#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Matsuyama and Jazz enjoy strong start at Masters Tournament

Nov 13. 2020

 Augusta, Georgia: Asia’s flagbearers produces solid starts at the weather-hit Masters Tournament on Thursday, with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and debutant Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand leading the charge.

Matsuyama enjoyed his best opening round at Augusta National with a 4-under 68 in what his ninth appearance at the fable tournament to share fifth place with amongst others, defending champion Tiger Woods, and lie three back of early leader Paul Casey.

The 28-year-old Japanese star took advantage of ideal scoring conditions and made five birdies against a lone bogey to put himself in position to challenge for a maiden major title and a sixth PGA TOUR victory. Starting from the 10^th, Matsuyama, who finished fifth in 2015 and tied seventh in 2016, made birdies on Hole Nos. 13 and 14 from close range before picking up another shot on the third hole following a controlled approached shot.

He dropped his only bogey on five by missing the green but with his well-controlled iron play where he hit 14 greens in regulation, Matsuyama promptly birdied the eighth and ninth holes from inside of six feet to ensure a three-shot improvement from his previous best first round score which he shot on three occasions.

Jazz, the 2019 Asian Tour No. 1, was delighted with a solid debut at Augusta National following a 3-under 69 highlighted by six birdies including four over his closing six holes.  It was also his best first round score in what is his sixth major appearance. His tied 14^th result at the 2019 PGA Championship remains as his career best major finish to date.

Taking advantage of soft conditions due to a morning thunderstorm, Jazz rolled in birdies on Hole Nos. 2, 13, 15, 16 and 18 but dropped bogeys on Hole Nos. 11 and 12 to share 13^th place.

C.T. Pan, the first Chinese Taipei golfer to play in the Masters since 2009, also enjoyed a memorable debut with an opening 70 on a day he turned 29. Pan made three birdies from close range on the fourth, 13^th and 16^th holes and dropped a shot at the par 3 12^th hole when he missed the green. Pan, a one-time winner on the PGA TOUR, could have gone lower but burnt the edges with birdie attempts at the third, ninth and 18^th holes.

Korea’s Si Woo Kim, the 2019 PLAYERS Championship winner, opened with a 70 while another debutant, Sungjae Im, was 2-under through seven holes. He is amongst the 44 players who will return Friday morning to complete their first rounds.

PARTIAL First-Round Notes – Thursday, November 12, 2020

Weather: Mostly cloudy with morning thunderstorms. High of 78. Wind WNW 4-8 mph. Due to inclement weather and thunderstorms, play was suspended at 7:35 a.m. ET and resumed at 10:20 a.m. ET. Due to darkness, the first round was suspended for the day at 5:30 p.m. ET with 44 players left on the course and will resume Friday at 7:30 a.m. ET. If no further delays occur, the second round will begin at approximately 9:35 a.m. ET Friday.

Current Leaderboard

Paul Casey                            65 (-7)

Webb Simpson                      67 (-5)

Xander Schauffele                 67 (-5)

Justin Thomas                       (-5) thru 10

Things to Know

• Paul Casey ties his career-low score in a major, improves on 2019 first-round score by 16 strokes 
• Tiger Woods ties his career-low first-round score at the Masters, records first bogey-free score in a major since 2009
• Woods is in search of sixth Masters victory, 16^thmajor championship title and record-breaking 83^rd PGA TOUR win
• Play was suspended due to darkness with 45 players left on the course; the last round at the Masters that was not completed the day it started was the third round in 2006

First-Round Lead Notes

16             First-round leaders/co-leaders to win the Masters Tournament

   (most recent: Jordan Spieth/2015)

1               First-round leader/co-leader to win in 2020-21

                 (Hudson Swafford/Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship)

Paul Casey (current leader/-7)

• Ties his career-low score in a major championship (R4/2018 Masters Tournament) in his 218^th round in a major
• Shot a 9-over 81 in the first round of the 2019 Masters Tournament, marking an improvement of 16 strokes
• Finished in the top 20 in each of the first two majors in 2020 (T2/PGA Championship, T17/U.S. Open)
• Best result in 65 prior major championship appearances: T2/2020 PGA Championship
• Best result in 13 prior Masters appearances: T4/2016
• Three-time PGA TOUR winner (2009 Vivint Houston Open, 2018 Valspar Championship, 2019 Valspar Championship)

