Journalist

Kang Sang-heon
  • South Korea Faces Must-Win vs Australia, Needs Big Margin to Reach WBC Quarterfinals
    South Korea Faces Must-Win vs Australia, Needs Big Margin to Reach WBC Quarterfinals South Korea’s national baseball team is on the brink of a fourth straight World Baseball Classic group-stage exit and must win its finale against Australia before turning to tiebreaker math. Even a victory may not be enough. Manager Ryu Ji-hyun’s team plays Australia at 7 p.m. on March 9 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo in its fourth Pool C game of the 2026 WBC. South Korea is 1-2 in pool play. It opened with an 11-4 win over the Czech Republic on March 5, then lost 8-6 to Japan on March 7 and fell 5-4 to Taiwan in the bottom of the 10th inning on March 8. South Korea is fourth in the group behind Japan (3-0), Australia (2-1) and Taiwan (2-2). To reach the quarterfinals in Miami, teams must finish in the top two. That leaves South Korea needing a win over Australia to have any chance. If South Korea beats Australia, South Korea, Australia and Taiwan would all finish 2-2. The tournament’s tiebreakers are head-to-head results, fewest runs allowed, fewest earned runs allowed, batting average and, if needed, a drawing of lots. In a three-way tie, head-to-head does not break the deadlock, so runs allowed becomes decisive. Only games among the tied teams count; results against Japan and the Czech Republic are excluded. South Korea allowed five runs in 10 innings against Taiwan. Taiwan has allowed seven runs in 18 innings against South Korea and Australia, while Australia posted a nine-inning shutout against Taiwan. For South Korea to finish ahead of both Australia and Taiwan, it needs to win a nine-inning game against Australia by at least five runs. Runs allowed also matter: If South Korea gives up three or more, it would trail Taiwan on runs allowed rate. That means South Korea must beat Australia by at least five runs while allowing two or fewer in a nine-inning game to advance to the quarterfinals. South Korea will start left-hander Son Ju-young of the LG Twins, with the team needing to keep runs to a minimum. Son pitched one scoreless inning in relief against Japan on March 7, allowing one hit. Son has performed well in big games, posting a 2.45 ERA in five career KBO postseason appearances. Australia will start left-hander Lachlan Wells of LG. He pitched in South Korea last season as a replacement foreign player for the Kiwoom Heroes and joined LG this season under the league’s Asia quota.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-09 15:00:43
  • Si Woo Kim ties for 13th at Arnold Palmer Invitational; Akshay Bhatia wins in playoff
    Si Woo Kim ties for 13th at Arnold Palmer Invitational; Akshay Bhatia wins in playoff Si Woo Kim finished tied for 13th at the PGA Tour signature event Arnold Palmer Invitational, which has a $20 million purse. Kim shot a 2-under 70 in the final round at Bay Hill Club & Lodge (par 72) in Orlando, Florida, with four birdies and two bogeys. He closed at 5-under 283, tying Viktor Hovland of Norway, Maverick McNealy, Billy Horschel and Daniel Berger of the United States, and Sepp Straka of Austria. The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of the PGA Tour’s top-tier signature events, limited to 72 players. Akshay Bhatia of the United States won the title. Bhatia finished at 15-under 273 and beat Berger on the first hole of a playoff to claim his third career PGA Tour victory, his first in 1 year 11 months. He earned $4 million (about 5.94 billion won) in prize money. All three of Bhatia’s PGA Tour wins have come in playoffs. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler of the United States tied for 24th at 2-under 286. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland withdrew after the second round because of back pain.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-09 10:30:00
  • Seo Seung-jae, Kim Won-ho win second straight All England Open men’s doubles title
    Seo Seung-jae, Kim Won-ho win second straight All England Open men’s doubles title Seo Seung-jae and Kim Won-ho (Samsung Life Insurance) won back-to-back All England Open men’s doubles titles. The world No. 1 pair beat Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik 2-1 (18-21, 21-12, 21-19) in the men’s doubles final of the BWF World Tour Super 1000 event at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England, on March 9 (Korean time). They became the first team in 40 years to repeat as champions at the tournament since Park Joo-bong and Kim Moon-soo won in 1985 and 1986. The two reunited early last year after seven years apart and are regarded as one of South Korea’s top men’s doubles pairings. They reached No. 1 in the world rankings within six months of rejoining and last season won 11 BWF World Tour titles, setting a single-season record. In women’s singles, world No. 1 An Se-young fell short of becoming the first South Korean singles player to win the All England Open in consecutive years. She lost 0-2 (15-21, 19-21) to world No. 2 Wang Zhiyi of China in the final on March 8. An had won all 10 of her previous meetings with Wang, but came up short at the All England. Her unbeaten run since the Denmark Open in October ended at 36 straight wins. In women’s doubles, world No. 4 Baek Ha-na and Lee So-hee (Incheon International Airport) finished runners-up. They lost 0-2 (18-21, 12-21) to world No. 1 Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning of China in the final on March 8. Baek and Lee were seeking their first All England Open title in two years, dating to 2024, but missed out.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-09 09:33:00
