Molinari and Reed to tee it up at Hong Kong Open
Hong Kong, October 22: Major Champions Francesco Molinari and Patrick Reed will tee it up at the Hong Kong Open from November 28 – December 1, 2019.
World Number 11 Molinari returns to Hong Kong Golf Club for the first time in 10 years following a remarkable run of success on the European Tour in 2018, in which he secured a first Rolex Series title at the BMW PGA Championship, a maiden Major victory at The 147th Open Championship and played a starring role in Europe’s Ryder Cup win in France – claiming five points from five matches.
The 36-year-old then rounded off a memorable year by becoming the first Italian to win the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, holding off Masters Champion Reed and 2017 Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood to finish the year as the European Tour’s Number One.
The Italian’s most memorable appearance in Hong Kong came in 2008 when he and Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy lost in a play-off to Lin Wen-tang.
“I have good memories from the Hong Kong Open and it’s certainly the goal to go one better this time around,” said Molinari, a six-time European Tour winner.
“It will be a great way to kick off my 2020 Race to Dubai campaign, hopefully getting some points on the board early in the season, and to play a world-renowned course. It is always an enjoyable week on Tour, so I am looking forward to going back.”
World Number 17 Reed will make his fourth appearance in Hong Kong’s longest standing professional sporting event – in its 61st edition this year – having played in 2015, 2016 and 2018 at the famed Hong Kong Golf Club.
The 29-year-old won the Northern Trust on the PGA Tour in August, and after finishing tied fourth at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, he will again be pushing for his first regular European Tour victory in Hong Kong.
“It’s great coming back to play the Hong Kong Open for another year,” said Reed. “I’ve been saying for a while now that I would love to win in countries all over the world, so I hope I can be in the mix come Sunday at the Hong Kong Open.”
Hosted by Hong Kong Golf Club, which is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year, the event continues to play a decisive role in shaping the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings as it is one of the last few remaining events on the Tour’s schedule.
William Doo, Jr., Captain of Hong Kong Golf Club, said: “The addition of Francesco and Patrick to the field is wonderful news for the championship’s many fans and we very much look forward to welcoming them both to Hong Kong and our club in just a few weeks’ time.
“Together with
Henrik Stenson, these three major winners will add real star-quality to a
fantastic week of world-class golf at one of Asia’s most historic tournaments.”
Kenneth Lam, President of the Hong Kong Golf Association, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Francesco Molinari back to Hong Kong after a ten-year absence and to have Patrick Reed return once again.
“It is great for the development and growth of golf in Hong Kong for local fans to have the opportunity to watch major winners such as these in action. We look forward to watching them as they compete with their peers to lift the historic Hong Kong Open trophy.”
Tickets available to purchase via Ticketflap – https://www.ticketflap.com/thehongkongopen2019
The tournament is free to attend on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th November for all. Under 21s go free for all four tournament days. For more information see www.thehongkongopen.com
The Hong Kong Open has also been recognized as an “M” Mark event to help enhance the image of Hong Kong. “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolizing an intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.
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New Zealand, October 16: The country’s premier golfing event, The New Zealand Open, is delighted to announce a new long-term partnership agreement, whereby current broadcast partner Sky Sport will also be the Presenting Sponsor for the event.
Sky Sport have supported the New Zealand Open as its broadcast partner since the tournament’s move to Queenstown eight years ago.
New Zealand Open Tournament Chairman John Hart is delighted to have Sky and the Sky Sport team continue their support and invest in the future of the tournament.
“It’s pleasing to have such an iconic New Zealand company providing support for our tournament” said Mr. Hart
“Sky have been there from the start of our involvement with the event, and to now see them grow their part in the tournament is both reassuring and gratifying.”
“This commitment from Sky allows us to continue planning for a positive long-term future for the tournament, as we strive to become one of the world’s pre-eminent Pro-Am events.”
Sky Chief Executive Martin Stewart says Sky is delighted to be supporting the New Zealand Open which has become a staple in the New Zealand sporting calendar.
“Sky has been broadcasting this special event for a number of years. It’s been fantastic to see how this tournament has grown into one of the leading events in the country in that time. We’re looking forward to continuing to work closely with the team at the New Zealand Open and its partners to take it to the next level.”
The tournament will now be known as The New Zealand Open, Presented by Sky Sport.
Ends.
By Olle Nordberg, Former Asian Tour and European Tour professional
This week is the start of PGA Tour’s Asian Swing with the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges on Jeju island in Korea, and for the Asian Tour members taking part this week, or in the following two events the ZOZO Championship in Japan and WGC-Champions in China, they truly have a chance to catapult their careers to the next level of professional golf.
Not only do all the events offer prize money equal to or in excess of US$9,750,000, no cuts and huge Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, but also maybe more importantly for players aspiring to play on the PGA Tour, FedEx Cup points.
The Asian Tour members in the field at CJ Cup this week in Korea are Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Jazz Janewattananond, Yikeun Chang, K.J. Choi, Soomin Lee, Taehee Lee, Sanghyun Park and Kyongjun Moon, and they will be battling it out with defending champion and world number one Brooks Koepka among others.
At next week’s ZOZO Championship in Japan we will have Jazz Janewattanaond, Yosuke Asaji, Sanghuyn Park, Shaun Norris and Tomoharu Otsuki flying the Asian Tour flag, playing against a stellar field that includes Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama.
For the following week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, Jazz Janewattanaond, Scott Hend, Jbe Kruger and Masahiro Kawamura have qualified via the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit. We will also see members Kurt Kitayama and Justin Harding making it into the event based on their Race to Dubai ranking on the European Tour, and Jake McLeod from the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
Starting with the importance of OWGR points, this week has a projected 52 points going to the winner compared to 16 for most Asian Tour events. This means for example that the lone Asian Tour member participating in all three Asian Swing events, Jazz Janewattananond, could crack the top-50 on the OWGR with a top-five finish this or any of the following two weeks. The top-50 mark will be very important at the end of the year as it means that an invitation to The Masters Tournament in April next year will be forthcoming in the mail.
For the players trying to use their Asian Tour performance as a springboard to the PGA Tour without having to spend a year on the Korn Ferry Tour, collecting FedEx Cup points is maybe the most important part of playing these events.
The system the PGA Tour uses to qualify for their Tour is different than most, since there is no Q-School access directly to the Tour. You either have to be in the top-25 of the Korn Ferry Tour points list or the top-25 of the three event Korn Ferry Tour Finals points list.
One way to get in this Finals series is to have equal to or more FedEx Cup points than the 200th player in the FedEx Cup Standings at the end of the 2020 PGA Tour season, and this year it took 95 points to get in the Korn Ferry Finals series.
