Jang Yu-bin leads Korean charge against Japanese rivals at Shinhan Donghae Open

Jang Yu-bin will battle Japan's top players for the title at the 42nd Shinhan Donghae Open, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.12 million). Jang carded a 4-under-par 68 on Saturday at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in Songdo, Incheon (par 72, 7,502 yards), making five birdies against one bogey. Having cut his score by four strokes in each of the three rounds, he sits at 12-under 204 in a tie for second with Japan's Ohori Yuji. Japan's Sunagawa Kosuke fired the day's best round — a 7-under 65 — to move to 13-under 203 and take a one-stroke lead heading into the final round. "I've been practicing all along to experience and enjoy competing for a win, so tomorrow I want to really enjoy it," Sunagawa said. "I'm really looking forward to it. My game is in good shape right now, and I want to test how far I can go while competing for the title. I'll do my best to win." Kozuma Jinichiro of Japan, who was dropped from LIV Golf this season, moved into sole fourth place at 10-under 206 after a bogey-free round of seven birdies. Co-sanctioned by the Korea Professional Golf Association (KPGA) Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the tournament is a matter of national pride for both tours. South Korea is particularly eager to reclaim the title after Japan's Higa Kazuki took the trophy last year. Jang is leading that charge. Fellow big-hitter Jeong Chan-min also kept Korean hopes alive with a 5-under round Saturday, moving to 9-under 207 in a tie for fifth alongside Ok Tae-hoon, Lee Sang-hee and Lee Tae-hoon of Canada. The final round is shaping up as a fierce Korea-Japan showdown. The Japanese contenders Jang must overcome have been in sharp form this season. Leader Sunagawa has emerged as a dark horse on the JGTO circuit this year, posting a tie for third at the KBC Augusta — where Lee Sang-hee won — along with a tie for fifth at the Maezawa Cup and a tie for sixth at the Kansai Open, stringing together a run of top-10 finishes. Co-leader Ohori is also a formidable presence known for his consistency. He shared the runner-up spot at the Kansai Open this season and has consistently placed near the top of the leaderboard, including a tie for 11th at the Doken Homemate Cup and a tie for 11th at the Mizuno Open. Kozuma, in sole fourth, is the most experienced of the Japanese players in contention. A three-time JGTO winner who also competed on the LIV Golf circuit, he has posted a tie for third at KBC Augusta, a tie for fifth at the Maezawa Cup and a tie for 12th at the Chunichi Crowns this season. His short game ranks among the tour's best — second in average putts (1.69) and first in sand save rate (71.88 percent). Jang's weapons are his power off the tee and aggressive play. After sweeping the KPGA's top honors in the 2024 season — including player of the year and money title — he has already won twice this season, taking the KPGA Classic and the Hana Bank Invitational in June, and leads both the Genesis Points standings (3,642.7 points) and the money list at 589.81 million won. A victory here would make him the first player to reach three wins this season and cement his grip on the individual title race. It would also earn him a two-year JGTO card. "The Japanese players have a delicate touch around the greens," Jang said. "But I think I have a clear edge in the long game. I also like pitch shots inside 100 meters, so I'm confident I won't be outplayed there." Moon Do-yeop, who had led after Saturday's round, dropped two strokes to fall to 8-under 208, joining Hwang Jung-gon, Park Eun-shin, Kim Jae-ho and Japan's Shimoke Suguru in a tie for 11th.

Sept. 13, 2026

Park Ye-ji takes one-stroke lead at KB Financial Group Championship

Park Ye-ji has moved to the top of the leaderboard at the KB Financial Group Golden Life Championship, the third major of the KLPGA Tour season, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.12 million). Park carded a 4-under-par 68 in the third round Saturday at Blackstone Icheon Golf Club (par 72, 6,816 yards) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, posting seven birdies against three bogeys. Her three-round total of 5-under-par 211 puts her one stroke ahead of joint runners-up Park Bo-gyeom and Yoo Seo-yeon 2. Park opened the tournament with an even-par round that left her tied for 20th, then moved up to a share of seventh after a 1-under second round. She surged into sole possession of the lead on moving day with a blistering performance, sinking birdie putts from as close as 50 centimeters to as far as 6 meters. Park traded two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine without making net progress, then dropped another shot with a bogey on the par-4 11th. She reeled off three consecutive birdies on holes 12 through 14, then added back-to-back birdies on 16 and 17 to vault to the top. It was her first made cut at this event, and she has been building momentum ever since. The 172-centimeter-tall former national team member struggled after making her regular-tour debut in 2024, spending time on the second-tier Dream Tour before returning to the main circuit this season. She has recorded three top-10 finishes this year, including a share of second at the Lotte Open in July. "I missed three par putts and found myself at 1-over," Park said. "From that point I refocused and locked in on each shot in front of me, and the birdie putts that wouldn't drop on the front nine started falling one after another on the back. It was a day when I was so completely in the zone that I had no idea how many strokes I was making up." Yoo Seo-yeon 2 climbed into a share of second after a 4-under round fueled by three consecutive birdies on holes 16 through 18, calmly converting putts of 2.5 meters, 1.5 meters and 5 meters on those closing holes. Hong Jin-young 2, who had led after each of the first two rounds with 36 bogey-free holes, gave back four strokes Saturday and sits at 3-under 213, tied for fourth with Lee Ji-hyeon 3. She remains just two shots off the lead, keeping a comeback win well within reach. Seo Gyo-rim, chasing her fifth win of the season, dropped three shots on one birdie and four bogeys to finish at 2-under 214, tied for sixth alongside Bang Sin-sil, Jeon Woo-ri, Seong Eun-jeong and Thailand's Jaravee Boonchant, among others. Money-list leader Kim Min-sol posted an even-par round and sits at 6-over 222, tied for 46th. Noh Seung-hee made a hole-in-one on the par-3 16th hole with a 7-iron from 171 yards and claimed a Mercedes-Benz sedan worth 80 million won as a prize. Noh shot 1-under to move into a share of 15th at even-par 216. She said she had once joked that if she ever made a hole-in-one on a hole with a car as the prize, she would give the car to her mother and retire. "I'll have to put retirement off for now," she said, "but I'm happy I can give my mother a nice car."

