Phachara and Kim on for rematch at Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai and Bio Kim from Korea both shot four-under-par 68s to take the third-round lead on 14 under in the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup today.
They lead by a stroke from Thailand’s rising female star Jaravee Boonchant (66) and her amateur compatriot Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat (70) plus American lefthander Paul Peterson (68).
The US$750,000 tournament marks the first time the Asian Tour have staged a mixed event, as it is being jointly sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET).
The stacked leaderboard suggests a thrilling final day tomorrow which will also be a rematch between Phachara and Bio, who played together in the final pairing of the Laguna Phuket Championship in December which the former won.
“I played very well today,” said 22-year-old Phachara, whose win in Phuket was his first victory on the Asian Tour.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Bio Kim of the USA pictured on Saturday April 9, 2022 during round three of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“However, I should have done better. I played to my plan. The weather and course conditions did not affect me much because I have planned what to do. In the final round, I will create more opportunities for myself to shoot lower. I will focus more on putting, to make it better. I will just focus on my game and not being the champion.”
The Thai star, currently in second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, will also be seeking redemption on Sunday as he had a three-shot lead heading into the final round of the International Series Thailand last month but finished runner-up to American Sihwan Kim.
Bio Kim is looking to secure his first title on the Asian Tour. He led the Phuket event by one shot from Phachara before tying for second place.
“It’s going to be a great final round. Phachara is a bomber!” said Bio Kim, who has finished in the top-10 in six of his last seven starts on the Asian Tour.
“I am not going to put pressure on myself, there are so many variables. A win on the Asian Tour would mean so much to me. I have had a great run of results recently so I am not far away.”
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Jaravee Boonchant of Thailand pictured on Saturday April 9, 2022 during round three of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Ratchanon, aged 15, started the day in a share of the lead with Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen, who carded a 76 and slipped back to seven under.
Said the Thai youngster: “I definitely felt some pressure today, particularly over some putts. But I am learning all the time. I didn’t play very well and I am not making the putts. But I am now in the penultimate group tomorrow, so that’s an advantage.”
Jaravee, aged 22, shot the lowest round of the day to move into contention.
“The golf course is in great condition. It looks very pretty, and the greens are very nice, the ball is rolling pretty well. I love it and I like how they set it up,” she said.
“I think I hit my driver better today, so I put myself in good positions on the greens and holed a few today too. Most of the birdie putts were quite short because I was in a good position. I am trying not to focus on the outcome, I’m trying to stick to the plan and play how I have been playing this week so far.”
She graduated from Duke University in June last year, turned professional immediately after and claimed her first professional title at Thailand LPGA Masters at the end of last year.
Another of Thailand’s exciting young lady golfers, 17-year-old Chanoknan Angurasaranee carded a 67 and is one shot back in solo sixth.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Ratchanon Chantananuwat, 15 year old amateur of Thailand, pictured on Saturday April 9, 2022 during round three of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Four-time Asian Tour winner John Catlin from the United States made the most of moving day by firing a 66 and is just three behind the leaders, in joint seventh.
Last season’s Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Joohyung Kim from Korea carded a 69 and is 10 under, while current number one Sihwan Kim return a 71 and is a shot further behind.
A prized and timely win on a one of the major tours can have an immediate and huge effect on a player’s career trajectory, writes Olle Nordberg – Contributing Editor, Asian Tour
As Anirban Lahiri recently said the week before finishing runner up at the Players Championship: “The beauty about what we do, is that you’re one week away from being a PGA Tour winner; you’re one week away from being at Augusta; you’re one week away from having a two, three-year exemption; you’re one week away from you having a different kind of conversation with me.”
While India’s Lahiri did not win the Players Championship in the end, his quotes are still very much true. One player who made a big career move recently by winning on the Asian Tour for the first time is Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong – who took home The DGC Open presented by MasterCard at the iconic Delhi Golf Club two weeks ago.
