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Inbee swinging for 3rd U.S. Women’s Open crown (nationthailand.com)

Inbee swinging for 3rd U.S. Women’s Open crown

Dec 10. 2020

 Two-time U.S. Women’s Open champion Inbee Park has one of the most iconic swings on the LPGA Tour and perhaps the most effective over the past 15 years. I

It has led the Korean star to 20 LPGA titles and a handful of victories between the LET, JLPGA, KLPGA and ALPG Tours.

Her swing was even a topic of conversation with PGA Tour star and former World No. 1 Adam Scott in August ahead of The Northern Trust.

“It’s so slow and deliberate,” said Scott. “To me, that’s the extreme opposite of what I feel when I’m not swinging well. I focus on having the slowest backswing possible. I’ve kind of kept returning to this very deliberate backswing to keep the pace off the ball slow.”

For someone with a steady, beautiful swing of their own, Scott’s admiration means a little extra for Park.

“When I was growing up, I always thought that Adam Scott was like an idol for having a great swing. He has always had a great swing and he is a great golfer,” said Park. “It’s always an honor to get a compliment like that. The rhythm that I have since I was a little kid, I haven’t really changed. It is kind of a natural thing for me.”

Park will be swinging purposefully this week at Champions Golf Club with ambitions of becoming just the seventh player in championship history to capture the Harton S. Semple Trophy three or more times. She begins the quest at 10:59 a.m. CT tomorrow off No. 10 tee of the Jackrabbit Course with good friend So Yeon Ryu and Ariya Jutanugarn.

“I have played with So Yeon in practice rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday, and we played Sunday [in Dallas] together. I told her we’re playing six days in a row together and I know you missed me, but I think that should be enough of us,” Park said laughingly. “Anyway, it’s just fun to play with a best friend and obviously playing with Ariya is always fun. It’s a good group.”

LEXI THOMPSON ARRIVES AT 14TH U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN WITH A COUPLE CHANGES

In the blink of an eye, Lexi Thompson has gone from the youngest to ever qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open in 2007 at age 12 (a mark since broken by Lucy Li) to preparing for her 14th career appearance in the hallowed championship. She will look for a third straight top-five performance in the U.S. Women’s Open this week at Champions Golf Club.

“It usually plays very long and very tough, it’s a mentally draining week but that’s as major championships are,” said Thompson, who secured a career-best U.S. Women’s Open result of tied for second in 2019. “There will be difficult shots out there and some bogeys, but you just have to continue with a positive attitude going into the next hole and know that you can birdie a few out there.

“My first U.S. Women’s Open I couldn’t reach a lot of the fairways, so it was a lot different than I’m sure for a lot of these first-timers out here this week.”

Thompson does come to Houston with a couple new assets to her game. She has a new putter in the arsenal and a fresh face on the bag in Tim Tucker, the full-time caddie for PGA Tour pro and 2020 U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.

“I’ve switched a few this year, maybe two or three. Trying to find something that I am very comfortable with,” Thompson said. “I’ve never used a [TaylorMade] Spider before, and I think I’m better with a bit more of a mallet in reducing face rotation. I changed a little bit of my setup, as well. Just moved a little closer to the ball.

“And Tim is great. He’s used to a whole different player. I don’t carry a yardage book so I usually just ask for the pin number and where I should land it, that’s about it. I like to simplify things. The first day that we went out, he has the air density and all that factored in. It was unbelievable. The first two holes he said it is going to play this number and I trusted it and hit it so close, it was a perfect number. I am truly amazed. Very talented and happy to have him out there helping me.”

For the first and second rounds of competition, Thompson will be joined by Nelly Korda and Heejeong Lim. The grouping will begin on No. 1 tee of the Cypress Creek Course tomorrow at 10:59 a.m. CT.

ANGELA STANFORD ON CLOUD NINE BACK HOME IN TEXAS

“I’ll never get this chance again, and I’m going to enjoy it as much as I can.”

Those words from Angela Stanford explain the massive smile plastered on her face this week. The native Texan comes to the U.S. Women’s Open fresh off her seventh career LPGA Tour win at last week’s Volunteers of America Classic, not far from her home in suburban Dallas. Now just 250 miles down the road, and with her parents again outside the ropes, the 20-year LPGA Tour veteran is basking in the experience of playing for a national championship in her beloved home state.

“Everybody wants to play well leading up to an Open, no matter if it’s May, June, or December. To start to really get my short game going last week and then kind of hit it better on Sunday, but I need to kind of work on that right now,” said Stanford, who will hit the championship’s first tee shot on the Cypress Creek Course at 9:20 a.m. CT, playing with Jodi Ewart Shadoff and Nicole Broch Larsen. “It’s a dream to even play in Texas for an Open. I think that’s helped my expectations this week.”

This is not the first time Stanford comes to the U.S. Women’s Open off a big win. In 2003, one week after capturing her first LPGA Tour title at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, Stanford fell to Hilary Lunke by one stroke in an 18-hole playoff at Oregon’s Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. So when asked her advice to the championship’s 41 first-time competitors, Stanford spoke from experience.

“I would tell them do not leave discouraged because there’s a good chance you’re not going to play the way you want to play, because I remember my first one, I was so disappointed. But looking back now, I wish I would have enjoyed it more on the tail end,” said Stanford. “The beginning of the week I loved it. I was in heaven. But then you don’t play good and you’re like, dang. So, I hope they leave knowing that it’s just a big experience, and they need to remember that and just try to enjoy it on the tail end of it.”

TEXAN PLAYERS HOPING FOR MORE THAN JUST A TEXAS TWO-STEP

With the USGA hosting the U.S. Women’s Open in Houston, the LPGA Tour built its own Texas Two-Step into the schedule with last week’s Volunteers of America Classic in suburban Dallas. This is just the second time that the United States national championship will be held in the Lone Star State, joining the 1991 championship at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth. This is also the first time since 1978 that the state has held at least two LPGA Tour events.

For local favorite and 2014 U.S. Women’s Open runner-up Stacy Lewis, that’s just not enough.

“You’ve got all these energy companies in this area, and I just make a pitch to anybody that is supporting women in their organization and in their company to want to come out and to see this and to see the best in the world,” said Lewis, who grew up in The Woodlands, just 20 miles from Champions. “Maybe they can do something to help within the tournament to help their business, so it’s a win-win for both. It usually just takes one person believing in us and having the idea.”

“I think this week will just show everyone just how good golf is in Houston and just Texas in general, and you can play all year round,” added Cheyenne Knight, who was born in The Woodlands but moved to Dallas as a teenager. “I never watched an LPGA tournament when I was growing up. I never got to go to one. I think if there is one, a local stop, and how big junior golf is here, just getting little girls to see their idols would be really cool.”

ALLY EWING SEES THE GAME DIFFERENTLY IN HER LAST COMPETITIVE WEEK OF 2020

It’s her last week of the year, the final competitive shots in what has been a breakout season. And as the first round of this 75th U.S. Women’s Open inches closer, Ally Ewing is as confident as anyone in the field.

There’s good reason. The one-two punch she put together at the Drive On Championship at Reynold’s Lake Oconee, which she won, and the Pelican Championship in Tampa, where she finished runner-up to Sei Young Kim, moved Ewing into the top five in Race to CME Globe points and the top-10 on the LPGA Tour money list. It also confirmed that she is one of the hottest players in the game entering golf’s final major.