Sept. 13, 2026

KBO sets record for fewest games to reach 11 million fans in 2026 season

About 80,000 fans attended Saturday's games, pushing the cumulative total to about 11.05 million The 2026 Korea Baseball Organization season has surpassed 11 million in cumulative attendance in fewer games than any previous season. The KBO announced Saturday that 80,942 fans attended games at four ballparks across the country, bringing the season's cumulative attendance to 11,049,504. The milestone was reached 17 games faster than last year, when the 11 million mark took 643 games to achieve. This season, the KBO has set consecutive records for reaching each 1 million attendance milestone in the fewest games ever, sustaining strong box-office momentum throughout the year. As a result, the league drew 7 million fans in the first half for only the second time in its history and surpassed 10 million attendees for the third consecutive season. Of the 626 games played so far, 298 — about 48 percent — have sold out. At the current pace, the league could surpass last season's single-season sellout record of 331 games. The overall seat occupancy rate stands at 85.2 percent. The Samsung Lions lead all teams in attendance with 1,453,477 fans, while seven other clubs — the LG Twins, Hanwha Eagles, SSG Landers, Lotte Giants, Kia Tigers and Doosan Bears — have each surpassed 1 million.

Sept. 12, 2026

Park Ye-ji takes solo lead at KLPGA KB Financial Group Championship after Round 3

Four-under 68 moves her to 5-under par total; one stroke ahead of Park Bo-gyeom, Yoo Seo-yeon Park Ye-ji surged to the solo lead Saturday in the third round of the KB Financial Golden Life Championship, the third major of the KLPGA Tour season, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.12 million). Playing at Blackstone Golf Club Icheon (par 72) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Park carded seven birdies and three bogeys for a four-under-par 68. Her 54-hole total of five-under-par 211 put her one stroke clear of the joint second-place pairing of Park Bo-gyeom and Yoo Seo-yeon, both at four-under 212. Park opened the tournament with an even-par round that left her tied for 20th, moved up to a share of seventh with a one-under second round, then seized the outright lead on Saturday. A former amateur national team member, Park made her professional tour debut in 2024 but struggled to make an impact, spending much of last season on the second-tier Dream Tour before returning to the main tour this year. She has recorded three top-10 finishes this season, including a runner-up finish at the Lotte Open in July. On the front nine Saturday, Park traded two birdies for two bogeys, then dropped another shot at the par-4 11th. She found her form on the back nine, reeling off three consecutive birdies starting at the par-4 12th, then adding back-to-back birdies at the par-3 16th and par-4 17th to claim the top spot. "After missing about three makeable par putts and falling to over par, I refocused and locked in on each shot in front of me — and the birdie putts that wouldn't drop on the front nine started falling one after another on the back," Park said. "I want to stay deeply focused on my own game without thinking about the score, just like I did on the back nine today." Hong Jin-young, who had led after the first two rounds, dropped four shots to fall into a tie for fourth at three-under 213. Seo Gyo-rim, who leads the season points standings with 519 points on the strength of four wins this year, finished tied for sixth at two-under 214 after giving back three strokes. Noh Seung-hee, who finished the round tied for 15th at even-par 216, recorded her first hole-in-one on the KLPGA Tour when her 7-iron tee shot found the cup at the par-3 16th hole (171 yards), earning her a Mercedes-Benz vehicle worth 80 million won as a prize. "I once joked that if I ever made a hole-in-one on a hole with a car prize, I'd give the car to my mom and retire on the spot — I never thought it would happen this soon," she said. "I'll have to put retirement on hold, but I'm so happy I get to give my mom a nice car." Kim Min-sol, the season's leading money winner with 1.37 billion won from three victories this year, finished tied for 46th at six-over-par 222.

Sept. 12, 2026

Jang Yu-bin sits one shot back after third round of Shinhan Donghae Open

Four-under 68 lifts him to 12-under 204; Kim Sung-hyun withdraws with toe injury Jang Yu-bin moved one step closer to a third KPGA Tour victory this season, sitting in second place after the third round of the 42nd Shinhan Donghae Open, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.12 million). Jang carded a four-under 68 on Saturday at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea's Urban and Links courses (par 72) in Incheon, posting five birdies against one bogey. After sitting tied for third at eight-under 136 through two rounds, Jang moved to 12-under 204 to share second place with Japan's Ohori Yujiro. He trails sole leader Sunagawa Kosuke of Japan — who fired a seven-under round to reach 13-under 203 — by just one stroke heading into the final round. Jang has won twice this season, taking titles at the KPGA Classic and the Hana Bank Invitational in June, and leads the tour in both Genesis Points (3,642.7) and prize money (589.81 million won). Jang built early momentum with birdies at the first (par 4), third (par 5) and sixth (par 4) holes, but dropped his only bogey at the seventh (par 5) after a wayward tee shot into the trees left him needing four strokes to reach the green, finishing the hole with a two-putt. He recovered cleanly on the back nine, draining an approximately four-meter putt for birdie at the 11th (par 4) and picking up another stroke at the 18th (par 5) to close bogey-free and raise expectations heading into the final round. "It's a shame I only made one birdie on the par fives, but everything else was solid overall," Jang said. "Tomorrow I need to stay bogey-free and take as many strokes off as possible on the par fives. Being in the final pairing won't change my strategy." The Shinhan Donghae Open is co-sanctioned by the KPGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization. The winner receives a five-year KPGA Tour exemption along with a two-year JGTO exemption. Jung Chan-min, Ok Tae-hoon, Lee Sang-hee and Lee Tae-hoon of Canada are tied for fifth at nine-under 207, while Moon Do-yeop — who held the outright lead after the second round and is set to represent Korea at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games — slipped to a tie for 11th at eight-under 208 after dropping two shots. Kim Sung-hyun, who is also set to compete at the Asian Games alongside Moon, withdrew with a toe injury after completing holes 10 through 18 on Saturday.

