AUSSIE SCOTT HEND CONTINUES TO LEAD INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS ON THE ASIAN TOUR

Scott Hend of Australia

Sentosa, Singapore, March 25: Australian Scott Hend cemented his status as the most successful international golfer on the Asian Tour after claiming his 10th victory and first in three years at the US$3 million Maybank Championship on Sunday.

Thanks to a winner’s prize purse of US$500,000, Hend propelled himself to the top of the Habitat for Humanity Standings and broke the US $5 million mark in career earnings on the region’s premier Tour following his play-off success at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

With accumulated earnings of US$5.04 million since making his debut in 2007, the 45-year-old Hend is now the second highest-earning player following Thai star Thongchai Jaidee, a record three-time Order of Merit champion, on the Asian Tour’s Career Money List.

Thai legend Thaworn Wiratchant, who holds an unprecedented 18 wins on Tour, sits in third place with US$4.57 million in earnings while India’s Anirban Lahiri and Prayad Marksaeng, also of Thailand, took fourth and fifth with US$3.90 million and US$3.86 million respectively.

Hend’s achievements over the past decade have been highly-commendable, especially in Asia, where he had claimed all his 10 victories, including three at events co-sanctioned with the European Tour.

He broke through in Indonesia in 2008 and won eight titles across Singapore (1), Thailand (3), Macau (2), Hong Kong (1) and Chinese Taipei (1) between 2012 and 2016. Hend became the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2016, thanks to two victories and three top-10s.

“I’m leading the Asian Tour Order of Merit at the moment and it gives me a good chance to win it again. It’ll be another fantastic achievement and I would like to do it again,” said Hend, who also became the fourth player to surpass US$1 million in earnings in a single season in 2016.

Hend’s victory in Malaysia was made made even more special with his good friend and long-time caddie Tony Carolan by his side. “I'm a grinder and a fighter. So is my caddoe Tony. We both have the same mental attitude." 

"It doesn't matter how old we are, we work hard at what we do. Just takes a bit of luck to win. Obviously, I had a bit of luck on the play-off hole. If you don't have any luck you won't win,” Hend added.

The big-hitting Hend is now the fourth player after Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant (18), Thongchai Jaidee (13) and Prayad Marksaeng (10) to obtain 10 wins or more on the Asian Tour.

Hend took over the driver’s seat on the Habitat for Humanity Standings with earnings of US$507,792 while previous leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand, who enjoyed a third-place finish in Malaysia, slipped to second with a current haul of US$427,600.

Australian rookie Zach Murray also slipped to third place following a tied-41st place finish in Malaysia while American Johannes Veerman, who took home his career’s biggest prize purse of a U$150,000 thanks to his fourth-place finish, propelled to fourth place on the money list.

The Asian Tour will head to India for the prestigious Hero Indian Open this week. The US$1,750,000 event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour, will be held at the DLF Golf and Country Club from March 28 to 31. 

Leading 20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos  Player  Order of Merit  (US$)

1. Scott HEND (AUS) $507,792.25

2. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $427,600.44

3. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $189,140.71

4. Johannes VEERMAN (USA) $158,720.00

5. Scott VINCENT (ZWE) $71,245.03

6. Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $54,826.67

7. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $53,518.10

8. Nicholas FUNG (MALAYSIA) $51,160.16

9. Chikkarangappa S. (INDIA) $48,843.74

10. David LIPSKY (USA) $47,100.00

11. Paul PETERSON (USA) $45,039.20

12. Ben CAMPBELL (NZ) $41,648.48

13. Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN) $40,560.00

14. Angelo QUE (PHI) $38,120.00

15. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THAI) $37,869.98

16. Doyeob MUN (SKOR) $37,150.00

17. Gareth PADDISON (NZ) $36,327.27

18. Terry PILKADARIS (AUSTRALIA) $35,765.50

19. Shaun NORRIS (SAf) $33,220.00

20. Thongchai JAIDEE (THAI) $29,400.00

Gallacher T105 at Maybank Championship

Stephen Gallacher is in T105 position overnight in a field of 156 players at the Asian Tour's Maybank Championship.
Nacho Elvira (Spain) and Marcus Fraser (Australia) share the lead on the 65 mark.

                                                                            

JAZZ FINDS WINNING RHYTHM AT THE SMBC SINGAPORE OPEN

Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand Photo courtesy of Lagardère Sports. 
 

Sentosa, Singapore, January 20: Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond found his winning rhythm when he closed on Sunday with a six-under-par 65 to take home the SMBC Singapore Open trophy for his third Asian Tour title and also seal his passage to The Open at Royal Portrush in July.

