Liu, who shared the overnight lead with world number one Park Sung-hyun, was four-under over her last four holes — with an eagle at the par-five 15th and back-to-back birdies to finish — to overtake Spain’s Ciganda with a 54-hole total of 19-under 197 at the Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona.

Ciganda had roared up the leaderboard with a blemish-free nine-under par 63 — playing her last five holes in five-under with a birdie at 14 followed by an eagle at 15 and birdies at 16 and 18 — where she rolled in a 15-footer to take the lead.

“I’m not very comfortable and not very used to playing in the last group,” admitted 23-year-old Liu said. “I’ve had two experiences before and I didn’t do very well. Today was definitely a turnaround.”

Ciganda, meanwhile, was just enjoying watching the birdies land in her impressive round.

“It’s a lot of fun,” Ciganda said. “When you make putts, it’s great. Really I’ve been playing great. I’m hitting lots of greens so it was a matter of making lots of putts.”

Nine-under to start the day, the Spaniard had four birdies on the front nine, but she was fighting to stay patient as she opened the back nine with four straight pars.

At the par-three 14th, she said, “I hit a really good shot there, tap in.

“They put the tee up on 15 so I hit driver, seven-iron, made a good putt for eagle.”

Birdies followed at 16 and 18, putting her alone in front until Liu powered past her to put herself in prime position to join Feng Shanshan as the only Chinese players to win on the LPGA Tour.

It was a further two strokes back to American Angel Yin, who carded a 66 for 200.

Park fired a 69 to head a group on 201 that also included former world number one Lydia Ko of New Zealand, who posted a 67.

South Koreans Kim Hyo-Joo and Ko Jin-young both carded 64s to join the group sharing fourth along with Nelly Korda, who carded a 66.

Spain’s Azahara Munoz showed early on that low scores were possible, firing a bogey-free 63 that like Ciganda’s included seven birdies and an eagle at 15.

Munoz grabbed her eagle despite chunking her approach. She pitched in from some 70 yards out.

“It was fun today,” she said. “Everything was working.”

The former police chief and his family attended at a polling station in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao area ahead of his trip to China to support the national team when they play Uruguay in a friendly tournament on Monday evening.

“Elections are part of democracy,” Somyot remarked. “If Thais love democracy, they should come out and use their rights, as many people as possible.”

He said earlier the next government should show greater support for local football and build more facilities so that Thailand will be ready to host major international events in the future, perhaps even the Word Cup.

Barella, 22, rifled in on seven minutes with 19-year-old Kean marking his first start by doubling the Azzurri’s account in the 74th minute, to the delight of the capacity crowd at the Stadio Friuli in north-eastern Italy.

“It wasn’t easy because they closed down immediately, changing the way they play and putting five defenders,” said Italy coach Roberto Mancini.

“We made some mistakes early on, but did far better in the second half and created many more scoring opportunities.

“Kean has quality, enormous potential and it all depends on him, he has to work hard.”

Italy are rebuilding under coach Mancini after the four-time world champions’ shock failure to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 60 years.

And the former Manchester City manager’s first task is to get them through to the finals of the European championships, a tournament which the footballing giants have won just once, 51 years ago.

Italy, now 18th in the FIFA rankings, are favourites in a Group J which also includes Armenia, Bosnia and Liechtenstein.

Mancini’s side had been hit by injuries to forwards Federico Chiesa and Lorenzo Insigne with Alessandro Florenzi also on the injury list.

Kean became the first player born after 2000 to start for Italy.

The teenager formed a three-man strike-force alongside fellow Juventus forward Federico Bernardeschi and Ciro Immobile.

Kean’s only previous appearance had come as a second-half substitute last November in a friendly against the United States.

But it was midfielder Barella who broke through minutes into the game after the Finnish defence failed to clear a Marco Verratti free-kick.

Cagliari player Barella pounced to rifle in a low volley, leaving Finnish goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky with no chance.

Cristiano Piccini hit the side netting after a one-two with Kean, with Bernardeschi having a penalty appeal denied just before half-time.

– Profligate Pukki –

Teemu Pukki missed a chance to equalise in the 65th minute, meeting a Robin Lod cross but firing wide in front of goal to the frustration of the small contingent of visiting fans.

But the Azzurri doubled their lead midway through the second half with Lazio’s Immobile bursting through midfield to set up Kean, who made no mistake, racing forward to slot in his first international goal.

Serie A top-scorer Fabio Quagliarella came on for the last ten minutes for the 36-year-old’s first cap in over eight years to thundering applause from the crowd.

The Sampdoria striker has scored 21 goals in 28 Serie A games, two more than Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo.

And the veteran was twice denied a dream return with Hradecky saving, and minutes later his goal-bound effort clipping the post.

