Chan conquers Canyon!
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang prevailed after a gripping finish to win the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship today and become the first winner on the Asian Tour following a 20-month hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
He shot a final round four-under-par 68 to finish on 18 under par and beat Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Joohyung Kim from Korea by one shot.
Sadom fired a 67 while teenager Kim returned 66 ‒ on the iconic Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club.
“It’s impossible, it’s amazing!” said Chan, whose last win on the Asian Tour came in the 2016 Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup in Japan.
“I am so happy to be back after the problems everyone has had with COVID. My front nine was not very good but an eagle on nine turned things around.”
PHUKET-THAILAND- Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei pictured on Sunday, November 28, 2021 pictured celebrating on the 18th green during the final round of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
The 35 year old was paired in the final group with Korean Sihwan Kim and Sadom and despite eagling the ninth he was still three behind Sihwan Kim at the turn.
But the Chinese-Taipei star showed why he is already a winner on Tour by birdieing four holes in a row from the 13th.
He was tied with Sadom on the par-four 18th hole, but while Chan got up and down from the front of the green to make par after holing out from four feet, the Thai player missed the green to the left with his approach and failed to make his 12-footer for par.
He added: “I always enjoy coming to Thailand. I feel very relaxed playing here. Actually, I feel less pressure playing here than playing back home. It’s my second win since my baby boy arrived eight months ago. I guess its baby luck!” He picked up a cheque for US$180,000.
Chan warmed up for this week’s event by finishing second in the Yeangder TPC on home soil last week ‒ an event normally played on the Asian Tour but could not this year because of COVID-19.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand pictured on Sunday, November 28, 2021 during the final round of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Chan had two Asian Tour titles to his name, which both came in 2016 first in the King’s Cup here in Thailand and then the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup. He is also a six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour ‒ the last of those coming in 2018.
Sadom was looking for his fifth win in two months ‒ he has won four times on the All Thailand Golf Tour, including the Thailand Open ‒ and has now not shot over par in 20 consecutive rounds.
“I tried my best, I came so close,” said Sadom, who birdied three on the trot from seven and then birdied 13, 15 and 16 before his problems on 18, where he hit a wayward tee shot left.
“It’s disappointing to bogey 18 but I will learn from it and come back stronger next week.”
In contrast, 19-year-old Joohyung Kim birdied 18 to snatch joint second place at the end. He fired seven birdies and one bogey and was chasing his second win on Tour.
Korean Bio Kim (64), Berry Henson from the United States (66), Scott Hend from Australia (67) and Sihwan Kim (70), who slipped back with bogies on 13 and 17, tied for fourth two off the lead.
Ratchanon Chantananuwat, Thailand’s 14-year-old golf sensation, once again thrived playing in his first Asian Tour event when shot a brilliant 65 to finish in a tie for 15th on 12 under.
Ratchanon secured the low amateur award ‒ for the seventh time in a row in a pro event ‒ after a brilliant round made up of eight birdies and one bogey.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Ratchanon Chantananuwat, amateur, of Thailand pictured with the Low Amateur Award on Sunday, November 28, 2021 during the final round of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He got off to a sensational start by holing 30-foot putts on the first holes: the first for a par and the second for birdie.
“I am going to be completely honest, if that didn’t happen on one and two, I probably would have finished two over,” said the rising star, who on Friday became the third youngest player to make the cut on the Asian Tour.
“Those putts turned my day around. I made all the birdie putts when I had to, but I did still miss quite a lot. I am really happy to win best amateur in my first Asian Tour event.”
He was 11 under par over the weekend and heads into next week’s Laguna Phuket Championship brimming with confidence.
Both Phuket events, called the Asian Tour Phuket Series, boast prizemoney of US$1million and will be followed by two events being planned in Singapore in January that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang put himself into position to win on the Asian Tour for the first time in five years after taking the third-round lead in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship today along with American Sihwan Kim, who is looking for his first victory.
