Unrelenting Dustin Johnson leads with nine-under-par 63
Dustin Johnson was unstoppable in the LIV Golf Invitational Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms as he opened with a bogey-free nine-under-par 63 to pull himself far away from the field, reports Joy Chakravarty, from Chicago.
It took the full might and the short-game genius of the reigning Open champion Cameron Smith to ensure Johnson’s lead was only three shots. The Australian was also bogey-free and made three birdies on either nines to finish with a 66.
American Matthew Wolff, who started from the second tee, eagled the par-five 18th, his penultimate hole, to move into third place with a 67, one ahead of Bedminster champion Henrik Stenson, Matt Jones, Lee Westwood and Charles Howell III.
Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent were the best-placed among the Asian Tour players, tied 11th after returning 70s.
India’s Anirban Lahiri fought off the lingering after-effects of a bout of flu and made three birdies in his last four holes to put him in a good mood for the second round after carding 72. He was tied for the 28th place alongside Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmei, Australian Wade Ormsby and American Sihwan Kim.
Dustin Johnson (picture by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via Getty Images ).
In the Team Championship, Johnson’s round gave the advantage to his team 4Aces as they once again claimed the lead at 11 under. That lead was trimmed by the fact that American Talor Gooch made closing bogeys in his round of 70. The all-Australian Team Punch, led by Smith’s 66 and bolstered by Jones’ 68, were at 10 under.
As his playing partner Lahiri said after the round, American Johnson “made it look like he was playing the course in a video game”. The only hole the 2020 Masters champion looked in any discomfort was the par-five 18th, where he had to fight for a birdie before settling for a par. Otherwise, in almost every other hole during the round, he was staring at birdie putts.
Having made a difficult course look easy, Johnson said: “I played really nicely, hit the ball really well. Hit it close to the hole a lot of times, all day long, so obviously put together a nice score.”
Johnson has finished in the top-10 in each of his previous four LIV events and when asked if this was one of the best stretches of golf he has played in some time, the two-time Major champion said: “Yeah, the game is in really good form. It’s been solid day-in and day-out, so seeing a lot of the same shots and being very consistent. That’s always what I’m looking for, just consistency in the flights and in what I’m trying to do. Obviously, right now, it’s going pretty well.”
Sadom, who missed a chance to possibly finish inside the top-five in Boston after an unfortunate double bogey against the run of play, made another bright start and was solid in his round of four birdies and two bogeys.
“I have been playing well, so I was looking forward to this tournament after Boston. As I said there, the key was going to be a good opening round, and I am glad I have managed to be in the red numbers,” said Sadom, winner of the SMBC Singapore Open this year.
“This is a difficult golf course. So, I have to make sure that I keep my focus throughout the next 36 holes and give myself and my team a better chance.”
Lahiri, the 2015 Asian Tour number one who turned heads with his gutsy debut in Boston where he finished tied second, caught flu on his way to Chicago and said he was still feeling the effects of anti-histamines he took on Wednesday.
“I just wasn’t mentally sharp, and hence I could not think clearly on the golf course. I was dull and I did not even have a good warm-up at the range. On the third, I hit it about 30 yards right of the target with a six iron and I was wondering what was going on. It was a struggle throughout the day,” said the 35-year-old, who was two over after the first four holes.
“I did manage to pull it back to even-par, and hit a couple of really good wedge shots coming in. But it did not help that while I was struggling, one of the best players in the world was literally playing ridiculous, lights-out golf next to me and making it all look so easy. He shot nine under, and it could have easily been 12-13-under par round.
Cameron Smith (picture by Alex Goodlett/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
“So, hope this congestion is behind me by tomorrow and I can do my normal stuff like find a few fairways and make a few birdies and close the gap a bit.”
With all Asian Tour players inside the top-30 on the opening day, it was the best round collectively for the Tour, in the four LIV Golf tournaments held so far.
Yikeun Chang is hoping a return to the scene of his sole Asian Tour triumph will provide the spark to reignite his career, writes Spencer Robinson, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour.
It was in 2019 that Chang wrote his name into the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) record books when he became the first Korean to lift the title.
As well as propelling him into the top-200 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), that success helped Chang to finish ninth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit standings.
Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Since then, it’s proved to be tough going for Chang, who has struggled to recapture the form that secured him that victory at Linkou International Golf and Country Club.
