TIGERS UNITED

Asian Tour rookie Todd Sinnott of Australia secured a convincing three-shot victory at the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open on Sunday in only his second tournament in Asia. The 25-year-old Sinnott fired a flawless six-under-par 65 for a winning total of 14-under-par 270 to defeat Carlos Pigem of Spain, who closed with a 68 at the US$750,000 event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour . After hitting six balls into the water in the opening two rounds, Sinnott had to fight tooth-and-nail to make the halfway cut. He moved from 40th position to tied fourth after the third day and cruised to victory thanks to six birdies in the final round. Sinnott was three-under after 12 holes but it was a pair of birdies on 13 and 14 which put him in contention. As his challengers slipped down the leaderboard, he had a comfortable three-shot cushion heading into the last hole where he sealed the deal with a birdie. Pigem, who won his first Asian Tour title last year, produced three s

LIGA SUPER: PULAU PINANG 0 - PERAK 1 After a frustrating draw with Pahang in the opening match, Perak traveled to Pulau Pinang for their second Liga Super match. The Bos Gaurus struggled to break the Penang defence, despite controlling the game most of the time. Vladislav Mirchev had several good opportunities but failed to beat Penang goalkeeper, Syed Adney Syed Hussein . Penang's coach Ashley Westwood sent off in the 61st minute. Defender Shahrol Saad turned hero for Perak when he came off the bench to net the winner in the 68th minute. His stiff shot from a Zaquan Adha cross in the 68th minute was enough to give Perak a valuable 1-0 away win. The score remained until the final whistle, and it was a second straight defeat for Pulau Pinang.

LIGA SUPER: SELANGOR 1 - MELAKA UNITED 1 Selangor maintained their unbeaten start to the 2017 Malaysia Super League , after holding Melaka United to a 1-1 draw at the Selayang Stadium on Saturday. The newly promoted team, Melaka appeared to be much organised and had more possession in the middle of the pitch. They created many chances in attempts to take the lead in the first half, but Selangor's back four defended solidly. The home side were stunned by the visitors' opening goal 14 minutes after the second half resumed. Khairu Azrin Khazali lobbed past Selangor's goalkeeper, Norazlan . Selangor finally found the equaliser in the 85th minute through their new signing Victor Stelian Astafei . The Romanian winger headed home to save Selangor from losing on their home ground.

This is not the first time any rugby club imported a professional player. In fact, the influx of Fijian in Malaysian rugby pitches are already a norm. They raised the game in one way or another. But Ryoma Kudo is a different breed of rugby import. "Rio" as he is fondly known is somebody that came from a more developed and established rugby nation, Japan. He is here to develop the rugby as an industry. He is just a 28 year old lad not even a superstar in Japanese own standard and people might say what can he do to Cobra let alone to Malaysian Rugby as a whole? Rugby Ambassador Well first and foremost, he will be the ambassador for Rugby Japan in Malaysia. He could be the gateway towards many more Japanese born players plying their trade right here in Malaysia. Club standard need to be raised to be able to attract these players. I would say it is rather timely or rather coincidental since MRU just planned to go Professional in 2018. Clubs like COBRA, RSC and

Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng received his early birthday present when he eclipsed his younger rivals with a final round four-under-par 67 to lift his 10th Asian Tour title at the SMBC Singapore Open on Sunday. The Thai turns 51 in eight days and with the iconic Singapore showpiece celebrating its 51st edition this year, it was perhaps appropriate its next winner would also be born in the year the event was inaugurated.   Prayad's closing birdie on 18 proved decisive as it gave him a one-shot advantage and also the clubhouse lead while the rest of the field were still out at the Sentosa Golf Club trying to pip him to the title. Prayad was eventually crowned the newest SMBC Singapore Open champion after a two-hour wait as no one in the chasing pack was able to surmount their challenge and better his four-day total of nine-under-par 275.   Thailand's Phachara Khongwatmai , South Africa's Jbe Kruger , Philippines Juvic Pagunsan and defending champion Younghan Song of Ko