They both carded four-under-par 68s on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club to move to 14 under par for the US$1million event, that marks the resumption of the Asian Tour following a 20-month break caused by Covid.
Overnight leader Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand shot 72 to lie in third place two behind, while a further shot back are Australian Scott Hend (65), Joohyung Kim from Korea (69) and American John Catlin (72).
“Happy to put myself in a good position for Sunday. I haven’t played in the final group since 2016,” said Chan.
Chan has two Asian Tour titles to his name, which both came in 2016 first in the King’s Cup, here in Thailand, and then the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup in Japan. He is also a six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour ‒ the last of those coming in 2018.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Sihwan Kim of the USA pictured on Saturday, November 27, 2021 during round three of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He held the outright lead for much of the back nine but made a bogey on 16 ‒ which was his first dropped shot in 51 holes.
“Feels like how it was back then when I won the King’s Cup in 2016. That was also in Thailand. Thailand is my lucky country. But I won’t think so much for tomorrow. Just keep doing what I have been doing.”
Kim has been playing in Europe this year and is enjoying the warmer conditions this week.
“It feels kind of weird playing in this weather, being so humid and hot, but yeah I was looking forward to this,” he said.
“Tomorrow I just need to keep it in the fairway and make some putts. Being in the fairway is key on this golf course. If I can do that, my irons are pretty good right now, it will be good.”
Sadom has now not shot over par in 19 consecutive rounds ‒ he has won four times on the All Thailand Golf Tour over the past two months ‒ but he came close to breaking his streak today.
He made the turn in three over and looked to be falling away but bounced back with three birdies in the last five holes.
PHUKET-THAILAND- L-R -Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand and Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei shake hands on the 18th green on Saturday, November 27, 2021 during round three of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Said Sadom: “I didn’t hit my driver good on the front nine today, but it got better on the back. But the turning point came on 13. I gave myself a chance for birdie on that hole and I made it. I felt confident again from there. Nice to go on and birdie 15 and 16. Felt great to fight back to even-par. I still have a chance tomorrow.”
Ratchanon Chantananuwat, Thailand’s 14-year-old golf phenom, continued to impress by returning a 68 to move up into a tie for 33rd. Yesterday he became the third youngest player to make the cut on the Asian Tour.
Saudi Arabia’s Othman Almulla, part of a strong contingent of players from the Middle East making their debut on the Asian Tour this week in Phuket, has more than just playing golf on his mind.
“I have been playing for Saudi all around the world and representing the flag and trying to help grow the game,” said the 34 year old at Blue Canyon Country Club today, where he has been competing in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship ‒ the Tour’s first event back following a 20-month break caused by the pandemic.
“It’s just an unbelievably good feeling to be here and competing. This is not just about playing golf.”
Almulla is Saudi Arabia’s only professional golfer and has been joined this week by three of his nation’s leading amateurs Abdulrahman Al Mansour, Saud Al Sharif and Faisal Al Salhab. All four are representing Golf Saudi and playing on the Asian Tour for the first time.
Also competing are four players from the MENA Tour: Jordanian Shergo Al Kurdia, David Langley and Curtis Knipes from England, and Scotland’s Ryan Lumsdan.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Abdulrahman Al Mansour of Saudi Arabia, amateur, hits the first ball for the restart of the Asian Tour after a 20 month Covid pandemic suspension, pictured on Thursday, November 25, 2021, during round one of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Al Kurdia is also the first player from Jordan to play on the Tour.
Almulla shot rounds of 76 and 72 to miss the cut but relished the opportunity to compete again.
“It feels great to be competing and we have been welcomed by the Asian Tour, we love that. It’s just great to have somewhere to play. It’s been so hard since I turned professional in 2019. I had one full year and then it’s been super difficult to find places to play,” added Almulla, whose home club is Rolling Hills Golf Club in Saudi Arabia.
“And this week has been so well run. It’s 20 months since the Asian Tour was played. I played in the Asian Tour Qualifying School about 10 years ago and it’s great to see how big it’s grown and see such big names in the field.”
