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Japan hails schoolboy as world record breaker
TOKYO: Japanese media hailed 15-year-old schoolboy Ryo Ishikawa as a world record breaker yesterday after his astonishing win at the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup.
Ishikawa fired 69 and 66 on Sunday's final day of the storm-affected tournament to become the youngest winner on the Japanese men's tour with a one-stoke victory.
At 15 years and eight months, the Saitama-born Ishikawa shattered the previous record held by Spain's Seve Ballesteros, who won the 1977 Japan Open at 20 years and seven months.
"New Hero!" declared the Nikkan Sports while the Sankei Sports went even further, calling Ishikawa "More of a genius than Woods!"
"It still hasn't sunk in yet," a beaming Ishikawa told reporters after edging out Katsumasa Miyamoto to finish on 12 under and mark his JGTO Tour debut in remarkable style.
"I never once looked at the scoreboard. I only knew I was leading after I'd holed out. My dad told me I might have a chance playing 36 holes in one day because of my age."
Ishikawa, a former national junior high school champion, received a sponsor's exemption to play in the event and had to begin his third round on Sunday at a little after 6am.
Johnson wins playoff to claim Atlanta Classic
ATLANTA: Masters champion Zach Johnson won a sudden-death playoff over Japan's Ryuji Imada to claim victory in the Atlanta Classic in Duluth, Georgia on Sunday.
The pair finished the four-day event 15-under-par (273), with Johnson firing an impressive round of 67 (five under) on Sunday while Imada needed a birdie on the 18th to force the playoff.
The 20-year-old Imada, whose previous best tour result was fifth, had looked in trouble on the par-five final hole when he overhit his second through the green, but he scrambled home with a superb chip that left him with a simple putt.
The pair returned to the 18th for the playoff but this time there would be no great escape for Imada.
Cahill confident of Asian Cup return
SYDNEY: Australia midfielder Tim Cahill is confident of being fully fit for the Socceroos' Asian Cup campaign in July.
The 27-year-old has been sidelined since breaking a bone in his foot playing for English Premier League club Everton in March.
"I'm very confident of being fit for the Asian Cup, if not before," Cahill told reporters on Monday.
"Everyone knows that if you break a metatarsal bone you are going to be out for a while but my recovery is going really well and I have no pain now."
Cahill, whose season was also disrupted by a knee injury, returned home to Sydney to continue his rehabilitation and has been lifted by a visit from Everton physiotherapist Mick Rathbone.
(China Daily 05/22/2007 page23)
