It was in January of 2017 when India’s gifted young golfer Shubhankar Sharma last competed in Singapore, at the SMBC Singapore Open ‒ it was his first experience playing one of the great National Opens on the Asian Tour.

Sharma, then just 20, was getting a feel for golf at the highest level and impressively finished tied 11^th. At the time he was ranked 454^th in the world.

A lot has happened since then: in his career, in the golfing world, and the world in general.

At one point Sharma rose as high as 64^th in the world – interestingly in the week of his own National Open, the Hero Indian Open.

And as he rose up the world rankings, he also got a taste of bigger events: including the Majors and the WGCs. Stardom beckoned. He even led the WGC-Mexico Championship after 54 holes in 2018.

“It all happened so fast in a year’s time,” recalled Sharma.

At the end of 2018 he was crowned the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, and he was straddling between the European Tour and Asian Tour, with a greater lean towards the former.

Yet, he says, and the conversation indicates, his heart holds a huge place for the Asian Tour.

So, Sharma is “super excited” in his own words to come back to the Lion City for next week’s The Singapore International at Tanah Merah Country Club ‒ the penultimate event of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season.

He says: “I missed the Asian Tour a lot. I have very fond memories and then it has been two years [since he last played on the Asian Tour], but it feels like yesterday when I played my last event there. All my friends are there. I know the golf courses, I love the cities we play in Asia and the environment is so different from what I have experienced in Europe or in America – it’s a family feeling that you get when you play on the Asian Tour. Personally, I missed it a lot. That’s why I decided to go and play in Singapore and I’m very happy that I’m going.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – FEBRUARY 04: Shubhankar Sharma of India poses with the trophy after winning the Maybank Championship Malaysia at Saujana Golf and Country Club on February 4, 2018 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

“I feel the players are very good; the competition is very high. I genuinely missed it and hence I thought I’ll go and play there. It will be a nice week and at the same time it will be competitive at the start of my season.”

As for any special memories of Singapore? “I have not played as often in Singapore as I would have like to. But I love the city,” he says.

“I also have great memories of neighbouring Malaysia. That [the win in the Maybank Championship in 2018] was life changing for me at that time; to win and go up higher in the world ranking it was something that I really needed at that time to get myself on the European Tour.”

For the past two years Sharma has played in Europe ‒ carefully navigating his way through COVID life.

“With events getting put off in Asia as different countries had different regulations, I decided to go to Europe for a few events,” he said.

“But that initial plan to go for a month or so got extended. There was no way I could get back home so that trip got extended from a month to six and a half months. So, in the beginning there was a lot of struggle, to mentally get used to it, and the bubble was also very strict.

NAIROBI, KENYA – MARCH 16: Shubhankar Sharma of India plays a shot during practice prior to the start of the Magical Kenya Open at Karen Country Club on March 16, 2021 in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

“Then they eased it a little bit after July-August but in the first few months it was very strict and that was really tough for me especially when I wasn’t playing well, so just coming back (to the room), sitting and staring at the walls not knowing what was happening.

“But the second half of the season after the Scottish Open was great. I could figure out a few things in my swing and even mentally I was in a state where I was making lesser mistakes and even if I was making them, I was able to bounce back very quickly.”

He was also able to get back home to India last year and play the Tata PGTI event, where he tied fourth.

He said: “The last time I played an event in India was in 2019 and then in 2020 nothing. So I was very happy to be there. The PGTI event was a relaxed week for me. It was like old times. It was a lot of fun as we are all childhood buddies like Khalin, Chikkarangappa, Honey (Baisoya) and others, who all play on Asian Tour now. I mean all the people that I used to play with were there, so it was just very good and a lot of fun after the round.”

As for the recent off-season, of about four or five weeks, he said: “I spent some time with my coaches Jesse Grewal and Gurbaaz and physical trainer Sagar Diwan and with my physiotherapist Dr. Ravinder. It has put me in good shape, and I am raring to tee it up in Singapore.”

