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Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
New Hui Fen emerges as front runner for PWBA Player of the Year award after US Women's Open win
New Hui Fen won her third PWBA title of 2025 by clinching the PWBA US Women's Open on June 18. PHOTO: SINGAPORE BOWLING FEDERATION New Hui Fen emerges as front runner for PWBA Player of the Year award after US Women's Open win SINGAPORE – Entering the US Women's Open stepladder finals as the lowest-ranked seed, Singapore bowler New Hui Fen knew the odds were stacked against her. But focusing on her 'intention behind each shot', the fifth seed toppled all four bowlers ranked above her en route to clinching one of the Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) tour's major titles for the first time and the winner's Green Jacket. New, who ended with 11 consecutive strikes in the title-decider, proved too strong for American top seed Jordan Snodgrass, prevailing 290-188 to bag the US$60,000 (S$77,100) top prize on June 18. Calling her third PWBA title of the season her best career achievement yet, the 33-year-old said: 'I'm very happy that I've been able to perform consistently this year. 'It feels really great, especially since all the (oiling) patterns were so hard. It feels like a good affirmation that my hard work is paying off.' New's success at Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, Nebraska, which comes after her BowlTV Open and Rock 'n' Roll Open victories on May 31 and June 2 respectively, positions her as the front runner for the PWBA Player of the Year Award . However, she is not getting carried away. 'It's not over yet. There's still a few more competitions to go,' said New, citing the Aug 5-12 PWBA Tour Championship Week, which comprises three events, culminating in the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship. 'I know I will give it my best shot to perform consistently to be able to have a shot at winning it (Player of the Year),' she added. At one stage, though, victory in Nebraska had looked like a long shot. She finished joint-19th with a 6,388 pinfall total after 32 qualifying games to advance to the match-play stage, along with teammate Shayna Ng (6,374), who just made the top-24 cut. After the first of two match-play rounds, New rose to second . But she slipped to fifth in the third round , just enough for her to squeeze into the stepladder finals as the only non-American. Ng finished ninth. While New's chances of winning were slim, as she needed to overcome the four opponents ahead of her in a 10-frame, single-game stepladder format, she maintained a positive outlook. When asked if she felt she had stood a chance as the fifth seed, New said: 'I think everyone had a chance of winning. I was (just) focusing on the intention behind each shot, making sure it's the correct release and with flow.' Maryssa Carey was the first to fall as she was beaten 246-189 by New. The Singaporean then defeated Crystal Elliott 228-183. Halfway through, New realised that 'there was a high chance I could win'. She bested second seed Lauren Russo 262-174 to set up a showdown with Snodgrass, who had won the previous event, the Bowlers Journal Waterloo Open on June 7 . New, who pipped Snodgrass 245-244 in the semi-finals of the Rock 'n' Roll Open, prevailed by a bigger margin against the 2023 PWBA Player of the Year this time as she also set a record. Her four-game stepladder total of 1,026 pinfalls was the highest since the relaunch of the PWBA Tour in 2015 – eclipsing American Bryanna Cote's tally of 1,022 from the 2022 BVL Classic. New's fifth title and second Major triumph, after the 2016 PWBA Tour Championship, means she has met the minimum criteria to be inducted into the PWBA Hall of Fame once she turns 50. This would make her the first Singaporean to achieve that feat. New was ecstatic to have the opportunity to be among esteemed company, saying: 'I never thought that at age 33 I would be eligible for the Hall of Fame. When I think of the Hall of Fame, I think of Leanne Hulsenberg and Liz Johnson.' Singapore Bowling Federation (SBF) president Valerie Teo was full of praise, saying: 'Hui Fen is not just making history, she's inspiring a generation. It demonstrates her exceptional talent, unwavering focus and relentless drive. 'This is a proud and unforgettable moment for Singapore bowling and we are behind her every step of the way.' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rory McIlroy party plans 'go silent' as politician hits out ahead of The Open
The official welcome party for Rory McIlroy at Stormont to mark his Masters heroics seems to have been shelved. The Holywood man became just the sixth male golfer to achieve the career grand slam with the victory in April. But more than two months on from the win there has been no official celebration in Northern Ireland despite the promises of First Minister Michelle O'Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly. Speaking after the win in April, O'Neill mentioned hosting a "huge party" while Little-Pengelly said McIlroy would "undoubtedly get a deserved hero's welcome when he comes home". SDLP MLA, and 2002 All-Ireland champion with Armagh, Justin McNulty slammed the assembly for not hosting the Holywood man, telling The Irish News: "After the first minister publicly called for a 'huge party' after Rory McIlroy won the Masters, it's disappointing that such a historic sporting achievement for our island has gone unmarked. "For those of us who have followed Rory's career from the beginning and watched every shot at the Masters from the edge of our seats, this was a real opportunity to celebrate a unifying moment and lift public spirits." The Newry and Armagh MLA added that "we can now add party planning to their growing list of shortcomings". McIlroy's sights are now firmly set on Portrush at the Open Championship next month, with the world number two saying recently: "Hopefully I can celebrate with [the fans] on Sunday night with the Claret Jug and Green Jacket."