The 23-year-old arrived in Singapore on the back of a rich vein of form to establish himself as one of the genuine contenders for the prestigious SMBC Singapore Open trophy at the start of the week. 

He did not disappoint as he shrugged off the challenges of a host of quality players including Sergio Garcia, Paul Casey and Davis Love III to become the third Thai after Thaworn Wiratchant (2001) and Prayad Marksaeng (2017) to lift his third Asian Tour title with a winning total of 18-under-par 266.

Casey surmounted a strong challenge by signing for a 65 but it was never going to be enough to catch Jazz, who was unstoppable on the Sunday afternoon at the Sentosa Golf Club. 

The Englishman had to settle for a share of second place with overnight leader, Yoshinori Fujimoto of Japan.

England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, who was making his debut at the SMBC Singapore Open, closed with a 69 to take outright fourth place while Thailand’s Promm Meesawat and Korea’s Doyeob Mun share not only fifth place but will also make their way together to Royal Portrush in July.

The 2019 SMBC Singapore Open was part of The Open Qualifying Series for the third consecutive year where the leading four players (not otherwise exempt) who finish in the top-12 and ties on the final leaderboard will earn coveted spots at the 148th Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland from July 18-21.

 Players’ quotes:

Jazz Janewattananod (Tha) – Final round 65 (-6), Total 266 (-18)

I wasn’t expecting to win actually. I was going for The Open ticket. I felt the pressure when I got to the back nine today. I had a three-shot lead after turning in 21. I know anything can happen on this course. I was just trying to hit the fairways and greens. I made a silly bogey on the 13th which almost cost me the lead.

Getting into The Open last year was probably the best thing that has happened in my career so far. I remembered I spoke to Kiradech Aphibarnrat a lot last year before heading to Carnoustie. It was a really great experience. I learned a lot that week and I am vey excited to be making my second appearance at Royal Portrush this July.

I didn’t play good in Hong Kong two months ago. But I worked with my new coach Pete Cowen after that and my game has been good since. I have been playing really well. 

I felt a bit of nerves after that bogey to be honest but I managed to make good par saves on the next two holes which gave me the momentum to birdie the 16th. I wasn’t sure about the win until the 18th hole.

I have been going for the green in two on the 18th hole every day. I wasn’t aiming for the pin with my second shot actually. I was aiming for the middle of the green. It was a great shot. I had a four-iron in from 233 yards.

Breaking into the world’s top-100 is a great deal for me. When I was younger, I always said I wanted to be the first Thai to play on the US PGA Tour and the first Thai to win a Major but now, in reality, I think Kiradech has a good chance to win a Major.

Kiradech is my role model. I always watch him play. I spent a lot of time with him and Thongchai when we played in Europe last year. Players like Boonchu Ruangkit, Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant have been the role models whom we all look up to in Thailand.

They set the path for us and they helped me a lot. I owe it them. I didn’t have a swing coach before. I used to just go out and play. But now I am working with Pete Cowen. He has helped me a lot. I kind of know what I am doing out on course now and why things went wrong in the past.

Winning the Singapore Open is a great achievement. I always think Serapong is the best golf course on the Asian Tour. I played good here since I first came here three years ago. It suits my game a lot. The greens are very tough this year. 

I am going home to celebrate with my family tonight. My dad went for a surgery recently and I really want to see him now and share this trophy with him. 

Prom Meesawat (Tha) – Final round 68 (-3), Total 275 (-9)

I had a good feeling coming back here. I have had a couple of good results here before. It’s nice to be going back to play in The Open this July which will be my second appearance in a Major. I am very happy. 

The birdie on the last was very important for me.i had a very tough third shot actually. I didn’t lay up good from my position but I just told myself to try and hit the green because you never know if I can make the putt.

When the putt went in, I felt really good. It makes it very special this week. The first time I played in a Major was at The Open in 2011. We played Royal St. George that year. I still remember that feeling. It’s a completely different tournament.

The feeling is very different, especially playing in The Open which is one of the greatest Major. I had my past experience from that time. I have been trying to go back again every year since. I am glad I finally had the chance to play The Open again now.

It’s always nice to be going back to play on a links golf course. I have played a lot of it when I played on the European Tour. I love to play with the wind. I have good experiences playing on the European Tour as well. I knew I had to birdie the last hole to ensure my ticket.

Doyeob Mun (Kor) – Final round 72 (+1), Total 275 (-9)

This is my first time playing the Singapore Open. I think I had some good luck this week. I am pleased with my top-10 finish and also securing a ticket to The Open. It will be my Major debut. I am really excited. 

I think the Albatross and the eagle that I made in my second round yesterday gave me a great boost in confidence heading into the last two rounds. That helped me to cap a good result this week. I am very glad to be able to play The Open.

