Shinhan Donghae Open: Hirata shoots 62 to share lead with Suzuki
High temperatures matched some sizzling hot golf on day three of the Shinhan Donghae Open today, when Kensei Hirata from Japan carded the best round of the week to join his compatriot and overnight leader Kosuke Suzuki in a share of the third-round lead.
After two grey and rainy days, the sun came out at Ocean Course at Club72 in Incheon and it was Hirata who shone the most, firing a 10-under-par 62 – which as preferred lies were in play meant it was not a course record.
He and Suzuki, who started the day with a three-shot cushion and shot a 69, top the leaderboard on 16-under – in what is the 40th edition of the tournament.
Chanmin Jung, the powerfully built strong man of Korean golf, is one shot back in outright third following a fine 63.
Kosuke Suzuki.
Australian Travis Smyth (65), Korean Minkyu Kim (66) – this year’s Kolon Korea Open champion – plus Japan’s Mikumu Horikawa (66) and Tomoyo Ikemura (67) are in a tie for fourth, an additional stroke behind.
Hirata is arguably the man to beat tomorrow having won the Fujisankei Classic last weekend on the Japan Golf Tour – his second win there this year after success in the Shigeo Nagashima Invitational Sega Sammy Cup in July.
This week’s event, one of Korea’s biggest and most important, is tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Japan and Korean Tours, meaning victory for him would see him go back-to-back on his home circuit while also earn cards for the other two tours.
He is highest ranked player in the field this week from the Japan Tour Money list in fourth place.
The 23-year-old, a four-time winner in Japan, said: “I started off really well and so wanted to see how far I could go. I was just trying to take it easy, and not put pressure on myself and I think that helped me play well until the end.
“I know tomorrow will be hard as it is always difficult to play well after making such a good score. Very unlikely I will play as well but my approach will be the same: I’ll focus on each shot and do my best.”
Chanmin Jung.
Hirata, who was bogey-free, sensationally birdied the first five holes, and made birdie on seven to help make the turn in six-under-par 30. Back-to-back birdies on 13 and 14 and the last two holes saw him set the mark in the clubhouse.
Suzuki, chasing his maiden win in the pro game, did well to match him after a bogey on 16, where he escaped a poor lie in a greenside bunker, was dealt with by a birdie on the penultimate hole, where he chipped in.
Jung, the winner of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open here in Korea on the Asian Tour last year, is one of the biggest hitters on the Korean PGA which along with his muscular build has earned him the nickname “The Korean Hulk”.
That raw power was on display today, as he made an eagle, nine birdies and two bogeys
“Putting has been an issue for me,” said the Korean, “and that’s put pressure on the rest of my game. But since last week it has improved, and I am a lot more confident with my putts.
“Both tee shots and putts were good today. The putting went really well and then that eagle on 13 really fired me up.”
He was paired with Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan today, who he said has become a good friend on tour.
Travis Smyth.
“We are close friends. We got close after playing together several times on the Asian Tour. I tried to learn Thai, but it’s really hard.”
Smyth is enjoying one of his best seasons, including tying for fourth in last week’s Mandiri Indonesia Open.
He is highest ranked player here on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, sitting in 11th place,
“I was all over the shop for the first two rounds, and all of last week, but I feel like I got lucky a bit, there is a bit of room on this golf course,” said the Australian.
“Went to the range, worked on something yesterday, kind of clicked, so I hit it much better today. I gave myself so many looks and the putter got hot. It was a pretty easy, cruisy, seven under.
“I feel like I am understanding my game ok. I just don’t feel like I am playing good enough to win, which is a little frustrating. I have played pretty consistent for quite a while now. Although it is nice to be up there contending all the time it does get a little frustrating when you are not contending to win and recording top-10s and that sort of thing. There is a little bit of fire in my stomach at the moment. I want to take my game to the next level and try and win events and I feel like I am close.”
He won the Yeangder TPC in Chinese-Taipei in 2022 and is bidding to win for the second time on the Asian Tour.
Japan’s Kosuke Suzuki is impressively setting the pace in the Shinhan Donghae Open after firing an eight-under-par 64 to take the halfway lead on 13-under.
He leads by three from Korean Galam Jeon and Brad Kennedy from Australia, who both fired equally outstanding 65s, and four from Naoyuki Kataoka from Japan and Korean Jaewoong Eom – the joint-first round leader.
Kataoka returned a 67 and Eom a 70, here at Ocean Course at Club72 in Incheon – in an event tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Japan and Korean Tours.
Filipino Miguel Tabuena, with fellow Tour professional Nick Fung from Malaysia caddying for him, returned his second successive 68 and is in group of players on eight under in joint sixth.
Galam Jeon.
Suzuki, a professional for three years and in pursuit of his first win in the pro game, took to the front in spectacular fashion. He made a birdie on the fourth, eagled the next and then made two more birdies in-a-row, before making three birdies on-the-trot from 11.
He dropped his only shot of the day when he made bogey on 16 before completing one of the finest rounds of his career with a birdie on the last.
“It feels like it’s the first time I played good golf in a while,” said the 24-year-old, whose best ever result came at the Asia Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup in 2022 on home soil, when he tied second as an amateur.
“I just want to continue getting birdies and improving my score. Not conscious of the leaderboard; I’ll just play my own golf.”
Jeon won the Korean PGA Championship this year, for his third win on the Korean PGA Tour, and also crushed the front nine with an eagle and three birdies. Three birdies and a bogey on the homeward half completed two days of great work.