Thailand’s 14-year-old golf phenom Ratchanon Chantananuwat will add another arrow to his quiver this month when he competes in both The Singapore International and the SMBC Singapore Open to mark the first time he has played in professional events outside of his country.

The amateur star made a huge impression on both the Asian Tour and All Thailand Golf Tour last year and has been invited to play in both tournaments, with the first teeing off next week on the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club from January 13-16, followed by Singapore’s national Open at Sentosa Golf Club from January 20-23.

“I’m very excited,” said Ratchanon, nicknamed “TK” ‒ the first name initials of his father and mother.

“I’m a bit pressured to be honest and definitely nervous as well. But I’m just going to enjoy myself as much as possible. It’s a new experience for me.”

There were few signs of nerves last year when the junior star was regularly in the headlines.

In the Asian Tour Phuket Series in November and December ‒ the two events that marked the restart of the Asian Tour following a 20-month hiatus caused by COVID-19 ‒ he upstaged the field in the Blue Canyon Championship by closing with a 65 to finish 12 under and tie 15^th before ending joint 30th at the Laguna Phuket Championship.

Equally impressively, Ratchanon Chantananuwat, who attends Shrewsbury International School in Bangkok, came close to winning on the All Thailand Golf Tour: he was second in the Singha Laguna Phuket Open, equal third in the Singha Thailand Masters and joint fifth in the Singha All Thailand Championship.

PHUKET-THAILAND- L-R- Jaturon Himathongkom – Vice Chairman, Asian Tour and Ratchanon Chantananuwat, amateur, of Thailand pictured with the Low Amateur Award on Sunday, November 28, 2021, after 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.

He said: “I’m really happy with how 2021 turned out. Yes, I could have won but I’m happy with how I managed myself being in contention and putting myself in contention in the first place! I think I’ve done pretty good for the past tournaments. I’m hitting it further and my ball striking is a bit better. Overall, I’ve improved a bit in every component as a player so I’m happy with how I played last year.”

The rising star is grateful for the support he has received from many of Thailand’s big-name players.

“I’m a really lucky kid that I’ve got the experience from playing with a lot of good players like Prom Meesawat and Thongchai Jaidee,” he adds.

“The advice I’ve taken from most of them is to have fun out there. I’m still an amateur and it’s going to be first time playing outside of the country, so I won’t pressure myself too much. My golfing idol is Thongchai Jaidee. I’m lucky I got to practise with him and experience golf with him. He’s not just a great player who has won multiple times on the Asian Tour, he’s also a really nice guy and he definitely tries to share what he has with me, and I think I’m really lucky with that and it’s really very valuable.”

This year’s Singapore Open Amateur champion Ryan Ang and fellow Singapore national squad players Justin Kuk and Brandon Han will be the other leading amateurs competing in the SMBC Singapore Open.

The Singapore International and the SMBC Singapore Open are the 2020-21 season ending events on the Asian Tour.

PHUKET-THAILAND – Ratchanon Chantananuwat of Thailand pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead 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.

Singapore’s Abdul Hadi made it a clean sweep of titles on the Singapore Pro Series Invitational Presented by FTAG on January 6, 2022 after claiming the eighth and final leg to secure the fledging circuit’s Order of Merit.

The rising star shot a five-under-par 66 on the Serapong Course at Sentosa Golf Club to finish the two-day event on eight under and beat countryman Jesse Yap by three shots.

Impressively, it was Abdul Hadi’s third victory in a row on the circuit and he also picked up the special prize for finishing with the most birdies.

The victory is perfect preparation for his participation in next week’s The Singapore International and the following week’s SMBC Singapore Open ‒ the 2020-21 season-ending events on the Asian Tour.

“It’s my hard work paying off!” said former national squad member Hadi, who is affiliated to Sentosa Golf Club.

“I’ve been working hard on my game, my swing, my putting, my mental game and it’s nice to see it pay off in the last three legs of this series. I was just trying to apply what I worked on when I practiced and it came out good.”

Abdul Hadi ended top of the Merit list with earnings of S$12,300 ‒ for which he also received a bonus of S$10,000.