“It’s a pity that it was almost the perfect dream,” said Quagliarella. “But there was a save and then I hit the bar. I had two chances, it’s a shame they didn’t go in.”

Roma teenager Nicolo Zaniolo, 19, also got his first cap when he came on for the last five minutes.

Italy — European champions in 1968 and runners-up in 2000 and 2012 — keep their unbeaten run in qualifiers going back nearly 13 years, with 25 wins and six draws.

Mancini’s side play their second qualifier against Liechtenstein in Parma on Tuesday, with 59th-ranked Finland travelling to Armenia.

Su-Wei Hsieh of Taipei

World number one Osaka had looked in little danger after winning the first set and moving a break ahead in the second.

But Taiwan’s Hsieh, who was a set and 4-1 up in Melbourne earlier this year before losing to the Japanese star in the third round, battled superbly to leave the Miami Open wide open following the withdrawal of Serena Williams on Saturday afternoon with a knee injury.

“This was a very emotional win for me,” said Hsieh who hit 39 winners, one less than her opponent, with both winning 69% of points on their first serves. “Any time you beat one of the top players it is amazing.”

Osaka’s second-round win over Belgian Yanina Wickmayer on Friday saw a second set wobble from the two time Grand Slam winning star and it was more of the same against Hsieh, who simply refused to give up the fight.

The 33-year-old will play either Caroline Wozniacki or Monica Niculescu in the fourth round.

Hsieh certainly made an impressive start on the main court of the new look Miami Open, breaking Osaka immediately and establishing an early 4-1 advantage.

But Osaka managed to compose herself and claw back to 4-4 and then broke once again to land the opening set.

And when the reigning US and Australian Open champion produced a brilliant crosscourt backhand to break her opponent’s serve at the start of the second set, Hsieh looked down and out.

Osaka, however, was broken when serving for the match as the 27th-ranked Hsieh regained some momentum and took full advantage of her opponent’s dip in form to take the match into a deciding set which was superbly won by the Taiwanese.

Osaka’s defeat follows her fourth-round exit last week at Indian Wells, where she was the defending champion.

In the men’s draw, there was a surprise in the opening match on Hard Rock Stadium’s center court as world number 33 Stan Wawrinka was beaten 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5) by 103rd-ranked Serbian Filip Krajinovic.

The Serbian world number one endured a meek exit at the hands of German Philipp Kohlschreiber in the California desert but arrived desperate to land what would be a record seventh title in South Florida.

Tomic, the current world No. 81, gave the 31-year-old a few problems yet the Australian struggles to consistently challenge the best players and this was evident once again as Djokovic eased through the gears at Hard Rock Stadium with just one hour and 13 minutes on the clock.

“In Indian Wells I wasn’t feeling my best,” conceded Djokovic who won 81% of points on his first serve and hit 11 aces.

“Everyone has nerves coming onto center court regardless of how much experience you have and what your ranking is. You care about it and if you are nervous that means you care.

“I commonly feel like that. This was my first time playing at this new stadium, it felt like being indoor a little bit. It’s unique.

“Now hopefully,” he added, “I can build some momentum.”

On a day that saw Djokovic, top-ranked woman Naomi Osaka and 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams advance, the shock of the day was the departure of Indian Wells Masters winner Dominic Thiem, who was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by highly rated Polish 22-year-old Hubert Hurkacz.

Elsewhere, there was disappointment for Kei Nishikori. The fifth seed lost to Serbian Dusan Lajovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 but reigning champion John Isner outlasted Italian qualifier Lorenzo Sonego 7-6 (7/2), 7-6, (9/7).

Japanese star Osaka had to keep her emotions in check as she opened her campaign by outlasting Yanina Wickmayer 6-0, 6-7 (3/7), 6-1.

Since winning her second consecutive Grand Slam title in January at the Australian Open, Osaka has failed to go deep in Dubai or Indian Wells.

But she appeared in solid form against 141st-ranked Wickmayer, despite losing her way in the middle of an entertaining match at Hard Rock Stadium.

The 21 year-old was forced to dig deep after the Belgian, who reached the Miami Open last eight in 2010, forced a third set as Osaka’s game badly dipped.

– ‘Just breathe’ –

“In the second set, I got really emotional, so in the third, I just tried to shut off my feelings,” Osaka said. “I started thinking about winning and not the things I could do in order to win. I had a dip and she started playing really well.

“I just had to breathe and regroup,” she said. “I find myself doing it often when I am in emotional situations, it’s like an energy saver.”

Next up in the third round is Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei, who defeated American Alison Riske 6-2, 7-5.

The pair had a rollercoaster clash in the Australian Open at the start of 2019 with Hsieh a set and 4-1 up in Melbourne only to lose a dramatic third-round encounter.