Sept. 12, 2026

Dodgers place Ohtani on 15-day IL with right biceps inflammation

Earliest return Sept. 24; Lauer moved to 60-day IL The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed Shohei Ohtani on the 15-day injured list. The Dodgers announced Saturday (Korean Standard Time) that Ohtani, 32, was placed on the 15-day IL with right biceps inflammation. Left-handed pitcher Erik Lauer, 31, who has been dealing with left elbow inflammation, was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. The IL placement is backdated to Wednesday. Ohtani could return as early as Sept. 24. Ohtani had been absent from the starting lineup in six of the team's seven most recent games due to left knee pain, right biceps inflammation and neck discomfort. In his last seven appearances as a batter, he went 2-for-26 with a .077 average. On the season, Ohtani is hitting .277 (139 hits in 502 at-bats) with 30 home runs and 80 RBIs. As a pitcher, he made 14 starts, going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA. He has not taken the mound since July 4 due to left knee pain and has said he will focus on hitting for the remainder of the season. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said that if tomorrow were a postseason game, Ohtani would be in the lineup. "Fourteen days is a significant amount of time," Roberts said. "He's probably not going to be 100 percent, but I think he'll be in a much better place than he is today and be able to get through the season and beyond." To fill Ohtani's roster spot, the Dodgers called up outfielder Josue De Paula, 21, the club's top prospect, from Double-A Tulsa. The team moved Lauer to the 60-day IL to open a spot on the 40-man roster for De Paula. Lauer pitched for the KIA Tigers in 2024, going 2-2 with a 4.93 ERA in seven appearances. He also started Game 3 of the Korean Series.

Sept. 12, 2026

Hull City fined £30,000 after fans sing homophobic chant following heavy defeat

Three supporters banned for at least 3 years in club's own disciplinary action FA says Hull City failed to manage fans and prevent offensive conduct Club condemns chant in 'strongest possible terms,' calls it potential hate crime Hull City have been fined 30,000 pounds ($38,000) after home supporters sang a homophobic chant during an FA Cup match. According to the BBC, the Football Association imposed the fine over a chant heard at MKM Stadium during an FA Cup match in February. Hull City lost the match 4-0 to Chelsea. During the game, some home supporters sang a homophobic chant. In-stadium announcements and scoreboard messages urged fans to stop, but the chanting continued. The FA referred Hull City to a disciplinary commission, saying the club had failed "to ensure that spectators and supporters refrain from conduct that is improper, offensive, indecent or obscene, including any reference, whether express or implied, to sexual orientation." Hull City accepted the charge and agreed to pay the fine. The club also handed bans of at least three years to three supporters identified as having led the chanting. In a statement, the club said it "condemns in the strongest possible terms the offensive and inappropriate language used by supporters," adding that the chant "constitutes recognized homophobic language." The club also said the conduct "may constitute a hate crime." Hull City warned that those who use the chant could face criminal prosecution, and told supporters that "hate speech of any kind will not be tolerated or overlooked under any circumstances."

Sept. 12, 2026

Hong Jin-young 2 leads for second straight day with bogey-free 36 holes

Hong Jin-young 2 held the lead for the second straight day at the KB Financial Group Golden Life Championship, the third major of the KLPGA Tour season, carding 36 bogey-free holes over the first two rounds. Playing Friday at Blackstone Golf Club Icheon (par 72, 6,816 yards) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, Hong made two birdies without a bogey to move to 7-under-par 137, two strokes clear of the field heading into the weekend. Hong, the granddaughter of the late professional golfer Hong Deok-san — who served as the eighth president of the Korea Professional Golfers' Association — has played flawless golf over the opening two days, collecting seven birdies without a single bogey. She joined the KLPGA Tour in 2022 and has yet to win on the main tour. Blackstone Icheon is widely regarded as one of the toughest courses on tour, with deep rough and severely undulating greens that regularly push scores over par. Hong showcased precise course management and a steady short game to keep her card clean for a second straight day. She made steady pars before sticking her approach to within 3 meters of the pin on the par-4 8th hole for her first birdie, then drained a demanding 9-meter putt on the par-4 14th for her second. "The early going was much tougher than yesterday," Hong said after her round. "My tee shots kept missing the fairway and finding the rough, and I ended up in bunkers too, leaving myself long par putts — there were a lot of tight spots." She added: "Still, I'm proud of how I held on through every crisis to post back-to-back bogey-free rounds." Seo Gyo-rim, chasing her fifth win of the season, carded four birdies and a double bogey for a net two-under round, moving to 5-under 139 and into a share of second place alongside Choi Ga-bin and Park Bo-gyeom. Seo picked up a birdie on the front nine before her tee shot on the par-4 10th found a fairway bunker; her second shot then caught the rough, leading to a double bogey. She recovered with three birdies over the remaining holes to limit the damage. "Apart from the 10th, it was close to a perfect round," Seo said. "I made a big mistake there, but I didn't let it rattle me — finishing with three birdies down the stretch feels great." She added that she was confident of winning back-to-back majors. "I'll play the same way over the final two days: protect when I need to and attack when the chance comes." Bang Shin-sil sits alone in fifth at 4-under 140 after a bogey-free round of three birdies. She birdied the 7th and 8th holes in succession, then stuck her approach to within 2 meters on the par-4 17th for her third birdie of the day. Meanwhile, Kim Min-sol — Seo's rival in the individual title race — scraped through the cut after dropping two more strokes Saturday, a day after losing four shots Friday. Kim finished at 6-over 150, tied for 58th.

