Singapore’s first Asian Tour event this season has attracted a striking and quality in-depth field of players for the inaugural US$1.5 million International Series Singapore – which will be played on the magnificent Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club, from August 11-14.

American Sihwan Kim, who currently leads the Tour’s Order of Merit following two victories, is one of 16 players from the top-20 on the Merit list competing – in what is the 11^th stop of the year on Tour and the third International Series event.

Korean Bio Kim and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, both first time winners this season and second and fourth respectively on the Merit list have entered as well as Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana – fifth on the rankings having enjoying a breakthrough season, which has seen him win the Singapore Open in January and produce an inspired performance in The Open at St Andrews this month, finishing joint 11^th – which is the best performance by a player from his country in the game’s oldest Major.

Korean Bio Kim claimed the GS Caltex Maekyung Open earlier this year.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, the former Singapore Open winner and the Tour’s number one player in 2019, and the brilliant Phachara Khongwatmai, have also entered, as well as: Malaysian Gavin Green, the Merit list champion in 2017; India’s Shiv Kapur, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma; South African Justin Harding, Australians Scott Hend, a 10-time Tour winner, Wade Ormsby and Brett Rumford; plus Korean star Jeunghun Wang, the three-time DP World Tour champion, who has just completed 18-months national service in Korea.

The tournament, which will see the winner earn a cheque for US$270,000, will also welcome a host of prominent international players, including Americans Chase Koepka, the brother of four-time Major champion Brooks, and Peter Uihlein, and a number of the game’s rising stars who have recently turned professional: former US Amateur champions James Piot and Andy Ogletree from the US, American Turk Pettit, who claimed last year’s NCAA Division 1 individual title, Australian Jediah Morgan – winner of the Australian PGA Championship in January by a record 11 shots –and Jovan Rebula from South Africa, the 2018 Amateur Championship victor, and the nephew of South African great Ernie Els.

Veteran stars and former Singapore Open winners Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa from India and Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, the winner of a record 18-titles on Tour, and Prayad Marksaeng; as well as pre-eminent Japan Golf Tour Organisation players Yuki Inamori, Ryosuke Kinoshita, Hideto Tanihara and Ryo Hisatsune will be bidding for honours while 11 Singaporean professionals, lead by five-time Tour winner Mardan Mamat, and four local amateurs will fly the flag for the host nation.

Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe won the International Series England. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The Tour last visited Tanah Merah in January this year, when Korean Joohyung Kim beat Rattanon Wannasrichan from Thailand in a sudden-death play-off at The Singapore International, in the penultimate event of the 2020-22 season.

The Tour re-commences play next week after a short-summer break at the Mandiri Indonesia Open at Pondok Indah Golf Course, while the week following Singapore players head to the International Series Korea, at Lotte Skyhill Jeju Country Club.

The new raft of International Series events was unveiled earlier this year thanks to an exciting new relationship with LIV Golf.  Details of the remainder of International Series events for the season will be announced soon.

By Joy Chakravarty, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour

Abraham Ancer closed with a sensational seven-under par 65 on the final day of the 150th Open Championship. In most circumstances, he would have been delighted with his own effort, but on that particular Sunday, the Mexican world number 22 was left gushing about his playing partner.

Ancer was paired with Thailand’s uber promising Sadom Kaewkanjana –one of the fastest rising stars of Asian Tour.

Sadom also shot a matching 65, second best round of the day which was bettered only by champion Cam Smith’s sensational display on the back nine that elevated him to a breathtaking 64.

Together, Sadom and Ancer shot 14-under par and they would have been a phenomenal 12-under par if they were playing best ball.

Both players climbed 24 places on the final day at the legendary Old Course at St Andrews and narrowly missed a top-10 by finishing tied 11th at 11-under par. In doing so Sadom recorded the highest-placed finish by a Thai golfer in the event, surpassing the joint 13^th finish by his illustrious compatriot and idol Thongchai Jaidee in 2009. 

ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND – JULY 16: Abraham Ancer of Mexico tees off on the 2nd hole during Day Three of The 150th Open at St Andrews Old Course on July 16, 2022 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Sadom returns to action this week at the LIV Golf Invitational in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he will once again be part of the Ironheads team. Led by American Kevin Na, the team also features his compatriot Phachara Khongwatmai and another Asian Tour regular, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent.

Ancer was effusive in his praise for the world number 95, who turned professional after a brilliant amateur career towards the end of 2018 and won his first professional title on the Asian Development Tour in his third start of 2019 (the Thongchai Jaidee Invitational) and secured his first win on the Asian Tour (the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open) in April that year.