Serena Williams survived a second-set lull to beat Sweden’s Rebecca Peterson 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, and elder sister Venus also advanced with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 win over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro.

There will be a repeat of last week’s WTA final in Indian Wells between Bianca Andreescu and Angelique Kerber.

Canadian 18-year-old Andreescu, who brilliantly won her maiden WTA title in California, beat American Sofia Kenin 6-3,6-3 to book a third-round meeting with three-time Grand Slam winner Kerber, who saw off Russia’s Karolina Muchova 3-6 6-3 6-3.

She sits at 12-under 132 and is tied for the lead with second-year LPGA Tour player Yu Liu, who returned the round of the day with a blazing 8-under 64.

Park captured the 2019 HSBC Women’s World Championship in Singapore on March 3 for her sixth career LPGA Tour victory. She followed that up the next week with a win at the Taiwan LPGA’s The Country Club Ladies Invitational in the Philippines. Park pointed to her early success in 2019 as the key driver behind her strong opening rounds in Phoenix.

“It makes me really comfortable,” said Park, who went back to World No. 1 after her win in Singapore. “I used to have not really the perfect beginning of the season in the past. Since I have early wins this season, it will make my comfortable with my playing.”

Local favorite Linnea Strom, a Swedish rookie who played two years at Arizona State University, was tied for the lead heading to the 18th hole. But she needed two attempts to clear a buried lie in the greenside bunker, with the ensuing double bogey dropping her into second at 10-under 134. She is joined by seven players in a tie for second, including first-round co-leader Celine Boutier, former Rolex Rankings No. 1 Lydia Ko, 2017 USA Solheim Cup Team member Angel Yin and Strom’s fellow 2019 rookieCheyenne Knight, who shot a 63 in the Monday Qualifier to earn one of the final spots in the tournament field.

STROM AIMS TO BE “HOMETOWN” HERO

If you didn’t know 2019 LPGA rookie Linnea Strom, you’d have been surprised to see quite a gallery following the Swedish native around Wildfire Golf Club on Friday afternoon. Strom, who now calls Phoenix home, spent two years at Arizona State University, where she was a two-time All-American and helped lead the Sun Devils to the program’s eighth NCAA National Championship in 2017. Strom’s former teammates and several local supporters had a front-row seat to what was a career-best 7-under round on Friday.

“I’m not used to being in this situation with a lot of the people watching and everything,” she said. “It’s a bit different. But as I said, with my ASU team out there around me I feel like I had some great support. I live here so it’s like home for me.”

Strom is making just her fourth career LPGA start this week, her first playing in front of her adopted hometown fans at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup. The 2018 Symetra Tour Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year heads into the weekend just two shots off the lead but is trying to stay relaxed.

“Obviously I want to end up on the top of the leaderboard,” said Strom. “It’s my first time being in this situation so I don’t have any high expectations. I just want to go out and try to play as good as I did today, but just continue to do what I can do and we will see how it is.”

TWO BLUE DEVIL ALUMS NEAR THE TOP IN PHOENIX

Yu Liu (-12, T1) and Celine Boutier (-10, T3) have quite the history together beyond the LPGA Tour. Liu, a native of Beijing, and Boutier, who hails from Montrouge, France, played together during their time at Duke University and formed a strong bond along the way.

“Oh, we were the best friends!” said Liu, who gushed about Boutier, who became a Rolex First-Time Winner when she won the ISPS Handa Vic Open in February. “Celine has been doing an incredible job this year. Definitely great role model for all the Dukies, and hopefully I’ll be able to do what she’s done this season: get a win.”

Boutier was a two-time All-American and the 2013-2014 National Player of the Year while at Duke. She and Liu, who earned second-team All-America honors in 2013-2014, helped lead the Blue Devils to the program’s sixth NCAA Championship in 2014. “She’s one of my closest friends out here,” Boutier said of Liu. “We played on Symetra Tour two years ago together, we graduated together, and then last year we had a pretty good rookie year on the LPGA Tour together.”

Liu had 10 birdies on Friday to shoot the second-lowest round of her young LPGA career with a 64 and find herself in a tie for the 36-hole lead for the first time. “Everything kind of clicked all together,” said Liu. “I don’t expect this to happen every day. When a day like this come, I just am glad I was able to take advantage of it.”

