Local-lad Liao and card-chasing Ariffin shoot flawless 65s to lead Taiwan Glass Taifong Open
Chinese-Taipei’s Liao Huan-jyun and Shahriffuddin Ariffin from Malaysia both fired matching bogey-free seven-under-par 65s to take the first-round lead in the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open today – in the penultimate event of the season on the Asian Tour.
They lead from Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat, who carded a 66 here at Taifong Golf Club and is ahead of seven players in with 67s: Prom Meesawat, Poom Saksansin, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit, Natipong Srithong, and Chapchai Nirat, also all from Thailand, plus local players Liu Yu-jui and Liu Yung-hua.
Liao said he had technical issues heading into this week, but that was certainly not evident today as he made three birdies on the front and four on the back, like Ariffin.
The 22-year-old, who has been a professional since 2021 and plays on the Taiwan PGA Tour, could not have rediscovered his game at a better time as the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open is making its debut appearance on the Asian Tour, having been promoted from the Asian Development Tour (ADT), where it was played for seven successful seasons.
Shahriffuddin Ariffin. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I played really well today, from off the tees to putting, everything went well for me,” said Liao, who claimed his first title on the local Tour in September and is eighth on the Order of Merit, suggesting he could be a threat this week.
“This is my third time playing the Taifong Open. I can say I’m pretty familiar with this course. We play here every year. Wasn’t expecting to shoot such a low round, there weren’t much wind this morning, so I guess that was an advantage.
“My ball flight was off coming into this week. I was trying to make adjustments so really surprised with my score today. Hitting fairways is key on this course.”
Ariffin is one of a large number of players here this week trying to keep their playing privileges for the 2024 season. He graduated to the Tour by claiming fourth place on last year’s ADT Order of Merit – helped by winning the Selangor Masters – but now faces a battle to stay as he is 91st on the Merit list.
Only one more event remains after this week, the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund, with the top-65 receiving their cards.
“Just the start I needed,” said the Malaysian, who is playing his 17th event of the season.
“This is a difficult course, I am just keeping it in the safe positions. I am here to try and keep my card. That’s the goal.”
His round was practically identical to his co-leader as he birdied four of the same holes, including 17 and 18, although he played in the afternoon and, unlike Liao, he began on 10.
Itthipat is another battling to retain his card as he is 87th on the standings.
“I hope I will get my card from this week, but I am not putting pressure on myself,” said Itthipat, who chipped in from 25 yards for an eagle on 18 and made six birdies and two bogeys.
“It was a good round for me but not the best round. I got two bogeys before finishing but [those two holes] are too easy for bogey.
“In Chinese-Taipei the course is normally difficult because of the wind. But now it is good weather for me. I am trying to be happy and just enjoy the game. When I have played here in the past on the ADT this is my favourite course. I am really happy to be here.”
Ittiphat Burananatanyarat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Prom is in 81st place on the Merit list and needs a good finish this week. Like Itthipat he is taking it in his stride.
He said: “I am not worrying about it. I started playing well since Singapore and I just want to play more to find my momentum, get ready for next year, and just come here and enjoy, see my Taiwanese friends as it’s like a second home. We have long time friends here and everyone was telling me I should come, I should come.”
He started on 10 and got off to a poor start when he made a double bogey on the 13th.
“I chipped out from the rough and I hit it pretty good, but I had a bad break, it had a bad bounce and went over the green and I had a lost ball on that hole,” he said.
Birdies on 17 and 18 helped him turn in even before a sensational second nine made up of five birdies, including on the last three, moved him into contention.
Poom finished later in the day, and it looks like he intends to keep American Andy Ogletree waiting a little longer before he is confirmed as the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.
The Thai golfer, who won the Yeangder TPC here in Chinese-Taipei in September, is fifth on the Merit list and is the only player who can mathematically catch Ogletree.
However, he first needs to win this week to have any chance of catching the runaway Merit list leader, who claimed two International Series events this season, in Qatar and England.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, winner of this event on three occasions, came in with a 69.
His compatriot and defending champion Hung Chien-yao carded a 72.
