“It’s a dream come true,” said Koepka after completing a final round of eight-under par 64 at the US PGA Tour event in South Korea, highlighted by a chip-in for birdie on the 16th, to finish 21 under par.

“I don’t think I ever thought in my wildest dreams I’d be the best golfer in the world,” he added.

“It’s amazing to go world number one with a win. I always wanted to earn my way to number one.”

The 2018 US PGA Tour Player of the Year, Koepka carded a total of 267 to capture first prize in the $9.5 million tournament and hold off fellow American Gary Woodland, who poured in 11 birdies as he charged to a final-round 63 for a 271 aggregate.

The in-form Koepka, who this year won his second and third majors at the US Open and the US PGA, shook off some shaky moments early in his final round at the Club at Nine Bridges on the southern resort island of Jeju.

He started the week ranked third behind fellow Ryder Cup players Johnson and Rose, who both sat out the tournament, and will leapfrog the pair when the new rankings are officially announced on Monday.

Koepka began his final round with a four-stroke lead over fellow American Scott Piercy and England’s Ian Poulter. But it was Woodland who emerged as Koepka’s nearest challenger after beginning five shots adrift.

Woodland’s four consecutive birdies from the sixth put him into a share of the lead at 14-under as Koepka, playing two groups behind, was trading three birdies with two bogeys on his front nine.

Woodland blinked first on the inward half with a bogey at the 10th, and Koepka birdied that hole a few minutes later to reopen a two-shot lead.

Woodland bounced back with two straight birdies at the 12th and 13th, but Koepka coolly matched the feat.

Both birdied the 15th and after Woodland had another birdie at the 16th to close to one, Koepka put his approach to the same par-four hole into the left rough.

With a bogey looming, Koepka instead chipped in for a thrilling birdie to reach 19-under.

Moments later, Woodland bogeyed the 17th to fall three strokes behind and despite bouncing back with a birdie at 18, Koepka closed with an eagle on the last to cap off the victory in style.

“I just hung in there. I’m not somebody that’s going to panic if things go the wrong way, pretty sure everybody can tell that,” Koepka said.

“I just kind of hang in there, wait for my holes, I know I’m going to have some good looks and when I do, you’ve got to capitalise on them.”

The Spanish sensation has now won five championships in motorcycling’s premier class, putting him level with Australian legend Mick Doohan.

Marquez, still just 25, trails only the Italian pair of Valentino Rossi, who won the last of his seven championships in 2009, and Giacomo Agostini, whose record eighth came in 1975, in the all-time list.

“I feel really, really good,” whooped Marquez after Dovizioso’s late spill confirmed his eighth victory of the season.

“I already imagined that it will be (decided) here but the important thing is that when you have the first chance, you do it.

“It wasn’t the best circuit to do it but I worked hard all weekend,” added Marquez.

“I was able to follow Andrea and decided to attack before the last lap. I was pushing really hard, so he made a mistake — I’m disappointed because he deserves to be on the podium with us.”

Marquez started from sixth on the grid at Motegi but quickly knifed through the field and was third by the end of the first lap.

He flirted with disaster on lap 14, however, after overtaking Dovizioso at turn nine before running wide at the next corner and spitting up dirt and dust as he battled to control a violent wobble.

That heart-in-mouth moment allowed Dovizioso to retake the lead, but Marquez continued to swarm all over the Italian, finally slashing past him with a daredevil move on lap 21 of 24.

Dovizioso, who needed to complete a pole to flag victory to keep alive his fading championship hopes, crashed out on the penultimate lap in a desperate last push, ending this year’s title race.

Marquez was mobbed by his team mechanics after crossing the line to seal his coronation with three races left.

“The big boss will enjoy this,” smiled Marquez after wrapping up the title at Honda’s home race.

Fellow Honda rider Cal Crutchlow finished runner-up after Dovizioso’s fall with Alex Rins (Suzuki) edging out Rossi (Yamaha) to round out the podium.