I am looking forward to it. I will be practicing a lot on my low shots and prepare myself well for it. It’s amazing. I have been wanting to play in a Major tournament ever since I started playing golf. My dream finally came true.

I haven’t been to the United Kingdom before. This will be my first time. We have some links course in Korea but I think it’s pretty different. 

Sergio Garcia (Spn) – Final round 68 (-3), Total 276 (-8)

I felt like the two back nines yesterday and today put me out of the race. For being the first week [of the year] I guess it was a decent week. I felt like the way I was in the ball, if I would’ve been a little bit more fortunate with the putter, the first three rounds I could’ve had a better chance. Today I was doing really well, and then I had four bad holes on the back nine. But other than that, it was good. 

Obviously you want to start better, but it’s a tough golf course even though the guys are not making it look like it. It’s a challenging golf course and I hit a really good amount of good shots. I hit some that need to be better, but overall it was positive. 

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Shane Lowry goes three clear in Abu Dhabi Championship
 

Round Three Report
Shane Lowry, pictured left by Getty Images,remains on course to claim his first European Tour title since 2015 after extending his advantage to three shots on day three of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship presented by EGA.
The 31 year old secured the most recent of his three victories at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational over three years ago but he is in pole position with one round remaining after posting a third-round 67.
Lowry showcased his short-game prowess on a breezy afternoon at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, mixing seven birdies - including three in a row from the sixth - with two bogeys on Friday to get to 17 under par.
Sterne, who has not been in the winner's circle since clinching his sixth European Tour title at the Joburg Open in 2013, was Lowry's nearest challenger on 14 under following his third-round 69.
Meanwhile, Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter finished his round with an eagle to head into the final day in third place on 12 under - one shot clear of 2014 Champion Pablo Larrazábal – with Belgian Thomas Pieters, Dane Søren Kjeldsen, and Scotland’s Scott Jamieson a further shot off the pace.
Player Quotes
Shane Lowry: “I played well. I felt very comfortable out there today and I am very happy with that. Very excited about tomorrow. Obviously I'm in a great position. It's been a while since I've had the lead going into the final round. I'll enjoy it. Have a nice dinner tonight and get ready tomorrow and give it my best shot and see what happens.
“I think the up-and-down on 17 was huge, because I knew Richard (Sterne) was making a few birdies, and it's only the third round but it's nice to be in the lead. To hit one in after 17, I was happy to make birdie.
“I'm not going to say I feel invincible because we all know that this game is not easy, and it can jump up and bite you when you least expect it. I'm just trying to go out and do what I've been doing. 
"I've been hitting some lovely iron shots. It just so happens that I've hit them on the par threes and holed a few putts. It just shows when I get myself in position, I can give myself chances.
“Obviously we're playing in a world-class field on a very difficult golf course. I think I just need to go out and stay aggressive and just play my own game and try and make as many birdies as I can. That's the way I play golf. If I can do that, hopefully I can be up there at the end of the day and give myself a chance coming down the last few.”
Richard Sterne: “I'm very happy, good back nine and I hit the ball pretty decently. It was obviously a lot tougher today. The course showed its teeth and 69 proved to be a good score.
“I was quite relaxed today. Yesterday I was a little nervous for some reason. It's been a long time since I've been in contention but I've managed to pull it off a few times, so maybe there's some magic left in me.”
Ian Poulter: “It felt pretty good, I have to say. The round was a bit frustrating. It was one of those days where I wanted to keep it out of the traps but all I kept doing was hitting it in them. To finish with a three was good, especially after  bogeying 16. It looked a long way back when Shane was moving way forward, but an eagle and a bogey obviously helps.
“The greens are good and I think if you play well, and you play smart, take advantage of the par fives tomorrow, I think I am definitely in with a chance.
“Abu Dhabi has always been good, a lot of home support fans obviously fly out for the Middle East swing. Playing in front of these guys is always good fun.”
Round Three Scores
par 216 (3x72)
199 S Lowry (Ireland) 62 70 67
202 R Sterne (SAf) 65 68 69
204 I Poulter (Eng) 66 69 69
205 P Larrazábal (Esp) 65 72 68
206 M Kieffer (Ger) 68 71 67, S Kjeldsen (Denmark) 66 69 71, S Jamieson (Sco) 69 66 71, T Pieters (Belgium) 67 70 69
207 B Koepka (USA) 67 70 70, L Westwood (Eng) 66 68 73, P Waring (Eng) 70 67 70
208 B Hebert (Fra) 68 71 69, D Foos (Ger) 68 68 72, J Smith (Eng) 72 66 70, G Forrest (Sco) 71 65 72, L Oosthuizen (SAf) 65 68 75, J Luiten (Netherlands) 69 68 71, D Horsey (Eng) 71 66 71
209 G Green (Malaysia) 69 67 73, R Fox (NZ) 69 70 70, A Arnaus (Spn) 69 68 72, A Björk (Swe) 66 71 72, G Bhullar (India) 70 70 69, M Wallace (Eng) 70 68 71
210 E Pepperell (Eng) 70 68 72, D Fichardt (SAf) 73 68 69, B Grace (SAf) 70 69 71, D Lipsky (USA) 68 73 69, F Zanotti (Paraguay) 67 73 70, T Lewis (Eng) 68 67 75, T Bjørn (Denmark) 70 71 69, J Singh Brar (Eng) 69 68 73, M Schwab (Austria) 70 68 72
211 J Walters (SAf) 70 69 72, B Wiesberger (Austria) 70 68 73, R Cabrera Bello (Spn) 68 71 72, A Sullivan (Eng) 69 72 70, S Brazel (Australia) 70 69 72, J Scrivener (Australia) 72 65 74
212 A Quiros (Spn) 72 69 71, E Van Rooyen (SAf) 70 69 73, J Campillo (Spn) 71 69 72, R Jacquelin (Fra) 71 70 71, C Shinkwin (Eng) 71 68 73, B Dredge (Wales) 70 68 74, D Johnson (USA) 69 71 72, M Southgate (Eng) 70 71 71, L Herbert (Australia) 71 65 76, M Kaymer (Ger) 66 72 74
213 D Burmester (SAf) 71 69 73, N Colsaerts (Belgium) 69 72 72, R MacIntyre (Sco) 70 71 72, T Fleetwood (Eng) 69 72 72, L Bjerregaard (Den) 71 70 72, A Romero (Arg) 70 70 73, J Morrison (Eng) 69 69 75, R Paratore (Ita) 71 70 72
214 M Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 65 76 73, R Ramsay (Sco) 70 70 74, J Hansen (Den) 69 71 74, S Hend (Aus) 71 68 75, A Levy (Fra) 69 71 74, A Rai (Eng) 68 70 76, R Fisher (Eng) 69 72 73, S Horsfield (Eng) 69 71 74, E Molinari (Ita) 71 68 75
215 T Detry (Belgium) 72 67 76
216 K Kitayama (USA) 72 69 75, V Perez (Fra) 75 66 75
218 N Bertasio (Ita) 69 70 79
220 Z Lombard (SAf) 70 70 80

