Pep Guardiola’s side racked up their sixth successive league win thanks to a second half surge after Bournemouth shocked the Etihad Stadium.

City hold a significant lead over second placed Liverpool, but they can close the gap back to two points if they beat Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Sunday.

“A good win, after the Champions League it is always tough. People think it’s easy for us but that is not the truth, so I like to win in this way,” Guardiola said.

“In the second half one action from Raheem Sterling changed the game.”

It was a landmark moment for former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss Guardiola, who said: “My 400th win as a manager? I didn’t know that. Congratulations Pep!”

Guardiola left City’s record goal-scorer Sergio Aguero out of the squad, but even the Argentine star’s absence couldn’t halt the champions’ momentum.

City had scored 40 goals in their previous 13 league games and it took them just 16 minutes to shatter Bournemouth’s resistence as Bernardo Silva bagged his second goal of the season.

Leroy Sane’s shot was saved by Asmir Begovic, but Silva was on hand to tap into the empty net.

City were stunned in the 44th minute when Callum Wilson headed Bournemouth’s equaliser from a Simon Francis cross.

But the leaders restored order in the 57th minute as Sterling continued his mastery of Eddie Howe’s team.

Sterling netted from close-range after Begovic spilled Danilo’s shot, making it eight goals in six league appearances against Bournemouth for the City winger.

Ilkay Gundogan put the result beyond doubt when the German finished a fine move involving Bernardo Silva and Sane in the 79th minute.

While City remain the team to beat, their rivals United remain in turmoil after their winless league run extended to three games.

Jose Mourinho’s side desperately needed a victory at St Mary’s to stay in the hunt for a top four finish, but they ended up relieved to avoid defeat after falling two goals behind against third bottom Saints.

“I think the result is quite fair in spite of the fact we were more dominant in the game,” Mourinho said.

“I’m always confident but always doubtful at the same time because we don’t start well many times.

“To have more continuity in our attacking waves you cannot lose the ball so many times.”

Southampton had won only once in 13 league matches this season, that solitary success coming at Crystal Palace on September 1, yet within 12 minutes they had carved open the United defence.

– Stern-faced –

Nathan Redmond wriggled beyond four statuesque defenders on the edge of the penalty area before finding Michael Obafemi, who teed up Stuart Armstrong for a fierce drive that flashed past David de Gea.

Mourinho sat stern-faced on the bench as Southampton celebrated and his expression was even more vexed eight minutes later as Marcus Rashford’s needless foul on Mario Lemina led to Southampton’s second.

Cedric Soares lined up the resulting free-kick 20 yards from goal and curled a superb effort over the United wall and into the top corner of De Gea’s net.

Romelu Lukaku gave United a lifeline when he slotted home from Rashford’s pass in the 33rd minute as the Belgian striker grabbed his first goal in 13 games.

United suddenly had a spring in their step and Ander Herrera equalised in the 39th minute when he met Rashford’s low cross with a clever back-heeled effort from close-range.

But seventh-placed United reverted to their spluttering form after the interval and they are now six points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea, who would increase that gap if they beat Fulham on Sunday.

Crystal Palace ended their eight-game winless league run with a 2-0 success against fellow strugglers Burnley.

Brighton conceded the fastest goal in the Premier League this season after 54 seconds, but Chris Hughton’s team recovered to win 2-1 at 10-man Huddersfield.

Leicester won for just the second time in seven league games as Watford slumped to a 2-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium, with Jamie Vardy and James Maddison scoring for the Foxes.

West Ham ended Newcastle’s three-match winning run as Javier Hernandez struck twice in a 3-0 victory at St James Park.

To a neutral, it seemed that it was not rabid canines that were missing but intensity and desire at key times in the stalemate with a side who have yet to win a home match this season.

Saints had only netted four times at St Mary’s, once from the penalty spot.

But they had two more goals after only 19 minutes against a United side who seemed to be going through the motions.

At least until Marcus Rashford atoned for the free kick that led to Southampton’s second goal with a pair of assists to drag United back into a game that could have slipped away from them entirely.