Sept. 12, 2026

Moon Do-yup surges to lead at Shinhan Donghae Open, edging out Japanese rivals

Moon Do-yup holds a one-stroke lead at the 42nd Shinhan Donghae Open, a co-sanctioned event on the Korean and Japanese men's tours, with two weeks to go before his Asian Games debut. The tournament carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.12 million). Moon carded a 7-under-par 65 on Friday at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea's Urban Links course in Songdo, Incheon — a par-72 layout stretching 7,502 yards — with nine birdies against two bogeys. His two-round total of 10-under 134 puts him one stroke ahead of Japan's Ohori Yuijiro heading into the weekend. Moon drove his round with precise iron play and steady putting, birdieing all four par-3 holes — widely regarded as the most demanding on the course for professionals. He made four birdies and two bogeys on the front nine for a net gain of two strokes, then turned up the pressure on the back nine with five birdies and no bogeys. He closed with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th holes, holing putts of 3.3 meters and 4.5 meters to vault to the top of the leaderboard. Moon will compete at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, which open Sept. 30, alongside Kim Ju-hyung and Kim Sung-hyun, with the team targeting gold in both the individual and team events. His experience competing against world-class players on the LIV Golf circuit this season is expected to serve him well. "Playing against top players in the world, what I took away was how important it is to control momentum," Moon said. "The top-ranked players recover well with their short game when they make mistakes, and when opportunities come, they hole the putts and really ride the momentum. I was reminded again just how crucial the short game is." Moon also spoke about his mindset heading into the Asian Games. "There are about two weeks left before the Asian Games, and I'd like to go in with my confidence up," he said. "The Japanese players are our rivals — they're truly outstanding, and they'll have home advantage, so I expect them to put on a strong showing." Ok Tae-hoon fired a sizzling front-nine 29 — seven birdies, no bogeys — on his way to a 6-under 66, and sits in a tie for third at 8-under 136 alongside Jang Yu-bin, who has posted back-to-back 4-under rounds. Ok, who started on the 10th hole, reeled off five consecutive birdies from the 14th hole and added two more on the 17th and 18th, but a double bogey on the par-4 sixth hole on the back nine — after finding the rough — cost him a chance at the lead. The winner will receive 300 million won along with a five-year KPGA Tour exemption and a two-year Japan Golf Tour Organization exemption. Lee Sang-hee, who won the KBC Augusta on the Japan Tour on Aug. 30, shot a 5-under 67 and is tied for fifth at 7-under 137 alongside Jeon Jae-han and Lee Tae-hoon of Canada. Kim Bi-o carded back-to-back 3-under 69s to sit at 6-under 138, tied for eighth with Hwang Jung-gon, Park Eun-shin and Japan's Sunagawa Kosuke. Park Sang-hyun, who shared fourth place one stroke off the lead after the opening round, fell to a tie for 33rd at 2-under 142 after dropping two strokes.

Sept. 12, 2026

Moon Do-yeop takes solo lead at 42nd Shinhan Donghae Open

9 birdies, 2 bogeys, 7-under 65 in round 2 Moves from T-10 on Thursday to sole leader by one stroke 'I want to build confidence before the Asian Games' Moon Do-yeop, who will represent South Korea in men's golf at the 2026 Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, surged to the solo lead Friday after a blistering second round at the 42nd Shinhan Donghae Open, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.12 million). Playing at Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea (par 72) in Incheon, Moon carded nine birdies against two bogeys for a 7-under 65. After opening with a 3-under 69 that left him tied for 10th, Moon moved to 10-under 134 for the tournament and holds a one-stroke lead over Japan's Ohori Yuijiro, who sits second at 9-under 135. Moon's round was not without early turbulence — a bogey on the par-4 2nd was offset by a birdie on the par-5 3rd, only for him to drop another shot on the par-4 4th. He steadied himself by sticking his tee shot to within 1.2 meters on the par-3 5th for birdie, then added consecutive birdies on the par-5 7th and par-3 8th to turn the momentum. On the back nine, Moon birdied the par-4 12th and par-3 13th in succession, then picked up another shot on the par-5 15th. He kept his foot on the accelerator down the stretch, birdieing the par-3 17th before draining an approximately 4.5-meter putt on the par-5 18th to close out his round in style and lock up the solo lead. A six-time winner on the KPGA Tour, Moon is chasing his first title in four months since the North Gyeongsang Province Open in May. He earned his spot in the Asian Games men's golf field through the world rankings and, at 34, will wear the national team uniform for the first time when the event tees off Sept. 30. The Shinhan Donghae Open is co-sanctioned by the KPGA Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organization, serving as a pre-Games showdown between Korean and Japanese tour players. "My tee shots, iron play and putting all came together today," Moon said. "I'll keep working on my strategy and stay prepared after Saturday." He added: "The Asian Games are about two weeks away, and I'd like to go in with my confidence as high as possible." Ohori, who had led after Thursday's opening round, carded a 4-under 68 but was overtaken by Moon and finished the halfway mark in second. Jang Yu-bin, a two-time winner on the KPGA Tour this season, and Ok Tae-hoon, last season's tour points champion, share third place at 8-under 136. Lee Sang-hee, Jeon Jae-han and Lee Tae-hoon (Canada) are tied for fifth at 7-under 137, while Kim Bi-o, Hwang Jung-gon and Park Eun-shin are among a group tied for eighth at 6-under 138.

