Sadom shines on day two
Thailand’s in-form young star Sadom Kaewkanjana equaled Australian Greg Norman’s course record on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club today with an imperious eight-under-par 64, and although it could not be counted as an official record because preferred lies were played he still stormed to the top of the leaderboard at the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship.
Eight brilliant birdies ‒ three on the front, five on the back ‒ saw him move into the lead on 12 under par by a stroke from American John Catlin, the first-round leader, who shot 68.
Korean Sihwan Kim and Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang are a stroke further behind after rounds of 66 and 68 respectively ‒ in an event that marks the resumption of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season, following a 20-month hiatus caused by the pandemic.
“My game today is pretty good,” said 23-year-old Sadom, whose round also matched South African Anton Haig’s 64 from the 2007 Johnnie Walker Classic.
“Especially iron play and putting. I hit close to the pin and made many birdies. And I have only missed one fairway this week.”
Sadom has claimed four titles on the All Thailand Golf Tour in the past two months including the Thailand Open and looks like being the man to beat this week, along with Catlin.
He added: “Initially this week I was just focusing on making the cut, but I am changing my game plan for tomorrow and looking to go further.”
PHUKET-THAILAND- John Catlin of the USA pictured on Friday, November 26, 2021 during round two of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Catlin carded a sublime 65 to take the first-round lead yesterday and stayed in the hunt today thanks to six birdies and just two dropped shots.
“I played well today but need to go to the range and work on a few things,” said Catlin.
“It was a very early start today. I was up at 4.30am and we didn’t get back until late last night, so I basically went straight to bed. But it’s great to be in this position and have a chance at the weekend.”
Joohyung Kim, the 19-year-old Korean star, came in with a 67 and is four off the lead.
Australian Wade Ormsby, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, shot a 69 and is six off the pace, while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond ‒ the reigning Merit list champion ‒ returned a 72 to surprisingly miss the cut, made at one under, by four.
Thailand’s 14-year-old golf prodigy Ratchanon Chantananuwat signed for a 72 to become the third youngest player to make the cut on the Asian Tour. He’s on one under par and as the only amateur to survive the halfway cut has secured the low amateur award.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Ratchanon Chantananwat of Thailand, amateur, pictured on Friday, November 26, 2021 during round two 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.
“I am capable of playing better but I scrambled well. It’s my first Asian Tour event and I have basically loved being here since Monday,” said the youngster.
In 2010 Jazz became the youngest player, at age 14 years 71 days, to make the cut in an Asian Tour event at the Asian Tour International in Bangkok, as an amateur.
This week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship will be followed by the Laguna Phuket Championship next week at Laguna Golf Phuket.
Both Phuket events boast prizemoney of US$1million and will be followed by two events being planned in Singapore in January that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
John Catlin calls Thailand his second home and you could see why today after he fired a four-under-par 68 to open up a one-shot lead mid-way through round two of the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship at Blue Canyon Country Club.
The American carded a sublime 65 to take the first-round lead yesterday and stayed out in front this morning thanks to six birdies and just two dropped shots.
He has the clubhouse lead on 11 under from Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang with half the field still out on the course on Friday.
“I played well today but need to go to the range and work on a few things,” said Catlin, who based himself in Hua Hin, Thailand, when he played regularly on the Asian Tour from 2016 to 2019.
“It was a very early start today. I was up at 4.30am and we didn’t get back until late last night, so I basically went straight to bed. But it’s great to be in this position and have a chance at the weekend.”
PHUKET-THAILAND- Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei makes a heart symbol with his hands on the 14th tee box on Friday, November 26, 2021 during round two of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Chan also shot a 68 which, impressively, was bogey-free.
He said: “I hit all 14 fairways today, I hit my driver very well. Nice to get a bogey-free round. I didn’t putt as well as I did yesterday. Missed a few short outs out there. The greens seem to be faster this morning.”
Korean Joohyung Kim came in with a 67 and is three behind Catlin, while Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand and Qualifying School graduate Bjorn Hellgren from Sweden are a stroke further back.
Australian Travis Smyth finished in a blaze of glory by making birdie on his last five holes for a 65 to move to six under.
“I think I have had five in a row before, but never to finish a round,” he said.
Preferred lies are being played so his brilliant birdie run cannot be counted as equaling the Tour’s most birdies to finish a round.