A solo-sixth in any of the three events would be worth 100-105 points and surpass this mark, although there is no guarantee that it would be exactly the same points needed to qualify next season.
Another mark to aim for is 150th on the 2019 FedEx Cup points list, as this would entitle players to “Special Temporary Membership” on the PGA Tour for the 2020 season. In this case 288 points will be needed to reach this status, and this would allow a player unlimited starts and invites to PGA Tour events which is otherwise capped at 12 events and seven sponsor’s invites respectively per season.
This might be more important than you would think, because it was an issue that double Asian Tour winner Justin Harding ran into this year trying to secure his PGA Tour card. In good shape on the FedEx Cup points list after a tied-12th at The Masters but shy of Temporary Membership status, he was forced to skip events he was eligible for to not go over the 12-event maximum ahead of upcoming Majors and WGC’s.
Of course, the most important number would be to earn enough FedEx Cup points to be in the top-125 at the end of next season and be fully exempt for the following, and in the 2019 this took 376 points. Not something that you could earn with one hot week as even a solo-second at either of these three events would only make 300-315 points.
Looking at a couple scenarios using our Order of Merit leader Jazz as an example since he is the only one playing all three events:
- A solo-sixth finish in all three events would give him 305 FedEx Cup points and be eligible for Special Temporary Membership status and unlimited events and invites.
- A solo-fourth finish in all three events would earn him 410 FedEx Cup points which likely would be enough to become a full PGA Tour member for the 2021 season.
Even if these high marks are not met at the conclusion of these three big events, a top finish or two would definitely give a player a head start as several of them will likely be playing other events during the 2020 season where they would be able to pick up points.
Beau Champ, Mauritius, October 14: Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Shubhankar Sharma of India has confirmed his participation in the upcoming AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open which will be held at the Heritage Golf Club from 5-8 December 2019.
Sharma’s confirmation comes at a time when Indian golfers are moving closer to a maiden victory in this tri-sanctioned tournament between the Asian Tour, European Tour and Sunshine Tour.
Sharma has led a resurgence in Indian golf over the past two years. He won two titles on the Asian Tour and European Tour in the space of three months, including becoming at the age of 21 the youngest Indian to win on the European Tour with his Joburg Open triumph in December 2017.
In 2018 he became only the fourth Indian golfer to ever play in The Masters, and his rise on the world stage saw him also named the European Tour’s 2018 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year and crowned the 2018 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.
Sharma’s meteoric career path has been matched by strong performances from his countrymen in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in the last two years.
In the 2017 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at Heritage Golf Club, the experienced Arjun Atwal lost in a playoff to Dylan Frittelli.
A year later, Chikkarangappa S. finished second to American Kurt Kitayama, and said Sharma had definitely inspired this new generation of Indian golfers.
“Shubhankar has really shown the way for a lot of Indian youngsters. As Indian golfers we’re now out in the world and playing with the best. Jeev Milkha Singh told us there were only four or five Indian golfers on tour during his time. Now we have closer to 25, and about 15 of us holding a full card on the Asian Tour and a couple on the European Tour,” said Chikkarangappa.
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Rome, Italy, October 14: American Kurt Kitayama closed with a battling even-par 71 to finish four shots back of winner Bernd Wiesberger in third place at the Italian Open on Sunday.
Kitayama, a one-time winner on the Asian Tour and two-time champion on the European Tour, had fired a flawless third-round 65 to trail by one heading into the final round at the Olgiata Golf Club in Rome.
A closing round of two birdies against two bogeys, however, saw him settle for a four-day total of 12-under-par 272 in the lucrative event, which is part of the European Tour’s Rolex Series.
Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Shubhankar Sharma of India returned with a 68 to finish in a share of seventh place on 275 for his best result yet on the European Tour this season.
Korea’s Jeunghun Wang capped his second top-10 result in three weeks after signing for a 71 to grab a share of 10th place on 276 at the Italian Open. Thai star Thongchai Jaidee also posted a 71 to tie in 34th place on 281.
Ends.
Hong Kong, October 9: Major Champion Henrik Stenson has confirmed he will make his debut at the Hong Kong Open, with the Swede set to join defending champion Aaron Rai in a star-studded field, from November 28 to December 1, 2019.
Hosted by Hong Kong Golf Club, the Hong Kong Open will also continue to play a decisive role in shaping the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit as it is one of the last few remaining events on the Tour’s schedule.
Stenson became the first male Scandinavian Major winner when he triumphed in The 145th Open at Royal Troon three years ago, and will be aiming to add to his 11 European Tour wins when he tees it up at Hong Kong Golf Club for the 61st edition of Hong Kong’s longest standing professional sporting event.
The Ryder Cup star lifted the Claret Jug in 2016 after he recorded a 63 on Sunday in a thrilling battle with Phil Mickelson, which drew comparisons with the legendary ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in 1977.
The 43-year-old, who topped the Race to Dubai in 2013 and 2016, will begin his 2020 campaign with a new tournament when he tees off for the first time at the famed Hong Kong Golf Club, which is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year.
“I’m excited to play the Hong Kong Open for the first time in my career,” said Stenson, the current World Number 37. “It is hard to believe that I have not played this tournament before because I’ve always heard great things about the golf course, the city and the fans, so it’s nice to kick off my 2020 Race to Dubai season with something a little bit different.”
Rai, meanwhile, claimed his maiden European Tour title after holding off Matthew Fitzpatrick to secure a one-shot victory during a thrilling final-round battle at Hong Kong Golf Club last year and now the Englishman will be hoping for another special week when he defends a title on the European circuit for the first time.
“I’m looking forward to defending my title at the Hong Kong Open,” said Rai. “Winning last year was incredible for me – the course is amazing, the city is great, and the crowds showed me some great support throughout the week. I will always have wonderful memories from this event and cannot wait to be back in a few weeks’ time.”
William Doo, Jr., Captain of Hong Kong Golf Club, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Henrik Stenson to our club for the very first time. The championship, which is now in its 61st year, has a strong track record of attracting the greatest names in golf, and Henrik is certainly amongst the very best. His involvement, as well as that of our defending champion Aaron Rai, who played so brilliantly to capture his first European Tour title last year, makes for a really exciting event, and we look forward to hosting another spectacular week of world-class golf.”
Dr Y.K. Pang, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said: “The Hong Kong Open is one of the key highlights on Hong Kong’s events calendar. Each year, elite golfers from around the world gather in Hong Kong to compete for the historic Hong Kong Open title. Golfers and fans from overseas not only get four days of world-class competitive play during their stay in Hong Kong, they also get to experience the diverse tourism offerings in Asia’s world city. With centuries of history and a rich living culture on display, Hong Kong showcases exciting sports events that appeal to visitors of all interests, and a wealth of unique and authentic experiences for them to appreciate.”