But there’s more to it than the numbers. Sometimes players just see things differently. Like a batter seeing the stitches on a fastball, Ewing is experiencing the game at a slower speed than everyone else. The pictures are clearer and the lines straighter. The mental windows great players see their shots flying through are smaller when you’re playing the way Ewing is at the moment. Others pick a number and a line. She’s seeing the blades of grass where she wants her shots to land.

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MMA Stars Tyler McGuire, Agilan Thani, and Other Athletes Virtual Media Day Interviews for ‘ONE: BIG BANG II’ (nationthailand.com)

MMA Stars Tyler McGuire, Agilan Thani, and Other Athletes Virtual Media Day Interviews for ‘ONE: BIG BANG II’

Dec 10. 2020

 ONE Championship™ (ONE) athletes competing at ONE: BIG BANG II, a previously recorded event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium for global broadcast this Friday, 11 December, spoke to the media ahead of their respective bouts.

Former ONE Flyweight Muay Thai World Champion and #3-ranked flyweight contender Jonathan “The General” Haggerty, Japan’s Taiki “Silent Sniper” Naito, former ONE World Title challenger Tyler McGuire, #1-ranked lightweight kickboxing contender Nieky “The Natural” Holzken, and other athletes competing at ONE: BIG BANG II all took time to talk about their upcoming bouts.

The United Kingdom’s Jonathan Haggerty will be facing off with Japanese spitfire Taiki Naito in the evening’s main event offering. Haggerty addressed media ahead of the bout to touch on a variety of topics, including the United Kingdom’s most recent COVID-19 lockdown and how it affected his preparations, comments on Naito’s game and how important this bout is for him to win, his two wars with Rodtang Jitmuangnon, and earning another ONE World Title opportunity. All that and more in Haggerty’s complete pre-event interview down below.

The man standing at the opposite end of the ONE Circle is Naito, who is currently unbeaten in ONE Championship. Naito talked to the media about his secrets to success, thoughts on Haggerty as an opponent, potentially earning a shot at the ONE World Title, and how COVID-19 affected his training. Listen to Naito’s complete pre-event interview at the link.

After Tyler McGuire suffered the first defeat of his professional career at the hands of former ONE Welterweight World Champion Zebaztian Kadestam in 2018, the previously unbeaten American went on a much-needed break to clear his mind and reevaluate his career. Now McGuire is ready to return to the ONE Circle in spectacular fashion against Agilan Thani. McGuire fielded questions surrounding what he did during his time away from competition, the intricate details about his fight against Kadestam, his opinion of Agilan as an opponent, and much more.

Malaysian sensation Agilan Thani is also an athlete looking to bounce back and revitalize his career. After a hard-earned victory over Dante Schiro in late 2019, Agilan is ready to claim another prized scalp in Tyler McGuire. Agilan fielded questions regarding his training with Martin Nguyen and Aung La N Sang at Sanford MMA, his various side jobs to keep financially afloat during COVID-19, thoughts on his upcoming opponent McGuire, his experience facing ONE World Champions, and more.

Kickboxing superstar Nieky Holzken is looking to get back to his winning ways after two heart wrenching setbacks against his countryman, and now reigning ONE Lightweight Kickboxing World Champion Regian Eersel. Speaking to the media, Holzken shared his thoughts on his two bouts against Eersel, the biggest lessons he learned from those experiences, his opinion of Elliot Compton, and what keeps him motivated at this stage in his career. Holzken’s complete pre-event interview is listed down below.

#5-ranked lightweight kickboxing contender Elliot Compton will be looking to add the biggest name to his fight resume when he takes on icon Nieky Holzken. Ahead of the much-anticipated contest, Compton talked about earning a ONE World Title opportunity, his opponent’s specific strengths and weaknesses, what he predicts will happen in the fight, and potentially training in MMA.

ONE Warrior Series product Ali Motamed is finally making his ONE Championship main roster debut. The Iranian warrior spoke with the media about what fans can expect in his first official appearance in the ONE Circle, the lessons he learned under the legendary Rich Franklin, his thoughts on Iranian martial artists around the world, and his specific advantages over his next opponent. Catch Motamed’s complete pre-event interview down below.

Complete Card for ONE: BIG BANG II

Taiki Naito vs. Jonathan Haggerty (ONE Super Series Muay Thai – flyweight)

Nieky Holzken vs. Elliot Compton (ONE Super Series kickboxing – lightweight)

Tetsuya Yamada vs. Kim Jae Woong (mixed martial arts – featherweight)

Errol Zimmerman vs. Rade Opacic (ONE Super Series kickboxing – heavyweight)

Agilan Thani vs. Tyler McGuire (mixed martial arts – welterweight)

Ali Motamed vs. Chen Rui (mixed martial arts – bantamweight)

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Four new venues to join Asian Tour Destinations (nationthailand.com)

Four new venues to join Asian Tour Destinations

Dec 10. 2020

 Four of Asia’s most-exceptional golfing venues – Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club in Malaysia, Laguna Golf Lăng Cô in Vietnam, Sapporo Country Club and The North Country Golf Club, both in Japan – have become part of Asian Tour Destinations.

All four are award-winning venues, with a history of hosting world-class tournaments, and join a select group of members at Asian Tour Destinations – which is an exclusive network of elite golf clubs with direct ties to the Asian Tour.

Earlier this year Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand; Classic Golf & Country Club in New Delhi, India; and Kota Permai Golf & Country Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, became part of the emerging network.

They joined Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore – which was the first golf club to sign up in 2015.

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour, said: “Asian Tour Destinations is flourishing and now boasts eight of the finest golf clubs in the Asia-Pacific region. The Asian Tour is delighted to welcome the latest additions to this exclusive membership body.

“The main objective of Asian Tour Destinations is to provide an affiliate membership programme between the associated venues and the Asian Tour – which will drive sustainable growth and development for the betterment of golf in our region as a whole.”

Horizon Hills is one of the great golfing facilities in Southern Malaysia and has hosted three editions of the Iskandar Johor Open where Ireland’s Padraig Harrington won in 2010, Dutchman Joost Luiten in 2011 and Spaniard Sergio Garcia triumphed the following year.

“Within a short space of time, since our opening in 2008, Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club has become a household name in the regional golf industry,” said Tang Meng Loon, Director, Club, Townships & Property Management, Horizon Hills.

“It was therefore a logical step for us to become part of Asian Tour Destinations – which is a platform that will allow us to further build our brand in the region and beyond.”

Laguna Lăng Cô Resort boasts the distinction of having Sir Nick Faldo’s first Signature Design open for play and it is the home of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final – which is hosted by Sir Nick himself every year. The Asian Tour has been a long-time supporter of the Faldo Series, which has helped to grow the game of golf globally. Laguna Lăng Cô is an integrated golf and beach resort and is part of the Banyan Tree Group. It is the first golf course in Vietnam to be Earth Check Gold Certified.

Said Adam Calver, Director of Golf, Laguna Golf Lăng Cô: “Vietnam continues to be at the forefront of golf expansion and development in the region and we are very proud that Laguna Golf Lăng Cô is a contributor in this evolution. We appreciate the work the Asian Tour continues to do to grow the game here and Asian Tour Destinations is a perfect fit for us and supports our resorts future plans and ambitions.”

Sapporo Country Club and The North Country Golf Club, both located in Hokkaido, are the first golf clubs from Japan to join the Asian Tour Destinations fold.

“This is an exciting development for Sapporo Country Club: to align ourselves with the Asian Tour Destinations programme. And to have the opportunity to network and exchange ideas with some of the other premier golfing venues in Asia will prove invaluable,” said Yamazaki Shigeki, President, Sapporo Country Club.

The North Country Golf Club has been the home of The Shigeo Nagashima Invitational Sega Sammy Cup on the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO) since 2005.

