Sihwan Kim completes career defining season ranked Asian Tour number one
American Sihwan Kim completed the finest season of his 11-year professional career today when he wrapped up the Asian Tour Order of Merit title, appropriately on the day he turned 34.
Kim finished equal 28th in the Asian Tour’s season-ending BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE which was enough to repel a number of players in with a chance of catching him.
He finished the year with US$627,458.33 in earnings, with Bio Kim from Korea ending in second place, having earned US$ 599,609.49, while Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent was third on US$ 517,845.
Vincent, Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, Canadian Richard T. Lee, and Thais Jazz Janewattananond, Phachara Khongwatmai, and Sadom Kaewkanjana, all had a chance of toppling Kim if they won today but their challenges faded on the back nine.
“It feels good, finally the season’s done and I can’t wait to get some rest,” said Kim.
Sihwan Kim. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“You know it’s been a long week with you know restarts and stuff like that. I’ve been traveling a lot, this is my 28th event of the year and I think my body needs some rest. I just felt it today where my whole body was just off sync and just couldn’t get anything done.
“Of course [finishing first] was on my mind, but I tried to not let that get to me too much. Been just kind of struggling with my putting all week this week and, and just barely made the cut after my Saturday restart. And yeah, it’s been tough, it always comes down to the last tournament and you know, Jazz [Janewattananond] and James Chan [Shih-chang] they were all up there, and Richard [T. Lee] was up there for a little bit, and if they had won they had a chance to chance to overtake me.”
The 34 year old started the season in brilliant fashion by winning the International Series Thailand in February, which was his maiden professional victory and also the first ever International Series event to be played.
He followed that up by winning the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge, also in Thailand, in April.
A mid-season loss of form, when he was battling some swing demons and a stray driver, saw him relinquish top spot on the Order of Merit to Bio Kim but a third place finish in the International Series Egypt last month saw him regain first place.
He said: “Yeah, right at the start the year I was kind of playing bad, and in Singapore in January I just kind of got it done somehow at Sentosa and then just kind of upped my game. Then it just like went really cold from there, struggled for about two or three months, and then just kind of found something the last month and a half, and I just kind of rolled with it.”
Sihwan Kim. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Prior to this year Kim had been a perennial nearly man and had recorded eight top-four results on the Asian Tour since 2018, including two runner-up finishes, and had come close to winning on Europe’s Challenge Tour.
But all that is a distance memory for a player full of confidence for the 2023 season.
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut completed the final four holes of his third round early this morning at the US$1.5 million BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE carding a five-under-par 67 to lead on 16 under by three shots from countryman Kosuke Hamamoto.
Sarit parred 15, 16, and 17 before holing a test 12 footer for a birdie on the 18th at Royale Jakarta Club, in the Asian Tour’s season-ending finale.
Hamamoto shot a 67 after parring his last three holes, while Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell and Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, are one shot back after carding 67s.
Canadian Richard T. Lee (67), Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (69) and India’s Veer Ahlawat (70) are a further stroke behind.
Kosuke Hamamoto. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
England’s Lee Westwood, a three-time winner of this event, who was able to finish his round yesterday after posting his second successive 66, is 10 under, along with India’s Anirban Lahiri, the champion here in 2014, who shot 70.
Round four quickly got underway.
Said Sarit: “I woke up a little bit late today, not as early as the second day so that extra 30 minutes was good. And I really hit a good tee shot on 15, not an easy putt but still a two putt. So, I think that was a good start, that’s why I’m playing still playing good.
“I am just going do the same thing today and try to shoot like a couple under every round. Just stay positive, try to hit it the best as I can and try to make the putts.”
Play resumed at 6.45am this morning as the tournament played catch up after delays each day caused by lightning.
It promises to be a memorable final day with so much at stake: the BNI Indonesia Masters presented by TNE, the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM), the International Series OOM and the top-30 qualifiers for next year’s Saudi International from the Asian Tour’s Merit list. Players are also battling to keep their playing rights for 2023.
Current Asian Tour OOM leader Sihwan Kim from the United States parred his final hole this morning for a 69 to sit at four under and needs a strong finish to repel his pursuers.
