Sports Briefs

GOLF

Yang Yong-eun wins The Crowns on Japan Tour

Yang Yong-eun won The Crowns on the Japan Golf Tour on Sunday. It was Yang’s first victory since October 2010, when he topped the KPGA Tour’s Kolon Korea Open.

Yang shot a final round of three under par, 69, to finish four shots ahead of runner-ups Hwang Jung-gon of Korea and Anthony Quayle of Australia.

Yang lost his PGA Tour card last season after struggling without any wins, but earned a pass to the Japan Tour in December 2017 to continue his professional career.

The 46-year-old golfer will return to Korea on Thursday to compete in the Korean Tour’s Maekyung Open.

CURLING

Mixed doubles team finishes fourth in world tournament

The Korean mixed doubles team of Jang Hye-ji and Lee Ki-jeong finished fourth after losing to Canada 3-8 in the bronze medal match of the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships in Sweden on Saturday.

After taking an early 2-1 lead, Korea gave away three points to Canada in the fourth and fifth ends. Although the team earned a point in the sixth end to catch up 3-4, Canada scored four points in the seventh end to shut out Korea’s chance at a come-from-behind victory.

In the preliminary round, Korea won all seven games to finish first among the 40 participating teams to advance to the round of 16.

Korea then defeated Finland in the round of 16 and routed Japan in the quarterfinals to advance to the semifinals, but that was the end of Korea’s stride. The team lost to Russia in the semis and Canada in the bronze match.

By Kang Yoo-rim

FOOTBALL

National coach heads to Japan to inspect players

Shin Tae-yong, head coach of the national men’s football team, is in Japan to check players before announcing his squad for the World Cup.

Shin is watching J1 League matches before announcing his World Cup roster on May 14, an official from the Korea Football Association said. The 49-year-old coach attended a match between Vissel Kobe and Kawasaki Frontale at Noevir Stadium in Kobe on Saturday, and watched a match between Gamba Osaka and Sagan Tosu at Suita City Football Stadium on Sunday.

Goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu and midfielder Jung Woo-young play for Vissel Kobe, and Jung Sung-ryong is a goalie for Kawasaki. The football official said the national team’s goalkeeper coach, Kim Hae-woon, is accompanying Shin.

Kim Seung-gyu was Korea’s starting goalkeeper when they faced Northern Ireland and Poland in friendly matches last month.

On Sunday, Shin focused on defender Jeong Seung-hyeon of Sagan Tosu, and forward Hwang Ui-jo of Gamba Osaka. Jeong is being considered as a backup center back for the national team. Jang Hyun-soo of FC Tokyo and Kim Min-jae of the Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have been starting center backs for Korea in recent matches.

Yonhap