And their championship course was designed by Japan legend Isao Aoki – the winner of 51 titles on the JGTO and the first player from Japan to win on the PGA Tour, at the Hawaiian Open in 1983.

Said Yasuhiro Ota from The North Country Golf Club: “The North Country Golf Club is proud of its long association with The Shigeo Nagashima Invitational Sega Sammy Cup – which demonstrates the club’s desire to connect with the game of golf at the highest level. Our involvement with Asian Tour Destinations provides us with a similar pathway for us to improve and reach the highest standards, operationally and commercially.”

Being a part of the Asian Tour Destinations network means that each venue is certified Tour calibre and operates a comprehensive range of facilities and services to their members and guests under tournament-ready conditions all-year round.

Among the core benefits, Asian Tour members will be able to play and practice at each venue, allowing for the members at each club to enjoy direct engagement with the region’s best golfers.

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Defending champion Lee6 back for more Women’s Open glory (nationthailand.com)

Defending champion Lee6 back for more Women’s Open glory

Dec 09. 2020 JEONGEUN LEE6  The 2019 U.S. Women’s Open was a breakthrough moment for Jeongeun Lee6. After introducing herself to the golfing world with a tie for fifth at the 2017 championship, the Korean star captured her first LPGA Tour victory last year with a two-stroke victory at the Country Club of Charleston.

“I’m a bit of a nervous, but I’m just trying not to think about it too much,” said Lee6, who is attempting to become the first back-to-back winner U.S. Women’s Open winner since Karrie Webb in 2000 and 2001. “I just want to feel kind of loose when I play on the course, so I don’t feel super tense and then feel nervous all the time.”

This is Lee6’s fourth LPGA Tour appearance of 2020, having returned to Korea following the Tour’s two weeks in Australia in February. While the LPGA Tour resumed play in July, Lee6 opted to stay home and keep her game sharp on the KLPGA Tour. In 13 competitions, she had five top-10 finishes, including back-to-back runner-up showings at the Jeju Samdasoo Masters and the IS Dongseo Busan Open. She returned to LPGA Tour competition with a tie for 16th at last week’s Volunteers of America Classic.

“It feels weird being in Korea for that long, but I really did enjoy staying at home with my family,” said Lee6. “Then got to play on the KLPGA Tour, and my goal was to win one of the tournaments on the KLPGA Tour, but I’m glad that I got to play all the tournaments in Korea. Coming back to the States, it just makes me more excited and I’m happy about it.”

DANIELLE KANG WELL-PREPARED FOR OPEN CHALLENGE

It’s hard to believe, but when Danielle Kang made her U.S. Women’s Open debut in 2007 at age 14, she had only been playing golf for a year and a half. Fast forward to 2020 and she’s become one of the best golfers on the planet, with two LPGA Tour victories in 2020 and a major title at the 2017 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship to her name.

Kang comes to Champions Golf Club on fresh legs, last teeing it up at the LPGA Drive On Championship – Reynolds Lake Oconee in late October. After a scouting visit to Champions in early November, the two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion feels as prepared as she can be to take on the Cypress Creek and Jackrabbit courses.

“I came here during the Houston Open, during the men’s event, and played three rounds just to get familiar with the golf course. But I actually didn’t play on Monday here, and today I played nine holes,” said Kang, whose best U.S. Women’s Open finish is solo fourth in 2018. “I think being able to calibrate between the golf courses back and forth will be really key, because they’re both rolling differently, the greens. They break differently, speed is different, and grass is a little different.”

Kang is known for tinkering with her game, working hard to dial in her numbers and clubs with coach Butch Harmon. Using the phrase “titter tatter” to describe her play at Lake Oconee, Kang used the last month of downtime to really focus on what she needs to do to contend for a second major title.

“When I played this golf course, I knew I needed my distance, I needed the height, my speed, I need that, and that’s very important to me,” said Kang. “I didn’t quite have that in Georgia when I played at Lake Reynolds, and I hit my driver like 225, about 225, and I was hitting things lower. That’s something that I wanted to change when I came out here, or at least have in my bag because Cypress Creek is a big golf course. There’s a lot of cover numbers, like 230. There’s going to be a lot of 4-irons in and 5-woods, and if I could kind of capitalize on that 10, 15 yards, I think it’ll benefit me just a little bit. I wanted to tune that in during the few off weeks.”

SEI YOUNG KIM’S ROLL COULD WELL CONTINUE AT THIS U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN

From holing an 8-iron out of the fairway to beat Inbee Park in a playoff in Hawaii, to setting an all-time LPGA Tour scoring record; from making a 22-footer on the final green at the CME Tour Championship to capture the largest payday in women’s golf history, to picking apart a difficult Aronimink Golf Club to win her first major title, Sei Young Kim has always shown a flair for the dramatic. It would surprise no one if she was hoisting the U.S. Women’s Open trophy at the end of the week.

“I didn’t prepare to get myself into those dramatic situations but I’m glad I was able to overcome (the pressure) and perform,” Kim said in typical understated fashion.

As humble as she is, she loves the spotlight. She is our game’s Tom Brady and Michael Jordan, the latter of whom she does know; the former, not so much. But sports history aside, Kim is one of those rare athletes whose game gets better as the pressure mounts. She is the person you want holding the ball for the final shot, the one you want taking snaps on the final drive.

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MP1 signs multi-year agreement to host a domestic eSport series in Indonesia, pitched as a platform into the WINDTRE Rising Stars Series (nationthailand.com)

MP1 signs multi-year agreement to host a domestic eSport series in Indonesia, pitched as a platform into the WINDTRE Rising Stars Series

Dec 09. 2020

 An exciting new eSport project is coming soon: the MotoGP™ eSport Indonesian Series. Dorna Sports has signed a multi-year agreement with MP1 to give the Indonesian company exclusive rights to the new competition, which is set to begin in 2021.

The series is designed as the perfect platform into the WINDTRE Rising Stars Series, giving the most successful gamer an opportunity to compete in the MotoGP™ eSport Global Series next year.

MP1, an Indonesian company operating in the events and sports management industry, recently announced a partnership with Gresini Racing across MotoGP™, Moto2™, Moto3™ and MotoE™ from 2021, and the next step is now virtual as the company partners with Dorna Sports in the ever-growing eSport landscape. Indonesia is one of MotoGP™’s biggest markets with one of its most passionate fanbases, creating the perfect environment for the world’s first domestic MotoGP™ eSport series.

The MotoGP™ eSport Championship began in 2017 and has proven an incredibly successful and critically-acclaimed project, becoming a vital part of Dorna Sports’ portfolio alongside on-track competitions. Since inception in 2017, the competition has grown to encompass an incredible 23 online challenges, two Pro Drafts and seven on-site live events, and by 2020 has more than 60 million video views.

One of the most exciting additions for 2020 has been Dorna’s all-new eSport talent promotion initiative called WINDTRE Rising Stars Series, which is aimed at finding and fostering fresh eSport talent around the world. The collaboration between Dorna and MP1 in the new MotoGP™ eSport Indonesian Series aims to create the perfect stepping-stone into the WINDTRE Rising Stars Series, providing the opportunity for the most successful gamer to compete in the MotoGP™ eSport Global Series and take their competition to the next level.

Marissa Komala, Managing Director Commercial & Creative, MP1: “The face of sport and way many people participate has been changing for some time now, and the situation this year has really accelerated the development of eSports.

“As part of our strategy to develop motorsport in Indonesia and, in particular, to target young talent, we have entered into a long-term partnership with Dorna to exclusively host the MotoGP eSport Indonesian Series. 

