42 Friday Sports Friday, March 2, 2018 Former golf No 1 Lydia Ko struggles in Singapore Song hits right notes to forge lead

SINGAPORE: Former world number one Lydia Ko back in 2005 — a move unheard of at the time. laboured to joint 27th place with a one-under 71 The now 28-year-old shot a first-round five- after the first round of the HSBC Women’s World under 67 to sit tied for second with South Korea’s Championship in Singapore yesterday as the Ji Eun-hee. She took time to reflect on the flood of world’s top players struggled to find control under teenagers now involved in the game at the very top Singapore’s signature sultry conditions. level, including 15-year-old Thai amateur sensation Unheralded American Jennifer Song took the Atthaya Thitikul, who is also competing at the Sen- lead with a seven-under par 65 at the end of day tosa Golf Club. one with China’s world number one Feng Shanshan “They are doe-eyed and so full of hope in their left five strokes behind on two-under par. American eyes, everything is great. I’m like: You. Just. Wait. A world number two Lexi Thompson never got hot on couple years,” laughed Wie, who came under in- her way to a three-over 75 as the heavens threat- tense media and public pressure in her early years ened to open and then caused a more than two- on Tour. hour break in play with the last three groups still “But you know, it’s great,” Wie continued. “It’s out on the course. actually refreshing to see Song twiddled her them full of just ‘every- thumbs in the clubhouse thing is new’, and every- then finished off a day thing is untarnished. It’s where there were no I just want actually fun to watch that.” SINGAPORE: Lydia Ko of New Zealand tees off during the round one of the HSBC Women’s World Championship blotches and seven birdies The last event the Ameri- golf tournament in Singapore yesterday. —AFP on the 66th-ranked to take it can won was the 2014 US player’s card at the death Open but there have been as she chased her first- day by day plenty of near misses in just eat and I just watch a lot of Netflix. I’m really In fact pressure so far seems to have had little ever win on the LPGA the years since, including into Riverdale right now. Not too proud of it but effect on the star who last year became the Tour. “I’m not really think- a tied-third at last year’s it’s really good.” youngest known winner of a professional golf tour- ing about winning or any- British Open. This year’s Women’s World Championship nament with a two-shot victory at the Ladies Eu- thing,” said Song. “I just want to take it day by day. A bogey on the last-when she shot a 40-foot has attracted 19 of the world’s top-20 players ropean Thailand Championship in Pattaya-aged “There’s a lot of great players out here, so it’s a birdie putt way wide to the right-took the sheen off but any worries that Thitikul might be overawed just 14 years and four months. golf course where a lot of players can shoot low an otherwise tidy day at the office and Wie said she were blown away when the young Thai-who Thitikul said after her first round that her pre- numbers. So I just need to keep grinding and do the had learnt, over the years, how to better live with won last week’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific event game plan had been to go out there and same thing.” Looming with intent was American life’s disappointments. championship to qualify for the event-saved her enjoy herself. “I just want to have fun,” she said. “I Michelle Wie, once arguably the most famous fe- “I think I do a lot less now,” she said. “I just chill. round with four birdies before signing for a two- sing a little bit, a Thai song that’s funny and helps male player on the planet after turning pro aged 15 I’m just really tired all the time, so I just sleep and I under 70. me calm down when I have a bogey.” —AFP

State University, where Nassar also worked. US Olympic It also spawned lawsuits and criminal and civil investigations. same with the Springboks. There is enough time Committee chief A number of critics, including athletes who New Springboks (before the 2019 World Cup) to get them back on said they were abused and two U.S. senators track.” Former Springboks skipper and loose for- steps down amid - Iowa Republican Joni Ernst and New ward Corne Krige was equally lavish in his praise of Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen - had coach Erasmus the coach who quit as Munster director of rugby late abuse scandal fallout called for the ouster of Blackmun and USOC last year and returned home. board members, accusing them of failing to ‘best in world’ “He is an astute coach with an incredible rugby DENVER: US Olympic Committee Chief Ex- promptly act on complaints raised against brain who always got positive results wherever he ecutive Scott Blackmun is resigning for med- Nassar and fostering a culture of silence. : Johan “Rassie” Erasmus was has coached,” said Krige. “Erasmus will not be able ical reasons, the organization said on “Scott Blackmun’s resignation as CEO of hailed as a coach who can transform struggling to solve all the problems of South African rugby, but Wednesday, following months of sustained the US Olympic Committee is long overdue,” after being confirmed as successor to he might do the Springboks a world of good.” Eras- criticism stemming from the sex abuse scan- John Manly, a lawyer representing 120 of sacked by officials in Johannesburg mus coached the Free State and Western dal involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Nassar’s victims, said in a statement. “Under Province and held several posts with SA Rugby be- yesterday. The Springboks, traditionally the Larry Nassar. his leadership, USOC has focused nearly all fore moving to Ireland two years ago. Columnists strongest rivals to top-ranked New Zealand, have In a statement, the USOC cited Black- its efforts on money and medals while the have also praised the choice of Erasmus, who slumped to sixth in the world rankings with the 2019 mun’s “ongoing health issues” related to safety of our athletes has taken a back seat.” steered Munster to the Pro12 final and the European in Japan on the horizon. prostate cancer, for which he has been re- Shaheen also welcomed the resignation, Rugby Champions Cup semi-finals last season. “So In the last two seasons, the 2015 World Cup ceiving treatment. As part of the same press citing Nassar’s years of abuse. “It’s clear that semi-finalists won only 11 of 25 Tests under Coetzee highly do SA Rugby rate ‘Rassie’ that they did not the culture at the U.S. Olympic Committee even consider other candidates for the position,” release, the group also outlined new reforms and twice conceded 57 points against greatest rivals aimed at protecting its athletes from abuse. desperately needs to change,” she said in a New Zealand. South Africa face top-ranked New wrote Jacques van der Westhuisen in the Johannes- statement. burg Star. The Colorado Springs, Colorado-based Zealand twice and second-place England four times The USOC statement did not address “He takes over at a time when things surely can- USOC, which announced the change less this season, offering huge challenges for the 45- than a week after the Winter Olympic whether the sexual abuse scandal played a year-old former Test loose forward. not get any worse than they already are. So, there is only one way to go... up.” Simnikiwe Xabanisa of the Games ended in Pyeongchang, South Korea, role in Blackmun’s departure. His compensa- Erasmus was scheduled to hold a media confer- had resisted calls to fire Blackmun over the tion in 2016 totaled $1.075 million, according ence later on Thursday. “Technically, there is not a weekly City Press said: “Erasmus possesses the kind of rugby mind that has never seen the inside of a Nassar case. Blackmun, 60, did not attend to USOC tax filings. better coach in South Africa than ‘Rassie’,” said the Games. “Given Scott’s current health situation, we Springbok legend Victor Matfield. “In fact, he is one box.” After running eventual champions New Zealand close in the 2015 World Cup semi-final in The scandal prompted the entire board of have mutually agreed it is in the best interest of the best in the world.” “If Eddie Jones can turn directors at USA Gymnastics, the sport’s of both Scott and the USOC that we identify England around in one season, ‘Rassie’ can do the , South Africa slumped dramatically when Coetzee was hired. —AFP governing body, to resign, along with the new leadership,” USOC Chairman Larry president and athletic director at Michigan Probst said in the statement. —Reuters