Sarut Vongchaisit enhanced his chances of gaining an Asian Tour card for 2025 when he carded a six-under 66 to jointly lead the ADT-sanctioned Toyota Tour Championship with compatriot and good friend Tanapat Pichaikool after the third round at the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club here today.

Trailing by one stroke overnight, Sarut reeled off eight birdies against two bogeys while Tanapat maintained his composure for his third 67 in an absorbing contest. Both Thais have a three-day aggregate of 15-under 201 and are four shots ahead of another Thai, Witchayanon Chothirunrungrueng who improved from 10th placing overnight.

Sarut is currently ranked 13th in the ADT Order of Merit and a good finish here would give him confidence ahead of next week’s ADT finale in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Tanapat is sitting comfortably in third position and would like to celebrate his birthday tomorrow with a top three placing.

Overnight leader Tanapat said it wasn’t the start he preferred, birdieing the second and bogeying the fourth. But he came back strongly with red numbers on seven and nine. On the back nine, Tanapat started poorly with a bogey five but bounced back when he eagled the Par 5 12th and followed it up immediately with a birdie. Bogeys on 14 and 15 opened the doors for Sarut and Witchayanon but he clawed back defiantly, finishing with three birdies in a row.

Thailand’s Tanapat Pichaikool pictured in action at the Toyota Tour Championship at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club. Picture courtesy Toyota Tour Championship.

“Sarut and I grew up together, share the same practice area, play the same course and went to the US at the same time but to different schools. In fact, we live 10 minutes apart,” said Tanapat who has won on the ADT before.

“So, playing with him today in the same flight was almost like playing a round of golf among friends. Birthday gift tomorrow? Golf is a tough game to predict. I would be happy if I can put in a nice round to celebrate my birthday.”

Sarut felt today’s round was thoroughly enjoyable especially playing with his best friend. “We’ve been together since our junior golf days so today was a lot of fun,” said Sarut, adding that he has been having issues with his putter these past few months. “Today, my putter was in great form. I haven’t won an international event yet so, tomorrow will be a good fight between me and Tanapat.”

Edven Ying and Daeng Abdul Rahman are the best placed Malaysians at joint 10th, after fashioning scores of 70 and 69 respectively. They are bunched at seven-under 209 with four others.

Malaysia’s Edven Ying pictured in action at the Toyota Tour Championship at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club. Picture courtesy Toyota Tour Championship.

“I was hitting it well on my first nine holes and created a lot of birdie chances. I hit it close but just couldn’t put the ball in,” said Daeng. “My back nine holes was a bit of a roller-coaster with two bogeys against four birdies but still managed to finish with three under today. I’m happy.”

Both Malaysians are looking forward to finishing strongly tomorrow and Ying hopes that his aggressive style of play would help propel him up the ladder. “Today wasn’t consistent for me,” said Ying. “Sometimes being too aggressive doesn’t help because I might miss the green in the wrong place and getting up and down becomes tougher.

“For tomorrow I’ll see what happens after the first few holes. Continue to be aggressive but make sure I miss greens in the right places.”

Main picture: Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit pictured in action at the Toyota Tour Championship at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club. Picture courtesy Toyota Tour Championship.

Thailand’s depth in strength showed once again when they filled seven players among the top 10 after Round Two of the ADT co-sanctioned Toyota Tour Championship at Kota Permai Golf & Country Club here today.

With green speeds almost averaging 12 feet, many in the field found the surfaces fast and firm but Tanapat Pichaikool had an almost flawless round of six birdies against a lone bogey to card a second 67 and a two-day aggregate of 10-under 134 to snatch solo lead.

In joint second one stroke behind in the MYR400,000 ADT event were compatriots Nirun Sae-ueng and Sarut Vongchaisit, whose seven-under 65 was the low round of the tournament so far. Both are just one stroke ahead of another Thai player Tirawat Kaewsiribandit who produced a second 68 to share joint fourth with overnight leader Ben Jones of England.