In addition, he won S$3,000 for topping the most of number of birdies table with 61 over the eight legs.

And while Abdul Hadi will be savouring his win today, he is fully aware of how important the next two weeks are: first at Tanah Merah Country Club, and then on the Serapong once more.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster playing well on the Serapong for the last three legs especially, but I just have to not think of what’s at stake and just keep doing what I’m doing,” he said.

“The biggest thing would be to have two solid weeks and hopefully get my Asian Tour card. That’s the biggest thing, to secure playing rights for next season.”

First-round leader Yap shot 70 while Singapore amateur Ryan Ang, this year’s Singapore Open Amateur champion, finished in third place one stroke further behind following a 68.

Yap is also now fully focused on the next two weeks, he said: “I feel like with the shortened season on the Asian tour there’s still a big opportunity to make a big move up the money list, so I’d be very happy with top 10 both weeks. If I can finish in the top five or top three in one of the weeks that would be huge. Just trying not to put too much pressure on myself as well and just trying to take it one shot at a time.”

Singapore’s Gregory Foo was second on the Merit list while his compatriot Mardan Mamat was third.

Charlie Wi is relishing the prospect of what promises to be a nostalgic return to his professional golfing roots this month.

A dominant force on the Asian Tour from the late 1990s through much of the first decade of the new millennium, Korean-born Wi is aiming to turn back the clock during a two-week spell in Singapore.

“I have really fond memories of Singapore and my friends there. It’s such a beautiful country, and I can’t wait to go back. It’s been a while,” said Wi, who last appeared in the Lion City 16 years ago.

At that time, he was a regular presence on PGA Tour leaderboards.

“The last time I played in Singapore was in 2006. It [Singapore Open] was played in the fall and it was really wet. The PGA Tour season had ended. In Singapore, it was wet, the rough was high and there were some very challenging tee shots,” recalled Wi.

While Australian Adam Scott made a successful title defence over the Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course, Charlie Wi struggled to acclimatise to conditions and finished 70th.

Although he turned 50 on Monday and has his eyes set on the lucrative PGA Tour Champions, Wi’s immediate focus is on the Asian Tour and back-to-back events in Singapore – The Singapore International at Tanah Merah Country Club (January 13-16) followed by the SMBC Singapore Open at Sentosa (January 20-23).

Joint third in the Singapore Open in 2000 and 2001 and equal third in the Singapore Masters in 2006, Wi said: “I am not just thinking about Champions Tour and pretty much want to play full time on the Asian Tour. I want to compete as much as possible as I have not really competed full time since the end of 2016.

ORLANDO, FL – MARCH 24: Tiger Woods (R) shakes hands with Charlie Wi of Korea following the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 24, 2012 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)

“Golf is a constant challenge. I want to play steady golf and use the events (in Singapore) to make sure my game is ready to compete. I had a chance to win the last time I played in Malaysia (2020 Bandar Malaysia Open).”

Wi’s last three outings on the Asian Tour were joint seventh at the Hong Kong Open, equal 70th at the New Zealand Open and a tied fourth finish at the Bandar Malaysia Open. The two top-10s leave him sitting 18^th on the Order or Merit.

Wi doesn’t believe age is a barrier to future success and is adamant he can add to his tally of victories on the continent. He said: “I definitely want to win something. I want to give myself the best chance possible.

“I know the guys in Asia are really good, as they were on the Korn Ferry Tour. Last year was quite eye-opening because players were hitting it 20 to 40 yards by me. The game really has changed a lot.

“I had to step up my game and hit it a little further … but at the same time I don’t want to hit it 10 yards further and lose accuracy. It’s quite a challenge. As you get older, you slow down. I am trying to make sure I maintain my speed and my flexibility.”

A graduate of the University of California, Berkley, Wi attained First Team All American Honours in 1995, boasting the third lowest stroke average, only Tiger Woods and Stewart Cink finishing ahead of him.

Having relinquished his amateur status in 1995, Wi celebrated his maiden professional triumph at the Asian Tour’s Mild Seven Kuala Lumpur Open in 1997.

