Porntip Buapa

The 17-year-old Porntip, the last Thai boxer in action on the final day of the Games, lost 5-0 to Briton Caroline Sara Dubois in the girls’ 60kg final. The Asian Youth champion had no match for the world No 1 and World Youth champion Dubois, who extended her unbeaten run of bouts to 35.

 “I really had a tough time today,” said Pornthip. “I could barely find any momentum against her. She had all the weapons and more experience. That’s why she is the World Youth champion,” she added.

The Thai teenager was, however, content with the silver medal which will earn her a Bt1 million payout from the government.

“I’ve come further than I had expected and will take this as a lesson for the future. As for the money, I will give some to my parents and keep some for my education,” Pornthip said.

Juan Fontaniels, national coach for the women’s boxing team, was pleased that his girls completed the Games with one gold [from featherweight Panpatchara Somnuek] and one silver.

“We have to accept that Pornthip’s opponent was too strong,” said the Cuban coach. “Pornthip gave everything she could out there but it was not enough. But one gold and one silver for my girls is not so bad. They will definitely be key resources for the national team in the future.”

The Thai boxing team sent five fighters in the Games and each won a medal. In the boys’ and men’s events, there was a gold for lightweight Atichai Phoemsap, silver for flyweight Sarawut Sukthet and bronze for middleweight Weerapon Jongjoho.

Somchai Poolsavasdi, Thai Boxing Association’s technical chief, said two gold medals made Thailand the most successful Asian country in the Games boxing competition, while Uzbekistan won only one gold and Kazakhstan failed to win even one. Both eastern European nations are normally boxing powerhouses.

“We achieved far more than we had expected. Every boxer will return home with a medal. This history will be always remembered,” Somchai said.

With five golds, five silvers and two bronzes, Thailand finished 12th on the medals tables.

Russia, China and Japan dominated the top three with 29, 18 and 15 gold medals respectively. The other three golds by Thailand were won by Kanthida Saengsin in the women’s taekwondo 55kg, Supatchanin Khamhaeng in the women’s weightlifting 63kg and Atthaya Thitikul and Vanchai Luangnitikul in the mixed team golf.

Kim Sei-Young of South Korea makes a putt

The South Korean leads by one shot from overnight leader Ariya Jutanugarn of Thailand and Danielle Kang of the United States.

Kim, ranked 15th in the world, nailed birdies on holes six to nine on the way to 67.

She sits top of the pile on 10 under after the opening two rounds, but with Ariya and Kang hot on her heels.

Kim said she was enjoying playing without pressure in China, having finished tied 21st last week at the Hana Bank Championship on home soil.

“When I think too much, I play badly,” said the 25-year-old.

“In my country, I thought too much, there was too much pressure and I wanted so much to win.

“This week I try to empty my mind.”

World number two Ariya, who is gunning for her fourth win of the season, stayed in firm contention with a 69 to go with her opening 66.

“I feel good. I mean, I didn’t have a good front nine, but had pretty good start. My back nine is pretty good. Just try to come back, like feel more confident after I make the putt,” said Ariya who started the round with an eagle.

Co-sanctioned by the US LPGA and the China LPGA, the new Shanghai event becomes just the second official LPGA tournament staged in China.

The event, with a $2.1 million purse, joins the Blue Bay LPGA, which tees off next month on southern China’s Hainan island.

After Sumo on Wednesday and the now-classic minibike race at the Twin Ring Motegi on Thursday morning (SCROLL DOWN!), it was time for talk to get back down to business for the pre-event Press Conference. Reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) – who faces his first chance at the 2018 crown this weekend – was joined by 2017 Japanese GP winner Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar), Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda Team) and home hero Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) to discuss the upcoming Japanese GP and get in gear.

Marquez was first to speak, looking back at recent successes before looking forward to the weekend. “The victories in Aragon and Thailand were important because in this second half of the season Ducati are very, very fast, so it was important and with these wins we were able to increase the advantage. We’re closer to our final goal! Here we have our first match point but the target is the same as every other weekend, start well in FP1 and try and be ready to fight for the victory. After Warm Up we’ll see whether we can fight – let’s not forget these guys are very strong in Motegi, so no stress and no panic.”