Reigning Asia Division One Champions, Malaysia will host the Asia Rugby Championship again this year. Their bid has been accepted and agreed by Asia Rugby . Malaysia, who won the Division Two in 2015, and lifted the Division One trophy in 2016 had proven their true capabilities in the past two years. The growing numbers of fans and followers, strategic locations and professionally managed could be the reason for Malaysia to be chosen again. They might not have a stadium, but the local organiser proved that rugby can be played anywhere. The 2017 Asia Rugby Championship is expected to be held in Ipoh, Perak from 14th to 20th May this year. Four nations will be competing for the prestigious Asia Division One title are Malaysia, Sri Lanka , Philippines and the newly promoted, UAE .

LIGA SUPER: PERAK 1 - PAHANG 1 Pahang managed to take out a 1-1 draw away at Ipoh against the home team, Perak . Both teams demonstrated efforts to hunt points, despite played on a wet pitch.  The first half ended goalless. Pahang looked to have done enough to claim full points after Ahmad Shamim Yahya had fired Pahang into a lead by converting a cross from the import player, Mohamadou Sumareh in the 56th minute. Perak continued to press and cancelled Shamim's goal with an equaliser in the 68th minutes by Thiago Junio Aquino . The Bos Gaurus did not give-up and kept searching for the winner, but Pahang's defence manage to keep the home side frustrated. www.fascap.com.my

Martin Dive of Australia claimed a convincing two-shot triumph after closing with a one-under-par 71 at the PGM CCM Seriemas Championship on Saturday. The 31-year-old won his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title on a 13-under-par 275 total to defeat Oskar Arvidsson (66) of Sweden and Brett Munson (72) of the United States at the USD 49,000 event. Panuwat Muenlek settled for fourth place following a 70 for a 278 total while Mohammad Wafiyuddin finished as the highest ranked Malaysian in fifth place thanks to a final round 66 for a 279 aggregate at the Seriemas Golf and Country Club. After missing out on an Asian Tour card at Qualifying School last week, Dive was delighted to clinch his first international title to kick start his 2017 campaign. He was three-under after 11 holes but dropped shots on 12 and 17 made things slightly interesting with the fast charging Arvidsson hot on his heels. The Australian eventually sealed the deal with a par on the last. The win

Malaysian Rugby returned to the to the rugby pitches of our nation country after a blockbuster in 2016, and the nations premier rugby tournament was a tremendous success. It can only get better. 2017 will be nothing less than a Big Bang. Banking on last year's success, Malaysia Rugby (MR) is going to make it grander this year. A total of 35 top rugby clubs will compete in the inaugural Malaysia Rugby League  (MRL). The new Malaysia Rugby League will replace the previous Malaysia Rugby Super League (MRSL) and National Inter Club Championship (NICC). The old MRSL has 14 teams and NICC with 18 teams. 2 top teams in NICC also played in MRSL. All of these are the preview of the up and coming rebranding efforts by MR towards professional rugby in 2018. Money will start pouring into the league, and the players are going to be Super Stars. Last year MRSL Champions was Serdang Angels when they beaten Keris Conlay in the high octane clash in UKM Mini Stadium April last y

LIGA SUPER: SELANGOR 2 - PULAU PINANG 0 Despite losing so many star players in the last three season, Selangor had never gone short of talents. Two first half goals gave a comfortable night for the Red Giants to start their 2017 Super League campaign. The Red Giants collected full points by winning over the visitor, Penang  at the Selayang Stadium, last night. The home team had their lead in the 34th minutes of the game via Adam Nor Azlin . Adam Nor claimed his goal by converting at the second attempt after Ugo Ukah 's header had been deflected into his path by the visiting goalkeeper, Syed Adney Syed Hussein . Before the half-time break, the home team had doubled the lead thru the Liberian striker, Forkey Doe in the 44th minute. The scores remains until the final whistle.