From GOLF.comBEIJING(AP) Irishman Damien McGrane birdied the final two holes Saturday to take a three-stroke lead at the China Open.McGrane shot a final-round 4-under 68 for a three-round total of 205, putting him three strokes ahead of Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera - who led after each of the first two rounds but only managed an even par 72 on Saturday - and England''s Oliver Wilson, who had a 2-under 70.Keep reading....

From ESPN.comBEIJING -- Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera overcame blustery conditions and an attack of nerves to shoot a 3-under-par 69, maintaining a one-stroke lead through two rounds at the China Open on Friday.Lorenzo-Vera dropped four shots but also fired seven birdies in rising afternoon winds at the CBD International course for an 8-under total of 136, one shot ahead of Ireland''s Damien McGrane and Briton Richard Finch.Keep reading....

From ReutersBy John RuwitchSHENZHEN, China (Reuters) - The Chinese government should invest in golf as it does in Olympic sports to help make more accessible a game that is available only to the wealthy, golfing legend Jack Nicklaus said on Thursday.But whether it does or not, the sheer size of the pool of youngsters in China -- 400 million people under 18 -- meant that it was only a matter of time before a Chinese

From ESPN.comBEIJING -- Michael Lorenzo-Vera of France shot 5-under 67 Thursday for a one-stroke lead after the first round of the China Open.Seven players were jammed just behind Lorenzo-Vera at 4-under 68, including Jason Knutzon of the United States, Li Chao of China, Joost Luiten of the Netherlands and Simon Griffiths of England.Griffiths was 7-under after 11 holes and threatened to surpass the tournament''s record low round of 8-under, but had three consecutive bogeys after

From Asiantourmonthly.comAugusta, Georgia, April 13: A gutsy Jeev Milkha Singh fought back from a disastrous opening 10 holes to sign off his Masters campaign with a three-over-par 75 and post his best Major result on Sunday.The Indian star was six-over-par on a windswept day at Augusta National Golf Club before showing steely resolve to hit four brilliant birdies over a five-hole stretch to salvage his round on a day when only four players broke par.Keep

From PGATour.comAUGUSTA, Ga. -- Chinese star Liang Wen-chong will be counting on golf tips from three-time Masters champion Gary Player to spur him to a memorable debut at Augusta National this week.The Asian Tour No. 1 was thrilled to play a practice round with the South African legend and said the experience was priceless as he attempts to become the first player from China to play in all four rounds at the Masters Tournament."He was

From The BBCColin Montgomerie has criticised the Masters organisers for inviting three Asian players for commercial reasons.China''s Liang Wen-Chong, Thailand''s Prayad Marksaeng and Indian Jeev Milkha Singh have been added to the field."It''s a strange way to make up a field for a major championship - TV rights," said the Scot, who failed to qualify.Keep reading...

From Times OnlineThe sport''s advance into the Far East took a significant step last weekend with South Korea''s first European Tour event, but watching the crowds slavishly follow K.J. Choi, the world No6, at the Ballantine''s Championship in Jeju Island, onlookers were prompted to ask whether golf was taking over South Korea or if South Korea was taking over golf.Keep reading....

From ReutersBy Martin PettyBANGKOK (Reuters) - The Asian Tour has accused the Australian PGA of trying to muscle-in on its turf and has asked for urgent talks with golf''s international tour body to settle the issue.Kyi Hla Han, the tour''s executive chairman, said the Australian PGA''s moves to create a regional golf super-circuit were "ignorant" attempts to undermine the Asian Tour."The PGA of Australia has stepped out of its boundaries which the Asian Tour disapproves

From China ViewGUANGZHOU, March 16 (Xinhua) -- Zhang Lianwei retained the title at the Guangzhou golf championship here on Sunday. Zhang held off tenacious challenge from Chan Yihshin and Hsu Mongnan, both from Chinese Taipei, on the China Tour. Keep reading....

From Golf WorldBy Tim Rosaforte"Soccer mom," says K.J. Choi from behind the wheel of his black Escalade. The phrase is 21st century Americana, and so is Choi, cruising through the Houston suburbs in his SUV. The ride is tricked up, with chrome wheels and a killer sound system, but Choi has the volume turned down this February morning. In the captain''s chairs are his kids and their friends, all part of a car pool. The

From The Sporting LifeHome favourite KJ Choi believes the inaugural Ballantine''s Championship can boost opportunities for South Korean golfers and hopes the tournament can enhance his own preparation for The Masters.The 37-year-old is based in Houston, Texas, but is eager to leave an impression on his compatriots with victory in the European Tour''s maiden event in his homeland when the tournament begins on Thursday.Keep reading....

