New Delhi, India, September 11: Read what players have to say ahead of the inaugural Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship which starts on Thursday.

Viraj Madappa (Ind)

It feels good to be back playing in India. I think playing anywhere in India is kind of an advantage for us. Feels very comfortable, a lot of people over here will probably be rooting for us, not just me. So it’s nice to be back playing on courses that we have played on a lot growing up.

We have had a few junior and amateur events here, growing up I’ve played a few events over here, so I do know this place a little bit. Not as much as some of the courses I normally play in Bangalore and Calcutta, but I have played it before and I think enough to know a little about it.

I feel really good with my game. I’ve had two really positive weeks coming into this week, so I’m excited about being here and playing in front of a home crowd.

My goal is just to do as good as I can, and I know I’m playing well enough to win. I think I’m going to be banking on a lot of home supporters which pushed me through the line like when I won in Bangalore last year, so I’m excited for that.

I think last year was just a learning experience, getting to play a lot of the bigger events after I won. Also getting used to seeing a lot of the big guys in the co-sanctioned events. I think I was like kind of fan-boying and star-struck.

I think I’ve gotten over that and it feels, I think, more natural now, feels like my work-place playing anywhere I normally go and most of the courses we’re going to be playing now are places that I’ve been, so more familiar I guess.

Kosuke Hamamoto (Tha)

Obviously, I’m quite relieved that I have secured my playing rights for next year. Now that I have my playing rights secured, my goal is to finish as high as possible on the Order of Merit so that I get into all the co-sanctioned events.

To be honest, I didn’t really expect anything because it’s my rookie year. I didn’t want to expect too much out of myself, I just wanted to learn as fast as I can, and learn as much as possible every single week.

It was nice to drop only shot throughout the week in Chinese Taipei. But I wasn’t thinking about keeping the bogeys off the cards because in golf, the harder you try to do something, the harder it is for you to do it. If you try not to make a bogey, it’s easier to make a bogey. So I will just go out and focus on my processes. Whatever meant to happen, will happen.

It’s not going to be easy to get a win this week, but I’ll definitely give my 100% effort, and like I said just try to focus on my process and whatever happens, happens.

Chikkarangappa S (Ind)

Playing at home is always special and to be honest, I got some really good memories out here. I got my podium finish in my second professional event in PGTI here at the Classic Golf and Country Club so a lot of good memories out here.

I’ve been very comfortable playing back home in India. I had a top 10 finish at the Indian Open and also I played two events on the domestic circuit this year and I won both. Playing at home is always a little bit of a good feeling and you know obviously having the knowledge of the golf course is an advantage.

Form has been really good, it’s just that my putter has been a little cold. I think I just need to kiss my putter this week and it should start working. And I should be back up there on the weekends.

To be honest, I’ve been out free-wheeling, you know after I finished that top 10 and played well in Maybank and everything, made sure my card was done in the first half itself. I’ve been working on a couple of things with my coach, and then those things are getting in place, and I can see myself.

My ball-striking has improved a lot, my fairway hitting has improved a lot, my greens-in-regulation has improved, it’s just like I said my putter has been a little cold, but once it gets hot, the way I’m striking the ball I think I should be able to go a lot deeper.

I’m going to go out there and make sure I’m in the 65s every day. That’s what the goal is, and just try and get those numbers up there, and probably more than 20 under is going to be the winning score for sure, so looking forward to that.

Janne Kaske (Fin)

I’ve never been there (Classic Golf and Country Club) before but I have heard it’s a very scorable golf course. The Indian boys have been telling me it’s in good shape and the scores will really depend on how the rough is. If the rough is not up, then we can expect low scores. It’s nice to go there, I’m looking forward to it and I feel like my game is good. I’m putting quite well so I feel like I’m able to go low if that what it takes over there. My short game has been a little bit better in the last month or so now. My ball striking hasn’t been there, since that tournament (Maekyung Open) I haven’t hit it really well but like the final round of last week, I pretty good with my ball striking so I feel like actually everything starting to click. I like Indian food so I’m going to enjoy that part of it this week.

