Asian Tour makes $25,000 donation to Cheju Halla General Hospital
The stars of golf’s Asian Tour have touched down in Jeju ahead of this week’s International Series Korea.
And for two of the tournament’s biggest names, the first stop was a visit to sample one of the country’s tastiest dishes, Korean BBQ – guided by local hero golfer, Bio Kim!
Kim treated American Chase Koepka and Travis Smyth of Australia to the full BBQ experience at a restaurant near Lotte SkyHill Country Club, host course of the $1.5million prize-fund event, which starts tomorrow.
The trio tucked into a range of different meats, all under Kim’s expert guidance, falling in love with the kimchi-packed flavour of the South Korean foodie favourite.
JEJU ISLAND-KOREA-L-R – Chase Koepka of the USA, Bio Kim of Korea and Travis Smyth of Australia pictured enjoying a local Korean BBQ on Tuesday August 16, 2022, ahead of the International Series Korea at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club, Jeju, Korea. The Asian Tour US$ 1.5 million event is staged August 18-21, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“That was maybe the best thing I have ever eaten,” said Koepka, LIV Golf star and brother of four-time major-winner Brooks. “I could eat this every day this week.”
“Let’s hope we can come back here for a celebratory meal on Sunday,” added the 28-year-old.
The International Series Korea begins at Lotte SkyHill Country Club, Jeju, on Thursday, running through until Sunday.
Korea’s Bio Kim says he has set himself the goal of finishing top of both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and the Korean PGA Tour ranking this season – with this week’s International Series Korea playing an important part in his ambitious plans.
And his bid for the unique double will be helped by the fact this week’s event is being played on Jeju Island – Korea’s famous holiday destination, where he has enjoyed success before.
He won the SK Telecom Open on the Korean PGA Tour in June on Jeju Island and although this week’s US$1.5 million event, which tees-off tomorrow, is being played at a different venue, Lotte Skyhill Country Club, he has high hopes for the week.
“It’s going to be a great week on Jeju Island and hopefully, I will have a good result,” said the Korean.
“I have really good memories of being here in Jeju over the past few years. Of course, I won here recently, and this week is great because I am spending a lot of time with my family, which normally we can’t do as we are on the road.”
JEJU ISLAND-KOREA- L-R – Bio Kim of Korea, Nitihorn Thippong of Thailand, and Chase Koepka of the USA pictured on Thursday August 18, 2022, during a press conference ahead of the International Series Korea at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club, Jeju, Korea. The Asian Tour US$ 1.5 million event is staged August 18-21, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Kim is enjoying one of the finest seasons of his career having also won the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in May, which was his maiden win on the Asian Tour. He is currently in third place on the Asian Tour Merit list and fourth on Korea’s ranking.
He adds: “I do want to win both money lists although before that I really want to improve my GIR [Greens in Regulation] stats, on both Tours. We will see how it goes for the rest of the year. We just have a lot of tournaments ahead. I just have to keep my head down, do my own thing and hope to see some results.”
He has actually finished top of the Korean ranking once before, in 2010, a year after he turned professional. That early success prompted him to head to the PGA Tour qualifying school at the end of 2010 where he hit the headlines by making it through at the tender age of 20. He lost his playing privileges there a year later before deciding to mainly focus on playing in Korea.
The 31 year old says much of his success has been built on a constant desire to continually improve.
He said: “Honestly speaking, I do get nervous and feel the pressure but that’s because I want to play better and better every week and improve myself. I do put a lot of pressure on myself.”
Over the past month he has been working with Korean golf coach Gyutae Kim, who has also coached PGA Tour star and compatriot Sungjae Im.
“I have had some issues with my putting the last month or so. I haven’t been making the putts that I am supposed to, but I am slowly climbing up the mountain. Hoping to see some good results this week,” he said.
“I have been having little pushy misses with my short ones. The clubface is a little open which I have been trying to figure out with my coach Gyutae Kim, here in Korea. We have just been working on my shoulder patterns, it’s been too roundy. Started just after I played Scottish Open. But I am really looking forward to this week and I feel like things are getting a lot better.”