Twenty-one Thai players made the half-way cut of 50 and ties, which spelt out at even par 144 while 14 Malaysians will also continue play for two more rounds. The local challenge was carried by Edvin Ying and Amir Nazrin bunched in 10th position with four others at five-under 139.

Tanapat confessed that his drives weren’t that great today but managed to get around with his iron play. “My short game was pretty amazing and especially my putter which was lovely!

Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit pictured in action at the Toyota Tour Championship at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club. Picture courtesy Toyota Tour Championship.

“No rain for both rounds and we’ve been lucky. The key to playing well here is off the tee. Good drives will benefit us as the course is relatively short. So yeah, finding fairways is important,” added Tanapat who is currently ranked 3rd in the ADT Order of Merit.

A strong finish here on Saturday for Tanapat could place him atop the rankings with the final round in Saudi Arabia coming up next week. India’s Rahil Ganjee and Ahmad Baig of Pakistan, ranked 1st and 2nd, have missed the cut at Kota Permai.

Sarut reckoned his iron play was what catapulted him to the low round of 65. Birdieing all par fives certainly helped. “I managed to hit it close to the pins most of the time and my putting helped.” The Thai knocked in eight birdies against a long bogey at the long par 3 17th.

The highlight of the day was a hole-in-one by Malaysian Paul San, at the short par 3 14th. It was his career sixth ace and only the second during a tournament. San made the cut on the number and is looking forward to climbing up the ladder over the next two days. He will compete in Dammam, Saudi Arabia in the season-ending finale.

Main picture: Thailand’s Tanapat Pichaikool pictured in action at the Toyota Tour Championship at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club. Picture courtesy Toyota Tour Championship.

England’s Ben Jones turned up the heat today in the opening round of the Toyota Tour Championship in Kuala Lumpur today, his six-under-par score of 66 setting the pace in the penultimate round of the Asian Development Tour season.

A bogey on the last hole was the only flaw in an otherwise perfect round, giving Jones a one shot lead over the field at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club.

He leads a group of four players in the MYR400,000 event, with second place shared by Malaysia’s Daeng Abdul Rahman, Tanapat Pichaikool of Thailand, Laotian Thammasack Bouahom and Indonesia’s Rory Hie (67).

“I started on the back nine, and holed a nice putt on the first which is always good to get your round underway,” said Jones after his round.

“I birdied the next and then it was frustrating for the rest of the back nine to be honest, hit some good shots but just kept making pars,” he said.

“The golf course has been really good and the conditions have been immense considering the amount of rain they have had. These are probably the quickest greens I have played on all year, which I like, and I seemed to roll it ok,” he added.

The Toyota Tour Championship is the final leg of the Malaysian circuit and is also the penultimate stop on the Asian Development Tour. With just one round left in the 2024 season after this week, third-placed Tanapat was the highest ranked contender in the season-long ADT Order of Merit.

OOM leader Rahil Gangee (76) of India and second-placed Ahmad Baig (75) of Pakistan both had disappointing opening rounds so will be looking to make amends and regain the advantage tomorrow.

Indonesia’s Rory Hie shares second spot after an opening round of 68.

Ganjee started off well on the first nine with birdies on the second and eighth holes. But he lost the script on the back nine, his scorecard dogged by four bogeys and a double on the finishing par five 18th for a four-over par score.

India’s Pukhraj Singh Gill (68) heads a group in sixth spot, together with Filip Lundell of Sweden, Malaysia’s Leunkwang Kim and Edven Ying, and Thailand’s Waris Manthorn and Tirawat Kaewsribandit.

The Thai quartet of Kosuke Hamamoto, Nirun Sae-ueng, Amarin Kraivixien and Varanyu Rattanphiboonkij make up the largest contingent of the 12th placed finishers, alongside Malaysia’s Wan Hasnul Daniel, Amir Nazrin and Fakhrul Akmal (69).

They share the spot on three under par with Ayoub Lguirati of Morocco, Korea’s Minhyeok Yang and Liu Yung-hua of Chinese Taipei.