“The series will see MP1 hosting a full calendar of events across the whole of Indonesia showcasing the talents of the best Indonesian gamers and ultimately using the domestic series as a platform to move into global competition.

“We are very conscious of the magnitude of the fans’ enthusiasm for MotoGP here in Indonesia. This has been a driving factor in our announcement of our partnership between Indonesian Racing and Gresini Racing starting in MotoGP next year.

“We will provide an exciting and fulfilling experience for both MotoGP and eSports fans here in Indonesia through our new partnership with Dorna. We have no doubt that this is something all MotoGP fans have been waiting for and we are very exciting to be part of it. 

“It’s an absolute honour for everyone at MP1 to be holding the MotoGP eSport Indonesian Series in Indonesia, in partnership with Dorna.”

Pau Serracanta, Managing Director, Dorna Sports: “For four years now, Dorna has made a strong commitment to eSports and since then the MotoGP eSport programme has never stopped growing. First with the Global Series, then with the WINDTRE Rising Stars Series, and so the next natural step is to organise a MotoGP eSport national series in a country where MotoGP will race in the near future and where the MotoGP fan community is one of the biggest in the world.

“This agreement and MP1’s investment in our sport guarantees the success of the first ever MotoGP eSport national competition, the MotoGP eSport Indonesian Series.”

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Luxury Brands Hugo Boss, Bentley Motors, and TUMI Announced as Exclusive Category Partners on ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ (nationthailand.com)

Luxury Brands Hugo Boss, Bentley Motors, and TUMI Announced as Exclusive Category Partners on ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’

Dec 09. 2020

 ONE Championship™ (ONE) announced strategic partnerships with global fashion house Hugo Boss, the world’s most sought after luxury car brand, Bentley Motors, as well as leading international travel, lifestyle and luxury performance brand TUMI.

The three brands and ONE will work together on category-exclusive marketing and branding activations for “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition,” which is currently in production and is scheduled to air in early 2021.

Hari Vijayarajan, Chief Commercial Officer of ONE Championship, stated: “We are delighted to announce that category leaders Hugo Boss, Bentley Motors, and TUMI are working with ONE on a series of exclusive marketing and branding activations for ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.’ These class-leading brands understand the value of building leadership and affinity with our massive audience of Gen Y and Gen Z, who are the luxury consumers of tomorrow.”

Steven Lam, Managing Director of Hugo Boss South East Asia, stated: “We are excited to partner with ONE Championship for ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition.’ We believe the will to succeed is fueled by the confidence that enables us to achieve whatever we strive for. Regardless of the stage of life you are in, BOSS inspires people to succeed by fostering the most fundamental element of success: the confidence that you can. We partnered with ONE on The Apprentice to help build the cast and contestants’ confidence through impeccable style, superior quality, and a captivating brand experience.”

Calista Tambajong, Head of Marketing at Bentley Motors Asia Pacific, stated: “Bentley and ONE Championship both believe in unleashing modern real-life superheroes, celebrating values, and igniting dreams. When it comes to celebrating achievements in life, the two brands are not simply speaking about being financially successful, but also being driven in all aspects of life, and changing the world. Some of the brightest and most successful business leaders in Asia who will serve as guest judges on the show have gone through extraordinary journeys in their lives and embody the virtues of Life Achievers, which defines the customer of today and tomorrow for Bentley.”

Adam Hershman, Vice President of TUMI APAC and Middle East, stated: “We are very excited to partner with ONE Championship on ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ to both design and launch our first esports product inside the show. It is an incredible time for esports and this is a truly unique and innovative collaboration that opens up new possibilities for both brands. Esports players are always on the move and need worry-free travel solutions so that they can focus on what matters the most – world-class performance. At TUMI, we provide this peace of mind by designing products that are reliable, adaptable, and suited to your needs.”

“The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” invites 16 contestants handpicked from around the world to compete in a high-stakes game involving business and physical challenges. The winner will receive a US$250,000 job offer to work directly under ONE Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong for a year as his protege in Singapore.

CEOs confirmed to join “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” include Zoom CEO Eric Yuan, Grab CEO Anthony Tan, Zilingo CEO Ankiti Bose, Catcha Group CEO Patrick Grove, and Everise CEO Sudhir Agarwal.

Athletes confirmed to make appearances on the show include mixed martial arts legends Georges St-Pierre and Renzo Gracie, former ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren, ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, ONE Flyweight Grand Prix World Champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, Indian Wrestling Champion Ritu “The Indian Tigress” Phogat, Karate World Champion “Super” Sage Northcutt, and ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan. More World Champions joining the show will be announced at a later date.

“The Apprentice” is one of the biggest non-scripted reality television programs in history, judging the business skills of contestants who are competing for a job offer under a high-profile CEO. It has aired in more than 120 countries. The first season of “The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition” will consist of 13 episodes.

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Stanford reigns supreme in Volunteers of America Classic (nationthailand.com)

Stanford reigns supreme in Volunteers of America Classic

Dec 07. 2020

 As the final day of the Volunteers of America Classic began with two major champions, Inbee Park and So Yeon Ryu, and LPGA Tour rookie Yealimi Noh with the 54-hole lead, Angela Stanford rose to the occasion just 55 minutes away from home at the Old American Golf Club.

She secured her seventh career LPGA Tour victory and first since her maiden major title at the 2018 Evian Championship.

Stanford tied for the lead after three consecutive birdies on Nos. 6, 7, and 8, and pulled away from the pack after adding four more birdies on her back nine. Shooting the lowest score of the day with a fourth-round 67, Stanford may have closed with a bogey, but was over-the-moon nonetheless.

“Honestly, I never thought I would,” Stanford admitted about her odds of winning in her home state. “I think the longer you’re out here, it’s so hard to win on this tour. I think being at home, it took me a while to figure it out. The very first time we played in the Dallas/Fort Worth area I remember getting off the airplane and everybody from the tour kind of came with me to baggage claim. I’m like, ‘oh, that’s weird.’ So I just think learning how to play in your hometown is kind of hard because obviously I haven’t done it since Junior Golf, so I think I had to kind of figure it out. Big shout out to Cheyenne Knight. She proved last year you can win at home, so that inspired me and made me realize that I am making it harder than it needs to be.”

Stanford held a two-stroke lead while waiting for Park to finish on No. 18. Without a leaderboard and knowing where her competitors played, she kept fighting until the very end.

“I actually told my caddie, we were standing in 10 fairway and I said, ‘I don’t want to know where I am today unless we get to 18 and we have to hit a shot to either win or hold on to a win, but I feel like I’m in a pretty good head space today. I just don’t want to know,” said Stanford.“I was kind of watching Ko. I knew I was a shot off of her most of the day, so at least she was definitely beating me, so I kind of paid attention to her and it wasn’t until 14 where I made that birdie and she had a tough hole that I thought, ‘okay, and you can kind of tell with how people were starting to show up,’ but even on 18 I said when we were chipping, I said ‘do I need to get this up and down?’ He said ‘no.’ I said, ‘okay, well, I’m going to bump it into the hill,” Stanford said with a chuckle.

The win gives Stanford her first home-state victory and is her first since winning the 2018 The Evian Championship. Getting to stay in the lone-star state for a week more, Stanford and friend, Brittany Altomare, head straight to Houston, Texas to compete in the U.S. Women’s Open.

“Well, so I told Brittany Altomare I’d give her a ride down to Houston to pick up her car. I wasn’t going to let her drive my truck. Now I’m going to let her drive my truck,” laughed Stanford as she revealed how she would celebrate. “So I can sit in the passenger side; I’m not driving to Houston. Brittany Altomare will be driving to Houston.”

