Hyo Joo Kim secured a wire-to-wire victory at the LPGA Founders Cup on Sunday, holding off a fierce challenge from Nelly Korda at Sharon Heights to win by a single stroke.

The 30-year-old carded a closing one-over-par 73 to finish the tournament in California at 16 under par.

Despite seeing her initial five-stroke advantage wiped out after just 10 holes, the South Korean showed remarkable resilience to regain the lead.

“I don’t think I was necessarily shaken up or my emotions were all over the place,” Kim said through an interpreter.

“I was just trying to keep my focus on my shots and what I was doing.”

Korda falls short after late miss

American star Korda mounted a phenomenal comeback on the front nine, carding six birdies in an eight-hole stretch to tie the lead.

However, the momentum shifted decisively on the par-three 17th hole.

While Kim executed a brilliant flop shot from deep rough to save par, her playing partner missed a crucial three-foot putt to card a costly bogey.

“Obviously, something like 17 stings, so it is what it is,” Korda reflected.

“It’s golf. It’s a quick turnaround. There is next week. So, just going to take all the positives.”

A second Founders crown for Kim

The dramatic finale handed the eight-time LPGA Tour winner a two-shot cushion heading down the 18th hole.

That buffer allowed her the luxury of a closing bogey to safely seal the title.

This triumph marks her first victory since claiming the Ford Championship exactly a year ago.

It is also her second Founders Cup crown, having previously won the event when it was staged in Phoenix in 2015.

World number one finishes outside top 10

Elsewhere on the leaderboard, Sei Young Kim and Jin Hee Im shared third place at 11 under par.

Top-ranked Jeeno Thitikul finished further back in a tie for 14th after a closing 73.

The Founders Cup tournament began in Arizona in 2011 as a tribute to the 13 original founders of the LPGA.

Nineteen-year-old junior flyweight Isis Sio has been placed in a medically induced coma after suffering a severe first-round knockout during a bout in California on Saturday night.

The teenage fighter was knocked unconscious following a series of heavy head shots in her fight against Jocelyn Camarillo in San Bernardino.

Medical personnel attended to the stricken boxer immediately after the bout ended at the National Orange Show Event Center.

She was seen convulsing while being stretchered from the arena and was rushed to the Loma Linda University Health medical center.

ProBoxTV offer prayers for speedy recovery

The weekend bout served as the opening event on a card organised by streaming platform ProBoxTV.

“On behalf of CEO Garry Jonas and the entire ProBox family we are praying for a speedy recovery for Isis Sio,” a statement from the promoter read.

“Ms. Sio is currently in a medically induced coma. Our thoughts are with her and her family at this very difficult time.”

Second consecutive stoppage defeat

Saturday’s distressing incident marks the young competitor’s second consecutive knockout loss.

She had previously been stopped by body punches in January before stepping into the ring against the unbeaten Camarillo.

Her opponent held a flawless six-fight winning streak but had never previously scored a stoppage victory.

The referee waved off the contest just over a minute into the first round.

The junior flyweight recently turned professional and holds a record of one victory alongside three defeats in her brief career.

Two-time major champion Jon Rahm has effectively ended his hopes of competing in the Ryder Cup by withdrawing his appeal against DP World Tour fines linked to his move to LIV Golf.

The Spaniard had been fined an estimated £2.25m for competing in breakaway events without prior permission from the European-based circuit.

He was presented with a pathway to return, provided he paid his financial penalties and agreed to participate in a minimum number of regular tour events.

Stalemate over tournament requirements

Negotiations between the 2023 Masters champion and the tour broke down over the specific number of mandatory appearances required.

The former world number one insisted he was only willing to commit to four European tournaments, while tour officials demanded further participation.

By formally dropping his appeal against the sanctions, the major winner will now remain ineligible for the prestigious biennial transatlantic contest.

Refusal to compromise

Speaking about the ongoing negotiations, the reigning Masters champion expressed his deep frustration with the proposed terms.

“They offered us a deal that I don’t think was right,” Rahm stated.
“I don’t think it’s right that they’re requiring people to play more golf than is already required for the agreement they have with them.”