That record is held by Malaysian Nicholas Fung who closed with a quintuplet at the 2016 Resorts World Manila Masters in the final round.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Joohyun Kim of Korea pictured on Friday, November 26, 2021 during round two 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.
John Catlin had the honour of taking the clubhouse lead in the first round played on the Asian Tour in 20 months when he carded a seven-under-par 65 in the US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship today at Blue Canyon Country Club.
On a jubilant first day back for the Tour following a long period of uncertainty caused by the pandemic, the American shot a dazzling round consisting of two eagles and three birdies ‒ on the famous Canyon Course.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and South African Ian Snyman also impressed with 66s to sit in second place, while Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai fired a 67.
Catlin has been in inspired form over the past three years ‒ claiming four Asian Tour titles and three European Tour wins ‒ and gave another masterclass today.
“I made a few long ones, I just happened to play good. And I took advantage of the par fives,” said the 31-year-old Californian.
He eagled the par-five ninth after holing a 30 footer following a brave three-iron second shot, and later eagled the par-five 15th after nailing a three wood to nine feet.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei pictured on Thursday, November 25, 2021, during round one of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The American based himself in Hua Hin, Thailand, when he played on the Asian Tour and this week’ marks the first time he has been back in well over a year.
“Last time I was here was in May 2020. Feels great, like I have been saying for the past four years it feels like a second home,” he added.
He first made a name for himself by winning three times on the Asian Tour in 2018, followed by another in 2019; and he has achieved global recognition since then with three wins in Europe.
Chan recorded four runner-up finishes on his domestic circuit before finally claiming a victory in September. He came in runner-up again in last week’s Yeangder TPC ‒ an event normally played on the Asian Tour but wasn’t this year because of covid.
“It’s been so long since we last came out to play. I am really excited this week. I’ve been playing well back home and the competitions have kept my game in shape,” said Chan, who won twice on the Asian Tour in 2016.
“My wife gave birth to my baby son six months ago. It was good that I could spend time with them at home during the pandemic. But now, it’s time to work hard again.”
Five players shot 68: Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana, India’s Shiv Kapur and S. Chikkarangappa, American Paul Peterson, and Sihwan Kim from Korea.
Nine players were unable to finish round because of bad light.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand pictured on Thursday, November 25, 2021, during round one 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.
This week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship will be followed by the Laguna Phuket Championship next week at Laguna Golf Phuket.
Both Phuket events boast prizemoney of US$1million and will be followed by two events being planned in Singapore in January that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
Jazz Janewattananond is finally back home in Thailand, properly ‒ to compete in the Asian Tour Phuket Series ‒ having been away for nearly two years, with the exception of two quick pitstops when he was mainly in quarantine, and nothing could make him happier.
“It’s really good to be back in Thailand!” said Jazz, at Blue Canyon Country Club today ‒ where he is competing in this week’s US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship.
“I haven’t been back here to spend proper time in a while. This has been a real nice change. I am just very grateful to be back on home soil, speaking the language.”
Jazz flew in from Dubai where he tied for fourth in the AVIV Dubai Championship on the DP World Tour and is hoping to become the first player to successfully defend the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown, having claimed the Merit title in 2019. This week’s event is one of four tournaments that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
“I did a couple of quarantines but didn’t spend much time here, just doing some things like pick up my passport. I finished quarantine and left straight away. I was in the hotel then left basically. It’s not like I stayed at home or anything,” added Jazz, who is currently fifth on the Order of Merit.
Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The last occasion he spent time in Thailand was before the Dubai Desert Classic last year.
He added: “It’s been a long road. It’s been a tiring two years. I am going to use this time to take a break and fresh. Since I got back to Thailand it’s been about spending time with family, eating food, enjoying the culture again, enjoying the people.”
He has been grouped with Scott Hend from Australia ‒ a 10-time winner on the Asian Tour ‒ and Malaysian number one Gavin Green for the first two days. They will tee-off tomorrow on the 10th tee at 7.15am.
Jazz, who celebrates his 26th birthday on Friday, is a six-time winner on the Asian Tour ‒ four of which came in 2019.
The Asian Tour Phuket Series events starts with this week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship and is followed by next week’s Laguna Phuket Championship, from December 2-5.
Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thailand’s latest golf prodigy, 14-year-old Ratchanon Chantananuwat, will make his debut on the Asian Tour this week at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship ‒ being played on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club ‒ with his “full attention” on golf while carefully balancing a busy schedule of online classes.
