Malaysian Open returns with IRS Prima Holding as title sponsor
The prestigious Malaysian Open, one of the oldest National Opens and highly-acclaimed events in the region, sensationally returns to the Asian Tour schedule next year.
The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) proudly announced today it has sealed a three-year title sponsorship agreement with IRS Prima Holding Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian-based Property Development company, as the event’s title sponsor. The IRS Prima Malaysian Open will be staged at The Mines Resort & Golf Club from February 15-18, 2024.
MGA also revealed Fairway Inspired Sdn Bhd (FISB) will be the event promoter and will manage all related matters. This partnership has paved the way for the tournament to be held again after a four-year hiatus.
Inaugurated over 60 years ago, the event is once again set to thrill Malaysia’s thriving golfing community as the season-opener on the Asian Tour that will offer attractive prize purse of US$1million.
MGA President, Admiral Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor (R) said today: “We had been discussing the possibility of collaborating with IRS Prima Holding for the past few months. Today, MGA is thrilled to announce IRS Prima Holding Sdn Bhd will be the title sponsor of our most celebrated tournament. Its history and tradition are incomparable in this part of the world, and we are delighted the story of the Malaysian Open will live on.”
Tan Sri Anwar added that Malaysian golfers, professionals and amateurs, would be provided playing slots. “Our golfers will benefit extensively from this opportunity and experience of competing against the best on the Asian Tour. We hope to see our players rise and deliver their best performances and even challenge for the top spots.”
Group CEO of IRS Prima Holding Sdn Bhd, Dato’ Yusuf bin Abdul Rahman said the company is excited at being the title sponsor for such a prestigious international competition. “We are honoured to have been given the chance to support this event. Everyone in our organisation is eager and looking forward to the IRS Prima Malaysian Open next year. We will provide all the support and assistance to MGA and FISB to ensure the tournament is an enormous success. We hope to see the fans come out in full force to cheer the players including our local golfers.”
Asian Tour Commissioner & CEO, Cho Minn Thant, is also elated that one of the region’s longest running events is back on the tour schedule. “The Asian Tour has a decades-long relationship with the Malaysian Open and so we are overjoyed to see it return to our schedule.
“Importantly, it fills the prime position as our first event of the season, something truly deserving for one of the region’s most prestigious National Opens.
“We are extremely grateful to IRS Prima Holding Sdn Bhd, the Malaysian Golf Association and The Mines Resort & Golf Club for making this possible.”
The last time the Malaysian Open was held at The Mines was in 2003, when it was won by Arjun Atwal of India.
Trevor Simsby of United States
American Trevor Simsby claimed the most recent Malaysian Open, when he raised the trophy back in March of 2020. That proved to be the last tournament played on the Asian Tour for nearly two years as the COVID-19 pandemic struck shortly after, making the return of the Malaysian Open in 2024 all the more significant.
Main photo caption: (From right) Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat, MGA Vice-President, Tan Sri Lee Kim Yew, Founder & Chairman of Country Heights Holdings Berhad, Dato’ Yusuf bin Abdul Rahman, Group CEO of IRS Prima Holding Sdn Bhd, Admiral Tan Sri Dato’ Setia Mohd Anwar bin Haji Mohd Nor, MGA President, Dato’ Musa Haji Yusof, Deputy Director General of Tourism Malaysia and Mr Andrew Pitts, Director of Special Events- Asian Tour
The Asian Tour’s remarkable period of accelerated growth will continue unabated in 2024 after it released another impressive and substantial schedule for the new season today.
Hot on the heels of the completion of its 2023 season last weekend, the Tour has unveiled an initial schedule of 20 strong events across 12 countries– with a significant number of important tournaments to be added.
Once finalised it is expected that the schedule will surpass this year– which saw 23 events staged with total prize money of US$35 million.
The Malaysian Open will celebrate its return to the schedule after a four-year hiatus by becoming the season-opening event and will be played from February 15-18.