Ends 

                                                             

Poom and Casey share Singapore Open lead on seven-under-par

 

Sentosa, Singapore, January 18: Poom Saksansin showed he is the man for the big occasion again when he completed an exhausting day with a second round one-under-par 70 to share the clubhouse lead with England’s Paul Casey at the weather-hit SMBC Singapore Open on Friday.

Regarded by Casey as his ‘nemesis’, Poom got the better of the world number 24 again in their opening round and matched the Englishman’s two-day total of seven-under-par 135 at the US$1 million event which has been disrupted by several weather suspensions over the last two days.

Close to two hours of play was lost in the morning due to inclement weather. It was abandoned at 7.05pm local time due to fading light and will now resume at 7.30am where 76 players will return to their positions on Saturday. The third round is not scheduled to start before 12pm.

The Thai had to return early to the Sentosa Golf Club to complete his remaining seven holes from his first round, before heading back to the starting tee after a short 45-minute break.

He birdied four of his last five holes when first round resumed to sign for a 65. After trading two birdies against one bogey for a 70, he is now looking forward to indulge in the local delicacies before taking a much-deserved rest and coming out to fire at all cylinders again.

At 54, American legend Davis Love III showed his level of fitness is still high after completing 25 holes to trail Poom and Casey by two shots with his 137 total at the season-opening event of the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

The World Golf Hall of Famer’s efforts were also met by India’s Chikkarangappa S., Korea’s Yikeun Chang and South Africa’s Shaun Norris. 

Did you know?

• Poom Saksansin is making his second appearance at the SMBC Singapore Open this week. He finished tied-12th in his debut appearance last year.
•  Poom ended his 2018 in style by winning the season finale in Indonesia last month for his third Asian Tour title. 
• Poom claimed his breakthrough at the Indonesian Masters in 2016. He went on to claim a wire-to-wire victory for his second Asian Tour title in India the following year.
• The 25-year-old Thai is dubbed ‘The Baby-faced Assassin’ for his high-profile defeats of Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Paul Casey on the Asian Tour last year. He beat Paul Casey in the final day singles at the EurAsia Cup and he is looking to claim another scalp over the Englishman this week.
Players' Quotes

Poom Saksansin (Tha) – Second round 70 (-1), Total 135 (-7)

It has been a long day but I am very happy. Although I only shot a one-under for my second round, I think it was a very nice round. The wind was picking up and my iron-play wasn’t that good. To come back with an under-par score, I am really happy with it.

