Thai giant-killer stuns world No 1 to book place in last 4 of World Tour Finals
Jan 29. 2021Pornpawee Chochuwong reacts after her stunning win over world No 1 Tai Tzu-ying
By THE NATION
Thailand’s unheralded Pornpawee Chochuwong stunned world No 1 Tai Tzu-ying to book a place in Saturday’s semi-finals of the $1.5-million BWF World Tour Finals on Thursday.
Ratchanok Intanbon
A day after scoring her first win over Thai No 1 Ratchanok Intanon, the 23-year-old from Rayong deployed a dazzling array of shots to crush the Taiwanese star in 37 minutes, winning their group B match 21-17 21-11.
Pornpawee surged top of the group with two wins from two games and guaranteed herself a semi-final berth.
“Today I wanted more self-control than yesterday and to keep momentum flowing with every single shot. When I saw a chance, I took it. I didn’t think too far ahead about who I was playing. Tai is a top player so people might think she’s sure to beat me, but today I fought to overcome the feeling that victory was impossible,” said the world No 13, who gained her first win against the Taiwanese in four meetings.
Tai, meanwhile, admitted she was physically exhausted after reaching back-to-back finals in the Thailand Open I and II only to lose to Carolina Marin of Spain on both occasions.
“I made a lot of mistakes and couldn’t control the game. I felt tired also and that affected my performance,” said the world No 1.
Earlier, Ratchanok clawed back to beat India’s VP Sindhu 21-18 21-13 and keep her semi-final hopes alive.
“We both lost our matches yesterday in the first round, so today was important for us … I just wanted to focus on winning point-by-point,” said Ratchanok, who must beat Tai on Friday to earn a berth in the other semi-final. Thailand’s No 1 squandered four match points before losing to the Taiwanese in the Thailand Open II last Saturday.
“We’ve played many times and known each other’s style well. The only thing I need to think about is being active and bringing a great game to her,” she added.
In group A, heavy favourite Carolina Marin maintained her domination with a 21-16 21-13 win over Michelle Li of Canada. An Se-young of South Korea also scored her second win, beating Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia 21-12 21-17.
In men’s group A action, top seed Viktor Axelsen stretched his winning streak to 27-0 by downing Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia 21-15 21- 4. The Dane will face third-seeded Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan in Friday’s last round-robin match to decide the group winner. Chou eased past Anthony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia 21-19 21-11.
In mixed doubles, Thai duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai suffered their first loss in three weeks, going down to South Korea’s Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yufung 21-17 21-17. The Thais must now beat top-ranked pair Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith of England in the last group A match to earn a semi-final spot.
World No 13 Pornpawee Chochuwong upstaged her illustrious compatriot Ratchanok Intanon in the first group B match of the $1.5-million HSBC BWF World Tour Finals at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani on Wednesday.
Pornpawee mixed iron determination with dazzling variety to wrest control from the world No 5 with a 15-21 21-11 21-18 victory.
“My hands and legs felt tight in the first game because I was so excited to be in my first Tour Finals,” said the 23-year-old, third in national rankings topped by Ratchanok. “But then I refocused and tried to make her play my game. I ran down all shots in the third game while she seemed to be under serious pressure,” added the 2020 Spain Masters winner.
In another group B see-saw battle, world No 1 Tai Tzu Ying of Taiwan rallied after losing the first game to beat the 2018 champion PV Sindhu of India 19-21 21-12 21-17.
“I had the lead early in the first game but then I started to rush things and that led to the unforced errors,” said Tai, who was beaten two weeks in a row by Spain’s Carolina Marin on her way to both Thailand Open titles earlier this month.
“I have played two tournaments [this month] now and it’s very tiring. It was difficult to focus on court today,” said Tai, runner-up at the 2019 World Tour Finals to Chen Yufei of China.
In group A, Marin of Spain continued her dominant form with a convincing 21-19 21-14 win over Evgeniya Kosetskaya of Russia.
The former world No 1 proved superior in all aspects to beat the first Russian to reach the season finale.
“The first game was tough after winning back-to-back titles,” said Spain’s 27-year-old world No 6. “It’s tough to be [mentally] ready again for a new week, a new match and a new tournament, but I managed to win today and will now prepare for tomorrow,” added Marin, who has not dropped a game in her last 11 matches.
Also victorious in the group was South Korea’s rising star An Se-young, who toppled Michelle Li of Canada 21-12 21-17.