“Now I’m an Asian Tour winner and I’m so happy about it. My status has totally changed, you know,” said Nitithorn, who is performing well at this week’s Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup.
“Before I was a country exemption category player, and now I’m a tournament winner so it’s really getting easier to plan everything. Hopefully I can win again soon, I’m going to keep having a good process and we’ll see what happens.”
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Nitihorn Thippong of Thailand pictured on Thursday April 7, 2022 during round one of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
As a tournament winner Nitithorn Thippong has a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour and can now pick his schedule as he wants, including this year’s elite field International Series events.
It was a win that almost didn’t even have a chance of happening, as he was considering skipping The DGC Open to make sure he would be able to play the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Series events this week and next.
He added: “Before India I finished tied-fourth at the Royal’s Cup in Kanchanaburi, but you know, first I was going to play in the Trust Golf Asian Mixed event in Thailand the same week as India to keep my ranking to play in this week’s event. But my dad said okay, if you have a chance to go to India you must go, because now you’re hitting the tee shots so well. And my caddie also said the same thing, so I thought I’ll go there, and we’ll see. I’ll go and try.”
The 25-year-old Thai is seemingly a very process-oriented player and has set very clear goals for each round and tournament, which he has worked out with his team:
He said: “I didn’t expect that I was going to win, I just tried to beat the course every day. My goal right now is I try to play 20-under every tournament, because the winners will have a big round one or two days in a week. My plan with my coach is that I want to shoot six-under or more every two days. I’ll try to do that anyway. I’m really happy about the win, but you know, the goal is to try to play more under than that. But yeah, I’m happy, I’m really happy about the result.”
Having just won the biggest title of his young career it would be easy to relax and enjoy the moment with family and friends, but Nitithorn Thippong does not plan to let that change his outlook on things.
“I think I got more confidence after winning The DGC Open, but right now I have to put that down and just keep playing the same, if you know what I mean? For me winning gave me a bit more confidence, but everything’s going to be the same,” said the Thai.
Nitithorn Thippong had already gotten off to a good start to his 2022 season, finishing tied-fourth in both the Royal’s Cup and the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship on the All Thailand Golf Tour, but what was the key to his success at Delhi Golf Club?
“The key for me at that tournament, I hit my tee shots pretty straight and they were good at the time. So, I think on that course the tee shots were key for me, and I hit them well that week,” he said.
“It was my second time playing at Delhi Golf Club, and the last time I played it they didn’t have much rough on both sides of the fairway. Now they have more rough, so it’s easier to make the ball stay in the fairway. But they changed the greens also, the greens are so hard now. I was getting big bounces all the time, even in the fairways. So, when you hit into the rough, it was pretty difficult to hit it on the green too.”
NEW DELHI – INDIA – Nitihorn Thippong of Thailand celebrates on the 18th green during round four of the DGC Open presented by Mastercard at the Delhi Golf Club on Sunday March 27, 2022. The US$ 500.000 Asian Tour event is staged from March 24-27, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
This week he is off to a solid start at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup, sitting four under par after two rounds, and is very much enjoying his time competing alongside the women from the Ladies European Tour and Trust Golf Tour.
“Playing in the Mixed Asian Series events like this week, it’s great to see how some of the female players play, they play quite differently than the guys. The girls hit it so straight and their short games are so good, so it’s good to play with them to get some new experiences. The girls are putting so good and hit it so straight, I think straighter than me. And the chance to get to know some of the other players, that’s a good thing too.”
Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat’s maturity was on display once again today when he comfortably handled the pressure of putting together a solid round the day after a super low score when he added a second round two-under-par 70 to his opening 63 to share the lead at the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup.
The young Thai maestro moved to 11 under, on the Waterside Course at Siam Country Club, along with Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen, who also shot 70 – the ideal way to celebrate her birthday.