Malaysia’s leading golfer Gavin Green, back from Abu Dhabi after completing his season on the DP World Tour, started off with nine consecutive pars on the back nine. After crossing over he scored his first birdie of the day on the reachable par five first, then succumbed to bogeys on five and six. A welcome eagle on seven put him one-under until a bad shot on the ninth resulted in a triple bogey.

Said Green: “I started off okay but didn’t finish very well. Finished quite badly actually. Yeah, just a bit of an unlucky break and I hit a bad shot at the last. I’ve got to start making some putts because I missed a lot today. I need a low one tomorrow to even make the cut, so we’ll see.”

The first round of the 72-hole tournament was completed on schedule today and play will resume tomorrow, with the first groups heading out at 7.20am. The afternoon wave will commence at 11.55am.

In what was favourable scoring conditions on the Ross Watson-designed layout, 58 players played par or better and the cut after tomorrow’s round looks likely to be either one or two under.

Main picture: England’s Ben Jones pictured in action at the Toyota Tour Championship at Kota Permai Golf and Country Club. Picture courtesy Toyota Tour Championship.

The Toyota Tour Championship returns this November 20-23 as the penultimate stop on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) for the second year running, thus playing a pivotal role in determining the final Order of Merit and the leading 10 players who will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for 2025.

Co-sanctioned with Malaysia’s domestic professional circuit, the Toyota Tour, the MYR400,000 (approx. US$91,000) event will be played at Asian Tour Destinations venue, Kota Permai Golf & Country Club, on the outskirts of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

With the 144-player field featuring the leading 66 available players from the ADT, 66 from the Toyota Tour and 12 invitations, fans can expect some scintillating action from a mix of established players and rising talents.

Headlining the ADT line-up is current Order of Merit leader Rahil Gangjee of India (pictured above), who has already won twice this year including once on Malaysian soil at the PKNS Selangor Masters in June.

The 46-year-old also won the BRG Open which took place at another Asian Tour Destinations venue, the Legend Danang Golf Resort in Vietnam, in August. Gangjee sits atop the Order of Merit with US$51,307.33 in season earnings.

Hot on Gangjee’s heels in the merit standings is rising Pakistani talent Ahmad Baig, who has amassed US$50,822.95 from his 2024 ADT exploits – which include two wins in Vietnam, at the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters and the Lexus Challenge.

The 26-year-old will head to Kota Permai in fine form and high in confidence, having chalked up top-five finishes in his last two ADT starts.

Just over a month ago, Baig came close to claiming a third victory when he finished sole second at the inaugural ADT Players Championship, played at Asian Tour Destinations venue Angkor Golf Resort in Cambodia.

Gangjee and Baig aside, five winners on the 2024 ADT will be gunning for glory at Kota Permai – Liu Yung-hua of Chinese Taipei, along with the formidable Thai quartet of Kammalas Namuangruk, Tanapat Pichaikool, Nopparat Panichphol and Witchayapat Sinsrang.

The local challenge meanwhile will rest largely on the broad shoulders of Malaysian number one Gavin Green, who is back home following a solid season in Europe.

Other Malaysians of note in the field are Gavin’s younger brother Galven, Toyota Tour Rankings leader Paul San, Ervin Chang, Amir Nazrin and the promising rookie professional, Marcus Lim.

Veteran campaigner Danny Chia, a two-time Asian Tour and four-time ADT winner, will also fly the Malaysian flag at Kota Permai on the back of an impressive win at last week’s Yaris Cup on the Toyota Tour.

Kota Permai Golf & Country Club welcomes the ADT’s Toyota Tour Championship this November 20-23

The Toyota Tour Championship is also the season-ender for the Toyota Tour, which was launched last year as a tri-party collaboration between Professional Golf of Malaysia, UMW Toyota Motor as the naming partner, and MST Golf as the delivery agency.

The inaugural event at Saujana Golf & Country last November saw Thailand’s Suttinon Panyo triumph by three shots over India’s Khalin Joshi.

The ADT’s General Manager, Ken Kudo, noted that the 2024 championship will be one to savour: “As the penultimate event on the 2024 Asian Development Tour, the Toyota Tour Championship will certainly have a huge bearing on the top 10 players on the final Order of Merit who will graduate to the Asian Tour in 2025.