Sept. 11, 2026

Hong Jin-young leads KLPGA KB Financial Golden Life Championship after round 2

'Proud of two straight bogey-free rounds,' says leader; Seo Kyo-rim moves into share of second with fifth win in sight Hong Jin-young held the lead for a second straight day at the KB Financial Golden Life Championship, the third major of the KLPGA Tour season, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.12 million). Playing at Blackstone Golf Club Icheon (par 72) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Friday, Hong carded a 2-under-par 70 in the second round, posting two birdies with no bogeys. Having opened with a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 in round one, Hong sits atop the leaderboard at 7-under-par 137 through 36 holes. She is chasing her first win since joining the full KLPGA Tour in 2022. Starting from the first hole, Hong drained a birdie putt of nearly 3 meters on the par-4 eighth hole, then kept making pars before sinking a putt of just over 8 meters for another birdie on the par-4 14th. "My tee shots often missed the fairway and found the rough or bunkers, so there were plenty of tough spots, but I'm proud of getting through each one with bogey-free play two days in a row," Hong said. "Staying mentally sharp over the final two rounds is what matters most. I'll focus on keeping my putting touch calm and steady through the weekend." Seo Kyo-rim, who leads the season's player-of-the-year points standings with 519 points and ranks second in prize money at 1.32 billion won, carded one double bogey and four birdies for a 2-under round Friday, joining Park Bo-gyeom and Choi Ga-bin in a share of second place at 5-under-par 139. "On the 10th hole, my tee shot went into a bunker and then my second shot unexpectedly curled hard to the left," Seo said. "Still, I'm happy I picked up three birdies down the stretch. Over the final two rounds I'll play flexibly — when chances come, I'll make sure to take them." Bang Sin-sil is in fifth place at 4-under-par 140, and Han Jin-sun is sixth at 2-under-par 142. Choi Ye-rim, who claimed her first career win on the full tour at last week's OK Savings Bank Utman Open, finished the second round in a share of seventh at 1-under-par 143. Kim Min-sol, who has three wins this season and is locked in a tight race with Seo for the player-of-the-year and prize-money titles, dropped two strokes Friday and barely made the cut, finishing in a share of 58th at 6-over-par 150.

Sept. 11, 2026

Taebaek secures hosting rights for 2027, 2028 college soccer championship

Taebaek has secured the foundation to host the Autumn University Football Federation Championship in 2027 and 2028, building on 18 years of experience and credibility as the tournament's home. The city is further cementing its standing as the premier host city for collegiate soccer in South Korea. The Autumn University Football Federation Championship is one of the country's top college soccer tournaments, drawing university teams from across the nation. Each summer, the event brings a large number of players, coaches and officials to Taebaek, contributing significantly to the local economy through spending on accommodation, dining and tourism. Taebaek announced Friday that it signed an MOU with the Korea University Football Federation and the Taebaek City Football Association on Thursday at the Jangseong Hilbing Lounge — located on the first floor of a local cultural platform — to ensure the successful staging of the 63rd and 64th editions of the championship. Taebaek Mayor Lee Sang-ho, Korea University Football Federation President Park Han-dong and Taebaek City Football Association President Shin Hyo-tae attended the signing ceremony, along with other officials. Under the agreement, Taebaek will provide administrative and fiscal support for the smooth operation of the tournament, maintain sports venues and facilities, and ensure the convenience of participating teams. The Korea University Football Federation and the Taebaek City Football Association agreed to build a close cooperative framework to ensure the events are held successfully. "It is very meaningful that we will host the Autumn University Football Federation Championship in 2027 and 2028 — a tournament that has played a major role in boosting the local economy during the summer," Mayor Lee said. "We will do our utmost to maintain sports facilities and provide administrative support so the events can be held successfully, and we will continue to actively attract national-level sports competitions and training camps to drive economic vitality through sports."

Sept. 11, 2026

Silva, Delgado set for knockout artists' showdown

'Mad dog' Silva: 'I have to trust the madness in me' Delgado vows 'most vicious finish' fans have seen UFC featherweights Jean Silva (29, Brazil) and Jose Miguel Delgado (28, US/Mexico) could not be more different in how they sell a fight. Silva transforms into what he calls a "mad dog" once he steps into the cage, while Delgado has promised to deliver the most brutal finish of his career. The question is what the pairing of two knockout artists will produce inside the octagon. UFC will hold "Noche UFC: Silva vs. Delgado" on Sunday (Korean Standard Time) at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona. The event marks the fourth edition of Noche UFC, the promotion's annual card celebrating Mexican Independence Day. Silva (17-3), headlining Noche UFC for the second consecutive year, ranks third all-time among UFC featherweights with 1.55 knockdowns landed per 15 minutes. Delgado (12-2) sits fifth in the same category at 1.24. Twelve of Silva's 17 wins have come by knockout, while six of Delgado's 12 have ended the same way — finish rates of 88 percent and 83 percent, respectively, that mark both men as explosive finishers. Silva is known for a signature cage-side ritual: crouching down and barking like a dog at his opponent just before the bell. What starts as laughter from the crowd, unsure whether it is a joke, quickly turns serious once he unleashes his attacks. Ranked No. 6 in the featherweight division and among the contenders for a future title shot, Silva predicted a knockout finish. "I merely have to trust the madness in me," he said. "Trusting the madness in me and continuing to dream — that is my job." Delgado, wary of his opponent, said, "The only way to describe him is a pit bull." Still, he promised, "I am going to show the most vicious finish you have ever seen." The bout came together after Silva's original opponent, Yair Rodriguez, withdrew a month earlier. "This is exactly what I wanted," Delgado said of accepting the short-notice offer. "I called for a chance to become great, and for years I called for Jean Silva." "I applaud this tough guy for accepting the fight four weeks out," Silva said. "Delgado might think this is just an opportunity that fell into his lap by chance, but my strategy is set, it suits his style well, and this is going to be a great fight," he added, expressing confidence. In the co-main event, two-time former UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno (32, Mexico) will face Joseph Morales (32, US/Mexico), winner of "The Ultimate Fighter" season 33 flyweight tournament. The event's main card will stream exclusively on Tving starting at 6 a.m. Sunday. Silva is scheduled to visit South Korea to meet fans after the event.