Graeme McDowell. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Chan, Lee, Jazz , Phachara Khongwatmai, Sadom Kaewkanjana, and Scott Vincent, are all in contention and need to win to have a chance of overtaking Kim.
Vincent, who leads the International Series OOM, gave himself an excellent chance of winning that title and earning a golden ticket onto next year’s LIV Golf League by firing a 67 yesterday to finish the day on eight under. However, he also needs to good day as Lee, Jazz, and Phachara are also in the running.
Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut continued to impress at the US$1.5 million BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE today moving to the top of the leaderboard on 15 under after 14 holes before lightning stopped play for the day at 3.09pm local time.
Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto is two behind with three to play, while Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell is three back with two remaining along with India’s Veer Ahlawat, who has four holes left.
Play will resume at 6.45am tomorrow for what promises to be a thrilling final day that will also see the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) decided, as well as the International Series (OOM) and the top 30 qualifiers for next year’s Saudi International from the Asian Tour’s Merit list.
Sarit, chasing a maiden win on the Asian Tour, started the round sharing the lead with Mathiam Keyser from South Africa, and while Keyser fell back and is seven under for the tournament through 14, Sarit went in the other direction shooting seven birdies and dropping three shots.
England’s Lee Westwood, a three-time winner of this event, made full use of moving day, posting his second successive 66 to reach 10 under and take the clubhouse lead.
Kosuke Hamamoto. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Westwood triumphed in 2011, the inaugural addition, 2012 and 2015 and showed some of the form that won him those titles today making five birdies, including on the first three holes, on the front side to go out in five under.
“I three putted 10, three putted 12, but you know I birdied 11, 14 and 18 so kind of balanced that out,” said the 49 year old.
“But it got a little bit tricky towards the end, the wind just picked up a little bit, 17 and 18 played tricky into the wind and out the left. But yeah, played alright and made a few nice putts, and hit some good putts that didn’t go in. I’m pleased with my day, at least we got finished.”
Having opened with a first round 74 the Englishman has rebounded brilliantly and blamed lack of play for his slow start.
He said: “It was a combination of a lot of things, but I had four weeks off coming into this week and hit balls for about three hours. So, you know, I went home did a lot of gym work but didn’t really work on my golf game, so I felt really rusty. I’ve been struggling with a bit of a chest infection and not sleeping great with the jetlag, so didn’t do as much practice over the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday as I would have liked, and you know just felt rusty and out of sorts. I was four over through 16 but then birdied the last two holes to finish two over and then played well since.”
Victory tomorrow would allow him to add a missing item from his impressive portfolio: winning an event for the fourth time.
“I will just keep playing like I played the last two days really; you know hit a lot of fairways,” he said.
“I think this golf course gives you chances if you hit fairways, but as soon as you start hitting it in the rough it becomes tricky. I’ve driven the ball pretty well the last two days and started hitting my iron shots a little bit more consistent.
“And I’ve given myself a lot of chances you know, 14 under for the last 38 holes is really the worst I could have been. I could have shot 10 under yesterday and 10 under today quite easily, so my game is pretty good for beginning of December.”
Current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Sihwan Kim from the United States is four under playing his last hole with a whole host of permutations for tomorrow.
Lee Westwood. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Phachara Khongwatmai, and Sadom Kaewkanjana, Canada’s Richard T. Lee and Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe, are all in contention and need to win tomorrow to have a chance of toppling Kim.
Vincent, who leads the International Series OOM, gave himself an excellent chance of winning that title and earning a golden ticket onto next year’s LIV Golf League by firing a 67 to finish the day on eight under.
Helping to whet the appetite for the highly anticipated 2023 season, the Asian Tour announced today the addition of a new, exciting and lucrative event to its schedule, the International Series Oman.
With event details having been finalised by the event organisers and ahead of an imminent fuller schedule announcement, the Tour is thrilled to confirm that the Oman tournament will be held at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat from February 9-12 and boast prizemoney of US$2 million.
In addition, the Tour can reveal that a total of 10 International Series events will be held next season, each with prizemoney of at least US$2 million – helping to build on the momentum gained this season, which saw seven of the upper-tier events positioned on the schedule, which features a total of 20 tournaments.