On the men’s side, Taiwan’s world No 2 Chou Tien Chen needed three games in group A to beat Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia, 21-16 12-21 21-11. In group B, world No 3 Anders Antonsen of Denmark benefited from a barrage of errors by Srikanth Kidambi of India to prevail 15-21 21-16 21-18. Fourth-seeded Wang Tzu Wei of Taiwan ousted Ng Ka Long Angus of Hong Kong 21-10 21-14.
In mixed doubles, Thai hopes Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai rode red-hot form as Thailand Open I and II champions to beat Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti of Indonesia 21-13 16-21 21-11 in group A.
In women’s doubles, Thailand’s Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai upset fourth-seeded Chloe Burch and Lauren Smith of England 21-10 21-11 in group B action.
ONE and Turner Sports announce four weeks of blockbuster martial arts events airing in U.S.
Jan 28. 2021
The “ONE on TNT” series will air every Wednesday from April 7 to April 28
. Each week will include a preliminary card digitally streamed exclusively on the Bleacher Report App and B/R Live from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET, followed by three main card fights televised exclusively on TNT in the U.S. at 10 p.m. ET.
“We are absolutely thrilled to kick off 2021 with the announcement of our first season of ‘ONE on TNT’,” said Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship. “We look forward to introducing our unique brand of martial arts to the U.S. on prime time. American fans can expect something fresh, new and completely different from anything that is currently available in the U.S. As always, we will feature some of the greatest World Champions across various martial arts alongside a few familiar, legendary names.”
“ONE on TNT I” kicks off the series on Wednesday, April 7, with a main event World Title bout between reigning ONE Flyweight World Champion Adriano “Mikinho” Moraes and ONE Flyweight World Grand Prix Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.
The stacked card will also feature unranked Eddie “The Underground King” Alvarez against #2-ranked lightweight contender Iuri Lapicus in the co-main event, plus reigning ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion Rodtang “The Iron Man” Jitmuangnon taking on the UK’s Jacob Smith in a non-title bout.
“ONE on TNT II,” airing April 14, will feature the return of reigning ONE Lightweight World Champion Christian “The Warrior” Lee, as he defends his World Title against #3-ranked lightweight contender Timofey Nastyukhin.
“ONE on TNT III,” airing April 21, will see former ONE Middleweight World Champion and current ONE Light Heavyweight World Champion Aung La “The Burmese Python” N Sang face former ONE Middleweight World Champion Vitaly Bigdash in a trilogy bout to determine a #1 contender in the middleweight division.
“ONE on TNT IV,” airing April 28, will cap off the series with more high-stakes bouts to be announced at a later date.
“ONE Championship has a passionate global fan base and this next step in our partnership elevates the exposure for its top martial arts events in the U.S,” said Tina Shah, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Turner Sports. “This multi-faceted approach combines two leading platforms in Bleacher Report and TNT as we further expand the reach of these premier events and drive additional engagement with a broader audience.”
Ratchanok, Thai super-duo face supreme test in World Tour Finals
Jan 27. 2021Ratchanok Inthanon
By THE NATION
Ratchanok Inthanon and the red-hot mixed doubles duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai will shoulder Thai hopes when the $1.5-million BWF World Tour Finals kicks off on Wednesday at a spectator-free Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani.
The trio is among a contingent of six locals that also features Thai No 2 Pornpawee Chochuwong and women’s doubles team Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai, selected among the world’s top eight players and pairings with best results from nine manditory tournaments for the 2020 season finale.
Thai No 1 Ratchanok has been drawn in group B alongside countrywoman Pornpawee, world No 1 Tai Tzu-ying and defending champion PV Sindhu of India. The world No 5 Thai is targeting a semi-finals place to match her performance in the Guangzhou edition three years ago.
“Reaching the semis is always my goal whenever I compete in a World Tour Finals. Every match will be tough as only the best players qualify,” said Ratchanok, who is scheduled to face Pornpawee in the first group match on Wednesday.
“All players in this tournament are tough. I have to take it one match at a time and leave all my effort out there to reach my target,” she added.
Group A’s top seed is Carolina Marin of Spain, fresh from winning back-to-back Thailand Opens. She goes up against South Korea’s rising star An Se-young, Canada’s Michelle Li and Evgeniya Kosetskaya from Russia.
The men’s singles features a “group of death”, with Denmark’s Viktor Axelsen, also a double Thailand Open winner, facing world No 2 Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan, Lee Zii Jia of Malaysia and the big-hitting Antony Sinisuka Ginting of Indonesia.