I feel really tired now. I have to go back soon, get a shower and then go to sleep! Casey played really nicely today. He hit it so far on the eighth hole. I really like that shot. I have to follow my own style because he hit it long and I hit it short! But it was good to see him play.

I need to get more practice after this and speak to my coach about my iron-play today. It’s not good now. I keep hooking the shots. I just need a minor fix, I think. Hopefully I can fix that so it will be easier for me tomorrow. 

I want to really get a good rest tonight. I am going to eat some good food, no more 7-Eleven! Maybe I’ll eat chicken rice. Casey hit it nicely from tee to green. I hit it short but my irons were okay and I managed to make some putts. I will try and hit my irons better tomorrow. Nothing else changes.

Paul Casey (Eng) - Second round 67 (-4), Total 135 (-7)

That was a 22-hour round of golf! I’m glad I’ve got the first round done. I feel good! The golf course has changed though, with so much rain overnight. The ground crew and everybody here should be applauded, because it’s still in fabulous shape. 

But it feels like it’s getting a little bit trickier out there. We’ve got a great looking leaderboard, with some favourite names right up there. Poom, my nemesis – I lost to him in the EurAsia Cup and he’s just played a marvellous round of golf again, I can’t seem to beat the guy, but I’m in good spirits.

Davis Love III (USA) – Second round 68 (-3), Total 137 (-5)

I am pretty good (on his level of fatigue). I wouldn’t have wanted to do 36, but I did 25 and that is enough. Now I get to rest and hopefully I will get 18 tomorrow afternoon.  I’m a little disappointed with my round, I don’t know what day it is. 

The first round that ended today – I didn’t end very well and I threw away a few shots in the second round as well. But overall, it is my first time around the course, I am under par and not too far out of lead so I am happy.

Shaun Norris (SAf) – Second round 68 (-3), Total 137 (-5) 

My feet are killing me. It’s the first tournament of the year so the body is still not used to all the walking these two days. Unfortunately, the weather is not playing into our hands but overall, I feel very happy that we got to finish our second round today.

It’s always the same thing in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. I am happy to go under par for the first tournament of the year, played nicely for the first two rounds to put myself up there. A nice low weekend would be nice.

I have been playing a lot in Japan. The courses are very tough but I enjoy that. It kind of helped make my golf stronger over the years. Playing in Asia has always been great. I always enjoy it. I finished nicely last year, came in joint-second and earned a ticket to The Open. Hopefully I can finish one spot better this time.

Yikeun Chang (S Korea) – Second round 68 (-3), Total 137 (-5)

It was a long day. I woke up at like 5.30pm today. It’s like over 12 hours. I was really tired towards the end but I just tried my best out there. I struck the ball really well the last two days. I just missed some short birdie putts on the last couple of holes. Other than that, I am doing really well. I am hoping to play well over the weekend.

This is my first event for 2019. This is such a good tournament. I am definitely looking to get the season off to a good start here. I think it’s a good tournament to win. Two more days to go. You never know what can happen on this course.

Just two more days of hardwork and hopefully I can get the job done. Just got to keep hitting the ball good. There are a lot of great players out there. But it would be nice to play my way back to The Open as well. I will try my best.

Chikkarangappa S. (India) – Second round 67 (-5), Total 137 (-5)

I played 30 holes today. I am starting to feel the fatigue now! I didn’t really feel it during the round. I was hitting the ball good and I putted well. The weather was good too compared to yesterday. I was really enjoying myself out there.

I was even-par after six holes. To shoot five-under in the remaining 12 holes, I am really happy with that. It was a very composed round. Everything just went the right way. This is a week that I always look forward to. It’s a great track to play on.

My performances here weren’t that great the past two years. I really worked hard for this. I had a great end to the season in 2018, keeping my card for this season. Just riding on that good form and hoping to continue with that.

Obviously looking to qualify for The Open this week as well. I believe I have done my work. Just another two days of solid golf and I will get there.