Tiger Woods (T5/-4)

• Ties career-low first-round score at the Masters (2010) and records his second opening-round score in the 60s in his 23^rdstart at the event
• First bogey-free round in a major since the first round of the 2009 PGA Championship (went on to finish 2^nd)
• Birdied both par 5s on the back nine (Nos. 13 and 15) and has played those holes in a combined 104-under in 87 rounds at the Masters

• In search of 83^rdPGA TOUR victory; currently tied with Sam Snead for most all-time
• In search of 16^thmajor championship title; currently second all-time, three behind Jack Nicklaus
• In search of sixth Masters Tournament win; currently second all-time, one behind Jack Nicklaus
• Making 14^thstart in a major as defending champion (DNP/2008 PGA Championship) and has four wins in the previous 13:

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Ivy League cancels winter sports as coronavirus pandemic worsens

Nov 13. 2020

By The Washington Post
Des Bieler

The Ivy League is canceling its winter sports seasons, the conference announced Thursday, making it the first Division I college athletics conference to do so.

The league – composed of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton and Yale – made its decision amid an unprecedented spike in the coronavirus pandemic nationally. New coronavirus cases in the United States reached a record total of 145,835 on Wednesday, a number that was on track to be topped Thursday.

“Consistent with its commitment to safeguard the health and well-being of student-athletes, the greater campus community and general public, the Ivy League Council of Presidents has decided that league schools will not conduct intercollegiate athletics competition in winter sports during the 2020-21 season. In addition, the Ivy League will not conduct competition for fall sports during the upcoming spring semester. Lastly, intercollegiate athletics competition for spring sports is postponed through at least the end of February 2021,” the conference announced.

The canceled winter sports include men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s ice hockey, men’s and women’s squash, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, and wrestling.

Ivy League athletes in fall and winter sports will not lose a season of college eligibility, the conference announced.

“Throughout the last nine months,” the Ivy League Council of Presidents said in a joint statement, “we have asked our campus communities to make extraordinary adjustments in order to do our part in combating the global pandemic and to safeguard the health and wellbeing of our students, faculty members, staff and the communities in which they live and work.

“Regrettably, the current trends regarding transmission of the COVID-19 virus and subsequent protocols that must be put in place are impeding our strong desire to return to intercollegiate athletics competition in a safe manner. Student-athletes, their families and coaches are again being asked to make enormous sacrifices for the good of public health – and we do not make this decision lightly. . . . We look forward to the day when intercollegiate athletics – which are such an important part of the fabric of our campus communities – will safely return in a manner and format we all know and appreciate.”

In March, the Ivy League was the first Division I conference to cancel its men’s and women’s postseason basketball tournaments. In July, it became the first major conference to announce it would not hold sports during the fall semester. The league said then that a decision regarding winter and spring sports – and whether fall sports could be held in the spring – would come at a later date.

Bethune-Cookman is believed to be the first Division I school to cancel sports for the entirety of the current academic year. The Division III New England Small College Athletic Conference canceled its winter sports seasons last month.

In its guidance for basketball programs, the NCAA has made concessions to the coronavirus including moving back the start of the season to Nov. 25 and prohibiting scrimmages and preseason games. However, the pandemic has already proven a major disruption, with 30 percent of 125 Division I basketball coaches polled by Stadium saying their teams have either had to shut down for two weeks or are in the process of doing so.

University of Connecticut men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley cited outbreaks at Seton Hall and elsewhere in the Big East while telling reporters Thursday that “everything’s on the table for us” in terms of scheduling decisions.

“I know that a number of schools have gone into quarantines for extended periods of time, and it’s very concerning,” Hurley said. “We were put in a position to take care of these guys, our players. That’s your number one responsibility, is to take great care of your players and, yeah, we’ve got to make decisions with scheduling based on the best interests of our players and their welfare physically.”

Last month, after ESPN scrapped a plan to stage eight nonconference college basketball tournaments at a bubble near Orlando, Fla., Seton Hall Coach Kevin Willard described the uncertainty over the upcoming season as “a s—show.”

“I wouldn’t even use disaster right now; it’s too light a term,” said Willard, whose Pirates were set to compete in one of the tournaments. “I came to practice, and 12 of my kids were like: ‘Why are we practicing? The same thing is going to happen. The season is going to be canceled.'”

