Tawit Polthai takes slender lead into second day in Danang
Tawit Polthai made a strong start to the BRG Open Golf Championship in Vietnam on Wednesday, carding a four-under-par 68 to lead the field after the first day’s play at BRG Da Nang Golf Resort.
The 28-year-old Thai, who finished third in the Laguna Phuket Cup in May, opened the day with back-to-back birdies, and posted four more on his back nine, with just two dropped shots, to finish ahead of a strong field.
He found the conditions tricky, finding the water on a few occasions but was able to recovered from an errant driver.
“It was a good day today even though I hit a lot of bad shots. Course was very windy, and it was difficult to get the ball in the right position,” he said.
“My short game was good but the tee shots were bad. I just want to improve my first shots for the next two rounds,” he added.
Paul San
His playing partner Paul San of Malaysia leads a chasing group of six players on three-under-par, together with Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines, England’s William Harrold and Sweden’s Oscar Zetterwall, who holed out o the par 4 eighth for an eagle.
Also in second place is Calle Strandberg of Sweden, making his debut appearance on the Asian Development Tour, who will be optimistic about his chances for a strong finish in the US$75,000 event.
Starting on the back nine, he carded two quick birdies before giving both shots back with a double on the par 4 14th hole, but recovered with three subsequent birdies to finish the day on three under and posted the early lead.
China’s Chen Guxin, winner of the Blue Canyon Classic in May, started strongly from the 10th tee with birdie, adding two more before the turn. A bogey/birdie pair meant he was unable to improve on his score and he finished the day also tied for second.
Miguel Delgado
Miguel Delgado of the USA, one of the day’s early starters, navigated his way around the course with one bogey and two birdies on each nine. A newcomer to the Asian Development Tour, his two-under-par 70 and a share of eight place will inspire confidence for the remaining two days of competition.
Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam, a promising amateur making his start as a professional this year, began steadily but an unfortunate triple bogey on the par-4 eight hole threatened to derail his round. He recovered well, carding four birdies on his back nine to also finish with 70.
Thailand’s Pisitchai Thippong makes up the group in eighth, together with local contender Truong Chi Yuan, looking to make amends on home soil after missing the cut in last week’s BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur event.
Shinichi Mizuno of Japan, winner of the PGM Maybank Championship in 2018, played a steady round to finish with 71, making the turn at one-under-par after starting on the 10th tee, but despite one further birdie, a bogey on the last hole deprived him of a better position on the leaderboard.
Gregory Foo of Singapore, opened well with three straight birdies, but then gave two shots back shortly after and was unable to improve his score on the back nine to finish at one under. Galven Green of Malaysia and the USA’s Sam Gillis both carded one under par to share 12th place with Foo and Mizuno.
New ground will be broken this year when the Asian Development Tour (ADT) visits Saudi Arabia for the first time.
Boasting a prize fund of US$75,000, Golf Saudi-managed Riyadh Golf Club will play host to the inaugural Saudi Open from December 8-10.
As well as highlighting the ADT’s rapid expansion this year, the event is a further sign of the strengthening of ties between the Asian Tour and Golf Saudi.
Last year, Golf Saudi entered a 10-year partnership with the Asian Tour. As a result of that alignment, the US$5 million PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers has become the opening event on the Asian Tour’s annual calendar.
Majed Al Sorour, Deputy Chairman and CEO for Golf Saudi , said: “We’re delighted to extend and deepen our ties with the Asian Tour, a key strategic partner for us.
Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam currently leads the ADT Order of Merit. Picture by Faizal Rachman / OB Golf.
“We’re especially pleased that Riyadh Golf Club will be the venue for the Saudi Open on the Asian Development Tour.”
Managed by Golf Saudi and playing to a par of 72, the Riyadh Golf Club is 20 minutes from Riyadh city centre. The course, opened in 2005, is characterised by undulating terrain, wide fairways and manicured greens.
Al Sorour said: “Riyadh Golf Club is the go-to recreational and social getaway from the capital with the club providing fun and exciting golf experiences for beginners to established players whether men, women or children.
“Golf Saudi facilitates uptake and participation in golf through the delivery of world-class facilities, operational excellence and the implementation of industry best practice to position the Kingdom as an exceptional golfing nation.
“Combined with grass roots training and educational programmes that introduce people to the game at the earliest opportunity and with the greatest ease, Golf Saudi is committed to delivering a dynamic national development programme that transforms the golfing landscape.”