Scores after round 2 of the SMBC Singapore Open being played at the par 71, 7403 Yards Sentosa GC course (am - denotes amateur):

par 142 (2x71)
 135 - Poom Saksansin (THA) 65-70, Paul Casey (ENG) 68-67.
136 - Taihei Sato (JPN) 65-71, Shotaro Wada (JPN) 66-70.
137 - Davis Love III (USA) 69-68, Shaun Norris (RSA) 69-68, Sihwan Kim (USA) 70-67, Yikeun Chang (KOR) 69-68, Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 71-66, Chapchai Nirat (THA) 67-70, Dongkyu Jang (KOR) 71-66.
138 - Jarin Todd (USA) 69-69, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit (THA) 72-66, Chan Shih-chang (TPE) 66-72.
139 - Johannes Veerman (USA) 70-69, Justin Harding (RSA) 68-71, Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA) 70-69, Yuwa Kosaihira (JPN) 69-70.
140 - Micah Lauren Shin (USA) 69-71, Paul Peterson (USA) 68-72, Arjun Atwal (IND) 67-73, Angelo Que (PHI) 68-72, Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA) 69-71, Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) 67-73, Shunya Takeyasu (JPN) 70-70, Scott Vincent (ZIM) 71-69, Zach Murray (AUS) 71-69.

For completed round two scores, please download it here.

Lewton finishes joint 2nd in Thailand

Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, January 13: Thailand’s Itthipat Burantanyarat rediscovered his winning form when he fired a seven-under-par 64 to win by two shots in the final round of the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Thai broke his three-year title drought on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) by staying focused on a pressure-filled final day to clinch the ฿4 million (approximately US$121,700) event with his winning total of 26-under-par 258.

Itthipat will take home a winner’s prize purse of US$21,862.98 and receive 10 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points following his victory at the fifth edition of the event hosted by Thai legend Boonchu Ruangkit.

American Johannes Veerman made a final charge with a 63, to share second place on a 260 total with England’s Steve Lewton, who ended his campaign with a 66 at the Rancho Charnvee Resort and Country Club.

Starting the round with a one-shot deficit, the Thai grabbed birdies on holes three, five and seven to make the turn in 32. He made another birdie on hole 10 before dropping his first shot of the day on hole 11 after hitting his tee shot into the water.

“On hole 11 I hit it in the water and made bogey which made me a little nervous with everyone catching up. But I was still able to control my emotions and rely on my short game.

I made three birdies in a row from there which really gave me that last bit of confidence going into the last hole,” added the Thai, who bounced back with four more birdies on his way home.

Itthipat claimed his maiden ADT victory in 2015 in the Philippines and went on to win again the year after in Singapore.

The Thai, who successfully made the mark at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January, is thrilled to find his groove so early on in the season and hopes that it will provide a timely boost as he aims to win his maiden victory on region’s premier Tour.

“I am very happy to be finally back to winning on the ADT. Winning on home course and in a tournament under Boonchu’s name. I have wanted to win this tournament so bad and I  finally did it.

“My game wasn’t that good and I was struggling for a bit the last couple of years. But now I am just confident in my game and it gives me confidence to win on the Asian Tour,” added Itthipat.

Veerman, the 2016 ADT Order of Merit winner, took pride in his performance at the ADT season-opener where he marked his card with one eagle, seven birdies and a bogey.

“It was a great day today. I knew I had to put pressure on those guys, they’re great players and the course is scorable, so to come out strong was great.

"It’s nice that my last tournament of the year last season on the Asian Tour ended well, and I was able to carry that form into this year. I’m not putting any expectations on myself but it encourages me because my game is where I want it to be,” said the 26-year-old American.

The leading seven players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2020 season.

Leading final round scores:

258 - Itthipat Buranatanyarat (Thai) 66 64 64 64

260 - Johannes Veerman (USA) 65 68 64 63, Steve Lewton (Eng) 64 62 68 66

261 - Mathiam Keyser 65 67 65 64

262 - Jazz Janewattananond 63 64 66 69

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All that Jazz leads with a round to go in Thailand

 

Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, January 12: Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond bounced back from a slow start to shoot a five-under-par 66 and take over the lead in the penultimate round of the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship on Saturday.

The two-time Asian Tour winner birdied four of his closing seven holes to take a one-shot lead into the final round with a three-day total of 20-under-par 193 at the  US$121,700 event hosted by Thai legend Boonchu Ruangkit.

England’s Steve Lewton carded a 68 to share second place on 194 with home talent Itthipat Buranatanyarat who matched yesterday’s efforts with a 64 at the Rancho Charnvee Resort and Country Club.

The 23-year-old Jazz made an eagle on hole five but dropped his first shot of the tournament on hole 11 after landing in a greenside bunker.

“I think everyone in the group was struggling in the beginning, I didn’t get the momentum right but we all started playing better towards the end.

“My first bogey just came from out of nowhere. It was an easy shot and I just hit it in the bunker and didn’t make an up-and-down. But that was a good wake-up call for me. From then on, I was able to find my momentum again,” added the young Thai.