Kenneth Lam, President of the Hong Kong Golf Association, said: “We are thrilled with today’s announcement that Aaron Rai will return to Hong Kong to defend his Open title and that he will be joined by Henrik Stenson for his debut at this historic event. We very much look forward to welcoming enthusiastic crowds to the Hong Kong Open this year and hope that our ‘Free Thursday and Friday’ ticket initiative can continue to inspire a new generation of golfers in Hong Kong. Having the chance to watch great champions like Stenson and Rai in action, free of charge is a rare opportunity and we hope the public continue take advantage of this great initiative”.
Tickets available to purchase via Ticketflap – https://www.ticketflap.com
The tournament is free to attend on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th November for all. Under 21s go free for all four tournament days. For more information see www.thehongkongopen.com
The Hong Kong Open has also been recognized as an “M” Mark event to help enhance the image of Hong Kong. “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolizing an intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.
Ends.
Sentosa, Singapore, October 9: The Asian Tour will return to Thailand for the 2020 Qualifying School where aspiring golf professionals from across the globe go in search of an Asian Tour card over a two-month period starting from January next year.
The Qualifying School, which comprises of two stages – the First Qualifying Stage and the Final Qualifying Stage, will be held at the Lake View Resort & Golf Club (Course A, B, C and D) in Hua Hin, Thailand.
The First Qualifying Stage will be played over two different weeks. Players have the option of entering the First Qualifying Stage on the week commencing January 8, or the week commencing February 12.
The top-placed players from the First Qualifying Stage will progress to the Final Qualifying Stage, which will be played over five rounds from February 19 to 23. The top 70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the pivotal final round, which will be held on February 23.
At the conclusion of 90 holes, the top 35 (and ties) will be ranked accordingly for the 2020 season. Players who compete in the 2020 Qualifying School will also be eligible to play on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), which is the secondary circuit of the Asian Tour.
Asian Tour Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer Cho Minn Thant is confident the 2020 Qualifying School will be another success as hopefuls aim to emulate the success of Thai duo Sadom Kaewkanjana and Kosuke Hamamoto on Tour this season.
Sadom became the fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on Tour when he won on his first professional start on Tour at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open earlier in April. Kosuke, on the other hand, retained his card for the 2020 season after just five starts this season.
“The Asian Tour has unearthed many promising talents through the Qualifying School over the years. Our recent champion Yikeun Chang of Korea is also one of them. He had topped the class in 2016 prior to his breakthrough in Chinese Taipei last month.”
“Qualifying School is a grueling process but it gives players, both professionals and amateurs, the opportunity to earn their place on the Asian Tour in 2020. The competition is going to be intense but the rewards will be massive for successful entrants,” said Cho.
Last year, Thailand’s Naras Luangphetcharaporn recorded the first ever 59 on the Asian Tour en route to securing his Tour card for the 2019 season. The 26-year-old ended his campaign in tied-21st place and was one of the 41 players, who finished inside top 35 and ties, to earn playing rights on the Asian Tour this season.
2018 Qualifying School graduate Viraj Madappa became the youngest Indian winner on Tour when he won the TAKE Solutions Masters on home soil in his rookie season last year, at the age of 20.
American Kurt Kitayama, who also came through the 2018 Qualifying School, rose through the ranks after breaking through in Mauritius last December. The talented 26-year-old would go on to secure his maiden win on the European Tour earlier in March.
Other successful graduates include Australian Zach Murray, who won the 2019 New Zealand Open in what was his third start on Tour this season, as well as John Catlin of the United States, who marked his name in the Asian Tour history books by becoming the 10th golfer in Tour history to win three times in a single season last year.
For 2020 Qualifying School Information and application forms, please click here.
For Qualifying School enquiries, please contact [email protected].
Ends.
October 8: Thailand’s rising star Jazz Janewattananond knows he has everything to gain after securing starts in two of the PGA TOUR’S biggest events in Asia – The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in Korea and World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China – this month.
And if the golfing gods remain kind to him, the 23-year-old could see himself taking on the likes of 81-time PGA TOUR winner Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as well in Japan’s first official PGA TOUR tournament, the Zozo Championship.
Two wins and 10 other top-10s on the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour have earned the prodigious talent the opportunity to go head-to-head with stars from the PGA TOUR, and with ambitions to compete regularly on the world’s premier Tour, Jazz knows The CJ Cup and WGC-HSBC Champions offer him a great chance to assess his standing against the world’s best.
“I’m really looking forward to the next few weeks. Getting into two, maybe three, of the PGA TOUR’s biggest tournaments in Asia is a great opportunity to continue to test my game at the highest level,” said Jazz.
“All three tournaments will have really strong fields and I’m keen to play my best golf and see where it leads me. It’s been a really good year with the two wins on the Asian Tour and other top finishes both in Asia and Japan and I feel my game has continued to develop in the right direction.”
The young Thai has been one of the revelations this season with wins at the SMBC Singapore Open in January, where he beat a field which included Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey, and Kolon Korea Open in June. He has also been impressively consistent, achieving multiple top-10s on both the Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour, where he currently leads the money list race, and has also risen to 57th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
In May, Jazz came to global prominence at the PGA Championship where he entered the final round in T2 before closing with a 77 to settle for T14. Such impressive form helped the Thai finish two rungs outside the top-8 to qualify for the International Team to face the United States Team in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia in December. He is hoping to keep his name in conversations when Captain Ernie Els names his four picks in early November to round up his 12-man squad.
“I’m not sure where I stand with the Presidents Cup as I know Captain Ernie will make his four picks after HSBC,” said Jazz, who finished top-5 for the second straight week in Japan on Sunday.
“All I hope to do is to continue playing some good golf, put in a few top finishes and hopefully be part of the conversation when Ernie and his assistants decide on the remaining players. Of course it’ll be a great honour to be picked but if I don’t, I’m still going to support the International Team to beat the U.S,” added Jazz, who is hoping to become the second Thai after Thongchai Jaidee to feature in the biennial team competition.
First up next week for Jazz is his debut appearance at The CJ CUP, which will be headlined by world No. 1 and defending champion Brooks Koepka. Being the reigning Korea Open champion, Jazz hopes to draw some new fan support as he attempts to maintain his rich vein of form in the Land of Morning Calm.
“It’ll be fun to play in Korea at The CJ CUP as I won the Korean Open, so hopefully my new Korean fans will come out to support me in Jeju. And then I’m hoping to get into the Zozo Championship through the Japan Tour money list (he’s top-3 currently with the top-4 after this week qualifying for the new event) and it’s always an additional thrill when you have Tiger in the field.