The day’s final grouping of Noh, Ryu and Park all finished in a tie for second, with Rolex Rankings No. 1 Jin Young Ko, who played the day with Stanford, finishing in solo fifth. Ko was tied for the lead after two birdies on her front nine, but a bogey on No. 14 pushed her down the leaderboard. Playing alongside the role models she idolized since she was a kid, Noh said she still remained calm until the end.

“I feel really good, and to be able to play with some of the greatest players in the world was a really good experience for me and I got to learn a lot from them. It was just a really fun learning experience,” said Noh.

STANFORD MAY BE 43 YEARS OLD, BUT SHE WON’T BE SLOWING DOWN ANYTIME SOON

If there is anything that this year’s Volunteers of America Classic champion 43-year-young Angela Stanford proved, it is that age is just a number. What really matters is how alive the heart is. Crediting her victory due to her “passion,” Stanford had a message for individuals of all ages.

“I really think it boils down to passion. I just love trying to get better. I think if you love what you’re doing and you love your process and you just love getting better, then you have to keep going. I would tell anybody, you work and you try until you just don’t have that desire and that passion anymore. I just turned 43. Not many people at 42 are going to say, ‘I want to learn how to chip the ball properly.’ So I just felt like if I’m getting close to the end of my career I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. I want to find out, if I chip it the best I can, if I putt it the best I can, if I hit it the best I can, what am I capable of before I’m done? I think if you have the passion to get up every morning and get better, you can chase your dream as long as you want,” said Stanford.

The first player at or over the age of 40 to win on Tour since Cristie Kerr (40, 2017 Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia) and Catriona Matthew (42, 2011 Lorena Ochoa Invitational), Stanford finds herself winning during her 20^th year on the LPGA Tour. It’s pretty easy, though, when the love she’s had for the sport is as grand as it has always been.

“All year I’ve been so grateful to get to play golf. I think LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan and his team and all the staff at the LPGA, all of our sponsors and partners, I was scared to death that I wasn’t going to get to play golf this year, and there are so many people that made this year happen and I don’t get to sit here today without all those people. I didn’t expect this in the 20th year, and I was just thinking I took a picture at Diamond Resort this year. It’s my 20th year,” said Stanford. “Now looking back, you’re just like, ‘wow, didn’t think this year was going to go this way.’ So you just never know. I never saw this year coming. Honestly, I didn’t think I would win this year. I didn’t know if I’d ever win again. You know, that’s the thing, it’s hard to win on this tour and I’m just so grateful to everybody that stepped up and said, no, we want to play golf. The sponsors that came beside us and said we want to put you all out on a golf course. It’s a big deal, and it’s much appreciated.”

PARK STILL SATISFIED WITH VOA CLASSIC SHOWING

Inbee Park started the final day of the Volunteers of America Classic in a tie for the lead and in the final group with Yealimi Noh and So Yeon Ryu. It was the 21^st time Park had held the 54-hole lead/co-lead on the LPGA Tour, and had converted 12 of the last 20 times into victories. After starting off with an unfortunate bogey on No. 1, Park regained ground to sit in a tie for the top at the turn after birdies on Nos. 4 and 6. But, as Angela Stanford put the pedal to the medal two groups in front of her, Park’s bogey on No. 12 and birdie on No. 14 weren’t enough to secure her third VOA Classic victory since 2013.

“Today was a little bit tougher out there with the wind. I feel like I gave myself a couple of opportunities, but I guess Angela played really well and under really tough conditions. So I don’t feel I played bad, just wasn’t my day,” said Park, who would have needed an eagle on No. 18 to force a playoff with Stanford. “Yeah, still very happy with the round and having 3 under par rounds in this cold weather, tough conditions is giving me things to accomplish going into next week.”

Park will go for her third victory in another event next week – the U.S. Women’s Open at Champions Golf Club, a major championship she won in 2008 and 2013. After a tie-for-second showing at the Old American Golf Club, she’s hoping to keep the momentum going into the season’s final major title opportunity. “I think it’s going to be a little bit similar conditions with a little bit of wind and probably a little bit chilly weather,” said Park. “I think good practice week this week, so yeah, looking forward to next week.”

SO YEON RYU SHINES UNDER THE COLONY, TEXAS SKIES

Despite finishing in a tie for second this week at the Volunteers of America Classic, So Yeon Ryu’s sunny disposition never seemed to fade as she recorded her second bogey-free round in a row at Old American Golf Club. Closing with a fourth-round 70, Ryu made 17 straight pars and closed with a birdie, her first since Saturday’s round at No. 13.

“I was quite nervous coming back [to the LPGA Tour], even though I played a few good events in Korea, I haven’t played on the LPGA for a long time, so I was nervous I was still eligible to compete with these greatest players or not, but it was really great to be in contention,” said Ryu, who spend most of 2020 once the Tour took a hiatus due to the coronavirus. “Well, to be honest, like last 27 holes were a little disappointing, but finish second is always good, I cannot complain to that, so it’s really good to be back.”

Ryu won her country’s open this past summer, the Korean Women’s Open on the KLPGA and is looking forward to add another Open title next week at U.S. Women’s Open. She won the event back in 2011, which jumpstarted her career on Tour, and earning her Membership for the 2012 season. A strong showing in her first LPGA Tour event since February only solidifies her confidence for next week.

“I think it’s going very needed to have the confidence and if I can win the tournament again, that will be awesome,” said Ryu. “Having two U.S. Women’s Open trophy under my belt is something really big, so looking forward to playing next week.”

CME GROUP CARES CHALLENGE—SCORE 1 FOR ST. JUDE

The CME Group Cares Challenge is a season-long charitable giving program that turns aces into donations. Though there were no aces this week at VOA Classic, CME Group remains committed to donating from previous holes-in-one from earlier on in the year. The donated $20,000 for each hole-in-one made on the LPGA Tour in 2019, with a minimum guaranteed donation of $500,000 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which is leading the way in how the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and life-threatening diseases.

A $200,000 donation helps provide families with grocery gift cards for two years for 20 St. Jude families: Families whose children are undergoing long-term treatment live at St. Jude Target House free of charge. Each week, Target House families receive a grocery gift card from Kroger so that they may cook their own meals and eat together in their apartment if they choose. These shared meals help families maintain a sense of togetherness during trying times. Also, the donation helps provide 16 days of inpatient care and helps cover the cost of eight major surgical procedures.

With increased donations come additional support; $100,000 more helps treat one child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and helps the St. Jude Blood Donor Center run for 20 weeks.

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For Washington’s Terry McLaurin, the little things are adding up to something big (nationthailand.com)

For Washington’s Terry McLaurin, the little things are adding up to something big

Dec 06. 2020Terry McLaurin has 963 receiving yards to rank fifth in the NFL through Week 12. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by John McDonnell 

By The Washington Post · Nicki Jhabvala · SPORTS, FOOTBALL 

ESPN analyst Todd McShay can’t forget one of the most forgettable moments ahead of the 2019 NFL draft.

It was March 20 and, after trekking from one pre-draft showcase to another, McShay was in Columbus, Ohio, alongside dozens of NFL scouts, coaches and general managers for Ohio State’s pro day. ESPN’s cameras closely tracked the Buckeyes’ projected first-rounders, but McShay was in search of more – the skill that separated these players from the hundreds of others hoping to hear their name called during the draft.

He got an earful about one of them.

