IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Golf

Rookie wins in playoff

HAVRE DE GRACE, Maryland: Tour rookie Tseng Ya-ni of Taiwan birdied the fourth hole of a sudden-death playoff against Sweden's Maria Hjorth to win the LPGA Championship on Sunday for her first major title.

The 19-year-old Tseng rolled in a 1.5m putt at the 18th green to clinch victory and become the second-youngest woman to win a major championship. American Morgan Pressel was 18 when she won last year's Kraft Nabisco.

"I was very nervous," Tseng told reporters. "It was my first LPGA playoff. I told myself, it is just like in the amateurs - relax."

The victory, which was also her first on the LPGA Tour, was worth $300,000 to Tseng.

She posted a 4-under-par 68 in the final round to tie 34-year-old Hjorth (71) at 12-under 276 and force the playoff.

Leonard recovers to triumph

MEMPHIS, Tennessee: After throwing away a one-shot lead with two holes to play, American Justin Leonard rolled in a 4.9m birdie putt to win his 12th PGA Tour title in a playoff for the St. Jude Championship on Sunday.

Leonard, who had previously triumphed at the TPC Southwind in 2005, edged out Australian Robert Allenby and Masters champion Trevor Immelman of South Africa at the second extra hole, the par-three 11th.

Allenby, who had won all 10 of his previous playoffs in tournaments worldwide, missed his birdie attempt from 6.7m before Immelman failed to sink his from 11.

The trio had finished the 72 regulation holes at 4-under-par 276 on a difficult day of scoring with hot, swirling breezes and tight pin positions.

Soccer

Donovan earns 100th cap

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey:Landon Donovan earned his 100th cap on Sunday as the United States played to a goalless draw with Argentina in a friendly international football match at Giants Stadium.

Donovan 26, had hoped to reach the century mark when the US played a friendly against England at Wembley last week, but he was sidelined by a groin injury.

With the injury still troubling him, he also sat out Wednesday's match in Spain.

However, Donovan was fit Sunday, and became the first US player to reach the milestone since goalkeepr Kasey Keller, who did so during last year's Gold Cup semifinal victory over Canada.

Keller, the US's all-time leader for goalkeepers in victories, clean sheets and World Cup qualifying appearances, was recognized prior to Sunday's match.

The US opens its 2010 World Cup qaulifying campaign on June 15 against Barbados in Los Angeles.

Argentina faces Ecuador on the same date in a South American qualifying clash.

River Plate crowned

BUENOS AIRES: River Plate won the Argentine Clausura championship with one match to spare on Sunday, beating Olimpo 2-1 with two goals from Diego Buonanotte.

The win took River four points clear of Estudiantes, which blew its chances by drawing 0-0 at home to Colon.

It was its first title in eight championships, considered an eternity for a club which traditionally vies for dominance with arch-rival Boca Juniors, and the second for coach Diego Simeone in his short managerial career.

Simeone, 38, won his first Argentine championship in 2006 with Estudiantes, less than one year after retiring as a player.

Two separate championships - the Apertura and Clausura - are played in the Argentine season which does not have an overall champion.

(China Daily 06/10/2008 page24)