“It’ll then be a nice way to finish the Asian Swing with my first ever appearance in the World Golf Championships at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. We’ll have the top golfers gathering from all the international tours and I’m looking forward to it.”
The three PGA TOUR tournaments in Asia this month offer nearly US$30 million in total prize money and feature 78-man fields with no halfway cut. With FedExCup points on offer as well, players like Jazz can gain points as a Non-Member to enhance his bid to earn playing rights on the PGA TOUR.
Sentosa, Singapore, October 7: Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Scott Hend of Australia are set to lead the Asian Tour’s charge at the World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions following the conclusion of the US$900,000 Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Sunday.
Jazz and Hend, ranked first and second respectively on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, will be joined by South African Jbe Kruger and Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura at the highly rated Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai from October 31 to November 3.
The quartet qualified for the 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions by virtue of being the leading four members, not otherwise exempt, with the best aggregate prize money earned from Asian Tour prize money counting events.
The qualifying period, which commenced at the conclusion of the 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions, will conclude on October 21 and the Mercuries Taiwan Masters is the Tour’s last qualifying event for the prestigious tournament prior to the cut-off date.
“I came to Chinese Taipei for a reason and that was to complete a full-field event for my qualification for the WGC-HSBC Champions. Last week has shown me what I need to work on for my game and hopefully, I can improve on that and bring back my A game soon.
“I’m looking forward to playing in another WGC event in Shanghai at the end of the month. Sheshan is a great golf course and I look forward to playing well there,” said the 46-year-old Hend, who claimed his 10th Asian Tour title at the Maybank Championship earlier in March.
Jazz, who will be making his WGC debut in Shanghai, also secured a coveted spot at the CJ Cup next week by being the leading player on the Asian Tour money list following the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. Taehee Lee also earned his berth in the PGA TOUR event by being the top Korean in fourth place on the Merit rankings.
Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai broke into top-10 of the Asian Tour Order of Merit thanks to his breakthrough win at the storied Mercuries Taiwan Masters. The 20-year-old was sitting outside top-80 at the start of September but back-to-back top-10 finishes in Chinese Taipei and India pushed him inside the top-60 at the middle of the month.
Despite missing the halfway cut at the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea, Suradit capped a commendable tied-18th place result at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship in Japan before securing his maiden Asian Tour victory in Chinese Taipei to propel to a career-best eighth position on the Order of Merit.
The 2019 Asian Tour season will resume at the Thailand Open, which will be held once again at the Thai Country Club from November 7 to 10. The US$300,000 event, won by Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat last year, will also mark the start of the 2019/20 Panasonic Swing series.
Ends.
Top-20 players on the Habitat for
Humanity Standings
Pos Player Order of Merit (US$)
1. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $833,524.71
2. Scott HEND (AUS) $535,810.94
3. Yosuke ASAJI (JPN) $300,957.19
4. Taehee LEE (KOR) $284,661.95
5. Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $260,100.96
6. Jbe KRUGER (RSA) $257,289.40
7. Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $251,643.84
8. Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) $232,108.48
9. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $221,011.92
10. Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $200,613.01
11. Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) $187,218.98
12. Johannes VEERMAN (USA) $177,288.30
13. Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $167,502.45
14. Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND) $157,171.95
15. Miguel TABUENA (PHI) $146,506.05
16. Adilson DA SILVA (BRA) $146,072.93
17. David LIPSKY (USA) $137,309.79
18. Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) $135,043.46
19. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $134,636.86
20. Sadom KAEWKANJANA (THA) $126,796.53
Tamsui, Chinese Taipei, October 6: Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai pocketed his career’s biggest prize cheque and win when he held on for a one-shot victory after his closest rivals failed to mount a challenge at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Sunday.
Suradit, who started his final round at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club one shot back of overnight leaders, Ajeetesh Sandhu of India and Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena, closed with a two-under-par 70 to clinch his breakthrough on the Asian Tour where he made his debut as a 17-year-old in 2015.
Suradit started well with a birdie on his third hole but gave two shots back with a double-bogey six on the next hole. The Thai was quick to make amends when he charged to the turn with three birdies in his next four holes.
But after making another birdie on 13, he dropped a shot on 14 before making four straight pars to sign off with a four-day total of 10-under-par 278.
The Thai was left to wait for close to 30 minutes where he watched the final group in action from the sidelines.
While Sandhu signed off with a birdie, a costly double-bogey on 16 effectively ruined his chances of clinching his second Asian Tour title.
Tabuena had the best chance to force a play-off with Suradit on 18 but his approach landed in the bunker from where he could not get his ball onto the green, resulting in a bogey, which also confirmed Suradit’s entry into the winner’s circle for the first time.
Ends.
Did you know?
- Suradit Yongcharoenchai turned professional at the young age of 17.
- Before his breakthrough this week, Suradit’s career-best finishes on the Asian Tour came at the Indonesian Masters and TAKE Solution Masters in 2016 and 2018 respectively where he finished tied-second on both occasions.
- The Thai enjoyed his best-ever Asian Tour season in 2018, finishing 34th on the Order of Merit with US$134,246 in earnings and four top-10 finishes.
- Miguel Tabuena is a two-time Asian Tour winner.
- He won his first Asian Tour title on home soil in 2015. He became the first Filipino to win his National Open since 2008 at just 21-years-old.
- Tabuena has now recorded two runner-up finishes at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in 2016 and 2019.
- Mardan Mamat recorded his first top-10 in three years with his tied-fifth finish this week. Prior to this week, his eighth place finish in Perth, Australia in 2016 was the last time he finished inside the top-10.
- Despite ending the week in a share of 28th place, Australia’s Scott Hend has secured his place for the upcoming WGC-HSBC Champions which will be held in Shanghai later this month.
Molinari and Reed to tee it up at Hong Kong Open
By - Calvin Koh
[addtoany]
Major Champions Francesco Molinari and Patrick Reed will tee it up at the Hong Kong Open from November 28 – December 1, 2019.
Hong Kong, October 22: Major Champions Francesco Molinari and Patrick Reed will tee it up at the Hong Kong Open from November 28 – December 1, 2019.
World Number 11 Molinari returns to Hong Kong Golf Club for the first time in 10 years following a remarkable run of success on the European Tour in 2018, in which he secured a first Rolex Series title at the BMW PGA Championship, a maiden Major victory at The 147th Open Championship and played a starring role in Europe’s Ryder Cup win in France – claiming five points from five matches.
The 36-year-old then rounded off a memorable year by becoming the first Italian to win the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex, holding off Masters Champion Reed and 2017 Race to Dubai Champion Tommy Fleetwood to finish the year as the European Tour’s Number One.