Jazz lost in a play-off in the 2016 tournament and missed out yet again the year after with a bogey on his last hole to finish joint third. With his game in shape, he remains optimistic but refuses to get ahead of himself.

“I don’t have much pressure going into tomorrow. It’s good that my game is in good shape. I’m not thinking about winning and I am just taking this as a sign that I am back and playing good golf again,” added Jazz.

Countryman Itthipat, who made the fourth ace in his career in the second round, also made a late charge with four birdies and one eagle on his back nine.

“I didn’t start too well. I was missing a lot of putts and I three-putted hole five. But hole eight turned things around for me. I almost hit it on the green from the tee box and tapped in for birdie,” said the 25-year-old.

The Thai made the mark at Asian Tour Qualifying School this year after finishing in third position. He will go into the final round with the same focused mindset that helped put him in contention today.

“On the back nine, I really got more focused with my shots. I stayed patient and focused on my own game instead of on the leader board. I am excited for tomorrow and will just keep playing my own game,” added Itthipat.

Lewton, who held a one-shot lead going into the third round, traded four birdies against one bogey after struggling with a cold putter.

“It was a pretty frustrating day. I hit it very good and just didn’t make enough putts. I played pretty steady all day. All my birdies were inside six-feet but I just couldn’t hole anything to get any momentum going,” added the one-time Asian Tour winner.

The Englishman stays positive heading into the final round and hopes to channel the same mindset he had when he carded his personal-best score of 62 in round two.

“Going into the final round I will just try and play like the first two rounds. I just want to have fun and make plenty of birdies tomorrow,” added Lewton.

American Johannes Veerman (64) and South Africa’s Mathiam Keyser (65) are tied-fourth on 197. Defending champion Namchok Tantipokhakul signed for a 69 to sit in tied-20th on a 202 total.

Leading third round scores:

193 - Jazz Janewattananond 63 64 66

194 - Itthipat Buranatanyarat 66 64 64, Steve Lewton 64 62 68

197 - Johannes Veerman 65 68 64, Mathiam Keyser 65 67 65

198 - Witchayanon Chothirunrungrueng 65 66 67

Full results click here.

PRESS RELEASE                                                                                            December 27, 2018

POOM PROGRESSES AT ASIAN TOUR QUALIFYING SCHOOL

Poom Pattaropong of Thailand

*The image must be credited to the Asian Tour and used in conjunction with this release only. Click on the image to download the hi-res version.

Hua Hin, Thailand, December 27: Thailand’s Poom Pattaropong emerged tops by signing for a second round seven-under-par 64 to lead the field into the next round at the Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage on Thursday.

Sweden’s Christoffer Baumann along with Singapore’s Choo Tze huang and Australia’s Zach Murray, who signed for matching 10-under-par 132 totals to be bunched in second place, are among the leading 140 players and ties who will continue their journey.

They will play another two more rounds before a further cut for the final round is made where only the leading 70 players and ties players will feature on Sunday at the Lakeview Resort and Golf Club.

At the conclusion of 90 holes, the leading 35 players and ties will be ranked accordingly for the 2019 season.

India’s Aman Raj and Korea’s Taewoo Kim together with Jeremy Wendelken and Austen Truslow of the United States will also continue their journey as they take fifth place with their 133 total.

Having missed out on his chance to secure his Asian Tour card earlier this year, Poom is relishing the opportunity of having another chance of doing so again this week.

The Thai believes his experience of playing on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) has prepared him well for the grueling task ahead and is confident of rising to the occasion.

The second round of the Qualifying School saw two hole-in-ones being recorded on the par-three 16 where Baumann and Truslow enjoyed their moment of glory with their aces.

Did you know?

·       Poom Pattaropong graduated from James Madison University in the United States last December. He plied his trade on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) since missing the mark at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January.

·       He enjoyed a particular good run of form from August to October, notching four top-fives in six starts on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).

·       Poom was in the seven play-off hole duel against Miguel Carballo at the ADT Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in August. He eventually finished tied-second behind Carballo.

·       He eventually finished in 15th on the 2018 ADT Order of Merit.

·       Aman Raj turned professional in 2016 and went on to top the class at the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) Qualifying School in 2016.

·       Raj won the Emerging Player of the year, with the highest earnings among all rookies during that season.

·       Raj finished fifth at the 2018 Panasonic Open India, his best result so far on the Asian Tour.

·       He was placed 107th on the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.

·       Austen Truslow topped the Section B last week to earn a spot in the Final Stage of Qualifying School.

·       His ace on 16, which came courtesy of his six-iron from 196 yards, was the first hole-in-one he has made in his professional career.

·       Jobim Carlos earned his first Tour card in 2016 via Qualifying School. However, he has only made the cut at one out of the seven tournaments he competed in.