Taehee Lee (Kor)

This will be my third trip to India and I’m really looking forward to the week. I’ve been playing well this year and I’m so happy that I won my first Asian Tour title at home in May. It’s nice to know that I’m probably one of the pre-tournament favourites and hopefully, I can live up to it and play well this week. My form has been good so far and I’m hoping to carry that form over this week at this beautiful golf course.

Jack Harrison (Eng)

I’m looking forward to the week here as I’ve been playing well and got a good track record in India. I had a pretty good tournament last time in India at the Panasonic Open India. I love that course. While it’s a pity we’ll not going back there this year but I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Classic Golf and Country Club. It will be a good experience, I’m sure. I do love Indian food and some of the best Indian food outside of India can be found in England. I’m looking forward to it. It’s going to be good, on and off the golf course.

New Delhi, India, September 10: Finland’s Janne Kaske will be seeking a performance that will seal his passage into the winner’s circle for the first time when he tees up for the inaugural Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship which starts on Thursday.

Kaske was narrowly denied his breakthrough in May when he lost to Korea’s Taehee Lee in a play-off in Korea and is now hoping that heartbreak can be erased with a grandstand finish at the US$300,000 Asian Tour event this week.

The Finn is part of a strong international field of players where players from more than 20 countries are making the Classic Golf & Country Club International Championship a truly global event.

Kaske will come up against Lee again as the Korean has also committed to playing at India’s first Jack Nicklaus signature course, the Classic Golf & Country Club. The Korean immediately took up an Asian Tour membership after his win on home soil in May and is billed as one of the pre-tournament favourites.

Lee is the highest ranked player in fourth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and will be looking for his first professional victory outside Korea this week.

England’s Jack Harrison is hoping to ride on the positive vibes he has of India after enjoying a top-10 finish in his last visit to the country.

The Englishman also has a top-five finish in Bangladesh this season and could prove to be one of the genuine contenders.

The host venue, which comprises of an 18-Hole Signature Championship Course as well as a 9-Hole Signature Canyon Course, witnessed a slice of history in 2009 when Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat recorded the world’s lowest 72-hole score with a 32-under-par to win the third of his four Asian Tour titles then

Prior to hosting its first Asian Tour event in 2009, the Classic Golf and Country Club was also home to the prestigious Indian Open in 2000 and 2001. Over the past few years, it has also played host to several tournaments on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).

Did you know?

• Janne Kaske turned professional in 2011 and won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2015.
• Off the course, Kaske is an avid guitarist. He is also a graduate of the Augusta State University, where he played in the same team alongside Patrick Reed for a semester before graduating.
• Based in Bangkok, Thailand, Kaske’s best result on the Asian Tour was his runner-up finish at the 2019 Maekyung Open.
• Kaske failed to make the mark in his first attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2012.
• He returned for another shot in 2015, where he would top the class in the first stage but missed the grade in the final stage. Kaske, however, started plying his trade on the ADT that year and captured two titles.
• He continued to ply his trade on the ADT in 2016, 2017 and 2018 after missing consecutive attempts at the Qualifying School. A solid season on the ADT in 2018 finally earned him playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2019.
• Taehee Lee trained under Korean legend Sangho Choi, who is the third oldest winner on the Asian Tour, having won the Maekyung Open at the age of 50 years and 145 days.
• Lee won the Genesis Championship in 2018 for his second professional victory. That win earned him two starts on the PGA Tour – The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges last October and the Genesis Open in February earlier this year.
• He enjoyed a solid season in 2018, claiming one victory and four top-10 finishes on his domestic circuit.
• Lee also claimed his first career victory in 2015.
• Jack Harrison secured his Asian Tour card for the 2018 season after finishing tied-15th at the Asian Tour Qualifying School.
• It was his second attempt at the Qualifying School since 2013.
• Harrison, who turned professional in 2011, enjoyed his best result this year at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open when he finished tied-fifth.

Ends.

Sentosa, Singapore, September 9: For the first time in four years, Korea’s Yikuen Chang felt vindicated on the Asian Tour.