The lucrative Saudi-backed league already demands a rigorous 14-event global schedule from its contracted athletes.

“Apparently me playing those two extra events is where they’re drawing the line, and I told them I’m not willing to play,” he added.

Impact on European team

The loss of the talismanic European will be a significant blow for captain Luke Donald ahead of next year’s clash against the United States at Bethpage Black.

The ruling also explicitly rules the golfer out of the 2027 edition, which is scheduled to be held at Adare Manor in Ireland.

Despite the bitter impasse, the defiant star confirmed he still intends to play his home national open in Spain.

“If they just reduce it to four events, a lot of this gets cleared up,” he concluded.

Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson has filed lawsuits against the LPGA and USGA after a recent rule change banned her from competing in elite women’s events.

The 33-year-old was previously eligible to play on the professional tour after undergoing gender-affirming surgery in 2021.

However, updated regulations now require all competitors to have been born female or to have fully transitioned before undergoing male puberty.

This strict policy shift officially prevented the athlete from entering qualifiers for the Women’s US Open.

The prestigious major championship was ultimately captured by Swedish star Maja Stark.

Legal challenge launched

Davidson, who previously competed in men’s tournaments until 2015, won the Women’s Classic at Mission Inn Resort and Club earlier this year.

The tournament winner is now seeking unspecified damages while demanding a complete reversal of the current entry criteria.

She argues the updated framework effectively eradicates transgender participation, noting that many regions legally restrict medical interventions for minors.

In a statement addressing the ongoing litigation, the LPGA strongly defended their revised framework.

“The LPGA’s gender policy was developed through a thoughtful, expert-informed process and is grounded in protecting the competitive integrity of elite women’s golf.”

Mental health concerns

Following the initial confirmation of her suspension, the 33-year-old heavily criticised both governing bodies on social media.

She highlighted the severe mental health consequences that exclusionary policies can inflict upon the wider transgender community.

“This happened because of all your silence. And somehow people are surprised the suicide rate for transgender people is around 50%. Situations just like this are part of the reason.”

Tour officials have maintained that the regulatory adjustments were implemented following comprehensive scientific studies and sustained pressure from fellow female competitors.

Despite being the primary individual impacted by the updated guidelines, the former Mission Inn Resort champion claims she was completely excluded from that research process.

“For the record, I was not involved nor asked to be involved in any of the ‘studies’ that any golf organization has just used to ban me, the only active golfer who is actually affected by these policy changes.”

Bryson DeChambeau defeated Jon Rahm on the first play-off hole to secure the inaugural LIV Golf South Africa title in Johannesburg after a challenging week off the course.

The American and the Spanish star both finished on 26 under par following 72 holes of regulation play.

However, the former major champion sealed his second consecutive victory on the breakaway tour with a decisive birdie on the first extra hole.

The triumph marks a fifth career LIV individual title for the tournament winner.

Emotional victory in Johannesburg

A visibly tearful DeChambeau later revealed he had been dealing with unspecified personal difficulties leading up to the event.

“A lot had happened in my life in the last week, I am so grateful for my team and everybody supporting me.”

The victorious captain added that the win had helped put his professional life into perspective.

“Golf is a fickle game, you work so hard at it your whole life and then you realise golf is just golf.”

Team success and future plans

Individual success was mirrored in the team competition as the Crushers secured a narrow one-shot victory.

A combined score of 76 under par saw the quartet of DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Charles Howell III and Anirban Lahiri edge out the Southern Guards.

More than 100,000 spectators were expected to attend the four-day event in the host city.

Following this successful debut, officials have already confirmed the tournament will return to the calendar between 22-25 April in 2027.

“South Africa was unbelievable, it has to be the best LIV Golf event we have ever had.”

The champion concluded by praising the phenomenal atmosphere during the tour’s first visit to the African continent.

Rwanda’s Fanny Utagushimaninde has become the youngest woman to score a Twenty20 international century after hitting an unbeaten 111 on her debut against Ghana in Lagos.

The 15-year-old opening batter reached the milestone off just 59 deliveries during the Nigeria Invitational Women’s T20 Tournament.