First tee shot on Tour in 20 months 😃⛳👏🏻#BCPC2021 #whereitsAT pic.twitter.com/7iTIAOqJzU
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) November 25, 2021
Al Mansour actually had the honour of hitting the first tee shot on Thursday morning to mark the Tour’s resumption and also signify the Tour’s strengthening of ties with the Middle East.
Adds Almulla: “To see our amateurs come out and hit a lot of good shots, make some birdies, and lose the rustiness has been great. And we get to go again in a couple of days. And I am looking forward to seeing what they can do.”
PHUKET-THAILAND- Shergo Al Kurdi of Jordan pictured on Thursday, November 25, 2021, during round one of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Plans are also being put in place for the Tour’s feeder circuit, the Asian Development Tour, to work closely with the MENA Tour ‒ which will lead to more opportunities for developing players.
Next week the Tour heads to the Laguna Phuket Championship at Laguna Golf Phuket ‒ where all the representatives from the Middle East will once again compete.
Thailand’s in-form young star Sadom Kaewkanjana equaled Australian Greg Norman’s course record on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club today with an imperious eight-under-par 64, and although it could not be counted as an official record because preferred lies were played he still stormed to the top of the leaderboard at the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship.
Eight brilliant birdies ‒ three on the front, five on the back ‒ saw him move into the lead on 12 under par by a stroke from American John Catlin, the first-round leader, who shot 68.
Korean Sihwan Kim and Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang are a stroke further behind after rounds of 66 and 68 respectively ‒ in an event that marks the resumption of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season, following a 20-month hiatus caused by the pandemic.
“My game today is pretty good,” said 23-year-old Sadom, whose round also matched South African Anton Haig’s 64 from the 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic.
“Especially iron play and putting. I hit close to the pin and made many birdies. And I have only missed one fairway this week.”
Sadom has claimed four titles on the All Thailand Golf Tour in the past two months including the Thailand Open and looks like being the man to beat this week, along with Catlin.
He added: “Initially this week I was just focusing on making the cut, but I am changing my game plan for tomorrow and looking to go further.”
PHUKET-THAILAND- John Catlin of the USA pictured on Friday, November 26, 2021 during round two of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Catlin carded a sublime 65 to take the first-round lead yesterday and stayed in the hunt today thanks to six birdies and just two dropped shots.
“I played well today but need to go to the range and work on a few things,” said Catlin.
“It was a very early start today. I was up at 4.30am and we didn’t get back until late last night, so I basically went straight to bed. But it’s great to be in this position and have a chance at the weekend.”
Joohyung Kim, the 19-year-old Korean star, came in with a 67 and is four off the lead.
Australian Wade Ormsby, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, shot a 69 and is six off the pace, while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond ‒ the reigning Merit list champion ‒ returned a 72 to surprisingly miss the cut, made at one under, by four.
Thailand’s 14-year-old golf prodigy Ratchanon Chantananuwat signed for a 72 to become the third youngest player to make the cut on the Asian Tour. He’s on one under par and as the only amateur to survive the halfway cut has secured the low amateur award.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Ratchanon Chantananwat of Thailand, amateur, pictured on Friday, November 26, 2021 during round two of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I am capable of playing better but I scrambled well. It’s my first Asian Tour event and I have basically loved being here since Monday,” said the youngster.
In 2010 Jazz became the youngest player, at age 14 years 71 days, to make the cut in an Asian Tour event at the Asian Tour International in Bangkok, as an amateur.
This week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship will be followed by the Laguna Phuket Championship next week at Laguna Golf Phuket.
Both Phuket events boast prizemoney of US$1million and will be followed by two events being planned in Singapore in January that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
John Catlin calls Thailand his second home and you could see why today after he fired a four-under-par 68 to open up a one-shot lead mid-way through round two of the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship at Blue Canyon Country Club.