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Colin Sheridan: Green Jacket not the panacea we thought it would be for Rory McIlroy
Subscriber Colin Sheridan: Green Jacket not the panacea we thought it would be for Rory McIlroy Oakmont, a penance of a course that offered little by way of forgiveness to anybody, especially the geniuses in the field, had reduced him to a state of fatigue-induced petulance we have seen many times before.
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Rory McIlroy hopes to 'climb another mountain' in 153rd Open at Royal Portrush
Masters champion signs off on a high in US Open and is ready to get back to Europe Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Rory McIlroy reckons next month's 153rd Open at Royal Portrush will be exactly the motivation he needs after two flat performances in majors since becoming just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam. It was more like it from The Masters champion as he signed off in the 125th US Open with a three-under-par 67 at Oakmont Country Club, having never been in the title hunt after opening rounds of 74-72-74. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He'll now turn his attention to a home appearance in Northern Ireland after playing in this week's Travelers Championship in Connecticut on the PGA Tour. Rory McIlroy pictured during the final round of the 125th US Open at Oakmont Country Club |'I think so,' said McIlroy in reply to being asked if an Open on home soil is what he probably needs at the moment to get some fire back in his belly after winning The Masters to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods as the only players to have won all four majors. 'Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb. An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those.' On the event's eagerly-awaited return to the County Antrim venue in 2019, McIlroy missed the cut after starting with an 8 and coming up agonisingly short in his bid to repair that damage over the next 35 holes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I didn't realise how emotional I was going to be at Portrush,' he admitted. 'I think that was a thing I was unprepared for more than anything else. I remember I hit a shot into 12 or 13 Friday night obviously trying to make the cut. 'I remember the roar I got when the ball hit the green, and I felt like I was about to burst into tears. Just that support and that love from your own people. So I was unprepared for that. I need to just get myself in the right frame of mind to feel those feelings again. 'Hopefully I can celebrate with them (the fans) on Sunday night with the Claret Jug and the Green Jacket. Look, it will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people that I still haven't seen yet. 'I'm really looking forward to it. It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today, and yeah, I'll just be looking forward to and trying to get myself prepared for Portrush.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad McIlroy, the 2023 winner, will tee up in the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club and is hoping a return to Europe will help him get the competitive juices flowing again. 'Look, if I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me,' he declared. 'I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been there the last few weeks.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Rory McIlroy sets sights on home Open after 'climbing Everest' with Masters win
Rory McIlroy is ready for a new challenge after "climbing my Everest" of winning the Masters and has set his sights on next month's Open at Portrush. McIlroy ended a difficult week at the US Open on a high on Sunday, going some way to exorcising the demons of an Oakmont course that had tortured him for the first three days. The 36-year-old played his best golf of the week, with the sort of accuracy and guile that he would have longed for on Thursday and Friday, carding a three-under-par 67 to finish on seven under. It was not just the bruising difficulty of Oakmont which has left him feeling fuzzy-headed this week, though, as McIlroy still suffers the hangover of that career-defining win at Augusta in April, where he became just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam of majors. He has accepted that it is time to regain his focus and knows next month's Open on home soil is the place to do it. "Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb," he said. "An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those. "If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me. "I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been there the last few weeks." Next month's final major of the year is just 65 miles from where he grew up playing at Holywood and it will be his first time home since winning the Green Jacket and completing the set. "I feel like playing an Open at Portrush already (in 2019) and at least remembering what those feelings were like and those feelings that I was probably unprepared for at the time," he said. "Obviously it will be my first time sort of in public back home after winning the Masters. It should be a really nice week. "Hopefully I can celebrate with them on Sunday night with the Claret Jug and the Green Jacket. "It will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people that I still haven't seen yet. I'm really looking forward to it. "It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today, and yeah, I'll just be looking forward to and trying to get myself prepared for Portrush."