Entering the 2022 edition of the Yeangder TPC, which starts next Thursday, Chang has plummeted to 892nd in the OWGR. On the Asian Tour Merit list he’s currently languishing in 92nd spot having made the cut in just five of the 10 events in which he’s competed this campaign, with a best of 20th at the Trust Asian Mixed Stableford.
Particularly frustrating for Chang is that among the inconsistency there were bright spots last year with top-20 finishes in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and a joint sixth in the Tenerife Open, all on the DP World Tour.
Chang is one of four former Yeangder TPC winners in the starting line-up at the event which is boasting a 40 per cent rise in purse to US$700,000.
Prom Meesawat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Like the 28-year-old Korean, Lu Wei-chih (2011), Thai Prom Meesawat (2014) and Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu (2017) will all be seeking to draw on past happy memories at the venue.
Lu remains the only local player to have savoured success in the event in which he’s also posted two other top-five finishes. As is the case with Chang, the 43-year-old home hope will need to arrest a slide in fortunes that has seen him make just one cut in 10 outings this season.
Chinese Taipei fans will also be cheering for Chan Shih-chang and former Asian Tour stalwart Yeh Wei-tze.
A six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour, Chan triumphed in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship in late 2021, the first event on the Asian Tour following a 20-month Covid-enforced hiatus.
As well as being the leading Chinese Taipei player on the Asian Tour Merit standings in 21st place, Chan has a decent track record at the Linkou layout, having finished fourth in 2013 and third in 2019.
There is sure to be a warm welcome, too, for Yeh, who turns 50 next year.
With his victory in the Malaysian Open in 2000, he became only the second player from his country to win on what was then the European Tour, following the great ‘Mr Lu’ Liang-huan.
Other players in the starting line-up who will also be under the spotlight include Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines and Thais Nitithorn Thippong and Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat.
Tabuena is a two-time runner-up in the Yeangder TPC, having been edged out by Prom in a play-off in 2014 before ending two strokes behind South African Shaun Norris in 2015.
For Nitithorn, the tournament offers a golden opportunity for him to close the gap on the two players ahead of him in the Order of Merit.
In the absence of Korean Bio Kim and American Sihwan Kim, Nitithorn will be setting his sights on a third Asian Tour triumph this season to go alongside wins in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard in India in March and the International Series Singapore in August.
Ajeetesh Sandhu. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old amateur sensation ‘TK’ is raring to return to Asian Tour action after a three-month break.
Winner of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in April, a strong performance for TK at Linkou International would be a timely confidence-booster ahead of his appearance in next month’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, where the winner will receive starting spots in next year’s Masters Tournament and Open Championship.
“I have definitely missed the Asian Tour and I’m very excited to go to Chinese-Taipei next week,” said TK.
At the LIV Golf Invitational event in Boston, Kevin Na’s Ironheads – comprising Asian Tour members Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai and Sihwan Kim – were close to creating golf’s equivalent of a Great Heist, but a manic finish saw them lose out on a podium finish by one shot. Joy Chakravarty reports from Chicago.
After nine holes in Sunday’s final round at The International, the Ironheads were putting together a masterclass, racing five shots ahead of the mighty 4Aces, the Dustin Johnson-led, all-American team that has now won the last three Team Championships.
As it happened, Ironheads leaked shots coming in. Phachara hit a perfect-looking approach into his third last hole, but the ball smashed straight into his playing partner’s golf ball on the 5th green and ricocheted way back into the fairway for him to make a bogey. The Thai star proceeded to close with further back-to-back bogeys after that.
Sadom was six-under par through nine holes, before his third shot on the 11th hole hit a sprinkler head and disappeared into the bushes for him to make a double bogey against the run of play. He finished with another double bogey on the toughest hole of the golf course – the first – and that pushed the team outside the top-three that would have given them a podium place.
Phachara Khongwatmai (Picture by Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
More than a week removed from the event, captain Na still gets unhappy about the finish, especially when they had the chance to make a statement against the strongest team in the tournament.
“Sometimes, when you have an opportunity, you have to take it. You can’t let that slip away. It’s just like with winning a golf tournament. You get a chance to put the hammer down, you put it,” said the American, who turned 39 on Thursday.
“I was really frustrated how we finished in the end. I know those boys gave it their best. But I think, had they been slightly more aware of where the team was looking at the leaderboard, it could have been a different story.