The Korean had slipped on the proverbial banana skin on numerous occasions, notably his runner-up finishes at the 2017 Yeangder Heritage tournament in Chinese Taipei, the 2018 GS Caltex Maekyung Open and the 2019 Bank BRI Indonesia Open last week.

But on a resplendent Sunday at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club, Chang finally did what he was not able to on the last three previous Sundays.

He won the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) by three shots which was significantly, a maiden breakthrough on the region’s premier Tour for him.

Fuelled by that all-important self-belief, Chang, who had said all week that he was ‘playing well’, showed he had the golfing talent to match up to his words when he became the first player from Korea to win the Yeangder TPC and also the second Korean after Taehee Lee, to win on Tour this season.

“This is my first Asian Tour win and it means a lot to me. I’ve been on this Tour for four years and I’ve had like three second place finishes already.

“I just couldn’t get it done, but it feels really nice to get it done now. I’m planning to take a one-week break in Taipei before heading back home. I’m looking forward to it,” said Chang.

With his maiden victory, Chang moved 11 spots up to 10^th place on the Order of Merit after taking home the winner’s prize purse of US$90,000.

Thai rookie Kosuke Hamamoto, who finished second at the Yeangder TPC, made one of the biggest moves by surging to 27^th place from the previous week’s 77^th position.

“To be honest, I was quite nervous going out today because I knew a really good finish could maybe make the rest of the year a lot easier.

“Because I really want to be in the top-60 for next year. I think I should be safe now, but you know the goal is to keep improving on the Order of Merit ranking and just keep going forward,” said Hamamoto, whose father is Japanese and mother is Thai.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, who did not play at the Yeangder TPC, continues to lead the money list while Australia’s Scott Hend is in second place followed by Japan’s Yosuke Asaji in third.

The Asian Tour heads to India for the inaugural Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship this week.

The inaugural US$300,000 event will take place at the Classic Golf and Country Club from September 12-15.

Ends.

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos       Player   Order of Merit (US$)

1            Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $761,613.71

2            Scott HEND (AUS) $528,160.94

3            Yosuke ASAJI (JPN) $285,181.86

4            Taehee LEE (KOR) $275,548.14

5            Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $253,680.96

6            Zach MURRAY (AUS) $209,670.05

7            Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) $187,218.98

8            Johannes VEERMAN (USA) $177,288.30

9            Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $167,490.11

10          Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $166,861.47

11          David LIPSKY (USA) $137,309.79

12          Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $135,062.83

13          Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $119,544.97

14          Janne KASKE (FIN) $112,785.67

15          Berry HENSON (USA) $106,792.21

16          Dongkyu JANG (KOR) $104,405.57

17          Sadom KAEWKANJANA (THA) $103,111.27

18          Richard T. LEE (CAN) $92,640.88

19          Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) $90,000.00

20          Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $87,509.11

Linkou, Chinese Taipei, September 8: Korea’s Yikeun Chang shook off his bridesmaid’s tag when he closed with a flawless six-under-par 66 to seal a three-shot victory for his maiden Asian Tour title at the US$500,000 Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Chang, a three-time runner-up on the Asian Tour, overcame a one-shot deficit as he rode a hot putter to return with a bogey-free round highlighted by six birdies at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club.

Chang would take home a winner’s prize purse of US$90,000 following his breakthrough and his winning total of 21-under-par 267 would also mark the record lowest 72-hole score in the tournament’s 10-year history.

Talented Thai rookie Kosuke Hamamoto continued his fine form to sign for a bogey-free 67 and record his best result yet on the Asian Tour with his second-place finish. The 20-year-old Hamamoto has impressively kept the bogeys off his card for the last 52 holes.

Local hotshot Chan Shih-chang was disappointed not to recapture the trophy on home soil after battling to a 70 to finish in third place on 271. The 33-year-old, however, stayed positive as he capped his best result this season after missing six cuts in eight starts prior to this week.

Overnight leader Lin Wen-tang settled a further shot back in fourth following a 72 but took pride in his commendable result, which marked his fourth top-five finish in 10 attempts at the Yeangder TPC.

