The 16-year-old overcame three bogeys from the 12th to 15th holes to fire two finishing birdies in a three-under-par final-round 69. That gave her a total of 12 under-par-204 for her three rounds and victory by five strokes.

The Saraburi-based Arpichaya has won four successive Thai LPGA series: the fourth leg in Hua Hin (Royal Club) in May, the 5th in Rayong in June and the sixth in Hua Hin (Black Mountain Golf Club) in July.

She is the first player to win four straight Thai LPGA events, beating the hat-trick of wins by Nonthaya Srisawang, who won the second to fourth legs in 2012.

“I haven’t won four tournaments [on the same Tour] in a row before. I’m so overwhelmed,” said Arpichaya, who earned Bt142,500 for her win.

“I was hitting the ball well but a minor injury on my toes affected me on the back nine, which was why I made a few errors. Luckily I recovered in time to shoot scores in the end,” added the teenager. She dedicated this win to her grandmother, with whom she stayed throughout the tournament.

Chommapat Pongthanarak, with a 71, finished runner-up on seven under-par-209 to pick up Bt96,285.

Former SEA Games national player Manuschaya Zeemakorn, 20, shot a closing 71 to be third on five under-par-211, along with  Waralee Atcharerk (72).

The next Thai LPGA event is at the Mae Jo Golf Resort and Spa in Chiang Mai from August 15-17.

The top-ranked players in both the men’s and women’s draws are now out, after Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying was beaten earlier in the day in Nanjing by another Chinese.

Seventh-seeded Jongkolphan Kititharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai meanwhile put up a great fight in the second game against Japan’s 11th-seeded Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara before losing 21-12 22-20 in the women’s doubles quarter-finals

Olympic champion Chen will play Shi Yuqi in an all-Chinese semi-final following his high-class and emphatic 21-19, 21-11 victory over Axelsen.

There was a moment of controversy and the first game was held up for two minutes as the 29-year-old Chen disputed a call that fell in favour of the strapping Dane.

But the 24-year-old world number one, who has single-handedly broken Asia’s stranglehold on men’s badminton in the last year, was always playing catch-up.

“He was a lot better than me today, unfortunately,” said Axelsen, who tossed his racquet spinning into the air after losing the first game, drawing a withering look from the chair umpire.

“But life goes on and I have to learn from this.

“He and I have had many good matches together and of course I respect him and wish him all the best.”

In the women’s draw, Olympic champion Carolina Marin bellowed and blustered her way into the semi-finals with a devastating victory over India’s Saina Nehwal.

The 25-year-old Spaniard is chasing a third world crown and on this form could well get it.

Marin plays China’s He Bingjiao in the last four after the sixth seed stunned Taiwan’s Tai.

Marin destroyed Nehwal, who cut a demoralised figure by the end of a 21-6, 21-11 mauling.

The Spaniard is particularly vocal and demonstrative on court, shouting or screaming in Spanish after every winning point and before serving too.

One member of the audience took to imitating her.

Asked by AFP what she was hollering, Marin replied with a laugh: “I cannot tell you!

“It is just something I keep to myself. It was not a strategy against Saina, it is something I do against any opponent. I do it for myself.

“I learnt to do this some years ago, it was not something I did from the beginning of my career, that’s impossible because I was too young.

“I had to learn many things in my career, and this is one thing I learnt.”

Nehwal, a former number one who looked shell-shocked afterwards, said that she had no complaints about Marin’s behaviour.

“The pace she is playing at is quite tremendous, she was very fast,” said Nehwal, 28, who won Commonwealth Games gold earlier this year.

The strongly fancied Tai tasted just a second defeat in 35 matches, a run which brought five titles and had made her the woman to beat in Nanjing.

But the 24-year-old was sloppy at times against He, making a series of errors at the net, going out of the tournament over three unpredictable games.

China’s He emerged after just under an hour, 21-18, 7-21, 21-13.

The 34-year-old “Super Dan” was the most high-profile casualty on a day when men’s number one and reigning champion Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and women’s number one Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan both progressed into the quarter-finals of the World Championships in Nanjing.

Lin, a two-time Olympic and five-time world champion, may be reaching the end of his career but he remains the biggest draw in badminton.

The crowd willed him on against his higher-ranked compatriot Shi Yuqi, 22, but Lin bowed out with a whimper, 21-15, 21-9.

Asked if he might now call it a day, Lin, the bad boy of badminton in his younger days, said: “It’s been the same old question ever since I played Chen Long in the World Championships in 2013 (when Lin won it).