Jeunghun Wang, who grabbed international headlines several seasons ago with three fine victories on the DP World Tour, is back on Tour having just returned from 18-months of National Service and it looks like the break has not affected the progress of one of Korea’s most exciting young golfers.
Wang, 26 years old, competed in the International Series Singapore last week and finished in 22nd position – a credible performance considering it was the first event he had competed in since October 2020 – and lines up in this week’s International Series Korea, being played at Lotte Skyhill Country Club, on Jeju Island.
“It’s really exciting to be playing again, and I think I’m playing okay,” said Wang.
“I’m really enjoying playing right now and I’m looking forward to playing this week in Jeju. I know the course so I think I can play better than last week.”
He shot rounds of 70, 67, 69, and 73 to finish nine under at Tanah Merah Country Club, seven behind the winner, Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong.
“I didn’t have any chance to practice any golf during this time [during National Service]. Actually, I thought I was going to play really bad last week in Singapore, but I’m still playing ok so I feel happy about that, and hopefully I can play well this week.”
Jeunghun Wang. Picture by Tharm Sook Wai/Asian Tour.
It was in May of 2016 that he claimed the Trophee Hassan II, before he won the following week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, an event sanctioned by Asia, Europe and South Africa; and the following year he triumphed in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters. At one point he rose as high as 39th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
“Actually, until the third-round last week I was really happy about it, but I hit it really bad on Sunday, so I was a bit disappointed,” he said.
This week he has the advantage of having played at Lotte Skyhill before.
He added: “I know the course so I think I can play better in Jeju, than in Singapore, but I haven’t played any tournaments on the course, just practiced.”
National Service is mandatory for Korean men, and while it might take some time to get his A game back, he is still positive about the experience:
“It was a good experience, but it was too long. No freedom, so yeah, that’s the hard thing. Just shooting guns every day, training every day,” he said.
After this week’s event Wang is looking forward to playing in a few Korean events, but a return to the DP World Tour will have to wait until next season.
“No, I can’t play Europe this year, not until next year. I will probably play two more events in Korea and then I’m just gonna practice some more, I just need to practice now,” added Wang.
Jeungjun Wang (right). Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Wang made his first appearance on the Asian Tour at the 2011 ICTSI Philippine Open as a 15-year-old amateur and secured his Tour card at the 2013 Q-School.
Remarkably, he was a sponsor invite to the Trophee Hassan II in Morocco, which he won in a sudden-death playoff against Nacho Elvira of Spain.
Nitithorn Thippong triumphed in the inaugural International Series Singapore today after one of the most dramatic finishes seen on the Asian Tour.
After holing a brilliant pressure-packed 15-foot par saving putt on the par-five 18th to take the clubhouse lead on 16 under Nitithorn, playing in the penultimate group, then had to wait and see if anyone in the last group – consisting of Malaysian Gavin Green, Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand – could catch him.
It proved to be a much longer wait then expected as the last group were forced off the 18th hole for 40 minutes because of lightning, with Chan on 16 under and Green one back.
SINGAPORE- Gavin Green of Malaysia reacts on the 18th green on Sunday August 14, 2022 during round four of the US$ 1.5 million International Series Si3gapore at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) August 11-14, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
When the action resumed Chan, who just before the weather delay had found water with his tee shot, made a double bogey while Green narrowly missed a 15-foot birdie putt.
“This is fantastic, just fantastic!” said 25-year-old Nitithorn, who earned a lucrative cheque for US$270,000.
“I cannot describe my feelings right now. I have practiced so hard for this. I hit lot of greens this week and had a lot of birdie putts. I think my mentality was great. I did not think about the score, just the process.”
He closed with a bogey-free three-under-par 69 to beat Green, Phachara and Richard T. Lee from Canada by one shot. Green and Phachara both fired 71s, while Lee returned a 67.