“I did some online physics and English classes on Tuesday morning as I played 18 on Monday and had to miss a double English session,” said the amateur star, who is doing his IGCEs at Shrewsbury International School in Bangkok.
“Obviously it should be 50/50 for the most part but at certain times I have to focus on one thing or another depending what is more important at the time. For example, right now I have to pretty much put my full attention on these two events, therefore I am prioritising golf and practice way more than school.”
He is also playing in next week’s Laguna Phuket Championship at Laguna Golf Phuket ‒ both Asian Tour Phuket Series events mark the resumption of the Tour’s 2020-21 season, after a 20-month hiatus caused by the pandemic.
“TK”, as he is nicknamed, has taken the All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT) by storm this year, particularly when the Tour visited the same two Phuket venues a few months ago.
PHUKET-THAILAND – Ratchanon Chantananuwat of Thailand pictured with his father / caddy Tara, 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.
He was second in the Singha Laguna Phuket Open, at Laguna Golf Phuket, and joint fifth in the Singha All Thailand Championship here on the Canyon Course.
The talented youngster was also the leading amateur in the Thailand Open last month, after finishing in a tie for 16th; he’s actually finished as the top amateur in six successive ATGT events.
He is also the youngest player to make the cut on the ATGT at 13 years, four months and 18 days.
However, despite all the success and attention he has stayed grounded and remained focused on his school work.
“I know if I spend a bit of time revising and talking to my teachers I can catch up. Depending on my tee times this week, if early or late, I can slot in a period to study,” he added.
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.
“My game is ok. I just want to make sure I am dialled in because if I want to do well then the driver’s got to be on point, hitting has to be on point, I have to make the putts, put my irons close, everything has to be as good as possible.”
Of note, he was the third-round leader at the Singha All Thailand Championship so he knows all about the Canyon Course.
“Obviously, this is my first Asian Tour event, I am aware that the players are really good, there’s a lot of top players here, so I am just mainly focusing on myself. I have played well at these clubs at the recent ATGT events,” said Ratchanon, whose father Tara will caddie for him.
“It feels really good to finish as best amateur six times in a row, I am just trying to go for the big one now.”
Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana will look to capitalise on a brilliant purple patch, which has seen him win four times in two months, when he competes in this week’s US$1million Blue Canyon Phuket Championship ‒ in what is the Asian Tour’s first event back after a 19-month hiatus because of the pandemic.
Two wins on the All Thailand Golf Tour in October and two this month ‒ including the Thailand Open ‒ have propelled the 23-year-old into the spotlight but further success is far from the rising star’s thoughts at the moment.
“I felt a lot of pressure when I won the tournaments over the past four months,” said Sadom.
“So, I don’t want to feel like that this week. I just want to make the cut first. I just focus on enjoying the game and don’t think about the result.”
Sadom is already a winner on the Asian Tour having claimed the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open in 2019 ‒ having made it through Qualifying School that year he became the fastest graduate to win on Tour ‒ but victory this week in a tournament featuring an impressive line-up would be a huge step up.
PHUKET-THAILAND – Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Scott Hend from Australia, American John Catlin, Malaysian Gavin Green and teenage Korean star Joohyung Kim are just some of the leading players competing.
He added: “I don’t think about winning or anything like that because that puts a lot of pressure on me.”
Apart from some slight adjustments to his short game he’s not able identify exactly why his form has peaked recently.
“I don’t really know why I have been playing so well. I am just trying to enjoy the game, each tournament, every round. I just focus on my game, shot by shot. I haven’t really changed anything, but just improved my short game,” he said.
“Last year my short game was so so but this year I had more time to practice my short game. I just changed my set up a little bit and I am more confident.”
The Blue Canyon Phuket Championship tees-off on Thursday on the Canyon Course at Blue Canyon Country Club, while the Laguna Phuket Championship will be staged the following week at Laguna Golf Phuket.
Sadom won at both of those venues in October, although his win at Blue Canyon came on the Lakes Course.
PHUKET-THAILAND – Sadom Kaewkanjana 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
When he claimed the Thailand Open earlier this month he became only the sixth player from Thailand to lift the famous trophy.
Both Phuket events boast prizemoney of US$1million and will be followed by two events being planned in Singapore in January that will bring to a conclusion the 2020-21 season.
Miguel Tabuena has returned from a long stint in the United States to compete in this week’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship and says he is aiming to be in contention on Sunday despite limited playing opportunities this year.