  • Kim Seong-hyeon Ties for 42nd at Puerto Rico Open; Ricky Castillo Wins First PGA Tour Title
    Kim Seong-hyeon Ties for 42nd at Puerto Rico Open; Ricky Castillo Wins First PGA Tour Title Kim Seong-hyeon finished in the middle of the standings at the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open, which had a $4 million purse. Kim shot a 1-under 71 in the final round at Grand Reserve Golf Club (par 72) in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, with five birdies and four bogeys. He finished at 6-under 282 and tied for 42nd. Kim was the only South Korean in the field. Ricky Castillo of the United States won with a 17-under 271 total, edging Chandler Blanchet of the United States by one shot (16-under 272). Castillo, born in 2001 and a PGA Tour rookie in the 2004-2005 season, earned his first victory. He took home $720,000 in prize money (about 1.07 billion won). With the win, Castillo also secured spots in next week’s Players Championship and the PGA Championship in May.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-09 08:36:00
  • Mi Hyang Lee Wins Blue Bay LPGA for First Tour Title in 8 Years, 8 Months
    Mi Hyang Lee Wins Blue Bay LPGA for First Tour Title in 8 Years, 8 Months Mi Hyang Lee won on the LPGA Tour for the first time in 8 years and 8 months, capturing the Blue Bay LPGA in China on Saturday. Lee shot a 1-over 73 in the final round at Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course (par 72) in Hainan province, mixing five birdies with two bogeys and two double bogeys in the $2.6 million event. She finished at 11-under 277, edging Zhang Weiwei of China (10-under 278) by one shot. Lee earned $390,000 (about 580 million won). Lee, who debuted on the LPGA Tour in 2012, won her first title at the 2014 Mizuno Classic and last won in July 2017 at the Scotland Open. Saturday’s victory was her third career LPGA title. She also became the first South Korean winner of the 2026 LPGA season, which opened in late January. “I had forgotten what it feels like to win, so I wanted to feel it again,” Lee said in a postround interview with a local broadcaster. “I stayed patient with my caddie. I really wanted to win.” “I’ve had a lot of difficulties over the past few years,” she said, thanking her father, caddie, coach, friends and family. She added that fellow players on tour had consistently encouraged her, saying, “This win is something they made possible.” Hyejin Choi finished tied for fifth at 7-under 281 alongside A Lim Kim, Yu Liu of China and Rio Takeda of Japan. Rookie Yu-min Hwang tied for 18th at 1-under 287 with Ji-eun Shin among others. Rookie Dong-eun Lee, making her LPGA Tour debut, tied for 39th at 4-over 292.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-08 23:36:00
  • South Korea falls to Taiwan in 10 innings, WBC quarterfinal hopes in jeopardy
    South Korea falls to Taiwan in 10 innings, WBC quarterfinal hopes in jeopardy South Korea’s national baseball team suffered a costly loss to Taiwan, putting its bid for the quarterfinals of the 2026 World Baseball Classic in serious doubt. South Korea, managed by Ryu Ji-hyeon, lost 5-4 to Taiwan in 10 innings on March 8 at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, falling in the tiebreaker format that begins with a runner on second base. After beating the Czech Republic 11-4 on March 5, South Korea then lost 8-6 to Japan on March 7 and dropped another game against Taiwan to fall to 1-2. It slipped to fourth in Pool C behind Japan and Australia (both 2-0) and Taiwan (2-2). To reach the quarterfinals in Miami, teams must finish in the top two of the pool. South Korea will be eliminated regardless of its remaining result if Australia beats Japan in their game scheduled for 7 p.m. on March 8. If Australia loses to Japan, South Korea must beat Australia at 7 p.m. on March 9 at the same venue. That outcome would create a three-way tie at 2-2 among South Korea, Australia and Taiwan. In that case, second place would be decided by a tiebreaker comparing the ratio of runs allowed to defensive outs recorded in head-to-head games among the tied teams. South Korea’s pitchers allowed three home runs. Starter Ryu Hyun-jin of the Hanwha Eagles, making his first WBC appearance in 17 years, gave up one run on three hits, including a homer, over three innings. He threw 50 pitches and struck out three. Kwak Bin of the Doosan Bears allowed a solo homer and gave up one run over 3 1/3 innings on two hits. Dane Dunning of the Seattle Mariners, pitching for the first time in the tournament, surrendered a homer and was charged with two runs over 1 2/3 innings on two hits. The offense struggled, managing four hits through 10 innings. Kim Do-yeong had two hits and drove in three runs, but it was not enough. The game turned in the 10th. Taiwan opened the inning with a runner on second and attempted a sacrifice bunt, but South Korea first baseman Shay Whitcomb of the Houston Astros made an errant throw to third, putting runners on first and third with no outs. Taiwan then scored on a bunt toward first base to take a 5-4 lead. South Korea failed to score in the bottom of the 10th and lost the game. 2026-03-08 15:54:00
