Ong gets a fitting professional send-off
Marc Ong, who turns professional in January, gave himself a big boost by winning the Warren-MST Amateur Open in fitting style yesterday.
He held his nerve to beat national team-mate Abdul Hadi in a first-hole play-off at the Warren Golf & Country Club.
Ong, 22, sank a 12-foot downhill birdie putt on the play-off par-four 18th hole to beat Hadi after both players finished on even-par 213.
Lui cracks national U-20 5,000m mark
Singapore middle-distance runner Lui Yuan Chow set a new men's under-20 national record in the Victorian 5,000m Championships in Melbourne yesterday.
The 18-year-old clocked 15min 18.89sec at the Lakeside Stadium to erase the old national U-20 mark of 15:19.0, set by Mirza Namazie in 1967.
The record is pending ratification by Singapore Athletics.
Lui also holds the national U-20 record in the 1,500m event, and the national U-18 records in the 1,500m and 3,000m races.
Spieth, Day outdone by little-known Davis
SYDNEY • Young local golfer Cameron Davis, 22, upstaged Jordan Spieth and Jason Day by shooting an eight-under 63 in benign morning conditions for a two-shot lead after the first round of the Australian Open yesterday.
Day, playing in his home Open for the first time since 2013, also had an early start and carded a 66 for a share of third spot, but defending champion Spieth struggled to a 70 in the afternoon wind.
REUTERS
Niasse banned two games for diving
LONDON • Everton striker Oumar Niasse became the first Premier League football player to be retrospectively banned for simulation, after the FA rejected his appeal against a charge of "successful deception of a match official" in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Crystal Palace.
The 27-year-old fell under minimal contact from Palace defender Scott Dann in the fifth minute to earn a penalty, converted by Leighton Baines, and has been banned for two matches, the FA said in a statement on Wednesday.
REUTERS
Kiwi coach quits after missing out on Russia
WELLINGTON • New Zealand coach Anthony Hudson announced his resignation yesterday in the wake of the All Whites' failure to reach next year's football World Cup Finals.
The team fell at the last qualification hurdle when Peru beat them 2-0 in Lima last week to seal victory in a two-legged intercontinental play-off for a spot at next year's tournament in Russia.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Indonesian cagers get life ban for fixing
JAKARTA • Eight Indonesian pro basketball players and a team official have been banned for life over match-fixing, the league said yesterday, reportedly to help their cash-strapped squad pay salaries.
The members of Siliwangi Bandung were given the boot for throwing at least four games last season. The local media said the players - who were not receiving their full pay - cheated so gamblers could bet on the outcome of the games, with the team taking a cut of the proceeds.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
