Golf

The United States are confident they can mount a strong challenge for the World Cup of Golf at Mission Hills this week and end a nine-year drought since they last took the trophy. Tiger Woods and David Duval notched the 23rd victory for the United States in 2000 in a tournament that has featured stellar US golf names including Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Sam Snead and Ben Hogan since it started in 1953. "I think we are both playing well this year and we are looking to come and play well... Read Full Story

Jiyai Shin and Lorena Ochoa took their battle for LPGA Player of the Year honors down to the wire on Monday in the rain-disrupted LPGA Championship. It was American Kristy McPherson atop the leaderboard on eight-under 136 when the second round concluded on Monday morning, one stroke in front of South Korea's Shin and two ahead of world number one Ochoa of Mexico. McPherson had wrapped up her second round 67 on Sunday, when play resumed in the rain-hit event after a washout on Saturday. Shin... Read Full Story

Kristy McPherson finished off a 5-under 67 in fading sunlight Sunday to take a one-stroke lead in the LPGA Tour Championship before the second round was suspended because of darkness. McPherson was 8 under, one shot ahead of Jiyai Shin — the South Korean star who had two holes to play. Lorena Ochoa, dueling with Shin for the player of the year and scoring title, was two strokes back in a tie for third with one hole to play. Heavy rain swamped the course Friday and Saturday, forcing... Read Full Story

LPGA Tour Championship, Richmond Texas- Sweden's new star Anna Nordqvist won the season ending LPGA Tour Championship on Monday while Lorena Ochoa finished second to earn the top player title for the fourth consecutive year. Playing in her first year as a professional Nordqvist earned her second career victory with a final 7 under par 65 to finish on 13 under par. Nordqvist made it through the season without missing a cut in 15 starts, and also won her first Major, the LPGA Championship... Read Full Story

Italy's Edoardo Molinari defeated Robert Karlsson of Sweden on the second play-off hole to win the Dunlop Phoenix men's golf tournament on Sunday. Molinari's approach shot left him a one-metre birdie putt while Karlsson had four metres for a birdie on the hole. Karlsson missed the shot and then Molinari duly sank it for the victory, which brought him the winner's cheque of 40 million yen (444,000 dollars). "I think I played very well today. Also congratulations for Robert, because he played... Read Full Story

Kristy McPherson completed a five-under 67 as darkness fell Sunday to take the clubhouse lead in the weather-disrupted second round of the LPGA Tour Championship. The American had an eight-under total of 136, while on the course South Korean Jiyai Shin was seven-under for the tournament with two holes remaining when play was halted. Mexico's Lorena Ochoa battling Shin for the Player of the Year title, was six-under with one hole to play. Heavy rain pummelled the Houstonian Country Club... Read Full Story

DUBAI (Reuters) - Britons Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy continued their Race to Dubai battle in Saturday's Dubai World Championship third round. Westwood was pushed all the way again by his arch-rival McIlroy, who leads the European Tour's season-long Race to Dubai. The 20-year-old McIlroy made up the two shots he trailed overnight tournament leader Westwood with a faultless front nine over Jumeirah's Earth course, which included three birdies. However, Westwood then edged past his young... Read Full Story

Lee Westwood made the most of yet another spectacular blowout by Padraig Harrington as he took a two-shot lead at the halfway stage of the 7.5 million dollar Dubai World Championship, the European Tour?s new season-ending championship, here on Friday. The 36-year-old Englishman drained a 20-footer birdie putt on the final hole for a card of three-under par 69, which gave him a two-day total of nine-under 135 and sole position on top of the leaderboard. That came after thrice Major champion... Read Full Story

Edoardo Molinari of Italy hit a two-under-par 69 to snatch the lead after the third round in the Dunlop Phoenix men's golf tournament on Saturday. Starting the day one stroke off the pace, Molinari sank three birdies on the front nine to take the lead before adding one birdie and two bogeys on the back nine for a three-round-total of eight under par 205. For the 28-year-old Molinari, the top money earner on the European challenge tour this season, it was his first appearance in the 200... Read Full Story

More rain and a wet course forced LPGA officials to delay the start of play on Saturday, jeopardizing chances that 72 holes of the season-ending event could be completed this weekend. The tournament was already behind schedule after heavy rain prevented any player from completing the second round on Friday. The first-round leaders had yet to begin their second rounds. The continuation of the second round was rescheduled for Saturday afternoon. World number one Lorena Ochoa, fighting for a... Read Full Story