  • South Korea Blows Late Lead, Loses 8-6 to Japan at WBC for 11th Straight Defeat
    South Korea Blows Late Lead, Loses 8-6 to Japan at WBC for 11th Straight Defeat South Korea’s baseball team again came up short against Japan. South Korea, managed by Ryu Ji-hyeon, lost 8-6 to Japan on March 7 at Tokyo Dome in its second game in Group C of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. After beating the Czech Republic 11-4 on March 5, South Korea fell to 1-1 and sat third in the group behind Japan and Australia, both 2-0. To reach the quarterfinals in Miami, South Korea must finish in the top two. The loss extended South Korea’s losing streak to Japan in official games to 11. South Korea has not beaten Japan since a 4-3 comeback win in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 semifinals. Pitching proved costly. Starter Ko Young-pyo (KT Wiz) did not complete three innings, allowing three home runs and four runs while striking out four in 2 2/3 innings. Reliever Cho Byung-hyun (SSG Landers) followed and gave up a solo homer, allowing one run in 1 1/3 innings. Control issues decided it. With the score tied 5-5, South Korea issued four walks and hit batters in the seventh inning. Park Young-hyun (KT) and Kim Young-gyu (NC Dinos) each allowed two walks as Japan pulled ahead. South Korea’s offense produced nine hits and scored six runs, its most against Japan since a 10-8 loss in the 2019 Premier12 super round. It also surpassed South Korea’s previous single-game high against Japan at the WBC. Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) went 2 for 5 with an RBI and scored twice. Jermaine Jones (Detroit Tigers) went 2 for 5 and scored once. Kim Hye-seong (Los Angeles Dodgers) hit a game-tying two-run homer in the fourth and finished 1 for 4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Japan was led by Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers), who hit a tying home run in the third inning and went 2 for 2 with two walks, an RBI and three runs scored. He was named the game’s MVP. South Korea will play Taiwan at noon March 8 at the same venue in its third group game, needing a win to keep its quarterfinal hopes on track.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-07 22:51:00
  • KPGA Tour Sets 20 Events for 2026 Season With Total Purse of at Least 24.4 Billion Won
    KPGA Tour Sets 20 Events for 2026 Season With Total Purse of at Least 24.4 Billion Won The 2026 Korean Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour will feature 20 tournaments with a total purse of at least 24.4 billion won, the tour said. The Korea Professional Golf Tour (KPGT) announced the 2026 schedule on March 5, saying the average purse per event so far is about 1.28 billion won. It said the season is focused on improving quality and the tour’s structure rather than simply expanding the number of events or total prize money. The season opens April 16-19 at La Vie Est Belle Golf & Resort with the 21st DB Insurance Promy Open, which has a 1 billion won purse. The event has served as the KPGA Tour opener 12 times, from 2014-2019 and from 2021-2026. A run of major events follows in late April and early May. The Woori Financial Championship (1.5 billion won) is set for April 23-26 at Seowon Valley Country Club. The 45th GS Caltex Maekyung Open (1.3 billion won) will be held April 30-May 3 at Namseoul Country Club as a co-sanctioned event by the Korea Golf Association (KGA) and the Asian Tour. In May, the KPGA Founders Cup (700 million won), created to honor founding members who established the KPGA in 1968, will be played May 7-10 at Golfzon County Yeongam45. The KPGA Gyeongbuk Open (700 million won) follows May 14-17 as a four-round event at Golfzon County Seonsan. The Kolon 68th Korea Open returns to Woojeong Hills Country Club on May 21-24. The KGA and Asian Tour co-sanction the event; its 2026 purse will be announced later. Last season it was played for 1.4 billion won. June begins with the 69th KPGA Championship with A-ONE CC, the tour’s longest-running event, on June 4-7 at A-One Country Club. It will offer 1.6 billion won, the largest purse among KPGA-only events. A-One has hosted the championship since 2016, making 2026 the 11th edition there. The KPGA Classic (700 million won) will be held on Jeju Island on June 11-14. The Hana Bank Invitational (1.3 billion won) follows June 18-21 at Namchuncheon Country Club; it shifts this year from a co-sanctioned event with the Japan Tour to a KPGA-only tournament. The first half ends June 25-28 with the KPGA Gunsan CC Open at Gunsan Country Club, with a purse of at least 700 million won. Since 2024, the event has added tournament proceeds and