Did you know?

• Yikeun Chang is the first Korean player to win the tournament, which has been held annually on the Asian Tour since 2010. He is also the second Korean, following Taehee Lee, to win on Tour this season.
• Chang tops the stats category for putts per greens in regulation this week with his average of 1.58. Also ranked inside tied-fifth for Average Putts per round (1.47) and Greens in regulation (77.78%).
• Prior to his breakthrough victory, Chang has enjoyed runner-up finishes at the 2017 Yeangder Heritage tournament in Chinese Taipei, the 2018 GS Caltex Maekyung Open and the 2019 Bank BRI Indonesia Open last week.
• Chang won twice on his domestic circuit in 2017, including his National Open, which earned him a coveted spot at The Open at Royal Birkdale, where he made his Major debut that year.
• He topped the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2016 in his second attempt. He missed the mark in his first attempt in 2014. Chang, however, did not manage to keep his card for 2017 as he finished 101st on the 2016 Order of Merit.
• The Korean regained his card at the 2017 Qualifying School after finishing tied-eighth. He ended the season in 48th place on the Merit rankings and kept his card for 2018.
• Kosuke Hamamoto, whose father is Japanese and mother is Thai, is playing in his first appearance at the Yeangder TPC this week.
• The 20-year-old Thai, who is playing in his first year as a professional golfer, has dropped only a single shot all week. He has stayed bogey-free for the last 52 holes. He’s also the player with the least number of bogeys made in four rounds of the tournament this week.
• Hamamoto started playing golf at the age of eight. He is a former Thai Amateur star, South East Asia (SEA) Games individual gold medalist and was part of the first Thai team to win the Nomura Cup in Malaysia in 2017.
• He was also part of Team Thailand that finished second in the Team event at the SEA Games in 2017.
• Hamamoto came through 2019 Qualifying School last December. Hamamoto, who started the season with a missed cut in Bangladesh, has since posted a tied-28th, tied-16th and tied-10th finish in Jakarta last week.
• He has also posted six top 10s and 13 top-20s on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT) in 2019.
• Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour and a six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
• Chan enjoyed a breakout season on the ADT in 2014, when he became only the second player to win three titles in a single season on the secondary Tour. He earned playing rights on the Asian Tour for the remainder of that season after achieving the feat.
• Chan broke through on the Asian Tour at the 2016 King’s Cup in Thailand and went on to win his second title at the Diamond Cup in Japan two months later. He would end his season in a career-high fourth place on the 2016 Asian Tour Order of Merit.
• Chan claimed his six ADT title at the Taifong Open last year. He shares the record of having the most wins on the ADT with Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand.

Linkou, Chinese Taipei, September 8: Read what players have to say following the final round of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship on Sunday.

Yikeun Chang (Kor) – Final round 66 (-6), Total 267 (-21)

I knew I had to start off good because the rain softened the course, so I knew I could take it low and I started really nice. I think the birdie on number four was huge because I made like a 20 footer there. From then on, I played really well.

My main goal on the back nine was to hit the fairways, hit the greens. I knew I was putting well so I knew if I hit it close, I’ll have a good chance. So my main goal was to hit the fairway, hit the green, you know at least make par, and I did that so it feels great.

The 16^th hole is hard because on that tee shot I knew I had to hit the fairway and I did that, and I hit a lot of good shots today. I putted well, I hit the ball well and I placed it in the right places. I could have made more putts on the back nine but overall, my putting was good.

The first hole is a really easy par five, I knew I had to take advantage of that par-five and I hit a really nice second shot, I think a seven-iron from 185-190 yards. It was an easy birdie, I think I had like a 20 footer for eagle. I left it short but I just told myself I had to take advantage of the par-fives.

This is my first Asian Tour win and it means a lot to me. I’ve been on this Tour for four years and I’ve had like three second place finishes already. I just couldn’t get it done, but it feels really nice to get it done now. I’m planning to take a one-week break in Taipei before heading back home. I’m looking forward to it.