Iona, a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference program prepared for more attention than normal after hiring Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino, announced Thursday that it was halting men’s basketball activities because of a positive test. The school is reportedly considering canceling its first four games, the first of which is scheduled for Nov. 25.

“Since coming together in August, we’ve carefully followed protocols and have been part of a strong testing program,” Pitino said in a statement. “. . . We will continue to make decisions out of an abundance of caution, as we look forward to resuming activities as soon as return to play guidelines deem it safe.”

Outbreaks at schools have caused numerous disruptions in the college football season. For this weekend alone, 10 games involving Football Bowl Subdivision teams have been postponed or canceled.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Jazz hails a decade of remarkable growth

Nov 13. 2020

 After a decade of remarkable growth, Jazz is finally making his dream debut at The Masters on Thursday.

Jazz Janewattananond joins an exclusive club of golfers Thursday when he tees-off in The Masters for the first time but when he first turned professional, a decade ago, thoughts of competing in a Major championship were very far from his mind.

In the latest My Time video in partnership with ROLEX, he reveals just how daunting it was at the start of his career and how he did not know what to expect.

“I turned professional the day before I turned 15. I remember it quite clearly,” says Jazz, now aged 24.

“We just decided to go for it. To try and improve myself. I was so young and I was really naïve.”

He made the cut that week he turned professional at the King’s Cup in 2010 and finished in a tie for 44th – to earn a first pay cheque of US$1,590.

“I was just star struck, like a deer in the head lights. I didn’t know what to do but I was there to take it all in and the rest is history,” add the Thai.

Jazz played in a handful of Asian Tour events prior to joining the play for pay ranks and played all four rounds in the Asian Tour International in 2010, making him the youngest player to make the cut on Tour at the age of 14 years and 71 days.

He goes on to explain how difficult the road to the top has been despite his immense talent and gift for the game.

In 2016, he tried his hand on the Web.com Tour (now the Korn Ferry Tour) but when he returned he had lost his playing rights on the Asian Tour.

As is well documented he went into Monkhood in Thailand in January of 2017 in search of focus and direction. And he most definitely found it.

“They [the Monks] just make you see things in a different perspective. Golf is not the biggest thing in your life,” he says.

“Not even a month after that, I won my first Asian Tour tournament. Everything was automatic and things just clicked. When you win that first tournament and get that weight off your shoulders you don’t have anything to prove anymore.”

That event was the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open – which proved to be the catalyst his career was looking for.

Says Jazz: “I didn’t really think I could win an Asian Tour event, I didn’t have the mind set to go and win”.

The following year he won the Queen’s Cup before his remarkable 2019 season when he won four times and claimed the Asian Tour Order of Merit title.

The first of those victories came at the SMBC Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club in January.

“It [the SMBC Singapore Open win] is a rush that I never feel before in my life. [My] heart doesn’t beat faster but it beats louder,” says Jazz.

“The weight was lifted off my shoulder, you get through it and come out on top.”

“It was practically unheard of to win four tournaments in a year,” says Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour.

“We thought he would bloom a lot earlier than he did. We thought he would be a super star by the time he was 18.”

Indeed, there was a slight delay in his progression but that is all a distant memory now as he prepares to play at Augusta – where his phenomenal power and feel for the game could see him challenge despite it being the first time he is playing there.

“I can’t tell my future. I just have to keep working hard,” says Jazz.

“I don’t know how far I can go, but my goal is to be top-three in the world.”

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

“All or nothing”: the Press Conference begins a pivotal weekend

Nov 13. 2020

By THE NATION

The Gran Premio Motul de la Comunitat Valenciana is set in motion as Mir faces down a chance at the crown

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Former world champion Belingon details his advantages over Lineker

Nov 13. 2020

 This Friday night, fans can expect an action-packed affair when former ONE Bantamweight World Champion and current #1-ranked bantamweight contender Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon of the Philippines takes on former UFC veteran and #5-ranked bantamweight John “Hands of Stone” Lineker of Brazil.

The two knockout artists will square off in the main event of ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III, a previously-recorded event from Singapore scheduled for air on Friday, 13 November.