The two-time Asian Tour winner has been camped in Washington for much of the year and has just got back to the region for a tournament that marks the resumption of the Asian Tour’s 2020-21 season.
“I have recovered from a bit of jetlag,” said the Filipino.
“Today was the first time this week I didn’t wake up before three, which was pretty good.”
He has been starved of playing opportunities because of the pandemic, but when he has competed he has seized the opportunity, including winning an event in September run by the PGA of America.
“The game is there. I’ve been seven or eight months away from this heat. I am just trying to preserve my body as well as I can although I am pretty used to it and I know what to expect,” added the 27-year-old, who has been practicing regularly with PGA Tour player Cam Davis from Australia while in the States.
“I have to hydrate a bit more this week. So, this week is more about maintaining my body.”
PHUKET-THAILAND – Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, ahead of the Asian Tour’s Blue Canyon Phuket Championship 2021 at the Blue Canyon Country Club, (Canyon Course), with a prize fund of US$ 1 Million. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour
The second of his Asian Tour wins actually came in Thailand at the Queen’s Cup in 2018 so he is in a good space this week.
“I know the game is there, hopefully it shows up. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t matter, it’s good to be back playing again especially in Thailand. Hopefully I can contend, I always play to contend,” he said.
“I want to be in a situation where I can win on Sunday but if the situation is not there its just to improve every week.”
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, Scott Hend from Australia, American John Catlin, Malaysian Gavin Green and teenage Korean star Joohyung Kim are just some of big names competing.
PHUKET-THAILAND – L-R – Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines pictured next to the Tiger Woods plaque on the 13th hole 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
The Asian Tour Phuket Series, as its has been named, starts with the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship on Thursday, followed the week after by the Laguna Phuket Championship. The two US$1 million tournaments are part of the 2020-21 season ending events, with two final ones planned for Singapore in January.
We have put together 10 things you need to know ahead of the Asian Tour’s long-awaited resumption at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship this week!
PHUKET-THAILAND- Blue Canyon Country Club, Phuket, Thailand. The Asian Tour Laguna Blue Canyon Championship will be staged at the Blue Canyon Country Club from November 25-28, 2021. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
- The inaugural Blue Canyon Phuket Championship will mark the resumption of the Asian Tour’s 2020 season following a 20-month hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- The US$1 million full-field event is part of the Asian Tour Phuket Series and will mark the first event of the two-week swing.
- A total of 144 players from 27 countries will be vying for top honours at the highly acclaimed Blue Canyon Country Club’s Canyon course, where golf legends Tiger Woods and Greg Norman have triumphed at the 1998 and 1994 Johnnie Walker Classic respectively.
- Greg Norman reclaimed his world number one status following his victory in 1994 where he beat Nick Faldo and set the course record with his final round 64.
- Tiger Woods defeated Ernie Els in a play-off to stage a great comeback in 1998. The 13th hole nicknamed “The Tiger Hole” became a signature hole of the course after Tiger drove the green from 270 yards.
- The Blue Canyon Phuket Championship will see players from Jordan and Saudi Arabia making their first ever starts on the Asian Tour.
- Reigning Order of Merit champion Jazz Janewattananond will return to Thailand for the Asian Tour Phuket Series. Place fifth on the current Order of Merit, Jazz will be vying to become the first player to successfully retain the Merit crown in back-to-back seasons on Tour.
- American John Catlin, highest-ranked player at 123rd place on the OWGR, will also feature in the inaugural event. He claimed his fourth victory at the Thailand Open in 2019 and has gone one to win three events on the European Tour since.
- Thai hotshots Sadom Kaewkanjana and Phachara Khongwatmai, who have both won multiple titles on their domestic circuit this year, will be part of the 56-man strong local challenge vying for top honours at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship.
- 14-year-old Amateur Ratchanon Chantananuwat, who has been making waves in the local golf scene, will make his Asian Tour debut at the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship. The Thai prodigy become the youngest ever player to make the cut on the All Thailand Golf Tour in 2020. Should he make the halfway cut in Phuket, he will become the third youngest player to achieve the feat on the Asian Tour, following record-holder Jazz and second-placed Kuang Yang.
PHUKET-THAILAND- Tiger Woods longest drive on the 18th plaque at Blue Canyon Country Club, Phuket, Thailand. The Asian Tour Laguna Blue Canyon Championship will be staged at the Blue Canyon Country Club from November 25-28, 2021. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
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