Lee Chieh-po competes in the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open this week at Taifong Golf Club and could not have asked for a better tournament to play in at this stage of the season.
The Chinese-Taipei golfer has enjoyed a breakthrough year on the Asian Tour – he is currently in 15th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – and the only thing missing is a first victory on the circuit.
That could potentially all change this week at an event he has won once before – in 2021, when because of the COVID-19 pandemic the only sanctioning body was the local tour – and finished in the top-10 on five occasions when it was held on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
“I always feel good coming back to play here at Taifong Golf Club,” said Lee ahead of this week’s event which is debuting on the Asian Tour after seven successful seasons on the ADT schedule.
Lee Chieh-po. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I grew up in Yunlin County which is not too far from here so it’s nice to be back. The game has been feeling good. I played very consistently, especially in the second half of the season.
“I was able to stick to my game plan and routines and execute the shots I wanted to hit. The string of top-10 finishes gave me a great boost in confidence. Hopefully I can putt well this week.”
The ‘string of tops-10 finishes’ downplays a brilliant run of form in successive events that saw him finish joint ninth in the International Series Singapore, tie for fourth in the SJM Macao Open, claim a share of seventh in the Volvo China Open and secure equal eighth in the Hong Kong Open.
Back in April he was also one of the runner ups at the Mandiri Indonesia Open – his best result of the year. The only other time he has come second was in last year’s Yeangder TPC, on home soil, an event he won a year earlier when again, because of the pandemic, it was played as a local event.
He added: “I am happy with how I performed so far this season. I have played some steady golf which is good. Obviously, the goal at the start of the season is to win on the Asian Tour. I did give myself a few opportunities, but I think I still have a lot to learn before I can finally claim that win. I know as long as I stay competitive in every tournament I tee up in, my chance will come.”
He was joint fourth here last year and tees-off tomorrow as one of the hot favourites.
“There is an advantage for me this week as I know the course very well,” explained the baby-faced 29-year-old, who enjoyed a fine amateur career prior to turning professional 2015.
Lee pictured with the keys to his new BMW after his ace in Hong Kong. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I play here very often. It’s great to see the event being elevated from an Asian Development Tour event to an Asian Tour event this year, considering how high standard this golf course is, it’s worth it. It is going to be a special venue for the foreign players this week.”
Lee is hoping to follow in the footsteps of five-time Asian Tour winner Chan Shih-chang, who is also a six-time champion on the ADT, as he’s a close friend of Chan and godfather to his son.
The close association appears to rubbing off on Lee.
At the Hong Kong Open in November he made an ace with a beautifully struck 196-yard seven iron on the eighth hole at the Hong Kong Golf Club, to become the lucky new owner of a BMW i5 eDrive40 MSE.
It was the sign of a player who is on top of his game, and one of the finds of the Asian Tour’s 2023 season who looks like being one of the stars of the future.
The Taiwan Glass Taifong Open is the penultimate event of the season, and will be followed in two weeks by the Saudi Open presented by the Public Investment Fund.
The Asian Tour welcomes a new event on to its schedule this week, the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open, but there is certainly nothing new about the popular event.
One of the reasons why the tournament, which tees-off on Thursday at Taifong Golf Club – the tournament’s permanent home – was promoted to the Tour is because of its long and successful history as a premier event on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and Chinese-Taipei’s local circuit.
It was actually 18 years ago when the event was first played, when Chinese-Taipei’s Yeh Wei-tze – best known for winning the Malaysian Open in 2000 – had the distinction of becoming its maiden winner.
It was sanctioned solely by the local Tour that year, as it was in the ensuing years when it was won by many of the country’s other household names: Chan Yi-shin (2006), Lu Wei-chih (2007), Lu Chien-soon (2009) and Chan Shih-chang (main picture) (2010).
The event was not played for the next three years but returned stronger than ever in 2014 as it was jointly sanctioned with the ADT – with the leading finishers on the ADT Order of Merit earning their cards for the Asian Tour.
