“Florida’s Natural has been the biggest charitable contributor of any title sponsor we have on the Symetra Tour and their good deeds extend far beyond the course,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer of the Symetra Tour. “It has been amazing to see this event grow in such dramatic fashion and continue to play an important role in the growth of our players, but also the community it serves.”

Greeting the 132-player field in Winter Haven, Fla. is a total purse of $125,000. Individuals are set to compete in a 54-hole stroke play format with a cut to the low 60 players and ties after 36 holes.

“On behalf of the Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation, we are pleased to partner with the Symetra Tour for over a decade,” said Nikki Hayde, President of the Florida’s Natural Growers Foundation. “Our organization has been able to support the Central Florida communities with more than $1.8 million dollars in grants, largely from the support of the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic. As we grow and add to the week’s events each year, we appreciate the Tour and everyone involved that always make this tournament a success.”

Defending champion Lauren Kim (Los Altos, California) is among the competitors, as she made seven starts on the Symetra Tour in 2018 and played the weekend each time. Kim was also in the field for 14 tournaments on the LPGA Tour last year and finished tied for 23rd at the inaugural LPGA Q-Series to earn Priority List Category 14 status for the 2019 season.

“Winning—especially by shooting 9-under par on the last day—was exciting and special because I learned a lot about myself that week,” Kim said. “It gave me the confidence to play the rest of the season on the LPGA Tour. I’m looking forward to defending my title this year and am grateful to Florida’s Natural and the Symetra Tour for teaching me how to win.”

Action gets underway at 8 a.m. ET all three days, with groups going off No. 1 and No. 10 tee in rounds one and two. Meanwhile, the final round will feature twosomes all from No. 1 tee.

In fact, Murray not only adapted well to being a full-time golfer, but he has also excelled in it. Last week, the 21-year-old bested a talented field to win the 100th edition of the storied New Zealand Open.

During the tournament, he exhibited his outstanding skills by opening with a flawless eight-under-par 63 as well as his steady composure by pulling away from a fast-chasing pack in the final round to win by two shots.

Murray managed the tournament like a grizzled veteran, so it may come to a surprise to some that he joined the play-for-pay ranks less than six months ago.

He made his professional debut at his National Open in November last year on the back of a successful amateur career.

A month later, he earned an Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School by finishing strongly in fourth place.

The victory in Queenstown came after only his third start on Asia’s premier circuit.

“Starting my career like this is so huge. No words can describe my feeling right now,” said Murray, upon winning the New Zealand Open.

Murray took home a winner’s cheque of AUD$211,724 and received a total of 15 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. He has also earned a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour.

He added: “I look forward to playing full time in Asia. This victory means a lot to me. I am loving the game at the moment and I just want to keep playing well and capitalise on this win.

“I really like Asia. It’s pretty close to home. My family and friends can come out and support if I do well. I have friends who played in Asia before telling me that the people are nice and supportive in Asia, so I am looking forward to it!”

Murray has risen from tied-20th to second on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings. Ahead of him is Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, who has enjoyed a splendid start to his 2019 season.

Jazz signed off with a solid 66 to finish in fourth place in New Zealand. It was his third top-10 result in as many tournaments following his win at the SMBC Singapore Open and a tied-ninth finish at the end of the stroke play rounds at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.

The Asian Tour will be heading next to the US$3,000,000 Maybank Championship, which will be happening from March 21 to 24 at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

Top players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos  Player  Order of Merit  (US$)

1. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA)  $239,800.44

2. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $172,040.71

3. Scott VINCENT (ZWE) $63,595.03

4. Ben CAMPBELL (NZL) $41,648.48

5. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $40,618.10

6. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $37,869.98

7. Doyeob MUN (KOR) $37,150.00

8. Gareth PADDISON (NZL) $36,327.27

9. Berry HENSON (USA) $28,189.96

10. Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA) $26,500.00

11. Andrew DODT (AUS) $24,663.56

12. Yuta IKEDA (JPN) $24,535.51

13. Kodai ICHIHARA (JPN) $23,945.45

14. Travis SMYTH (AUS) $23,220.31

15. Paul PETERSON (USA) $20,539.20

16. Jarin TODD (USA) $19,316.67

17. Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $19,095.67

18. Miguel TABUENA (PHI) $17,457.17

19. Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) $16,684.08

20. Shiv KAPUR (IND) $15,253.59

Federal Oil Gresini Moto2’s Sam Lowes has thrown down the gauntlet ahead of the opening race weekend of the season after ending the Moto2™ and Moto3™ Qatar Test quickest, his 1:58.439 on the final day enough to beat second place Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP) by 0.224 seconds. The entire top ten on the combined standings set their quickest laps on Day 3 at Losail International Circuit, with Lowes’ time quick enough to put him on pole for the MotoGP™ race that took place at the venue in 2004!