No stress, no panic – just like the stunning duel in the rain last season? The Spaniard says he remembers it well: “Those kinds of battles are in my mind like they happened yesterday! It was nice but a difficult race with a lot of water but a great battle. He beat me on the back straight and braked later, he was already in front and I tried at the last corner but it was too much. He made a great move in that race but this year on Sunday it looks like it will be dry, and it could be different…”

It could be very different and, as Marquez says, the forecast certainly is different for race day. But on Friday? It could well rain. Dovizioso debriefed Thailand a little – where he lost out to Marquez by thousandths –  before talking about what he thinks are very good chances in the Japanese GP.

“After the race it’s easy to think about doing things different or better,” smiles the Italian. “I think the strategy was good until the last lap when he made that special overtake at Turn 5, I answered immediately and maybe it wasn’t the best choice but I was always leading in the race. I couldn’t prepare the last braking point perfectly and I went a bit wide but it’s ok, the race went ok and the weekend was a very good one for us because we started quite far away like in the test but practice by practice we got very competitive and fought for the victory. We have to be happy about that and now here in Japan it’s a good track for us but let’s see the weather, tomorrow it could be wet.”

So does the Italian have any specific goals for the weekend? “Let’s try and win the race and make Marc have to wait for the celebrations!” And the approach, says the Italian, will be the same: “I think, unfortunately, I’ve been racing not thinking about the Championship for a long time because the gap is so big. Here is just another race and we want to win, come back to victory and it could be a good track for us.”

Next up was Maverick Viñales, who was back on the podium in Thailand to mark Yamaha’s first rostrum since the German GP – and teammate Valentino Rossi took P4 in a much-improved showing from the Iwata marque. Just in time for their home GP? The Spaniard is feeling positive: “Thailand was good, I think for me the biggest change was the balance of the bike more than the tyres so I’m confident we can be strong here. It will be important in front of the Yamaha fans and the president, so I’m really motivated.”

There was something else that came to light during the two weekends, however, that was a little less racing related – Viñales made a big donated to a man from close to his home town in order to help him with his recovery from cancer: “Normally I try to always help but keep it quieter, and try and be altruistic. But I saw it on Instagram, He lives close to my hometown and I wanted to help. We have the money to help so I wanted to, but now we’re focusing on the weekend and I want to push for the top.”

Alex Rins was the next rider to take the mic, and he’ll also be pushing for the top. The Suzuki rider has been on a good run of form and now, at the Hamamatsu factory’s home race, he’s hoping to keep that rolling. “I think this is a nice track, last year we finished in the top positions so we arrive with a lot of confidence after doing a good job in the last races. But we need to push from the beginning and we need to improve qualifying to start further forward.”

There will be more Suzuki machinery lining up than the normal contingent, too – with test rider Sylvain Guintoli, 2014 WorldSBK Champion, putting in a wildcard appearance. “For sure we have more to come,” says Rins of development when quizzed on that. “Sylvain is now testing the bike for next year so we need to see what he’s trying. They’re working a lot but no, there’s nothing for these next few races.”

From a sophomore to a veteran, Dani Pedrosa spoke next. The Spaniard has three premier class wins at Motegi and was back at the sharp end in Thailand only to suffer a crash in the race. He, like Rins, wants to qualify a little better to push from the off.

“In the last race the feeling was better, from practice I would say the problem was the start of the race and the laps at the beginning weren’t good,” says Pedrosa. “But I was getting stronger and stronger and catching the front group. The feeling was better but I want to improve qualifying so we can start further forward and try and have a better start.”

With only four races remaining before retirement, Motegi would be a great place for another top result for the much-honoured number 26. And he’s already paid a few visits in Japan ahead of Honda’s home race weekend: “We’ve already been two places with Honda, the office and a factory and you can see so much support from the Japanese people, it’s a special race and it’s always a great welcome. I’ve had a 50/50 record here with sometimes very good races and sometimes not. But I hope we can have a good weekend and try and take some energy from the people here.”

Energy from the people? That’s definitely one for home favourite Takaaki Nakagami as the rookie prepares to ride in front of his home crowd for the first time in the premier class. And the weekend started off in style as he got closer to sumo than ever before on Wednesday. “It was a nice experience,” smiles LCR Honda Idemitsu rider. “I’m Japanese but I’ve only ever watched it on TV! But this time I had chance to see it close up and it was an amazing experience for me.”