The Italian’s most memorable appearance in Hong Kong came in 2008 when he and Ryder Cup teammate Rory McIlroy lost in a play-off to Lin Wen-tang.
“I have good memories from the Hong Kong Open and it’s certainly the goal to go one better this time around,” said Molinari, a six-time European Tour winner.
“It will be a great way to kick off my 2020 Race to Dubai campaign, hopefully getting some points on the board early in the season, and to play a world-renowned course. It is always an enjoyable week on Tour, so I am looking forward to going back.”
World Number 17 Reed will make his fourth appearance in Hong Kong’s longest standing professional sporting event – in its 61st edition this year – having played in 2015, 2016 and 2018 at the famed Hong Kong Golf Club.
The 29-year-old won the Northern Trust on the PGA Tour in August, and after finishing tied fourth at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, he will again be pushing for his first regular European Tour victory in Hong Kong.
“It’s great coming back to play the Hong Kong Open for another year,” said Reed. “I’ve been saying for a while now that I would love to win in countries all over the world, so I hope I can be in the mix come Sunday at the Hong Kong Open.”
Hosted by Hong Kong Golf Club, which is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year, the event continues to play a decisive role in shaping the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings as it is one of the last few remaining events on the Tour’s schedule.
William Doo, Jr., Captain of Hong Kong Golf Club, said: “The addition of Francesco and Patrick to the field is wonderful news for the championship’s many fans and we very much look forward to welcoming them both to Hong Kong and our club in just a few weeks’ time.
“Together with
Henrik Stenson, these three major winners will add real star-quality to a
fantastic week of world-class golf at one of Asia’s most historic tournaments.”
Kenneth Lam, President of the Hong Kong Golf Association, added: “We are thrilled to welcome Francesco Molinari back to Hong Kong after a ten-year absence and to have Patrick Reed return once again.
“It is great for the development and growth of golf in Hong Kong for local fans to have the opportunity to watch major winners such as these in action. We look forward to watching them as they compete with their peers to lift the historic Hong Kong Open trophy.”
Tickets available to purchase via Ticketflap – https://www.ticketflap.com/thehongkongopen2019
The tournament is free to attend on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th November for all. Under 21s go free for all four tournament days. For more information see www.thehongkongopen.com
The Hong Kong Open has also been recognized as an “M” Mark event to help enhance the image of Hong Kong. “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolizing an intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.
Ends.
The country’s premier golfing event, The New Zealand Open, is delighted to announce a new long-term partnership agreement, whereby current broadcast partner Sky Sport will also be the Presenting Sponsor for the event.
New Zealand, October 16: The country’s premier golfing event, The New Zealand Open, is delighted to announce a new long-term partnership agreement, whereby current broadcast partner Sky Sport will also be the Presenting Sponsor for the event.
Sky Sport have supported the New Zealand Open as its broadcast partner since the tournament’s move to Queenstown eight years ago.
New Zealand Open Tournament Chairman John Hart is delighted to have Sky and the Sky Sport team continue their support and invest in the future of the tournament.
“It’s pleasing to have such an iconic New Zealand company providing support for our tournament” said Mr. Hart
“Sky have been there from the start of our involvement with the event, and to now see them grow their part in the tournament is both reassuring and gratifying.”
“This commitment from Sky allows us to continue planning for a positive long-term future for the tournament, as we strive to become one of the world’s pre-eminent Pro-Am events.”
Sky Chief Executive Martin Stewart says Sky is delighted to be supporting the New Zealand Open which has become a staple in the New Zealand sporting calendar.
“Sky has been broadcasting this special event for a number of years. It’s been fantastic to see how this tournament has grown into one of the leading events in the country in that time. We’re looking forward to continuing to work closely with the team at the New Zealand Open and its partners to take it to the next level.”
The tournament will now be known as The New Zealand Open, Presented by Sky Sport.
Ends.
With several of the world’s biggest stars swinging into Asia this week, Olle Nordberg looks into the Asian field and what’s at stake for the Tour’s best players.
By Olle Nordberg, Former Asian Tour and European Tour professional
This week is the start of PGA Tour’s Asian Swing with the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges on Jeju island in Korea, and for the Asian Tour members taking part this week, or in the following two events the ZOZO Championship in Japan and WGC-Champions in China, they truly have a chance to catapult their careers to the next level of professional golf.
Not only do all the events offer prize money equal to or in excess of US$9,750,000, no cuts and huge Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, but also maybe more importantly for players aspiring to play on the PGA Tour, FedEx Cup points.
The Asian Tour members in the field at CJ Cup this week in Korea are Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Jazz Janewattananond, Yikeun Chang, K.J. Choi, Soomin Lee, Taehee Lee, Sanghyun Park and Kyongjun Moon, and they will be battling it out with defending champion and world number one Brooks Koepka among others.
At next week’s ZOZO Championship in Japan we will have Jazz Janewattanaond, Yosuke Asaji, Sanghuyn Park, Shaun Norris and Tomoharu Otsuki flying the Asian Tour flag, playing against a stellar field that includes Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Hideki Matsuyama.
For the following week’s WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, Jazz Janewattanaond, Scott Hend, Jbe Kruger and Masahiro Kawamura have qualified via the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit. We will also see members Kurt Kitayama and Justin Harding making it into the event based on their Race to Dubai ranking on the European Tour, and Jake McLeod from the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit.
Starting with the importance of OWGR points, this week has a projected 52 points going to the winner compared to 16 for most Asian Tour events. This means for example that the lone Asian Tour member participating in all three Asian Swing events, Jazz Janewattananond, could crack the top-50 on the OWGR with a top-five finish this or any of the following two weeks. The top-50 mark will be very important at the end of the year as it means that an invitation to The Masters Tournament in April next year will be forthcoming in the mail.
For the players trying to use their Asian Tour performance as a springboard to the PGA Tour without having to spend a year on the Korn Ferry Tour, collecting FedEx Cup points is maybe the most important part of playing these events.
The system the PGA Tour uses to qualify for their Tour is different than most, since there is no Q-School access directly to the Tour. You either have to be in the top-25 of the Korn Ferry Tour points list or the top-25 of the three event Korn Ferry Tour Finals points list.
One way to get in this Finals series is to have equal to or more FedEx Cup points than the 200th player in the FedEx Cup Standings at the end of the 2020 PGA Tour season, and this year it took 95 points to get in the Korn Ferry Finals series.
A solo-sixth in any of the three events would be worth 100-105 points and surpass this mark, although there is no guarantee that it would be exactly the same points needed to qualify next season.
Another mark to aim for is 150th on the 2019 FedEx Cup points list, as this would entitle players to “Special Temporary Membership” on the PGA Tour for the 2020 season. In this case 288 points will be needed to reach this status, and this would allow a player unlimited starts and invites to PGA Tour events which is otherwise capped at 12 events and seven sponsor’s invites respectively per season.