“It always helps when you are playing in the same group with someone who is playing good golf. It somehow makes you play better. Today, Sadom played exceptionally well,” said Ancer.

“I was very impressed with what I saw. I have never played with him before, but from what I saw today… he’s definitely an extremely talented player. He’s very good at this game and I think we are going to see a lot of him in the future.”

When asked what stood out about Sadom’s game, Ancer explained: “I think putting. That is definitely what stood out today. He just rolled the ball beautifully. The putts that didn’t go in, they all had a really good chance to go in.

“It was also that he was not overawed by the occasion. I think it must have been the most important round of his career so far, in a Major on a Sunday, and he was very calm and composed.”

ST ALBANS, ENGLAND – JUNE 10: Sadom Kaewkanjana of Iron Heads GC tees off on the fifth hole during day two of the LIV Golf Invitational – London at The Centurion Club on June 10, 2022 in St Albans, England. (Photo by Joe Maher/LIV Golf/Getty Images)

Ancer said he was confident that the LIV Golf Invitational will continue to showcase talents like Sadom on the big stage and in front of worldwide audience.

“I feel like when we bring in talent from all over the world and showcase it in big events, I think it’s great for golf,” said the Mexican, who has become a household name in his country with his success that includes winning the World Golf Championship FedEx St Jude Championship in 2021.

The Mandiri Indonesia Open, which will mark the start of the highly-anticipated second half of the season on the Asian Tour, has attracted a high-quality field next month, including the current leader of the Order of Merit, Sihwan Kim from the United States, Korean Bio Kim, who is ranked fourth on the Merit list, and his countryman Minkyu Kim – the exciting young golfer who claimed the Kolon Korea Open at the end of the June.

Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar, winner of this event in 2013 and 2016, Argentina’s Miguel Ángel Carballo, the victor in 2019 when the event was last played, and Thailand’s 2017 champion Panuphol Pittayarat, better known as “Coconut”, have also entered the US$500,000 event which will be played at Pondok Indah Golf Course, from August 4-7.

In addition, Thailand’s veteran golfer Thaworn Wiratchant, another two-time winner of the tournament, in 2005 and 2011, and the holder of a record 18-titles on Tour, will compete along with India’s Shiv Kapur – a four-time champion on Tour.

All of Indonesia’s leading golfers have entered the prestigious event, which has only been won once before by an Indonesian, Kasiadi in 1989.

Gaganjeet Bhullar of India with the trophy after winning the Indonesia Open at Pantai Indah Kapuk on December 1, 2013 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Khalid Redza/Asian Tour/Asian Tour via Getty Images)

The country’s top two players Rory Hie, joint second in 2011, and Danny Masrin will lead the local challenge and attempt to match Kasiadi’s memorable achievement, as will Naraajie E. Ramadhanputra – the promising young Indonesian who clinched victory at the OBGolf Invitational on the Asian Development Tour in June to win his debut event as a professional golfer.

Pondok Indah has hosted the Indonesia Open since 2016 while this year marks the first time the event has been staged following a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The tournament, which is the 11^th stop on the 2022 Tour schedule, marks the start of an exciting run of events in August, as it will be followed by the International Series Singapore and then the International Series Korea.

Dating back to 1974, the Indonesia Open has a proud and rich heritage. Its roll of honour includes late, great American Payne Stewart (1981) and fellow Major champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland (2014).

Other international golfers who have savoured success in the championship include New Zealander Frank Nobilo, Australian Craig Parry and South African Justin Harding.

Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand poses with the trophy after winning the Indonesia Open at Pondok Indah Golf Course on October 29, 2017 in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo by Nasrul Haq/Asian Tour/Asian Tour via Getty Images)

Among the other famous Asian players to have had their names inscribed on the trophy are Frankie Minoza of the Philippines, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, and Chinese Taipei’s Lu Hsi-chuen and Lu Chien-soon.

Designed by Robert Trent Jones Jnr and opened in 1976, Pondok Indah has been rated as one of the Indonesia’s leading golfing establishments for more than 40 years, hosting numerous professional events, including the World Cup of Golf in 1983.

He may be only a couple of years shy of becoming eligible for golf’s Senior circuits. But Brad Kennedy isn’t quite ready to settle for the easy option.

That’s just not the way of the 48-year-old Australian who believes in pushing himself to the limits.

Which goes some way to explaining why Kennedy was less than impressed with his closing even-par 72 in the 150th Open Championship.

In the immediate aftermath of his round he reflected: “I’ve got to find a bit more. I’m 48 now, so I haven’t got much time left. I just really wanted to see what I could do this week. It just doesn’t get any better than St Andrews, 150th.