“We’re pleased with the result,” said Crutchlow. “The problem we had was Dovi kept slowing down the pace and it allowed the people behind to catch,” added the Briton.

“But we did a great job of managing the situation. Obviously then Dovi crashed so I took second, but I’m very pleased.”

Meanwhile, three-time world champion Jorge Lorenzo will miss next weekend’s Australian race after sitting out the Japanese round with injury.

Ducati said the Spaniard, who fractured his wrist at the previous race in Thailand, will aim to return at the penultimate weekend in Malaysia at the start of November.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) is doing everything he can to deny Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) the crown in the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, going fastest on Friday and following it up with pole position on Saturday – his third in the premier class at the track – as Marquez heads into the battle for his seventh title from sixth. ‘DesmoDovi’ won’t go down without a fight and the news gets even worse for Marquez on the rest of the front row, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) and Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) taking second and third respectively – two men with no Championship pressure and everything to gain.

It was a quickfire end to Q2 qualifying at Motegi and ‘DesmoDovi’ avoided the drama to perfection. That wasn’t quite true of Zarco, who put in a spectacular last ditch all-or-nothing lap and only just missed pole, but it was even less for Miller as the Australian set a stunner and then ended the session in the gravel trap. No harm done and rider ok, his earlier exploits made sure he held on to his front row – and he’s optimistic ahead of race day.

The second row also has some big contenders for Marquez to pick his way past: fellow Honda rider Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol), who was on provisional pole until the last push, took fourth and Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone was a man who, like Zarco, left it late to pounce but then pushed Marquez back down to sixth.

The threats could also come from behind for the reigning Champion, however. Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) is in seventh and edged out Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) by less than a tenth, with the gap even smaller back to the second Movistar Yamaha of Valentino Rossi. Rossi, a former premier class winner at the venue, left it late to move through to Q2 in the morning and wasn’t able to challenge ahead of Row 3 in qualifying, with the Italian now looking for gains on Sunday.

Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) completes the top ten after he made it through Q1 – his final lap breaking Red Bull KTM Factory Racing hearts as he pushed out Bradley Smith – and three-time Motegi winner Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) had a more difficult session in P11. Home hero Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was the other graduate from Q1 and he lines up in tweflth after getting through to Q2 for the fourth time this season.

Smith was pushed down to P13, with his teammate Pol Espargaro and Alma Pramac Racing’s Danilo Petrucci locking out the fastest fifteen on Saturday.

So the stage is set and it’s Dovizioso in the driving seat so far at the Twin Ring Motegi. Will that be true on Sunday? A win can stop Marquez taking the title but anything less would likely see the Spaniard crowned. Tune in for the all-or-nothing Motul Grand Prix of Japan at 14:00 (GMT +9)!

MotoGP™ Qualifying Results

1 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA) DUCATI 1’44.590

First Independent Team Rider:

2 – Johann Zarco (FRA) YAMAHA +0.068

3 – Jack Miller (AUS) DUCATI +0.137

How Marquez could win the title at MotegiMarquez has a big chance at the crown on Sunday but it’s not yet a done deal – especially at a track that’s such a good venue for Dovizioso and Ducati. Simply put, the number 93 is Champion if:

– He scores points finishing ahead of Andrea Dovizioso

– He doesn’t concede more than two points to Dovizioso and 24 to Valentino Rossi

So if Dovizioso can pull off the win, not even second would be quite enough for Marquez and the fight would roll on to Phillip Island.

The Spaniard tops the leaderboard with overnight leader Kim on 11-under 205 following her blemish-free 67 at an overcast Qizhong Garden Golf Club.

In tied third, a shot off the summit, is Thailand’s world number two Ariya Jutanugarn and a trio of Americans — Danielle Kang, who was celebrating her 26th birthday, Brittany Altomare and Angel Yin.

China’s Liu Yu is a further shot back on nine under going into the final round, which promises to be a cracker with so many players fighting for contention.