“This actually makes me feel proud. Although I lost the match today, I’ll discuss with my team to see what I could learn from it and hopefully improve my world rankings in the following tournaments this year.

“This is my 11th World Championships and I will continue to fight as long as I still have the capability and time.”

The 24-year-old Axelsen pulled through against 10th seed Angus Ng Ka-long of Hong Kong and will play China’s Olympic champion Chen Long in a mouthwatering showdown on Friday.

Axelsen admitted that he was not at his best — so it helped that he was able to draw on the crowd, who have taken to the Dane partly because of his efforts to learn Chinese.

Having a good grasp of Mandarin helps in a sport where many players are Chinese or of Chinese descent.

Axelsen has been learning for about four years and can give interviews in the language.

He has even taken to translating for his rivals and he can also listen in on the tactics of his Chinese opponents.

“It really helps me communicate with my Chinese fans and I really appreciate all the support out here,” he told AFP.

“Having the Chinese fans yelling your name, I really appreciate that.”

Axelsen won the first game 21-19, then he and Ng went toe-to-toe in the second, before the Dane prevailed 21-18.

He celebrated with a swing of his fist.

“It meant a lot. Sometimes when you feel like you are not at your highest level, you also have to be able to win,” he said.

“I struggled a little bit to win it and that’s why I showed some emotions out there today,” he added, before passing a couple of Chinese players and exchanging pleasantries — in Chinese.

– Nehwal v Marin –

In the women’s draw, hot favourite Tai recovered from a slow start to book her place in the last eight and a clash with China’s sixth seed He Bingjiao.

Tai was behind in the opening exchanges against Zhang Beiwen, the Chinese-born American who needed internet crowd funding to make it to Nanjing.

But the 24-year-old Tai’s quality shone through, winning 21-19, 21-14 in 34 minutes.

In the pick of the other women’s quarter-finals, India’s Saina Nehwal, a former number one, faces current Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain.

Pornanong’s five under-par-72 was the best score among nine Thai players in the Major, with Moriya Jutanugarn and sister Ariya carding 69 and 71 respectively.

“I feel pretty good today. I was hitting and putting so well. I just try to play my game and had to change my plan diffently because one day the winds are strong but another day it’s not.  So just try to play my game and play according to my game plan,” said Pornanong, eyeing on become the fourth Thai to win on the LPGA this season after the Jutanugarn sisters and Thidapa Suwannapura.

“I think about my swing before I come to Scotland. Everything is getting better and I get more confident this week,” said the 28-year-old Thai.

Lee packed six birdies and an eagle into a round of seven under par 65 to lead the first round.

By the luck of the draw, the 22-year-old missed the morning rain and she made the most of the sunny and relatively benign conditions to finish atop the leaderboard.

Now she’s hoping to go on and complete an impressive fortnight in by going one better than last week’s runner-up spot behind Ariya Jutanugarn in the Ladies Scottish Open at Gullane.

“I had a really fun time in Scotland and playing on another links course has definitely helped me coming in to this major,” said the youngster.

“I’ve had a pretty good season with lots of top tens and the key today was that I stayed out of too much trouble.

“I was in four bunkers but managed to hole a few longish putts — overall it was pretty good.”

Japan’s Mamiko Higa was alone in second place on 66 with England’s Georgia Hall and world number three Park Sung-hyun, in the group on 67.

Kim In-kyung, the defending champion, had a 70, while world number one Ariya Jutanugarn, who won the title in 2016, was on one under par 71 and two shots behind her older sister, Moriya.

But no one could match Lee.

Aiming to become the first Australian winner since Karrie Webb at Turnberry in 2002, the highlight was an eagle from 30 feet at the long 15th and her only mistake was an up and down bogey from a bunker at the 17th.

Hall, last year’s European number one, finished joint third at Kingsbarns in Scotland last year and the home 22-year-old again showed her liking for links courses with a flawless five-birdie round, including three in a row from the 13th.

– Injury forces Wie to quit –

“I couldn’t ask for more,” said Hall, who had her father, Wayne, acting as her caddie.

“Putting was the key today, and staying out of trouble. I plotted my way round very well.

“A lot has happened since this event last year. I played in the Solheim Cup a few weeks later and I’m now much more mature, and more confident. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the championship.”

Higa had six birdies and a bogey and was delighted with her opening effort.

“It is a dream to be playing in the British Open,” said the Japanese Tour player.

“It’s an honour to be here and I managed to stay very relaxed for the hole round.”

New Zealand’s Lydia Ko, the two-time major winner and former world number one, kept in contention for a first British Open with a 68.