Of the Saudi Open joining the ADT schedule, Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO, Asian Tour, said: “Providing playing opportunities for our members has always been a prime objective for us. I’m delighted, therefore, that we’re able to further bolster the ADT schedule this year with the addition of the Saudi Open.”
The ADT staged its 10th event of the season at the weekend, the BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in Indonesia. Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai took the title in a nail-biting finish, that saw his compatriot Chonlatit Chuenboonngam tie for second and keep the lead on the ADT’s Order of Merit standings.
The ADT visits Vietnam this week for the first time in its 12-year history, for the BRG Open Golf Championship at BRG Da Nang Golf Resort, from August 31 – September 2.
The ADT has been a springboard to the Asian Tour for dozens of players, including reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Joohyung Kim of Korea – who also recently won the Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour – and American John Catlin, a four-time winner on the Asian Tour.
Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai shot a blistering nine-under-par 63 to come from seven shots back at the start of the final day and win the BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament at Damai Indah Golf, BSD Course today.
Overnight leader Lloyd Jefferson Go from the Philippines, Malaysian Paul San and Chonlatit Chuenboonngam from Thailand all finished one shot behind – in the 10th event of the season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
Go came in with a 71, San carded a 68 and Chonlatit finished with a 69, in the US$110,000 event – which is one of the most lucrative ADT events this season.
In a thrilling final day 29-year-old Suteepat, playing in the third from last group, did not look like a player on his way to victory when he slipped further behind the frontrunners with a bogey on two.
However, that proved to be his only dropped shot of the day as from there on in he stormed through the field making birdie after birdie. He made birdies on three, four, six and eight to make the turn in three under, before a stunning second nine saw him make three birdies in a row from 10, followed by a birdie on 15 before two more on 17 and 18.
He finished the tournament with an incredibly impressive total of 21 under that proved to be beyond the reach of the chasing pack, although Go, San and Chonlatit, all playing in the final group, did their best to catch him, all making birdies on the par five 18th.
Suteepat was also helped by the fact that Go made a double on the par-five 13th and San a bogey on 16.
It marks the first time the Thai player, who turned professional in 2017, has won an ADT event; his only other significant win to date was the Tour Championship in China in 2019.
Chonlatit was bidding for back-to-back wins having won last week’s Gunung Geulis Invitational. He had the consolation of keeping top spot on the ADT Order of Merit.
China’s Chen Guxin, who tied for 14th this week, is second, while Suteepat climbed into third.
The ADT heads to Vietnam next week for the inaugural US$75,000 BRG Open Golf Championship at the BRG Da Nang Golf Resort.
Lloyd Jefferson Go from the Philippines opened up a two-shot lead after three rounds of the BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament today by shooting his second successive seven-under-par 65 at Damai Indah Golf, BSD Course.
The 27 year old impressively moved to 19 under for the tournament – which boasts prizemoney of US$110,000 and is one of the most lucrative events on the Asian Development Tour this season.
Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, who started the day sharing the lead with Go and Malaysian Paul San, is two behind in outright second following a 67.
San shot 68 and is in third place, a further stroke behind.
Go once again dismantled the impressive BSD Course with 10 birdies, including on the opening three holes, and he looked to be heading for a bigger lead before he double-bogeyed number 15. His only other dropped shot came on the fifth.
A professional since 2018, following a stellar amateur career at Seton Hall University in the United States, he is chasing his first victory in the professional game, having spent time playing on the PGA Tour’s in China and Canada.
It promises to be a brilliant final day with in-form Chonlatit hot on his heels. The Thai golfer claimed last week’s Gunung Geulis Invitational and is the current leader of the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit.
He put together a solid bogey-free round, made up of five birdies.
India’s Kshitij Naveed Kaul (66) and Sam Gillis from the United States (68) are in fourth, four behind Go.
The round of the day, and indeed the week so far, belonged to Hong Kong’s Shinichi Mizuno who returned an inspired bogey-free 63.
Four birdies on the front and five on the homeward half saw him climb into joint 12th on 10 under, along with China’s Chen Guxin, who is second on the Merit list, and carded a 70.
This week’s event is the 10th tournament of the season on the Asian Development Tour.
Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, winner of last week’s Gunung Geulis Invitational and the current leader of the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit, continued to show he is the in-form player on Tour at the moment after shooting a five-under-par 67 today to take a share of the second-round lead at the US$110,000 BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament.
Lloyd Jefferson Go from the Philippines and Malaysian Paul San carded rounds of 65 and 66 respectively to join him out in front on 12 under at Damai Indah Golf, BSD Course.
