Sports Briefs

BASEBALL

Korea Baseball Organization begins broadcasts in Taiwan

The Korea Baseball Organization began broadcasting games live in Taiwan on Thursday.

A match between the NC Dinos and LG Twins was the first Korean baseball game to be televised in a foreign country.

The Korea Baseball Organization signed a one-year deal with the global sports agency MP & Silva to put one regular season game per day on the Taiwanese station Sportcast. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Dinos starter Wang Wei-chung, the first Taiwanese player in the Korean league, took the mound on Thursday. The Korea Baseball Organization said Sportcast would mostly televise Wang’s starts for the rest of the season.

Sportcast will also stream KBO games on its website and mobile app and put together highlight packages each day.

“We hope this deal will draw international interest in Korean baseball and create opportunities for further globalization of the league,” the organization said in a statement. “We would also like to see more Asian players, such as Wang Wei-chung, in KBO uniforms, and we’ll keep trying to expand our foothold in Asia.”

Milwaukee Brewers send Choi back to the minors

First baseman Choi Ji-man’s second stint with the Milwaukee Brewers lasted but five games.

The Brewers shipped Choi back to the Triple-A Colorado Springs Sky Sox after a 9-2 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks at home on Wednesday. Right hand Zach Davies and first baseman and outfielder Ryan Braun will be activated from the disabled list to start the Brewers’ four-game series against the New York Mets on Thursday.

Choi, along with pitcher Brandon Woodruff, was optioned to the minor leagues to make room for Braun and Davies.

Choi made the Brewers’ opening day roster and went 1-for-1 with a double and a run scored on March 30, only to be sent down to Triple-A the next day.

The 27-year-old was called up last week and played five games in the majors, going 3-for-14 with a home run and RBI. That home run came in his first at-bat back with the Brewers last Friday against the Minnesota Twins.

For the year, Choi has a .267 batting average.

GOLF

BMW to sponsor unnamed LPGA tournament in Busan

BMW will sponsor a new LPGA Tour event to be held in the southeastern Korean port city of Busan, officials said Thursday.

The German automaker agreed to serve as the main sponsor for the $2 million tournament, which will be held at the Asiad Country Club in Busan for three years starting in 2019. The exact name of the tournament will be determined later.

Busan and the LPGA reached an agreement for the tournament in March.

The course will be renamed LPGA International Busan following major renovations by renowned golf course architect Rees Jones.

Yonhap