This might be more important than you would think, because it was an issue that double Asian Tour winner Justin Harding ran into this year trying to secure his PGA Tour card. In good shape on the FedEx Cup points list after a tied-12th at The Masters but shy of Temporary Membership status, he was forced to skip events he was eligible for to not go over the 12-event maximum ahead of upcoming Majors and WGC’s.
Of course, the most important number would be to earn enough FedEx Cup points to be in the top-125 at the end of next season and be fully exempt for the following, and in the 2019 this took 376 points. Not something that you could earn with one hot week as even a solo-second at either of these three events would only make 300-315 points.
Looking at a couple scenarios using our Order of Merit leader Jazz as an example since he is the only one playing all three events:
- A solo-sixth finish in all three events would give him 305 FedEx Cup points and be eligible for Special Temporary Membership status and unlimited events and invites.
- A solo-fourth finish in all three events would earn him 410 FedEx Cup points which likely would be enough to become a full PGA Tour member for the 2021 season.
Even if these high marks are not met at the conclusion of these three big events, a top finish or two would definitely give a player a head start as several of them will likely be playing other events during the 2020 season where they would be able to pick up points.
Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Shubhankar Sharma of India has confirmed his participation in the upcoming AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open which will be held at the Heritage Golf Club from 5-8 December 2019.
Beau Champ, Mauritius, October 14: Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Shubhankar Sharma of India has confirmed his participation in the upcoming AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open which will be held at the Heritage Golf Club from 5-8 December 2019.
Sharma’s confirmation comes at a time when Indian golfers are moving closer to a maiden victory in this tri-sanctioned tournament between the Asian Tour, European Tour and Sunshine Tour.
Sharma has led a resurgence in Indian golf over the past two years. He won two titles on the Asian Tour and European Tour in the space of three months, including becoming at the age of 21 the youngest Indian to win on the European Tour with his Joburg Open triumph in December 2017.
In 2018 he became only the fourth Indian golfer to ever play in The Masters, and his rise on the world stage saw him also named the European Tour’s 2018 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year and crowned the 2018 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.
Sharma’s meteoric career path has been matched by strong performances from his countrymen in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in the last two years.
In the 2017 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at Heritage Golf Club, the experienced Arjun Atwal lost in a playoff to Dylan Frittelli.
A year later, Chikkarangappa S. finished second to American Kurt Kitayama, and said Sharma had definitely inspired this new generation of Indian golfers.
“Shubhankar has really shown the way for a lot of Indian youngsters. As Indian golfers we’re now out in the world and playing with the best. Jeev Milkha Singh told us there were only four or five Indian golfers on tour during his time. Now we have closer to 25, and about 15 of us holding a full card on the Asian Tour and a couple on the European Tour,” said Chikkarangappa.
Ends.
American Kurt Kitayama closed with a battling even-par 71 to finish four shots back of winner Bernd Wiesberger in third place at the Italian Open on Sunday.
Rome, Italy, October 14: American Kurt Kitayama closed with a battling even-par 71 to finish four shots back of winner Bernd Wiesberger in third place at the Italian Open on Sunday.
Kitayama, a one-time winner on the Asian Tour and two-time champion on the European Tour, had fired a flawless third-round 65 to trail by one heading into the final round at the Olgiata Golf Club in Rome.
A closing round of two birdies against two bogeys, however, saw him settle for a four-day total of 12-under-par 272 in the lucrative event, which is part of the European Tour’s Rolex Series.
Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Shubhankar Sharma of India returned with a 68 to finish in a share of seventh place on 275 for his best result yet on the European Tour this season.
Korea’s Jeunghun Wang capped his second top-10 result in three weeks after signing for a 71 to grab a share of 10th place on 276 at the Italian Open. Thai star Thongchai Jaidee also posted a 71 to tie in 34th place on 281.
Ends.
Major Champion Henrik Stenson has confirmed he will make his debut at the Hong Kong Open, with the Swede set to join defending champion Aaron Rai in a star-studded field, from November 28 to December 1, 2019.
Hong Kong, October 9: Major Champion Henrik Stenson has confirmed he will make his debut at the Hong Kong Open, with the Swede set to join defending champion Aaron Rai in a star-studded field, from November 28 to December 1, 2019.
Hosted by Hong Kong Golf Club, the Hong Kong Open will also continue to play a decisive role in shaping the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit as it is one of the last few remaining events on the Tour’s schedule.
Stenson became the first male Scandinavian Major winner when he triumphed in The 145th Open at Royal Troon three years ago, and will be aiming to add to his 11 European Tour wins when he tees it up at Hong Kong Golf Club for the 61st edition of Hong Kong’s longest standing professional sporting event.
The Ryder Cup star lifted the Claret Jug in 2016 after he recorded a 63 on Sunday in a thrilling battle with Phil Mickelson, which drew comparisons with the legendary ‘Duel in the Sun’ between Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus in 1977.
The 43-year-old, who topped the Race to Dubai in 2013 and 2016, will begin his 2020 campaign with a new tournament when he tees off for the first time at the famed Hong Kong Golf Club, which is celebrating its 130th anniversary this year.
“I’m excited to play the Hong Kong Open for the first time in my career,” said Stenson, the current World Number 37. “It is hard to believe that I have not played this tournament before because I’ve always heard great things about the golf course, the city and the fans, so it’s nice to kick off my 2020 Race to Dubai season with something a little bit different.”
Rai, meanwhile, claimed his maiden European Tour title after holding off Matthew Fitzpatrick to secure a one-shot victory during a thrilling final-round battle at Hong Kong Golf Club last year and now the Englishman will be hoping for another special week when he defends a title on the European circuit for the first time.
“I’m looking forward to defending my title at the Hong Kong Open,” said Rai. “Winning last year was incredible for me – the course is amazing, the city is great, and the crowds showed me some great support throughout the week. I will always have wonderful memories from this event and cannot wait to be back in a few weeks’ time.”
William Doo, Jr., Captain of Hong Kong Golf Club, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Henrik Stenson to our club for the very first time. The championship, which is now in its 61st year, has a strong track record of attracting the greatest names in golf, and Henrik is certainly amongst the very best. His involvement, as well as that of our defending champion Aaron Rai, who played so brilliantly to capture his first European Tour title last year, makes for a really exciting event, and we look forward to hosting another spectacular week of world-class golf.”