Sept. 11, 2026

Road FC champion Kim Su-cheol to fight in Japan's Rizin in November

International bout against DEEP's active champion Fukuda Unification title fight against Kim Hyun-woo also awaits Road FC bantamweight champion Kim Su-cheol, 35, will compete in Japan's Rizin promotion. Kim will face DEEP bantamweight champion Fukuda Ryuya, 34, of Japan in a bantamweight bout at the Rizin 55 event on Nov. 8 at LaLa Arena Tokyo-Bay in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Known as Road FC's most prolific fighter, Kim is a veteran who has long held top positions on both domestic and international stages. He has previously held the Rizin ON featherweight title, the ONE Championship bantamweight title in Singapore and the Road FC featherweight title. Kim has competed consistently in Rizin, widely regarded as a major global promotion, since 2015 and fought for the bantamweight title there in 2024. Fukuda, his upcoming opponent, made his debut in 2011 and has since built a record of 26 wins, 10 losses and one draw over 37 fights. Striking is his strength, with 13 of his 26 career wins coming by knockout. Fukuda's résumé rivals Kim's in its own right. The current DEEP bantamweight champion held the Shooto title in 2020 and fought for the Rizin bantamweight title last year. Through Road FC's event organizers, Kim offered a brief statement of resolve, saying, "I will prepare hard and show a good performance." Meanwhile, Kim is set to fight interim champion Kim Hyun-woo for the Road FC bantamweight unification title as early as the beginning of next year. Kim Hyun-woo earned the right to the unification bout after defeating Yang Ji-yong last month to claim the interim title at Road FC 078.

Sept. 11, 2026

Rizin champion Shaidulaev claims PFL belt too, beats McKee

Stays 20-0, but decision win ends 100% finish streak No UFC move; fighter appears headed to PFL instead Rajabali Shaidulaev, 25, of Kyrgyzstan, a rising star groomed by Japan's major mixed martial arts promotion Rizin, has now wrapped a PFL championship belt around his waist as well. The fighter, undefeated in 20 bouts, has also signaled a move to North America through PFL. Shaidulaev defended his Rizin featherweight title while simultaneously claiming the vacant PFL featherweight championship, beating former Bellator champion AJ McKee by unanimous decision in the main event of Super Rizin 5 at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Thursday. Tagged as the favorite going in, Shaidulaev faced an early scare, getting dropped by a precise one-two from McKee. He fired right back, however, hoisting McKee up and slamming him down to the canvas. From there, Shaidulaev took control of the fight. Employing his signature ground game, he chipped away at McKee with short punches and elbows from top position, a pattern that continued through the second and third rounds. McKee briefly took Shaidulaev's back in the third round but could not hold the position. With 90 seconds left in the fight, Shaidulaev scored a takedown and controlled McKee until the final bell. All three judges scored the bout 30-27 in favor of Shaidulaev. Shaidulaev has one fight remaining on his Rizin contract and is expected to face Kyoma Akimoto at the promotion's New Year's Eve event. The win pushed Shaidulaev's record to 20-0. However, it also marked his first career decision victory, ending a 100 percent finish rate that had included seven knockouts and 12 submissions. Even so, his record remains dominant, and given that he is only 25, he stands out as an increasingly attractive prospect for larger organizations. Shaidulaev is expected to shift his focus to PFL afterward and compete in earnest in North America. According to MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, Shaidulaev recently signed a two-year deal with MVP, an emerging MMA promotion known for streaming its events on Netflix. MVP merged with PFL in July and took over its operations. Meanwhile, in the co-main event, Japanese MMA star Mikuru Asakura, 34, knocked out veteran Shinya Aoki, 43, by first-round TKO. Aoki was making his return to the Rizin ring after 11 years. Asakura had challenged Shaidulaev in his previous fight, at the New Year's Eve event in December 2025, but lost by first-round TKO after being knocked unconscious.

Sept. 11, 2026

Breakers open Round 3 with statement win over Woori Financial Capital

Breakers beat Round 1 champion Woori Financial Capital 4:3 NH Nonghyup Card halts Huons' bid for 11th straight win Breakers announced a bright start to Round 3 of the team league by defeating Woori Financial Capital. NH Nonghyup Card halted Huons' bid for an 11th consecutive win. Breakers defeated Woori Financial Capital 4:3 in a full match on day one of the Welcome Savings Bank PBA Team League Pohang City Tour 2026-2027. The match was held Thursday at the Pohang Sports Complex indoor gymnasium in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province. The win marked Breakers' first victory over Woori Financial Capital. The team had suffered lopsided defeats in the previous two rounds, losing 1:4 in Round 1 and 0:4 in Round 2. Breakers took early control, building a 3:1 set lead, but then dropped three straight sets, forcing a decisive seventh set. Team leader Lee Seung-jin sealed Breakers' first win of Round 3, defeating the formidable Lee Sang-dae 11-6 in the 10th inning of the high-pressure final set. NH Nonghyup Card holds the record for the longest winning streak in team league history, with 14 consecutive wins in the 2023-24 season. The team stopped Huons' bid to extend its 10-game winning streak, defeating Huons 4:1. In the first set, Cho Jae-ho and Ma Min-kkeom (Vietnam) lost to Kang Dong-gung and Ngo Dinh Nai (Vietnam) 8-11 in the ninth inning. NH Nonghyup Card then went on to win all four remaining sets. Kim Min-a claimed two set wins, in the second and fourth sets, leading her team to victory. Hana Card got off to a strong start, sweeping SY 4:0, while Harim also opened the round with a win, defeating Crown Haitai 4:1. Hi1 Resort, powered by Lee Mi-rae's two set wins, defeated Welcome Savings Bank 4:2.