Urban Meyer, who had just retired as Ohio State’s coach, raved about the kid and urged McShay to watch the special teams tape. Newly appointed coach Ryan Day encouraged the same and mentioned the player’s precise route-running and love for the game. Whatever you need him to do, he’ll do, Day told McShay.

But in between hits for “SportsCenter,” McShay got the best intel.

“I’ll never forget: During his pro day, I was talking to one of the guys that worked in the building for Ohio State,” he recalled. “I don’t think he was officially on their staff. He was working at the facility, setting things up and all that. He made a point to pull me aside and said: ‘The one guy you can’t miss on is Terry McLaurin. Every day he’s here doing stuff. Some of the coaches don’t even see how hard he’s working.’ “

McLaurin, a two-time captain and three-year starter at Ohio State, “checked all the boxes,” as many analysts wrote, but he didn’t check the one that labeled him a future top-tier talent. He had the freakish speed (a 4.35-second 40-yard dash at the combine), the rare athleticism and the durability. He was a perfect teammate and an even better pupil, and he had enough reckless abandon to throw his body around as a gunner in punt coverage.

“That’s really where you saw the speed and the toughness, and that’s where it was easy to buy in to Terry,” said Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Senior Bowl. “Going into Senior Bowl week, most teams had late-round grades on him. He was like a fifth-, sixth-, seventh-rounder for most teams.

“What you didn’t see a lot of was what he showed here in Mobile as a route-runner. He turned people inside out all week. Nobody could cover him.”

But because he was part of a crowded wide receivers room at Ohio State, McLaurin’s college stats were mediocre, never topping 701 receiving yards in a season. So he was labeled a “special teams ace” and drafted behind 11 other wide receivers to wait for “his moment,” as he has said.

He didn’t wait long. Just 25 games into his pro career, McLaurin is not only the Washington Football Team’s top receiver and 37 yards from his first 1,000-yard season. But he’s also a team captain and one of the NFL’s most impactful and complete players, with game-saving tackles and highlight-reel catches that have turned some of the game’s biggest stars into his biggest fans.

“He’s a f—ing animal,” former Cincinnati Bengals wideout Chad Johnson said on a recent podcast. “He’s an f-ing animal. … I talked about him as a rookie. His second year, he’s picking up right where he left off. He’s so freaking good. Now, if we can just get some consistency at the quarterback spot, sky’s the limit. When in doubt, he’s always there. He’s like life insurance. Or he’s like birth control. He will be there.”

– – –

Few get to see it live and up close, but the ones who do rarely forget it. McLaurin, the polished and clean-cut 25-year-old who says and does all the right things, has a fire that, when fueled, can ravage a defense.

Even his own defense.

In training camp as a rookie, he torched Josh Norman, nearly broke the ankles of Troy Apke and put Deion Harris on skates.

In training camp this year, McLaurin beat Greg Stroman on a go route along the left sideline and, after diving for the touchdown grab, punted the ball and flexed in celebration.

“When he flips that switch on game day, you can see it,” quarterback Alex Smith said. “You can see it in his eyes. You can certainly see it in his play.”

Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs found that out this season. One play after the rookie was caught talking trash, McLaurin burned him for a 52-yard touchdown. Diggs didn’t talk much after that.

“I’m pretty calm throughout the game, (but when) you kind of poke at me a little bit, that kind of ups my play and my energy a little bit more,” McLaurin said after Washington’s Week 7 win.

McLaurin’s swagger and workman mentality are a rare blend for a position that thrives on selfishness. Wide receivers want targets. They are paid to catch passes. Many publicly declare they want more. But McLaurin views his role with a wider lens and strikes a balance that belies his experience.

Although he ranks fifth in the league in receiving yards (963) and second in yards after the catch (447), McLaurin is not in a bunch of TV commercials or sponsored by a dozen brands. He doesn’t have a personal website or his own logo stamped on T-shirts and hoodies like so many other players do.

“He hasn’t done that yet, even though he has no shortage of opportunities, because he wants to focus on being the best receiver he can and help the team win,” said his agent, Buddy Baker. “That’s truly his agenda. He realizes that if I go out and I don’t perform anymore, then, first of all, that stuff is not going to have any value anyway. It’s about the long term over the short term. I think that’s kind of how he views football but also how he views life.”

Nagy puts McLaurin in an elite group of players who emanate “greatness” upon first meeting because of his maturity. “You can just feel it,” Nagy said. “And that was really clear with Terry. He was obviously here (during Senior Bowl week) on a business trip. This was all about business to him, yet he still had fun with it.”

Washington Coach Ron Rivera, who eyed McLaurin in the 2019 draft while he was with the Carolina Panthers, has said McLaurin, in Year 2, is already a “leader by example” for the team’s young offense. After his team’s first victory over Dallas, McLaurin gave an impromptu speech in the locker room to encourage his teammates to enjoy the results of their hard work. Days later he was unanimously voted a team captain, and this past week he was named Washington’s nominee for the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

“A lot of young guys come in and they don’t know how to act, they don’t know how to prepare, they don’t know how to take care of themselves,” Rivera said. “Terry’s one of those guys that prepares the right way every day.”

He also treasures the dirty work.

One of McLaurin’s signature plays at Ohio State came on a score against Penn State in 2018. He didn’t catch the game-winning touchdown, though. He took out three defenders with a single block to clear a path to the end zone for teammate KJ Hill Jr.

One of the plays McLaurin is most proud of this season happened in Washington’s Thanksgiving win at Dallas, when he chased down linebacker Jaylon Smith on an interception return. McLaurin reached 20.99 mph, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, before catching Smith at the 4-yard line and saving four points when the Cowboys settled for a field goal.

“Yeah, my job is to catch passes, but once the ball is intercepted, my job is to get them on the ground,” McLaurin said. “… The dirty work is still something I hang my hat on. It’s cool catching touchdowns and making big plays, but running down guys and making big plays for our running backs is also even more fun.”

– – –

Almost immediately after his standout rookie season ended, McLaurin contacted Pete Bommarito, a well-known trainer to NFL hopefuls and veterans alike. Bommarito Performance Systems, in Florida, is at various times the offseason hub for players such as Tyreek Hill and Stefon Diggs, Von Miller and Chris Jones, Frank Gore and even Washington’s Morgan Moses.

“The main thing I really was looking for in an offseason program was to get around more NFL guys – receivers, running backs, skill player guys who can really help push me in the offseason,” McLaurin said.

After shedding the “special teams” label in Year 1, McLaurin didn’t want another label as simply a rookie sensation. So he started working early.

“A lot of my receivers don’t come in January, but Terry had a very specific plan,” Bommarito said. “He wanted to get going.”

Atop his list was improving his footwork and route-running, to get in and out of his breaks faster and create more separation with defenders. Other priorities included improving his ability to gain yards after the catch, to turn six-yard hitch routes into 12-yard gains.

“That’s huge for your offense and opens up even more plays that you can call,” McLaurin said.

He wanted to get better at grabbing contested catches – “That gives confidence to your quarterback and your coaches because it’s like, ‘Even when he’s covered, he’s not,’ ” he said – and to use his speed more efficiently.

“He obviously has the talent. He has the speed. But a lot of players have talent and speed. A lot of players work hard,” Bommarito said. “It’s the ones that focus on every conceivable thing. Receivers are passionate about running routes, and you’ll see when we have those types of training stimulus, they’ll be focused and all-in. But with Terry, he had the same focus even if we were doing a warmup, a prep, a corrective exercise, in the weight room, on the medical table.”