The American carded a sublime 65 to take the first-round lead yesterday and stayed out in front this morning thanks to six birdies and just two dropped shots.
He has the clubhouse lead on 11 under from Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang with half the field still out on the course on Friday.
“I played well today but need to go to the range and work on a few things,” said Catlin, who based himself in Hua Hin, Thailand, when he played regularly on the Asian Tour from 2016 to 2019.
“It was a very early start today. I was up at 4.30am and we didn’t get back until late last night, so I basically went straight to bed. But it’s great to be in this position and have a chance at the weekend.”
PHUKET-THAILAND- Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei makes a heart symbol with his hands on the 14th tee box on Friday, November 26, 2021 during round two of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Chan also shot a 68 which, impressively, was bogey-free.
He said: “I hit all 14 fairways today, I hit my driver very well. Nice to get a bogey-free round. I didn’t putt as well as I did yesterday. Missed a few short outs out there. The greens seem to be faster this morning.”
Korean Joohyung Kim came in with a 67 and is three behind Catlin, while Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand and Qualifying School graduate Bjorn Hellgren from Sweden are a stroke further back.
Australian Travis Smyth finished in a blaze of glory by making birdie on his last five holes for a 65 to move to six under.
“I think I have had five in a row before, but never to finish a round,” he said.
Preferred lies are being played so his brilliant birdie run cannot be counted as equaling the Tour’s most birdies to finish a round.
That record is held by Malaysian Nicholas Fung who closed with a quintuplet at the 2016 Resorts World Manila Masters in the final round.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Joohyun Kim of Korea pictured on Friday, November 26, 2021 during round two of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
John Catlin had the honour of taking the clubhouse lead in the first round played on the Asian Tour in 20 months when he carded a seven-under-par 65 in the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship today at Blue Canyon Country Club.
On a jubilant first day back for the Tour following a long period of uncertainty caused by the pandemic, the American shot a dazzling round consisting of two eagles and three birdies ‒ on the famous Canyon Course.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and South African Ian Snyman also impressed with 66s to sit in second place, while Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai fired a 67.
Catlin has been in inspired form over the past three years ‒ claiming four Asian Tour titles and three European Tour wins ‒ and gave another masterclass today.
“I made a few long ones, I just happened to play good. And I took advantage of the par fives,” said the 31-year-old Californian.
He eagled the par-five ninth after holing a 30 footer following a brave three-iron second shot, and later eagled the par-five 15th after nailing a three wood to nine feet.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei pictured on Thursday, November 25, 2021, during round one of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The American based himself in Hua Hin, Thailand, when he played on the Asian Tour and this week’ marks the first time he has been back in well over a year.
“Last time I was here was in May 2020. Feels great, like I have been saying for the past four years it feels like a second home,” he added.
He first made a name for himself by winning three times on the Asian Tour in 2018, followed by another in 2019; and he has achieved global recognition since then with three wins in Europe.
Chan recorded four runner-up finishes on his domestic circuit before finally claiming a victory in September. He came in runner-up again in last week’s Yeangder TPC ‒ an event normally played on the Asian Tour but wasn’t this year because of covid.
“It’s been so long since we last came out to play. I am really excited this week. I’ve been playing well back home and the competitions have kept my game in shape,” said Chan, who won twice on the Asian Tour in 2016.
“My wife gave birth to my baby son six months ago. It was good that I could spend time with them at home during the pandemic. But now, it’s time to work hard again.”
Five players shot 68: Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, India’s Shiv Kapur and S. Chikkarangappa, American Paul Peterson, and Sihwan Kim from Korea.
Nine players were unable to finish round because of bad light.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand pictured on Thursday, November 25, 2021, during round one of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
This week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship will be followed by the Laguna Phuket Championship next week at Laguna Golf Phuket.
Both Phuket events boast prizemoney of US$1million and will be followed by two events being planned in Singapore in January that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
Jazz Janewattananond is finally back home in Thailand, properly ‒ to compete in the Asian Tour Phuket Series ‒ having been away for nearly two years, with the exception of two quick pitstops when he was mainly in quarantine, and nothing could make him happier.