The pair had shared the overnight lead in the US$750,000 tournament which marks the first time the Asian Tour have staged a mixed event, as it is being jointly sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET).
“There was a lot more wind today than yesterday, so tough conditions but overall I am not really happy with the way I played,” said 15-year-old Ratchanon.
“It wasn’t a great round, but it wasn’t that bad either. I scrambled two under and I am still in the lead, which is okay, but I could have been better.”
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Sanna Nuutinen of Finland pictured on Friday April 8, 2022 during round two of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He was even for his round, which he started on 10, with five to play but made birdies on five and six to put himself in a very strong position heading into the weekend.
He added: “I am still happy with how I played yesterday considering how little I prepared for this tournament. Today I was trying to build on as much as possible and not lose many strokes.
“[For the weekend] I am just going to try and play like yesterday and go as deep as possible and play with less pressure.”
Nuutinen turned 31 today and like Ratchanon held firm at the top as she goes in search of her first LET win.
“I found the conditions a bit tougher today. The morning conditions were super windy, but now it’s dying down a bit and a couple of pins were tucked,” she said.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand fist bumbs playing partner Sanna Nuutinen of Finland on their last hole on Friday April 8, 2022 during round two of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It is my birthday today. I will see what the girls have planned for me later on. The problem is I might enjoy the practice facilities too much, so I need my caddie to make sure I get on the bus to go to the hotel.”
She made four birdies and two bogeys, as did Ratchanon.
Bio Kim from Korea, South African Ian Snyman and Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai are one shot back after rounds of 67, 67 and 69 respectively. Thailand’s Arpichaya Yubol carded a 68 and is a further stroke behind with American Paul Peterson (66).
“Finished two rounds with double digits, which is always good and I am happy I am getting an interview which is always good. My game is on and off, my ball striking is a bit iffy. I was missing here and there with some of the shots, somehow, I got out of it and capitalized on the chances I had,” said Kim.
“At the moment I am not trying to go get something, I am trying to focus on my game. One shot at a time. To be honest with my ball striking and rhythm I need to get a little more sharper to reach the goals I want to achieve.
“I am losing shots to the right, somehow I got to fix it and go to the range, maybe a timing issue.”
Said Phachara: “Today my game was good although I made a double bogey. Overall, my performance over two days is acceptable and as planned. The only thing to improve is my putting. Will have to practice more on this. There was no problem with the windy condition, I am used to it. The remaining two days I will fight and keep to my ow game plan.”
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Bio Kim of Korea plays with his golf ball on the 8th tee on Friday April 8, 2022 during round two of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The 22-year-old Thai star won the Laguna Phuket Championship in December for his first win on the Asian Tour.
American Sihwan Kim, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, returned his second successive 68 and is just three behind the leaders.
Last season’s Merit list champion Joohyung Kim from Korea impressed with a 65 and is seven under.
Thailand’s Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat started this week by saying he was short of practice because he was busy with his studies but that certainly did not show today as the irrepressible 15-year-old amateur star shot a nine-under-par 63 to share the lead in the inaugural Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup.
His magical round was matched by Finland’s Sanna Nuutinen, a member of the Ladies European Tour (LET), on the Waterside Course at Siam Country Club, while Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai and Hung Chien-yao from Chinese-Taipei carded 65s.
The US$750,000 tournament marks the first time the Asian Tour have staged a mixed event, as it is being jointly sanctioned with the LET.
Ratchanon has now shot two 63s in his last three rounds on the Asian Tour, the first one coming in the third round of the International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club last month.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Sanna Nuutinen of Finland pictured on Thursday April 7, 2022 during round one of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“The one thing I have seen with these two 63s is I am not expecting anything,” said the Thai.
“At Black Mountain I birdied 18 to just make the cut, and then I shot nine under with zero expectations. The last three weeks since Black Mountain I have not been playing very much, I have been doing a lot of schoolwork. Out of the six or seven events I have played on the Asian Tour this one is the least I am prepared for, and yet I shot nine under, so I am going to have to start doing something with these low expectations.”