Between 2001 and 2006, he savoured eight more victories on Asian soil, including the Volvo China Open and SK Telecom Open in 2001, when he placed second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – JUNE 15: Charlie Wi of South Korea hits a shot on the 11th hole during the second round of the 112th U.S. Open at The Olympic Club on June 15, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

In 2006, Wi won the Maybank Malaysian Open, a co-sanction between the Asian Tour and European Tour, before enjoying his best year on the PGA Tour in 2008 when he posted 11 top-25 finishes, four of which were top-10s.

That same year, in his first career Major championship, Wi was paired with eventual champion Padraig Harrington and runner-up Sergio Garcia in the final round of the PGA Championship. Wi tied for ninth.

By Spencer Robinson, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour.

The inaugural Royal’s Cup will take place this year at Grand Prix Golf Club, located in Kanchanaburi, and be one of the events that will help raise the curtain on the Asian Tour’s exciting new season.

Offering overall prizemoney of US$400,000 the event will be played from February 24-27 and will be the first full-field Asian Tour event staged in Thailand in 2022.

The tournament was originally scheduled to take place in March 2020 but was postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event will now form part of an exciting series of early events on the 2022 Asian Tour schedule – which is due to be released later in the month.

Dr Prachin Eamlumnow, Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Grand Prix International Public Ltd Company said: “After nearly two years, we are glad that we can finally host the event next month.”

“It’s our aim to promote Thailand as a world-class golfing destination and develop the game here through the staging of this event, held in honour of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun (Rama X), and to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of Grand Prix International Public Company Limited in 2020.”

“With lucrative prizes on offer, we are confident that it will be an exciting week of golf not only for the players but also all the fans watching the live broadcast,” he added.

The tournament is promoted by Grand Prix International, the company behind the Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) which has been a major event on Thailand’s automotive scene for over 40 years.

In addition to the lucrative purse, a number of the latest model of sponsors cars will be on offer as Hole-In-One prizes on every par three (holes 3, 5, 12 and 16), as well as prizes for Albatrosses on holes 2, 14 and 18.

The first player to achieve the feat on one of these holes will drive home one of the event sponsors vehicles which are: Toyota, Mitsubishi, Mazda, MG and Isuzu.

Asian Tour Commissioner and CEO, Cho Minn Thant said: “We are very thankful to Grand Prix International for their commitment and are truly grateful for their patience over the past two years as we battled with the pandemic.

“It’s an honour to align with a respected and highly-regarded organiser like Grand Prix International and we are delighted that they have chosen to host their first professional golf event with the Asian Tour.”

The Royal’s Cup will also mark the Tour’s maiden visit to Kanchanaburi, a town steeped in World War II history and situated approximately three-hours drive from Bangkok.

The Asian Tour confirmed today they have entered a strategic partnership with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Tour which will help facilitate the formation of one of the most comprehensive and innovative development tours in the modern game.

Based on a collective desire to consolidate their respective platforms, this new alliance will see the Asian Tour’s popular tier-two circuit, the Asian Development Tour (ADT), align with the MENA Tour ‒ with the ultimate goal of merging in 2023.

Next year will be a season of transition with the intention to stage a number of ADT and MENA Tour co-sanctioned tournaments before the end of Q2, which will provide equal playing opportunities to both sets of Members.

And, in 2023 the ADT and MENA Tour will then unify to become a single and formidable platform from which players can graduate to the main Tour. Competitors will be able to access the new development tour through the Asian Tour Qualifying School.

“We want to create an amplified pan-Asian development pathway by 2023 feeding directly into the Asian Tour,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

“The Asian Development Tour has always been an intrinsic part of our ecosystem and this new partnership with our friends at the MENA Tour is a forward-thinking statement of intent to build a combined property for the betterment of professional golf across the length and breadth of our region.”

Earlier in the year both Tours announced plans to increase dialogue on ways of working together but as tournament golf in the region has slowly started to return, they felt the time was right to accelerate their co-operative plans.

“This is the most significant development for the MENA Tour since its inception in 2011,” said David Spencer, Commissioner, MENA Tour.