Hung Chien-yao is the defending champion this week at Taifong Golf Club. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Chan Shih-chang paid scant regard to the tournament’s interlude and successfully defended the title – after a five-way playoff against countrymen Sung Mao-chang and Hsieh Tung-shu, Filipino Miguel Tabuena and Pannakorn Uthaipas of Thailand.
Chan had already won twice on the ADT earlier that season and would go on to finish second on the Order of Merit and secure an Asian Tour card for the 2015 season.
The Chinese-Taipei star would also win the tournament four years later in 2018, beating American Han Lee and Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand by two strokes.
The 2015 edition was won by Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasirichan by one stroke over Jordan Sherratt of Australia and American Casey O’Toole.
American Johannes Veerman, now plying his trade with great success on the DP World Tour, took the title in 2016 when he defeated local favorite Chang Wei-lun in a play-off, when the event was reduced to 54 holes. The victory also helped him secure the ADT Order of Merit title.
In 2017 it was Thailand’s Pannakorn Uthaipas who came away with the trophy after beating the trio of Lin Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei, a six-time Asian Tour winner, Australian Marcus Both and fellow Thai Gunn Charoenkul. With four other top-10s during the season, Uthaipas would also go on to top the Merit list standings.
Donlaphatchai Niyomchon from Thailand triumphed in 2019, edging out countryman Atiruj Winaicharoenchai, Daisuke Yasumoto of Japan and Tseng Tzu-hsuan and Chang Wei-Lun of Chinese Taipei. It was Donlaphatchai’s first victory on the ADT.
The COVID-19 pandemic failed to stop the tournament from being held in 2020 and 2021, although due to travel restrictions, it could only be played as a local event.
Chinese-Taipei players capitalised on the absence of international players, with Hung Chien-yao victorious in 2020 and Lee Chie-po the following year.
And when the event returned to the ADT schedule again last year, as the final event of the season, it would be Hung Chien-yao who had his name inscribed on the trophy for the second time after he recorded a five-shot win over Suteepat Prateeptienchai of Thailand and American Joe Heraty.
In all the years the event was sanctioned by the ADT it had the distinction of being the most lucrative on the schedule or, as was the case in 2022, the joint richest, and as such it was instrumental in determining the players that would graduate to the Asian Tour for the following seasons.
Many of those players are competing again this week as fully-fledged Asian Tour card holders in an event that has travelled far since 2005 and is about to start the most exciting chapter in its history.
More than 10 months after teeing-off its 2023 season in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Asian Tour will return to there for what promises to be a dramatic denouement to a memorable campaign.
Boasting a prize purse of US$1 million, the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund will be staged at Riyadh Golf Club (main picture) from December 14-17.
As the 23rd and last event on the Asian Tour’s 2023 calendar, the tournament will not only determine the Order of Merit champion but also will be the final chance for players to secure a top-65 finish and keep their playing rights for 2024.
Those that succeed will then be able to look forward to a speedy return to the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund with the tournament also primed to play host to the opening leg of the 2024 season from January 25-28.
The elevation of the event from the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2022 to the Asian Tour is a further sign of the close ties between Golf Saudi and the Asian Tour.
Naraajie Ramadhanputra won the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund last year when it was part of the Asian Development Tour. Picture By Ian Walton.
“We’re delighted to see the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund become part of the Asian Tour,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour.
“Last year’s Saudi Open on the ADT was one of the most popular tournaments we have staged in the Kingdom. Following that success, it will now provide a fitting climax to the Asian Tour’s 2023 season – and we will then see a quick turnaround during the new year break and return to tee-off our 2024 campaign.
“Our thanks go to our counterparts at Golf Saudi and the Riyadh Golf Club for their continued support and partnership.”
The 120-strong field for this year’s event will include the top-80 available players from the Asian Tour’s 2023 Order of Merit as well as invited players from other international Tours, such as Australia, South Africa, Japan and Korea.
The tournament will also feature up and coming players from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Arab countries as well as representatives from Saudi Arabia’s national team.
Noah Alireza, CEO at Golf Saudi, said: “Joining the Asian Tour this year as the final event on its schedule is an exciting new development for the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund.