“Golf fans can look forward to some great golfing action as the leading ADT players take on the cream of Malaysian professional golf.

“We would like to extend our utmost appreciation to our valued partners, UMW Toyota Motor and Professional Golf of Malaysia, for their vision in promoting Malaysian golf and for making the ADT part of that vision.

“Our players are certainly geared up to take on the superb Kota Permai course, which is one of the foremost tournament venues in this part of the world,” said Kudo.

Crafted by Australian architect Ross Watson, the Kota Permai course is widely acknowledged as one of the best in Southeast Asia with its strategic, risk-for-reward design and super-fast greens.

The club has hosted a plethora of top-class events since opening in 1998, including the Malaysian Open (2008, 2020) and the Volvo Masters of Asia (2002, 2003, 2004).

“Players can expect a challenging yet fair course set-up with a mix of risk-and-reward holes, strategically-placed hazards, and fast, firm greens. The course will test both distance and precision, with difficult pin positions requiring careful shot selection and placement,” said Tang Meng Loon, Executive Director of Gamuda Land which owns and operates Kota Permai.

“Our primary objective in hosting this event is to support our local professional players, while showcasing Kota Permai as part of the Asian Tour Destinations network. Our exceptional facilities create the ideal environment for both players and spectators, ensuring a world-class experience for everyone involved,” he added.

In the week following the Toyota Tour Championship, the 2024 ADT season will come to a close with its 12th and final event, the US$250,000 Aramco Invitational Tournament at Rolling Hills Golf Club in Saudi Arabia.

Main picture: Current ADT Order of Merit leader Rahil Gangjee who will attempt to win for the third time this season.

Thailand’s Witchayapat Sinsrang produced an almost flawless round to snatch victory at the Ambassador ADT Open today, his low-round 68 and four-round total of 283 enough to beat fellow countryman Kosuke Hamamoto by a single shot.

A bogey on the final hole was Witchayapat’s only dropped shot for the day, and despite a late birdie by playing partner Hamamoto (69) on the same hole, he had enough advantage to hold on for the win at the challenging Hsin Feng Country Club.

“I’m thrilled to get my first win today,” said Witchayapat after his round. “A big thank you to ADT, our sponsor, and the course—despite the windy conditions, it was in great shape. I tried to play it safe, avoiding any risky shots, and that really helped me stay steady.

“The turning point for me was on the 16th hole. I hit a 3-wood toward the treeline on the right, spotted a gap, and aimed for it. I managed to land the ball about 6 feet from the hole and then made the putt. It really felt like an MVP moment. Unfortunately, I did 3-putt on the last hole, but overall I’m really happy with how I played,” he said.

“I’ve been playing golf since I was 8, and I went to university in Kansas where I got used to playing in the wind. I turned pro in 2020, and my goal is to keep playing ADT events, improve my ranking, and ultimately earn a spot on the Asian Tour. My dream is to play on the PGA Tour, so I’ll continue to work hard and do my best for the future,” he added.

Hamamoto, who had to recover from an opening round score of 75, felt he had improved as the tournament progressed.

“Overall, I felt solid from tee to green today,” he said. “I’ve been working on my putting, and I’m definitely seeing improvement there, which really helped my result. This course is a great test for every part of your game — narrow, windy, and challenging. It forces you to think carefully about each shot. That’s why players like James Chan are so strong here; it’s his home course, and it really suits his game.”

Witchayapat and Hamamoto, playing in the penultimate group, started the day three shots behind leader Minhyeok Yang (74) of Korea, who was unable to get any momentum despite his lead in the US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event.

A bogey on the first hole, and a double just two holes later, meant he made the turn at two over par, finishing on the same score to par after a three birdie, three bogey back nine.

Thammasack Bouahom of Laos, who made a valiant fight back into contention after a disastrous opening round, was also able to gain advantage in the final round. His score of 69 lifted him into a share of third place alongside Thailand’s Nirun Sae-ueng (70).