The Malaysian Open was last played in 2020, when American Trevor Simsby triumphed.
It will be followed the week after by the International Series Oman – the first of 10 International Series events in 2024, which provide a pathway to the multi-million-dollar LIV Golf League.
International Series events will be played in Macau (International Series Macau presented by Wynn, March 14-17), Morocco (July 4-7), Indonesia (October 31–November 3), and Qatar (November 28 – December 1).
The Hong Kong Open will once again be part of The International Series while making its debut on the series will be the PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers, which was the Tour’s opening event in 2022 and 2023. Both events will be in Q4. The dates will be announced later along with the details of three more International Series tournaments.
The Tour will also once again return to two of its traditional tournament strongholds, Korea and Chinese-Taipei.
Three events will be played in each market, with the GS Caltex Maekyung Open (May 2-5), Kolon Korea Open (June 20-23) and Shinhan Donghae Open (September 5-8) staged in Korea; while the Yeangder TPC (September 26-29), Mercuries Taiwan Masters (October 3-6) and Taiwan Glass Taifong Open (November 14-17) will be hosted in Chinese-Taipei.
Denwit Booribonsub won this year’s Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund. The tournament will be played in April next year. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sport (February 29–March 3), the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund (April 17-20) and the SJM Macao Open (October 10-13) are also back on the schedule.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “The strength and depth of the Asian Tour’s 2024 schedule is reflective of the phenomenal growth we have been enjoying and we are already excited about what the new year will bring.
“Importantly, we are delighted to confirm the schedule so soon after the completion of our 2023 season, which will allow our members to plan accordingly and act as enormous incentive to those heading to Qualifying School.
“The International Series events combined with our central column of established tournaments form the backbone of the Tour while we look forward to being able to announce other premier events in due course.”
The Final Stage of the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School (January 16-20) commences proceedings next year, providing a gateway into what will be another season of great advancement for the Asian Tour.
The PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers will, for the first time, be an International Series event next year. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Asian Development Tour schedule will be released early in 2024 and will feature an expanded line-up of tournaments, for what is the Asian Tour’s constantly evolving feeder circuit.
Please visit the Asian Tour’s 2024 schedule here.
Seven world-class destinations have been confirmed by The International Series as part of its 10-tournament schedule for the 2024 season.
Boasting an increased prize pool of US$23 million, the pathway series to the LIV Golf League, sanctioned by the Asian Tour, will once again commence the year in Oman before making further return journeys to Hong Kong, Indonesia, Morocco, and Qatar.
Following the announcement in November of the inaugural International Series Macau presented by Wynn, the US$5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers has also been confirmed as a further addition to The International Series 2024 schedule.
Andy Ogletree with The International Series Order of Merit trophy. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The following tournaments are all confirmed for the 2024 Asian Tour calendar:
International Series Oman | 22-25 February | US$2 million
International Series Macau presented by Wynn | 14-17 March | US$2 million
International Series Morocco | 04-07 July | US$2 million
Indonesian Masters | 31 October-03 November | US$2 million
International Series Qatar | 28 November-01 December | US$2.5 million
Hong Kong Open | Dates TBC | US$2 million
PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers | Dates TBC | US$5 million
Three further venues will be announced to complete the 10-event series that comprises The International Series, integrated into the Asian Tour schedule, with all tournaments carrying a minimum US$2 million prize fund.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series said: “Competition to host International Series events has been high, with interest coming from around the globe as venues, destinations and stakeholders embrace the new competition and excitement that The International Series has brought since launching in 2022.
“We remain committed to our mission of enhancing opportunities for players around the world and an open player pathway into the LIV Golf League and are excited to add some marquee events to the schedule for 2024.
“This will be a landmark season for The International Series, and we continue to go from strength to strength. We remain committed to providing a transparent player pathway that enables global golfers to compete in our tournaments and take an opportunity to play over the season for a place on the LIV Golf League.