He made an eagle and three birdies on the front and four birdies on the homeward half.
He added: “Obviously with a start like this I am going to try and win it. I now know my approaches aren’t as bad as I thought. I won’t be upset if I don’t shoot nine under again, but I will try and go for as many birdies as possible and make the least bogeys as possible.”
The brilliant young golfer has not missed the cut in his six starts on the Asian Tour and finished third in The Singapore International in January.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand, pictured on Thursday April 7, 2022 during round one of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Nuutinen’s mightily impressive round was built upon an incredible first nine eight-under-par 28, consisting of eight birdies and a par on five. A birdie on 10 suggested a phenomenal score was on the cards but the birdies dried up and she dropped a shot on 17 before making a birdie on 18 to catch Ratchanon, who was playing in the group ahead.
“I don’t really hole out much in practice rounds so I never really know if it’s coming,” said 30-year-old Nuutinen, who has won three times on the LET Access Series.
“I know I have been doing a lot of good work technique-wise, a little bit in putting. I actually flew home from LA [from LPGA events] to Finland for four days before coming here which was a change of plan. I think that was worth it to see my coaches for a couple of days and this happens next.”
She said: “I would be lying if I said I didn’t think about 59 because I did but it was just at one point. I told myself let’s see how low you can go, nothing really changed after I was nine-under I just kept going. Sometimes I have been in that situation before, and you might get a little bit defensive but I’m too old for that.”
Thailand’s Chanettee Wannasaen and Meghan Maclaren from England are in fifth after firing 66s.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Hung Chien-yao of Chinese Taipei pictured on Thursday April 7, 2022 during round one of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Sihwan Kim from the United States, who won the International Series Thailand came in with a 68, as did his compatriot and four-time Asian Tour winner John Catlin.
South African Ian Snyman, Kyongjun Moon from Korea and two of Thailand’s leading teenage lady golfers Arpichaya Yubol and Chanoknan Angurasaranee hold the clubhouse lead midway through the opening day of the inaugural Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup today.
They shot five-under-par 67s on the Waterside Course at Siam Country Club – in a US$750,000 tournament that marks the first time the Asian Tour have staged a mixed event, as it is being jointly sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET).
Snyman, in his rookie season on the Asian Tour, appears to still be on a high after finishing equal third in the International Series Thailand last month for his best finish on the Asian Tour.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Kyongjun Moon of Korea pictured on Thursday April 7, 2022 during round one of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“I think I am just getting used to the Asian Tour now, the tournament atmosphere, how everything works,” said the South African.
“I think there is a lot less stress now. In the beginning there was lot of external stress, like the flight tickets, the grab taxes, I didn’t know how Asia worked. I started to figure that out with my coach Paul McKenzie, we are just doing the same things staying consistent, and fine tuning.”
It’s the first time he has played in a mixed event and he is enjoying the experience.
He added: “First time playing in a mixed event, so far so good. The pace of play was great. I played with Becky [Brewerton], she was awesome, she was friendly, we talked a lot about the set up of the golf course, it was a great time out there today.”
Moon’s performance was remarkable considering it his first competitive round for six months.
“I have had a problem with tennis elbow for six months, so this is my first tournament since that started. Everything felt great today, maybe the long break did me some good,” said the Korean.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Arpichaya Yubol of Thailand pictured on Thursday April 7, 2022 during round one of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
However, the highlight of the morning session was Arpichaya and Chanoknan’s rounds as both youngsters compete on the local Thai LPGA Tour.
Last year, Arpichaya was Thai LPGA Order of Merit champion, and also won the Thailand Mixed Hosted by Trust Golf.
Said the 19 year old: “I was very excited to be playing today as this is such a big match, also great to play with international players. And I have played with male golfers quite a lot. I am very happy with my performance.”