Belingon himself is looking to score an emphatic victory, after dropping his last two bouts to the division’s reigning king, Bibiano Fernandes. The 33-year-old ‘Silencer’ from Ifugao says he picked up a lot from his well-documented tussles with Fernandes, and vows to showcase his learnings against Lineker.

“I am totally motivated for this fight since I have not fought in a while, and it would be good to be back in the winner’s column. My last fight against Bibiano was disappointing, but I’ve learned from it. I just have to be more cautious with my moves,” said Belingon.

“I was on a seven-fight winning streak prior to my trilogy with Bibiano. For me to return to that form, I just have to keep the same fire burning, if not fuel it more.”

Both Belingon and Lineker are proven knockout finishers. Nearly half of Lineker’s 32 career victories have ended in a sensational KO, whereas Belingon has built himself a reputation as an explosive wushu striker, particularly with his amazing spinning back kicks.

Against Lineker, Belingon however faces an opponent with loads of experience competing at the top. Lineker is a former UFC bantamweight, who has faced some of the biggest names in the sport including John Dodson, Marlon Vera, Rob Font, Michael McDonald, and Ian McCall.

Belingon is excited about the potential clash of striking styles, and has taken the time to carefully dissect where he holds advantages over Lineker.

“I believe I’m quicker than him. I think I’m more agile and have better endurance – those are just some of the advantages that I believe I have in this match,” said Belingon.

“It will be very interesting given our styles and I plan to keep it that way. At the end of the day, I hope to get my hands raised. I believe my speed and kicks will be to my advantage against Lineker. That could make all the difference in this fight. A win against Lineker will take me a step closer to the belt.”

ONE Championship returns with ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III, a previously-recorded event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore for global broadcast this Friday night, 13 November. Belingon and Lineker compete in the main event, but the Team Lakay veteran will be joined by his teammates Geje Eustaquio and Lito Adiwang who will be competing on the same card.

With Belingon and Lineker both looking to score highlight-reel knockouts, one man is going to fall, while the other will rise. The winner could very well go on to win a date with Fernandes in the near future.

Belingon wants his fans to know he fully expects to win this fight, and to watch out for an explosive, fun showdown between two hard punchers.

“Ever since John Lineker signed with ONE, all I’ve been hearing and reading from the fans is Belingon versus Lineker. Now it’s finally here, and I’m excited for it. Expect fireworks. Expect it to be a good one,” said Belingon.

Catch ONE: INSIDE THE MATRIX III this Friday, 13 November on ONE Super App, AIS Play and ONE Championship Youtube at 7:30 p.m. Thailand Standard Time. Thairath TV Channel 32 will air the event on a same-day delay at 10.40 p.m.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

SP, Renzo Gracie, Sage Northcutt and ONE Superstars in Singapore to Shoot ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’

Nov 13. 2020

 ONE Championship is in the midst of filming ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ in the Lion City, and the biggest mixed martial arts superstars are in town to participate.

Legends Georges “GSP” St-Pierre and Renzo Gracie, former ONE Welterweight World Champion Ben “Funky” Askren, former 12-time UFC flyweight champion Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, Karate champion “Super” Sage Northcutt, reigning ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera, ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan, and Indian wrestling champion Ritu Phogat are all in Singapore to film ONE’s unique version of the popular reality television show. 

ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee flew in last week and is now back in Hawaii where she resides.

The martial artists serve as special guest participants in the show, and are tasked to compete in various physical and athletic challenges alongside 16 contestants handpicked from around the world. The first season of ‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ consists of 13 episodes, with one special guest athlete appearing in each episode.

Also confirmed as guest stars on the show are CEOs from some of the world’s largest companies. CEOs already 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.

‘The Apprentice’ is one of the most storied non-scripted reality television franchises in history. The show judges the business skills of contestants who are competing for a job offer under a high-profile CEO. At least one version of ‘The Apprentice’ has aired in more than 120 countries worldwide.

‘The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition’ pits 16 contestants against each other in a high-stakes game of business and athletic challenges, with the winner to 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.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Sports fans turn Twitter into the world’s stadium

Nov 12. 2020

By Football trends, topics and accounts to follow on Twitter in Thailand

Twitter is where Thai people talk football. With 580 million Tweets about football globally in H1/2020, Twitter is the place where fans find out #WhatsHappening about football at home, and overseas.