“I played a practice round with Phachara on Tuesday and we played yesterday as a team, and the only thing I told the boys was to be more aware about the team position when on the golf course.
“Sadom played well that whole week and Phachara played decent. He was playing really good on Sunday, before the bogeys on the last three holes. I told him I wasn’t too happy about that.
“I know he was unlucky with the first bogey, but there was no excuse for the other two. And Sadom too…he was unfortunate to get the first hole, which is the hardest on the course, as his last. Once he was in trouble, he needed to take his medicine, and limit the damage to a bogey. That really cost us.
“It is what it is. A fourth-place finish, with how strong the other teams are on paper going by their world ranking, is a great result. So, we are doing good. I am proud of my boys.”
Na said he had great respect for Kim, who had opened his tournament in Boston with an 87, and then engineered a 24-shot swing the next day with a seven-under par 63.
“Can’t complain about Sihwan in Boston. He had COVID the week before and he was not fully recovered. He had not quite adjusted and he was struggling,” said Na.
“But in the second round, he came back and shot 24 shots better. That’s never been done before. That was quite remarkable and he gave us a chance in the team championship by making his round count. Unfortunately, he didn’t play well on Sunday.”
A modest Na said he was not sure if he was able to impart any lessons to his teammates as their captain, but believes the company of some of the all-time great players on LIV Golf would be a huge learning experience for them.
Sadom Kaewkanjana (Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour).
“I don’t know if I’ve done enough, but I think just playing with some of the best players in the world, some of these big names out here, I think it’s cool for them to compete and get paired with. It’s a good experience and it will help,” said Na, winner of five PGA Tour titles.
“I think they’re doing well. Phachara had a couple of decent finish. Sadom didn’t play well before, but he finally came good in Boston. Sihwan played well in Portland. They’re showing signs of breaking through and just need to be a little bit more consistent.”
Na said he had 100 percent faith in his team.
“I’m enjoying being a team captain. It’s fun. I’m trying to get more involved with the guys and trying to push my team,” said Na.
“In the beginning, I wasn’t sure who were going to be in my team (three Asian Tour spots are up for grabs through the International Series Order of Merit). So, there wasn’t so much of me playing a Captain’s role. But it’s different now as I know for a fact that we’re set for the rest of the year. I am trying to get these guys a little pumped up and excited.
“I honestly believe that we can still win. If not here in Chicago, then we will try in Bangkok. I told Phachara to go home after the tournament and make sure he gets plenty of practice at Stonehill (a brand-new golf course that opened earlier this year).
“And yes. I love Thai food, so I am also looking forward to both Phachara and Sadom taking us for out to some nice Thai restaurant for dinner.”
LIV Invitational Chicago begins at Rich Harvest Farms course from Friday, September 16.
By Olle Nordberg, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour
After playing in the International Series England in Newcastle in early June and a long summer on the road travelling to events such as the LIV Golf Invitational London, the Amateur Championship and U.S. Amateur, Thailand’s teenage phenom Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat will be back on the Asian Tour next week, and ready to tackle the Yeangder TPC, followed by the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, both in Taipei.
“I have definitely missed the Asian Tour and I’m very excited to go to Chinese-Taipei next week,” said the 15-year-old great hope of Thai golf.
“I’ve never been there before, so it will be my first time. I’ve heard from a couple Asian Tour guys that have been there saying the greens and the courses are just very different styles, so I’m very excited to play.”
After Newcastle he went straight from there to the LIV Golf Invitational London at Centurion Club where he was on the same team as Phil Mickelson, and immediately after that he travelled north for the 127th Amateur Championship, played at Royal Lytham & St Annes and St Annes Old Links.
He added: “It was a little tiring. I made the mistake of booking my practice round tee time at eight o’clock in the morning after the LIV event in London and I had to go to Blackpool which is up in the north of England. I got there at like 4am the day of the practice round, so obviously I missed it. I got to the course at nine o’clock in the morning and I had to wait around three or four hours to get a practice round. I only got one practice round in, and yeah, I mean the results showed it. I played eight over the first day and two under the next day, it definitely wasn’t enough.”
US golfer Dustin Johnson (L), Northern Irish golfer Graeme McDowell (C) and Thailand golfer Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat attend a press conference ahead of the forthcoming LIV Golf Invitational Series event at The Centurion Club. (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS / AFP) (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Those rounds meant he fell way short of making the Matchplay knockout rounds but undeterred he was not done with the English summer and played one more event just outside of London in early July.