“With our first confirmed dates for the season spanning the Arabian Gulf, China’s southern coast, southeast Asia and North Africa, the schedule underscores our commitment to being a truly International Series.”
Abraham Ancer pictured with the winner’s trophy at the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers earlier this year. Next year the event will be part of The International Series. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Singh concluded: “Oman once again provides a fitting curtain raiser to the season, while Macau breaks new ground for us in a region that has a rich heritage of golf. By returning to Morocco for the first time since our inaugural season, we have compelling proof that our events are an attractive proposition to destinations with world-class golfing pedigree.”
The only time Andy Ogletree struggled throughout his triumphant 2023 Asian Tour season, was when he had to pop open a celebratory champagne bottle at the end of the Hong Kong Open. Story by Joy Chakravarty.
Probably, it was the excitement of achieving the number one objective Ogletree and his team had set at the start of the year. By making the cut at the Hong Kong Golf Club, the 25-year-old American secured the Order of Merit crown on The International Series with one event remaining, which earned him a card on the 2024 LIV Golf season, and soon after he wrapped up the Asian Tour merit list.
“Thankfully, I am a professional golfer and not a professional champagne opener. But I will get many opportunities on LIV Golf to pop champagne next year, and I will get better at it,” said Ogletree, who will play for Captain Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers team.
And that’s the thing about him. There are no ifs and buts, maybes and hopefullys in Ogletree’s lexicon. There is just unwavering self-belief and oodles of conviction.
Andy Ogletree with The International Series Order of Merit trophy at the Hong Kong Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
It showed every time he teed up on the Asian Tour this year. In 11 starts, he won twice (International Series Qatar and International Series England) and recorded five other top-10s. That led to him winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit by almost double the points (2,128.26) over the second-placed Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines (1,436.6), and The International Series Order of Merit by almost double the prize money ($US1,101,828.33) won by second-placed Spaniard David Puig (US$577,800).
“It was a perfect year. The plan coming into the season and all along was to win and get back on LIV Golf. I managed to do that, which was very satisfying. I had a great schedule to play on the Asian Tour and I will cherish this year forever,” said Ogletree.
“I treated every tournament I played as if it was a major championship. That was the only thing we thought about and talked about all off-season. I had just one aim. I won towards the end of last season in Egypt and had a lot of momentum going into the off-season and was able to develop some good plans with my trainer (Kolby Tullier) and my swing coach (Tony Ruggiero).
“And when we checked in for the Saudi International to start the year, we got off and running again (tied ninth) and never looked back. It’s all a testament to some of the swing changes and body progressions that we worked on. Good golf is not just me, it’s a team effort that I was able to play a full season of golf healthy (following a hip surgery in 2020) and build upon each week.”
Looking back at the year, Ogletree said the win at Close House stood out, especially because of the quality of the field at International Series England.
“Newcastle was probably the win that I will remember the most,” said Ogletree, who shot 16-under par and won by seven shots over Majesticks GC captain Ian Poulter.
Ogletree pictured on his way to winning the International Series England. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It was a stacked field and there were 22 LIV players there. The conditions were very difficult, and I did not have the best start. I opened with a one-over par 72 and was almost outside the cut-line going into the second round. I don’t think I put a step wrong after that.”
Ogletree made 17 birdies and two eagles over his last three rounds around the banks of River Tyne.
The Round of the Year was his bogey-free 66 on day three of International Series Qatar, where he won by three shots over Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul.
“That was the best round of my season by far. The wind in Doha was around 40mph and conditions were brutal, and I was probably the only player to come in with a bogey-free round,” reminisces Ogletree. “There was one player close to my 66, but I beat most of the field by five-six shots that day and it laid the platform for me to win the tournament. It really was the coolest round I played all year.”
As for his Shot of the Year, it was difficult to surpass the hole-in-one on the monstrous 254-yard par-three fourth hole of Tanah Merah Country Club in Sunday’s final round of the International Series Singapore.
