Heavy hitters book places in 2025 PFL World Tournament semis

XIAMEN: Hosts and defending champions China booked their place in badminton’s Sudirman Cup semifinals with a 3-0 win over Malaysia on Friday, while Japan also advanced after beating Taiwan in the quarter-finals by the same score.
The biennial mixed team championship saw a rematch between world number four mixed doubles pair Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei from Malaysia and China’s Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping. While the Malaysian pair won at the Paris Games, they couldn’t repeat the feat as they went down 21-17 21-17 in the opener.
Malaysia’s Leong Jun Hao, facing world number one Shi Yu Qi for the first time, was outclassed 21-6 21-14 in the men’s singles. Compatriot Karupathevan Letshanaa later suffered a 21-8 21-7 loss to Tokyo Olympic champion Chen Yu Fei in the women’s singles.
With the result sealed in just under two hours, the men’s and women’s doubles were not contested. Malaysia, who claimed bronze in the last two editions, have now lost all of their five Sudirman Cup meetings to date against 13-times champions China.
Japan took three hours to defeat Taiwan 3-0. Hiroki Midorikawa and Arisa Igarashi breezed past Ye Hong Wei and Hu Ling Fang 21-18 21-18 in mixed doubles.
World number 16 Koki Watanabe overcame seventh-ranked Chou Tien Chen 21-13 20-22 21-14 in the men’s singles, and world number four Akane Yamaguchi beat Wei Chi Hsu 21-9 17-21 21-18 in the women’s singles to seal Japan’s sixth straight semifinal appearance.

MCKINNEY, Texas: Scottie Scheffler shot his best round of the season, a 10-under-par 61, to set the pace on the first day of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Thursday in McKinney, Texas.

When Scheffler’s final putt dropped in the late afternoon at TPC Craig Ranch, he had a two-stroke lead over Rico Hoey of the Philippines and Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela.

The world No. 1 is still seeking his first win of the year after racking up seven PGA Tour titles in 2024. With eight birdies, an eagle and no bogeys Thursday, Scheffler put himself in prime position to break through and win in his home state of Texas for just the second time in his pro career.

A Dallas native, Scheffler said he wasn’t too broken up about missing last year’s Byron Nelson since he had a good reason — the birth of his first child. But he was glad to be back, and he played like it.

“It’s a ton of fun for us to be able to play in front of the fans here at home,” Scheffler said. “Jordan (Spieth) and I love playing here this week. This tournament has meant a lot to us over the years, and so it’s really good to be here this week playing again.”

Scheffler ran off four birdies in a row starting at the third hole. His irons and wedges were dialed in, as he put his tee shot at the par-3 fourth to about 4 feet of the pin and his approach at the par-4 sixth to just 2 feet.

He made a 4-footer for eagle at the par-5 ninth to go out in 7-under 29.

“I hit some good shots to start the round, gave myself some looks, and was able to capitalize with a good iron shot on 3 and hit another iron shot on 4,” Scheffler said. “I kept hitting fairways and greens. Hit that nice pitch into 6, good pitch into 5 as well. Was able to take advantage of the holes I needed to on the front nine, like 5 and 6 are holes you got to take advantage of, and 9 as well.”

Scheffler made just one birdie over the next seven holes before sticking his tee shot at the par-3 17th to 2 feet. He had a 26-foot eagle putt at the par-5 18th that would have given him a round of 60, and it came up just a few feet shy.

Scheffler rocketed past Hoey, who had the early lead with an 8-under 63. He opened on the back nine with eight straight pars before making a 36 1/2-foot eagle putt at No. 18, followed by a run of five birdies between the second and sixth holes.

“The eagle was great,” Hoey said. “I knew it’s a long track and being first off it’s just hard to get your mind and body going. I did that, and felt like I was playing well.”

Vegas sank an eagle of his own, but it came on a par-4. The 40-year-old drained a 44 1/2-foot uphill putt at the 14th hole to go with six total birdies.

Vegas missed his previous four cuts before this week.

“You can’t really get too caught up on playing good or bad,” Vegas said. “Just keep doing your work and at the end of the day believe you’re doing the right things.

“Feel like I’ve been doing the right things, put in the work. We know this: If you do the right things, at some point things are going to turn the right way.”

Tied at 7-under 64 were Patton Kizzire, Will Gordon, Cameron Champ, Michael Thorbjornsen, Eric Cole, Andrew Putnam and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger.

Defending champion Taylor Pendrith of Canada opened with a 4-under 67. Spieth turned in a 2-under 69.