Nitithorn won for the first time on the Asian Tour in March at The DGC Open presented by Mastercard and is the second player this season to win twice on Tour along with American Sihwan Kim.
SINGAPORE-Richard T Lee of Canada pictured on Sunday August 14, 2022 during round four of the US$ 1.5 million International Series Si3gapore at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) August 11-14, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He added: “It has just been a dream season so far, and to win an International Series event is unbelievable.”
Nitithorn had started the day one shot behind overnight leaders Green, the 2017 Asian Tour number one, and Phachara. However, Green got off to the worst possible start and was four over after four, while Phachara also failed to find his A game.
“I got off to a horrendous start, and kind of just clicked the reset button and just kept going,” said Green.
“Because, with this course, a lot of things can happen. And especially on the last hole, as you saw, there was so much drama down the last. It was anybody’s game, and anybody could have done something. A lot of things were going on, but I just kind of stayed in the moment really. I just tried, I tried very, very hard just to keep moving along and just stay as patient as possible.”
Lee’s 67 came after he dropped a shot on the fourth but then rallied with six birdies.
He said: “I have been struggling with my putting but I changed my putter and grip this week. I have gone to a reverse grip, and it worked out pretty well. I think I have averaged about 29 putts this week. I am always a good ball striker, bottom line is you have got to hole the putts.”
American star Patrick Reed closed with his best round of the week, a 67, which was helped by a hole in one on the par-three 14th. He finished on eight under in a tie for 31st.
“A lot of ups, and a lot of downs today,” said Reed.
“It was weird, it was one of those days when I did not hit the ball well. I decided to leave the pin out of the hole on the third, because I don’t like to have the pin in when I putt, and I go ahead and hole the putt and I think okay. Had as shorty on 13 which I missed, then I go ahead and make a hole in one on 14. So, it was just one of those days.
SINGAPORE- Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei pictured on Sunday August 14, 2022 during round four of the US$ 1.5 million International Series Si3gapore at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) August 11-14, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I was actually between eight and nine on 14, we had 171, we were trying to figure out what way the wind was doing, so I hit a soft eight, and it never left the flag stick. That’s my third in tournaments, and the biggest one being right here as it kind of got the momentum going because it was really rough early on, needed something to spark the round.”
Amateur James Leow, Singapore’s rising young star, fired a 68 to also finish on eight under. He ended as the leading local player ahead of Hiroshi Tai, also an amateur, who shot 73.
The Asian Tour heads to the International Series Korea next week Lotte Skyhill Country Club Jeju.
Malaysian Gavin Green maintained his lead in the US$1.5 million International Series Singapore today at Tanah Merah Country Club but was joined by Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand.
Green, the Asian Tour number one in 2017 and the leader after the first two days following a pair of stunning seven-under-par 65s, returned 72 to stay at 14 under, while Phachara shot 69 – in the third International Series event this season.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong are a shot behind following rounds of 66 and 68 respectively; while England’s Steve Lewton came in with a 69 to sit a stroke further back.
Play was stopped at 11.10am and resumed at 1.30pm because of inclement weather.
“It was a grinding day, it was such a grind, I couldn’t get anything going,” said Green, whose birdie on eight was offset by a dropped shot on 13 – a stark contrast to his 14 birdies and no bogeys on Thursday and Friday.
Gavin Green. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Nevertheless, I just hung in there as hard as I could, making pars from everywhere, sometimes you just got to do that.
“Golf is not a game you can be perfect all the time, my caddie kept saying, ‘stay in it, stay patient, keep trying and hit good shots,’ and you know what we made a lot of saves today, it was kind of a saving day. We are still in it, 18 more holes, I think it’s going to be fun.”
Both Green and Phachara are chasing their second wins on the Asian Tour, with Green having won the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in 2017, and the latter the 2021 Laguna Phuket Championship.