“Every year we’ve hosted the tournament, it has got bigger and better. We’re especially proud of how each edition provides Saudi and Arab golfers the opportunity to participate in a top tier competition.
“It not only allows them to develop their skill levels but also to test themselves and go head-to-head against players from different countries in the Middle East, North Africa and now the Asian Tour in a competitive environment.”
In view of the significance of the tournament, the Merit points that will be awarded have been elevated to Tier 3, the same as The International Series events.
This will be the eighth edition of the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund. Last year’s 54-hole event on the ADT was won by Indonesian Naraajie E. Ramadhanputra with a score of 19-under-par 197. Egyptian Issa Abouelelah finished as the low amateur on nine-under 207.
Managed by Golf Saudi and playing to a par of 72, Riyadh Golf Club is located 20 minutes from the Saudi capital of Riyadh. Opened in 2005, the course is laid out on undulating terrain with wide fairways and manicured greens.
Lee Chieh-po and Chan Shih-chang will spearhead the local challenge when the Asian Tour touches down in Chinese Taipei next week for the penultimate event of the 2023 season.
A welcome addition to the Asian Tour calendar, the US$400,000 Taiwan Glass Taifong Open will be staged at the Taifong Golf Club from November 30 to December 3.
Formerly a showpiece event on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open represents a fabulous opportunity for a Chinese Taipei player to finally enter the Asian Tour’s winners’ enclosure in 2023.
Since Chan’s triumph in last year’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters, Chinese Taipei players have endured an uncharacteristically barren spell on the Asian Tour.
Chan Shih-chang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
However, of a strong home contingent next week, Chan and Lee will have particular cause for optimism that they can bring an end to their country’s victory drought on the Asian Tour that now stretches to almost 14 months.
After a slow start to 2023, both players have enjoyed a recent upswing in performances.
A five-time winner on the Asian Tour, Chan has struggled for consistency this year although top-10 finishes at the Yeangder TPC and International Series Singapore have seen him climb to 50th in the Order of Merit.
That places him second among Chinese Taipei players, behind only Lee who is currently 15th in the standings, having missed just two cuts in 18 starts this year.
A tie for second in August’s Mandiri Indonesia Open was his joint best Asian Tour finish while four successive late-season top-10s – International Series Singapore (tied ninth), SJM Macao Open (tied fourth), Volvo China Open (tied seventh) and Hong Kong Open (tied eighth) – have fuelled his belief that a maiden Asian Tour triumph is within his sights.
Chan and Lee will also be boosted by the fact that they both have outstanding records at the Taifong venue.
Chan won the Taifong Open in 2014 and 2018 and finished equal fourth, alongside Lee, last year.
Over the course of the past decade, meanwhile, Lee has posted five top finishes at the Taifong Golf Club.
Another Chinese Taipei player expected to be vying for glory is Hung Chien-yao, victorious in last year’s Taiwan Glass Taifong Open when it was the concluding event on the ADT’s 2022 schedule.
Currently 64th in the Asian Tour Merit standings, Hung knows that a strong performance on home soil will go a long way to helping him confirm his playing rights for 2024.
Of the overseas players in the starting line-up, attention is sure to be focused on Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, who has already savoured success in Chinese Taipei this year.
Celebrating his 10th year as a professional, Poom has enjoyed the best season of his career to date, highlighted by his win at the Yeangder TPC.
It was his fourth Asian Tour title and has lifted him into fifth spot in the Order of Merit standings. Another victory in Chinese Taipei next week would put an exclamation mark on a memorable year for the Thai.
Gaganjeet Bhullar walked away with much more than the trophy and bumper US$270,000 winner’s cheque at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE last Sunday.
His brilliant wire-to-wire victory also secured the all-important eighth place on The International Series Order of Merit (OOM), a result that secured an automatic bye into round two of the LIV Golf Promotions event and took the Indian a step closer to one of three golden tickets to the LIV Golf League roster next season.