“I just wanted to prove to people that, if you fight and you work hard and put yourself out there, give yourself some opportunities, practise the right way, that at any stage anything’s possible. I felt like I let myself down on the weekend.”

A harsh assessment given that he finished ahead of many accomplished players and ended the week in a share of 53rd place on four-under 284.

Brad Kennedy of Australia

“I just wanted to put in a good effort. I wanted to see what I could do out there this week and put myself in a position that was new and challenging,” said the one-time Asian Tour winner who now spends most of his time playing in Japan.

“I did that on Friday and just haven’t hit enough good golf shots the last few days. Just kept giving myself too many long putts. Eventually you pay the price around a links course like St Andrews.

“I guess making the cut’s good, but finishing back end of the field on the weekend, shooting two 72s pretty much doesn’t really matter.”

Despite those words, Kennedy can take satisfaction from the fact that he was one of five Asian Tour members – from a 16-strong contingent that set out on Thursday – to play all four rounds at the home of golf.

The distinction of finishing as the leading Asian Tour player went to Sadom Kaewkanjana. The 24-year-old Thai fired a stunning closing 65 for a four-round tally of 11-under 277 and a share of 11th place.

That bettered the previous best finish by a Thai in The Open, equal 13th by Thongchai Jaidee at Turnberry in 2009. It was fitting that Thongchai, a mentor and idol to Sadom, should be at St Andrews to witness his protégé’s feat.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

There was also an impressive effort from Yuto Katsuragawa. The 23-year-old Japanese signed for a 69 on Sunday to end on five-under 283, joint 47th. He was the leading Japanese, ahead of last year’s Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama.

Among those alongside Katsuragawa was Joohyung Kim, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion. The 20-year-old Korean, already in the top-40 in the Official World Golf Ranking, closed with a 71 and will be determined to improve on that effort in the years to come.

Completing the Asian Tour quintet was England’s Laurie Canter, joint 79th on 290.

Like Kennedy, he was refreshingly honest. “I’m disappointed with how I played for sure. But the event as a whole, it felt like a really special week. I think the organisers did an amazing job and it’s been awesome to be a part of it. The competitor in me would want to play better, but I’ve loved being a part of it,” said Canter, who can now turn his full attention to another important forthcoming event.

“My wife’s due to give birth next week. We’re really excited about it. Hopefully all goes well and we’ll have a little one by the end of July,” he said.

Ends.

Inspired by the presence of Thongchai Jaidee behind the ropes, Sadom Kaewkanjana produced the round of his life to set the seal on a memorable week at the 150th Open Championship.

With his idol looking on approvingly, 24-year-old Sadom posted a closing seven-under-par 65 around the fabled Old Course.

Striding to the scoring hut as Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland prepared to tee-off, Sadom glanced up at the giant leaderboard alongside the 18th fairway. He almost had to pinch himself when he saw he was tied for fourth on 11-under.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

“I played very well today. Everything was perfect,” said Sadom, whose victory in January’s SMBC Singapore Open propelled him to second place on last season’s Asian Tour Order of Merit – and secured him his starting spot at the home of golf this week.

He grasped the opportunity with both hands, announcing his arrival on the world stage with rounds of 71 and 67. The disappointment of a third-day 74 served only to motivate him to finish strongly.

He was also spurred on by words of encouragement from Asian Tour legend Thongchai, who is in Scotland to compete in next week’s Senior Open Championship at Gleneagles.

“Thongchai has always been my idol. He gave me some great advice before the round and followed me around which inspired me,” said Sadom, who, nonetheless, was hoping his performance would be good enough to surpass Thongchai’s tied 13th finish at Turnberry in 2009, the best previous Open effort by a Thai.

Thongchai certainly would not begrudge his young compatriot that honour after watching him roll home six birdie putts and a 32-footer for an eagle-three at the long fifth.

The only blemish on Sadom’s card was a bogey-five at 17 where he left himself an awkward third shot from behind the famous Road Hole bunker and narrowly failed to get up-and-down.

“I like the course and I just felt very relaxed. All parts of my game were good, especially my putting, unlike yesterday when the pin locations made it very difficult.

“I’m happy if I can make Thai people proud,” added Sadom, whose only previous Major appearance came in May’s US PGA Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Oklahoma, where he missed the cut.

As well as having Thongchai cheering him on, Sadom was delighted to be accompanied by his father. “My dad introduced me to golf when I was three years old. It’s special that he’s been here at St Andrews with me.”

Based on his strong showing here, Sadom is likely to break into the top-100 in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time.