Chanoknan, just 17 years old, was equally thrilled with her round.
PATTAYA-THAILAND- Chanoknan Angurasaranee of Thailand pictured on Thursday April 7, 2022 during round one of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup at Siam Country Club, Waterside Course, Pattaya, Thailand. The US$ 750.000 event is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the Asian Tour, April 7-10, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Really happy today with my drives and approach shots. I prepared very well for this week and my caddie was a great help guiding me round,” said the teenager.
American John Catlin, a four-time winner on the Asian Tour, returned a 68, with half the field still to complete their first round.
Thailand’s 15-year-old amateur marvel “TK” Ratchanon Chantananuwat will add another string to his bow this week when he competes in the Asian Tour’s first ever mixed event, the US$750,000 Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour, and says he has every expectation that “the ladies here can bomb it!”.
The tournament tees-off tomorrow at Siam Country Club’s Waterside Course and is being jointly sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET).
“I am very excited, this is definitely something different,” said the youngster.
“I am going to assume a lot of the ladies here can bomb it! I am not going to overlook the importance of making the cut as there could be 40 girls who make the cut this week and that’s going to be tough. If I make the cut, then I am going for the win. There’s a lot of World Ranking points this week so I am going to get as many as I can.”
Making the cut has never been an issue for him: he has made it through to the weekend in all six events he has played in since the end of last year. He nearly won one of them, The Singapore International, where he placed third.
He has been paired with Norway’s Marianne Skarpnord, a five-time Ladies European Tour winner, and Ursula Wikstrom from Finland for the first two days.
There’s no doubt the teen titan will impress, although he has been bogged down studying and preparing for exams recently.
“Honestly, I have been up to a lot of schoolwork, so haven’t had as much chance to do some serious practice,” he said.
SINGAPORE- Ratchanon Chantananuwat, 14 yr old amateur of Thailand pictured celebrating with his father / caddie on green No 4 during round two, Friday January 14, 2022, at The Singapore International golf event at Tanah Merah Country Club, (Tampines Course). The US$1 million Asian Tour event is being staged January 13-16, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Over the weekend and past few days, I have been doing a bit more golf, so I am getting more and more ready. I still need to put in a little more work at the range today, but I should be ready by tomorrow.”
In his last outing on the Asian Tour, he tied for 11th in the International Series Thailand last month.
Said Ratchanon: “I got a ton of exams, it’s building up because it’s almost June and I also have the SEA Games coming up, it’s not a big, big, tournament but it’s not me anymore this is for the country, and I don’t want to disappoint. I am doing two IGCSE subjects early, biology and economics so that’s also in May two days before I fly so I have to do extra schoolwork and extra golf so it’s probably the hardest time for me to balance the two right now. If I want to win, I need to practice more.”
This week’s ground-breaking tournament features 60 Asian Tour players and 60 LET players, along with 24 sponsor invitations, playing for the same prize fund and trophy. The only difference is the women are playing off forward tees.
Competitors will stay on for the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge next week at the same venue. The event will also boast a purse of US$750,000 and be jointly sanctioned by the two Tours.
Each tournament will offer Official World Golf Ranking points, and count towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit and LET’s Race to the Costa del Sol.
Sihwan Kim is leaving no room for complacency following his breakthrough win in the professional game at the International Series Thailand just over a month ago, which installed him as the Asian Tour’s current number one player.
The American is competing in this week’s US$750,000 Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup on the Waterside Course at Siam Country Club in Pattaya – an event jointly sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour (LET), which marks the first time the Asian Tour has staged a mixed event – and is looking to build on the momentum of his recent success.
“It feels good [to be number one] but I need to try and continue playing well, trying to do more work,” said the 33-year-old.
“I just took a lot of confidence from the win. Winning is good but I just need to keep on playing as well as I have been, it will be great to win more and finish number one on the Asian Tour Order of Merit but that comes in later in the year.”