It was a good bounce back for the 21-year-old, who missed the cut at the Scottish Open.

“I actually played OK, but couldn’t hole a putt last week,” she said. “It ended up being quite funny because it was so bad.”

England’s Florentyna Parker had a hole in one at the ninth — an eight iron from 140 yards — and she went on to shoot a fine 69.

Meanwhile, Michelle Wie said she was “devastated” after a longstanding hand injury forced her to pull out.

Playing in frequent rain showers, the 28-year-old American was on seven over par after 12 holes before deciding she could not continue.

“I’ve been doing everything humanly possible to get my hand healthy enough to play this week,” she said on Twitter. “But it wasn’t enough. I gave it my all today, but I couldn’t stand the pain any longer.

“I felt if I kept pushing it then I could make it even worse. But I’m devastated to have to pull out mid-round.”

Her best finish in the only British major is tied third — on her debut as a 15-year-old at Royal Birkdale in 2005 and again at Kingsbarns in Scotland 12 months ago.

Wie has just one major victory, at the 2014 US Women’s Open, but she ended a four-year trophy drought when she claimed the HSBC Women’s World Championship in March.

The Kingdom will send seven male and three female fighters to Indonesia, hoping to improve on four years ago, when it finished with just Wuttichai Masuk’s gold in the 64kg and a bronze from Apichet Saensit in the 64kg.

TBA Technical Committee president Somchai Poolsavasdi predicted two golds in Jakarta and reminded his athletes that in order to fulfill their Olympic dreams, they needed to win the Asiad first.

“Boxing in Asia is one of the toughest in the world. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China and India all have powerful boxers in the world,” Somchai said on Thursday. “So I keep telling my boxers ‘You need to win the Asian Games first if you want to win the Olympics’ ”.

Somchai also said the technical aspect had been the main focus of the training in the lead-up to the Games.

“They have been trained how to score points and how not to foul. Boxing is an eye-judging sport, so they need to know techniques that will earn them scores,” he added.

While Wuttichai is still rated a medal prospect by the team, he is reported to have an injury that may lessen his chance of retaining his title.

“As an athlete, you always have hope once you step on the ring.  I can’t guarantee if I can do it again but I will give my all,” said Wuttichai, who also won bronze at the 2012 Games.

Chatchai, winner of the 2015 Asian Championships and 2017 SEA Games, has been touted as the heavy favourite among Thais despite two back-to-back first round defeats in the 2012 and 2014 Games.

“My goal at this point is to first move past the first round and then I will set my next goal,” said the 33-year-old, who has been in great form and won the King’s Cup in Bangkok last month.

On the women’s side, Sudaporn, the 2014 World Championships bronze medalist, has been praised by national coach Juan Fontanils as the most improved female boxer with great potential to cause an upset in Indonesia.

The world No 4 Ratchanok, moving poorly and apparently still struggling with an ankle injury she sustained on Tuesday, was bombarded with powerful smashes by the world No 10 Saina Nehwal of India, who won the match 21-16 21-19 .

“I was not myself. I made too many unforced errors as I let myself under pressure. When you expect so much, you end up in tense and cannot play your standard,” said Ratchanok who vowed to bounce back in the Asian Games later this month.

But Thailand still had one hope left in the women’s doubles. Jongkolphan and Rawinda lived up to their seeded billing as they moved past Maiken Fruegaard and Sara Thygesen of Denmark 21-19 21-13 in 45 minutes.

“We’ve played them many times and knew how to handle them.

But after 17-5 in the first game, we changed some game plan and let them fought back. But we regained our focus and took solid control from then on,” said Jongkolphan, who reached 11 quarter-finals out of 12 events this year with Rawinda.

The Thai pair next face Japan’s 11th-seeded Mayu Matsumoto and Wakana Nagahara, who hold a 2-0 record against them.

In fact, the Japanese duo deprived the Thais of reaching all quarter-finals this year, handing the Thais 21-14 21-18 in the second round of the Indonesia Open in April.

However, Chayanit Chaladchalam and Phataimas Muenwong failed to emulate their two compatriots, losing to Della Destiara Haris and Rizki Amelia Pradipta of Indonesia 21-16 21-12.

In mixed doubles, Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai went down to Denmark’s fourth-seeded Mathias Christiansen and Chirstinna Pedersen 21-15 21-23 21-10.

Clark Kent Apuada, a Filipino-American, overcame the 1:10.48 record set by retired competitive swimmer Michael Phelps in 1995. The young swimmer competed in the 2018 Long Course Meters Far Western International Age Group Championships for the 100-meter butterfly on July 29. He clocked in at 1:09.38, according to a post by the Salinas Aquatic Center MCAT on Facebook.