“I played another event, a Euro Pro Tour event. I just had a little pocket of time for two weeks and there was an event that popped up in north London. So, I played that one, and the only reason I played was for world ranking points, the first place gets like four points and top four gets points. I finished seventh, so for a pro event it’s definitely not bad, but it was a little sad that I only missed out on world ranking points by like two strokes so that hurt a little bit,” he said.
From there he travelled to the U.S. Amateur at Ridgewood Country Club and Arcola Country Club in New Jersey, courses known for their difficulty.
Said the Thai: “The courses were difficult: the rough and the course length and how fast and firm the greens were; basically everything, it was just your average, tough U.S. Amateur courses. Playing the U.S. Amateur definitely was great, it was different to anything I’ve played. I was there for quite a while but didn’t get too many practice rounds in because the courses were closed. Obviously, I missed the cut, but I think it was just like two bad rounds.”
After playing in professional events from the beginning of the year and racking up outstanding results – highlighted by his incredible victory in the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in Pattaya in April on the Asian Tour which meant he became the male youngest golfer to win on a tour recognized by the Official World Golf Ranking at the age of 15 years and 37 days – he spoke highly about the experience of playing against the best amateurs in the biggest amateur events in the world.
“I mean, they’re definitely really good. Obviously, I’ve been away from amateur golf for a while, so it was good to go back and play a bit. I think I can really say I’m just excited to go back and play next year, because now I know what both of them are like and what to expect; how to play the courses, and how to play in Europe and the U.S.,” he said.
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.
After returning home to Thailand from the U.S. he teed it up in the Thailand Open this month on the All Thailand Golf Tour and was tied for the lead after the first two rounds, although he would have to settle for a tied eighth in the end.
“Yes, I was leading after two days but I flopped on day three. Day four was ok but day three was really bad, I couldn’t hole one single putt. But it’s always good to be back home playing the national Open,” he said.
Despite his busy summer schedule, the Thai youngster still has a lot more golf to play before the season comes to a close, and has more demanding schoolwork to worry about before the end of the year.
“It’s just been a pretty busy summer although very fun, I have learned a lot of things. I’ve moved on from the past, but I’m a little more worried about my future than what I was this summer because there are quite a lot of things I need to do before the end of the year,” said Ratchanon.
Following his two weeks in Chinese-Taipei he will play the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Amata Spring Country Club in Bangkok in October, followed by several International Series events on the Asian Tour.
“But what has been stressing me out the most is my physics and economics IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) tests in October and November,” he adds.
“Now that I’m in year 11, IG’s are at the end of this academic year, so definitely getting a lot more serious as well. I’ve been doing a ton of tutoring, but that’s mostly on economics and physics. I know after I finish those tests, it’s going to be seven more subjects that I have to give a lot of my attention to. So, to be honest with you, it’s very hectic and a little overwhelming at times but the school is helping a lot. I still have time to practice. I do study when I have time to study, but golf is still the number one priority.”
The Yeangder TPC tees-off at Linkou International Golf and Country Club on September 22, returning after a three-year hiatus caused by the global pandemic.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa showed just why he is currently ranked the number one player in Japan when he birdied the final two holes to win The 38th Shinhan Donghae Open today at Koma Country Club in Nara, near Osaka.
On a memorable final day at one of Korea’s premier tournaments, he holed a pressure-packed 15-foot birdie putt on the short, driveable par-four 18th to return a six-under-par 65 for a tournament total of 20 under, and a two-shot victory over Tirawat Kaewsiribandit from Thailand, Korean Mingyu Cho and Yonggu Shin from Canada.
Tirawat, who started the day with a three-shot advantage and held a narrow lead for much of the day, closed with a 72 – which featured an incredible albatross – while Cho fired a 66, and Shin a 68.
The event is tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan Tours, and this year marked the first time in its history it had been played in Japan.
Korea’s PGA Tour star Siwoo Kim, playing in the final group, returned a 70, to end three behind the winner, in a tie for fifth, along with the 2019 champion Jbe Kruger from South Africa, who signed off with a best of the day 63.
Higa’s bid for victory came at the very death. Playing in the penultimate group and trailing Tirawat by one with two to play he birdied the par-five 17th to draw level before the under-pressure Thai golfer bogeyed the 16th to fall one behind.