Finally, there was even more good news for Nakagami as the number 30 was confirmed as staying in his team next season – something he’s excited about already: “I’m really thankful to Honda and HRC, and main sponsor Idemitsu is great support so I’m really happy to stay with this team next year. It’s like home, with great people and a great team manager in Lucio. I’m very happy to stay and I can’t wait for next year!”

First, however, it’s time to face down the Twin Ring Motegi for the first time in the premier class. Practice begins on Friday morning for all classes, and the lights go out for a pivotal Japanese GP at 14:00 local time (GMT +9) on Sunday. Will Marquez take the crown? Or can Dovizioso put his celebrations on hold?

Referees caught accepting a bribe to fix a match could be jailed for up to 10 years and fined Bt200,000 fine.

The National Legislative Assembly on Thursday considered the draft amendment to the 1999 Boxing Act as proposed by member General Aduldej Inthapong and 38 others.

The assembly sent it back to the Cabinet for review and re-submission within 30 days, according to Tourism and Sports Minister Weerasak Kowsurat.

The legislation would also require boxers wishing to compete professionally to be registered with the sport’s supervising authority. If they are between 12 and 20, they’d also need a letter of consent from their parents or a statutory agent.

It would further prohibit boxing-match organisers from letting children under 15 compete without the authority’s approval. Boxing events would have to actively promote the sport and adhere to specific safety measures and rules.

Chatsuda Chandeeying, chairperson of a National Human Rights Commission panel on the elderly, disabled, children, education and public health, in August claimed that 200,000 youngsters under 15 were participating in competitive muay thai.

Concerns arose about possible violations of their rights and the potential of punches and kicks to cause brain damage.

Chatsuda urged that the Boxing Act be amended in line with the 2003 Child Protection Act and the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

She cited a study by Dr Jiraporn Laothamatas, director of Ramathibodi Hospital’s Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Centre, that was presented at last December’s National Health Assembly.

It gave the estimate of 200,000-300,000 children taking part in boxing competitions and being exposed to injury.

The study report said brain injuries caused by direct blows to the head were difficult to detect but could lead to neurological disorders later in life such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

It said young fighters’ IQ scores were on average 10 points lower than those of youngsters who did not fight.

Dr Adisak Plitponkarnpim, director of the hospital’s Child Safety Promotion and Injury Prevention Research Centre, said the 1999 Boxing Act bars children age 15 and under from muay thai and requires they be formally registered, but the law is routinely ignored, and children as young as four are in the ring, often with inadequate safety gear.

Atichai Phoemsap 

Three of the four Thai boxing finalists competed on Thursday, with just one, lightweight Porntip Buapa, still to fight for gold on Friday.

Despite a disappointing start, with flyweight Sarawut Sukthet being stopped by Briton Ivan Price, Thailand bounced back when 17-year-old featherweight Panpatchara Somnuek beat Jennifer Carrillo of Mexico 5-0 to grab the Kingdom’s first Youth Olympics gold medal from boxing competition.

“I was a bit under pressure at the beginning as I have never known her before,” said the girl from Roi Et province.

“But my coach told me to relax and stick with the game plan by punching at her body to wear her down. It was not easy to make her tired as she is so tough but in the end I proved I’m stronger,” said Panpatchara, who will receive Bt2 million prize-money from the government for her victory.

“I’m so overwhelmed to win this historic gold for Thailand. I cannot wait to show it to the people in Roi Et,” added the teenager.

Later, heavy favourite Atichai, who won the World Youth Championships gold medal in August, lived up to expectations as he trounced Taras Bondarchuk of Ukraine 5-0 in the lightweight final.

“It was a bit tough at the beginning but when I got used to his style, things went my way,” said the 18-year-old from Nakhon Ratchasima. “I’m glad I won in a big event and I hope to keep improving.”

Thailand also won a bronze medal when Weerapon Jongjoho beat Jancen Poutoa of Samoa 5-0 in the middleweight third-place bout.

On Friday, Buapa will aim to make it a golden hat-trick for Thailand when she takes on Briton Caroline Sara Dubois.