·       He was eliminated after two rounds of the 2018 Qualifying School.

·       Carlos topped the 2018 Philippine Golf Tour Order of Merit.

·       Sean Kelly turned professional in 2016 and played two years on the PGA TOUR Canada and on the web.com last year.

Players’ Quotes

Poom Pattaropong (Tha) Second 64 (-7) Total 131 (-11)

I missed out on securing my Tour card earlier this year and hopefully I can get the job done in my second attempt this week. I learnt a lot about myself after that play-off loss to Miguel Carballo. I learnt a lot from Miguel that week and that was my best finish for the year. I took up golf when I was seven when my dad took me out to the range. I went to school in Australia when I was 13 and then to high school and college in the US. I came back last year, turned pro and played on the ADT. My greatest strength has definitely been my short game and I hope to use that to my advantage this week.

Christoffer Baumann (Swe) Second round 68 (-3), Total 132 (-10)

It was almost the same as yesterday. I did not get off to a good start but then I played better in my back-nine. I was struggling a bit with my iron shots but that hole-in-one really lifted me. I three-putted on 15 but got that hole-in-one on 16 which was a big help for me today. I aimed straight at the pin and this is my third hole-in-one. Actually I also made one at Q school two years ago and it’s nice to make another one this week.

Aman Raj (Ind) Second round 64 (-7) Total 133 (-9)

I’ve been playing decent golf and have been trying to score well, which I managed to do today. I just want to go with the flow and take whatever comes my way. It has been one of the best seasons since I turned professional. I finished sixth on the PGTI and I won my first professional tournament in Jaipur and also finished second in Bangalore. So it has been going pretty okay and it would be wonderful to top it all with an Asian Tour card this week. I’ve got a few starts on the Asian Tour and I hope to take all those experience and make the best use of it. I played a lot of junior golf with Shubhankar and I was happy to hang out with him in Jakarta recently. He has been playing so well and it’s really motivating to see him do well and follow likewise.

Austen Truslow (Usa) Second round 66 (-5), Total 133 (-9)

It was my first hole-in-one in a tournament and it’s really exciting. I hope that is a sign of good things to come. I didn’t score as well as I could have today. It could have been a much better round. I got three more rounds to go and it’s all about sticking to my routine and as long as I can do that, I should be okay.

Jobim Carlos (Phi) Second round 66 (-8), Total 134 (-8)

I played the par-three well and my irons were good today. I could have played the par-five better but overall, I’m happy with my round. Topping the local order of merit has shown how consistent I can be with my game throughout the year. I see that as a huge confidence boost heading into this week and next year. I got my Asian Tour card as an amateur in 2016 but I didn’t have a good season that year. But it feels good to know that I have done it before and I can do it again.

Sean Kelly (Usa) 69 (-2), Total round 134 (-8)

I’m happy as my caddie and I plotted our way around the course very well. It has been a great experience and this is my first trip to Asia. There’s a lot of new things happening and I’m happy with what’s trending so far. A friend of mine actually convinced me to come over and I thought why not? I know John Catlin and I’m trying to follow what he’s doing and get out there and play well.

Leading scores after round 2 of the The Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage 2019 being played at the par 71, 6888 Yards A&B course (am - denotes amateur):
131 - Poom PATTAROPONG (THA) 67-64.
132 - Christoffer BAUMANN (SWE) 64-68, CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 65-67, Zach MURRAY (AUS) 68-64.
133 - Aman RAJ (IND) 69-64, Austen TRUSLOW (USA) 67-66, Taewoo KIM (KOR) 64-69, Jeremy WENDELKEN (USA) 67-66.
134 - Chanyoung PARK (KOR) 68-66, Jobim CARLOS (PHI) 68-66, Tomoharu OTSUKI (JPN) 69-65, Sean KELLY (USA) 65-69, Chiragh KUMAR (IND) 65-69, Daniel FOX (AUS) 69-65, Chris RODGERS (ENG) 66-68, Itthipat BURANATANYARAT (THA) 67-67.
135 - XIAO Bowen (CHN) 64-71, Dongha LEE (KOR) 70-65, Veer AHLAWAT (IND) 69-66, Kosuke HAMAMOTO (THA) 64-71, Kwanchai TANNIN (THA) 64-71.
136 - Rick KULACZ (AUS) 71-65, Ryan TROYER (USA) 70-66, Lloyd Jefferson GO (PHI) 67-69, Jaewoong EOM (KOR) 64-72, Minwoong KANG (KOR) 67-69, Ben GEYER (USA) 68-68, Dookyun WON (KOR) 66-70.
 

For full results, download here.

Ends.