Kim’s victory was the culmination of a fine run of form on the Asian Tour which saw him play in the final pairing on Sunday on three occassions. He failed to secure top spot in those events – he was joint second in the Royal’s Cup, joint fourth in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship, and fourth in the SMBC Singapore Open – but it proved to be an important learning experience.
“I think it was all the tournaments leading up to it that helped me win in the end. I had been close in Phuket and Singapore and getting more comfortable playing in the last group or second to last group,” he said.
HUA HIN-THAILAND- Sihwan Kim of the USA pictured with the winner’s trophy on Thursday March 6, 2022 after the final round of The International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club, Prachaubkhirikhan, Thailand. The US$ 1.5 million Asian Tour event is staged between March 3 – 6, 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“There was a huge sense of relieve. I had been close so many times before winning finally, and it was more of a relieve getting that monkey off my back rather than happiness that was my first emotion.”
He played the Qatar Masters before taking last week off and heads a strong line-up this week in a tournament featuring 60 Asian Tour players and 60 LET players, along with 24 sponsor invitations, playing for the same prize fund and trophy. The only difference is the women are playing off forward tees.
Added Kim: “I just plan to keep it in the fairway and stay hydrated. I don’t know how long this cool Pattaya weather will last but in Southeast Asian countries just keeping hydrated and getting some fuel and nutrition into you is very important.”
Competitors will stay on for the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge next week at the same venue. The event will also boast a purse of US$750,000 and be jointly sanctioned by the two Tours.
Each tournament will offer Official World Golf Ranking points, and count towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit and LET’s Race to the Costa del Sol.
The Asian Development Tour (ADT) and MENA Tour will break new ground in May, when they jointly-sanction four events in Phuket – which will be called the “Beautiful Thailand Swing”.
Four three-day events will take place over a span of three weeks at Laguna Golf Phuket and Blue Canyon Country Club, signifying the start of an emerging new relationship between the ADT and MENA Tours.
The ADT restarted last week with the Gurugram Challenge in India, where victory went to American Dodge Kemmer, following a two-year break caused by the pandemic.
“This marks another significant moment in our return,” said Cho Minn Thant, CEO & Commissioner, Asian Tour.
“The Asian Development Tour is an important part of our architecture and while it was encouraging to see it restart in India last week it is really exciting for it now to be building momentum and heading to Phuket for four events with our friends from the MENA Tour.”
Last year the Asian Tour entered a strategic partnership with the MENA Tour which will help facilitate the formation of one of the most comprehensive and innovative development tours in the modern game.
The “Beautiful Thailand Swing” represents the start of this process.
“We are truly excited to return to action next month. It’s been a long wait, but I am glad the hard work has paid off. Our members will have much to play for as the ‘Beautiful Thailand Swing’ will conclude our 2020+ season and the winner for the 2020+ ‘Journey to Jordan’ will be crowned,” said David Spencer, Commissioner, MENA Tour.
For the “Beautiful Swing Thailand” there will be a two-day gap between each event and players from both Tours will compete for a prize purse of US$75,000 in each tournament. The standard 36-hole cut of 50 professionals and ties applies.
PHUKET-THAILAND- A general view of Hole No 11 on Friday December 3, 2021 during round two of the Asian Tour’s Laguna Phuket Championship 2021 at Laguna Golf Phuket, with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The four-event swing will kick off at Laguna Golf Phuket with the Laguna Phuket Challenge starting on May 3, followed by the Laguna Phuket Cup which commences on May 8.
Players will then proceed to play the Blue Canyon Classic which will be held at the Lakes course of the Blue Canyon Country Club from May 13. The swing then concludes with the Blue Canyon Open which will be played at the Canyon course from May 18.
Blue Canyon Country Club and Laguna Golf Phuket successfully hosted the Asian Tour Phuket Series, which marked the Asian Tour’s return to action last November. Laguna Golf Phuket is also an Asian Tour Destination which has hosted multiple ADT events in the past.