American Sam Gillis (66) is one shot further back, while Australia’s Cory Crawford (65), Indian Kshitij Naveed Kaul (66), Singapore’s Koh Dengshan (69), Suttijet Kooratanapisan from Thailand (69), and first-round leader Clyde Mondilla from the Philippines (71) are two strokes further adrift.
Chonlatit, who triumphed by seven shots last week, carded six birdies and dropped just one shot to put himself in perfect position to bid for back-to-back wins at the weekend.
He has worked his way to the top of the Merit list helped by finishing second in the Blue Canyon Open in May, and third in the Indo Masters Invitational the following month.
Lloyd Jefferson Go from the Philippines
Go’s brilliant 65, joint lowest of the day with Crawford, was highlighted by an eagle at the par-five 18th as well as six birdies and only one bogey.
Crawford’s 65 was more of a rollercoaster round which saw him make an amazing 10 birdies, including five on the trot from hole 10 but three bogeys on the front nine spoilt what could have been an incredibly low 18.
Mondilla, a 12-time winner on the domestic circuit in the Philippines looking for his first victory overseas, led after the first day with a 64 but was unable to maintain that momentum today shooting three birdies and two bogeys.
This week’s event is the 10th tournament of the season on the Asian Development Tour.
China’s Chen Guxin, second on the Merit list, added a 69 to his opening 67 and is in a tie for 10th with four other players, just off the lead.
Clyde Mondilla from the Philippines carded a brilliant bogey-free eight-under-par 64 to lead after the first round of the BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament today.
Mondilla, a 12-time winner on the domestic circuit in the Philippines looking for his first victory overseas, fired eight birdies at Damai Indah Golf, BSD Course – in what is the 10th tournament of the season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam, winner of last week’s Gunung Geulis Invitational and the leader of the ADT Order of Merit, and Abdul Hadi from Singapore carded 65s to sit in second; while another Singaporean Koh Dengshan, Indonesia’s Kevin Akbar, Thailand’s Pisitchai Thippong – the brother of Nitithorn Thippong – and Suttijet Kooratanapisan, and Paul San from Malaysia all shot 66s.
Twenty-eight-year-old Mondilla began his round on the back nine and after making his first birdie of the day on 13 his round soon caught fire with four birdies in the row from 15. He later made further gains on five, seven and eight.
One of his 12 victories on home soil includes the Philippine Open in 2019. It was not part of the Asian Tour that year, so he’ll be looking to finally register a win on a regional tour this week.
A star of the amateur game, he triumphed in the Philippine Amateur Open in 2010, when he was 16 years old – making him the youngest winner of the event.
Chonlatit Chuenboonngam tasted victory by seven shots last week and is continuing in the same vein this week putting together a fine start with a round made up of eight birdies and just one dropped shot.
Hadi’s 65 consisted of an eagle, six birdies and one bogey.
China’s Chen Guxin, second on the Merit list, having been the first player from his country to win an ADT event earlier this, returned a 67 and is in a tie for 10th.
Chonlatit Chuenboonngam of Thailand clinched his first win on the Asian Development Tour today with a masterful seven-shot victory in the Gunung Geulis Invitational, supported by Nomura.
The 24-year-old Thai led the event from the second round and maintained his lead on the undulating fairways of the Gunung Geulis Country Club East course, his six birdies more than enough to compensate for two bogeys and a double in his two-under total of 68.
“I’m very happy to win today,” he said after his round. “The course and pins were very tough again today. If you can keep it in the fairway it works, but some holes the fairway is very narrow. I just played it shot by shot, tried not to think too much.”
Jonathan Wijono. Photo by Yulius Martinus / OB Golf
Chuenboonngam, who finished fourth in the first playing of this event in 2019, managed to stay out of trouble until the eighth hole.
“Hit driver but it went left into the rough and I couldn’t see the green,” he explained. “I tried to hit a high draw but the ball wouldn’t come back and I needed up over the green and couldn’t play a shot. Had to drop and then chip, two putts.”
Fellow Thai Nirun Sae-Ueng (70) started the day in joint second with Indonesia’s Jonathan Wijono (68), but both were unable to keep pace with the leader, dropping back to fifth and fourth places respectively.
Suttijet Kooratanapisan. Photo by Yulius Martinus / OB Golf
Making a strong challenge on the last day of the US$100,000 ADT event were the Thai pair of Suttijet Kooratanapisan (272) and Puwit Anupansuebsai (273). Both players posted the day’s low scores of 66, along with Udayan Mane (279), Jerry Chen (274), Filip Lundell (280) and Suteepat Prateeptienchai (280), but were ultimately unable to catch Chuenboonngam’s four round total of 265.