“As the only Official World Golf Ranking Tour based in the Middle East our goal has always been to encourage, identify and nurture talent from all corners of the world to experience golf in the region which we are so proud of. We have worked closely with the Asian Tour, Cho Minn Thant and his team to create an alliance that underpins a unique and strong pathway for our members. We are intensely proud of our new alliance with the Asian Tour, and I look forward to seeing it flourish over the coming years.”

The Asian Development Tour is hoping to stage 10-12 events in 2022 ‒ an important number of these with the MENA Tour. Dialogue and strategic planning will now continue at pace with the objective to optimise opportunities for all players and where possible try to minimise the amount of travel between tournaments to make it cost effective and safer for competitors.

The Asian Tour restarted last month with back-to-back events in Phuket which saw invitations to MENA Tour members at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship and Laguna Phuket Championship. Further invitations have been extended to MENA Tour members for next month’s The Singapore International ‒ the penultimate event of the 2020-21 season.

Ends.

The SMBC Singapore Open will make a welcome return in 2022, and with an increased prize purse of US$1.25 million, up from the US$1 million previously on offer. The event will once again take place on the Serapong Course at the Sentosa Golf Club from 20 to 23 January.

After a hiatus in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Singapore’s premier men’s championship will be the final event of the 2020/21 Asian Tour season. The tournament, jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization, will decide who will be crowned The Asian Tour Order of Merit winner.

Said Ross Tan, President of the Singapore Golf Association: “The SMBC Singapore Open has always been a highlight on the local sporting calendar, and organisers have worked with the relevant authorities to create a truly unrivalled experience under the circumstances and in the safest possible manner. We look forward to welcoming the players back to Singapore and are confident of staging another successful edition of the SMBC Singapore Open.”

Andy Johnston – General Manager and Director of Agronomy, Sentosa Golf Club said: ““We are very excited to host and welcome the players back to Sentosa Island and Sentosa Golf Club again for the SMBC Singapore Open. Since we last hosted the tournament, we have made many improvements to The Serapong and we are very much looking forward to the players experiencing and enjoying the changes we have made.”

The Serapong was voted best course on Tour in 2019,

Public health and safety remain the highest priority during the event and organisers, SPORTFIVE, have been working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure that all protocols will be followed .

Picture by Paul Lakatos/SPORTFIVE.

All players and officials will adhere to strict protocols including pre-departure tests and tests on arrival. Working closely with both Sentosa Golf Club and Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, Singapore, SPORTFIVE will ensure the highest level of preparedness. All onsite personnel will also undergo all necessary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of all parties. It is unlikely there will be spectators allowed but limited hospitality is being planned. More details will be shared later.

Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Commissioner and CEO said: “We are very pleased that the SMBC Singapore Open will be returning in 2022. The tournament has always been popular among players and fans, and we are confident that event organisers and partners are working hard to put together a high-quality event that is safe for all involved.”

Isao Aoki, Chairman of the Japan Golf Tour Organization said: “The SMBC Singapore Open 2020 was the opening event of the 2020 Japan Golf Tour Organization. We are delighted to be starting our year in Singapore again in 2022 and resuming the Tour in style. We appreciate the tournament organisers’ efforts to ensure the safe return of professional golf to Singapore and look forward to watching some of the world’s top golfers in action at Sentosa Golf Club.”

Singapore’s flagship golf tournament has a storied history and has consistently attracted some of golf’s biggest names since its inaugural edition in 1961. Stars who have competed here most recently include then-world No. 1 Jordan Spieth in 2016, and 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia ‒ who won the 2018 title. Updates on the players who will feature in the 2022 event will be shared soon.
The 2020 edition of the SMBC Singapore Open took place from January 16-19 on Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong Course. Matt Kuchar, the bronze medallist from the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, pulled off a stunning comeback in the final round to win the tournament with an 18-under par total, turning the tables on gold medallist Justin Rose, who finished second, three shots back at 15-under par.

Picture by Paul Lakatos/SPORTFIVE.