Said Phachara: “Today everything wasn’t bad, only one thing was my putting. Because I hit it pretty well, same as in the first and second rounds, but missed a lot of putts. I hope tomorrow the putting is going to work.
Chan Shih-chang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“The greens were a little bit slower today I think, all my distance was gone. My reads were great, but only the distance wasn’t good.”
Chan looked set to finish the day sharing the lead but dropped a shot on 18.
“I knew I was tied for lead after the birdie on 17,” said Chan.
“I was just telling myself not to hit it left on 18. I was trying to make birdie there but didn’t hit a good shot from the bunker. Disappointed with the bogey on last but it’s ok, I’m still happy with my overall performance today. I am glad to give myself a good chance tomorrow. It’s great to be in contention, especially in a big event like the International Series.”
Chan will no doubt be a threat tomorrow having won four times on Tour, including the Blue Canyon Championship last November and the Royal’s Cup in four months later.
Nitithorn achieved the rare feat of making two eagles on par fours on the front, on three and nine.
“I know it’s unbelievable,” said the Thai, winner of The DGC Open in India in March.
“I didn’t expect that it’s going to be in the hole on the third, it’s a blind shot you know. I didn’t see anything, but I just knew that I hit a good shot from 168 yards. And I walked to the green and it’s in. So yeah, happy with that result. On hole nine I had 63 yards, it’s in that gap you know, I don’t really hit that distance well, but I hit it and it went in.”
He made the turn in five-under-par 31 but could not maintain the momentum and toured the second nine in one over.
Nitihorn Thippong. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
American Peter Uihlein, a former US amateur champion, fired a 67 and is three off the lead along with Jaco Ahlers from South Africa, who carded a 69.
Patrick Reed, the American who claimed the 2018 Masters, was unable to mount a challenge on moving day and shot a 72 and is three under for the tournament.
In the battle to finish as the leading Singaporean, amateur Hiroshi Tai signed for an impressive 69 and is six under, two ahead of another local amateur James Leow, who returned a 71.
By Olle Nordberg, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour
Steve Lewton is very much in contention this weekend at the International Series Singapore: he started today’s third round five shots behind pacesetter Gavin Green from Malaysia – a remarkable feat considering the fact that about three weeks ago he had heart surgery to deal with an ongoing issue.
In April the Englishman had a scary episode in the middle of the first round of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in Thailand, having to withdraw with heart palpitations on the course and later finding out he has a heart condition called Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT), that he didn’t know about. This condition makes your heart suddenly beat much faster than normal, although it’s usually not serious.
And so last month he had an operation to try and fix the issue.
“I’ve had it my whole life, it would just last for like literally five seconds, so I didn’t really think much of it. I would just cough, and it would go away,” he said.
“When it happens, my pulse goes up to about 200 beats a minute. Maybe twice a year I get heart palpitations that last maybe 10 seconds, but the one in Pattaya lasted for about 40 minutes. So, I got rushed to hospital and got checked out and they said I was fine.”
Steve Lewton. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“They said I could play the next week, but I wanted to go home and get checked out in England as well. I went home, got checked out, and I found out I have a condition called SVT which is more common, apparently, than what people think. I had an operation for it three weeks ago now, but unfortunately couldn’t get the heart to do what it does when it happens, so I’ll have to have it again probably in December.”
Having your heart rate go up in the heat of battle at tournaments is nothing new to tour players, but this must have been frightening on a totally different scale:
Said Lewton: “I was scared because I thought, I don’t know what this is, but when I got home they told me lots of people live with this.”
Having the procedure after the International Series England in Newcastle in June, Lewton spent some time off recovering from the surgery before resuming play in Jakarta last week where he remarkably finished tied second at the Mandiri Indonesian Open.
“They went up through my groin,” added Lewton about the operation,
“I probably had a full 10 days off and then practiced for maybe six days before I came out here. I wasn’t quite sure how I was going to play, but I played quite well at home before I came out so I was hoping to just carry on.”
He has been in fine form ever since the Asian Tour resumed play in the end of 2021, racking up six top-10s in 11 events.