“That slam-dunk hole-in-one has to be the most unforgettable shot of the season,” said Ogletree, who made nine eagles and 195 birdies during the year and finished with a stroke average of 68.86. He was No1 in Greens in Regulation at 77.02 percent.
Ogletree celebrating victory at the International Series Qatar. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I had just made a bogey on the previous hole, and the fourth was playing 230 yards with wind from the left. I was stuck between a four and a five-iron and my caddie insisted that I go with a four to a back pin, and land it flag-high instead of leaving myself short and facing a long putt. I got a bit of crap for hitting too much club, but as it turned out, it was the perfect shot!”
Ogletree is looking forward to dividing his time playing the 14 events on the LIV Golf schedule and playing as many events on the Asian Tour as possible in order to defend his Order of Merit crown.
“I am looking forward to the new season…very excited,” said the man from Little Rock, Mississippi, who recently shifted his base to Atlanta, Georgia.
“LIV is where I want to be and that’s where I want to play my golf. The platform they’ve created and the events they’ve put together, it’s premier golf. I really believe in the product and everything it stands for. I want to play against those guys week in and week out.
“I love the fact that it’s a worldwide tour. I’ve really enjoyed getting to travel the world with LIV and with The International Series on the Asian Tour. I have tried to embrace the culture of all the fascinating countries I was able to visit. I am just a small-town kid from Mississippi, and I’m getting to see the world playing a game that I love. So, I just can’t wait to get out there and try to win every tournament.”
Springfield Royal Country Club and Lake View Resort and Golf Club, in Thailand’s popular golfing hub Hua Hin, will jointly-host the Final Stage of next year’s Asian Tour Qualifying School, the Tour announced today.
Springfield Royal’s C&B nines and Lake View’s A&B layouts will be used for the five-round event, which will be played from January 16-20.
Springfield Royal and Lake View will be used for the first four days while Springfield Royal will stage the all-important final round.
Both clubs have regularly hosted the Qualifying School over the past two decades and are fitting venues for such an important tournament that decides the future of so many talented golfers.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
A total of 35 Tour cards will be awarded with another pressure-packed week filled with drama expected.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “We are pleased to confirm final details for the 2024 Asian Tour Qualifying School – which helps set the scene for the new season.
“In Springfield Royal Country Club and Lake View Resort and Golf Club we have two tried and trusted venues who will ensure a smooth-running event that will allow us to get the year off to a perfect start.”
Qualification for places in the Final Stage are already well underway with First Round Qualifiers having taken place in Australia, the United States and last week in Thailand.
A total of 43 players have secured their places in the Final Stage, with three more First Stage Qualifiers remaining, all to be played in Thailand.
At the Final Stage the top 140 players (and ties) after 36 holes will progress to round three and four. The top 70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the final round, which will be held on January 20. At the conclusion of 90 holes, the top 35 will be ranked accordingly for the 2024 season.
For the 2023 Qualifying School, 563 players entered the pre-qualifiers with 110 making it through to the finals, joining 124 exempt players, with 35 countries represented.
Australian Jack Thompson graduated top of the class and went on to enjoy a fine rookie season finishing in 48th place on the Order of Merit, with four top-15 finishes in 17 starts.
The Asian Tour’s 2024 schedule will be announced shortly.
Today’s venue announcement is an update as Lake View was previously planned to host the entirety of the Final Stage at its 36 hole facility.
Denwit Boriboonsub completed a rare hat-trick of titles today when he recorded a brilliant three-shot win in the US$1million Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund today at Riyadh Golf Club.
The 19-year-old Thai, who won the Thailand Open on the All Thailand Golf Tour last week and the Aramco Invitational on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) the week before, shot a final round seven-under-par 64 for a four-round-aggregate of 18-under 266.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson raced through with a 65 to secure second place while Travis Smyth from Australia was third after a 67 – in an event that brought to a conclusion the Asian Tour’s 23-event, US$35 million season.