It has already been a successful Games for the Thai boxing team – all five representatives are sure to come home with a medal.

Going into today’s finale, Thailand have won five golds – the previous three were in taekwondo, weightlifting and golf.

The Englishman has not won a tournament since his shock 2016 success at Augusta National, but was joint second with a three-under 69 in the first round of the US$9.5 million US PGA tournament.

Chez Reavie of the US was in front by one shot after a chilly and blustery day at the Club at Nine Bridges on the tourist island of Jeju, with South Korea’s Kim Si-Woo tied with Willett.

Willett hit every fairway and missed just one green, taking 31 putts on his round.

“It’s nice to get a score like that on a day where it’s easy to get on the wrong side of the par and kind of let things get to you,” said the 31-year-old. “In these conditions, it’s as good as you can ask for.”

During his prolonged dry spell Willett has gone through several coaching and caddie changes.

“It’d be nice to get a win but it’s also satisfying working as hard as you can and seeing the results, even just day to day,” he said.

Reavie said he focussed on avoiding errors, with his only blemish a dropped shot at the par-3 14th.

“It’s definitely a day where you’re just trying not to make bogeys,” he said. “If you make a couple of birdies, great. But the more pars you can make, the better.”

Kim made a double bogey at only the second hole, but recovered with six birdies over the rest of his round, with just one more bogey.

Defending champion Justin Thomas — who beat Marc Leishman in a playoff last year — was tied for 33rd and five shots off the lead after a 73.

And US PGA Tour Player of the Year Brooks Koepka — whose wayward tee shot at the Ryder Cup last month left a spectator blinded in one eye — was among eight players on 71.

“I hit some good shots but missed a couple of putts early,” said Koepka. “It was a difficult day. Anything under par is a good score out there. I am pleased with it.”

The French Open champion pulled out of last month’s China Open after just 31 minutes, and withdrew from this week’s Kremlin Cup because of the persistent problem.

Halep, 27, said she had hoped to compete at the season finale in Singapore, which starts on Sunday, but that she had taken the “tough” decision to put her health first.

“It’s always difficult to withdraw from a big tournament,” said the Romanian, who sustained the injury in Wuhan last month.

“My back is not okay. I didn’t practise for the last four weeks. I’m not ready to compete at this level and I’m still sore.”

Her withdrawal means that Kiki Bertens from the Netherlands moves into the eighth and final qualifying spot in the WTA Finals.

It has been a disappointing end to a spectacular season for Halep, which saw her secure the year-end number one ranking in the WTA standings for the second year running.

She spent 40 weeks at number one in 2018, and won three titles from a tour-leading six final appearances, amassing a 46-11 win-loss record.

This year Halep has won the Shenzhen Open, the Rogers Cup and her debut Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros.

In addition, she reached the title match at the Australian Open, in Rome and Cincinnati.

The Thai golfer, who took the US Women’s Open crown earlier this year and is gunning for her fourth win of the season, birdied holes four through six to start hot and cruise to six-under for the day.

“I did enjoy it. I have so much fun because the weather is — out there it’s getting windy, so I didn’t expect anything. I always have so much fun when I play in Asia. Really looking forward to come back here again. The key for me is not to expect anything. Just go out have fun and enjoy everything,” said Ariya who just settled at tied third in South Korea on Sunday.

Kim Sei-young of South Korea and Danielle Kang of the United States tied for second after each posted a 5-under 67 at the par-72 Qi Zhong Garden Golf Club.

Co-sanctioned by the US LPGA and the China LPGA, the new Shanghai event becomes just the second official LPGA tournament staged in China.

The event, with a $2.1 million purse, joins the Blue Bay LPGA, which tees of next month on southern China’s Hainan Island.

A pack of six golfers were tied at four-under 68 in Shanghai, including world number five Minjee Lee of Australia, Paula Creamer of the United States and New Zealand’s Lydia Ko.

Local favourite and former world number 1 Feng Shanshan of China remained within range of the leaders at even par, with world number two Park Sung-hyun of South Korea a stroke further back.

On the call was ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion “Unstoppable” Angela Lee, ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes, ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion Kevin “The Silencer” Belingon, and multiple-time mixed martial arts world champion “The Underground King” Eddie Alvarez.