That should have been their cue to go on and win on a ground where they have usually done well.

But they failed to resume the second half in control of the match and David De Gea was the busier of the two goalkeepers.

“It’s a football expression,” Mourinho said of his ‘mad dogs’ reference.

“I love dogs and I think they are better than many men. People who are aggressive on the ball, fight hard to recover the ball. Marcus Rashford was a mad dog until he got tired.

“In that first period Marcus Rashford was fresh, not hurt by hard tackles in the ankles in situations that progressively put a player in difficulty. One foul here, one foul there, 75 minutes and he was done.”

With Chris Smalling nursing a groin injury to add to the absence of Victor Lindelof, Scott McTominay lined up alongside Phil Jones and Nemanja Matic in a three man defence.

And here United lacked authority as Michael Obafemi set up Stuart Armstrong to score his third Saints goal in two league games.

“In the Premier League, to play with only one central defender is hard, a situation of fragility that we tried to compensate by playing with a back three,” Mourinho said.

“Scott and Nemanja had the courage to play in that position and Phil Jones was a good reference point for them.”

Seven minutes later Cedric curled home a free kick after Rashford had fouled Mario Lemina as he tried to cover that exposed defence.

But Rashford atoned with a brave run and pass to Romelu Lukaku, who smacked in his fifth Premier League goal on this ground, but looked heavy and slow for most of the match.

When Rashford crossed for Ander Herrera to flick home the equaliser, United looked the only winners, but they could not keep up the momentum.

“The result is not good so I have to say we dropped two points,” Mourinho said.

“The comeback is good. It was a match we wanted to win and because of that good reaction in the first half we had 45 minutes to win the game and we didn’t so for me it was not obviously a good result.”

So what went wrong after the break?

“Someone once said that simplicity is genius. I agree totally. I think in some areas of the pitch simplicity is still genius. We wanted to win in the second half but we needed better decisions, to move the ball faster. And Southampton were playing for a point.”

De Gea, who had to make one excellent save to deny Nathan Redmond in that period, might disagree, and Mark Hughes, the Saints boss, was the happier manager afterwards.

“I can’t be disappointed with the performance,” he said.

“We defended better in the second half and I never felt we came under sustained pressure and we were prepared to ask questions in their half. People keep talking about pressure on me because there is a perception that we should be doing better. But I’ll deal with it and you can see that everyone is fully engaged.”

The hosts had begun the tie strongly in front of over 85,000 supporters filling the stands to capacity, and within the first five minutes starlet Safawi Rasid had already blazed over twice as the Harimau Malaya looked to impose themselves early on.

And, indeed, it was Safawi who went close to breaking the deadlock with the first meaningful shot on target on 19 minutes.

The Johor Darul Ta’zim youngster was sent through into the area after an impudent backheel by Mohamadou Sumareh, only to see his drive across goal pushed away by Thailand goalkeeper Chatchai Budprom.

Malaysia’s prolificacy was almost made to pay just five minutes later as Nurul Sriyankem hammered a shot high from 12 yards following Supachai Jaided’s dinked pass over the top.

Sumareh then twice went close in a matter of minutes at the other end. First seeing a shot bobble wide following a quick team counterattack, and then a surging solo run that the Gambian-born midfielder couldn’t quite find a finish for.

And so Malaysia finished the half as they had begun it: on top and with the defending AFF Suzuki Cup champions looking off the pace but, crucially, still all square.

In an attempt to wrest control of the match, Thailand beefed up their midfield after the restart with Pokklaw Annan replacing the more attacking Supachai, who would see no birthday goal having turned 20 years old ahead of the tie.

While play did even out, the two sides struggled to find the target as the teams’ top scorers Norshahrul Idlan and Adisak Kraisorn both saw efforts on goal at either end go askew.

Norshahrul then had a golden chance to put the home side on the scoreboard but he couldn’t keep his volleyed effort from close range down, after he’d been put through via a slick one-two with Zaquan Adha.

