 12th hole didn’t cause her to lose focus.“Yeah, I think it’s maturity,” the 33-year-old Kerr said Saturday after shooting a 6-under 65 to take a one-stroke lead over Catriona Matthew heading into the final round.Korea’s Shin Ji-yai hits

Korean professional golfer Choi Kyung-ju will host his own tournament on his native land this fall, the country’s top PGA Tour player said this week.Better known as K.J. Choi in the U.S., the 41-year-old golfer said the tournament has been tentatively named the “KJ Choi Invitational” and will be held from Oct. 20 to 23 at the Ocean Course of the Sky 72 Golf Club in Incheon, about 40 kilometers wes

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) ― Charlie Wi took advantage of playing partner David Tom’s third-round collapse Saturday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Colonial.Wi, seven strokes behind Toms at the start of the round, shot a 4-under 66 to reach 13 under. After opening with bogey-free 62s to tie the PGA Tour record for the first 36 holes, Toms had a 74 to fall to second.Wi took the le

GLADSTONE, New Jersey (AFP) ― Top seed Choi Na-yeon advanced to the second round of the $1.5 million LPGA Match Play Championship by beating Scotland’s Catriona Matthew 3 and 2 but second seed Shin Jiyai was eliminated.South Korea’s Choi, claiming the top seed by virtue of leading last year’s LPGA money list, was level with her European rival until a birdie at the par-4 15th and a bogey by Matthew