From YahooA crack local contingent is planning to ambush Open champion Padraig Harrington at the European Tour-sanctioned Ballantine''s Championship in South Korea this week.Korea''s most successful golfer KJ Choi will be at the forefront of the home assault at the $2.9 million tournament on the southern resort island of Jeju.Yang Yung-eun, who held off world number one Tiger Woods to win the European Tour''s 2007 season opener at the HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, is

From ESPN.comKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- India''s Arjun Atwal won the $2 million Malaysian Open for the second time on Sunday after beating defending champion Peter Hedblom on the second playoff hole at the Kota Permai Gold Club.Atwal, the 2003 champion, surged up the leaderboard with a final round of eight-under-par 64 to finish at 18-under 270 for the tournament.Overnight leader Hedblom missed a chance to win outright when his birdie putt on the 18th hung

From ESPN.comKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- Defending champion Peter Hedblom shot a bogey-free 65 on Saturday to claim a two-stroke lead going into the final round of the Malaysian Open.The Swede fired five birdies on the back nine to complete his third successive sub-70 round for a total of 17-under 199 on the Kota Permai course in the event sanctioned by the European and Asian tours."Last year was the first time I played good in Malaysia,"

From Super GolfHome favourite Danny Chia carded a five-under par 67 to share the clubhouse lead with overnight leader Nick Dougherty after the second round of the rain-hit Malaysia Open on Friday.Keep reading....

From Golf WorldLast week''s HSBC Women''s Champions event on the LPGA Tour was played in Singapore, bringing an international field and flair to the equipment scene as players vied for one of the most lucrative purses in women''s golf using tools not easily found in the U.S. -- if you can find them at all.OnOff, Grand Prix, Akira, Fourteen and Honma were just a few of the brands stamped on the cavities and soleplates at

From ESPN.comKUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- England''s Nick Dougherty birdied 10 of his first 13 holes in a bid for the first 59 in European tour history, then parred the final five for a 10-under 62 -- good enough for the first-round lead Thursday in the Malaysian Open.He was two shots ahead of Simon Dyson and Marcus Fraser, who both shot 8-under 64s on a day of low scoring.Keep reading....

From ReutersBy Ossian ShineSINGAPORE, March 4 (Reuters) - German automaker Mercedes-Benz has thrown its considerable financial muscle behind a fledgling regional golf tour aimed at developing talent in Southeast Asia.Mercedes were on Tuesday unveiled as tour title sponsor of the ASEAN Golf Tour and, although neither the sponsor nor the tour would reveal the exact sum of sponsorship, an insider told Reuters it was a "seven-figure U.S. dollar deal".Keep reading....

From ESPN.comSINGAPORE -- Triple major champion Vijay Singh has promised to play more on his home circuit after accepting honorary membership on the Asian Tour."It''s an honor," said the 45-year-old Fijian in a news release on Tuesday. "The Asian Tour has grown and it''ll get stronger and stronger."[Executive chairman] Kyi Hla [Han] has done a great job. I''ll try to come back and play here more often and support the Asian Tour," Singh said.Keep reading....

From PGATour.comGURGAON, India -- Korea''s K.J. Choi won the Johnnie Walker Asian Player of the Year award for the second time in his illustrious career during a Bollywood-themed Johnnie Walker Gala Evening on Saturday.Choi, better known as K.J., triumphed twice on the U.S. PGA TOUR last season and broke into the world''s top 10, achievements which earned him the top honor at the Johnnie Walker "Keep Walking" Golf Awards Night.Keep reading....

From GOLF365.comTour commissioner Carolyn Bivens has spoken out at the growing concern at the way the US-based women''s LPGA Tour has been invaded by Asians. "Yes, there is a huge number (of Asian players), but if the LPGA Tour is going to remain home to the best women''s golf in the world, the last thing you want to do is put quotas on it," Bivens told reporters during Thursday''s opening round of the $2 million

From ESPN.comSINGAPORE -- Top-ranked Lorena Ochoa began her season by shooting six birdies to take a one-stroke lead after the first round of the inaugural $2 million HSBC Women''s Champions tournament on Thursday.Ochoa had no bogeys to finish 6-under 66 at Asia''s richest women''s golf event at Tanah Merah Country Club.American Paul Creamer and Japan''s Ai Miyazato both had six birdies and a bogey to share second place, a stroke behind Ochoa.Keep reading....

From USA TodayFINGAL, Australia (AP) — Australia''s Ewan Porter won for the first time in Nationwide and Australasian tour play Sunday, closing with a 6-under 66 for a seven-stroke victory in the Moonah Classic.The 25-year-old Porter, a stroke ahead of Australian countryman Terry Price and Wayne Perske at the start of play Sunday, had a 13-under 275 total on the Peter Thomson-designed Moonah Links Resort course. He opened with rounds of 67, 71 and 71.American

From Europeantour.comChris DiMarco of America and home favourite Yong-eun Yang, one of a select group to have got the better of Tiger Woods in recent times, have added their names to the field for next month’s Ballantine’s Championship.The pair will be joined in the €2 million showpiece - the first European Tour event to be held in Korea - by Ryder Cup winners Thomas Björn and Paul McGinley.Yang became a national hero in his native