First round leader Chen Guxin of China, who won on the ADT for the first time at the Blue Canyon Classic in May, managed to make up for a poor showing in round three with a creditable 68 today. His co-leader on Tuesday night, Peter Gunawan of Indonesia, struggled to repeat his opening round score of 65 and will no doubt be disappointed by his poor finish.
Puwit Anupansuebai. Photo by Yulius Martinus / OB Golf
Malaysia’s Shariffuddin Ariffin bounced back from an opening round of 71 with three straight scores of 68, securing solo eighth place on five under par, while compatriot Amir Nazrin (68) and Lloyd Jefferson Go (70) of the Philippines shared ninth spot.
Tawit Polthai of Thailand secured 11th place with a closing score of 67, improving each day from his opening round of 74 and finishing with a total score of 278. Mattkillen of England and Sarun Sirithon of Thailand shared 12th spot with Udayan Mane on one-under-par.
Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam strengthened his grip on the Gunung Geulis Golf Invitational, supported by Nomura, today, extending his lead to seven shots with a commanding three-under 67 on the undulating East course of Gunung Geulis Country Club.
Even though he extended his lead, the 24-year-old Thai wasn’t completely happy with his game in the US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event, which runs from August 16-19, 2022.
“Driver and irons weren’t as good today as the first two rounds,” said the young Thai player, who joined the Asian Development Tour in 2019 and is now looking for his first win. “Not that bad but it was windy today and the pin positions were hard. Tomorrow I’m just going to try to keep it on the fairway.”
Compatriot Nirun Sae-Ueng advanced into second with a similar round of 67, while local contender Jonathan Wijono took solo fourth after posting a two-under-par score of 68.
Overnight leader Chen Guxin of China had a disastrous closing stretch, dropping five shots in as many holes at the finish, his plus three score forcing him down into a share of fourth place which he shares with Thailand’s Suttijet Kooratanapisan (68).
Chen was disappointed that he couldn’t build on his scores so far.
“My front nine wasn’t bad, it was OK until the last four or five holes. By then I was maybe a bit tired and started missing the greens. When your second shot is not on the green it leaves you in a very bad position here, it’s hard to get up and down from the bunker because of the slopes. Tomorrow I’ll just try to forget about it, leave the past and focus on the future.”
Three players shared the low score of the day with 66, including Puwit Anupansuebsai of Thailand who leads a group on -3 in sixth place, together with Amir Nazrin of Malaysia and Thailand’s Sarun Sirithon who finished in a group on -1 in 11th place.
Shahriffuddin Ariffin (68) of Malaysia and Lloyd Jefferson Go (70) of the Philippines completed the group in sixth place, while Jerry Chen (69) of the USA and first-round leader Peter Gunawan share ninth place on -2.
Chonlatit Chuenboonngam of Thailand set a scorching pace in the second round of the Gunung Geulis Golf Invitational, supported by Nomura, opening with a birdie and continuing with a blemish-free round to post a six-under-par 64 and take a three shot lead.
Chuenboonngam was ready to take on the narrow undulating East course of Gunung Geulis Country Club, noted for its mountain setting with dramatic changes in elevation between tees and greens.
“My driver was good today,” said Chuenboonngam, who finished solo third in June’s Indo Masters Golf Invitational presented by TNE, and will be looking to finish strongly in the US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event, which runs from August 16-19, 2022.
“I hit a lot of fairways and the irons were good in approach to the pins. My plan was just to keep it in the fairway, because the golf course is quite narrow. Different from yesterday, it was very hot today because there was no wind,” the young Thai added.
Chen Guxin, one of the overnight leaders, was the only one of the following pack who managed to keep pace with Chuenboonngam, but his chase hit the wall two holes from the end when a double bogey on the par-3 16th brought him up short, posting a 68 to sit at seven-under-par in solo second.
“My game was not bad today, was going quite well until the 16th. Made a mistake in strategy, hit it over the green which was bad. The hardest part was reading the greens. It’s hard to read the line and with the slope the pin positions were pretty tough. Afternoon was much more windy than the morning, which made the greens even tougher,” he said
Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines, in one of the early groups in the morning wave, overcame a difficult start opening with two of five bogeys but recovered to post a 69 to match his first round score of 68. He leads a group in third place on -3, including Malaysia’s Galven Green who improved his Tuesday score by one with a 68.