Ahmad Baig (72) of Pakistan, who was just two shots adrift of Yang at the start of play, was also unable to get his game going. An eagle on the ninth hole rescued him from two bogeys earlier in the round, but he was only able to make par for the back nine for a shared fifth place with Yang.

Ireland’s Kevin Phelan was another of the three low scorers on the day. His bogey-free 68 – with four birdies on the back nine – helped him to a share of seventh place, alongside Hsieh Chi-hsien (72) and Yu Sung-po (72) of Chinese Taipei.

Thailand’s Tanapat Pichaikool (70) secured solo 10th spot followed by fellow Thai Runchanapong Youprayong (73) and first round leader Liu Yung-hua of Chinese Taipei in 11th place. Yeh Chia-yin (71) of Chinese Taipei secured 13th spot.

In 14th place were India’s Khalin Joshi (68), the third of the low scorers of the day, together with Sean Ramos (71) of the Philippines and Hong Kong’s Leon D’Souza (73).

Current Order of Merit leader Rahil Gangee (71) could only manage a share of 19th spot, which means his lead has been cut by Baig as they head into the final two events of the season. Tanapat and Liu remain as they were in third and fourth place respectively while Witchayapat’s win sees him move up into fifth place.

From here, the action moves to Malaysia and the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club for the Toyota Tour Championship. The MYR400,000 event will be held over four rounds from November 20-23.

The final event of the season is the Aramco Invitational Tournament, which will be held at Rolling GHills Golf Club in Saudi Arabia from November 27-30.

Korea’s Minhyeok Yang consolidated his lead with a one-under-par score of 71 to head into the final round of the Ambassador ADT Open, overcoming a double bogey with a string of birdies to to maintain his advantage.

Yang, who led overnight, holds a two shot lead at four under par over Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig (68) who is looking to make a move in the season-long Order of Merit on the Asian Development Tour.

“My tee shots weren’t as good as I’d hoped,” said Yang after his round, “but my putting was generally good except for the double bogey on hole 10.

“The wind was much lighter today, which made a big difference. I also had to adjust my aiming, as the shot angles felt a bit different compared to what I’m used to.

“I definitely need to practice more, but I’ll approach tomorrow with no pressure and just focus on my game,” he added.

Baig, currently second on the OOM standings after two wins already this year, recovered from two over par early rounds with one of the low rounds of the day to move into second place in the tournament.

“I used the driver on every hole and putted really well today,” Baig explained after submitting his score. “The weather was less windy, which definitely helped.

“It’s my first time in Taiwan, and I have to say, the people are incredibly friendly, the food is amazing, and the temperature is just perfect,” he added.

In third place in the US$100,000 Asian Development Tour event on one under, Thailand’s Nirun Sae-ueng (69), Kosuke Hamamoto (70) and Witchayapat Sinsrang (71) share the spot with Yu Sung-po (70) and Hsieh Chi-hsien (73) of Chinese Taipei.

Runchanapong Youprayong (72) of Thailand and Laotian Thammasack Bouahom are tied in eighth place on even par, followed by first round leader Liu Yung-hua one shot further back.

Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat, who also shot a low round of 68 today, is in 11th spot going in to the final round alongside his compatriot and OOM contender Tanapat Pichaikool (72).

Hong Kong’s Leon D’Souza is tied in 13th place with Ireland’s Kevin Phelan and Yeh Chia-yin of Chinese Taipei.

Korea’s Lion Park (73) is in solo 16th on four over par and the top 20 is rounded out by Sean Ramos (72) of the Philippines, and Lin Ta-yu (72) and Chang Tse-yu (75) of Chinese Taipei.

With only two events left this season, Baig will be looking to make a move on current OOM leader Rahil Gangee (76) and his nearest rival Tanapat.

Only nine players broke par in today’s play at the notoriously tough Hsin Feng Country Club track, where the wind and narrow fairways present a challenge to even the best golfers.

Play will continue on schedule tomorrow with the final round starting at 7.10am off two tees, with the leaders getting underway at 8.38am.