“I’m really happy with this round, especially no bogeys, that was very good,” said Ciganda, who is going after a hat-trick of LPGA crowns and made birdies in three of her last four holes to roar into the shared lead.

“I’ve been playing good the last two weeks, in Korea last week (finished tied 11th) and this week too. Gave myself lots of birdie chances and I’m happy where I am.”

Kim began her third round in sparkling form, draining three birdies to extend her lead.

But she stuttered on holes seven and eight, carding two bogeys on the bounce, and was slowly reined in by a pack headed by the 28-year-old Ciganda.

Altomare, who is gunning for her first LPGA win, briefly surged to the head of the leaderboard, before falling back with a double bogey at the par-four 15th hole.

Kim hit trouble on the 17th, dropping a shot as she struck out into the water, ramming her club into her bag in anger and eventually carding a one-under-par 71.

“It wasn’t good today,” said the 25-year-old.

“I don’t know, I feel it wasn’t comfortable, so I try to figure out what’s the problem.”

Heavy downpour forced competition to start an hour behind schedule but it did not slow down the Beetles, the 2017 runners-up who lost to Buriram 2-0 in the final.

Chiangrai’s winning goal was produced by Brazilian William Henrique whose attempt was denied by Narit Taweekul but the ball bounced into the net in the 65^th minute.

Chiangrai won the winner’s cheque of Bt5 million while Bangkok Glass had to settle with Bt1 million prize money as runner-up. The four previous Cup winners were Thai Port, Buriram, BEC Tero and Muangthong.

Fresh from claiming his maiden Asian Tour victory in the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship in Karachi last week, Tirawat stayed neck-and-neck with the overnight leader Rattanon before the latter finished with a bogey on the 18^th hole.

The Khon Kaen-based Tirawat, with five birdies against a lone bogey on the ninth hole, submitted his third round scorecard with a total nine under-par-201 at the par 70 7,080 yard course, the last stop of the All Thailand Golf Tour this season. His 66 was the best score on Sunday.

“Hitting a 66 under a windy condition is quite OK. I didn’t play my best but I still managed to get out of trouble well,” said the 29-year-old Tirawat in search for his second Tour title since his first at the Laem Chabang International Country Club in July 2017.

“I will go into the final round without pressure and must remain focused. If I can hit the fairways, I will remain in a good position to win.”

Rattanon, swapping four birdies with four bogeys, came a shot behind at second place with eight under-par-202 while Chapchai Nirat, also with a square par round, was at third on 203.

The Wild Boars team, who earlier this month were guests at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, were given a tour of the Galaxy’s StubHub Center stadium before training with members of the MLS team at a nearby pitch.

The Thai youngsters, aged between 11 and 16, were retrieved from the Tham Luang cave complex in July after a dramatic rescue effort.

Friday’s visit to the Galaxy was set up by US television star Ellen DeGeneres, who hosted the team on her show on Monday.

Former Sweden international Ibrahimovic had also appeared as a surprise guest to meet the team on the show.

“I thought I was brave, but these kids, this team, is more braver than me… This is probably the best team in the world,” Ibrahimovic said.

The team became the centre of global media sensation as the world watched and waited for news of their rescue in June.

The rescue effort claimed the life of a rescue diver, former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan.

Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) said in Thursday’s pre-event Press Conference that he had a fairly single-minded mission this weekend: force key rival Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) to wait that little bit longer to celebrate his seventh crown. After going fastest on Day 1 at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan it’s therefore so far so good for the Italian, with ‘DesmoDovi’ just over a tenth clear in a dry FP1 and wet weather then putting paid to any improvements. But what of Marquez? It was far from a difficult start for the reigning Champion but the number 93 began Honda’s home Grand Prix in P4 overall.