Kosuke Hamamoto (Tha) – Final round 67 (-5), Total 270 (-18)

To be honest, I was quite nervous going out today because I knew a really good finish could maybe make the rest of the year a lot easier. Because I really want to be in the top-60 for next year. I think I should be safe now, but you know the goal is to keep improving on the Order of Merit ranking and just keep going forward.

I hung in there really well this week, I felt like I played my own game really well, just did my own process really well today. I’m happy. It’s my first time playing this tournament. I didn’t expect anything but I just knew I was in pretty good form coming here and I just wanted to keep it going.

I tried to stay in the present and focus on my process. On the front nine, I hit a couple of good shots and made a long putt on number seven which kind of made the back nine a bit easier. On the back nine, however, I think I ran out of gas a bit. It’s my fourth week in a row but I’m just happy I got it done.

Chan Shih-chang (Tpe) – Final round 70 (-2), Total 271 (-17)

I didn’t hit my irons well today. Putting was not great either. I am very disappointed. I wanted to hang on to my two-under on the front but didn’t manage to do that. I didn’t play to my expectations. I think it’s a failed performance.

I might have to play well in a couple more tournaments to keep my card on the Asian Tour this year. I will keep working hard. I will try and play well on the Japan Tour as well. There’s a lot more work to do.

Lin Wen-tang (Tpe) – Final round 72 (even-par), Total 272 (-16)

I knew I had to play well on the front nine. It’s important to get off to a good start when you are in the lead. But unfortunately, I got unlucky on the first, hit it into the bunker and made a bogey there. I didn’t read the greens as well as I did the last three rounds, missed a lot of short putts.

Putting was indeed a little disappointing but I did my best. It’s a pity not to have won, having come close so many times in this tournament. But to finish on 16-under total, I am very impressed with myself, especially when I’m not young anymore (laughs).

Richard T. Lee (Can) – Final round 65 (-7), Total 273 (-15)

I haven’t birdied the 18^th hole until today. So I am pretty happy to finish with a birdie there. To finish five-under on the back-nine is just amazing. Yikeun is making it look easier actually.

Overall, I think this week is a good week, except for yesterday where I shot even but that’s golf for you. I almost holed my third shot on the par-five last, hit the pin actually.

It’s a positive week. I made a lot of birdies out there. I can’t complain at all. I am going to take a week off and then prepare for the next tournament in Korea.

Casey O’Toole (USA) – Final round 67 (-5), Total 273 (-15)

It’s probably the best tournament I’ve had since this tournament three years ago, so it’s been awhile. I played good, played solid, drove the ball better this week and I was able to make some putts.

I mean, I felt like the past couple of months my game was coming around, I just needed something to play in. So it was nice to see that today, I just had a lot of good things this week so I’m really pleased with how I played this week, excited.

My short game really got away from me the last couple of years and I’ve been working hard on it. This week it really for once it saved me, it helped me, and that’s the name of the game. I’ve always been able to hit the ball, I’ve never hit it terrible, you know, I’ve always been able to keep it in front of me in play, but just my short game really the last couple of years got away from me.

But i’ve just been working hard, for some reason this week it really started coming around. It was nice, it feels good and it takes some pressure off everything.

Linkou, Chinese Taipei, September 7: Local hero Lin Wen-tang took flight with a birdie blitz before closing with a flawless seven-under-par 65 to grab the outright lead following the penultimate round of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) on Saturday.

Lin, who started the day two shots off the lead, raised the local cheers when he opened with five straight birdies before closing with two more birdies to take his place atop the leaderboard.

His three-day total of 16-under-par 200 would mark the lowest 54-hole score recorded in the tournament which has been played annually at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club since it was inaugurated in 2010.

Overnight co-leader Yikeun Chang of Korea extended his advantage to three after sinking his eighth birdie of the day to go to six-under, but a costly double-bogey resulting from an unlucky break on the last saw him sign for an eventual 68.

The 25-year-old Chang, chasing for his breakthrough win on the Asian Tour, trails Lin by one shot in second place alongside local hotshot Chan Shih-chang, who also returned with a 68, at the US$500,000 event, which is celebrating its 10^th consecutive edition this week.