The top 10 available professional players from the final 2020+ ‘Journey to Jordan’ will be invited to play in the next two ADT events following the Thailand swing. The winner of the 2020+ ‘Journey to Jordan’ will also receive an invitation to play in one of the upcoming Asian Tour ‘International Series’ tournaments in 2022.
The leading seven players on the final ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2023.
The Boonchu Ruangkit Championship, won by Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert in January 2020, will be counted as the opening event of the ADT new season.
Ends.
The International Series today announced a new date and venue for International Series England which will now be staged at Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort – one of the great golfing venues in the North of England. The US$2 million tournament, the ninth event on the Asian Tour schedule and the second International Series event, will be played at the famous venue from June 2-5, paving the way for the Asian Tour to break new ground and sanction an event in the UK for the first time.
The International Series England was originally slated to be played at the Centurion Club during the second week of June, but it was moved one week earlier to accommodate the LIV Golf Invitational at Centurion. Importantly, the re-scheduling will give competitors the chance to qualify for what will most likely be the most lucrative event of their careers. The exemptions will be:
- The top-three players from the cumulative International Series rankings, through Thailand and England, will gain starts at the LIV Golf Invitational.
- The top-two finishers in the International Series England not otherwise exempt will also play their way into the mega event.
- The top player on the Asian Tour Order of Merit at the time, along with the top two players from the 2020-21 final Order of Merit will also gain berths.
“This is a giant step forward for the Asian Tour and we are fortunate that the organisers have been able to accommodate the change in plans. The new date allows us to provide even greater rewards for the competitors. They are not only playing for the Asian Tour Order of Merit, but they will now also able to play their way into a series of ultra-lucrative events throughout the year,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.
“The Asian Tour is currently enjoying a remarkable period of growth and as a consequence we are able to give our members the opportunity to travel and play in new parts of the world. And, of course, to be able to visit an area which such great golfing heritage is of special significance and meaning.”
The ninth hole at the hunting course of Slaley Hall. Photo credit: Slaley Hall Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort
Slaley Hall is located in the Northumberland countryside and is a short drive away from Newcastle. Often described at the “Augusta of the North” the club boasts two courses: The Hunting and The Priestman. The venue hosted a European Tour event, The Great North Open, from 1996 to 2002 with Lee Westwood, Colin Montgomerie and Retief Goosen all enjoying a victory there.
“Having the opportunity to be part of this innovative event is exceptionally exciting for The QHotels Collection,” said Keith Pickard, Golf, Health Club and Spa Director for The QHotels Collection. “We have a wealth of experience in hosting tournaments and are delighted that Slaley Hall has been chosen as the official host venue. We have been very privileged to host some of the world’s top stars over the years and we are looking forward to welcoming the new generation of golf talent to Slaley Hall.”
American Sihwan Kim claimed victory in the International Series Thailand at Black Mountain Golf Club and currently leads the Asian Tour Order of Merit heading into next week’s Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup – one of two back-to-back events being jointly-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour. The Asian Tour will also be making stops in Korea and Japan prior to heading to England. The second half of the year will see stops in Korea, Vietnam, and Indonesia before heading to the Middle East and then culminating in China, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
The International Series – new top-tier tournaments integrated with the Asian Tour schedule – was launched this year and will see 10 events played each year for the next decade.
“We are already breaking boundaries with The International Series as we make our second stop of the season in the UK – a first for the Asian Tour. It was our mission from the outset to grow the game globally, and I am proud to deliver on our promise,” said Greg Norman. “The opportunity and pathways that this presents for players on the Asian Tour – both from a financial and playing perspective – cannot be understated. I will be anxiously following along to see who will get the life changing invite into the LIV Golf event the following week.”