Group B features Anders Antonsen of Denmark, Wang Tzu-wei of Taiwan, Srikanth Kidamb of India and Ng Ka Long of Hong Kong.
In the mixed doubles, Dechapol and Sapsiree are heavy favourites after clinching Thailand Open I and II titles. They go into group A with top seeds Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith of England. The Thai pair will play Praveen Jordan and Melati Daeva Oktavianti of Indonesia in their opening match.
Davis Love III named U.S. Team captain for 2022 Presidents Cup
Jan 27. 2021Davis Love III with the Presidents Cup (Photo credit to Credit PGA TOUR)
By THE NATION
Presidents Cup and PGA TOUR officials today announced 21-time PGA TOUR winner and World Golf Hall of Fame member Davis Love III has been named captain of the U.S. Team for the 2022 Presidents Cup, which will be staged at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, the week of September 19-25.
Love joins South African Trevor Immelmann, who was named captain of the International Team in April 2020.
Love represented the United States in the Presidents Cup six times in his career, including the inaugural event in 1994, where he compiled a 4-0-1 record while leading the U.S. Team to a 20-12 victory over the International Team. He served as an assistant captain in the 2013, 2015 and 2017 Presidents Cups, while also guiding the United States as captain in the 2012 and 2016 Ryder Cups. Love holds a 16-8-4 all-time record in Presidents Cup play, while accounting for 18 points in 28 total matches played.
“It’s a tremendous honor to be named captain of the U.S. Team for the 2022 Presidents Cup. My history with this event dating back to 1994 conjures up indelible memories of competition, camaraderie and sportsmanship, and I’m thrilled to be leading the top American players into Quail Hollow Club next September,” said Love. “The U.S. Team has been guided by some of the game’s all-time greats since 1994, and I will do my best to carry on that legacy as we look to retain the Cup.”
Love is the ninth U.S. Team captain, joining the likes of Tiger Woods (2019), Steve Stricker (2017), Jay Haas (2015), Fred Couples (2013, 2011, 2009), Jack Nicklaus (2007, 2005, 2003, 1998), Ken Venturi (2000), Arnold Palmer (1996) and Hale Irwin (1994).
“Davis has been instrumental in the foundation and continued growth of the Presidents Cup, and it’s only fitting that he returns to Charlotte to lead the U.S. Team in 2022,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “He has been a role model to so many young players on the PGA TOUR, and I know that leadership will serve him well in this role as he leans on his wealth of experience as a competitor and captain in team competition.”
Love, the son of legendary instructor Davis Love, Jr., was born in Charlotte before the family moved to suburban Atlanta later that same year. They eventually settled into Georgia’s Golden Isles, where Love spent his youth before attending the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, where he was a three-time All-America selection and winner of six collegiate titles, including the 1984 ACC Championship.
“The Carolinas mean so much to me and my family, and it’s humbling to know that I will return to Charlotte in this new role to help carry on the rich sports tradition the Queen City has developed through the years,” said Love. “Alongside Trevor, we will help build an event atmosphere everyone can take immense pride in while showcasing this region to sports fans around the world.”
Quail Hollow Club was originally designed by famed golf course architect George Cobb in 1961 to capture the beauty as well as challenging terrain of the Piedmont region. In the intervening years, the course has undergone a series of improvements, including modifications to several holes by Palmer in 1986, a redesign by Tom Fazio in 1997 and modifications by Fazio to several holes in 2016.
“Quail Hollow is one of the best tests of golf we see all year on the PGA TOUR, and it will be a perfect venue for a match-play event given the variation of challenges it presents,” said Love. “I think you will see players taking on a number of risk-reward shots throughout the week, presenting an exciting environment for fans onsite and watching around the world.”
Quail Hollow Club has hosted the Wells Fargo Championship since 2003 and brought the PGA Championship to Charlotte in 2017.
“Davis will be a tremendous leader for the U.S. Team and alongside Trevor, gives the 2022 Presidents Cup two well-respected captains to guide their players into Quail Hollow,” said Presidents Cup Executive Director Adam Sperling. “We have received tremendous support from partners and fans throughout the region as we look toward 2022, and I know today’s announcement will only add to their collective enthusiasm.”
Stacked field arrives at Farmers Insurance Open with big goals in mind
Jan 26. 2021
Given that there is already an array of incentives – for instance, a US$7.5 million purse, a potential winning prize of US$1.35 million, and a swanky and eclectic oceanfront locale in Southern California – one wouldn’t think that talented professional golfers would find anything else to prompt them to enter the Farmers Insurance Open this week.