The resumption of the EPL season, as well as Asia Pacific fan favourite Liverpool’s path to the EPL championship, saw Liverpool fans across Asia Pacific quickly returning to gameday shape, driving a peak of 207K Tweets in Asia Pacific on Liverpool’s match days.

Passionate in their love of the beautiful game, football fans were not deterred by the lack of sporting activity during COVID-19. With Thai and international leagues re-started, Thai football fans are again in full swing joining lively and passionate conversations on Twitter.

Right now, Twitter is the only place that fans can watch and talk about sports, and sports conversations have reached new heights accordingly. Sports are a powerful topic on Twitter. In Thailand, there were 10.8 million Tweets about sports between Q1-Q3 2020, with 3 million of those coming during Q3 alone.

“Twitter and sports have brought out the best of each other for years,” said Maurizio Barbieri, Head of Sports and Gaming Partnerships for SEA and Greater China at Twitter. “During this time, when sports fans can’t go to the events in person, they’ve turned Twitter into the largest sports venue in the world. The passion of sports fans on Twitter has never been higher, and the experience has never been better – any fans that are not yet on Twitter may not be getting the full experience.”

From tactics and score lines to performance, analysis, transfer window action and more, these conversations are taking place daily on Twitter in Thailand. Here, we take a look at 5 ways Thai football fans are leveraging Twitter’s power of conversation.

1) Live action and real-time conversations

Whether streaming or watching matches on TV, the live football experience is the pinnacle of sports viewing for many-a-football-fan, and a weekend tradition for millions around the world. The pre-match build up and game vibe plays out on Twitter as Thai fans Tweet moment-by-moment, pass-by-pass, providing real-time commentary of the on-pitch action.

2) Talk tactics and analysis

Fans on Twitter discuss team tactics and strategy before and after games. They Tweet about team selection, set-up and game-day tactics, while between matches they talk about what strategy and game plan would be best to beat the next team.

3) Results and league standings

It’s not just about the final whistle. Throughout matches football fans Tweet about the goals and update the score line. At half-time, conversations centre around the current score and tactics for the second-half, while at full-time people Tweet in celebration (or frustration) at their team’s performance.

Fans soon turn their attention to the next game, however, and also Tweet about the current league position of their team and that of their rivals.

4) Performance review

The post game excitement can be short-lived as passionate fans quickly turn to analyse their team’s performance and that of key players and the coach. While attention is often focussed on those who score, or didn’t, key moments – both positive and negative – are discussed in detail amongst friends and fellow supporters.

More and more broadcasters, leagues and teams are sharing game highlights on Twitter. Short video clips of specific moments such as goals, skillful displays, near misses and more are Tweeted out speedily to sate fans’ appetite and stimulate further conversation.

5) Transfer news

Transfer windows are a time when football fans turn Twitter into a frenzy of sporting activity with lively discussions about which players fans think their team should be buying. Conversations around players’ suitability, skillset, age and price are some of the topics hotly debated, and intensity peaks as transfer windows near close.

For avid football fans around Thailand, here are some must-follow Twitter accounts and ways to ensure you’re in-the-know, all the time:

1) Thai football

In addition to the many Thai team-specific accounts, check out the official account for Thai League 1 (@thaileague) where you can keep up-to-date with happenings, results, schedules and rankings. Also don’t forget to cheer #Thailand and follow the men’s national team (@Changsuek_TH) for the latest team and training updates as well as results and rankings.

2) Thai football stars

Many of Thailand’s leading football stars, past and present, are active on Twitter and regularly share insight into happenings in the sport, as well as their personal lives. Representing the national team and currently playing in Japan’s J-League, “Jay” Chanathip Songkrasin (@Chanathipjay) Tweets about not only his footballing career but also about his non-football lifestyle and happenings in Japan. Thai pro Charyl Chappuis (@CharylChappuis) Tweets about not only football but also shares his opinions about other sports, while Mika Chunuonse (@Chunuonsee16), who previously played in the Welsh Premier League and currently plies his trade with True Bangkok United Football Club, Tweets about his matches as well as international football leagues.

3) Thai commenters and news sources

Fans looking for in-depth analysis, opinions and match talk from knowledgeable and independent sources can follow footballing gurus such as Jackie Adisorn (@jackie14AP), Bubble Yingrak (@BubbleYingrak) and Kiang Nantakwang (@nantakwang). Media outlets such as @Goal_TH and Siam Sport’s @TL_online also provide a wealth of Thai language content about everything football in Thailand and overseas.