Safawai, who had his sights on goal at the very beginning of the tie, appropriately had the final chance in stoppage time but it, too, was well off target.

“It was a hard match. We were supposed to score one goal tonight. But we lacked a bit concentration and sharpness in attack. I was confident of not conceding, it was just a matter of whether we can score. But in the end, I’m satisfied with the result,” said Milovan Rajevac.

The scene is now set for an intriguing return clash on Wednesday at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium, as we wait to see which team will join the winner of the Philippines and Vietnam in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 final.

The 24-year-old Miguel drew encouragement from his father Luigi watching him on the sidelines, to birdie three of his closing four holes and seize the lead late in the day by two shots over defending champion Jazz Janewattananond at the US$500,000 event held at Legacy Golf Club.

Miguel, who stayed bogey-free for 37 holes till his scorecard was marred by a bogey on hole two, traded six birdies against two bogeys for a 16-under-par 194 total, at the event hosted by three-time Asian Tour number one Thongchai Jaidee.

Two-time Asian Tour winner Jazz, who had a hot putter to thank for, only needed 21 putts in his round of 68 to take second place on his own and remain on course for a successful title defence.

Thailand’s Natipong Srithong, who started the round with a five-shot deficit, put his foot on the gas pedal and shot a 65 to share third place on 197 with overnight leader, American Johannes Veerman, who battled to a 72.

Natipong’s solid bogey-free round highlighted by five birdies set him up nicely for a second title charge since his maiden victory in the Philippines in 2015.

American Sihwan Kim, currently ranked eighth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, was among three bunched in fifth place at the 11th edition of the event held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.

Scores after round 3 of the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation being played at the par 70, 6939 Yards Legacy GC course (am – denotes amateur):

194 – Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 65-63-66.

196 – Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 65-63-68.

197 – Natipong Srithong (THA) 66-66-65, Johannes Veerman (USA) 62-65-70.

201 – Sihwan Kim (USA) 68-67-66, Sarit Suwannarut (THA) 68-66-67, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA) 70-62-69.

202 – Shiv Kapur (IND) 69-68-65, Jaturon Duangphaichoom (THA) 69-67-66, Amardip Malik (IND) 66-65-71.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “I am pleased to announce that we have added Yoshihiro Akiyama to our elite ONE Championship roster. Akiyama is a true representative of Asian martial arts and it is an honor to welcome him to the global stage of competition. He is an absolute legend in the sport, impressing audiences with his supreme martial arts skill and unwavering will to win. Akiyama is set to mix it up with the best and brightest of the ONE Championship welterweight division, and will help lead the charge as ONE Championship heads into Tokyo and Seoul in 2019.”

Yoshihiro Akiyama is one of the most iconic Asian mixed martial artists in history. A fourth generation Japanese of Korean descent, he began his martial arts career garnering accolades on the amateur level. Some of those prizes include a gold medal at the 2001 Asian Judo Championships for South Korea and a gold medal at the 2002 Asian Games for Japan. Known as “Sexyama,” he made his mixed martial arts debut in December 2004 and used his world-class judo stylings as his base. That has led to remarkable success. Akiyama holds a 15-6 professional record, and claimed the K-1 HERO’s Light Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament Championship. He also defeated some of the industry’s most respected names including Melvin Manhoef, Alan Belcher, and former IBF Heavyweight Boxing Champion Francois Botha. Now, “Sexyama” enters ONE Championship and will compete in the welterweight division.

The 25-year-old started where he left off, making a birdie on hole one. However, he dropped shots for the first time in the tournament, making a double-bogey at the par-five second.

Undeterred, Kitayama displayed plenty of resolve and skill to came back with four consecutive birdies in his subsequent four holes at the Four Seasons Golf Club, Mauritius at Anahita.

Kitayama, who is enjoying a successful season on the Asian Tour after making the mark at this year’s Qualifying School, sunk four more birdies on his inward nine before signing for a 13-under-par 130 total at the event, tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the Sunshine Tour.