“I’m just scoring well at the moment, hitting it pretty good. I’m just a bit more confident than I was,” he added.
Malaysian ace Gavin Green continued to show he is on the comeback trail again today after spectacularly posting his second-successive bogey-free seven-under-par 65 to take the lead on 14 under at the inaugural US$1.5 million International Series Singapore.
He leads by three from another of the region’s finest young players Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand, who shot a 66; while India’s Veer Ahlawat and Korean Yoseop Seo are a stroke further behind after they both returned 65s – the latter’s round was highlighted by six birdies on the trot from the seventh.
Overnight leader Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe slipped back after carding a 73 and is seven under in a tie for eighth.
Green, the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, has struggled with his game over the past few seasons but appears to be back on track after two brilliant days on the demanding Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club.
Phacahra Khongwatmai. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Obviously [ball] striking has to be pretty good on this golf course, you have to keep it in play, you can’t miss too many shots,” said the 28 year old, on another day of searing heat and humidity.
“You have to place your approach shots on certain parts of the green because they are so slopy. And even when you are on the green it’s a tough two putt. My caddie and I have a good game plan. We have worked hard, really hard, over last few weeks.”
Four birdies on the front nine and three on the back saw him break away from the field and revive memories of past performances when he was at his peak.
He added: “It’s a great feeling being back in contention again, it’s a great feeling, it’s just that it is so hot I can’t even think about it. I was counting down the holes, two more holes, one more hole, so hot. I am not thinking about that past, I am not looking at leaderboards, I am just doing my thing.”
Phachara also toured the layout bogey free to put himself in position, like Green, to try and win his second Asian Tour title.
Said the Thai star: “I am very happy with six under today, I had good iron shots but missed couple of putts. It’s important for me because I have chance to play more LIV events, if I play well this week, and next week, it’s gonna be very good for me. I am really excited to play. I just need to stick to game plan.”
Steve Lewton. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
England’s Steve Lewton is nine under, along with Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, after holing his approach shot for an eagle on the par-five 18th to return a 68.
“Yeah, I had 91 yards to the flag into a bit of wind,” he said. “I was going to change clubs but didn’t, because I was like, I’ll just fly the ball behind it and hopefully use the slope. And it just came off the slope with a bit of spin and went in, so you need a bit of luck.”
Pre-tournament favourite Patrick Reed bounced back from his opening 73 with a 68 and is three under.
“I just put the ball in position on a lot of holes, especially early on but I didn’t make any putts – just burned the edges and when you are doing that around here it is hard to shoot low,” said the American, the 2018 Masters champion.
“I definitely need to shoot a really low one tomorrow. I feel I’m doing what I’m supposed to from tee to green, but I need to capitalise on a couple of par fives and holes like eight and nine here. And I need the ball to go in with putts.
“I feel like I’m hitting a lot of good putts, my speed was decent today, and yesterday it was actually great, but it is one of those days that instead of the ball going in, it is lipping out and burning edges.
“If I can get the putter going early on, and hopefully get the momentum going then there is no reason I can’t shoot a mid to low 60s round and have a chance to hopefully have to shoot another in the mid to low 60s to have a chance.”
SINGAPORE- Patrick Reed of the USA pictured on Friday August 12, 2022 during round two of the US$ 1.5 million International Series Singapore at Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) August 11-14, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Singapore amateur James Leow, who attends Arizona State University, came in with an impressive 67 to move to three under and lead the local challenge.
Said Leow: “I went out there with the goal of shooting five or six under to make the weekend, and I got a good round going. It’s always nice playing on home soil, in front of family and friends and team-mates and a lot of home local fans as well and obviously playing on a course I have not played before, and it’s been three years since I played here because of COVID; it’s been a lot of fun.”
India’s Aman Raj played the shot of the day, making a hole in one on the par-three 16th – using a wedge from 140 yards. It was a timely shot as he finished right on the cut mark, which was one under, after shooting 71.
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