Going into the weekend, Bhullar was sitting 46th on the OOM, outside the top-40 which would generate seven second-round exemptions from those placed two to eight, and 25 first-round places for Asian Tour players.
The 11-time Asian Tour winner booked the final berth in the second round and edged out Phachara Khongwatmai into a first-round spot, the Thai star just falling short of that bye despite a rollercoaster third place at the Hong Kong Open the week before.
Karandeep Kochhar. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Bhullar said: “This feels very special because before this week, since it is the cut off, coming here this week the standings was definitely on the back of my mind, and motivating me to play well and get the chance of a place in the LIV Golf qualifier. I played well last week too but struggled on Sunday, but this week the goal was to stay in the zone, and I managed to do that.”
In-form runner-up Karandeep Kochhar was also celebrating his big result as the brilliant final-round 63 took him from 37th and up to 15, for one of 25 places on the first round of the LIV Golf Promotions event at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club from 8-10 December.
Kochhar has been a big mover in the past three weeks, coming out of nowhere with an impressive joint fifth in the Volvo China Open and an equal 25th at the Hong Kong Open before his runner-up spot at Royale Jakarta Golf Club.
He said: “Before these three weeks, it wasn’t on my mind. But yesterday I did have a look in the evening. I went on the Order of Merit and just trying to kind of see where I stood and everything. Anyway, if I played my game, I would be in.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for players like me in Asia, trying to get on the LIV Series which is arguably the best tour in the world. I’m really looking forward to that opportunity and have a good week in Abu Dhabi hopefully.”
Andy Ogletree had already wrapped up The International Series Order of Merit and LIV Golf League golden ticket at the Hong Kong Open, the penultimate tournament on The International Series – the schedule of 10 elevated marquee events on the Asian Tour.
Spaniard David Puig finished runner up in the standings after an impressive tied third-placed finish in Indonesia alongside Hong Kong Open champion Ben Campbell, who moved up to third in the standings.
The International Series Vietnam winner Kieran Vincent, Wade Ormsby, Gunn Charoenkul and Bhullar complete the Asian Tour’s second round contingent in Abu Dhabi, where they will try to qualify for a fascinating 36-hole final day.
Kieran Vincent. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Vincent was delighted to claim an exemption. He said: “Every week is an important week in golf but the fact that this one could have playing rights next year on LIV is amazing. I can’t wait to get there, never been to Abu Dhabi and it is going to be a great event.”
At the other end of the standings, Korea’s Kyongyung Moon secured a place in the first round in Abu Dhabi, his impressive fifth-placed finish at Royale Jakarta enough to leapfrog from 53 up to 36.
Below him, compatriot Taehee Lee (37), Australian Zach Murray (38) and South African Jaco Ahlers (40) did enough to keep their places on the top 25. Miguel Carballo must have had a nervous afternoon however; the Argentine held on to the second from final spot at 24, and 39 in the International Series Order of Merit despite a missed cut in Jakarta.
Gaganjeet Bhullar produced a virtuoso performance to win the US$1.5 million BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE today, for his fifth title on Indonesian soil and the fourth wire-to-wire win of his career on the Asian Tour.
The 35-year-old from Amritsar eagled the par-five 18th here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club for a closing four-under-par 67 to finish on 24-under, which was five shots ahead of second-placed Karandeep Kochhar, also from India.
Ben Campbell from New Zealand, winner of the Hong Kong Open last Sunday, and Spaniard David Puig shot rounds of 65 and 66 respectively to claim third place, six back of Bhullar – in the final event of the season on The International Series, the set of 10 elevated events on the Asian Tour.
It marks the first time Bhullar has raised this trophy, and it will proudly sit alongside three Indonesian Open wins and one Indonesia President Invitational title.
Gaganjeet Bhullar. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Plus it is the 11th win of his career on the Asian Tour – the most by an Indian, with Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa next best with eight titles.
And it’s also his first victory since winning the Mandiri Indonesia Open in August of last year.
He started the day with a comfortable seven-shot lead and was in complete control before a couple of mistakes over the closing stages kept the large gallery guessing.