The man Dovizioso beat to P1 was instead Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) as the Brit proved fastest Honda on Friday, taking second place and the honour of top Independent Team rider. That was a close battle however, with Johann Zarco (Monster Yamaha Tech 3) just a fraction further back to complete the top three and end Day 1 as fastest Yamaha – making it three different machines and three men split by just 0.125 at the top, with Marquez lurking only a further 0.015 in arrears.

Meanwhile in P5, Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) wasn’t so far off either – and the showing was a good one for the Iwata marque after some struggles of late. Their much improved pace at Buriram appears to have brought some positives to Motegi too, with the Spaniard moving up late on to complete the top five and teammate Valentino Rossi likewise within that all-important top ten on Friday. Nine-time World Champion Rossi was ninth overall and says he reserves a little more judgment on the all-out optimism of his teammate but it was a good start to the race weekend that sees Yamaha on home turf in Japan and yet also in the enemy territory of Honda…

Rossi was in a second, close group in the latter half of the top ten that was headed by Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Andrea Iannone. The Italian took P6 overall to please the Hamamatsu factory, although teammate Alex Rins had a tougher day down in P19. Their test rider, wildcard and 2014 WorldSBK Champion Sylvain Guintoli, was P21 but he made more headlines with his continued work towards the 2019 bike.

Alvaro Bautista (Angel Nieto Team) followed up his win in the minibike event on Thursday with seventh on Friday, just ahead of fellow Independent Team Ducati rider Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) as the Aussie edged ahead of Rossi. Behind the rider from Tavullia it was Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) who completed the top ten, and teammate Scott Redding took an impressive P12. Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), meanwhile, was the fastest rookie fresh from a renewed contract for 2019 and he took P13, ahead of a Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) of much-improved fitness and an ever-impressive P15 from Yamalube Yamaha Factory Racing wildcard veteran Katsuyuki Nakasuga.

So who’s missing? One key name is Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team), who withdrew from the event following just one exit in FP1. The former Motegi winner was in too much pain from his injuries sustained at Buriram in that FP2 crash. Another missing from the top echelons was fellow Japanese GP ace Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team), who missed out on the top ten and was P11, but the ‘Little Samurai’ did top the wet FP2 session. Danilo Petrucci (Alma Pramac Racing) is likewise a rider who had a tougher start to the weekend, and surely one of those to watch on Saturday.

That’s it from a half-dry, half-wet Twin Ring Motegi on Friday – tune back in on Saturday morning for more practice and then for qualifying from 14:10 (GMT +9). Then we’ll have the grid for the Motul Grand Prix of Japan with the Championship on the line – and anything can and will happen.

 The football chief addressed reporters at the Sports Authority of Thailand to announce the closure of the Nong Chok National Football Centre on the outskirts of Bangkok.

“There have been attempts to take me out of the presidential post. As long as I remain in power, there will be more lawsuits [against his opponents],” said Somyot.

 “As a result, I take this opportunity to insist that no matter what will happen in Thai football, big or small, that may lead to rising pressure to make me leave my position, I will not give up my position.

“I will remain in charge until all problems are solved as I’m not certain that anyone who will succeed me will stand up and fight (to solve problems),” he added.

Somyot won the FAT presidential election in February in 2016 and caused a huge stir in Thai football when he cooperated with the Royal Thai Police and Sportradar, a Swiss sports data company, to crack down on match-fixing in the Thai League in November last year.

Players and officials have been found to be linked with manipulating results in the country’s top flight and Somyot earlier this year threatened to reveal more names to police of those involved in match-fixing.

Somyot also hinted he may enter a new arena soon, presumably in politics, with the General Election expected early next year, but promised to never leave the FAT office.

“As long as FAT club members still have trust in me, I will never give up this position. Come rain or shine,” he said.

In terms of the Football Centre, built with a US$1 million-plus budget and used for Fifa’s Futsal World Cup in 2012, Somyot claimed it was inaccessible because the road to the venue, which belongs to an individual, was closed.

The High Performance Training Centre at in Thawi Watthana district in Bangkok, has been used as the FAT training centre since April 2017.