India’s Chikkarangappa S. is two shots behind after ending his day with a 68. The wheels seemed to have fallen off for the 25-year-old Indian after consecutive bogeys on holes 14 and 15. However, he made a fantastic recovery after the turn by sinking five birdies in a row from holes one to five. Another birdie on nine put him in lone second going into the weekend rounds.

Frenchmen Victor Perez and Matthieu Pavon shot 69 and 66 respectively to keep up the pace. They are three shots behind the leader, in tied-third.

Justin Harding made the cut for the first time at the AfrAsia BankMauritius Open. The South African hit some wild drives on his first 10 holes that led to three bogeys, but he managed to haul himself back into contention with four consecutive birdies from holes two to five.

Harding finished the second day in tied-seventh, and he has an excellent opportunity to close the gap on leader Shubhankar Sharma in the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings race.

65 players made the cut, which was set at two-under-par 142.

Five-time champions Thailand, despite having a superior record of seven wins from 13 encounters versus Malaysia in the tournament, have yet to beat the neighbouring country in an away game.

According to one report, more than 80,000 tickets have already been sold to fans wishing to cheer their players to another home victory.

The visiting Thai team will try to withstand the pressure of support for the home team and the electrifying atmosphere to win the game or at least pull off a draw going into the second leg of the semi-final in Bangkok on Wednesday.

“Every record is there to be broken. It’s very important that we play our own style and stick to the game plan for which we have trained,” Thai national coach Milovan Rajevac told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur on Friday.

Of four Group stage matches, Thailand played only one away game, against the Philippines in Bacolod, and managed a 1-1. The other three games took place at the Rajamangala National Stadium and were all won by the home side.

“Playing an away game is never a problem for us. As long as we stick to our tactics, I believe we can go home with a good result,” added Rajevac, supervising the national team for the first time in the AFF Cup. In terms of the big turnout expected on Saturday, the Serbian coach viewed it as a valuable experience for his players.

“I hope to see a full house. There’s nothing to worry. A big crowd should make it more entertaining and become our motivation,” he added.

Malaysian team manager Tam Cheng Hoe has his own strategy for the match.

“It’s important we don’t concede a goal, which will be our motivation going to Bangkok,” said Hoe, a former national midfielder.

The 50-year-old coach also |said his side has to be aggressive against the Thai team but at the same time remain on guard for counterattacks.

“Sometimes when you play a big team you can’t just defend for 90 minutes. You have to attack but at the same time be aware of the attack of the opponents. My defenders have to be very focused and careful with the transition. When we attack, we tend to concede goals easily which is something we need to cut off,” Hoe said.

The match will be played at 7.45pm Bangkok time with Channel 7 beaming live the showdown. The other semi-final between Vietnam and Philippines is due tomorrow.

Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) was impressive on Day 1 of the Official Test at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto but the Japanese rider usurped the adjective on Thursday to not only impress, but go quickest. The Japanese rider’s 1:37.945 was unmatchable on Day 2 and he put in 66 laps on his 2018 Honda. Reigning Champion Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) was in close pursuit, however, ending the day just 0.025 off Nakagami’s best with a 1:37.970 – with Maverick Viñales (Yamaha Factory Racing) completing the top three and still within a tenth of the top.

At Honda, the devil was in the details – not just the logo on the number 99’s side of the garage – although there was a new airbox on show. Marquez said he was working more on refinements, as well as different tyres, with some good and some bad to report. Overall though it was a satisfied seven-time World Champion, happy with engine improvements. He did 56 laps – including a Marquez-style save – and says now focus will shift more towards the chassis. New teammate Jorge Lorenzo was also a force to be reckoned with on the timesheets. He put in a 1:38.105 and was just 0.039 off Viñales in third, with the number 99’s fourth day on the Honda seeing him take P4 after 65 laps – the third Honda in the top five.