The aforementioned Lüthi was the British rider’s closest rival, with Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) continuing his impressive preseason speed with third, 0.316 off P1. Fourth went the way of Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40), his 1:58.775 leaving him just 0.002 two from Gardner, with Marcel Schrötter (Dynavolt Intact GP) just another 0.030 back in fifth.

EG 0,0 Marc VDS’ Xavi Vierge ends the three-day test just ahead of Jorge Navarro (+Ego Speed Up) and Alex Marquez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) as the three Spaniards occupy sixth, seventh and eighth respectively. Ninth goes to Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46), his 1:58.980 putting him 0.541 off Lowes, with Day 1’s fastest rider Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completing the top ten.

In Moto3™, Romano Fenati (Snipers Team) ended the test at the top of the timesheets after going quickest on the final day, setting a best time of 2:05.285 to head teammate Tony Arbolino by 0.230. With many focusing on a fast lap – and some on trying to get a tow – it was a frantic final day of action.

All of the lightweight class riders, except the injured Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), went quicker on the third and final day of testing at Losail International Circuit. But it was the Snipers Team duo who locked out the top two positions at the end of play, just like they have done on the previous two days. Their closest challenger was Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), with 0.368 splitting him from Fenati in third.

Fourth fastest was Leopard Racing’s Lorenzo Dalla Porta, the only other rider within half a second of Fenati, with Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completing a top five covered by 0.507 seconds.

John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) ended the test in sixth place with a best time of 2:05.899, the British rider sitting 0.131 ahead of seventh-placed Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing). Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was eighth, just ahead of Sky Racing Team VR46 duo Dennis Foggia and rookie Celestino Vietti – it was ninth and tenth on the timesheets for the Italians respectively.

After a run of four draws in their past six league games, Liverpool ended the weekend behind City for the first time in three months having played the same number of games as Pep Guardiola’s defending champions.

Everton’s run without a derby win extended to 19 games stretching back to 2010.

However, the celebrations from the home supporters on the final whistle indicated how much they believe they have damaged Liverpool’s hopes of securing a first league title in 29 years.

Klopp, however, remained defiant and continues to see evidence that his players have the resilience to cope with the pressure of one of the most tense title races in years.

“I don’t have to give my players any advice, they know already,” said Klopp. “They’re not little boys any more.

“Sometimes you have the lead and people say it’s done when there are 20 games to go to the end of the season, and now they have one or two more points than us. It’s the beginning of March, who cares?

“I believe 100 percent in our chances. I know that game-by-game my feeling gets better about the boys because they look ready for it.

“Today, of course, we didn’t score, that can happen. A difficult game, opponent, and the wind and weather circumstances didn’t help for football in general, it was just a fight.

“We were ready for that today and now we have a point more than before — all good.”

– Wasteful Salah –

The game, and league table, could have had a very different look had Mohamed Salah not missed the best chance of the game on 28 minutes.

Morgan Schneiderlin’s error in midfield allowed Fabinho to play a first-time through ball which sent the Egyptian bearing down on goal with only Jordan Pickford to beat.

But the England goalkeeper, who was at fault for Liverpool’s dramatic 96th-minute winner when the sides met in December, did well to spread himself and beat away Salah’s shot.

Salah also missed the best opportunity of the second half when a bad touch allowed Michael Keane to make a magnificent last-ditch challenge.

The African player of the year, who scored 44 goals in an incredible first season at Anfield, has now scored just once in his last seven games.

“When you see the situation, he is doing everything right,” Klopp said of Salah’s wasted chances. “He takes his decision a millisecond earlier or later and the defender can jump in.