Image: Facebook/@SalinasValleyAquatics

Apuada’s time slashed off over a second from Phelps’ record, which had gone unbroken even as the competitive swimmer went on to win numerous Olympic medals. Apart from breaking Phelps’ record, the young swimmer also held more than a five-second lead against his peers.

Image: Facebook/@SalinasValleyAquatics

With his skills, Apuada managed to place first in all of the events he competed in. This earned him the high point award. He also has seven gold medals, as reported by local news outlet KION 5/46.

A California resident, Apuada learned how to swim at around age 3. He then started competitive swimming at 7 when he joined the Monterey County Aquatic Team

When not in the water, Apuada, according to one of his coaches, Dia Rianda, who is also the CEO of Salinas Aquatic Center, keeps himself busy with various activities like music and martial arts, as well as scientific and artistic pursuits.

Apuada said it’s been his dream to beat Phelps’ record since he was 7. Now that he’s done it, the young athlete has his eyes set on competing in the Olympics.

Elsewhere, Pep Guardiola finally landed Leicester’s Riyad Mahrez for a club-record fee in an otherwise quiet window so far for City while Arsenal have signed a clutch of players but no marquee names to whet the appetite.

Premier League clubs spent a record £1.4 billion ($1.8 billion, 1.57 million euros)) on players in a summer splurge last year, according to football analysts Deloitte.

But there is nothing so far to match the arrival of Paul Pogba at Manchester United two years ago in a then world-record deal or Alexis Sanchez’s move from the Emirates to Old Trafford in January.

The transfer window closes at 1600 GMT on August 9, a day before the first game of the season, which sees Manchester United take on Leicester City.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp did his business early, bringing in Brazil’s World Cup goalkeeper Alisson just weeks after two shocking errors by Loris Karius in the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid.

He also picked up midfielders Fabinho from Monaco and Naby Keita from RB Leipzig and added Stoke City’s Xherdan Shaqiri to an already formidable array of attacking talent that includes Mohamed Salah.

But the German manager is warning Liverpool not to get carried away with celebrating their success in the transfer market after splurging more than £170 million.

“We need to be ready for the big challenges, the big goals,” he said. “We have to be this angry, aggressive, greedy team full of desire that wants to win each game.

“All the other teams have quality as well so we need to be ready for fights, not celebrating signings and stuff.”

Mourinho, unable to resist an early dig at his rival, said Liverpool’s transfer activity ought to increase expectations of a first top-flight title since 1990.

“With the investments you are making last season and you make now, that will probably be the record of the Premier League this season, a team that was a finalist in the Champions League — you have to say you are a big candidate, you have to win,” Mourinho said during United’s pre-season tour of the United States, during which they were thumped 4-1 by Liverpool.

The United boss himself has cut an increasingly frustrated figure in the build-up to the season, lamenting his failure to land his top targets.

The Portuguese is desperate to close the gap to Guardiola’s side but so far has just picked up Brazil midfielder Fred, who did not play a single minute at the World Cup in Russia, young defender Diogo Dalot from Porto, and veteran goalkeeper Lee Grant.

City, who finished 19 points clear of United last season, have been relatively quiet this time around but they finally snared Mahrez for £60 million, further enhancing their dazzling forward options.

The City boss said he was unfazed by Liverpool’s lavish spending, remaining happy with the nucleus of the squad that romped to the Premier League title.

“Every club does what they believe, I understand completely,” he said. “They are contenders to win the title, Liverpool are always a contender because of the history they have.”

– Hazard to stay? –

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard looked like he could be at the centre of one of the biggest transfer stories of the summer when he hinted at the World Cup he might want a fresh challenge.

His comments sparked speculation he could be off to Real Madrid to replace the departed Cristiano Ronaldo.

The European champions have also been linked with Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and Brazil forward Willian.

Britain’s Sun newspaper reported on Wednesday that Courtois has told Chelsea he will quit the club next year on a free transfer unless they sell him this summer.

The only major signing for the 2016-17 Premier League champions is Brazil midfielder Jorginho from Napoli, with new boss Maurizio Sarri professing himself bored with the transfer market.

Arsenal, preparing for a season under a new manager for the first time for more than two decades, have signed a clutch of players including Switzerland defender Stephan Lichtsteiner but Unai Emery has not yet landed a marquee name.

Tottenham, about to move into a new stadium, are the only one of the top sides not to have signed a single player.