Yet that is the case with the annual tournament in San Diego, set for January 28 through 31. This PGA TOUR stop—where Marc Leishman of Australia arrives as defending champion — never struggles to attract a stellar field, but this year the star power is even more excessive and the stage, Torrey Pines’ South Course, is a big reason why.
The beefy, 7,765-yard golf course that sits high atop majestic cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean maintains such a persona that it is worthy of two top-billings in 2021. First, as site of the Farmers for a 54th consecutive year, then later this summer as host to the U.S. Open.
“One of my favorite venues on the PGA TOUR and one of my favorite golf courses in the world,” said Englishman Justin Rose, winner of the 2019 Farmers Insurance Open.
While he wasn’t speaking on behalf of anyone, he very well could have been. The South Course has that much cache and commands that much respect with all corners of the golf world – players, fans, and administrators such as those who run the United States Golf Association and have chosen Torrey Pines to host its flagship event for the second time in 14 years.
Adam Scott, No. 23 in the latest Official World Golf Ranking, emphasized that building early-season form was the primary reason for entering the Farmers for just the second time in his career, but he conceded that it helps to know he can get a feel for the upcoming U.S. Open.
It would be a safe bet to suggest other marquee names share that sentiment, because early commitments for the Farmers arrived from No. 2 Jon Rahm, the 2017 champion; No. 6 Xander Schauffele; No. 7 Rory McIlroy; and No. 12 Brooks Koepka.
For Asian hopes, all eyes will be on Si Woo Kim, who ended a four-year title drought on Sunday to claim a third PGA TOUR victory at The American Express after making birdies in two of the last three holes to edge Patrick Cantlay by a single stroke.
While the Farmers uses both the South Course and North Course to play the first two rounds, it’s the former that comes to mind when you talk Torrey Pines and that opens a floodgate of nostalgia. Most immediately, special memories of the previous U.S. Open visit to Torrey Pines – in 2008 when Tiger Woods might have cemented his legacy.
Hobbling on a sore leg and playing in just his sixth tournament of that season, the then-32-year-old Woods birdied the 72nd hole to get into an 18-hole playoff with Rocco Mediate, then birdied it again the next day to force a tie, at 71. Needing a sudden-death hole, Woods beat Mediate at the par-4 seventh to win his third U.S. Open and 14th major championship.
The compelling footnote to the saga was Woods a few days later having surgery on his left knee and being sidelined the rest of the season.
A less heralded footnote is that Woods had also won the Farmers Insurance Open (then called the Buick Invitational) four-and-a-half months earlier. A nice little double dip into the winner’s circle at Torrey Pines in the same calendar year, but it’s not like Woods had never done something like that before.
Famously in 2000, Woods stormed to an improbable victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, then in June he lapped the field in the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
This is where we introduce the fact that Woods announced on January 19 that he was out for the Farmers Insurance Open, as well as the upcoming Genesis Invitational. Woods, who last competed competitively at the November Masters, is exempt into the U.S. Open later this summer. That’s not to suggest he’s a good bet to do what he did in 2008 – not at 45, and not with a game that is likely to be rusty. Yes, he’s won eight times at Torrey Pines (seven Farmers and that U.S. Open), but the last victory came in 2013 and he’s been top 10 just once in six trips since.
Yet, with a parade of names such as McIlroy and Rahm, Koepka and Schauffele, it’s worth rekindling memories of Woods in 2008 and 2000 with this reminder: Great players do special things like this. Take Jack Nicklaus, for example. In 1972 he won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, then in June at Pebble he captured the third of his four U.S. Opens.
And Ben Hogan prevailed at the Los Angeles Open at Riviera in 1948, a few months before he won the U.S. Open there. No wonder they called it “Hogan’s Alley.” It was after that U.S. Open win that Charles Curtis wrote this in the Los Angeles Times: “They’ll make him mayor of Pacific Palisades any day now and hand him the keys to the clubhouse.”
Hogan, however, refused to buy into the notion that he was unbeatable at “the Riv,” even if he had won the Los Angeles Open there in 1947, too. “I guess my ability to read the greens has been my best asset Riviera,” he begrudgingly said after the second of his two wins there in 1948. “But that stuff about golfers being a cinch on any particular golf course is nonsense.”
