Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond won for the first time in nearly three years today when he triumphed in the US$1.5 million International Series Morocco after a brilliant eagle, birdie finish at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

The 2019 Asian Tour number one closed with a fine six-under-par 67 to finish on 12 under and beat Canadian Richard T. Lee by one stroke.

Lee, who missed a 16-foot birdie putt on the last to force a play-off, shot a 70 while Spaniard David Puig fired a 73 to finish third, a stroke further back.

Jazz, playing in the third from last group having started the day four shots behind overnight leader Puig, burst through to victory thanks to a stunning five-under-par back nine.

Jazz Janewattananond. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He made birdie on 11 and 15 but it was the short and driveable par-four 17^th that proved to be pivotal. Lee, playing in the final group, had appeared to be in control and on course to win for much of the back nine but that all changed when Jazz found the green with his tee shot on 17 and holed a 20-foot eagle putt.  The Thai golfer then drew level with Lee after holing a five-footer for birdie on the par-five 18^th. To the surprise of everyone Lee then dropped a shot on 17, the easiest hole on the course, after finding trees off the tee before failing to draw level with Jazz on the last.

“It feels amazing. It’s been a long journey and I’m just so happy to end the year on a high note,” said Jazz, whose girlfriend and fellow professional golfer Sarina Schmidt caddied for him this week.

“I had three holes left and I wasn’t even nearly at the top. I just had a really good finish – everything was really quick. When that last putt dropped I just felt so relieved, the waiting game begun, and now I’m here!”

He last won in December of 2019 at the Thailand Masters, which was one of his four wins that year.

“It’s been a long time since my last trophy – since before COVID. Now everything’s changed, I’ve found my way through and we’re here,” said the Thai, who has now tasted victory on seven occasions on the Asian Tour.

Jazz had the benefit of his girlfriend and fellow professional golfer Sarina Schmidt caddying for him this week. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“This was my first time in Morocco and the city of Rabat has been amazing – the culture, the food the people, everything. I heard a lot about this golf course already from people I play with and I knew it was going to be hard, but it’s exceeded all my expectations. I’ve been out nine weeks in a row and I’m tired now and my back’s hurting, but I came in with an open mind to exploring Morocco and Rabat, and I think that helped me win, because I didn’t come in with high expectations.”

Lee had been attempting to claim his third title on Tour and his first since 2017 but had to settle for his second runner-up finish of the season as he was also second in the International Series Singapore in August.

“I looked at the leaderboard on 17 and then saw that Jazz was at 12 under and finished his round. So, I mean, I just wanted to make birdie on the last hole to try to tie and make the playoff,” said Lee, who led at the halfway mark thanks to a second day 65.

“I bogeyed the first hole with a three putt, just started off bad and then came back with four birdies in a row from six to nine and felt the rhythm going pretty well. Then just an unforced error on 17 on the tee shot, got unlucky and got behind the tree and had no shot to the green. So, I mean, it caused me to make a bogey and just… stuff happens, you know?”

Zimbabwean Scott Vincent finished in fourth, three behind the winner, after carding a 71, while his brother Kieran (74), Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma (66), Korean Taehoon OK (67) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat from Thailand (70) were equal fifth, one shot further back.

Richard T. Lee. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The Asian Tour visits Egypt next week for the first time for the US$1.5 million International Series Egypt at Madinaty Golf Club, from November 10 to 13.

David Puig’s decision to cut short his college career in the United States to turn professional is quickly starting to look justified after the Spanish rookie took the third-round lead in the inaugural US$1.5 million International Series Morocco today.

He carded a four-under-par 69 at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam to lead on 10 under by two shots from overnight leader Richard T. Lee from Canada, who carded a 74.

The Vincent brothers, Kieran and Scott, are tied for third one stroke further back following a spectacular 64 and 71 respectively, along with Australian Scott Hend, who came in with a 72.