The leading Yamaha on Day 2 was Viñales after completing 78 laps, and he seems happy with 2019 development so far. Both he and teammate Valentino Rossi (Yamaha Factory Racing) have been testing two different engine specs, with Viñales clear as to which one they should go with. The Spaniard reflected after Day 2 by saying “overall we have a really competitive bike” and “the laps times were consistent” – positive from the now number 12, but what about Rossi?

While Viñales seems content, the nine-time World Champion wasn’t quite as happy after Day 1, saying that it was good enough for fourth – if they can capitalise on others’ misfortunes. On Day 2 though, Rossi finished 11th fastest after setting a quickest time of 1:38.596, 0.651 from Nakagami’s benchmark after completing 67 laps. The factory pairing both agree on which spec engine they need to go for, but ‘The Doctor’ insists Yamaha need to find more if they are to challenge at the top next season.

In the Petronas Yamaha SRT garage, it was another good day for both Franco Morbidelli and rookie Fabio Quartararo. For the former, a P6 finish after 68 laps and just 0.173 from the top sees him continue his quick adaptation from Honda to Yamaha. For Quartararo, it was another vital 58 laps in the bag – and it was another hugely positive day. The Frenchman ended P12 on the timesheets after setting a fastest lap of 1:38.761, just over a tenth off Rossi’s fastest lap and under a second from P1.

Meanwhile Ducati were the only manufacturer, according to Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), who weren’t on engine duty – they were confirming, successfully, their results from the Valencia test. The Borgo Panigale factory were focused elsewhere, including some time working on a seat modification first seen on Day 1 ridden by test rider stand-in Alvaro Bautista. Despite a tumble on Wednesday, Dovizioso put in 44 laps – saying he didn’t feel limited by the crash – with a fastest of 1:38.292 to put him in P8, and it was new teammate Danilo Petrucci who flew the flag highest in fifth, a 1:38.109 his fastest of 68 laps.

Jack Miller (Alma Pramac Racing) had an impressive day on track, including a lot of time spent working on different setups that “seemed to work better and better” every time they made a change. He was fastest for a brief time in the afternoon, and ended the day in P7 overall after 57 laps, the best of which was a 1:38.207. His rookie teammate Francesco Bagnaia, meanwhile, made for close company and was the quickest of the new kids on the grid. The Pramac duo were split by Dovizioso but ‘Pecco’ was only just over a tenth off Miller and the Italian debutant did 50 laps, just working on getting experience – especially on used tyres.

Tito Rabat was another impressive performer on Ducati machinery. The Spaniard, who is still coming back from his leg break sustained at Silverstone, managed 60 laps and ended the day in P13. The best lap from the recovering Reale Avintia Racing rider was a 1:38.876 – with teammate Karel Abraham putting in a 1:39.744 after 40 laps, taking P17.

For Suzuki, Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar) was able to continue to test the new GSX-RR engine and chassis combinations, alongside test rider Sylvain Guintoli. Rins was able to post the 10th quickest time on Day 2, his 1:38.522 0.577 off Nakagami’s pace as he completed 63 laps on Thursday. For teammate Joan Mir, it was another 55 laps under his belt as he continues to impress, bouncing back extremely well from a fast crash on Day 1. P14 on the timesheets for the Spaniard and under a second from P1 shows the 2017 Moto3™ World Champion is continuing to adapt well, and he also got to try the new Suzuki engine and chassis on Thursday.

It was a tough test for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini with Aleix Espargaro missing the whole of Day 1 through illness, while also missing the morning of Day 2 to complete just 11 laps. In addition, after a crash on Day 1, Andrea Iannone (Aprilia Racing Team Gresini) was riding with an injured foot as the Italian completed 36 laps by the end of the second day to finish P18 on the timesheets. This left new test rider Bradley Smith with the majority of the testing duties, the British rider getting 59 laps done on Thursday, and Matteo Baiocco was also on circuit for the Italian factory once again – with 48 laps completed for the latter.