Please click the link for the full audio of the Worldwide Conference Call: http://bit.ly/2NRFkr6

Ticket information for ONE: HEART OF THE LION is available at www.onefc.com.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated:

“ONE: HEART OF THE LION is trending to be the greatest evening of martial arts in Asian history. Two historic World Champion vs World Champion Super-Bouts are set to take place inside the ONE Championship cage. At the end of the day, it’s the fans who truly emerge as winners, as there should be no shortage of action on 9 November. Singapore will once again play host to a thrilling night of action, led by our favorite ONE Championship superstars.”

“In the main event, Singapore’s very own ‘Unstoppable’ Angela Lee attempts to make history and become the first female mixed martial arts superstar to simultaneously hold two World Title belts. But China’s confident champion, Xiong Jing Nan, looks to foil her plans and retain the title. In the co-main event, a highly-anticipated title unification bout is going down, as reigning ONE Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano Fernandes will face ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion Kevin Belingon in a rematch that has been brewing for the past two years. Both men are hungry to win. It’s going to be an epic clash of wills in both contests. We will also have the latest signee of ONE Championship, Eddie Alvarez, as a special guest at the event.”

Xiong Jing Nan, ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion, stated:

“This title around my waist represents all the hard work I have put into my craft since the very beginning of my career. I have been practicing martial arts since I was a child. It is my passion, my livelihood, and my life. I will do everything in my power to keep the belt. Angela [Lee] is a tremendous fighter and champion, and I respect her as a martial artist. But this is my division and my belt, I will never give it up without a fight. On 9 November, the world will witness history, but I will leave the arena still champion.”

Angela Lee, ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion, stated:

“Becoming a two-division world champion in the sport  is something I wanted for so long, but I knew I had to earn it. The time has come to turn that dream into a reality. I am facing an outstanding champion in my next bout, and I am not taking Xiong Jing Nan lightly.”

“I live for challenges, this is why I do what I do, to test myself against the very best in the world. Now I am ready for a new challenge, and entering the strawweight division has lit a fire underneath me. On 9 November, prepare to see a more focused, faster, and stronger Angela Lee. I know the champion has very good striking and grappling skills, but so do I. And I believe I am continuously improving and growing. Everyday I’m working very hard to make sure I am in the best shape of my career. I believe in my team and my coaches, my Dad. I know what’s at stake here and I will do everything that I can to come out the winner. It’s time to make history.”

Bibiano Fernandes, ONE Bantamweight World Champion, stated:

“Kevin Belingon has improved immensely. I have seen him grow as a competitor over the past few years. I know that in our rematch, Kevin will be a completely different fighter. Nevertheless, I am very confident that my skills are enough to beat him again. Yes, he is dangerous, but I will control the pace of this fight and the outcome. I am not taking Kevin Belingon for granted, and I am training harder than ever to make sure that I triumph over his best version yet in Singapore.”

“I have held this World Title for a long time, and I’m not about to give it up now. I am ready to go the full five rounds, but I am also ready to finish the bout by knockout or submission when the opportunity presents itself. Thank you for the welcome in Singapore, thank you for the support. I look forward to putting on a show this 9 November.”

Kevin Belingon, ONE Interim Bantamweight World Champion, stated:

“Fighting in Singapore is almost like fighting in Manila. Thousands of Filipinos are based there, and they never fail to show support when their fellow Filipino is scheduled to compete at a ONE Championship event. It’s an honor and a privilege to showcase my talent on the most prestigious stage of martial arts on 9 November in Singapore.”

“This is the most important bout of my career. I have worked very hard for this. It has taken me years to reach this level, and I have learned so much as a martial artist and as a competitor since I first met Bibiano [Fernandes] in 2016. Since that loss, I have kept my focus on improving my skills and working to erase my weaknesses. Right now, I can confidently say how much I have improved. One of the biggest improvements is my ground game. I know he is a BJJ black belt, I have had the privilege of experiencing his grappling first-hand before. But now, I am better equipped to handle anything he throws at me. I am looking to end matters early, and I vow to become the undisputed ONE Bantamweight World Champion.”