Sept. 11, 2026

Costa's heart has left UFC — will his body follow?

'I've asked to end my contract for months' 'I wanted a big fight but got only a short-notice offer' UFC star Paulo Costa said he has asked UFC several times to terminate his contract, only to be turned down each time. He currently has just one fight left on his UFC deal. Costa recently aired his frustration with the promotion. When women's flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko withdrew from UFC 332 on Oct. 3 (local time) due to injury, he offered to step in as the main-event fighter, but UFC declined. Instead, the promotion booked a championship bout between Wang Cong and Natalia Silva for the belt Shevchenko had vacated. The decision drew considerable criticism. Many argued that Wang Cong, who has a modest 5-1 record and no main-card experience, was not qualified to headline a numbered event. Amid the backlash, Costa asked to take the main event himself. He proposed UFC create an interim light heavyweight title and stage the bout as a title fight, but he was rejected again. That appears to have been the tipping point for Costa, who has since turned decisively away from UFC. He has also gone public with his frustrations over being unable to secure fights, hinting he may leave the promotion. In a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, Costa said he has only one fight remaining on his current deal and has already asked UFC multiple times to release him from it. "We already asked to be released from the contract, but UFC refused. UFC said, 'No, you need to fight at least one more time,'" Costa said. "Honestly, I've asked several times. The most recent time was just a few days ago." Costa said that while continuing to press for a contract termination, he also asked UFC to keep booking him fights starting in May, but the promotion never did. "The first thing UFC offered was fighting Magomed Ankalaev in Abu Dhabi five days before the event," he said. "I turned down that fight, since there wasn't even time to prepare, and asked for a proper date and schedule instead. But UFC never gave me that match." "I said I'd fight in Salt Lake City, California, Noche — anywhere," Costa said, adding that he asked to keep fighting for the interim light heavyweight title at the next event as well. "But for some reason, UFC doesn't want to put the interim light heavyweight title on the line. I think this is a disaster," he said, not hiding his disappointment. Costa has been with UFC for nearly a decade but has fought just 12 times in that span, posting an 8-4 record. In 2020, he earned a middleweight title shot but lost by second-round knockout to then-champion Israel Adesanya. He has tried to work his way back into title contention since, without success. His limited activity — only six fights in the six years since the Adesanya bout — has been a major obstacle. Costa's patience appears to have run out. He now seems to be looking outside UFC for the title shot he wants, and the odds are growing that he will leave the promotion once he fulfills the single fight remaining on his contract. His options are limited, but candidates include PFL, which MVP recently merged into, Japan's Rizin, and a new organization former Bellator President Scott Coker plans to launch later this year. Costa recently signed a management deal with Matchroom Talent Agency, run by boxing promoter Eddie Hearn, who is known for his rivalry with UFC President Dana White. The agency also represents UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall and welterweight contender Ian Machado Garry. Hearn is someone capable of engaging in a tug-of-war with UFC, even to the point of pulling his fighters away from the promotion. "I want big fights. I want to fight famous fighters. I'm in a position now where I can get those big matches, and I want to give fans exciting fights to watch. That's my goal right now," Costa said. What opponent will UFC give Costa for his next fight? Given that he has hinted at leaving, it seems unlikely the promotion will hand him a title-shot opportunity such as an interim championship bout.

Sept. 11, 2026

Bayern Munich rout Bodo/Glimt in UCL opener as Kim Min-jae sits out

German club Bayern Munich cruised to a lopsided victory in their opening match of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) league phase, with defender Kim Min-jae watching from the bench. Bayern thrashed Bodo/Glimt of Norway 5-0 at home at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Friday (Korean Standard Time) in the first round of the 2026-2027 UCL league phase. Michael Olise scored twice to lead the rout. Bayern opened the season with a win and a draw in the German Bundesliga and beat a second-division side in the first round of the DFB Pokal. The club kept their unbeaten run alive with the emphatic result in their UCL opener. Bayern reached the UCL semifinals last season but fell to Paris Saint-Germain of France, missing out on the title. The German giants are now pushing hard to reclaim the European crown for the first time since the 2019-2020 season. Bodo, making their UCL debut last season, caused a stir by upsetting Manchester City of England en route to the round of 16 in the league phase. But the Norwegian club suffered a heavy defeat in their opener this season. Kim, the national team defender who plays for Bayern, was named among the substitutes but did not see the field. Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah started as Bayern's center-back pairing and played the full match. Bayern were unable to break through in the first half but exploded for five goals in the second, after Bodo goalkeeper Nikita Haikin was substituted out with an injury. Jamal Musiala opened the scoring two minutes into the second half, and Harry Kane doubled the lead with a header from a free kick in the 61st minute. Alphonso Davies curled in a left-footed shot from the left side of the penalty arc in the 77th minute, and Olise made it 4-0 with a left-footed strike from distance in the 83rd minute. Unable to respond, Bodo saw their hopes of a comeback further dashed when defender Odin Bjortuft was sent off in the 87th minute. Bayern completed the rout with an additional goal from Olise in stoppage time. Manchester United of the English Premier League beat Sabah of Azerbaijan 4-0 in their return to the UCL league phase after a three-year absence. Manchester United, three-time UCL champions, had been shut out of the tournament for the past two seasons. The club was eliminated in the group stage in the 2023-2024 season amid a poor run in the Premier League. The club marked their return with a dominant win in their opener. Matheus Cunha scored in the 27th minute, followed by Bruno Fernandes in the 42nd and Benjamin Sesko in the 45th. Lisandro Martinez added a goal in the 68th minute as United piled on the goals. Sabah, founded in 2017 and playing in the UCL for the first time, were shut out and suffered a lopsided loss in their opening match. Como of Italy, coached by Cesc Fabregas, beat RB Leipzig of Germany 4-1 in their UCL debut, while Lens of France edged past Slavia Prague of the Czech Republic 3-2. PSV Eindhoven of the Netherlands drew 1-1 with Shakhtar Donetsk of Ukraine, and Fenerbahce of Turkey drew 1-1 with AS Roma of Italy.