In October last year, Norman was announced as CEO of LIV Golf Investments – a newly formed company whose purpose is to holistically improve the health of professional golf on a truly global scale to help unlock the sports’ untapped worldwide potential. LIV Golf Investments provided US$300 million in seed money to the Asian Tour to launch The International Series. PIF, one of the world’s largest and most impactful sovereign wealth funds with a diverse international investment portfolio, is the majority shareholder in LIV Golf Investments.
Additional dates and locations for 2022-2023 International Series events to be announced soon.
As Panuphol Pittayarat explains in his entry for his March diary he has only just started playing again as he battles a shoulder injury. “Coconut”, as best we know him, has had cryotherapy, physiotherapy and dry needle treatment plus more to try and get back on Tour, and while he is still not 100% he does plan to compete in next week’s Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in Pattaya.
March
Since my diary last month, I was hoping to be able to play the International Series Thailand at Black Mountain, but unfortunately, I wasn’t able to because of my [shoulder] injury. I took a long break and decided to rest instead.
I was basically out of action from the Monday of Royal’s Cup week until just four or five days ago. At the moment I still have some pain after I hit balls, but I think it’s getting better because I know how to treat it now.
I went to do a lot of stuff to try to fix it during the time off. Physiotherapy of course, but also cryotherapy at the place where Jacob Fleck, who caddies for Joohyung Kim, used to work. Cryotherapy is an ice-cold chamber; you go in there and it’s minus 140C degrees and you stay in there for three minutes. I went to do some dry needles treatment too.
I actually also went to Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok and got injected with some medicine. I’m not sure what they put in me, so I don’t want to guess what it was called. It was some pain relief medicine I think, but it hasn’t really helped me that much. I probably went to see four or five doctors during this whole time off.
Now I am doing better, and I have just started practicing again for the last four or five days. At the moment, it’s kind of a bit tight again. They call what I have a bulging disc, it’s kind of slipped out a bit. Maybe the same thing that Tiger Woods had years ago. It’s in the C4, C5 and C6 vertebrae which is where it goes into my neck, shoulder and shoulder blades.
Next week I am going to play the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in Pattaya. No matter what, I will be there. I’m just going to go see what I can do with what I have at the moment. I’m confident that I’m going to be playing, but I’m not very confident with my A-swing, my A-game because it’s still a little bit in there, the pain, but I’m going to try to get some medicine for pain relief and then go with it.
I’m probably not going to be swinging my strongest swing, but I’ll give it a go. I need to play golf again, I’m sick of staying at home. I could go at full speed if I want, but if I do there’s going to be pain. I could probably hit it 70% right now, and it’s not going to be a lot of turning or a lot of bending. It’s probably going to be like an old man’s swing. Yeah, I might be doing an old man’s swing haha.
During the time off I watched the International Series Thailand on TV, I watched Phachara Khongwatmai a lot during that whole week. Last week I caught the highlights from The DGC Open, Delhi Golf Club looked tough! It was good to see Nitithorn Thippong get his first Asian Tour win, he’s been working hard on his game and practicing a lot, so it was very well deserved. He got his chance to win, and he took it. Delhi Golf Club is not really a power game course, but you have to be very precise. It’s also the same course Kiradech Aphibarnrat got his first Asian Tour win on back in 2011, so maybe it’s a good sign for him.
I haven’t been able to do any cycling lately, but I’ve been doing a lot of walking, a lot of it! Because I haven’t done it for a while, it would be hard to walk 18 holes for, you know, four or five days in a row next week. I learned this lesson from quarantining in Japan last year. I stayed in the room for two weeks, and when I went out to play again, I could barely walk. I never knew that golf was hard to walk until I stopped walking.
During the time off I’ve been very careful about COVID. I haven’t had lunch or any meals with friends; I haven’t played golf with anyone else; haven’t sat around with a lot of people. A lot of people around me got COVID but they all recovered and are fine again now.
That’s it for now, wish me luck in Pattaya!
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