Of course, Hogan himself did much to refute his own logic, and Nicklaus in 1972 (at Pebble) and Woods in both 2000 (Pebble) and 2008 (Torrey) proved that they surely had some serious swagger at venues they probably felt as if they owned.
That sense of ownership might not exist in 2021, not with the depth of fields and the rise of so much young talent, but there remains a simple reason why a scouting trip is worthwhile.
“You can never learn too much,” Mark O’Meara once said. “The more you play a golf course, I think certainly the better it is.”
McIlroy might embrace that philosophy. He’ll be playing Torrey for just the third time, hoping that his recent success (T-3 last year, T-5 in 2019) is a good omen. Scott’s only other appearance in the Farmers resulted in a runner-up to Rose in 2019. Koepka, a two-time U.S. Open champion, fell out of favor with Torrey after two blah performances (T-41 in 2015, missed cut in 2017), but he’s back again.
The Farmers Insurance Open is rich and flavorful enough to not take a back seat to the 2021 U.S. Open. But it’s not like players won’t know there’s another passenger on this trip.
Korda beats Kang in play-off to win 2021 Diamond LPGA
Jan 25. 2021Jessica Korda (Photo credit to LPGA)
American Jessica Korda drained a 25-foot birdie on the first sudden-death playoff hole to defeat Danielle Kang and win the 2021 Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions. Korda shattered the tournament scoring record with a four-day total of 24-under 260, besting the previous mark of 14-under 270 set by Eun Hee Ji in 2019.
The win also came the day after Korda shot the fifth 60 in LPGA Tour history.
“I didn’t have great numbers all day. I was in between shots all day. It was just frustrating because I wanted to be aggressive, but then I wasn’t,” said Korda, who shot 66 on Sunday. “And then kind of just said, You know what? Forget about it. Just stick to your process and be aggressive when you can and take those opportunities.
But having those putts roll in definitely helped.”
After starting the day two strokes behind Kang, Korda’s birdie at the par-3 16th pulled the pair into a tie at the top. The duo swapped birdies at No. 17 and both players left their birdie putts short on the par-3 18th.
Going back to the 18th tee for the playoff, Korda and Kang both hit the center of the green. Korda hit first and punctuated the long birdie putt with an emphatic fist pump reminiscent of a classic Tiger Woods moment. Kang’s birdie attempt tracked left from the moment she hit the putt, giving Korda her sixth LPGA Tour victory and fourth in her season-opening event.
“Everyone says low expectations, but I always expect, I don’t show up to a tournament just to show up,” said Korda, who earned her first victory with her parents, retired tennis stars Petr Korda and Regina Rajchrtová, in the gallery. “I’m too old for that. This is my 11th year. I know I’ve won a lot first week out.”
Korda again displayed her absolute mastery of the second nine at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando, carding Sunday birdies at 13, 14, 16 and 17 for a four-day total of -22 over the closing nine holes. But when asked what it was about those nine holes that suits her, Korda could not come up with an answer.
“Honestly, I have no idea. I wouldn’t be able to tell you other than I hit it close and dropped some putts,” she said.
Korda’s younger sister Nelly Korda shot Sunday’s low round of 7-under 64 and finished third at -22. Defending DRTOC champion Gaby Lopez tied for 11th at -11.
In the celebrity competition, former tennis player Mardy Fish ran away with the tournament, earning an 11-stroke victory at +158. Wounded Warrior Chad Pfeifer was second at +147, while two-time MLB All-Star pitcher Mark Mulder was third at +145.
“Super happy with the way I played. I don’t know what I won by, but it was tough to sort of follow along. It was nice,” said Fish, who could have the Kordas younger brother Sebastian Korda, an up-and-coming tennis pro, on his Davis Cup team. “Just sort of kept going along today and playing our balls instead of theirs and worrying about where they are and stuff. Just trying to get it in as quick as possible and see where we were on the back nine.”
Two-time defending celebrity champion John Smoltz finished seventh at +138 and 72-time LPGA Tour winner Annika Sorenstam was ninth at +134. The celebrity competition is played under a Modified Stableford scoring system.
DANIELLE KANG LEARNS FROM A TOUGH TOURNAMENT END
After battling two brushes with the COVID-19 virus over the holidays, Danielle Kang came to Central Forida knowing that her game was not exactly where she wanted it. Early tournament success seemed to have her heading toward an unexpected win, after setting the tournament’s 36-hole and 54-hole scoring records. However, on Sunday, she just never seemed to find the same groove that she’d enjoyed all week. Kang carded her first bogey of the tournament on Sunday’s 15th hole and her 3-under 68, while certainly a good round in most regards, was just not quite enough to stay ahead of a surging Jessica Korda.