There is still time but the clock is ticking.

Petkovic, ranked 91st, rallied to beat the world number three 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 in a second-round match in the hardcourt tuneup event for the US Open.

“I played OK, could have played better,” Stephens said. “She played  a good match. Today just wasn’t my day. I didn’t serve great. She just played better.”

Stephens, this year’s French Open runner-up and a Miami Open champion in March, was broken twice in both the second and third sets in falling to 3-2 against Petrovic, losing for the first time since their initial meeting in 2011 when the American was only 18.

“Hopefully some things will connect in the next few weeks coming into the US Open,” Stephens said. “Just focus on my game and get in a few more matches.”

Japanese third seed Naomi Osaka, ranked 17th, is the only top-45 player remaining in the women’s draw, which saw reigning Australian Open champion and world number two Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark withdraw because of a right leg injury.

The departure of fifth seed Kyrgios came a week after he retired from an Atlanta Open quarter-final with a hip injury and raises concern over his fitness ahead of the US Open, which starts August 27.

“Absolutely gutted to have to withdraw from @CitiOpen,” Kyrgios tweeted. “I’ve done all I can to get my hip ready but ran out of time. I want to thank Keely (O’Brien, tournament director) & her team for the support and apologise to the fans. I’ll be back!”

Kyrgios reached the third round last month at Wimbledon after semi-final runs at Stuttgart and Queen’s. The 23-year-old from Canberra won his fourth career ATP title in January at Brisbane.

Kyrgios was replaced by 105th-ranked lucky loser Jason Kubler, who was eliminated by fellow Australian James Duckworth 1-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/5).

Defending champion and world number three Alexander Zverev of Germany was set to finish a rain-halted match against Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri after taking the first set Tuesday 6-2.

A victory would lift the top seed into his first ATP matchup against his brother Mischa, the 15th seed who advanced 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) over American Tim Smyczek.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, in his first hardcourt event of a comeback after an 11-month layoff following right hip surgery, faces fellow Briton and fourth seed Kyle Murray in a second-round match.

“This event has been very special to me over the years. I’m excited to be back,” said 14-time major champion Woods, who has climbed from 656th in the world to start the year to 50th — barely making the field for a tournament he has won an astonishing eight times.

That includes his victory in 2013 — his most recent win anywhere.

Since then, Woods has been hampered by the back trouble that led to spinal fusion surgery in April of last year.

“I went from just hoping to be able to play the tour to now that I feel that I can play the tour,” he said. “I certainly can win again.”

And where better to prove that than Firestone?

“It has always been one of my favorite golf courses on the entire tour,” Woods said. “It’s a very simple, straightforward golf course, which we don’t see very often anymore. It’s one of the reasons why I tried so hard to get in this event, is because it does mean something special to me.”

A ninth victory at Firestone would also put Woods closer to his goal of playing in the Ryder Cup — as well as serving as an assistant to US captain Jim Furyk.

“You know he’s going to play well this week,” American Justin Thomas said of Woods.

“This place is like Augusta for him. He could probably take two, three weeks off and he’s going to get it around here fine, because he knows how to. He’s won here as many times as I’ve won everywhere in my career.

“I am surprised he hasn’t mentioned that yet — which is nice,” quipped Thomas, who will play alongside five-time major winner Phil Mickelson in the first two rounds, when Woods tees it up with Australian Jason Day.

– No faking it at Firestone –

World number one Dustin Johnson, who bounced back from his missed cut at Carnoustie with a Canadian Open win last week, hasn’t enjoyed that kind of sustained success in Akron, where his victory in 2016 is his only top-10 finish in eight starts.

“You can’t fake it around here,” Johnson said. “You really know where your game stands when you’re playing this golf course. You’ve got to hit every club in your bag and you’ve got to hit good shots with all of them.”

Francesco Molinari, grouped with Johnson in the first two rounds, hasn’t found Firestone too hospitable, never finishing better than a tie for 15th in seven prior starts.

But the 35-year-old Italian arrives with new confidence after his triumph at Carnoustie, a major breakthrough that followed on the heels of a dominant victory at the Quicken Loans National and a tie for second at the John Deere Classic.

In a season that also included a victory on the European Tour’s BMW Championship, Molinari has risen to a career-high sixth in the world — and reassessed his own abilities.

“When you go out on the course and you’re playing with some of the best players in the world, you confront yourself with them,” Molinari said. “I think a few years back, obviously, I was competing against them, but I always felt like they had something that I didn’t have.

“And now it feels like I can play with them and, you know, I don’t feel intimidated in any way.”