On the par-three 15th he shocked everyone when he found water with his tee shot, but after taking a drop he played a superb third to six feet and holed the putt for bogey.
His lead was cut to three from Kochhar and Puig at that point and when he left his second shot short in a tricky lie on the grassy slope of a greenside bunker on the par-four 16th it looked as if the gap would be closed further.
However, he made arguably the shot of the tournament when he holed out for an unlikely birdie to restore his lead to four.
His closing eagle on 18 was set up by a beautifully struck fairway wood to 20 feet.
“It wasn’t that easy. This is my fourth Asian Tour wire-to-wire,” said Bhullar, who showed incredible mental fortitude to win having led the event since his opening round 63.
Karandeep Kochhar. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“And this was a victory with a seven-shot lead and I just kept telling myself I have done that in the past and I am ready to do that this week.
“Today I played pretty well actually. I struggled a bit in the middle of the round, there was a stretch when I was trying my level best but I was not making the birdies. But the chip in on number 16 turned around everything. And of course the eagle on the last was the icing on the cake.”
His other wire-to-wire wins came in the Macao Open in 2012 and 2017 and at the 2013 Indonesia Open.
“Overall, I think it is a great sense of achievement for myself and I am really proud of myself,” added Bhullar, who revealed today that his grandma was born in Indonesia.
“I have been doing meditation since I was 14 years old, and I think this is my 17th year on Tour. I learned over the years how to deal with the pressure and especially the conditions and the situation I was in the last three rounds. So, I think the past experience has really helped me.”
An added bonus is that victory catapulted him from 46th place on The International Series Order of Merit to eighth, and it’s only those from second to eight who are fast tracked into the second round of the LIV Golf Promotions event in three weeks time in Abu Dhabi. The top three finishers there will earn places on next year’s LIV Golf League.
Kochhar will also be competing in Abu Dhabi and today celebrated his best finish on the Asian Tour.
He said: “Obviously a very good day from start to finish. I told myself that the way I was hitting the ball the last few days I’m going to have a lot of opportunities, so it was all about being patient.
“And I think I did that very well today. I was patient throughout, gave myself opportunities and made some good putts down the stretch as well. A couple of good two putts in the end, which I think kind of kept the momentum going. So yeah, overall really pleased and been looking forward to a week off.”
Korean Kyongjun Moon fired a 65 and finished in outright fifth, seven behind the champion.
Ben Campbell. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour heads to Chinese-Taipei next for the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open. The US$400,000 tournament, which is making its debut on the Asian Tour having previously been played on the Asian Development Tour, will be staged at Taifong Golf Club from November 30 to December 3.
Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar’s bid to add the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE title to the four other events he has already claimed in Indonesia continued unabated today after he shot an eight-under-par 63 for a 20-under total and a commanding seven-shot lead.
Spaniard David Puig fired an equally impressive 62 to sit in solo second here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club, while New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, in with a 63, Indian Veer Ahlawat, who carded a 65, and Richard T. Lee from Canada, after a 68, are tied for third a further stroke back.
Of his 10 magnificent victories on the Asian Tour – the most but any player from his nation – three have been wire-to-wire, and he looks like adding to that impressive statistic tomorrow having led here from start to finish.
He only dropped one shot today and nailed nine birdies.
Gaganjeet Bhullar. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I think, as I said yesterday, the goal was to keep the ball in play from the tee and hit it close from the fairway,” said Bhullar, whose other wire-to-wire wins came in the Macao Open in 2012 and 2017 and the 2013 Indonesia Open.
“And then the goal is to putt better, and today I putted really well. I missed the shortest birdie putt of the week on number three, which was like three feet, I think after that, that just kind of motivated me to read the lines properly and just some sort of a trigger in my mind. And I think after that I just kept reading the lines properly and the pace was really good today.”
Of his four wins in Indonesia, three have been in the country’s national Open, in 2013, 2016 and in August last year – which is his most recent win on the Asian Tour – while he first tasted victory on Indonesian soil at the Indonesia President Invitational 14 years ago.