But for the player who focuses on the mental just as much as the physical, there are always moments of learning to take from even the hardest moments.
“I’m not disappointed in that I didn’t win. It’s not about winning and losing for me. It’s about being able to execute when I want to and having a feeling when I feel like I can’t do something is something I don’t like,” said Kang, who quickly called her family and her coach Butch Harmon for a pep talk before the playoff. “But I already knew coming in that I wasn’t really prepared, and so I played great. I had a lot of fun. I got quite a bit of friends playing in it and they came out and watched and I love that, so I take a lot of positives from this week as well. But it’s something to build on and work on and get back at it.”
NELLY KORDA WON EITHER WAY WITH BIG SISTER’S WIN
After a roller coaster of a final round at Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando, the Korda sisters each found themselves with something to smile about. For older sister Jessica, it was a sixth LPGA Tour victory to share with the family. For 22-year-old Nelly, it was returning Sunday’s lowest round with a 7-under 64 and getting a confirmation that her game is still strong.
“I hit it solid, putted well, tried to get as close as I could to them, but I started really far back,” said Korda of how she thought she played. “But I gave it a good chance and I’m happy that Jess played well and she’s in a playoff. So hopefully keep my fingers crossed for her.”
Growing up in Florida, the Korda sisters did not necessarily get to play a lot of amateur golf together given their five-year age difference. But now, years later, they’re keeping the competition going with both sisters dominating on the LPGA Tour. Though five years apart in age, they are best friends and even bigger supporters, which was evident during Sunday’s final round.
“It’s pretty cool. She’s been playing well. She made some really good putts today coming in, so she deserves it,” said Nelly, moments before Jessica clinched the win. “Hopefully comes out in her favor.”
A FAMILY AFFAIR AT DIAMOND RESORTS TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS
In her sixth career win, Jessica Korda finally cried. But the emotions had nothing to do with how she won the season-opening Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions – a final-round 66 to reach 24-under and a 25-footer for birdie on the first playoff hole to beat third-round leader Danielle Kang. Nor did the tears have anything to do with the grit she showed all week, bouncing back from a lackluster Friday round with a 16-under par weekend.
Jessica’s eyes only welled when asked what kept her motivated through the downtimes, which, in the last few years, have included a crippling hand and wrist injury and major jaw surgery to relieve migraines.
“My family,” Korda said without hesitation, her lower lip beginning to tremble. “They’re always there to pick me up when I’m down. Let me tell you, I’ve been down. My family is everything. They’re my biggest support system. They believe in me more than I believe in myself.”
Korea’s Kim earns thrilling one-shot victory at The American Express
Jan 25. 2021Si Woo Kim (Credit to Getty Images)
Korea’s Si Woo Kim claimed a dramatic one-shot victory over a fast-charging Patrick Cantlay at The American Express on Sunday, earning his third PGA TOUR title to end a four-year winless run.
The 25-year-old closed with a superb 8-under 64 at PGA West Stadium Course which included pivotal birdies on Hole Nos. 16 and 17 from four feet and 19 feet respectively to overhaul Cantlay, who had set the clubhouse mark at 21-under following a blistering course record 61.
Australian Cameron Davis finished third for his career best result on TOUR after a closing 64 while American Tony Finau, one of the overnight leaders with Kim and Max Homa, settled for fourth place following a 68.
Kim maintained his cool despite a jam-packed leaderboard and kept the bogeys off his card for a third time this week. He made birdies on Hole Nos. 4, 5, 7, 8, 10 and 11 to stay in the title chase before producing a glorious finish to pip World No. 10 Cantlay.
Coincidently, Kim’s last victory at the 2017 PLAYERS Championship, the TOUR’s flagship tournament, was at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, which designer Pete Dye also designed the Stadium Course at PGA West here in La Quinta, California.
“I had many chances since PLAYERS but I couldn’t make it. Finally I made it. I tried to keep my composure and I made it. I’m so happy,” said Kim, who totalled 23-under 265 and moved up to ninth place on the FedExCup points list with his victory.
“When I had the chance to win (previously), I didn’t play very well. I had a lot of ups and downs as I tried to play aggressive and that actually made me lose. My coach (Claude Harmon) talked to me about it a lot and even this week, he told me there will be chances anytime and to keep waiting and be patient, keep composure, and believe in yourself. That’s what I tried to do.”