Peter Gunawan, who led overnight following a score of 65 yesterday, was unable to capitalize on the advantage, posting a two-over-par 72. Local rising star Jonathan Wijono, who is still using his two iron instead of a putter, was able to improve on his first round score with a four-under-par 66 to share third place.
Nirun Sae-Ueng of Thailand hit four birdies and one bogey to complete the group on -3, while compatriot Suttijet Kooratanapisan posted a two-under-par 68 to finish the day in solo eighth place.
Jerry Chen of the USA, who stumbled on the completion of his round yesterday, again had a difficult time on the back nine after starting on hole 10. Making the turn at one over thanks to a couple of bounce-back birdies, he dropped two more shots before an eagle on the par five 7th hole got his score back on track to post a one-over 71 and a share of ninth.
Thailand’s Sattaya Supupramai posted a fine score of 65 to mark the lowest score of the morning, despite opening his round with a bogey on the first hole. A masterful run of birdies on the back nine, including a stretch of five and one bogey in six holes, saw him card an inward total of 31 to make amends for his first round score of 74 and move him up the leaderboard into the group on -1.
Kevin Akbar of Indonesia was looking to improve on his score off 68 in round one, and played the very definition of steady golf, parring every hole until he finally dropped a single shot on his penultimate hole of the day, leaving him with a 71 and a share of ninth place. He was joined by Malaysians Shahriffudin Ariffin (68) and Daeng Abdul Rahman (68), and Singaporean Abdul Hadi (71) to round out the group on -1.
China’s Chen Guxin and Peter Gunawan of Indonesia share the lead after the first round of the Gunung Geulis Golf Invitational, supported by Nomura, as the event got underway in Bogor, on the outskirts of Indonesia’s capital city Jakarta.
The US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event runs from August 16-19, 2022 on the East course of Gunung Geulis Country Club. The par 70 course is noted for its mountain setting, with dramatic changes in elevation between tees and greens.
Chen, who won on The Asian Development Tour for the first time at the Blue Canyon Classic in May, posted the early clubhouse lead with a five-under 65. Starting on the back nine, he started well but a dropped shot on both nines marred an otherwise impressive haul of seven birdies.
His efforts were matched by Indonesia’s Peter Gunawan, also part of the morning wave, who posted a similar score of seven birdies and two bogeys to share the early clubhouse lead on 65.
As Gunawan explained, it wasn’t all plain sailing. “I think the start was OK, the first few holes were a bit shaky, the second hole I almost holed out and then on the third hole I hit it into the water on the left but saved my bogey luckily.
“On the par 5 at 13, I was really lucky. I hit a three wood a fraction too long and I was in the bushes, and from that chip I hit the pin which was really fortunate, because otherwise it would have been in the water.”
Working on his swing technique with coach Philippe DeBuschere and making some changes to his equipment with sponsor Leonian Indonesia, Gunawan is looking once again to enjoy the game.
“From my end, it’s like I’m more relaxed now, I’m OK. Taking the pressure off is a lot better for me and having my equipment checked was very very helpful.
“Having a mental coach has been a massive improvement. I missed something like eight cuts in a row. It was really frustrating. We still have three days to go here so I’m not too excited but it’s showing we are doing the right things.
“The biggest improvement has been short game. Being comfortable with the fact that I can chip the ball means I can go for more pins,” he added.
Chonlatit Chuenboonngam of Thailand, who finished solo third in June’s Indo Masters Golf Invitational presented by TNE, posted a pair of 33s to finish his morning in third place with a four-under-par 66, a clutch of birdies marred by a single dropped shot on the par-3 fifth hole.
Filip Lundell of Sweden is looking to recover the form that saw him challenging for the lead in the Blue Canyon Classic earlier this year. The gritty Swede scored two impressive opening rounds in Phuket despite the injuries from an unfortunate scooter crash but dropped back in the third round to fall out of contention.
The 27-year-old Lundell, who also plays on the MENA Tour, started strongly from the 10th tee in the morning but three dropped shots on his first nine countered by five birdies saw him make the turn at two under. Two more birdies as he completed his round looked promising but a further bogey on the oar 5 seventh saw him slip to a three-under 67 and solo fourth place.
Kevin Akbar of Indonesia, Malaysia’s Amir Nazrin and Abdul Hadi of Singapore were the early finishers who rounded out the top positions as part of a group in fifth with a score of 68.
Jerry Chen of the USA threatened to take the lead for most of his round but a couple of late bogeys saw him drop down the leaderboard to also settle in fifth. A similar fate befell Poosit Supupramai of Thailand and Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines.
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