Denwit Boriboonsub. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand, the overnight leader, signed off with a 70 and tied for fourth, five behind the champion, with his nation’s brilliant young amateur Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwant, in with a 66, and Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma, who closed with a 67.
Denwit also has the distinction of becoming the first player to win the final events of the year on both the Asian Tour and ADT, as the Aramco Invitational was also the season-ender.
He started one back from Phachara today and dominated the final day. Three birdies in-a-row from the first and again from 11 were the mark of a player on top of his game. He made eight birdies in total and dropped just one shot.
At the turn he had a two-shot lead, which was the gap he had playing the last, where he closed with a birdie to put the icing on the cake.
Henrik Stenson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He also made par saving clutch putts from eight feet on 15 and 17 to fend off his pursuers.
“It is an unbelievable feeling because it is incredible winning three weeks in a row. It is like magic!” said the Thai youngster, whose English name is David and who won US$180,000, leaping into 21st place on the final Asian Tour Order of Merit from 133rd.
“I was really confident before coming to this week because I just know my game. I hit my drives good, my irons and putting were also good, so my goal this week was to win. Fortunately, I made it.”
This is only Denwit’s 15th start on the Asian Tour, and he mirrors the performance of American Berry Henson back in 2011 by winning on the Asian Tour a fortnight after claiming an ADT event.
Three weeks ago, on the eve of the Aramco Invitational, he was 30th on the ADT Merit list and facing an uncertain future before a lifechanging month of golf.
Travis Smyth. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He said: “[At Aramco] I told my caddie that there is nothing to lose now. If we didn’t make this tournament we had to go to Q School but I just tried to play my best and hopefully just make top three but luckily I won it.”
2016 Open champion Stenson, playing in the third from last group out, made a valiant late run making four consecutive birdies from the 12th and another on 17 but he ran out of holes.
He said: “It’s been a good week here in Riyadh. It’s been my first trip to the capital, it’s been nice to see something else than Jeddah as well in that sense, where we played a lot of golf both the Saudi International and the LIV tournaments. So nice visit, a lot of friendly people. I came in with two months off, so it was a good opportunity for me to kind of see where we’re at and what needs to be worked more on when we start preparing for next year in the middle of January.”
The battle on the bubble to finish in the top-65 and secure Tour cards for 2024 as expected saw a close finish with those playing this week.
Kozuma made the biggest move from 76th to 53rd after his fine finish, Björn Hellgren from Sweden also made it through to next year after tying for 18th to go from 60th to 57th.
Koreans Yongjun Bae and Yeongsu Kim also managed to stay on the right side of the top-65 cut-off mark, moving from 63rd to 59th and 62nd to 61st respectively.
Ratchanon Chantananuwat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
And South African Jbe Kruger who was in the 65th and final spot coming into the week moved up to 63rd after a tense weekend that saw him end in a tie for 18th.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai shot a four-under-par 67 to take a one-shot lead after three-rounds of the US$1 million Saudi Open presented Public Investment Fund today.
He leads on 12-under from compatriot Denwit Boriboonsub here at Riyadh Golf Club – in the Asian Tour’s season-ender.
Australian Travis Smyth carded a 64 and is a further shot back with Indian Veer Ahlawat, who returned a 66, and Todd Sinnott, also from Australia, who came in with a 69.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson gave himself a shot at the title tomorrow after shooting a 67 and is tied for sixth with three other players on nine-under.
All eyes will be on Phachara as he attempts to win his second title on the Asian Tour. It was two years ago that he claimed his maiden title, the 2021 Laguna Phuket Championship, before a stream of near misses followed.
Denwit Boriboonsub. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He began the day in a share of the lead with Denwit and Sinnott and later took control with three birdies from the 10th for a three-shot advantage. Wayward approach shots on 16, where he made a bogey, and 17, where he saved a par, stopped his momentum.
“Today started very good, until like the end,” he said.
“All driver, all putting, all chipping, perfect until like the end. I struggled with my iron on last couple of holes.