4) International football leagues

Thais are passionate not only for their local leagues and teams, most are also huge supporters of players and teams overseas. Teams in the English Premier League are some of the most popular and Thai fans can follow the league’s activities at @premierleague. Other popular leagues to follow are Spain’s LaLiga (@LaLigaEN) – who also have a Thai language account, @LaLigaTH – Italy’s Serie A (@SerieA_EN) and Germany’s Bundesliga (@Bundesliga_EN).

5) Twitter Topics

By following a Topic on Twitter you are able to see all the conversations relating to that topic, without having to follow hundreds of individual accounts. And for football, Twitter has you covered; try following Topics for English Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A and Bundesliga. There are also many Topics for international footballers, just search the football star by name on Twitter and the Topic will appear at the top of the search.

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Maryland basketball signs a trio of four-star players, including two with Baltimore roots

Nov 12. 2020Maryland Coach Mark Turgeon welcomed three players in the Class of 2021. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by John McDonnell 

By The Washington Post · Emily Giambalvo · SPORTS, BASKETBALL 
Ike Cornish didn’t expect to choose a college near his hometown. The Baltimore native had already relocated to Greenville, S.C., to play his final two seasons of high school basketball, and he has thrived while living on his own. As he weighed his options, Cornish didn’t rule out any location.

The four-star shooting guard instead wanted to find the best place for him to continue his career, and he impressed his mom by how he thoughtfully laid out the positives and negatives for various programs.

When Cornish told his mom earlier than expected that he had made a decision, she was shocked. He wanted to play for Maryland, the school only a short drive away from his home. With Cornish’s commitment, the Terrapins added to their recent success in pulling standout players from Baltimore. Senior guard Darryl Morsell, soon-to-be NBA first-round pick Jalen Smith and Julian Reese, a fellow member of the 2021 class, all grew up in the nearby city and have various ties to each other through their pre-Maryland careers.

“We’re a family, we don’t take things for granted. This is just amazing,” said Cornish’s mom, Patrice, whose 20-year-old son plays at Bowie State. “This is a mother’s dream.” 

Cornish, Reese and James Graham III signed Wednesday to play at Maryland. The three players are four-star prospects, and together they form the 18th best recruiting class in the country and the third best in the Big Ten, according to 247 Sports. Coach Mark Turgeon and his staff managed to assemble this class during the novel coronavirus pandemic, when recruiting efforts became entirely virtual and players could not visit campus.

Reese, a 6-foot-9 power forward and the No. 82 player in the country, committed in May, then Cornish and Graham followed. Graham said the trio talks almost every day, and he joked about how sometimes his classmates’ Baltimore-influenced lingo throws him off.

“I think we have one of the best classes coming in 2021 for next year, just because I feel like we’re all on one mission,” said Cornish, the No. 102 player in the country. “We all feel like we can make a difference at our school. No one is really coming in thinking, ‘I’m coming here just because I feel like it’s a good school.’ No, we’re actually trying to make a difference at this school and make a big impact as soon as we get there.” 

Reese will join his sister, Angel, ESPN’s No. 2 recruit in the Class of 2020, in College Park. Angel begins her college career this season while her brother finishes high school. When Reese committed, he said that the Maryland coaches envision him taking on a role similar to Smith, the 6-foot-10 forward who declared for the NBA draft this offseason.

Maryland was “one of the first schools to be interested in me, so that’s one of the leading factors in why I picked the school,” Reese said in May. “They really believed in me.” 

The Terps staff also discovered Graham, a Milwaukee native, earlier than other major programs, extending a scholarship when he was unranked and had only received offers from Rutgers, DePaul and Wisconsin Milwaukee. Graham, an 6-foot-8 small forward, became a fast-rising prospect over the summer. After Maryland’s offer, dozens of programs flocked to him with interest. Graham surged up various recruiting rankings. He’s now No. 52 in 247 Sports’ rankings and No. 100 in the site’s composite rankings.

“Maryland offered me when I was nothing,” Graham said. “Even with Turge, he was the head coach calling an unranked kid, a high-major school. That really showed me he really, truly believed in me. I really think he’s going to put my talents to use better than any other coach in the country.” 