Eddie Alvarez, newly-signed ONE Athlete, stated:

“First and foremost, I want to thank everyone at ONE Championship. I want to thank my coaches, my team and my family. It’s really an exciting time for everyone here. It was a decision well-made. You guys dealt with everything very professionally at ONE, and we appreciate that. I’m looking forward to competing with the best lightweights in the world once again. What really excites me is the idea of capturing my third world title in another major organization. I went all across the world and competed in all of the best promotions in the world, and what I really look forward to is winning a third world championship title in ONE Championship against the best lightweights.”

“My career has brought me all across the globe. I have surveyed the competition, and it looks fierce. I am excited to be able to test my skills against some of ONE Championship’s best talent. This is no doubt a huge move for my career, and I am proud to be able to represent the true authentic values of martial arts. I am a martial artist at heart, and ONE Championship stands for everything that I believe in this sport. It is an honor to join this incredible organization.”

The powerful American went on a fishing trip off Jeju island on Monday, enjoyed local delicacies in town and liked what he saw at The Club @ Nine Bridges during the tournament’s pro-am.

With this week’s venue being a true bomber’s paradise, Koepke fancies his chances of a winning debut in what is his first appearance in the 2018-19 PGA TOUR season.

“Definitely a ball striker’s golf course. I do think I’ll be grabbing driver a bit. Felt like the fairways are wide enough where I can really take advantage of my length. I think anytime the rough’s down, so even if you are in the rough, you can stop it. It’s not as penalizing if you’re missing the fairways. You want to be as close as you can to the hole and give yourself the best look,” said Koepka.

He will need to contend against the likes of title holder and 2017 FedExCup champion Justin Thomas, Marc Leishman, who was victorious at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia on Sunday, Jason Day, Hideki Matsuyama and Billy Horschel in South Korea’s only PGA TOUR tournament which is celebrating its second edition.

Si Woo Kim, the 2017 PLAYERS Championship winner, spearheads the Korean challenge alongside other leading local players including Byeonghun An, Whee Kim and Sungjae Im, the recent Web.com Tour money list winner. A total of 13 players from the top-30 of the 2017-18 FedExCup points standing will headline the field in Jeju.

Koepka, the world No. 3, has enjoyed a tremendous season with two wins at the U.S. Open and PGA Championship, which led him to being voted as the 2018 PGA TOUR Player of the Year where he received the award from golf legend Jack Nicklaus.

“To have Mr. Nicklaus there was incredible. That was something neat. I didn’t know he was going to be there.  Anytime you can be around him and just kind of pick his brain and talk to him is always fun,” he said.

Thomas, ranked fourth in the world, won last year’s inaugural CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES after a playoff against Leishman and he arrived on the back of a T5 at the CIMB Classic following a closing 64.

“I played well on Sunday. I really didn’t play very well Thursday, Friday or Saturday, so to get a quality top-five finish in a good tournament like that with far from my best stuff is sometimes just as much as a positive as it is winning.  So hopefully I’m kind of able to feed off of that a little bit here,” said Thomas

Day also gets his 2018-19 PGA TOUR Season off the ground this week and made clear of his intent to challenge for a win. “I set myself goals of winning three times last year (2017-18 Season) and I only won twice. I finished 11th here last year and 11th in China the next week. If I can try and improve on that, get myself in contention and possibly win, it sets up the whole year. That’s why I’ve come back to play,” said the Australian.

Asia’s challenge will be carried by Matsuyama who returns to action after pulling out of Malaysia due to a wrist injury. After ending the 2017-18 Season with three straight top-fives in the FedExCup Playoffs, the 26-year-old knows he must tame the Jeju winds which posed a stern challenge last year.

“It’s a very difficult golf course, a lot of blind holes. The wind makes it play very, very difficult. I’m going to really have to be on the top of my game and hit quality shots,” said the five-time PGA TOUR winner.

Si Woo Kim, 23, is amongst the new generation of Korean rising stars. He is counting on a Korean victory which he believes can accelerate further the growth of golf in his country and Asia. “If a Korean player wins here, it’s like winning a major. The PGA TOUR is now in Korea and it can help raise the popularity. If we have a local winner, we’ll certainly attract more fans and golfers into the game,” said Kim.