Sports Briefs

GOLF

Lee Mi-hyang climbs to 33rd in Rolex World Rankings

LPGA golfer Lee Mi-hyang moved up 16 spots on the Rolex World Rankings to 33rd on Monday after her victory at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open over the weekend.

While her compatriot Ryu So-yeon maintains the lead, Lexi Thompson of the United States moved up one spot to second in the world, though she didn’t compete last weekend. Park Sung-hyun, the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open Champion, also moved up to fourth despite missing the Scottish Open.

Korean golfers continue to dominate the LPGA Tour, with five of the top 10 golfers in the world hailing from the country.

By Kang Yoo-rim

BASEBALL

NC Dinos manager takes leave after tumor diagnosis

Manager Kim Kyung-moon of the NC Dinos has been indefinitely sidelined due to a benign brain tumor in his pituitary gland. The Korea Baseball Organization club said that while surgery is not necessary, Kim has been advised to rest.

Kim left Friday’s game against the KT Wiz in Suwon, Gyeonggi, complaining of dizziness and symptoms of acute indigestion. He was admitted to a nearby hospital, and the Dinos said Kim’s condition has improved a great deal over the weekend.

In Kim’s absence, bench coach Kim Pyoung-ho will handle all managerial duties.

Kim, a former defensive catcher, enjoyed a successful 10-year career in the KBO, leading the OB Bears (now Doosan Bears) to their first Korean Series Championship for the first time in KBO history. He has served as manager of the NC Dinos since 2011.

OLYMPICS

U.S. Olympic Committee to host gala at Yongsan base

The United States Olympic Committee will bring an unprecedented gala to the American army base in Yongsan District, central Seoul, to celebrate the PyeongChang Winter Olympics next year.

The Team USA WinterFest event will take place on Feb. 19 to show support for both the Olympic organizers and the 28,500 American troops stationed in Korea, the committee said Tuesday. It will be the first time the committee is holding such a gala at an overseas military base.

Patrick Sandusky, the committee’s chief external affairs officer, pointed out during a press briefing at the base Tuesday that “the connection between Team USA and the military is very, very strong. Fifty-two U.S. athletes participating in the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics had a military background or ties.”

The program will be sponsored by chocolate maker Hershey and will include a concert by American singer-songwriter Rachel Platten as well as an autograph signing event by several U.S. athletes.

The gala will be co-organized by the U.S. Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, better known as the Army MWR.

FIGURE SKATING

American ice dancer earns citizenship to skate for Korea

A U.S.-born ice dancer has acquired a Korean passport ahead of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, a national skating official said Monday.

An official with the Korea Skating Union said the Ministry of Justice approved Alexander Gamelin’s application for special naturalization last Thursday. The 24-year-old will represent his adopted country should he and his partner, Min Yu-ra, qualify for next year’s Winter Olympics.

Gamelin and Min have been skating together since 2015. They have been able to compete under the Korean flag at International Skating Union events because only one member of a tandem has to be Korean.

But at the Olympics, both members of a duo must be Korean nationals to represent the country.

Gamelin and Min failed to earn an Olympic ticket at the world championships this spring. They will enter the final Olympic qualifying event, the Nebelhorn Trophy, in September in Germany. Five Olympic tickets are up for grabs.

Yonhap