Before Cornish’s commitment, his mom said she talked with Jalen Smith’s mom about the recruiting process. Once Cornish announced his decision, Smith’s dad sent him a long message with advice. A couple weeks later, Cornish’s mom ran into Morsell’s mom, who offered enthusiastic congratulations.

“Whether they’re local or whether they’re from a long distance, we treat them all the same,” Turgeon said. “. . . I like recruiting local. I like when guys stay home. And I like when guys get better. So really, that’s what we do. We really work hard in making guys better. And it’s fun. It’s what makes coaching fun.” 

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Match point Mir: can the resistance stage a final stand?

Nov 12. 2020

 37 points clear, the Suzuki rider has his first shot at the crown – and it’s far from a long one

#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

Korea’s Im dreams about dinner and green jacket ahead of Masters debut

Nov 12. 2020Sungjae Im Augusta, Georgia: Debutant Sungjae Im knows exactly what he would serve at the Champions Dinner should he, in the near future, produces a Masters Tournament victory.

“Marinated ribs,” said Im, a self-confessed foodie. “I feel like players of all nationality would love that and I would of course cook them in the Korean style.”

The 22-year-old wunderkind from Korea makes his Masters debut this week at Augusta National, qualifying for the storied event by virtue of his win at The Honda Classic in March. Since becoming the Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year in 2018, Im’s career has blossomed to the point that golf commentators across the globe believe he is very much capable of winning a major championship.

Like many others, he dreamed of playing at The Masters since he was boy after his mother put a plastic golf club in his hands at age three. And while he may not be familiar with some of the club’s more notable traditions, including the sought-after pimento cheese sandwich, the Korean knows just enough details that will push him forward in his burgeoning career.

“I actually only know about the Green Jacket,” he said about the coveted prize, which is presented to the champion every year.

“I’m also excited to experience everything the tournament has to offer. I’m not familiar with the pimento cheese sandwich, but I love all types of food, so I’m willing to give it a try. I watched this a lot as a kid. I’ve always dreamed of playing The Masters and it’s hard to believe I’ll be competing here. It feels really good to turn my lifelong dream into reality. It’s pretty cool and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Im is in the midst of a lean spell on TOUR, with a best result of T13 to show through his last six starts. In his last two major championship appearances, he has finished tied 22^nd at the U.S. Open in September after missing the cut at the PGA Championship in August. He tied for 50th in the last week’s final tune-up for The Masters at the Vivint Houston Open.

With Asia seeking a long-awaited second major winner following Y.E. Yang’s triumph at the 2009 PGA Championship and first at the Masters, Im is fully aware of the pressure to consistently perform at the game’s highest level. “Since this is a major, I would like to first make the cut. After that, I would be happy with a top-15 or top-20 finish,” said the world’s 25th-ranked player.

“I hope to quickly adjust to the course and perform well,” he continued. “I’ve heard from other players the winds tend to swirl, so I expect it to change directions constantly. I also know the undulation on the greens will be severe and I’ll have to take all of those into consideration.”

Justin Thomas, the 2017 FedExCup champion, has played enough golf with Im in recent times to know the Korean rising star is the real deal.

 “I think impressive is an understatement. He’s way beyond his years for how young he is and how well he’shandled his situation,” he said. “The shots that he hits, to have that much variety in your game and be able to hit it high, really high with spin and hit it low and flight it and hold it up against the winds, both left to right and right to left, is very impressive.”

Im will need to once again master those shots this week if he is to have a chance. Augusta National has not seen a debutant don the Green Jacket since Fuzzy Zoeller won the Masters in his first visit in 1979, some 18 years before Im was born. Still, he is looking forward to testing his creativity at Augusta National, and remembers well the famous chip-in birdie by Tiger Woods on the 16^th hole en route to winning the tournament in 2005.

“That curving chip shot from the back of the green really stands out for me. I think I was about eight or nine years old when I saw that,” said Im, whose career rise includes a memorable Presidents Cup debut last December, where he contributed 3.5 points for the International Team.

“I’m incredibly proud to compete as a Korean player. Since this is my Masters debut, I do feel the pressure of competing in a major, but I hope to overcome that and play my own game. I hope to end with a good result.”

In Masters history, Korea’s K.J. Choi has come closest to winning the tournament following his third-place finish in 2004.