Her extraordinary 65-ball knock anchored a comprehensive 122-run victory over the West African side.

“It was a special moment for me and my cricket journey,” she told BBC Sport.
“A dream to achieve it on my debut at 15.”

Shattering international records

At 15 years and 223 days old, the teenager eclipsed the previous record held by Uganda’s Prosscovia Alako.

Alako was over a year older when she registered a hundred against Mali in June 2019.

The Rwandan prodigy also claimed the highest-ever score by a woman on her T20 debut.

That specific accolade previously belonged to Australia legend Karen Rolton, who struck 96 against England back in 2005.

A triumph for grassroots development

This historic achievement highlights the growing strength of the sport in East Africa.

The record-breaker originally discovered the game through a local schools programme supported by the Marylebone Cricket Club Foundation.

“This record-breaking performance is a testament of the hard work and dedication she did put in,” added national coach Leonard Nhamburo.
“It’s something that Fanny earned through years of sacrifice and a true testimony of how development cricket is coming through in Rwanda.”

For context, the men’s equivalent record is currently held by France’s Gustav Mckeon, who scored a century against Switzerland at the age of 18.

Great Britain’s Josh Kerr has completed a remarkable comeback from injury to reclaim the world indoor 3,000m title in Poland.

The 28-year-old crossed the finish line in seven minutes 35.56 seconds to secure his nation’s first medal of the championships.

His stunning victory arrived just six months after a devastating calf tear ruined his 1500m world title defence in Tokyo.

Overpowering Olympic rivals

The highly anticipated final featured a complete line-up of Olympic 1500m medallists going head-to-head for podium positions.

Now a three-time world champion, the resilient athlete timed his decisive move perfectly on the final lap to distance himself from the chasing pack.

American standout Cole Hocker, who previously denied the Briton Olympic gold in 2024, was unable to match the blistering late sprint and settled for silver.

Avenging recent defeats

Hocker had out-kicked his rival earlier this season over two miles at the Millrose Games, setting the stage for a tense rematch.

However, the American found no response to the ultimate dash for gold on the global indoor stage.

Frenchman Yann Schrub completed the medal places by taking a hard-fought bronze behind the leading duo.

This latest triumph elegantly mirrors the gold medal the Scottish runner claimed in the exact same event on home soil in Glasgow two years ago.

World champion Tadej Pogacar overcame a mid-race crash to win his first Milan-San Remo title by half a wheel from Britain’s Tom Pidcock in a dramatic sprint finish.

The four-time Tour de France winner launched a decisive attack with 22km of the gruelling 298km Monument remaining.

Only Pidcock and defending champion Mathieu van der Poel could initially follow the blistering pace.

Poggio climb proves decisive

Two-time winner Van der Poel was eventually dropped on the final ascent of the renowned Poggio.

This left the Slovenian and his British rival to contest a tense two-man finale.

The UAE Team Emirates rider initiated the sprint first, narrowly holding off a fierce challenge as both men threw their bikes toward the line.

Closing in on cycling history

This remarkable victory means the 27-year-old has now conquered four of the five most prestigious one-day races in men’s cycling.

He sits level with Roger de Vlaeminck on 11 total Monument victories.

Only legendary Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx holds more Monument titles with an astonishing 19 career wins.

Crash scare and rival praise

The race favourite achieved this historic feat despite crashing just before the crucial Cipressa climb.

“For a second I thought it was all over but luckily I was quickly back on the bike. Pidcock was really, really strong. I was lucky in the sprint, he’s a really fast guy.”

Tadej Pogacar

Pidcock shows future Monument threat

The Pinarello-Q36.5 rider demonstrated immense technical skill to match the world champion on the treacherous Poggio descent.

While falling just short of becoming the third British winner, the Olympic mountain bike champion cemented his status as a major contender for future classics.

Further back, 2020 winner Wout van Aert sprinted clear of the chasing pack to secure third place.

In the earlier women’s race, Belgium’s Lotte Kopecky took victory on a day marred by a serious crash involving Italian Debora Silvestri.

Men’s Milan-San Remo top results