Pablo Martin leads South African Open in bid for second straight win

December 18th, 2009 PAARL - Shiv Kapur dropped a late bogey, but still made a decent start at the South African Open golf Thursday. Kapur, who started off with a healthy start in the Race to Dubai for 2010, had finished tied eighth last week, and with a first round one-under 71 he was tied 29th in the European Tour event.

December 14th, 2009 Pablo Martin wins Alfred DunhillMALELANE, South Africa — Spain's Pablo Martin became the first player to win on the European tour as an amateur and professional, closing with a 3-under 69 on Sunday for a one-stroke victory in the Alfred Dunhill Championship. The 23-year-old Martin, the first amateur winner in European tour history when he took the 2007 Estoril Open de Portugal, had a 17-under 271 total on the Leopard Creek course.

December 12th, 2009 Martin leads Alfred DunhillMALELANE, South Africa — Spain's Pablo Martin shot a 1-under 71 on Saturday to take a two-stroke lead over three-time winner Ernie Els and fellow South African Charl Schwartzel in the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Martin, four strokes ahead at the start of the round, had a 14-under 202 total on the Leopard Creek Country Club course.

October 16th, 2009 Francesco Molinari keeps lead at Portugal MastersVILAMOURA, Portugal — Francesco Molinari has matched the lowest halfway total of the European Tour this season to take a one-stroke lead after the second round of the Portugal Masters. The Italian shot a 6-under 66 on Friday, with five birdies and a bogey on the back nine.

October 6th, 2009 LONDON - Out of favour England left arm spinner Monty Panesar has joined South African franchise Highveld Lions. The spinner, 27, hopes the move will help him regain his England spot, the Sun reports.

September 19th, 2009 JOHANNESBURG - As India were looking to seal the Davis Cup World Group play-off, a groin injury to Mahesh Bhupathi forced him and Rohan Bopanna to concede the doubles tie and that kept South Africa alive here at the Ellis Park Indoor Arena Saturday. Bhupathi and Bopanna were down 3-6, 6-3, 0-4 against South African pair Jeff Coetzee and Wesley Moodie when the Indians decided to pull out.

September 18th, 2009 Report: Gender tests done on runner in SAfricaJOHANNESBURG — A South African newspaper has published what it says are e-mails showing local athletics officials authorizing sex tests be done on runner Caster Semenya. South African officials have repeatedly said that tests were done only abroad, not in South Africa before Semenya's 800-meter world victory.

September 16th, 2009 Correction:South African runner and gender testsPRETORIA, South Africa — In a Sept. 11 story about gender testing for Caster Semenya, The Associated Press incorrectly described the South African runner’s winning time in the 800-meter women's race at the world championships in Berlin on Aug.

September 12th, 2009 South African officials meet on SemenyaJOHANNESBURG — South African athletics officials are meeting to decide how best to help a world champion runner whose sex has been questioned. The international track and field body is refusing to confirm or deny Australian media reports that tests show Caster Semenya has both male and female characteristics.

September 11th, 2009 Semenya pulls out of race amid gender speculationJOHANNESBURG, South Africa — Caster Semenya has withdrawn from a weekend race amid speculation about the South African runner's gender. The South African Press Association quotes her coach, Michael Seme, as saying she will not take part in the 4,000 meters at the national cross country championships in Pretoria on Saturday.

September 7th, 2009 Coach: Sex tests not explained to SAfrican runnerJOHANNESBURG — The coach of the South African runner being tested to confirm her sex says he's resigning over the way she was given gender tests without explanation. South African media said Monday that coach Wilfred Daniels resigned from the national track authority out of remorse over the treatment of runner Caster Semenya.

August 20th, 2009 Track head assails Caster Semenya's criticsBERLIN — The president of the South Africa's track and field federation says 800-meter world champion Caster Semenya is facing intense scrutiny about her gender because she's African. The 18-year-old Semenya won her first world title after revelations surfaced she was undergoing a gender test to prove she is a woman.

July 23rd, 2009 Slattery leads SAS Masters after 1st roundLODDEKOPINGE, Sweden — Lee Slattery birdied the first four holes and shot 6-under 67 to take the first-round lead Thursday in the SAS Masters. The 30-year-old Englishman made the turn at 5 under at Barseback Golf Club, then had to wait for an hour before continuing because of a thunderstorm warning.

July 4th, 2009 Echenique leads after 3rd round of French OpenSAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France — Rafa Echenique of Argentina held onto his lead at the French Open on Saturday, shooting a 1-under 70 for a one-stroke advantage over Martin Kaymer of Germany after the third round. The Argentine was at 11-under 202 after starting the day with a two-stroke lead on Kaymer.

June 26th, 2009 JOHANNESBURG - World football supremo Joseph Blatter Friday praised South African fans for their enthusiastic support of both the home side and visiting teams in the ongoing Confederations Cup, a test run for next year's World Cup. "What has been outstanding was the fair play on the field and of the spectators," the FIFA president said, noting that more than 90 percent of the spectators in the eight-nation tournament were South African.