“On the back of two outstanding weeks at International Series events in Morocco and Egypt, and this week’s season-ending BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE, also part of the International Series, the Asian Tour is excited to announce we will return to the Middle East early on in the new season for the International Series Oman,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.
“The 2022 campaign was a highly successful one for us and it is great to see the profile of the Asian Tour being raised. Next year promises more of the same with today’s news further enhancing this, even before we have announced our 2023 schedule – one that promises to be the biggest and best in the history of the Tour.
Al Mouj Golf (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
“We are extremely grateful to the Oman Golf Association for being the conduit in helping to launch this pioneering new event in such an important golfing region; and, of course, we thank Al Mouj Golf for their commitment and support in this process. We have every confidence that the event will be a resounding success.”
With one season drawing to a conclusion – which has also seen International Series events played in Thailand, England, Singapore, and Korea – attention is quickly starting to turn to the next one.
“With the support of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, the Oman Golf Association is delighted to welcome the Asian Tour to the Sultanate of Oman in 2023,” said Mundhir Al Barwani, Chairman, Oman Golf Association.
“We are excited to be the first Asian Tour International Series event in the Middle East and to be able to share the beauty of the Sultanate with the players and officials, as well as a wider audience through television.
“Al Mouj Golf is a Tour proven golf course and coupled with the proximity to the airport and the official hotel we are certain that the players will have an enjoyable and memorable week with us. We commend the work that the Asian Tour have done in developing their international schedule and also in strengthening the Asian Development Tour, which will certainly have a positive impact on the growth of the elite amateur game within the region. We look forward to working closely with the key stakeholders and sponsors to deliver this event and to once again use the game of golf to showcase the investment and tourism opportunities that exist within Oman.”
The International Series was launched this year, through a partnership between the Tour and LIV Golf, with the aim of invigorating the game of golf in Asia, the Middle East and beyond.
“LIV Golf is proud to help establish new global events through the International Series that enhance player pathways to the world’s top competition,” said LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner Greg Norman.
“Al Mouj Golf is sure to present a challenging and rewarding experience for the Asian Tour’s very best while showcasing one of the most unique venues in this region of the world. This is a tremendous addition to the global golf calendar as the International Series gets bigger and better in 2023.”
Al Mouj Golf. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
Al Mouj Golf will offer the Asian Tour membership an outstanding opportunity to play on one of the finest golf courses in the Middle East.
The challenging 18-hole championship golf course at Al Mouj Golf is the first links-style golf course to be created in Oman and was designed by two-time Major champion Norman from Australia. Built on a two-kilometer stretch of pristine coastline, it is flanked by the Indian Ocean with the stunning Hajjar mountain range in the background. Natural dunes, striking oasis of lush green grass, accented with bunkers, and water hazards are also its main features.
There is plenty at stake at this week’s US$1.5 million BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE, the final Asian Tour event of the season, with some big names in the star-studded field gunning for the coveted Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) crown and inaugural International Series OOM title as well as individual glory.
With a winner’s purse of US$270,000 up for grabs, the top 11 could all theoretically claim the Asian Tour OOM crown and the entire top 10 on the International Series OOM are all still in with a shout of securing the top spot and a golden ticket to play on the 14-tournament LIV Golf League next season.
The winners of the six International Series events on this season’s schedule are all in action in Indonesia and took part in a photo shoot on Thursday evening.
Scott Vincent, fourth on the Asian Tour Merit list, first on the International Series ranking and the International Series England winner said: “Of course, victory at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE would be a perfect way to round off a great season on the Asian Tour. There will be a lot of competition this week, and it is shaping up to be a great season-finale.”
Sihwan Kim. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Sihwan Kim is top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit but is one behind Zimbabwean Vincent in the International Series rankings. The American, winner of the International Series Thailand, the first event of the season, added: “The win in Thailand was my first professional win so it it was a huge deal for me. Winning any OOM is big and it means you played well for pretty much the whole season.”
Jazz Janewattananond, winner in Morocco last month, knows all about victory in Jakarta having won here in 2019. He looked back on his recent win and said: “To wait that long to win my first International Series title in Morocco, I’m proud of myself and what I’ve accomplished.”