Puig, who played for Arizona State University, turned professional in September to compete in the LIV Golf Invitational Chicago, and this week’s Asian Tour event is only his second tournament as a professional.

Richard T. Lee of Canada pictured on Saturday, November 5, 2022 during Round Three of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged from November 3-6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He was bogey free today, making a birdie on five and three in a row from 11.

“You know, I played pretty good overall,” said the 20 year old.

“Obviously I hit it pretty good to not make any bogeys, but the whole day I played pretty steady. I’m hitting fairways and greens, and I made all the short putts that I needed to make. I’m excited and looking forward for tomorrow.

“I usually like long and wider courses, and this one is pretty long but it’s obviously very tight. But you know, I’ve been hitting my driver, three wood and five wood pretty good the last month and a half, so once I step up on the tee boxes I feel pretty confident. So that’s the key probably.”

Lee shot 65 yesterday for a two-shot lead but was unable to maintain that form today with a particularly bad run of three straight bogeys from 13. A birdie on the par-five 18^th partially helped to salvage the day.

“Just didn’t drive well today and missed quite a few putts, I just couldn’t read the greens,” he said.

“But I am still in it and confident I can make a run at it tomorrow. It’s been a good year so far. I have worked hard to get back after a shoulder injury last year.”

Kieran Vincent of Zimbabwe pictured during Round Three on Saturday, November 5, 2022 ahead of The International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged from November 3-6, 2022. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.

Kieran Vincent’s round of the tournament so far is even more impressive when put into the context of his week as a whole.

Not only did his clubs not arrive with him when he landed on Tuesday from New York, but he only received them on Thursday morning just hours before he teed off after he went to pick them up at Casablanca airport, which is well over a one-hour drive from the golf club.

“I didn’t even know my clubs were there [at the airport on Thursday]. I was lucky enough that they were coming on that flight from JFK, so I picked them up and got here just in time for my tee off time,” said the Zimbabwean.

“I had arrived here on Tuesday morning and was club-less. So just came up to the course and thought at least we’ll see the course and do a little bit of practice. I think I was using someone else’s wedge, and a putter from who knows when.

“One of the guys from here I was lucky enough for him to lend me a set for Wednesday too, if I was able to just go out there and play a couple of holes. So, I was lucky enough to do that. But the main reason was we had some clubs to play and practice with.”

Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe pictured on Saturday, November 5, 2022 during Round Three of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged from November 3-6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He made an eagle, and seven birdies and will play in the final pairing on Sunday with Puig and Lee, with his older brother Scott in the penultimate group.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and American Erik Compton are tied for sixth, four behind Puig.

Jazz fired a 71 and Compton, who won the Hassan II Golf Trophy on this course in 2005, shot a 71.

Not much is known about American Cole Madey on the Asian Tour – this week’s inaugural US$1.5 million International Series Morocco is only his third event on Tour – but based on today’s opening round of six-under-par 67, which gave him a share of the clubhouse lead with Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, it looks like he could be a player to look out for in the future.

An eagle and four birdies put Madey in control at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam with Nitithorn, ahead of Englishman Steve Lewton who carded a 68 – helped by a brilliant eagle on the par-four 13^th where he holed a 127-yard wedge shot from a fairway bunker.

Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, American Trevor Simsby and Danny Masrin from Indonesia, shot 69s while Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Zimbabwean Scott Vincent, and Spanish rookie David Puig were in a group of nine players in with 70s.

Eleven players will complete their first-round tomorrow morning as fading evening light stopped play for the day.

Madey is 25 years old and after graduating from UCLA he turned professional in 2019 with high hopes of travelling the globe and playing golf but the COVID-19 pandemic immediately scuppered those plans.

Nitithorn Thippong. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

However, he was able to get back on track last year and play the PGA Tour Latin America before also getting a couple of starts on the Asian Tour in March this year in Thailand.