From January until the coronavirus pandemic shut down much of the country in mid-March, McLaurin worked – every day, sometimes for five hours. Four days per week were in the weight room, four days per week were on the field for positional work, and joint preparation and recovery were scattered in between. His workouts were centered on the finer points of his performance, such as joint mobility at high speeds, alignment to promote symmetry in his movements, and acceleration and deceleration in his routes. Also important: taking care of his body during the season to keep him on the field and playing at a high level.

When NFL facilities opened for the start of training camp in July, McLaurin’s focus shifted to the finer points of receiving – while learning a new system and getting to know a new coaching staff and many new teammates. New wide receivers coach Jim Hostler told him that, to have the production of many No. 1 receivers, he had to learn to play comfortably inside and outside.

“It’s a shift in mind-set,” McLaurin said. “… The footwork is a little different in some of the routes you run inside. So you could run a basic in-route from the slot, but the timing and the footwork is a lot different than if you were to run an in-route from outside the numbers. The biggest thing I’m trying to focus on is making sure my steps are right, making sure it marries up with the quarterback.”

Example: In the fourth quarter against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, McLaurin caught a quick pass from Dwayne Haskins on a slant and beat three defenders for a 24-yard touchdown.

This season, while accounting for 36 percent of his team’s receiving yards, McLaurin has run 22 percent of his routes and averaged 16.2 yards per catch from the slot. Last year, he was inside for 16.7 percent of his routes and averaged 13.7 yards. He also has turned heads with his refined route-running, made contested catches appear routine and racked up yards after the catch seemingly with ease.

In the fourth quarter against the New York Giants in Week 9, McLaurin ran a deep post route from the slot, caught the ball as one defender whipped him around, then sped past three others to gain 48 yards after the catch for the touchdown. The 68-yard play was Alex Smith’s first touchdown pass since returning from a devastating leg injury.

Two weeks later, in a win over Chad Johnson’s former team, the Bengals, McLaurin turned in one of his more memorable plays of the season. Lined up outside, McLaurin split two defenders on another post to catch a 50-50 ball with cornerback William Jackson III hanging on him. Those 42 yards helped set up a touchdown for running back Antonio Gibson six plays later.

“He will be a top-five receiver in two years,” Johnson predicted during the podcast interview. “He has a peculiar skill set that not many others have. Maybe two or three other receivers have the skill set: the footwork, the speed, the ability to transition with little to no time for DBs to recover.

“It’s small stuff that the average fan can’t see. It’s special. It’s special.”

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Thousands participate in annual Phuket running event (nationthailand.com)

Thousands participate in annual Phuket running event

Dec 06. 2020

 An 8,000-strong field turned out for the “Run Paradise” in Phuket this weekend at the 15th Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon.

Lewis Chalk (GBR)

Held on December 5 and 6, the “new normal” edition combined stringent safety and hygiene measures with a scenic course which took Thai and expat runners past local villages and the beaches of Nai Yang, Layan and Bang Tao.

Organisers shone a spotlight on Phuket’s preparedness to host large-scale events.

The Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon also provided a much-needed boost to the island’s economy.

Impressive times were the order of the two days with two double-headers in the male divisions and some top performances by Thai athletes.

Polish Triathlete Krzysztof Hadas, winner of the recent Laguna Phuket Triathlon, took a comfortable win in the 5km in what was to be a warm-up for his half marathon the following day. And after some close racing with Russian Sergei Zyrianov over the 21.0975km distance, Hadas finished fast to make it two wins in two days, and his first Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon Half Marathon title.

Suttida Udomchai (THA)

n the 10.5km on Saturday, Lewis Chalk (Britain) got the better of Anuwat Bunmak of Thailand after racing shoulder-to-shoulder, claiming the win in an impressive time of 00:35:22. Not enough, Chalk then lined up against some tough competition the following day for the Marathon and showing no signs of fatigue, he used his short-distance speed to break-away from the pack and cross the finish line first in a time of 02:55:48, almost five minutes ahead of the second-place finisher.

Other notable performances at this year’s Supersports Laguna Phuket Marathon included Sasiwimon Khongjit (THA), who took the female marathon title ahead of Maysinee Sukkuea (ZAF) and Wipawadee Titawattanavijit (THA).

In the Half Marathon, the top two spots in the female division went to Thai runners Suchada Wattanaves and Nopchaya Handittagul, while Suttida Udomchai led a Thai 1-2-3 in the 10.5KM female division the day before.

Regulars at the event, and fans of Phuket, Thai superstar couple Artiwara “Toon” Kongmalai and Ratchawin “Koi” Wongwiriya were running again this year and finished their first marathon together following their talk-of-the-town wedding just a week earlier.

Overall results

For detailed results, visit www.sportstats.asia<http://www.sportstats.asia>.

Marathon – Male

1. Lewis Chalk (GBR) 02:55:48;

2. Tharatorn Poomrungrueang (THA) 03:00:27; 3. Worapoj Sukkaew (THA), 03:01:25

Female,:

1. Sasiwimon Khongjit (THA) 03:41:54; 2. Maysinee Sukkuea (ZAF), 03:57:23; 3. Wipawadee Titawattanavijit (THA) 04:00:42.

Marathon relay:

1. Team Subaru, Phuket, 03:07:26;

2. Team Nham Daeng Yam Yen 03:13:22; 3 Team Badass Bitches 03:40:57

Half Marathon

Male: 1. Krzysztof Hadas (POL) 01:09:41; 2. Sergei Zyrianov (RUS) 01:10:14;

3. Erik Bohm (NLD) 01:18:41.

Female: 1. Suchada Wattanaves (THA) 01:37:58;

2. Nopchaya Handittagul (THA) 01:42:03; 3. Sabine Claudia Egger-Weickhardt (AUS) 01:42:27.

10.5km

Male: 1. Lewis Chalk (GBR) 00:35:22; 2. Anuwat Bunmak (THA) 00:36:17; 3. Merrick Fairall (ZAF) 00:38:05

Female: 1. Suttida Udomchai (THA) 00:43:44; 2. Pimporn Udomdee (THA) 00:49:14; 3. Wilai Aer-Loh (THA) 00:50:21.

5km

Male: 1. Krzysztof Hadas (POL) 00:15:38; 2. Eakkalak Chankaew (THA) 00:16:13; 3. Arthitta Veerathamwatin (THA) 00:17:03.

Female: 1. Chiara Jessica Egger (AUS) 00:21:13;

2. Siena Milgate (AUS) 00:23:13;

3. Phichaya Phattharathanasut (THA) 00:23:21.

2km Kids

Male: 1. Alangkran Khongrat (THA) 00:08:15; 2. Nathee Gorton (THA) 00:08:22;

3. Tanadul Panichyanont (THA) 00:08:38

Female: 1. Urassaya Suebhait (THA) 00:08:17; 2. Valeriia Iakovleva (RUS) 00:08:45; 3. Thea Primarolo (GBR) 00:09:45.

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Pornanong still in contention for maiden victory (nationthailand.com)

Pornanong still in contention for maiden victory

Dec 06. 2020Pornanong Phatlum (Credit to Getty Images) A finishing birdie saw Thai hope Pornanong Phatlum surged into contention, falling one stroke behind co-leaders after round three of the Volunteer of America Classic at the Old American Golf Club in Texas.

After trading two birdies with two bogeys, the 31-year-old sent home a birdie on the 18^th hole for a round of 70 and a total three under-par-210, which placed her at joint fourth along with American Kristen  Gillman, Angela Stanford, Jessica Korda, Charley  Hull of England, Jin Young Ko of South Korea and Nasa Hataoka of Japan.