Speaking about the International Series, he added: “It has been great for every Asian Tour player. It’s a big opportunity and it’s a pathway to something bigger.”
Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, who is currently ranked third in the International Series OOM, picked up his second win of the year when he claimed the International Series Singapore title in August, while Korean Taehoon OK secured an emotional victory on home soil in Jeju Island and showed some fine form in a T5 finish in Morocco last month.
American Andy Ogletree cruised to a first ever professional win at the International Series Egypt in Cairo last time out.
This week’s event is also part of the International Series.
South African Mathiam Keyser birdied two out of his last five holes this morning to take the first-round lead on seven under in the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE at Royale Jakarta Golf Club.
Yesterday’s opening round in the Asian Tour’s season-ending event was brought to a pre-mature conclusion due to lightning meaning half the field were unable to complete their rounds and teed off at 6.15am local time today to finish.
Keyser carded a seven-under-par 65, with seven birdies, in the US$1.5 million tournament which is also part of the International Series.
Indian Anirban Lahiri, who won here in 2014, also completed his first round today playing his last eight holes in two under, to finish in a tie for second with a 66, along with Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, who also came in with the same score this morning.
Neil Shietekat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto and Neil Schietekat from South Africa returned 66s yesterday while India’s Veer Ahlawat is in outright sixth after a 67.
Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Sihwan Kim from the Unites States shot a 73 and has work to do to make the cut and repel his closest challengers, which includes Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana (68), his countryman Phachara Khongwatmai and Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang (69s) and Korean Bio Kim, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, (71s).
Round two got underway at 8.05 am.
A galaxy of stars are playing in this week’s BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE, three-time winner Lee Westwood, Bernd Wiesberger, who has also won here, and Graeme McDowell, and Asian greats Anirban Lahiri, Jazz Janewattananond, both past champions, and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
But one star player stands out more than any other, and in more ways one, here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club, the “Big Easy” himself Ernie Els.
Now 53 years old and a regular on the Champions Tour he is making a popular return to the region, where he has enjoyed great success, winning three times on the Asian Tour.
“I just want to have a nice week, if things work out nicely then I will be very thrilled and if it doesn’t I just want to have a nice week and enjoy myself,” said the South African.
“I obviously want to try and play well, feel like I am swinging it good, it’s really coming out beautiful, there is a bit of doubt here and there. I am just getting my club back on plane, I was a little inside, a little deep. It feels good when I make good contact.”
He finished second here in 2013, when Wiesberger won, and despite not playing much recently he feels his game is in good shape.
Ernie Els. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Added the four-time Major winner: “I have been playing really well, I played over on the Champions Tour, I had 13 top-10s out of 20 something events. I ran close a couple of times, but I never got a win. I really am looking forward to next year, the competition is strong out there.
“I haven’t played in a month, I have just been playing a bit of social golf, in South Africa. I am trying to find something, but it’s okay, I am just enjoying myself out here, with my friend Nico [Van Rensburg] on the bag, he played in Asia for a long time.”
In Van Rensburg he could not have a better man to help guide him as he played regularly on the Asian Tour in the 1990s, winning three times, and thrilling galleries with his eye-catching big-hitting game.
“Nico is great, we have known each other since childhood, so it’s nice to have him on the bag. He’s loving it because he is seeing some of his old mates,” said Els, who mentioned Van Rensburg works on his charitable projects, and “raises a hell of a lot of money and does a hell of a good job.”
Els’ last big win on a main Tour came at the 2013 BMW International Open in Europe, while his two wins on the Champions Tour came in 2020, but don’t be surprised if the big man with deft touch adds some more silverware to his bulging trophy cabinet this week, in what is the season-ending event on the Asian Tour and last of the year’s seven International Series contests.
The final event of the season on the Asian Tour means the most important winner of the year is decided, the Order of Merit champion, and along with it those all-important calculations and permutations that help contribute to its thrilling conclusion.
And at this week’s BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE, here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club, the race is as intense as ever and wide open.