“With things shut down for a couple of years I didn’t really get my feet wet in professional golf,” said the American.

“But now I am starting to travel and play pro golf, learning how to manage my time and so on. I have been learning a lot and the events I played on the Asian Tour in Thailand were great and now I am here, I love to travel, and the Asian Tour is an incredible organization.”

A six under round with no dropped shots is an impressive performance on the testing Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. Madey felt he was helped by the fact that the course reminds him of a favourite layout in the US.

He said: “I love the course, it reminds me of a course I played in the States, called Saticoy Golf Club, where the greens are extremely undulating, and unforgiving on some approach shots meaning the ball can spin off the green. I really like it, I am from the North-West where there are also a lot of trees, it suits my eye.”

He made his first birdie on seven, eagled the par-five eighth, and birdied 13 before closing with birdies on 17 and 18.

“I putted pretty solid,” he said.

“My driver was a little shaky in the beginning. I made all my four footers which was important. There are some huge slopes so it’s important not to try and leave yourself too much work with 30 or 40 footers.”

Steve Lewton.  Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Nitithorn has been victorious twice this season – in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard and the International Series Singapore – and joined Madey on top of the leaderboard late in the day with an eagle on the driveable par-four 17^th and a birdie on the par-five 18^th.

“I feel good. I didn’t know my score until I made eagle on 17, when I then realised I was five under,” said the Thai golfer, who made six birdies in total and two bogeys.

“I was really in the zone today so wasn’t keeping track. I drove the ball so well and that’s key for me around this course. I played good golf today.”

On the penultimate hole he hit a miraculous tee shot to two feet to set up the eagle.

Lewton last played Royal Golf Dar Es Salam 13 years ago, when he says it was a very different layout.

“It’s changed a lot. I don’t remember the greens being this slopy. They have made some changes, which have been brilliant,” he said.

“It is a tricky golf course this week, rough is kind of up, it is playing kind of long and the greens are tricky. You have got to control your golf ball. I didn’t have a great lie in the bunker on 13, I was trying to hit it as good as I could, and it came out well and I thought it would be close but with a bit of luck it went in.”

Puig’s good start caught the attention of many as this is only his second event as a professional having joined the play for pay game in September.

“I didn’t play a tournament since September, which was the LIV Golf event in Chicago, so it’s been a month and a half of complete grind on the driving range,” said the 20 year old former amateur star at Arizona State University.

“I played pretty good. I think I am swinging the club better. I worked pretty hard, you know I usually struggle a little off the tee, but I hit it pretty good off the tee which helped, so I am pretty happy with the round overall.”

Puig played the back nine first and struggled with his game making the turn in one over but was a different player on his second nine carding birdies on one, three, five and eight shooting a four-under-par 32.

David Puig. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He has spent his time off in the States working with golf coach Dave Philips and Sean Drake, an athlete chiropractor.

He added: “I think we did a really good job the last month and a half. I am excited to keep going this week and next week. They (Philips and Drake) are both very good, they know each other, they are connected, so what I needed to improve on the course I practiced it with the chiropractor, with helped with technique and everything.”

Morocco’s first ever Tour-level golf champion Ines Laklalech believes this week’s International Series event in Rabat will be the launchpad for the country’s next generation of golf stars.

No less than 10 of Morocco’s finest professional and amateur golfers have earned the chance to tee it up against some of the biggest names in world golf at the Asian Tour’s flagship $1.5 million International Series Morocco tournament, which teed off this morning (Thursday) at the historic Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

Professionals Ayoub Lguirati, Yassine Touhami, Othmane Raouzi, Ayoub Id-Omar, Ahmed Marjan and Karim El Hali carry Morocco’s greatest chance of a strong performance at the four-day event, with highly rated amateurs El Mehdi Fakori, Hugo Mazen Trommetter, Mohammed Nizar Bourehim and Adam Bresnu also looking to make an impression.