Sept. 11, 2026

Seo Kyo-rim ties for 2nd after Round 1 of KB Financial Championship

Golfer takes strong first step toward fifth win of the season Rival Kim Min-sol struggles to 4-over-par round Seo Kyo-rim grabbed a share of the lead on the opening day of the KB Financial Group Golden Life Championship, the third major of this season's KLPGA Tour, which carries a purse of 1.5 billion won ($1.12 million). Seo shot 3-under-par 69, with four birdies and one bogey, in the first round of the tournament, held at Blackstone Icheon Golf Club (par 72) in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, on Thursday. Seo, who is chasing her fifth win of the season, tied for second place along with Choi Ga-bin, Lee Ji-hyun, Sung Yu-jin and Lee Da-yeon. She was two strokes behind Hong Jin-young, who carded a bogey-free round with five birdies for 5-under-par 67 to take the outright lead. Starting from the 10th hole (par 4), Seo opened with a birdie on her very first hole. She added further birdies on the 12th (par 4) and 15th (par 5), picking up three strokes on the front nine of her round. She made her only bogey on the second hole (par 4) but answered with a birdie on the fifth (par 4) to close out the round positively. Kim Min-sol, Seo's rival in what has been dubbed the "Rim-Sol duel," had a tough start. She managed just one birdie against three bogeys and a double bogey, finishing at 4-over-par 71 to sit in a tie for 67th. Seo, who has four wins this season, and Kim, who has three, are locked in a tight race for the money list and player-of-the-year points lead. In particular, Seo, who won the Korea Women's Open, and Kim, who won the KLPGA Championship, have each claimed one of this year's two majors so far. That adds to the intrigue over who will be the first to reach two major titles this season. Hong Jin-young, who has yet to win since joining the tour in October 2018, put in a strong showing on the opening day. She birdied the first hole, added consecutive birdies on the third and fourth, then picked up another on the eighth (par 4) to seize the outright lead at 5-under-par 67.

Sept. 10, 2026

Seo Gyo-rim eyes top spot, ties for 2nd after Day 1 of KB championship

Seo Gyo-rim, chasing the season's most-wins title, finished tied for second, one stroke behind the leader, after the first round of the KB Financial Group Golden Life Championship, the third major on the KLPGA Tour this season. Seo carded a 3-under-par 69 in the opening round Thursday at Blackstone Icheon Golf Club, a par-72 course in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. She joined Lee Da-yeon, Choi Ga-bin, Lee Ji-hyun3 and Sung Yu-jin in a tie for second. That left her two strokes behind leader Hong Jin-young2, who shot a bogey-free 5-under 67 with five birdies. Seo, who skipped last week's OK Savings Bank Eutman Open and returned to the tour after a two-week break, played with a precision that belied the layoff. She bogeyed the second hole, a par-4, after missing a 2.4-meter par putt. She bounced back on the par-5 fifth by knocking her third shot to within 3 meters of the pin for her first birdie. She added three more birdies on the back nine — from 2 meters on the par-4 10th, 1.3 meters on the par-4 12th and 7.4 meters on the par-5 15th. After the round, Seo said, "Taking a good rest last week actually seemed to sharpen my shot-making. I could not practice much during the break, so I was worried heading into Thursday's round, but I found my rhythm faster than I expected and finished the first round in good spirits." She added, "I expect the winning score to be around 8 to 9 under par. Over the remaining three days, rather than pushing too hard, I plan to play calmly and make sure to protect strokes on the holes where I need to." Seo has already won four times this season. She captured the Celltrion Queens Masters in May, the Inka Finance The Heaven Masters in June and the Mediheal-Hankook Ilbo Championship in August. She added a fourth win at the BC Card-Hankyung 48th KLPGA Championship, the season's second major. A victory this week would set off a string of records for Seo. It would give her five wins in a single season for the first time in four years — a feat last achieved by Park Min-ji, who won six times in 2022. It would also mark her second consecutive major title. A win would also set a new record for the highest single-season prize money total in tour history. Seo, currently second in the prize money rankings, would earn 270 million won ($202,000) for the win, pushing her season earnings to 1.59 billion won. That would break the KLPGA Tour's all-time single-season prize money record of 1.52 billion won, set by Park Min-ji in 2021 — a mark that stood for five years. In addition, a victory would give Seo a springboard to sweep individual titles. She would reclaim the top spot in the prize money rankings from Kim Min-sol, whom she currently trails by 44.86 million won. She would also gain crucial momentum to take the lead in the season points race. Kim Min-sol, Seo's rival, opened with a 4-over 76 to sit in a tie for 67th. She managed just one birdie against three bogeys and a double bogey. Choi Ye-rim, who won last week's OK Savings Bank Eutman Open for her first tour title in nine years since her debut, shot a 1-under 71 to tie for 10th along with Shin Da-in, Kim Min-byul, Lee Se-hee and Bang Shin-sil.

Sept. 10, 2026