After making a two-putt birdie on the par 5, 16th hole to tie Cantlay, Kim seized his moment at the par 3, 17th hole by draining a long effort to snatch the outright lead before holding on to victory with a regulation par at the last hole.
“After I made birdie on No. 16, I felt more confident. I felt more comfortable. I wanted to have the least mistake on 17, at least make the playoff, so I tried to focus on the speed and then Max Homa’s putt helped me as I knew how it (the ball) goes. I focused on the speed and I hit it very confidently,” said the Korean.
Sunday’s victory made Kim the Korean with the second-most wins after trailblazer K.J. Choi, who holds eight PGA TOUR victories. “It feels great to become the second (highest) player. I cannot say I will achieve what K.J. Choi did because he did a great job. My goal this year is to have a win and I got it already and I just want to have one more win and then I try to get into the TOUR Championship,” said Kim.
Cantlay, who won the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP last October, sank a career-high 11 birdies to set a new course record by two shots but came up just shy of a fourth PGA TOUR victory. “I thought I would have a chance at a playoff. I know that they still had a bunch of holes left and, really, I put myself so behind the 8-ball making the cut just on the number and played unbelievable this weekend. I did everything I could, just going to be a shot short,” said the 28-year-old.
Final-Round Notes – Sunday, January 24, 2021
Weather: Mostly sunny. High of 64. Wind NW 7-14 mph.
Note: PGA WEST Pete Dye Stadium Course for third and final rounds
Dechapol-Sapsiree bring cheer to Thai fans with back-to-back titles
Jan 25. 2021Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai
By Lerpong Amsa-ngiam THE NATION
Dominant mixed doubles duo Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai gave Thai fans much to cheer, winning their second BWF World Tour Super 1000 titles in two weeks.
In the final on Sunday, they beat South Koreans Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yujung to win the $1-million Thailand Open II at the Impact Arena in Muang Thong Thani, Nonthaburi province.
Just last Sunday they had claimed their first-ever 1000 Tour level victory at the Thailand Open I closed-door event, also at Impact Arena.
The in-form pair produced another standout performance to prevail in straight games 21-16, 22-20.
“We are so happy to win two titles in a row. Before the tournaments began, we planned to win. We wanted to win. We achieved our goals by winning these two titles as we had planned,” said Sapsiree who has now won five BWF Super World Tour titles with Dechapol.
“We’re very happy — two titles! We now need to physically recover and talk with our coach as we know next week’s opponents will be very tough. We will need to draw up some new plans to prepare,” said Dechapol, one of six Thais to qualify for next week’s World Tour Finals.
Viktor Aexelsen
In the men’s singles final, former world champion Viktor Axelsen achieved an unprecedented feat when he became the first player to win all three Super 1000 (the highest on the BWF World Tour) events in a World Tour calendar year (2020).
He outclassed compatriot Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus 21-11, 21-7.
Seven days after bringing world No 1 Chou Tien Chen of Taiwan to his knees in Thailand Open I, the 2017 world champion showed no mercy to his 42nd-ranked rival, relying on his attacking game to seal the victory in 40 minutes. Prior to the back-to-back Thailand Open wins, the 27-year-old had won the All England Open in March last year. The All England and Thailand Open I and II are part of 2020 calendar events.
“Winning back-to-back titles here in Thailand is a big, big achievement for me. I haven’t played for a long time and to come back here and win two tournaments in a row is an extraordinary achievement for me,” said the Dane.
Carolina Marin
In the women’s singles final, which was a repeat of last week’s outcome, Olympic gold medallist Carolina Marin of Spain stamped her authority over world No 1 Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan 21-19, 21-17 to claim back-to-back World Tour Super 1000 titles.
The world No 6 has been invincible in two weeks as she has won all 10 matches without dropping a game.
“I feel extremely happy. Two victories in two weeks, it’s an amazing way to start the year,” said Marin who has bagged six World Tour titles and her fourth in the Super 1000 level.
“I said to myself and my team that for 2021 I was going to be a new player, with a new mindset with more focus on the game. There are some big events coming up like the World Championships and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, so it’s going to be an important year,” added the 27-year-old who was on the sidelines for eight months in 2019 due to anterior cruciate ligament.
In women’s doubles, fourth-seeded Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong of South Korea captured their fifth and biggest BWF title after they outclassed compatriots Lee So Hee and Shin Seung Chan 21-18, 21-19.