All 10 players will be able to source inspiration from 25-year-old countrywoman Laklalech, who earlier this year became Morocco’s first ever golfer to win a professional title, with victory in September’s Lacoste Ladies Open De France on the Ladies European Tour.

Laklalech firmly believes the talent is there amongst Morocco’s rising male stars – and is hoping that this week’s event will act as a springboard for Moroccan golf looking forward.

She said: “I’ve been following the guys’ results for the last couple of years and when there’s a national event, I’m always watching. It would be amazing if a Moroccan player can win this tournament – and I’m sure they can, because we have incredible talents here in Morocco. They’re working hard and they have really nice courses here. I just think they’re maybe lacking a bit of experience, and that’s all they’re missing. If they just keep playing, they will have some great results in the future, that’s for sure. And if not in this tournament, then it will come. I’m very optimistic for the future of Moroccan golf.”

Ines Laklalech with the Lacoste Ladies Open De France trophy.

The debut International Series Morocco will play a key role in determining the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, as well as the maiden International Series money list winner.

Its field is packed with big-name stars, with eight of the top-10 in the Asian Tour Order of Merit standings, plus all four International Series winners to date – American Sihwan Kim (International Series Thailand), Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (England), Thai Ntithorn Thippong (Singapore) and Korean Taehoon Ok (Korea) – all playing.

They will go head-to-head with the likes of Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, former Singapore Open champion Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, and Australian Brett Rumford, a two-time Asian Tour winner, while James Piot, Chase Koepka, Wade Ormsby, Turk Pettit and David Puig are some of the big-name LIV Golf stars competing.

Laklalech is delighted to see this level of competition return to her home country.

She said: “When I got the news the International Series was coming to Morocco, I was very happy because the DP World Tour event has been set aside for a few years, and this would mean a big tournament coming to Morocco again, which is great.

“We have a lot of great players and I’m really happy for them, being able to play in an event like this. It’s also going to allow the young kids from all over Morocco to come and watch the guys play up close, and that will be a great inspiration for so many of them. That’s how it worked for me: I got inspired when I was watching the Lalla Meryem Cup in Rabat, so now having an Asian Tour event in Morocco is for sure going to grow Moroccan golf.”

Asked about the challenge the players can expect to encounter on Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s Rouge course, Laklalech said: “It is a very, very nice course, but very tricky. I think the biggest challenge for the guys this weekend is going to be getting the right tee shot, because it’s pretty narrow with a few obstacles, and when you get the ball in the rough, it’s tough to get near to the hole.

“The greens are also pretty firm and fast, so I think the main thing would be to just put your ball on the fairway to have a good chance and create your opportunities.”

The International Series Morocco teed-off at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam this morning and continues each day through Sunday. Admission is free for all those keen to attend.

Moroccan star Ayoub Lguirati is “honoured” to be among the 10 local players representing their home country and gaining invaluable experience alongside the best in the game as they battle it out for glory at the International Series Morocco on the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course in Rabat this week.

Ayoub joins fellow professionals Karim El Hal, Yassine Touhami, Othman Raouzi, Ahmed Marjan and Ayoub Id-Omar along with the amateur quartet of Adam Bresnu, Mohammed Nizar Bourehim, Hugo Mazen Trommetter and El Mehdi Fakori for the US$1.5 million event from November 3-6, the fifth of the Asian Tour’s new flagship series of elevated tournaments.

The Moroccan players will be gaining invaluable experience on the course in a strong field that includes current Order of Merit leader Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and nearest challengers Sihwan Kim and Phachara Khongwatmai. All three are returning to Asian Tour duties after competing in the season-ending LIV Golf Team Championship on the Trump National Doral in Miami.

Lguirati said: “You cannot imagine the honour for me to be playing this event and representing my country. I am so delighted to play – especially on this course – the ‘Red Monster’ is a wonderful course and it is important for Morocco to host tournaments like this.