“We had our moments but there is no reason for taking it or not taking it, you have to fight against the circumstances, against the opponent, and the boys did that.”

There were other chances for Liverpool, the best of which fell to Fabinho 21 minutes from time, but he took too long to control and allowed Lucas Digne to make a tackle.

Yet, Everton could even have snatched a long-awaited win near the end when substitute Richarlison’s low cross just eluded Bernard.

“We knew how much this fixture means to the fans,” said Pickford. “If you can’t score then don’t concede.”

It was a wire-to-wire victory for the 21-year-old and his breakthrough was made even sweeter as it was his first professional win, achieved in what was only his third start on the Asian Tour at the NZ$1,250,000 (Approx. US$850,000) event.

Murray saw his five-shot lead after the second round reduced to just one after the third round. But the Australian responded on the day that mattered most with a sublime performance that saw him lift the New Zealand Open trophy by two shots over closest challengers Josh Geary of New Zealand and compatriot Ashley Hall at The Hills.

Murray birdied the second before reeling off seven successive pars to turn in 35. He added another birdie on the 10 but would give it back on the next following a bogey. The young talent however soared with an eagle-birdie-birdie run from 13 to pull clear of Geary and Hall.

Murray, who held a three-shot lead coming down the 72nd hole, had to hit his third shot from behind the television tower but a two-putt bogey for a 21-under-par 266 total was good enough to ensure his triumph at the storied event, that is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond enjoyed another solid result on the Asian Tour by signing off with a bogey-free 66 to finish three shots back in fourth place. The Thai has never finished outside the top-10 since he lifted his third Asian Tour title at the season-opening event in Singapore in January.

A total of 152 professionals and 152 amateurs took part in the event where the first two rounds were alternated between the par-71 course at Millbrook Resort and the par-72 course at The Hills. The 62 players, who made the halfway cut on Friday, competed in the final two rounds at The Hills.

The tennis legend, an 18-time Grand Slam title winner, was branded as “transphobic” after writing in a newspaper column that allowing trans athletes to compete with women who were assigned female at birth is “cheating and unfair”.

She was also dropped as an ambassador for the Athlete Ally group which campaigns for LGBT rights in sport.

“I know that my use of the word ‘cheat’ caused particular offence among the transgender community. I’m sorry for that because I certainly was not suggesting that transgender athletes in general are cheats,” the 62-year-old wrote in a blog on Sunday.

“I attached the label to a notional case in which someone cynically changes gender, perhaps temporarily, to gain a competitive advantage.”

Despite apologising, Navratilova said that the issue of transgender athletes competing in women’s sports is guaranteed to keep creating competitive as well as ethical questions.

But she believes that trying to resolve the issue by creating further separate categories within any given sport would lead to confusion.

“First, we all need to realise that there is no perfect solution in which nobody will ever be wronged or disadvantaged. The objective must be to find policies that make women’s sport as inclusive and fair as practically possible.

“After all, if everyone were included, women’s sports as we know them would cease to exist. Therefore, any sensible policy must have some exclusions. But which ones? Where do you start and where do you end?”

Ariya Jutanugarn / AFP 

ARIYA JUTANUGARN was |outgunned by red-hot world No 2 Park Sung-hyun yesterday, but the world’s top golfer was more than happy with her surge back to form at the HSBC Women’s World Championship.

Park shot a stunning best-of-the-week round of eight-under 64 to claim a two-stroke victory in Singapore.

The 25-year-old South Korean reeled in early leader Australian Minjee Lee by the turn and four birdies on a flawless back nine saw her finish the $1.5-million tournament at 15 under-par with Lee back on 13-under after a three-under 69.

Ariya, however, posted her first top-10 finish this season, after an 18th at the Tournament of Champions in the US, 41st in the Australian Open and tied 14th last week at the LPGA Thailand.

“I hit some good shots but hit some bad shots too,” said Ariya of her weekend in Singapore. “Still, a good week for me. It didn’t finish the way I wanted, but still a good week. I just had one bad day, but overall I did a good job.”

For Park, who is breathing down her neck in the world rankings, the Thai had nothing but praise.

“Sung Hyun, she’s such a great golfer. I’m not surprised she shot 8-under because she’s the best to me, so just congrats to her.”