Puig’s brilliant bogey free 62 is the lowest round of the week, although it could not officially count as one of the lowest in the event’s history as preferred lies were played.
“It’s hard to believe but I played pretty much like today the other two days,” said the 21-year-old, who won the International Series Singapore in October.
“I putted it awful the first two days, and even though I shot nine under today, I feel that I left some out there, which is pretty impressive. Very happy with my ball striking. I’ve been hitting it very, very good throughout the week, and yeah, a little happier today with my putting. Hopefully I’ll have a good chance tomorrow to maybe get my second win, it would be awesome.”
David Puig. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Campbell won the Hong Kong Open on Sunday and an opening round 73 here suggested another good week here was a bridge too far but rounds of 65 and 63 have given him a chance to be the first back-to-back winner on the Asian Tour since Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond at the end of 2019.
He said: “It was a weird 73 on day one, I think I only missed two or three greens, just couldn’t hole a putt. I said to my caddie at the end of the day I felt like I was swinging it better than last week.
“Even yesterday I hit it great and didn’t hole a whole lot but at the end of the day it was nice to hit a couple of really close ones, so yeah finding the greens a little bit tricky to read but hopefully get a few more to drop tomorrow.”
Tomorrow’s final round will also determine who qualifies for the LIV Golf Promotions event from The International Series Order of Merit, as this week’s US$1.5 million event is the last International Series tournament of 2023.
Players ranked two to eight will earn an exemption into round two while the leading 25 available players from within the top-40 (excluding those exempt into round two) will gain entrance into round one.
The three-day four-round tournament, to take place at Abu Dhabi Golf Club from December 8-10, will see the top three finishers earn exemptions into next year’s multi-million-dollar LIV Golf League.
Ben Campbell. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
American Andy Ogletree booked his place on the LIV Golf League after securing The International Series Order of Merit title last week in Hong Kong, while the big mover tomorrow looks like being Bhullar, who, if he wins, will leap from 46th place to eighth on the Merit list and hence by pass round one in Abu Dhabi.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar is clearly the man to catch at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE after leading for the second day in a row following a four-under-par 67.
Bhullar put himself on course to win for the fifth time in Indonesia after moving to 12-under here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club, in the final International Series event of the year.
He leads by three from Canadian Richard T. Lee, who also shot a 67, and by four from American Patrick Reed, in with a 68.
Bhullar took to the front after a 63 yesterday and was unchallenged at the top today, starting convincingly with four birdies in his first eight.
Richard T. Lee. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He dropped his first shot of the week on nine and another on 17 but they were the only mistakes for a player who has triumphed 10 times on the Asian Tour, the most by an Indian golfer.
“I drove the ball really well yesterday and today,” said the golfer from Amritsar, who chipped in twice today.
“I think one factor which really led me to where I am, 12 under after two rounds, is my driving ability. In the last two rounds I think I only missed two fairways, and the more and more fairways you hit you give yourself more opportunities to be closer to the flag, and that’s what I did yesterday and today.
“The goal was to stay in the moment. The goal was to basically just stay in the zone, stay focused and keep on grinding. Keep on doing what I’m trying to do.”
Bhullar’s most recent win on the Asian Tour came at the Mandiri Indonesia Open in August last year – which marked the third time he had won the event. He first tasted victory on Indonesian soil at the Indonesia President Invitational 14 years ago and based on his form so far this week, another success here looks within range.
Of his success in Indonesia, he commented: “I personally feel that it could be the weather, it could be some sort of thing to do with the greens, with the grass, with the size of fairways or probably the size of rough.”
Patrick Reed. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Three shots back, Lee has once again put himself into position to win his first title on the Asian Tour in six years.
Over the past two seasons, Lee has regularly been in contention, including at the Hong Kong Open last weekend when he claimed third place – his joint best finish of the year as he was also equal third in the Shinhan Donghae Open in September.
And he’ll be hoping that his renewed confidence with the putter will continue over the weekend so he can make it a third win on the Asian Tour, having triumphed in the Solaire Open in 2014 and the Shinhan Donghae Open in 2017.