PLAYER NOTES

Rolex Rankings No. 1 Sung Hyun Park (66-66)

• Park’s 36-hole 132 is tied for the second-lowest 36-hole score of her LPGA Tour career; she has shot 131 in her wins at the 2018 Indy Women in Tech Championship and the 2018 Volunteers of America Texas Classic, and has shot 132 three times
• She hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens
• Park is in her third season on the LPGA Tour; she has six career victories, including major wins at the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open and the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship
• This is Park’s third event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she won the HSBC Women’s World Championship and finished T21 at the Honda LPGA Thailand
• She is competing in her fourth Bank of Hope Founders Cup; her best finish is T13 in 2016 and 2017
• Park is in her 15th career week at No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings; she regained the No. 1 spot on March 4 following her victory in Singapore

Rolex Rankings No. 71 Yu Liu (68-64)

• Liu’s second-round 64 is the second-lowest round of her LPGA Tour career; she shot a 63 in the second round of the 2018 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic
• Her 36-hole 132 is tied for the lowest 36-hole score of her LPGA Tour career; she previously shot a 132 at the 2018 Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic, where she finished T23
• She hit 10 of 14 fairways and 16 of 18 greens
• Liu is in her second season on the LPGA Tour; her best finish is third at the 2018 Volunteers of America Texas Classic
• This is Liu’s fifth event of the 2019 LPGA Tour season; she finished T10 at the Honda LPGA Thailand and has yet to finish worse than 32nd
• She is competing in her second Bank of Hope Founders Cup; she missed the cut in 2018
• She played the 2013-14 season at Duke University and was a member of the 2014 NCAA National Championship-winning team alongside Celine Boutier

QUICK HITS

• The 36-hole cut fell at 1-under par with 86 players making it to the weekend
• Defending champion Inbee Park is T11 through 36 holes at -9

LPGA FOUNDER’S ANNUAL PRO-AM MOVING TO BANK OF HOPE FOUNDERS CUP WEEK

LPGA Founder Marilynn Smith announced today at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup, that the annual Marilynn Smith LPGA Charity Pro-Am, originally held at PebbleCreek in Goodyear, Arizona, is moving to Wildfire Golf Club next year. The event will take place on the Monday following the 2020 Bank of Hope Founders Cup.

“At the LPGA, our motto is ‘act like a founder’, which means do whatever it takes to leave the game better for the next generation of golfers,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “There is no greater role model for our members than LPGA Founder Marilynn Smith. Her passion for the game and for the LPGA are unequaled. Even in retirement, she continues to serve as an example to all players and teachers.”

The event benefits the Marilynn Smith Scholarship Fund, which the founder herself created in 1999, and to date, 159 scholarships have been awarded, totaling $838,000.

The Kingdom put up a splendid performance to stun the hosts, now coached by Italian World Cup-winning captain Fabio Cannavaro, in the opening game of the China Cup in front of 30,000 demoralised Chinese fans at the Guangxi Sports Centre.

It was sweet revenge for the War Elephants following their heart-breaking 2-1 defeat by the Dragons in the last-16 of the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates in January.

Despite the team’s improved displays since Sirisak replaced the sacked Milovan Rajevac during the Asian Cup, Football Association of Thailand (FAT) president Somyot Poompanmuang insisted he was still looking for a full-time coach and explained that Sirisak still lacked the necessary qualifications for the job.

“To become a national coach for AFC or Fifa events, you need to have a pro licence, which is something Sirirak is still pursuing,” said Somyot.

The FAT president is not, however, writing off Sirisak’s chances of landing the job on a permanent basis, nor those of assistant coach Choktawee Promrut, who must also first obtain an A licence.

Somyot, who admitted he had so far failed to complete negotiations for a foreign coach to replace Rajevac, said the two Thai men could become leading contenders if they continued to impress.

“I’m giving them an opportunity to prove themselves in this China Cup as they already did a good job at the Asian Cup,” he said. “They just need to have a suitable profile to take this job.”

Sirisak himself believes they learned a lesson while losing to China in January and the new tactics they employed paid off.

“It was a different game from the Asian Cup,” said the 49-year-old acting coach. “The players were more disciplined than last time, when they lost concentration in the second half.

“I told the players that if they remained disciplined, stayed focused and determined for the entire game, it would bring a great result and they did all that.

“China couldn’t find their momentum as they changed several players [in their line-up]. For us, we may have several new players, but they are all familiar with each other. That’s why they tuned up quite fast and got an early goal.”

The talented Chanathip Songkrasin capitalised on Thailand’s first scoring opportunity in the 33rd minute.

“I have to give credit to all my teammates for inspiring me to do my best. Although we’ve had limited time to prepare for this tournament, we all helped each other throughout 90 minutes,” said the 25-year-old Consadole Sapporo winger.

“We were dying for the win. We knew it would be tough – China wanted to reach the final as they are the hosts but we lost to them in the Asian Cup and we didn’t want to lose again. Hard work really paid off.”

Thailand will next play either Uruguay or Uzbekistan at 6.45pm on Mondaya game that will be shown live on Thairath TV (Channel 32).