“It’s really good to be back in Thailand!” said Jazz, at Blue Canyon Country Club today ‒ where he is competing in this week’s US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship.
“I haven’t been back here to spend proper time in a while. This has been a real nice change. I am just very grateful to be back on home soil, speaking the language.”
Jazz flew in from Dubai where he tied for fourth in the AVIV Dubai Championship on the DP World Tour and is hoping to become the first player to successfully defend the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown, having claimed the Merit title in 2019. This week’s event is one of four tournaments that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
“I did a couple of quarantines but didn’t spend much time here, just doing some things like pick up my passport. I finished quarantine and left straight away. I was in the hotel then left basically. It’s not like I stayed at home or anything,” added Jazz, who is currently fifth on the Order of Merit.
Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The last occasion he spent time in Thailand was before the Dubai Desert Classic last year.
He added: “It’s been a long road. It’s been a tiring two years. I am going to use this time to take a break and fresh. Since I got back to Thailand it’s been about spending time with family, eating food, enjoying the culture again, enjoying the people.”
He has been grouped with Scott Hend from Australia ‒ a 10-time winner on the Asian Tour ‒ and Malaysian number one Gavin Green for the first two days. They will tee-off tomorrow on the 10th tee at 7.15am.
Jazz, who celebrates his 26th birthday on Friday, is a six-time winner on the Asian Tour ‒ four of which came in 2019.
The Asian Tour Phuket Series events starts with this week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship and is followed by next week’s Laguna Phuket Championship, from December 2-5.
Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thailand’s latest golf prodigy, 14-year-old Ratchanon Chantananuwat, will make his debut on the Asian Tour this week at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship ‒ being played on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club ‒ with his “full attention” on golf while carefully balancing a busy schedule of online classes.
“I did some online physics and English classes on Tuesday morning as I played 18 on Monday and had to miss a double English session,” said the amateur star, who is doing his IGCEs at Shrewsbury International School in Bangkok.
“Obviously it should be 50/50 for the most part but at certain times I have to focus on one thing or another depending what is more important at the time. For example, right now I have to pretty much put my full attention on these two events, therefore I am prioritising golf and practice way more than school.”
He is also playing in next week’s Laguna Phuket Championship at Laguna Golf Phuket ‒ both Asian Tour Phuket Series events mark the resumption of the Tour’s 2020-21 season, after a 20-month hiatus caused by the pandemic.
“TK”, as he is nicknamed, has taken the All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT) by storm this year, particularly when the Tour visited the same two Phuket venues a few months ago.
PHUKET-THAILAND – Ratchanon Chantananuwat of Thailand pictured with his father / caddy Tara, during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He was second in the Singha Laguna Phuket Open, at Laguna Golf Phuket, and joint fifth in the Singha All Thailand Championship here on the Canyon Course.
The talented youngster was also the leading amateur in the Thailand Open last month, after finishing in a tie for 16th; he’s actually finished as the top amateur in six successive ATGT events.
He is also the youngest player to make the cut on the ATGT at 13 years, four months and 18 days.
However, despite all the success and attention he has stayed grounded and remained focused on his school work.
“I know if I spend a bit of time revising and talking to my teachers I can catch up. Depending on my tee times this week, if early or late, I can slot in a period to study,” he added.
PHUKET-THAILAND – Ratchanon Chantananuwat of Thailand pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“My game is ok. I just want to make sure I am dialled in because if I want to do well then the driver’s got to be on point, hitting has to be on point, I have to make the putts, put my irons close, everything has to be as good as possible.”
Of note, he was the third-round leader at the Singha All Thailand Championship so he knows all about the Canyon Course.
“Obviously, this is my first Asian Tour event, I am aware that the players are really good, there’s a lot of top players here, so I am just mainly focusing on myself. I have played well at these clubs at the recent ATGT events,” said Ratchanon, whose father Tara will caddie for him.