However, Tirawat bravely bounced back with a birdie on the 17th to draw level again before Higa made his brilliant birdie on the last, where he found a greenside bunker from the tee before splashing out to set up his sensational closing putt.
That meant Tirawat needed to make a birdie to force a sudden-death play-off. And after missing the green left with his tee shot he chipped to 10 feet suggesting extra time looked a strong possibility but the 32 year old just missed the birdie putt before also seeing his short par putt slip by.
“I worked so hard during the off season, and it has really paid off,” said Higa, who received a cheque for US$214,650.
“I played well today, and hit some great approach shots, but the putts really were not dropping. But I trusted myself, made a lot of pars, and stayed confident.”
The 27-year-old Okinawan’s latest victory is another landmark moment in a career which continues to go from strength to strength and attract attention. He was victorious on the Asian Development Tour in 2017, the year he turned professional, and won again on that Tour the following year. He tasted victory next on the Japan Golf Tour in 2019 and 2021 before moving to the top of the Japan money list this season with wins at the Kansai Open Golf Championship in April and the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup in June.
Added Higa: “I am happy to win a tri-sanctioned event and also win Tour cards for three tours. Top-ranked players from each Tour are here, and their game levels are really high. I am standing on the top of the money list [in Japan], and I felt like I was the representative of the Japan Tour, and I managed to win, which made me feel great.
“I was playing in Asia before competing on the Japan Tour, so I am glad to get a Tour card now on the Asian Tour. The Asian Tour is getting bigger.”
Tirawat, also the leader at the halfway mark, experienced the full gamut of emotions today.
A dropped shot on the second hole was not the start he was looking for but to the amazement of those walking with his group and following at home on television, he holed his second shot on the par-five third, using a three-wood from 277 yards. It was the first albatross in three years on the Asian Tour.
But the thrill of that moment was quickly replaced by concern on the following hole, a par three, when he pushed his tee shot into trees on the right and made par with his second ball for a double.
Despite the turbulent start he remained in front until Higa joined him on top of the leaderboard with his birdie on 17.
Said Tirawat: “I wasn’t in position to make birdies today. I just kept getting out of position. I lost my focus too many times, like that par putt on 18th, but I am proud of myself.”
He was attempting to win his second title on the Asian Tour, having claimed the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship in Pakistan in 2018.
Three-time PGA Tour winner Siwoo Kim challenged for much of the day and was many people’s favourite to prevail, but he surprisingly found water on the par-four 14th and made a six before dropping another shot on the next hole.
A brilliant tee shot on 18 to 20 feet, which he holed for a stunning eagle, will have been some consolation for the Korean, who will play in The Presidents Cup later this month.
As well as the action on the golf course today, an important signing ceremony was held which saw officials proudly announced that the prestigious tournament, one of Korea’s flagship tournaments, will be sanctioned with the Asian, Korean and Japan Tour’s for an additional three years, from 2023 to 2025.
The next event on the Asian Tour is the Yeangder TPC at Linkou International Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei, from September 22-25.
At an important signing ceremony today at the Shinhan Donghae Open officials proudly announced that the prestigious tournament, one of Korea’s flagship tournaments, will be sanctioned with the Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organisation and Korean PGA Tour for an additional three years, from 2023 to 2025.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa won the event after a thrilling final round, which was played in Japan for the first time in its history, at Koma Country Club, and is the only tournament tri-sanctioned by the three Tours.
The popular Shinhan Donghae Open first became part of the Asian Tour in 2016, when Indian star Gaganjeet Bhullar was triumphant, and since then it has become an integral part of its schedule.
“The Shinhan Donghae Open is one of the solid, standout pillars of our schedule,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO, of the Asian Tour.
“We are truly honoured that the Shinhan Financial Group have chosen to collaborate with us for many more years, which allows us to continue to grow the tournament into a regional property, attract even bigger audiences and further help facilitate the growth of the game in Asia.”
Held annually in Korea since 1981, the Shinhan Donghae Open was jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korean PGA Tour in 2016 before becoming the first event to be tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan circuits in 2019.
“This week we heard former champion Gaganjeet Bhullar explain that just by being here and seeing the Shinhan Donghae branding on the course inspired him and made him realise just how much the tournament is close to his heart. This speaks volumes about the significance of the tournament, and its partners and organisers.”
It was hosted in Japan this week as Koma was overseen by Shinhan Financial Group’s founder Heuikeon Lee in the 1980s and the impressive venue is a special place for the Group.