“I missed the par-five 15th, hit it big right, and maybe after that feel like I am not trust myself, but I just tried to keep score, not lose my mind. If my game is like today I still have a chance tomorrow because today I hit perfect, make a lot of birdie.
“Today I played safe instead of try and reach the green with one shot. I can make birdie with two shots to green. Maybe tomorrow will be same plan.”
In-form Denwit missed a 10-foot birdie putt on the last to draw level with Phachara. He is bidding to complete the hat-trick tomorrow having won the Aramco Invitational, also in Saudi Arabia, two weeks ago on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), followed by the Thailand Open last week.
He said: “Today the first nine was quite nervous for me, because it was my first time playing in the final group on the Asian Tour. And then I made double on the 10th, so that double just changed my mentality. Just play it, whatever happens it happens, and after that double it got better and better.
“I’m very happy because before I’ve never played this well. So, to be here, just in like seven eight weeks, it’s a big improvement for me.”
After his 64, the second best round of the day, Smyth said: “Yeah, it was amazing. You know, for the last three months I feel like the putter has been letting me down, and today yeah, I hit some okay shots, but I was getting lucky, I’ll be honest. I was holing like 20-footers, 40-footers, I think I even holed a 50-footer as well. So it was a little bit of luck, but it felt amazing, especially with the last few months that I’ve had it just felt unreal.”
Travis Smyth. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thailand’s amateur star Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat came in with a 67 and is eight under in a tie for 10th.
While the race to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) has already been decided with American Andy Ogletree securing the crown, it will still be a drama- filled weekend at the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund for players on both sides of the bubble trying to keep their cards by finishing inside the top-65. Report by Olle Nordberg.
This week’s US$1million tournament is the last event of the 2023 season and is being played at Riyadh Golf Club.
The OOM points for this week have been elevated to a tier-3 tournament on par with International Series events – so points available will be considerably higher than other US$1 million events this season. The winner for example will earn 700 points, solo 10th 80 points, while those in last place receive just four points.
Ogletree, who is not playing this week, triumphed twice this year and has an unassailable lead of 2,128.68 points.
Bjorn Hellgren. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Coming into this week the points required for the 65th and final spot were 290, and it was South African Jbe Kruger sitting in this unenviable position. The two-time Asian Tour winner safely made the cut yesterday and sits in tied 34th place after rounds of 71 and 70, but with projected points for 65th place going up to around the 320-335 mark, he will still have some work to do over the weekend to secure his status.
Sweden’s Björn Hellgren is 60th on the OOM with 317.43 points and almost certainly needed to make the cut to have a chance to keep his card. Handling the pressure well, he returned rounds of 69 and 67 to sit in solo fifth place and has an excellent chance of keeping his card.
Closely behind in 61st place and in the same situation is Ajeetesh Sandhu from India on 316.2 points, and while he made the cut by one shot, he was still in the danger zone as the projection after day two had him hanging on in the 65th and final place.
Korean Yeongsu Kim started in 62nd place with 311 points and he also made it to the weekend just one stroke above the cut line but he is currently projected to slip to 66th and will need to shift gear.
Ittiphat Burananatanyarat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Yongjun Bae, also from Korea, came into the week ranked in 63rd place and after round two was tied 26th. He should have a good chance to stay inside the top-65 if he holds his position.
Entering the tournament in 67th position and needing a good week was Thailand’s Itthipat Buranathanyarat. Having made the cut he still has a lot of work to do and needs to finish in around 20th place, depending on number of ties, to keep his card.
Australian Douglas Klein, ranked 68th, finished tied 13th on Friday and needs to maintain that form in order to have a chance, while Japan’s Ryosuke Kinoshita, in 70th, started today tied 34th place and will need a strong finish to make it through to 2024.