After an action-packed day at the Volunteers of America Classic, major champions Inbee Park and So Yeon Ryu along with 2020 LPGA Tour rookie Yealimi Noh are tied at the top of the leaderboard at four under-par-209.

So Yeon Ryu, in just her third 2020 event on Tour, recorded a bogey-free 65 and carded six birdies with five on her opening nine holes. Hitting 17 of 18 greens, the 30-year-old couldn’t be happier with her results after starting the day in a tie for 26th.

“I have no complaints about my ball‑striking today,” said Ryu. “I hit 17 greens, I believe, and then I made so many birdie chances. I wish I could have made more putts on the back nine, but 65 is always good score and hopefully I can drop some putt tomorrow, what I could not make today.”

Park, who is in contention for her third victory at the VOA Classic after winning in 2013 and 2015, nearly shot a bogey-free round if not for an unfortunate slip on No. 11.

“I feel like I play really good on the front nine. Just the back nine I hit a lot of good shots, but just putts didn’t drop. A little disappointed back nine, but I played pretty well overall and I’m happy because we took about seven weeks of break after KPMG and coming back here first week just preparing for the U.S. Women’s Open, so I’m really happy with my game,” said Park, who hit 13 of 13 fairways and carded three birdies on Nos. 6, 8 and 9.

Noh closed with an even-par 71, after a roller-coaster third round. The 19-year-old had gotten to -6 by No. 18 after four birdies and two bogeys, but two shots in the fairway-bunker on the final hole contributed to a double-bogey to lose the solo lead heading into Sunday.

“Bad shots happen. No one’s perfect and mistakes are always there, but just to get over it and try to make the next shot or stick it close to save it,” started Noh. “I was thinking about it after the round too, like what was good and what was bad. But I think I just ‑‑ I didn’t hit as many greens as I thought, but overall ‑‑ I had some good up and downs today, so that really helped me save par,” said Noh.

Seven players are in the hunt one stroke back at -3, including major champions Jin Young Ko and Angela Stanford, as well as Texas resident Kristen Gillman, after a third-round 66, her lowest 18-hole score since a round-two 66 at the 2019 Buick LPGA Shanghai.

“Definitely happy with how today went,” said Gillman. “I haven’t been hitting my driver as good the last two days, so I kind of focused on putting myself in the fairway because I’ve been hitting my irons well and I knew I’d give myself more birdie chance if I did that.”

Swedes Madelene Sagstrom and Anna Nordqvist, who slipped from a tie for first to a tie for 11th heading into the final day, sit at -2.

WITH A WIN

Inbee Park would become the third winner of 2020 with multiple victories along with Danielle Kang (LPGA Drive On Championship – Inverness Club, Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana) and Sei Young Kim (KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Pelican Women’s Championship presented by DEX Imaging and Konica Minolta); it would be her 21st career Tour victory

With the $262,500 winner’s check, Park would pass Sei Young Kim for the No. 1 spot on the LPGA Tour Official Money list with $1,329,020 this season

Park or So Yeon Ryu would become the fourth different player from the Republic of Korea to win the VOA Classic since its inception in 2016

It would be Ryu’s first win since the 2018 Meijer LPGA Classic and her seventh career victory; it would be her second professional victory this year after winning the Korean Women’s Open on the Korean LPGA (KLPGA) this past June

Yealimi Noh would become the fourth Rolex First-Time Winner of 2020, joining Madelene Sagstrom (Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio), Mel Reid (ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer) and Ally McDonald (LPGA Drive On Championship – Reynolds Lake Oconee)

At 19 years, 4 months and 11 days on Sunday, Noh would be the first 2020 Tour Rookie to win this season and the youngest winner on the LPGA Tour since Lydia Ko at the 2016 Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana (19y/2m/23d)

Noh would also be the first player to win under the age of 20 since Nasa Hataoka at the 2018 TOTO Japan Classic; she would be the first American to win in her teens since Lexi Thompson at the 2014 ANA Inspiration (19y/1m/18d)

Noh would be the third LPGA*USGA Girls Golf alum to win on the LPGA Tour after Brittany Lincicome and Morgan Pressel

ROOKIE YEALIMI NOH “SUPER EXCITED” TO PLAY FINAL ROUND WITH ROLE MODELS RYU AND PARK

Ever since she was a young golfer, Yealimi Noh took inspiration from many players that hailed from the Republic of Korea, most notably LPGA Tour winners such as 20-time LPGA Tour winner Inbee Park and six-time Tour champion So Yeon Ryu.

“I’m super, super excited,” said Noh, who holds the 54-hole lead for the second time in her career. “I was telling my parents in the beginning of the week how it would be so cool to play with either one of them. I really wanted to play with them to see just up close how amazing they are and to learn and it will be really fun tomorrow.”

With so many reasons to be nervous, the 19-year-old who is still waiting to obtain a driver’s license is trying her best to remain calm—which she’s done well leading up to the final round at the VOA Classic.

“No matter how many times I’m in contention, I think it’s always nerve racking on the final day, but I have to just be really calm tomorrow and stay patient,” said Noh, who is looking for her first win on the LPGA Tour. “Patience is key and just play my game and see where it takes me.”

NO MATTER THE COURSE, QUEEN INBEE SHINES AT VOA CLASSIC

When it comes to the VOA Classic for Rolex Ranking No. 5 Inbee Park, she’s most famous for winning the event in both 2013 and 2015. But, the event wasn’t played at Old American Golf Club. This week, the “Queen” of the LPGA Tour proved venue doesn’t matter, as she looks to be the third Tour  winner of 2020 with multiple victories this season.

“This golf course, the greens are just so pure. I had a couple of mistakes, you know, greens are just too fast for me. I have been practicing a little bit on the slower green than this, you know, last couple of months,” said Park. “So I’m just trying to still adjust a little bit of speed, but the course is in really good condition. Greens are a little bit softer than last year, but with the cold weather it is playing tough. Once you miss the green, it is really hard to get up and down so you have to hit a lot of greens on this golf course.”

Flying back home to the Republic of Korea after taking second at KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in early October, the 32-year-old LPGA veteran had lower expectations for the week. Instead, she presented the week more as an opportunity to warm up for next week’s U.S. Women’s Open, which she won in 2008 and 2013.

“I think I was probably thinking that I am going to be a little bit rusty and just trying to get things going before the Open, and that’s what I’m trying to do. I mean, it is tough with the little bit chillier weather, but that’s how we’re going to get next week so trying to get used to playing in cold conditions, and I feel like I’m doing just fine,” said Park.

SO YEON RYU RECORDS EVENT’S LOWEST 18-HOLE SCORE THROUGH THREE ROUNDS

6-under par is a great score for any golfer, yet, when the athlete knows they can shoot even lower, it’s merely acceptable.

“Actually I’ve been hitting the ball really, really well today, so hopefully I can shoot some low number. And even though I played a few events in Korea, I never really had low scores. So I really wanted to shoot like 8 under, 7 under, so that’s what I was looking for. I was expecting little better than 65, but once again, 65 is always good score to have,” said So Yeon Ryu, tied for the lead at the Volunteers of America Classic.

Her first LPGA Tour event since ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open in February, Ryu didn’t come in with any particular expectations. Yet, she knew her swing was off, so coming back to the United States and seeing her coach again for the first time in months helped her, which showed this week.

“Well, to be honest, was bit of struggle with the ball‑striking the last two days, but I went to see my coach on Monday. I haven’t seen him for nine months and finally got to see him, and he gave me couple of swing thoughts and that one really worked out well today. So I have no complaint about my ball‑striking today,” said Ryu.