At KTM, Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was once again the quickest Austrian machine as the Spaniard put in a best of 1:39.144 after 60 laps – putting him fifteenth on the timesheets. Work continued on many different parts of the RC16, with Espargaro testing what Team Manager Mike Leitner called “bigger items”.  Johann Zarco, meanwhile, was getting to better grips with his switch to the machine – with Leitner confirming his adaptation to the bike and vice versa. The Frenchman was seven tenths off his teammate on Day 2.

KTM Tech 3 Racing, meanwhile, had Hafizh Syahrin on a 1:40.520 and rookie teammate Miguel Oliveira with a best lap of 1:40.577 – only half a tenth off the Malaysian. They put in 54 and 61 laps respectively as they both switch machinery – the former from Yamaha and the latter from Moto2™.

 Twenty-six champions. Ten Rolex First-Time Winners. Seven playoffs. Two sets of sisters. One 72-hole scoring record.

From the season opener in the Bahamas to the finale in Florida, the 2018 LPGA Tour season provided fans from around the globe with drama, determination and an awe-inspiring display of world-class athleticism.

“With 32 events producing 26 different winners, 2018 showed the incredible depth of LPGA talent.  Currently, the top 15 in the Rolex Women’s Golf World Rankings come from 10 different countries,” said LPGA Commissioner Mike Whan. “As the world looks for opportunities to empower women and showcase global diversity, the LPGA stands at the forefront of this important, inspirational movement.”

DOMINANT YEAR FOR JUTANUGARN

In a season characterized by depth in talent, the dominant performance by Ariya Jutanugarn is even more remarkable. The 23-year-old from Bangkok, Thailand, clinched Rolex Player of the Year honors with three events left in the season and won the $1 million bonus that comes with winning the Race to the CME Globe. Jutanugarn is currently No. 1 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings, a position she has held since Oct. 29.

Other awards lining her shelf include the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award, which she earned with the season’s best overall major performance, and the LEADERS Top 10s competition, which she captured with 17 top-10 finishes. Jutanugarn also earned the Vare Trophy, which is given to the player with the season’s lowest scoring average; her 69.415 is the 10th lowest scoring average in LPGA history.

Jutanugarn earned her second major victory at the U.S. Women’s Open, joining wins at the Kingsmill Championship presented by GEICO and the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open. She led the LPGA in earnings ($2,743,949, nearly $1.2 million more than second-place Minjee Lee) and set single-season records in birdies (470, 56 more than Lee) and rounds in the 60s (57 of 106, six more than Lee).

Jutanugarn is the first player to sweep the Rolex Player of the Year, the Vare Trophy, the Money Title, the Race to the CME Globe and the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award since the latter two were introduced in 2014.

Yet in true Ariya fashion, her favorite moment of 2018 was not any of her personal accolades or history-breaking moments. When asked the highlight of her year, she pointed to the breakthrough first win her sister Moriya Jutanugarn earned at the HUGEL-JTBC LA Open.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK

The entire 2018 LPGA Tour season saw numerous statistical and historical records fall, led by Sei Young Kim’s week at the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic. In a performance that defines the word dominant, Kim set the LPGA’s 72-hole scoring record at an astounding 31-under 257, smashing the previous mark of 27-under 261 held by Annika Sorenstam and Kim herself. Kim also tied the 54-hole scoring record of 24-under 192, and her 32 sub-par holes in a single event is the most in LPGA history.

The year included 10 Rolex First-Time Winners, tied with 2005 for the second-most in LPGA history, one behind the 11 First-Time Winners in 1995. The season’s 26 different winners ties 1991 for the most in Tour history, while Jin Young Ko became just the second player in LPGA history to win in her first official tournament. Ko captured the ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open en route to becoming Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year, an honor she clinched with four events remaining in the season.

2018 had the most $800,000 earners with 24 and records set at every $100,000 increment between $100,000 and $800,000, further showcasing the continued financial growth and stability of the LPGA Tour. Additionally, two sister duos – Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn and Jessica and Nelly Korda – joined Annika and Charlotta Sorenstam as the only sets of sisters to both win on the LPGA Tour.