Chairman and CEO of Shinhan Financial Group, Yongbyoung Cho said he hopes the tri-sanction agreement will continue the tradition of allowing each Tour player the chance to compete beyond the barriers of their country; in line with the Shinhan Donghae Open’s slogan: “To Continue The Tradition and Open The Future”.
Travel restrictions caused by the global pandemic meant it could only be played as a domestic event in 2020 and 2021, but the tournament, which this week saw some remarkable golf and low scoring, has returned to the international arena with a vengeance.
Thailand’s Tirawat Kaewsiribandit opened up a three-shot lead after the third round of The 38th Shinhan Donghae Open today following a fine five-under-par 66.
Playing some of the best golf of his 12-year professional career he reached 19 under par for the tournament – which is the second lowest 54-hole total of the season.
Korean Siwoo Kim, the event’s marquee player with three wins on the PGA Tour, fired a 67 to sit solo second.
The event is being played in Japan for the first time in its history, at Koma Country Club, in Nara, near Osaka, and is tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan tours.
Canadian Yonggu Shin and Sanghee Lee from Korea both returned 66s and are a further shot back.
Tirawat led after the first two rounds thanks to a pair of sublime 64s and began today in the same impressive manner.
“I started really good today, with four birdies in the first six holes,” said 32-year-old Tirawat, who revealed his nickname is “Oat” because of his love of oatmeal.
Those birdies helped him make the turn in four-under-par 31 before he extended his lead with a birdie on the 13th. He surprisingly dropped his only shot of the day on the par-five 17th but then showed just how confident he is playing this course by making birdie on 18.
Siwoo Kim. Picture courtesy of Korean PGA Tour.
“Tomorrow will be the same game plan and I will try to make as many birdies as I can. I will focus on playing the par fives well as I like them and it’s where you can make your score,” he said.
“I am not thinking about the trophy, I am just thinking about my game and relaxing. I just want to have fun, and I also enjoyed playing with Siwoo Kim. He is a PGA Tour player and I want to learn from him. After playing well today I have more confidence, my all around game was good.”
Despite being relatively unknown Tirawat has won before on the Asian Tour, at 2018 UMA CNS Open Golf Championship in Pakistan, and the year before that he also triumphed in the Betagro All Thailand Championship on the Asian Development Tour.
Siwoo Kim, ranked 75th in the world, will most definitely be his main threat tomorrow.
He got off to an unexpected bad start with bogeys on two and four but showed his class with a five-under-par back nine that included four birdies in a row from the 11th.
Malaysian Ben Leong carded the joint-best round of the day, a 65, and is six behind the leader. He last won on the Asian Tour back at the 2008 Worldwide Selangor Masters and rekindled the kind of magic that saw win that title when he made six birdies in a row on the back nine starting from the 12th.
He said: “On the front nine I thought I played pretty well but couldn’t score but I didn’t let that upset me. I just kept griding along. They say stay patient, and I did. I just tried not to get too involved in the golf game, and just enjoy the company.”
American Todd Baek and Japan’s Ryosuke Kinoshita both came in with 66s, and Japan’s Kazuki Higa – the current Japan Golf Tour number one – a 70 and are five off the pace.
Defending champion Yoseop Seo from Korea shot 65 and is eight off the lead, while his compatriot Bio Kim, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, returned a 68 and is seven under.
Tirawat Kaewsiribandit carded his second successive seven-under-par 64, helped by two eagles, to take the clubhouse lead in The 38th Shinhan Donghae Open today at Koma Country Club in Nara, Japan, upstaging an exceptional line-up of players from the Asian, Japan and Korean Tours.
The Thai golfer has won once before on the Asian Tour – in the 2018 UMA CNS Open Golf Championship in Pakistan – but is now in uncharted territory in one of the region’s biggest and most prestigious events, moving to 14 under par at the halfway mark.
A 90-minute weather delay at the start of the day meant 32 players were unable to complete round two. Play will resume at 6.50am local time tomorrow.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa, currently ranked number one in Japan, came in with a 63 and is one back, while PGA Tour star Siwoo Kim from Korea, shot a 65 to sit a further stroke behind.
Japan’s Riki Kawamoto also fired a 65 and is 11 under.
First-round leader Richard T. Lee from Canada, who carded a course record 62 yesterday, is 11 under with five holes left.
