IN BRIEF (Page 23)

GOLF

Ochoa romps to seventh title of season

PALM DESERT, California: Mexico's Lorena Ochoa underlined her status as the game's leading player by cruising to a four-shot victory at the World Championship on Sunday, her seventh LPGA title of the year.

Playing immaculate golf from tee to green, the 26-year-old from Guadalajara fired a six-under-par 66 - the lowest score of the day - to finish at 18-under 270 at Bighorn Golf Club.

Tied for the overnight lead with Norway's Suzann Pettersen, Ochoa broke clear with two birdies in the first three holes and picked up four more shots after the turn.

South Korea's Kim Mi-hyun birdied the last two holes to secure second place with a 69 and the big-hitting Pettersen had to settle for fifth spot at 12-under after closing with a 72.

LPGA rookie of the year Angela Park of South Korea and compatriot Jang Jeong closed with matching 70s to tie for third at 13-under.

Ochoa was delighted to retain her title and the LPGA player of the year award.

Rugby

Wilkinson admits to semifinal nerves

LONDON: Jonny Wilkinson said his cool exterior belied big-match nerves as he kicked England to victory in the World Cup semifinal against France on Saturday.

Flyhalf Wilkinson, writing in his weekly newspaper column, said he was riddled with tension as he stood over the penalty which would give England an 11-9 advantage late in the game.

Minutes later Wilkinson also kicked a long-range drop goal that gave England a 14-9 victory and place in the final against South Africa.

"Standing over that penalty with five minutes to go, that was nerve-wracking," Wilkinson said in Monday's Times.

"You can feel and see your shirt moving with your heartbeat. As much as people might think that that's your job and you don't look nervous, I tell you; it isn't like that."

Tennis

Sharapova pulls out of Linz Open

LINZ, Austria: Russia's Maria Sharapova has pulled out of the Linz Open WTA tournament due to begin on October 22, the world No 4 said on her internet site on Sunday.

Sharapova, who has also pulled out of the Zurich Open starting on Monday, cited persistent shoulder pain as the reason for her withdrawal.

It means the former Wimbledon and US Open champion is now uncertain for the end of season championships in Madrid from November 6.

Sharapova last played at the Kremlin Cup on October 10 where, as second seed, she was a shock second round casualty of Belarussian Victoria Azarenka, in straight sets 7-6 (11/9), 6-2.

Soccer

Bayern's Klose set to return for Bochum clash

MUNICH, Germany: Miroslav Klose, the Bundesliga's joint top-scorer, is expected to return for Bayern Munich on Saturday when the league leaders tackle VfL Bochum.

Klose, 29, has already scored just eight goals in seven league games this season but the top-scorer at last year's World Cup has been out for three weeks with injured knee ligaments.

Having come through training on Saturday, Klose is expected to return to partner Italian World Cup winner Luca Toni against Bochum and between them the Bayern pair have 16 league goals already this season.

Argentinian midfielder Jose Sosa also took part in training after a long injury lay-off and should be in contention to face Bochum, but Brazilian star Ze Roberto was missing with a dose of flu.

Ghana one victory away from Beijing Olympics

JOHANNESBURG: Ghana is one victory away from a place at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after defeating South Africa 3-1 in Accra Sunday.

The Group A leaders host Nigeria in mid-November and another win will give them an unassailable five-point lead in a mini-league reduced to three teams when Ethiopia withdrew.

Asamoah Gyan was the unlikely two-goal hero as he was not supposed to play having been called up by senior national coach Claude le Roy for a friendly against Jamaica in London.

That fixture was cancelled, allowing Gyan from Italian club Udinese to wreak havoc against South Africa with the opening and closing goals of a lively game staged in perfect conditions.

(China Daily 10/16/2007 page23)