“I actually finally got my putting back again,” said the 33-year-old.
“Back in form with that, that’s the key to my game. I can strike it pretty well and if I can sink the putts I can go pretty low.
“The change is more set-up based, and eye line. It seems to be working this week, and last week.”
Having started on the back nine, Lee got off to the ideal start when he chipped in for an eagle from 20 yards on the par-five 12th.
He said: “I was pretty happy, it was a good booster, gave me some confidence.”
He also made three birdies on the trot starting on 18.
Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, birdied two out of his last four, including the last. After completing two good days of work, the LIV Golf League star admitted he was hoping to do better.
“It was a frustrating day at three under,” he said.
“It’s just kind of one those days where energy levels are a little low, I couldn’t really get around on a lot of iron shots, a lot of tee shots were blocked a little bit. Yeah, I hit a lot of balls inside 20ft just didn’t make anything and finally made that one on the last which will obviously make it feel a little better for the day.
Gunn Charoenkul. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Energy levels were a little low this morning but besides that I gave myself a lot of looks, but my putter was a little Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde today.”
Korea’s Seungtaek Lee (65), American Micah Lauren Shin (66), Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul (68), and Zach Murray (68) from Australia are joint fourth, five behind Bhullar.
Andy Ogletree from the United States looked like he was going to miss his first cut of the season. However, he produced the kind of golf that saw him win this year’s International Series Order of Merit to make it though, with five birdies in the last seven holes. He carded a 65 to finish on three under, narrowly surviving the cut which was made at two-under, the lowest in 11 editions of the tournament.
Defending champion Sarit Suwannarut from Thailand had to withdraw earlier in day, suffering from a migraine.
Canadian Richard T. Lee has once again put himself into position to win his first title on the Asian Tour in six years after taking the clubhouse lead during round two of the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE today.
He carded a four-under-par 67 here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club to move to nine-under-par for the US$1.5 million event, one better than American Patrick Reed, who fired a 68.
Korea Seungtaek Lee (65), Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul (68), and Zach Murray (68) from Australia are a further stroke behind, after the morning groups came in – in what is the final International Series event of the year.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, the overnight leader following a brilliant 63, is in the afternoon session.
Patrick Reed. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Over the past two seasons Lee has regularly been in contention, including at the Hong Kong Open last weekend when he tied for third place – his joint best finish of the year as he was also equal third in the Shinhan Donghae Open in September.
And he’ll be hoping his improvement on the greens will continue over the weekend so he can make it a third win on the Asian Tour, having triumphed in the Solaire Open in 2014 and the Shinhan Donghae Open in 2017.
“I actually finally got my putting back again,” said the 33-year-old.
“Back in form with that, that’s the key to my game. I can strike it pretty well and if I can sink the putts I can go pretty low.
“The change is more set up based, and eye line. It seems to be working this week, and last week.”
Having started on the back nine he got off to the ideal start when he chipped in for an eagle from 20 yards on the par-five 12th.
He said: “I was pretty happy, it was a good booster, gave me some confidence.”
He also made three birdies on the trot starting on 18, contributing to his haul of four birdies, while he made two bogeys.
Reed, the 2018 Masters champion who now plays on the LIV Golf League, birdied two out of his final four, including the last, to complete two good days of work although he was hoping for better.
“It was a frustrating day at three under,” he said.
“It’s just kind of one those days were energy levels a little low, couldn’t really get around on a lot of iron shots, a lot of tee shots were blocked a little bit. Yeah, I hit a lot of balls inside 20ft just didn’t make anything and finally made that one on the last which will obviously make it feel a little better for the day.
Gunn Charoenkul. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Energy levels were a little low this morning but besides that I gave myself a lot of looks but my putter was a little Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde today.”
Ben Campbell from New Zealand, winner of the Hong Kong Open on Sunday, recovered from an opening round 73 with a 65 to go to four under.
India’s Anirban Lahiri, who won this event in 2014, fired a 67, and is two under.
Defending champion Sarit Suwannarut from Thailand had to withdraw earlier in day suffering from a migraine.
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