Promising rookie Kosuke Hamamoto of Thailand posted a flawless 68 to settle three shots off the pace in fourth while countryman Phachara Khongwatmai moved into fifth place on 204 after matching the lowest round of the day with Lin with his 65.

Did you know?

• Lin Wen-tang’s three-day total of 16-under-par 200 is the record lowest in the tournament, which has been held annually on the Asian Tour since 2010.
• The 45-year-old Lin has enjoyed three top-five finishes in the event in 2011, 2012 and 2016. He had uncharacteristically missed the halfway cuts in the last two editions. Lin has never missed a single edition since the tournament was inaugurated in 2010.
• Lin is one of Chinese Taipei’s most successful golfers. He holds a total of six victories on the Asian Tour, the most amongst the players from Chinese Taipei. Lin is also a two-time winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
• The 45-year-old Lin claimed two top-10s last year. He came in tied-second at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and finished tied-ninth at the Queen’s Cup 2018 hosted by Jaidee Foundation in Thailand.
• Yikeun Chang tops the stats category for putts per greens in regulation so far this week with his average of 1.58. Also ranked inside top-five for Putts per round (1.48), Greens in regulation (79.63%), Fairways hit (76.19%) and Driving distance (305.8 yards).
• Chang stayed bogey-free for his first 40 holes before dropping his first shot of the week on the par-three fifth.
• Chang is chasing for his maiden win on the Asian Tour. He enjoyed runner-up finishes at the 2017 Yeangder Heritage tournament in Chinese Taipei, the 2018 GS Caltex Maekyung Open and the 2019 Bank BRI Indonesia Open last week.
• Chang’s result in Jakarta last week is his best result so far this season. He had carded a solid final round of eight-under-par 64 to finish second.
• Chang won twice on his domestic circuit in 2017, including his National Open, which earned him a coveted spot at The Open at Royal Birkdale, where he made his Major debut that year.
• Hetopped the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2016 in his second attempt. He missed the mark in his first attempt in 2014. Chang, however, did not manage to keep his card for 2017 as he finished 101st on the 2016 Order of Merit.
• The Korean regained his card at the 2017 Qualifying School after finishing tied-eighth. He ended the season in 48th place on the Merit rankings and kept his card for 2018.
• Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour and a six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
• The 33-year-old Chan carded a flawless round of 64, highlighted by six opening birdies, in the second round to mark his personal best in the event where he had played annually since 2010. He came in tied-11th last year and his best result at the Yeangder TPC is a fourth-place finish in 2013.
• Chan enjoyed a breakout season on the ADT in 2014, when he became only the second player to win three titles in a single season on the secondary Tour. He earned playing rights on the Asian Tour for the remainder of that season after achieving the feat.
• Chan broke through on the Asian Tour at the 2016 King’s Cup in Thailand and went on to win his second title at the Diamond Cup in Japan two months later. He would end his season in a career-high fourth place on the 2016 Asian Tour Order of Merit.
• Chan claimed his six ADT title at the Taifong Open last year. He shares the record of having the most wins on the ADT with Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand.
• Kosuke Hamamoto, whose father is Japanese and mother is Thai, is making his first appearance in the Yeangder TPC.
• The 20-year-old Thai has dropped only a single shot all week. He has stayed bogey-free for the last 34 holes.
• Hamamoto started playing golf at the age of eight. He is a former Thai Amateur star, South East Asia (SEA) Games individual gold medalist and was part of the first Thai team to win the Nomura Cup in Malaysia in 2017.
• He was also part of Team Thailand that finished second in the Team event at the SEA Games in 2017.
• Hamamoto came through 2019 Qualifying School last December. Starting with a missed cut in Bangladesh, he has since posted a tied-28th, tied-16th and tied-10th in Jakarta last week.
• He has also posted six top 10s and 13 top-20s on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT) in 2019.

Linkou, Chinese Taipei, September 7: Read what players have to say following the penultimate round of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship on Saturday.