Ayoub Lguirati of Morocco answers questions during a press conference on Wednesday November 2, 2022 ahead of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged from November 3-6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“It is a special opportunity for the Moroccan players to test themselves against the best players in the world, and it is a wonderful opportunity to grow the game of golf and raise awareness of the sport in the country.

“We have some really great players here – His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid and the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation are doing a great job developing the players over the years, and developing golf for everyone, and now you can see we have a really good field of local players this week in a big international tournament.”

Scott Vincent has enjoyed a season of many high points, but with the year drawing to an exciting conclusion the next few months could potentially lead to life-changing consequences.

With just four events remaining, including the International Series Morocco which starts tomorrow, the Zimbabwean is ranked first on the International Series Order of Merit (OOM) and fifth on the Asian Tour OOM, and with lucrative purses still to play for finishing top of both is a realistic possibility.

But despite the stakes being high, Vincent is staying typically grounded and not looking beyond the job at hand this week at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

“I try not to think about it,” he said.

“Obviously, it is there, and people talk about it. For me it’s not a priority, I am just trying to work on being present, being here. This is one of the steps in my career, this is where I am now.

“I am focusing on the very next thing I have to do, which is a press conference I have to be at shortly. And, of course, any opportunity I have to come back and play in Africa it is a great thing.”

L-R- Ayoub Lguirati of Morocco, Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and Sihwan Kim of the USA pictured during a press conference on Wednesday November 2, 2022 ahead of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged from November 3-6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The Tour journeys to the International Series Egypt next week, before heading to the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Bangladesh Open and the Indonesian Masters – which is also an International Series event.

Vincent leads the International Series OOM with earnings of US$407,025 from the four International Series events played so far, by about US$80,000 from American Sihwan Kim.

While on Asian Tour OOM he trails leader Bio Kim from Korea, who has won US$586,570, by close to US$180,000.

But all that could quickly change, as the Morocco, Egypt and Indonesian events boast purses of US$1.5 million (with the winner earning US$270,000).

“I think the course this week is going to show you who are the best players,” added Vincent.

“My game comes and goes, it is a work in progress and we try and stick to our routines and work the best with what we have. I am constantly working on it, trying to improve, trying to make my game the best it can be.”

In early June he recorded his breakthrough Asian Tour victory at the inaugural International Series England. It was his second victory in two weeks as he also claimed the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open on the Japan Golf Tour Organization – a victory that secured him a place in The Open Championship, his first major.

Vincent pictured during the Pro-am event on Wednesday November 2, 2022 ahead of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged from November 3-6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Thanks to his fine season, and success in the International Series England, Vincent has been able to play on the LIV Golf Series – which ended last week with the LIV Golf Series Team Championship in Miami.

It’s been an incredible experience for him and one that has no doubt prepared him well for the next critical stage of the 2022 season.

He said: “Just coming from last week, I haven’t fully digested it. Off the top of my head, those guys who are the best in the world, like Cameron Smith and Dustin Johnson, they are able to do what they do more consistently at a very high level and very often. I have got to find ways to do that very consistently.”

The 30 year old is the highest ranked player from his country on the Official World Golf Ranking in 86^th position and is attempting to follow in the footsteps of Zimbabwe’s all-time greats Nick Price, Mark McNulty, Tony Johnstone and Dennis Watson.

He secured his Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School in 2016 and since then the talented golfer with the distinctive long blonde flowing hair has never looked back: in 2018 he placed fifth on the Merit list, finishing in the top-10 nine times, including three runner-up positions.

These are exciting times for Vincent with the only thing he may be slightly concerned about is that there is another player from his country who may try and usurp him: his younger brother Kieran, who turned professional this year, is very highly rated and is also competing this week.

L-R- Ayoub Lguirati of Morocco, Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and Sihwan Kim of the USA pictured during a press conference on Wednesday November 2, 2022 ahead of the International Series Morocco at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. The US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged from November 3-6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.