“It feels really good to finish as best amateur six times in a row, I am just trying to go for the big one now.”
Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana will look to capitalise on a brilliant purple patch, which has seen him win four times in two months, when he competes in this week’s US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship ‒ in what is the Asian Tour’s first event back after a 19-month hiatus because of the pandemic.
Two wins on the All Thailand Golf Tour in October and two this month ‒ including the Thailand Open ‒ have propelled the 23-year-old into the spotlight but further success is far from the rising star’s thoughts at the moment.
“I felt a lot of pressure when I won the tournaments over the past four months,” said Sadom.
“So, I don’t want to feel like that this week. I just want to make the cut first. I just focus on enjoying the game and don’t think about the result.”
Sadom is already a winner on the Asian Tour having claimed the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open in 2019 ‒ having made it through Qualifying School that year he became the fastest graduate to win on Tour ‒ but victory this week in a tournament featuring an impressive line-up would be a huge step up.
PHUKET-THAILAND – Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Scott Hend from Australia, American John Catlin, Malaysian Gavin Green and teenage Korean star Joohyung Kim are just some of the leading players competing.
He added: “I don’t think about winning or anything like that because that puts a lot of pressure on me.”
Apart from some slight adjustments to his short game he’s not able identify exactly why his form has peaked recently.
“I don’t really know why I have been playing so well. I am just trying to enjoy the game, each tournament, every round. I just focus on my game, shot by shot. I haven’t really changed anything, but just improved my short game,” he said.
“Last year my short game was so so but this year I had more time to practice my short game. I just changed my set up a little bit and I am more confident.”
The Blue Canyon Phuket Championship tees-off on Thursday on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club, while the Laguna Phuket Championship will be staged the following week at Laguna Golf Phuket.
Sadom won at both of those venues in October, although his win at Blue Canyon came on the Lakes Course.
PHUKET-THAILAND – Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
When he claimed the Thailand Open earlier this month he became only the sixth player from Thailand to lift the famous trophy.
Both Phuket events boast prizemoney of US$1million and will be followed by two events being planned in Singapore in January that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
Miguel Tabuena has returned from a long stint in the United States to compete in this week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship and says he is aiming to be in contention on Sunday despite limited playing opportunities this year.
The two-time Asian Tour winner has been camped in Washington for much of the year and has just got back to the region for a tournament that marks the resumption of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season.
“I have recovered from a bit of jetlag,” said the Filipino.
“Today was the first time this week I didn’t wake up before three, which was pretty good.”
He has been starved of playing opportunities because of the pandemic, but when he has competed he has seized the opportunity, including winning an event in September run by the PGA of America.
“The game is there. I’ve been seven or eight months away from this heat. I am just trying to preserve my body as well as I can although I am pretty used to it and I know what to expect,” added the 27-year-old, who has been practicing regularly with PGA Tour player Cam Davis from Australia while in the States.
“I have to hydrate a bit more this week. So, this week is more about maintaining my body.”
PHUKET-THAILAND – Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
The second of his Asian Tour wins actually came in Thailand at the Queen’s Cup in 2018 so he is in a good space this week.
“I know the game is there, hopefully it shows up. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter, it’s good to be back playing again especially in Thailand. Hopefully I can contend, I always play to contend,” he said.
“I want to be in a situation where I can win on Sunday but if the situation is not there its just to improve every week.”
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Scott Hend from Australia, American John Catlin, Malaysian Gavin Green and teenage Korean star Joohyung Kim are just some of big names competing.
PHUKET-THAILAND – L-R – Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines pictured next to the Tiger Woods plaque on the 13th hole during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
The Asian Tour Phuket Series, as its has been named, starts with the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship on Thursday, followed the week after by the Laguna Phuket Championship. The two US$1 million tournaments are part of the 2020-21 season ending events, with two final ones planned for Singapore in January.
Recent Comments