Dr Y.K. Pang, Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said: “The Hong Kong Open is one of the key highlights on Hong Kong’s events calendar. Each year, elite golfers from around the world gather in Hong Kong to compete for the historic Hong Kong Open title. Golfers and fans from overseas not only get four days of world-class competitive play during their stay in Hong Kong, they also get to experience the diverse tourism offerings in Asia’s world city. With centuries of history and a rich living culture on display, Hong Kong showcases exciting sports events that appeal to visitors of all interests, and a wealth of unique and authentic experiences for them to appreciate.”
Kenneth Lam, President of the Hong Kong Golf Association, said: “We are thrilled with today’s announcement that Aaron Rai will return to Hong Kong to defend his Open title and that he will be joined by Henrik Stenson for his debut at this historic event. We very much look forward to welcoming enthusiastic crowds to the Hong Kong Open this year and hope that our ‘Free Thursday and Friday’ ticket initiative can continue to inspire a new generation of golfers in Hong Kong. Having the chance to watch great champions like Stenson and Rai in action, free of charge is a rare opportunity and we hope the public continue take advantage of this great initiative”.
Tickets available to purchase via Ticketflap – https://www.ticketflap.com
The tournament is free to attend on Thursday 28th and Friday 29th November for all. Under 21s go free for all four tournament days. For more information see www.thehongkongopen.com
The Hong Kong Open has also been recognized as an “M” Mark event to help enhance the image of Hong Kong. “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolizing an intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.
Ends.
The Asian Tour will return to Thailand for the 2020 Qualifying School where aspiring golf professionals from across the globe go in search of an Asian Tour card over a two-month period starting from January next year.
Sentosa, Singapore, October 9: The Asian Tour will return to Thailand for the 2020 Qualifying School where aspiring golf professionals from across the globe go in search of an Asian Tour card over a two-month period starting from January next year.
The Qualifying School, which comprises of two stages – the First Qualifying Stage and the Final Qualifying Stage, will be held at the Lake View Resort & Golf Club (Course A, B, C and D) in Hua Hin, Thailand.
The First Qualifying Stage will be played over two different weeks. Players have the option of entering the First Qualifying Stage on the week commencing January 8, or the week commencing February 12.
The top-placed players from the First Qualifying Stage will progress to the Final Qualifying Stage, which will be played over five rounds from February 19 to 23. The top 70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the pivotal final round, which will be held on February 23.
At the conclusion of 90 holes, the top 35 (and ties) will be ranked accordingly for the 2020 season. Players who compete in the 2020 Qualifying School will also be eligible to play on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), which is the secondary circuit of the Asian Tour.
Asian Tour Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer Cho Minn Thant is confident the 2020 Qualifying School will be another success as hopefuls aim to emulate the success of Thai duo Sadom Kaewkanjana and Kosuke Hamamoto on Tour this season.
Sadom became the fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on Tour when he won on his first professional start on Tour at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open earlier in April. Kosuke, on the other hand, retained his card for the 2020 season after just five starts this season.
“The Asian Tour has unearthed many promising talents through the Qualifying School over the years. Our recent champion Yikeun Chang of Korea is also one of them. He had topped the class in 2016 prior to his breakthrough in Chinese Taipei last month.”
“Qualifying School is a grueling process but it gives players, both professionals and amateurs, the opportunity to earn their place on the Asian Tour in 2020. The competition is going to be intense but the rewards will be massive for successful entrants,” said Cho.
Last year, Thailand’s Naras Luangphetcharaporn recorded the first ever 59 on the Asian Tour en route to securing his Tour card for the 2019 season. The 26-year-old ended his campaign in tied-21st place and was one of the 41 players, who finished inside top 35 and ties, to earn playing rights on the Asian Tour this season.
2018 Qualifying School graduate Viraj Madappa became the youngest Indian winner on Tour when he won the TAKE Solutions Masters on home soil in his rookie season last year, at the age of 20.
American Kurt Kitayama, who also came through the 2018 Qualifying School, rose through the ranks after breaking through in Mauritius last December. The talented 26-year-old would go on to secure his maiden win on the European Tour earlier in March.
Other successful graduates include Australian Zach Murray, who won the 2019 New Zealand Open in what was his third start on Tour this season, as well as John Catlin of the United States, who marked his name in the Asian Tour history books by becoming the 10th golfer in Tour history to win three times in a single season last year.
For 2020 Qualifying School Information and application forms, please click here.
For Qualifying School enquiries, please contact [email protected].
Ends.
Thailand’s rising star Jazz Janewattananond knows he has everything to gain after securing starts in two of the PGA TOUR’S biggest events in Asia – The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in Korea and World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China – this month.
October 8: Thailand’s rising star Jazz Janewattananond knows he has everything to gain after securing starts in two of the PGA TOUR’S biggest events in Asia – The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges in Korea and World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China – this month.
And if the golfing gods remain kind to him, the 23-year-old could see himself taking on the likes of 81-time PGA TOUR winner Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy as well in Japan’s first official PGA TOUR tournament, the Zozo Championship.
Two wins and 10 other top-10s on the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour have earned the prodigious talent the opportunity to go head-to-head with stars from the PGA TOUR, and with ambitions to compete regularly on the world’s premier Tour, Jazz knows The CJ Cup and WGC-HSBC Champions offer him a great chance to assess his standing against the world’s best.
“I’m really looking forward to the next few weeks. Getting into two, maybe three, of the PGA TOUR’s biggest tournaments in Asia is a great opportunity to continue to test my game at the highest level,” said Jazz.
“All three tournaments will have really strong fields and I’m keen to play my best golf and see where it leads me. It’s been a really good year with the two wins on the Asian Tour and other top finishes both in Asia and Japan and I feel my game has continued to develop in the right direction.”
The young Thai has been one of the revelations this season with wins at the SMBC Singapore Open in January, where he beat a field which included Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey, and Kolon Korea Open in June. He has also been impressively consistent, achieving multiple top-10s on both the Japan Golf Tour and Asian Tour, where he currently leads the money list race, and has also risen to 57th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
In May, Jazz came to global prominence at the PGA Championship where he entered the final round in T2 before closing with a 77 to settle for T14. Such impressive form helped the Thai finish two rungs outside the top-8 to qualify for the International Team to face the United States Team in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Australia in December. He is hoping to keep his name in conversations when Captain Ernie Els names his four picks in early November to round up his 12-man squad.
“I’m not sure where I stand with the Presidents Cup as I know Captain Ernie will make his four picks after HSBC,” said Jazz, who finished top-5 for the second straight week in Japan on Sunday.
“All I hope to do is to continue playing some good golf, put in a few top finishes and hopefully be part of the conversation when Ernie and his assistants decide on the remaining players. Of course it’ll be a great honour to be picked but if I don’t, I’m still going to support the International Team to beat the U.S,” added Jazz, who is hoping to become the second Thai after Thongchai Jaidee to feature in the biennial team competition.