Two Thai players in with a chance to perhaps make the biggest jump this week, although they are in very different situations, are Denwit Boriboonsub and Panuphol Pittayarat
Denwit won the season-ending Aramco Invitational on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) two weeks ago and has already locked up an Asian Tour card for next year by winning the ADT Order of Merit. However, being tied for the lead on eight-under-par at the halfway stage, he now has a chance to move into the Tournament Winner’s category or improve his priority ranking if he should move into the top 65. Starting the week in 133rd place on 54.73 points, he would likely need a tied second for this to happen.
Panuphol, better known as “Coconut”, lost his card when his medical extension ran out earlier this year and came into this week in 109th place on the Merit list with 116.54 points.
He needs a huge week to get his playing rights back and is on track after sitting in solo fourth after two rounds. An outright third-place finish will ensure that he’s back on the Asian Tour again next year.
Panuphol Pitttayarat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
One player who sadly won’t finish in the top-65 is Bangladesh star Siddikur Rahman. Sitting in 80th on the rankings he was gunning for a good week but had to withdraw because of a sore back. It’s the first time in 13 years he has finished outside the top-44.
Denwit Boriboonsub has put himself in position to claim a unique hat-trick of titles in successive weeks after taking a share of the lead today following round two of the US$1 million Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund.
The 20-year-old Thai golfer claimed the Aramco Invitational, also in Saudi Arabia, two weeks ago on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), followed by the Thailand Open last week and is clearly still in the zone after shooting a five-under-par 66 at Riyadh Golf Club.
He leads on eight-under along with countryman Phachara Khongwatmai, who also returned a 66, and Australian Todd Sinnott, after a 67 thanks to holing his second for an eagle two on his final hole, on a much calmer day following yesterday’s windier weather – in the season-ending event on the Asian Tour.
Pittayarat “Coconut” Panuphol from Thailand is one shot back after a 67, while Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren returned the same score and is a further stroke behind.
Phachara Khongwatmai. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Korea’s Bio Kim and Henrik Stenson from Sweden, who made a double on his final hole, carded 67s and are five-under along with Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma and Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, both in with 68s.
First-round leader Chapchai Nirat from Thailand is also five-under after shooting a 73.
Denwit beat England’s William Harrold in a sudden-death play-off at Rolling Hills Golf Club to win what was the final event on the ADT’s season 12 days ago, which also allowed him to claim the ADT Order of Merit title.
The Merit list victory earned him his Asian Tour card for next year, and judging by today’s performance he has what it takes to compete on the main tour.
“Today’s round was very good golf,” said Denwit, who triumphed in his national Open – an event on the All Thailand Golf Tour – after leading from the second round onwards.
“I was just being patient out there but was lucky there was no wind out there today.
He made an eye-catching birdie on the par-four 18th after reaching the green from the tee.
He added: “It’s a 318 carry to the front edge. I just tried to hit a bomb and it was down wind a little bit.”
Todd Sinnott. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Birdies on three of the last four holes saw him take the lead. He made six birdies in total and dropped just one shot.
Asked about the secret to his success recently he said: “Yeah, it’s just a bit lucky in those last few events, but yeah, I’ve worked hard for this, and I want to finish strong this year. Just being happy, that’s the main key.”
Phachara’s presence at the top of the leaderboard will surprise no one as he has been close to victory in the last few months with five top-15 finishes in his last seven starts, including losing in a sudden-death play-off at the Shinhan Donghae Open.
He said: “Today I started pretty good and then made bogey, bogey on 16 and 17 on my first nine, and on my back nine five under. You know, it was solid round today, maybe struggled with my putter on some holes but I had a lot of good putts today.
“Today is quite less wind, the conditions were very good and the greens softer. Yesterday I think it was harder because it was windy and many people struggled, but I still played under par and then today got better.”
Asked if he thought he could finally win this week, he answered: “I don’t think about that, you know, I just like to play my game. Play and let the people watch and have fun together.”
Sinnott, who is in 58th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and needed a good week to finish in the top-65 to keep his card for next year, used a sand wedge to hole out on the par-four ninth – his final hole as he began on 10.