FIVE PLAYERS, FIVE COUNTRIES, FIVE MAJOR VICTORIES

The season’s five major championships saw five different players from five different countries earn major glory. And for the first time since 2006, three majors required extra holes to declare a winner.

At the ANA Inspiration, Pernilla Lindberg earned her first LPGA title in a marathon eight-hole playoff with Inbee Park and Jennifer Song that stretched into Monday. The KPMG Women’s PGA Championship saw Sung Hyun Park outlast So Yeon Ryu and Nasa Hataoka in a two-hole playoff to earn her second major title, while Ariya Jutanugarn captured the 2018 U.S. Women’s Open in a four-hole playoff with Hyo Joo Kim that immediately became one of the most memorable moments in LPGA history.

The season’s final two majors took the Tour to Europe and added inspirational winners at very different places in their LPGA careers. The Ricoh Women’s British Open saw 2018 LPGA rookie Georgia Hall become just the second Englishwoman to win the title since the tournament became a major in 2001. Culminating the major season, 18-year LPGA veteran Angela Stanford earned her first major win at The Evian Championship and, at age 40, cemented a victory for players of all ages.

TEAM KOREA TAKES UL INTERNATIONAL CROWN ON HOME SOIL

For the first time, the UL International Crown was conducted outside the United States, with Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Incheon, Republic of Korea, hosting the third playing of this growing international event.

Buoyed by boisterously partisan crowds, Team Korea earned its first ULIC victory with 15 points, followed by defending champions Team USA (11 points) and Team England (11 points). The winning putt came courtesy of 2017 Ricoh Women’s British Open champion In-Kyung Kim, who defeated England’s Bronte Law, 2 up, in the penultimate singles match. Kim was joined on the victorious team by three major champions in Sung Hyun Park, So Yeon Ryu and In Gee Chun.

SYMETRA TOUR BUILDING THE FUTURE OF THE GAME

Across 21 tournaments, the 2018 Symetra Tour had 18 winners hailing from seven different countries, including three victories for 2018 Player of the YearRuixin Liu of the People’s Republic of China. Liu led the 2018 Volvik Race for the Card, which annually awards LPGA Tour membership to the top 10 players on the season-ending money list. The 10 graduates to the LPGA Tour accounted for just nine of the season’s 21 wins, underlining the Tour’s depth and the need for consistency along with victories.

The 2018 Symetra Tour season also continued the upward financial trend for the LPGA Tour’s official qualifying tour. Symetra Tour players competed for an average weekly purse of $150,000, the highest in Tour history.

DOUBLE WINS FOR DAME DAVIES

One of the game’s most beloved veterans, Laura Davies enjoyed her own season to remember in 2018. She started the year with an ageless runner-up finish at the Bank of Hope Founders Cup, where the then-54-year-old recorded her best LPGA performance since 2007.

Davies then dominated the first summer with two senior major championships for women golfers. In July, she captured the inaugural U.S. Senior Women’s Open at the historic Chicago Golf Club, taking a staggering 10-stroke win over fellow fan-favorite Juli Inkster. Three months later, Davies took a four-stroke win at the Senior LPGA Championship at French Lick Resort’s Pete Dye Course and further cemented her place in golf history.

LOOKING BEYOND THE ROPES

Beyond the competitive side of the LPGA Tour, 2018 marked a banner year for the LPGA’s off-the-course initiatives. Since January, the LPGA has announced 12 new corporate and title partners, including Dow, the title sponsor for the new Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational team event, and Aon, which is presenting the Aon Risk Reward Challenge, a new season-long competition on both the LPGA and PGA Tours.

The LPGA*USGA Girls Golf program has grown to nearly 500 sites, with more than 80,000 junior golfers engaging with the program in 2018. Since its inception in 1989, more than a half million participants have been inspired through the program’s Five E’s of empower, enrich, engage, exercise and energize. The year also saw the LPGA Women’s Network reach a total audience of 150,000, while the 12,000 members of the LPGA Amateur Golf Association, which joined the LPGA family in March, participated in more than 7,500 local and national events.