Ariya began yesterday as overnight leader before stumbling badly twice to lose her momentum. Two double bogeys, on the fourth and 13th holes, were enough to end her chances of a first title this season.

“I’m not going to say that [the two double bogeys were the turning points] because before that I was not making any putts and was not making any birdies. It was just a tough day for me today,” said the Thai.

Ariya still has to win an LPGA trophy in Asia, with all 10 of her titles coming in the US, Canada and Britain.

“I’m not really paying attention on just one tournament,” she said “But I know I have so many things to improve, especially after this week. I have to go back to see my coach and work on a lot of things.”

Park has no such worries, declaring yesterday’s performance one of her best.

“I’m really, really delighted and happy with my play today, and I think today is one of the best days that I am playing so far on the LPGA Tour,” said the Korean.

“I didn’t think I would win this fast and I’m really happy. I used to have a tough beginning [of the season] in the last years, and this first win is so fast I think I will play really comfortable the rest of my season.”

World No 3 Lee’s challenge faltered after a bogey five on the 14th which handed Park a one-stroke lead which she extended with a further birdie on the 16th.

Tied for third on 11-under-par were South Korea’s Ko Jin-young and Spain’s Zahara Munoz, who |both had final rounds of 69.

Park is wildly popular among fans in her homeland who follow her around the world in packs, with many this week sporting the message “Shut up and attack” on their shirts.

Not that Park needed any advice as she stayed eerily calm and demonstrated a steely nerve when the pressure was on.

“To see all these fans travel from so far away to watch really helps me,” said Park. “I am really surprised every time I see them as it’s such a big group but they really give me energy.”

The 22-year-old Lee had started the day a shot behind Ariya but a birdie on the first gave her a share of the lead.

When Ariya found the water for a double bogey on the fourth, the Australian was out in front on her own – until Park started her charge.

A double bogey seven on the 13th ended Ariya’s challenge as the tournament settled into a shootout between Park and Lee.

Park had edged in front and a sealed the victory in style with a nerveless 25-foot putt on the 16th for a birdie four.

“She’s the kind of player who comes around once in a lifetime,” said Park’s Irish caddie of almost three years David Jones of the double major winner and former world No 1.

Ariya signed for a three-over 75 that left her tied for eighth.

The world No 4 used her stunning chases of the shots to beat the Thai  21-16 14-21 25-23 in 70 minutes. The Japanese held off a match point at 21-22 before she went on to accomplish a hat-trick win.

Ratchanok has been in two finals this year. She won her previous final in the Malaysia Masters in January.

The Thai will next enter the All England tournament where she will face Chen Xiaoxin of China in the first round next week.

Kyrgios defeated three top-10 players on the way to the title, saving three match points in a second-round victory over second-ranked Rafael Nadal — owner of 17 Grand Slam titles — and beating No. 9 John Isner in the semis.

He also beat three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka in the quarter-finals of a drama-filled week that saw him shake off hostile crowds, illness, injuries and moments of malaise — not to mention a post-match rebuke from Nadal.

His win over Zverev was a remarkably straightforward as Kyrgios frustrated the baseline-hugging German with well-disguised drop shots.

He broke Zverev at love in the fourth game of the opening set and held for a 4-1 lead, prompting Zverev to smash his racquet in frustration.

Kyrgios broke again to open the second set, but double-faulted on break point in the next game.

He broke Zverev again in the fifth game and held with confidence the rest of the way to capture his first title since Brisbane in January of 2018.

In women’s action China’s Wang Yafan rallied from a set and a break down to capture her first WTA title, defeating American Sofia Kenin 2-6, 6-3, 7-5.

World number 65 Wang, playing in her first WTA singles final, outlasted the 35th-ranked American to claim her breakthrough title after two hours and 10 minutes.

The 24-year-old from Nanjing seized a 2-1 lead in the final set by taking advantage of her third break-point chance in the game.

Wang held on her first ace of the match for a 3-1 lead, but surrendered a break on her fourth double fault to allow Kenin to equalize at 3-3.

After Wang held at love to 5-5, she reeled off the last four points of the 11th game to break Kenin and then held serve for the triumph.

The 20-year-old American was denied her second career WTA title and second crown of the year after taking her first at Hobart in January.