Lee Yang and Wang Chi-Lin of Taiwan won back-to-back Super 1000 titles in the men’s doubles, beating Malaysian Aaron Chia and So Wooi Yik 21-13, 21-18 in just 36 minutes. They also won the Thailand Open I last Sunday and have collected a total of six BWF World Tour gold medals.
The BWF World Tour Finals, the third and last of the series, start on Wednesday at the same venue, on the outskirts of Bangkok and will be competed under a bubble policy to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Mixed doubles pair carry Thai hopes as Ratchanok trips in semis
Jan 24. 2021
By Lerpong Amsa-ngiam THE NATION
The ace duo of Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai kept Thai hopes alive in the $1-million Toyota Thailand Open II after Ratchanok Intanon squandered four match points to bow out in the semi-finals on Saturday.
Ratchanok Intanon
The mixed doubles top seeds were extended to three games by Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Ashwini Ponnappa of India before prevailing 22-20, 18-21, 21-12. They reached back-to-back finals after triumphing in the final last Sunday.
“We have been training hard for nine months and it is really paying off. We reached our target by being in the final again,” said Dechapol, looking for his second home win with Sapsiree. They will play Seo Seung Jae and Chae Yujung in the final.
“We’ve always had close matches. We beat them last week [in the semi-finals], so they will be well prepared for us this time. We have to stay really focused,” Sapsiree said.
While the Thai pair were successful, it was a heart-breaking day for Ratchanok who wasted four matchpoints before losing to world No. 1 Tai Tzu-ying in the women’s singles semi-finals.
At 16-20 in the decider, the gutsy Taiwanese came up with eyebrow-raising shots to outlast the home favourite 12-21, 21-12, 23-21 after a 59-minute battle of classic rallies between two of the most talented players on the tour.
Tai Tzu-ying
“I feel happy with my performance, though I lost to Tai Tzu Ying,” said former word No 1 Ratchanok. “I’ve been trying to learn point by point Tai’s weaknesses. She is mentally very strong and today I think I lost because of the mental game,” Ratchanok said. She, however, has reserved a spot in next week’s World Tour Finals alongside compatriot Pornpawee Chorchuwong as the only two Thais in the singles event.
Tai is in her fifth straight final.
“I had to play very patiently today because Ratchanok is not an easy opponent. Her style of play is flexible, she can play a lot of different shots and she can also be unpredictable. In the opening game, I made a few mistakes and in the second and third I played long rallies and kept things patient. In the final moments of the match, I just enjoyed playing badminton on court again,” said Tai.
The 26-year-old Tai once again sets up a final duel with Spaniard Carolina Marin who had beaten her in straight games in Thailand Open I last Sunday.
“For the final, my main issue is managing my unforced errors and from watching Marin’s matches, I can say she’s very quick and I’ll try to keep up,” she said.
Carolina Marin
Marin relied on her superior technique to underline her supremacy over South Korean teenager An Se-young 21-19, 21-15 in 51 minutes. She had also stopped An at this stage last Saturday.
“I’m much happier today than the rest of the games I played this week. Sometimes it’s tough for the mindset when you have won a tournament just three days ago and you have to start a tournament all over again. You have to keep all your focus every day. So I’m very happy that I could reach my second final,” added the world No 6, who trails Tai 7-9 in head-to-head clashes.
Viktor Aexelsen
On the men’s side, world No. 42 Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus wore down world No 3 Anders Antonsen in an all-Danish semi-final showdown 21-19, 21-8. After a close first game, Antosen had no gas left in the second game and lost in 45 minutes.
Vittinghus will take on compatriot Viktor Axelsen who beat Chen Chou Tien of Taiwan 21-19, 21-15 in a rematch of last Sunday’s final. Axelsen is trying to become the first player in history to win the Grand Slam title after having won the All England Open in 2020 and the Thailand Open last week.
Pornpawee Chochuwong reacts after her stunning win over world No 1 Tai Tzu-ying
Pornpawee Chochuwong
Ratchanok Inthanon
Davis Love III with the Presidents Cup (Photo credit to Credit PGA TOUR)
Jessica Korda (Photo credit to LPGA)
Si Woo Kim (Credit to Getty Images)
Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai
Viktor Aexelsen
Carolina Marin
Ratchanok Intanon
Tai Tzu-ying
Carolina Marin 
Viktor Aexelsen 
Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus
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