American Sihwan Kim, helped by two victories this year, leads the Merit list with a lucrative haul of US$615,208.33 but there are 10 players behind him in hot pursuit who have a chance of toppling him, thanks to this week’s lucrative purse of US$1.5 million which will see the winner earn US$270,000, and the runner-up US$165,000.
Only the top four can be crowned champion without winning this week’s event – which is also the final International Series tournament of the season.
Second-placed Bio Kim from Korea has won US$595,109.49 meaning he is just US$20,098.84 behind and could overtake the man at the top if he finishes solo 14th, as long as Sihwan Kim makes less than US$1,576.16. Bio Kim is the only player that controls his own destiny this week, if he wins Sihwan Kim cannot catch him even with an outright second result.
Bio Kim. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong is in third with US$506,390.20 and US$108,818.13 off top spot and would need at least a tied second placed performance with only two other players to put him at US$617,890.20 for the win, as long as Sihwan Kim makes less than US$2,681.87.
Fourth placed Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe is currently fourth on US$493,125, US$122,083.33 back, and needs at least a tied second finish with only one other player to reach US$622,875, with him hoping Sihwan Kim make less than US$7,666.67, which is lower than solo 46th position.
Players number five to 12, with the exception of Korean star Joohyung Kim – in eighth place and the reigning Merit list champion – who is not playing, all have a mathematical chance to win but they will all have to win the event and have help from the other contenders.
The scenarios for them are:
Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, fifth on the OOM, with US$444,759.22, US$170,449.11 behind, needs a win and Sihwan Kim to finish worse than solo second.
Australian Travis Smyth, sixth on the OOM, with US$435,365.28 (US$179,843.05 behind) needs a win and Sihwan Kim to finish worse than solo third.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, seventh on the OOM, with US$418,272.64 (US$196,935.69 behind) needs a win and Sihwan Kim to finish worse than solo fourth.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, ninth on the OOM, with US$393,203.70 (US$222,004.63 behind) needs a win and Sihwan Kim to finish worse than solo sixth.
Korean Taehoon OK, 10th on the OOM with US$380,935.17 (US$234,273 behind) needs a win and Sihwan Kim to finish worse than solo eighth.
Scott Vincent. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang, 11th on the OOM with US$376,291 (US$238,917.02 behind) needs a win and Sihwan Kim to finish worse than solo ninth.
Canadian Richard T. Lee, 12th on the OOM with US$363,881.40 (US$251,326.93 behind) needs a win and Sihwan Kim to finish worse than solo 17th.
It promises to be a gripping finish to the year, with the added excitement of players competing for the International Series Order of Merit which will earn that winner a golden ticket onto next year’s 14-event LIV Golf League.
England’s Lee Westwood has achieved many things in his illustrious career but this week at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE he will attempt to add on one more mighty feat, and that’s to win a tournament for a fourth time.
The former world number one and winner of 44 titles on planet golf starts in the event on Thursday here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club – where he won in 2011, 2012 and 2015.
The US$1.5 million event, Indonesia’s most lucrative sporting competition, is the final tournament of the season on the Asian Tour, part of the International Series and will decide who wins the Asian Tour Order of Merit and International Series ranking.
Westwood – three times Europe’s number one golfer – is not eligible to win either of those but that will no doubt not stop him from going all out for the victory.
“It’s great to back, obviously COVID meant we could not get out here. This place has very special memories for me, I have been here three times, and won three times. It is very nice to be back, and I am looking forward to it,” said the 49 year old, who has won three other events thrice: the Nedbank Golf Challenge, the Nordea Masters and the Sumitomo Visa Taiheiyo Masters.
“The golf course obviously suits me very well and I have always enjoyed coming to Asia where I have enjoyed so much success. I haven’t played a lot recently it’s been pretty cold back in England so not much chance to play. I played yesterday, today and tomorrow so I will be ready for Thursday.”
Lee Westwood has played in the Indonesian Masters three times and won three times. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Westwood has a close affinity to Asia having triumphed on nine occasions on the Asian Tour, with his most recent coming in this week’s event back in 2015.
The tournament, which is celebrating the 10th time it has been staged, will also see his son Samuel make his debut as a professional.