Lin Wen-tang (Tpe) – Third round 65 (-7), Total 200 (-16)

This is my sponsor’s event so for sure, it comes with a lot of pressure. But overall, I have been playing good. From playing for like eight over hours on the first day till now, everything has been good for me so far.

I just think you need to pay more attention when you read the greens here. I read it well today and managed to get the feel starting from the first hole to make like five birdies in-a-row. I feel very motivated for sure.

After that, I made a lot of consecutive pars, some good chips and some good saves. Left a few birdie putts out there after putting short, especially heading into the back nine. I was actually concerned about the slopes, that’s why I keep hitting it short.

It was nice to finish with two birdies and a bogey-free round. I had a nice par save on the ninth hole. I hit it left and had to punch out from the rough. But I hit it too hard from there and injured my wrist. My wrist didn’t feel good after that so I did some stretching and it got better.

My son was following me and he gave some ice pack to put on my wrist. The pain went off after that. The course condition is better this year I think, as you can see from the scores. The greens got softer after the rain earlier this week. You can stop the ball better on the green.

Players feel safer to attack the greens out there. It’s been a long time since the halfway cut was set a one-under in this event I think. It was always over-par. I wouldn’t say easier to play this week but the standard of play on the Asian Tour has definitely improved over the years.

I will stick to my own tempo tomorrow. I don’t want to give myself any pressure. I will take it one shot at a time. The round started off a good note today. Hamamoto came up to me and said he’s very happy to play with me and he remembered the shot I made to win the Hong Kong Open back in 2008. I felt good that someone still knows me and remembers that shot (laughs).

Yikeun Chang (Kor) – Third round 68 (-4), Total 201 (-15)

It wasn’t a bad hole on the last actually. I hit two perfect shots. But I think I just had the unluckiest moment in my life. The first two shots were perfect but the second one went over like about 10 yards. I was literally right behind the tree. I had like nothing to hit from there.

But apart from that, it was a good round. I had a good start today. Actually, I didn’t really hit the ball as good as I did the last two days. But I putted really well the whole round. I’m going to the range after this to work on my iron shots.

My driver is pretty good too. My iron-play was solid too. I mean I just got really unlucky on the last but I’m only one shot back. I am just going to the range to work on a few things. Same mindset for tomorrow. I have been playing really well.

Last week, I shot eight-under on the last day to finish second. I am just going to try and fire the pins tomorrow, hit the fairways and greens, keep making birdies and see what happens. I have another day to go. I have been playing well. I have a couple of second-place finishes throughout my career on the Asian Tour so it would be nice to finally get a W tomorrow.

Chan Shih-chang (Tpe) – Third round 68 (-4), Total 201 (-15)

I am still having problems with my driver. I am still not hitting it good. I also three-putted on the eighth to make bogey. I didn’t feel confident with my game on the front nine. Yikeun putted well today and he hits it long. He just got unlucky on the last hole. But overall, he played well.

I have been going back to work on my game after every round this week. I haven’t had much rest actually. I’ll go back and practise again today. Tomorrow, I will try not to think too much about my driver and focus more on my short game and iron-play.

I played better on the back nine today but still missed a few birdie chances on the short par-fours like 14 and 16. I think it’s important to get off to a good start tomorrow. It’s an easy par-five on the first. Anyone who can start with a birdie there will have a more stable round and a good chance to win.

Kosuke Hamamoto (Tha) – Third round 68 (-4), Total 203 (-13)

I was hitting it really solid today and made a couple of good up and downs, all in all I’m pretty happy with my round today. I will just try to do my best, play my own game shot by shot and stay in my process. Just stick to that and whatever happens, happens.

It is actually a pretty good sign that my results are getting better week after week as that definitely gives me and my team a lot of confidence in what we’re working on. I think it’s just getting used to the environment and everything.

I turned pro at the end of 2018 so this is my first full season. I think everybody is just very good on Tour but I was lucky enough during the national teams I got some invites into some Asian tour events and local tour events, which gave me the experience in professional events. So when I came out here, I kind of knew what to expect.