First up next week for Jazz is his debut appearance at The CJ CUP, which will be headlined by world No. 1 and defending champion Brooks Koepka. Being the reigning Korea Open champion, Jazz hopes to draw some new fan support as he attempts to maintain his rich vein of form in the Land of Morning Calm.
“It’ll be fun to play in Korea at The CJ CUP as I won the Korean Open, so hopefully my new Korean fans will come out to support me in Jeju. And then I’m hoping to get into the Zozo Championship through the Japan Tour money list (he’s top-3 currently with the top-4 after this week qualifying for the new event) and it’s always an additional thrill when you have Tiger in the field.
“It’ll then be a nice way to finish the Asian Swing with my first ever appearance in the World Golf Championships at the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. We’ll have the top golfers gathering from all the international tours and I’m looking forward to it.”
The three PGA TOUR tournaments in Asia this month offer nearly US$30 million in total prize money and feature 78-man fields with no halfway cut. With FedExCup points on offer as well, players like Jazz can gain points as a Non-Member to enhance his bid to earn playing rights on the PGA TOUR.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Scott Hend of Australia are set to lead the Asian Tour’s charge at the World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions following the conclusion of the US$900,000 Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Sunday.
Sentosa, Singapore, October 7: Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Scott Hend of Australia are set to lead the Asian Tour’s charge at the World Golf Championships – HSBC Champions following the conclusion of the US$900,000 Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Sunday.
Jazz and Hend, ranked first and second respectively on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, will be joined by South African Jbe Kruger and Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura at the highly rated Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai from October 31 to November 3.
The quartet qualified for the 2019 WGC-HSBC Champions by virtue of being the leading four members, not otherwise exempt, with the best aggregate prize money earned from Asian Tour prize money counting events.
The qualifying period, which commenced at the conclusion of the 2018 WGC-HSBC Champions, will conclude on October 21 and the Mercuries Taiwan Masters is the Tour’s last qualifying event for the prestigious tournament prior to the cut-off date.
“I came to Chinese Taipei for a reason and that was to complete a full-field event for my qualification for the WGC-HSBC Champions. Last week has shown me what I need to work on for my game and hopefully, I can improve on that and bring back my A game soon.
“I’m looking forward to playing in another WGC event in Shanghai at the end of the month. Sheshan is a great golf course and I look forward to playing well there,” said the 46-year-old Hend, who claimed his 10th Asian Tour title at the Maybank Championship earlier in March.
Jazz, who will be making his WGC debut in Shanghai, also secured a coveted spot at the CJ Cup next week by being the leading player on the Asian Tour money list following the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. Taehee Lee also earned his berth in the PGA TOUR event by being the top Korean in fourth place on the Merit rankings.
Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai broke into top-10 of the Asian Tour Order of Merit thanks to his breakthrough win at the storied Mercuries Taiwan Masters. The 20-year-old was sitting outside top-80 at the start of September but back-to-back top-10 finishes in Chinese Taipei and India pushed him inside the top-60 at the middle of the month.
Despite missing the halfway cut at the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea, Suradit capped a commendable tied-18th place result at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship in Japan before securing his maiden Asian Tour victory in Chinese Taipei to propel to a career-best eighth position on the Order of Merit.
The 2019 Asian Tour season will resume at the Thailand Open, which will be held once again at the Thai Country Club from November 7 to 10. The US$300,000 event, won by Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat last year, will also mark the start of the 2019/20 Panasonic Swing series.
Ends.
Top-20 players on the Habitat for
Humanity Standings
Pos Player Order of Merit (US$)
1. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $833,524.71
2. Scott HEND (AUS) $535,810.94
3. Yosuke ASAJI (JPN) $300,957.19
4. Taehee LEE (KOR) $284,661.95
5. Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $260,100.96
6. Jbe KRUGER (RSA) $257,289.40
7. Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $251,643.84
8. Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) $232,108.48
9. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $221,011.92
10. Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $200,613.01
11. Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) $187,218.98
12. Johannes VEERMAN (USA) $177,288.30
13. Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $167,502.45
14. Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND) $157,171.95
15. Miguel TABUENA (PHI) $146,506.05
16. Adilson DA SILVA (BRA) $146,072.93
17. David LIPSKY (USA) $137,309.79
18. Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) $135,043.46
19. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $134,636.86
20. Sadom KAEWKANJANA (THA) $126,796.53
Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai pocketed his career’s biggest prize cheque and win when he held on for a one-shot victory after his closest rivals failed to mount a challenge at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters
Tamsui, Chinese Taipei, October 6: Thailand’s Suradit Yongcharoenchai pocketed his career’s biggest prize cheque and win when he held on for a one-shot victory after his closest rivals failed to mount a challenge at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Sunday.
Suradit, who started his final round at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club one shot back of overnight leaders, Ajeetesh Sandhu of India and Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena, closed with a two-under-par 70 to clinch his breakthrough on the Asian Tour where he made his debut as a 17-year-old in 2015.
Suradit started well with a birdie on his third hole but gave two shots back with a double-bogey six on the next hole. The Thai was quick to make amends when he charged to the turn with three birdies in his next four holes.
But after making another birdie on 13, he dropped a shot on 14 before making four straight pars to sign off with a four-day total of 10-under-par 278.
The Thai was left to wait for close to 30 minutes where he watched the final group in action from the sidelines.
While Sandhu signed off with a birdie, a costly double-bogey on 16 effectively ruined his chances of clinching his second Asian Tour title.
Tabuena had the best chance to force a play-off with Suradit on 18 but his approach landed in the bunker from where he could not get his ball onto the green, resulting in a bogey, which also confirmed Suradit’s entry into the winner’s circle for the first time.
Ends.
Did you know?
- Suradit Yongcharoenchai turned professional at the young age of 17.
- Before his breakthrough this week, Suradit’s career-best finishes on the Asian Tour came at the Indonesian Masters and TAKE Solution Masters in 2016 and 2018 respectively where he finished tied-second on both occasions.
- The Thai enjoyed his best-ever Asian Tour season in 2018, finishing 34th on the Order of Merit with US$134,246 in earnings and four top-10 finishes.
- Miguel Tabuena is a two-time Asian Tour winner.
- He won his first Asian Tour title on home soil in 2015. He became the first Filipino to win his National Open since 2008 at just 21-years-old.
- Tabuena has now recorded two runner-up finishes at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in 2016 and 2019.
- Mardan Mamat recorded his first top-10 in three years with his tied-fifth finish this week. Prior to this week, his eighth place finish in Perth, Australia in 2016 was the last time he finished inside the top-10.
- Despite ending the week in a share of 28th place, Australia’s Scott Hend has secured his place for the upcoming WGC-HSBC Champions which will be held in Shanghai later this month.
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