“I had 103 meters and kind of a hair off the right wind, so I just hit a little hold up sand wedge,” said Sinnott.
“That was perfect, I thought it would be close but yeah, a nice little cherry on top when it goes in.
“The tournament is moving on nicely. I probably hit a fair bit better than what I scored today I feel. I kind of just felt like every hole I was just going over the edge of the hole, feeling like I was hitting good putts. So yeah, I just hung patiently and got a couple back on the last hole which was nice, kind of evened it out.”
Panuphol Pittayarat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Ratchanon ‘TK” Chantananuwat, Thailand’s amateur phenom, fired a 72 and is four under and in a tie for 12th.
Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat rolled back the years today shooting a seven-under-par 64 to take the lead in the US$1 million Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund – the season-ending event on the Asian Tour.
His young amateur compatriot Ratchanon ‘TK” Chantananuwat, brimming with confidence having recently been accepted to Stanford University next year, is in second following a 66, along with Mexico’s Luis Carrera, while American Kevin Na, Korean Jung Chanmin and Australia’s Todd Sinnott shot 67s – on an unexpectedly windy day here at Riyadh Golf Club.
Forty-year-old Chapchai, who claimed the last of his four Asian Tour titles in 2014, threatened to win the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open two weeks ago, leading at the halfway mark before a final day 75 saw him slip back into a tie for 11th.
Ratchanon Chantanauwat receives a hug from his father/caddie on the 18th green. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Today so happy,” said the Thai golfer, who started on 10 and made an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys.
“The wind is so strong. I had to keep the tee shot in the fairway. I was lucky. I started on the back nine. I was three under for the nine, that was good.”
Having been in the golfing wilderness for several seasons, he has bounced back this year and is 31st on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. A third-place finish in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard in March being his best performance in five years.
He added: “I am not thinking about my game too much, I am in a good place.”
TK, aged 16 and the region’s most exciting young golfer, birdied 17 and 18 to complete his best round on the Asian Tour for a considerable period, as following his sensational victory in the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup on the Asian Tour last year, his focus has been on his studies.
“I haven’t shot anything better than a four under in an Asian Tour event for quite some time so it’s really refreshing to see myself play good golf,” he said.
“I had lots of fun out there. I think the wind made it super interesting. It’s been dead for the past three days so for it to have wind I am super happy.”
He didn’t drop a single shot today, making a birdie on the second, before further gains on 10 and 15.
His relief at finally mounting a challenge was palpable.
Kevin Na. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He added: “It has been very busy for the past two years, actually. Ever since I decided I wanted to go to Stanford it has just been super hectic. Just school and golf. I barely had time to breathe.
“Now that I have been accepted obviously the workload is still there and I have to graduate high school with pretty much three top grades, but the fact that I can let the world know, I can confirm it … I know I am going, I have got that acceptance letter, it relieves a lot of the pressure, mentally mostly.”
Five-time PGA Tour winner Na came into this week feeling his game is in a good place and backed that up today with a strong start. A missed six-footer for birdie on the last costing him outright second place.
“I played really good. The front nine I played winds were low,” said the 40-year-old, now enjoying life on the LIV Golf League, where he is captain of Iron Heads GC.
“I took advantage of that and shot four under. At the turn the wind started pumping. There were some balls moving 20 plus yards in the cross winds. Made it difficult.
“Overall, I played good. Made a couple of mistakes. I was a little disappointed about that six-footer lipping out on the last hole, but we have three more days to go.
“My game felt good coming into this week. Took some time off and thought about my golf game. I made a couple of minor little changes that I felt could be good for next year and I wanted to test it out. First round it felt pretty good out there.”
Chanmin Jung. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, Gunn Charoenkul, Panuphol Pittayat and Tirawat Kaewsiribandit plus Korean Seungtaek Lee fired 68s.
Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, one of the event’s marquee players, came in with a 70.
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