Siwoo Kim. Picture courtesy Korean PGA.
“I am very excited to maybe play leading group at the weekend,” said Tirawat, also a winner on the Asian Development Tour.
“It is my first time playing this course, it’s great because I like the big greens, which helps me get more confidence. I am enjoying this new experience in the big time.”
He began on tee 10 and quickly raised the bar with eagles on 13 and 17, both par fives. He made four birdies and one bogey in total.
Higa has triumphed twice on the Japan Golf Tour Organisation this year and his fine form was once again on display when he put together a flawless round of eight birdies.
He said: “I am bogey free for two days now, that’s great. The greens are so soft which helps but you must stay out of the rough. I am pleased I finished before it got dark.”
In April he won the Kansai Open Golf Championship, and in June the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup.
The event’s star attraction Siwoo Kim, a three-time PGA Tour winner, is lurking ominously going into the weekend.
“I just want to concentrate on myself without thinking about the others. I’d like to play the final two days like today and yesterday.”
Defending champion Yoseop Seo from Korea returned a 68 and is five under for the tournament, while his countryman Bio Kim, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, shot 67 and is four under.
Gaganjeet Bhullar, one of the most prolific winners on the Asian Tour, will bid to claim his 11th title this week at The 38th Shinhan Donghae Open – a tournament where he has enjoyed success before, in 2016, and which has special meaning to him.
“It was six years ago but it still seems like it was last week,” said the Indian.
“Going back to all my last 10 victories I think the Shinhan Donghae Open was definitely very close to my heart: the reason was I was coming back from a bad patch of two years, including injuries and a lot of adjustments in my golf swing back in the day, so that basically gave me another kick in my career.
“So, looking at all the Shinhan Donghae Open branding this week it brings back all the good memories.”
The Shinhan Donghae Open, is one of Korea’s most prestigious events, and when Bhullar claimed the title, it was played at Bear’s Best Cheongna – the tournament’s home for the past seven years.
However, this week the tournament is being held in Japan for the first time in its history, with Koma Country Club near Osaka playing host.
JAKARTA-INDONESIA – Gaganjeet Bhullar of India pictured after round four with the winner’s trophy on Sunday August 7, 2022 of the Mandiri Indonesia Open 2022 at the Pondok Indah Golf Course, Jakarta, Indonesia. The US$500,000 Asian Tour event is staged from August 4-7, 2022. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
Added Gaganjeet: “I played a practise round yesterday and I would say the conditions are very favourable for my game; rough is still up, greens are still very pure. I have been playing the past few years in Korea and Japan and the goal is to stick to my routine.”
The 34-year-old from Amritser, in the Punjab, was triumphant in the Mandiri Indonesia Open for a record third time in August, for his first victory on the Asian Tour since his win at the 2018 Fiji International. Having struggled with his form over recent seasons while focusing on Europe and battling with a bad dose of Covid at that start of the year, it was a much welcomed return to the winners’ circle.
“I have been working very hard on my swing, my pre-shot routine, and some mental stuff I have been doing on and off the golf course, and that is the result of my input,” he added.
“Winning in Indonesia also gave me a boost. Every time you go out and play well that boosts your career for the next few years and I feel I am riding high on confidence, focusing one shot at a time. I will give 100 per cent this week.”
He is currently in 11th place on the Order of Merit with earnings of US$248,910 having played 10 events. And with a wealth of big money events to come finishing in top spot is a realistic possibility.
Since first playing on the Asian Tour in 2007 his best Merit list finish was fourth in 2018, while he was fifth in both 2012 and 2013.
He has been paired in the first two rounds with Japan’s Ryosuke Kinoshita and Korean Junggon Hwang.
Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Bio Kim from Korea, and his compatriot Taehoon Ok, who won the International Series Korea two weeks ago, are just two of the big-name players competing this week.
Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong and Sihwan Kim from the United States, the only two players who have won twice this season are also competing, as well as PGA Tour star Siwoo Kim from Korea.
Defending champion Yoseop Seo from Korea is playing, he won last year when the tournament was played solely as a Korean PGA event due to travel restriction caused by COVID-19.
Ganganjeet Bhullar (picture by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images).
It is the first time the prestigious tournament has been played on the Asian Tour in three years because of the pandemic.
Tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan Tours it boasts prizemoney of KRW 1,400,000,000 (approximately US$1,050,500).
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