Before returning to Asian Tour action, Sadom will be heading Stateside for LIV Golf’s third event at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster.

“I’m looking forward to it. Playing well in Scotland has given me more confidence,” he said.

Ends.

Joohyung Kim will have a third successive day in the company of former Masters winner Patrick Reed.

Kim, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, fired a one-under-par 71 in the second round of the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews on Friday.

With a 36-hole total of four-under 140, the talented 20-year-old enters the weekend in a share of 25th place, nine strokes off the pace being set by Australian Cameron Smith.

Kim will tee-off his third round at 1.25 pm local time (8.25 pm Singapore time) – alongside American Reed, with whom he was also paired for the first two rounds.

Kim was one of the five players from the Asian Tour’s 16-strong contingent in the starting line-up to survive the half-way which came at even-par 144.

Also looking forward to making their mark over the weekend at the home of golf are Thai Sadom Kaewkanjana (138, tied 12th); Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa (139, tied 18th); Australian Brad Kennedy (140, tied 25th) and England’s Laurie Canter (142, tied 46th).

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

Sadom, winner of January’s SMBC Singapore Open, tees-off at 2.40 pm (9.40 pm Singapore time) with England’s Barclay Brown, the leading amateur.

Canter has an 11.50 am time alongside Belgium’s Thomas Pieters, while Katsuragawa partners Mexican Abraham Ancer at 2.20 pm. Kennedy will set out at 1.15 pm with Victor Perez of France.

“I’m a fair way back, but this place can do anything,” said 48-year-old Kennedy, winner of the New Zealand Open on the Asian Tour in 2020.

“The key for me around any tournament I’m playing now is to see how far can I push myself mentally to be able to hit the shots that are required to play under pressure. It feels like I’ve probably taken another step this week,” he added.

While Canter, Katsuragawa, Kennedy, Kim and Sadom will savour their time at St Andrews, there was disappointment for those that made an early exit.

It was especially galling for New Zealand’s Ben Campbell, South African Justin Harding and Zimbabwean Scott Vincent, all of whom failed by a single stroke to make it through.

Three-under for the day through 14 holes, Campbell appeared well set but was derailed by bogeys at 15 and 17 as he signed for a 71 to go with his opening 74.

After a first-day 69, Vincent remained well positioned for much of day two only to see his good work undone by a double-bogey six at the 16th. Unable to find a birdie on either of the last two holes, he was left to rue what might have been.

Steering clear of the hazardous pot bunkers which dot the Old Course will continue to remain the prime objective for Sadom Kaewkanjana as he steps up his bid to create history over the weekend.

With a bogey-free five-under-par 67 in the second round of the 150th Open Championship, the 24-year-old Thai has thrust himself into contention for one of the biggest prizes in golf.

“It’s very amazing for me to be in this position,” said Sadom, who settled for a share of 12th place on six-under 138, making the halfway cut in what is his Open Championship debut.

Amazing indeed has been the way in which Sadom has battled back after slipping to one-over through 11 holes of the opening round. In the subsequent 25 holes, he’s nine-under.

“My first target was to make the cut,” said Sadom, who secured his ticket to St Andrews courtesy of his victory in January’s SMBC Singapore Open.

Now that he’s comfortably achieved that feat, his attention will turn to bettering the performance of Thongchai Jaidee, his idol and mentor. In 2009, Thongchai tied for 13th at Turnberry, to date the best finish by a Thai in the Open.

One of the finest players in the history of the Asian Tour, Thongchai was due to arrive in the United Kingdom last night ahead of his appearance in the Senior Open Championship at Gleneagles next week.

With Sadom flying high, Thongchai will make a detour to St Andrews to offer words of encouragement to his young compatriot.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

“I’m looking forward to seeing Thongchai and getting advice from him. He’s my idol and has helped me a lot,” said Sadom, who knows that one of the keys to keeping alive hopes of a top-10 finish will depend on his ability to avoid the punishing sand traps around St Andrews.

“In the first two rounds I haven’t been in a single bunker,” he said. “I’ve been feeling confident on every shot. On the back nine in the second round I changed my gameplan. Because the wind direction changed, I was aiming further left off the tee and that worked.”

After four straight pars, Sadom went into red figures with a two-putt birdie at the long fifth. He picked up another stroke at the ninth where he got up-and-down after driving through the green.

On the back nine, he holed from 10 feet and 30 feet respectively for birdies at 14 and 16 before draining a 12-footer on the home green, to roars from the galleries lining the adjoining street.

In total, 16 Asian Tour members qualified to line-up in the 150th Open Championship.