Said Westwood: “He started playing the game very late. He only took up the game seriously at age 16 and he is 21 now. I don’t really have any expectations for him this week. I just want him to enjoy himself. I expect him to be nervous and feel uncomfortable, but we all feel that way when you tee it up for the first time and once that has passed I expect him to start enjoying himself, start hitting some good shots and build on that. But I have no expectations as far as scores are concerned.”
Westwood’s triumvirate of victories have all come at the expense of Thai opponents: in 2011 he beat Thongchai Jaidee by three shots, in 2012 he triumphed by two from Thaworn Wiratchant and in 2015 he defeated Chapchai Nirat in a sudden-death play-off.
So don’t be surprised if he gets that personal best fourth win ahead of a player from The Kingdom.
Danthai fired a closing three-under-par 68 at Kurmitola Golf Club, in Dhaka, for a four-round aggregate of 13-under-par 271 and a one-shot victory over Hamamoto, who carded a 70.
Rattanon Wannasrichan made it a one, two, three finish for Thailand after returning a 67 to finish three behind the champion.
Bangladesh’s golfing idol Siddikur Rahman, despite being roared on by strong local support, closed with a 70 to finish in a group of four players tied for fourth, six back from top spot.
Danthai started the day one behind playing partner Hamamoto but a brilliant front nine of three under, which included birdies on seven, eight and nine saw him make the turn one ahead.
It was a lead he did not relinquish, with both players coming home in even par, and allowed him to add the National Open of Bangladesh to The World Classic Championship he claimed at Laguna National in Singapore in 2015.
Danthai Boonma. Picture by Paul Lakatos/ Asian Tour.
“I’m so excited about my second win on the Asian Tour,” said Danthai, who dined out with Hamamoto for much of the week.
“Yeah, nothing to say but I can’t believe it, because it’s been tough in the past two years, I didn’t really play very good you know. I mean, I struggled with my mind and my short game, so I tried to figure out about those things. And yeah, I can’t believe it about this week.”
He won the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship on the Asian Development Tour in 2016 before the drought set in.
He added: “I started very good, on my second hole I got a birdie. Then the third hole is a bit tough because it’s a long par four and a little bit narrow, but I could make a par on that hole. After that I had a three putt on number six the par three. Then I just tried to keep my momentum, and keep my mind clear of everything, and just keep my plan and just do what I want to do.
“Yeah, actually Danthai and I ate dinner together every day, we’re close friends and we practice together. It was a bit tight you know, I tried to keep fighting and just keep focus, just relax and focus.”
Kosuke Hamamoto. Picture by Paul Lakatos/ Asian Tour.
Hamamoto, the SEA Games gold medal individual winner in 2017, was in pursuit of his first victory on the Asian Tour and despite finishing second he was more than happy with his performance.
“It was a very fun round today,” said the Thai golfer, whose father is Japanese and mother Thai.
“I definitely felt the nerves out there, but I am very happy with how my game is trending. I just need to stay patient and do the same thing and I think my time is coming soon. I am really proud of how I handled myself.”
There was no hiding the disappointment of Rahman’s fans; the country’s star golfer was bidding to win the tournament for the first time since it joined the Asian Tour in 2015.
“My hitting was totally off, so I’m not happy with my hitting,” said the two-time Asian Tour winner, who won this event in 2010 when it was part of the Professional Golf Tour of India.
“But I made a few up and downs which was very good. But overall, I still played one under so it’s okay, but my especially my hitting was totally off today and yesterday.
“Overall, it was okay, the course condition was really awesome. Normally we are not used to playing the course in this condition. So overall it was a wonderful week for me.”
Siddikur Rahman. Picture by Paul Lakatos/ Asian Tour.
Thailand’s 15-year-old amateur ace Ratchanon Chantanuwant, aka “TK”, made a sensational start by touring the front nine in four under with four birdies in the first five holes, but the wheels came off on the back nine with a double bogey on 10 and a triple on 13 contributing to a back nine of 43. He closed with a 74 and tied for 29th, on one under.
Defending champion Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand signed off with a 72 to end two over in equal 42nd.
The Asian Tour heads to its season ending event next week, the US$1.5 million BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE at Royale Jakarta Golf Club, from December 1-4.
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