Singapore hero Ilhan Fandi joins 6-7 craze after Asian Cup qualification

Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) are absent from the provisional entry list for the opening round of the 2026 GT World Challenge Asia. A 23-car grid has been confirmed for the two sprint races at the Sepang International Circuit from April 3-5, but JMR, one of the front-running teams in recent years, are notably missing.

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The Malaysian team, which previously fielded a line-up of Prince Jefri Ibrahim, Prince Abu Bakar Ibrahim, Ben Green and Alexander Sims, have instead shifted its focus to the Intercontinental GT Challenge, having already competed at the Bathurst 12 Hour earlier this year. JMR’s absence marks a significant change to the competitive landscape, having finished second in last year’s teams’ championship, while Prince Jefri secured third place in the drivers’ overall standings. They are not the only notable names missing from the 2026 grid, as two-time reigning champions Bob Yuan and Leo Ye will also not return, ensuring that new winners will be crowned this season. In their absence, attention turns to the likes of 2025 runner-up Lu Wei of Origine Motorsport and 2023 champion Anthony Liu of Phantom Global Racing, both of whom are expected to play key roles in the title fight. Despite JMR’s absence, Malaysia will still be represented on the grid for the home round, with Akash Neil Nandy set to drive a Lamborghini Huracán for Hong Kong-based Absolute Corse. Fans can catch the upcoming action live on SPOTV NOW.

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Over the years, Asian golf has made significant strides at the prestigious Masters Tournament, led by the likes of 2021 champion Hideki Matsuyama and 2020 runner-up Im Sung-jae.

Hideki Matsuyama - 2021 Masters champion. #themasters

松山英樹-2021年マスターズチャンピオン pic.twitter.com/P3JDVW5RMt — The Masters (@TheMasters) April 11, 2021

Southeast Asia, meanwhile, has yet to make a strong impact. It took nearly 30 years after the inaugural tournament in 1934 for the region to be represented, when Filipino legend Ben Arda teed it up in 1962. Up until the turn of the century, Southeast Asia had featured just four times in total. However, since then, there has been gradual progress. Golfers from the region have appeared in 14 of the last 25 editions, with Thailand leading the charge through pioneers such as Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat. The country continues to set the benchmark this year through Pongsapak “Fifa” Laopakdee, who is set to make his Masters debut.

A thrilling finish from a fitting champion.

Thailand's Fifa Laopakdee overcame a six-stroke deficit to win the 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in a playoff over Japan's Taisei Nagasaki. With this victory, Fifa has earned an invitation to compete in the 90th Masters… pic.twitter.com/3BimE0u3w3 — The Masters (@TheMasters) October 26, 2025

Singapore has also entered the fold, with Hiroshi Tai becoming its first Masters participant in 2025. It is a milestone that other Southeast Asian nations such as Malaysia and Indonesia will look to emulate in the years ahead. Ahead of the 90th edition at the Augusta National Golf Club from April 9-12, live on SPOTV NOW, here’s a look at Southeast Asia’s representatives at the Masters from the very beginning to 2026:

Country	Golfer	Appearance	Result
Philippines	Ben Arda	1	Cut (1962)
	Frankie Miñoza	1	Cut (1991)
Singapore	Hiroshi Tai	1	Cut (2025)
Thailand	Thongchai Jaidee	5	T37 (2014); 55th (2015); 57th (2016); Withdrew (2010); Cut (2006)
	Kiradech Aphibarnrat	3	T15 (2016); T44 (2018); T49 (2019)
	Prayad Marksaeng	2	Withdrew (2008); Cut (2009)
	Sukree Onsham	2	Cut (1970, 1971)
	Jazz Janewattananond	1	T51 (2020)
	Pongsapak Laopakdee	1	TBC
	Thaworn Wiratchant	1	Cut (2013)

Kiradech Aphibarnrat was one-upped by his caddies on No. 9 in the Par 3 Contest. Those caddies just happened to be @jutanugarn @MJutanugarn. pic.twitter.com/YiQm8Vq0zn

— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 10, 2019

After the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) season got underway in mid-March, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers have set the early pace in the American League and National League respectively.

 

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With a packed slate of games across North America, April presents a crucial stretch for teams looking to build momentum and establish themselves among the early contenders. Here are the matches live on SPOTV NOW in April (subject to change).

Matchup	Date	Time (GMT+8)
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Cleveland Guardians	1 April 2026	10:10AM
Seattle Mariners vs New York Yankees	2 April 2026	4:10AM
New York Yankees vs Miami Marlins	4 April 2026	1:35AM
San Francisco Giants vs New York Mets	5 April 2026	9:05AM
Washington Nationals vs Los Angeles Dodgers	6 April 2026	1:35AM
New York Yankees vs Oakland Athletics	9 April 2026	7:05AM
San Diego Padres vs Colorado Rockies	10 April 2026	9:40AM
Los Angeles Dodgers vs Texas Rangers	11 April 2026	10:10AM
Tampa Bay Rays vs New York Yankees	12 April 2026	6:10AM
Los Angeles Dodgers vs New York Mets	14 April 2026	10:10AM

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Óscar Gutiérrez secured victory for Indonesia’s Niti Racing in the second race of the inaugural Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup at the Circuit of the Americas on Sunday. The Spaniard bounced back from an eighth-place finish in Saturday’s opening race to take the chequered flag in the seven-lap contest, finishing ahead of Eric Granado and Archie McDonald.

 

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The win moved Gutiérrez up to second in the riders’ standings with 33 points, just eight behind McDonald, who had won the opening race. Meanwhile, Niti Racing team-mate Dimas Ekky Pratama finished seventh, marking an improvement from Saturday’s race, where he crashed in the closing stages and had no classified finish. Held alongside MotoGP at selected circuits, the next round of the Harley-Davidson Bagger World Cup takes place at the Italian Grand Prix in May.

 

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