food-and-beverage sales to the purse. The total purse was set at 979,297,000 won in 2024 and 1,000,484,300 won in 2025, and the event plans to add proceeds again this year. The second half begins Aug. 27-30 with a new event, the SBS Open (tentative name), offering 700 million won. Another new tournament with an 800 million won purse is scheduled for Sept. 3-6. The 42nd Shinhan Donghae Open (1.5 billion won) will be played Sept. 10-13 at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea. The event had been co-sanctioned by the KPGA Tour, Japan Tour and Asian Tour through last year, but will shift this year to a two-tour event with the KPGA Tour and Japan Tour. Ahead of Chuseok, the Golfzon Open (1 billion won) is set for Sept. 17-20. The Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Choi Kyung-ju Invitational (1.25 billion won) will be held Oct. 1-4 at Ferrum Club. Another new event with a 700 million won purse is scheduled for Oct. 8-11. The Charity Classic 2026 (1 billion won) will be played Oct. 15-18 at Seowon Valley Country Club. The Genesis Championship will be held Oct. 22-25 at Woojeong Hills Country Club. Co-sanctioned by the KPGA Tour and the DP World Tour, it will offer $4 million (about 5.91512 billion won). The 2026 Lexus Masters (1 billion won) follows Oct. 29-Nov. 1. The season finale, the KPGA Tour Championship in JEJU, will be played Nov. 5-8 at Teddy Valley Golf & Resort on Jeju. Players ranked high in Genesis Points after the Lexus Masters will be eligible, and the purse is 1.1 billion won. KPGT CEO Kim Won-seop said the 2026 season is designed to raise the standard of each event and improve the tour’s structure. “We will add distinctive elements to each tournament and make it a premium stage that creates new value for players, fans and brands,” Kim said. He also thanked title sponsors for their support “under difficult conditions,” and said the association would do everything it can for the sustainable growth of men’s golf in South Korea.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-06 19:30:00
  • South Korea Beats Czech Republic 11-4 in WBC Opener With Four Homers
    South Korea Beats Czech Republic 11-4 in WBC Opener With Four Homers South Korea’s national baseball team opened the 2026 World Baseball Classic with a convincing win. South Korea, managed by Ryu Ji-hyun, beat the Czech Republic 11-4 on March 5 at the Tokyo Dome in Japan in its first Group C game. The victory gave South Korea its first WBC opening-game win since 2009, ending a 17-year drought in tournament openers. South Korea is aiming for a quarterfinal berth after failing to advance past the group stage in each of the last three tournaments (2013, 2017 and 2023). Starter So Hyeong-jun (KT Wiz) threw three scoreless innings, allowing four hits. Noh Kyeong-eun (SSG Landers), Jeong Woo-ju (Hanwha Eagles), Park Young-hyun (KT), Jo Byeong-hyeon (SSG), Kim Young-gyu (NC Dinos) and Yoo Young-chan (LG Twins) each worked one inning in relief. South Korea powered the win with four home runs. Seven of the nine starters had hits, with Kim Do-young (KIA Tigers) and Kim Hye-seong (Los Angeles Dodgers) the only exceptions. Moon Bo-kyung (LG) went 2 for 3 with five RBIs, highlighted by a grand slam. Korean American major leaguer Shea Whitcomb (Houston Astros) hit two homers and drove in three runs, going 2 for 4. Jermai Jones (Detroit Tigers) also homered. Lee Jung-hoo (San Francisco Giants) went 2 for 4. South Korea will play Japan at 7 p.m. on March 7 at the same venue in its second group game. 2026-03-05 22:48:00
  • Korea Golf Course Management Association Unveils Official Mascots
    Korea Golf Course Management Association Unveils Official Mascots The Korea Golf Course Management Association has unveiled its official mascots, “Pilttu” and “Seonggong-i,” as part of an effort to symbolize the future of the golf industry and communicate more closely with golfers. The main character, Pilttu, was introduced on March 4. Its name combines “field” with a Korean term meaning “leader.” Seonggong-i was introduced alongside Pilttu and reflects the message that success is about direction, not speed. The association said it will use the characters’ shared storyline to strengthen golfers’ offline experiences. Using Pilttu’s image, it plans campaigns on ESG (environmental, social and governance), safety and etiquette. Pilttu will also be used as an industry messenger on social media, and the association plans to produce KakaoTalk emoticons using 3D motion to broaden everyday communication. The association also plans to feature 3D versions of the characters in educational guide videos for golf course managers and golfers to make information easier to absorb. It said it will also produce branded goods reflecting the characters’ symbolism to help promote a sustainable golf course culture. Choi Dong-ho, the association’s chairman, said Pilttu and Seonggong-i will be “kind and dependable friends” who bring golfers “a pleasant smile.” He said he hopes the characters will help make golf courses feel more accessible and serve as messengers of a golf culture that people of all ages can enjoy together.* This article has been translated by AI. 2026-03-05 07:58:08