He said: “Yesterday was a struggle as I started in the afternoon, and it was raining a lot. I just tried to think my way around carefully and keep my swing as smooth as possible. That strategy worked well, and I am now in a strong position.”
Miguel Tabuena.
This year the 28-year-old has opened up about how nervous he gets playing in events and how it means he get very little sleep, but his golf was wide awake today.
“The Shinhan Donghae Open is a traditional tournament that everyone wants to win,” he added.
“If I win, I can play on the Asian and Japan Tours, like Guntaek Koh, who won this tournament last year. I think if I win, I’ll do the same thing as Koh”.
Kennedy, a regular on the Japan Tour who turned 50 this year, charged through with a brilliant back nine of five-under-par 31, and was bogey-free all day.
Tabuena was also bogey-free, with two birdies on each nine.
“It was a good round, it was pretty solid tee to green; didn’t get myself into trouble,” said the three-time winner on the Asian Tour.
“The game is in a good spot. It was nice to see some good results the last few events. It is a very important time, it will get busy, so I am happy with where the game is.”
It’s only the second time close-friend Fung has caddied for him, with the duo having worked together at US Open sectional qualifiers this year, when Tabuena came close to making it through.
His normal caddie Clayton Besset could not make it this week as his mother is unwell.
Said Tabuena: “Nick was nice enough to step in for Clayton, who will resume action in Taiwan. This team with Nick is pretty good. He is very firm, and he is very confident with the lies on the greens, which was a big aspect for me the last few months.”
Ryo Ishikawa.
Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa, a 19-time winner in Japan including this year’s Japan PGA Championship, returned a 69 and is in a group of players on seven-under, that also includes this year’s Kolon Korea Open champion Minkyu Kim, who shot a 70.
Defending champion Guntaek Koh from Korea fired a 72 and missed the halfway cut, made at three under, by two.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, who Koh beat in a play-off last year, returned a 69 and will also not be here at the weekend as he finished two under.
Balancing practice with the right amount of rest is clearly working well for Jaewoong Eom [main picture] after he birdied his final three holes to storm through and take a share of the lead at the Shinhan Donghae Open today.
The Korean and Asian Tour member fired a seven-under-par 65 along with Japan’s Tomoyo Ikemura, at Ocean Course at Club72, near Incheon Airport.
Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan shot a 66, with Korean Minkyu Kim, winner of the Kolon Korea Open in June, next best placed following a 67, along with countrymen Kyungnam Kang and Hanmil Jung, Japan’s Kosuke Suzuki plus Australian Anthony Quayle.
David Boriboonsub from Thailand, American Berry Henson, Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines, Australian Travis Smyth and Ryo Ishikawa from Japan are in a large group who recorded 68s.
Persistent showers and wind thrashed the field for much of the day, making Eom’s performance all the more impressive – in an event tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan Tours.
Tomoyo Ikemura.
“Overall, the performance was good,” said Eom, who played in the morning.
“I was able to concentrate well. The goal was to make the game easy and thankfully that happened. It was difficult due to the rain. I started at the 10th hole and after five holes the rain poured down and the wind was strong. I managed to get through that okay and make some birdies.”
He made eight birdies and dropped one shot, on the 18th, his ninth, with five birdies coming on his bogey-free second half.
“I rest during breaks in the schedule but also work hard on the areas I need to improve. I have focused on my swing and fitness training lately. The effects seem to be working well, my game is on the up.”
Eom, who speaks Mandarin fluently having lived in China as a child, enjoyed his best season on the Asian Tour last year, finishing second in the International Series Singapore, and tying for second in the New Zealand Open.
Kim, who put in a fine performance tying for 31st place at The Open soon after winning his national Open, is coming off the back of a couple of disappointing weeks on the Korean PGA Tour and was less than happy with his game today despite sitting on the shoulder of the leader.
Rattanon Wannasrichan.
“I didn’t hit it very good today, but my putting and short game were really good,” said the 23-year-old, who also won the Kolon Korea Open in 2022.
“I finished around the 30th and 50th mark playing in local events after The Open. I was trying my best and enjoyed playing in them, but I didn’t perform, just need to work harder.
“Golf is like up and down, it’s like that; sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I just didn’t like how I was hitting today.”
By contrast Boriboonsub was delighted with his performance. This year he has been trying to re-capture the kind of form that saw win three events at the end of last year: the Saudi Open, the Thailand Open on the All Thailand Golf Tour and the Aramco Invitational on the Asian Development Tour.
A more passive approach appears to have done the trick for the 20-year-old rising star this week.
He said: “Today was a really good round. I am now bogey free since the last day off Indonesia last weekend. I changed my game plan and mindset. Just having fun and don’t make six is the plan.
“I drove good, my irons are okay, putting not that good but still two putts. The game is more simple than before: I am just trying to hit fairways and greens. I attacked a lot before. Now is a complete change in approach.”
Defending champion Guntaek Koh from Korea and his compatriot Yubin Jang, the current leader of the Korean PGA Tour merit list, both fired 71s.
Minkyu Kim. Pictures courtesy Korean PGA.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, who lost in sudden-death here last year, came in with a 73.
England’s Steve Lewton, winner of the Mandiri Indonesia Open last weekend, fired a 75. He started on the back nine and was in contention at three under through 14 until a triple-bogey on hole six was followed by a double on the next before a bogey on eight.
Guntaek Koh, who starts the defence of his Shinhan Donghae Open title tomorrow and is one of Korea’s hottest golfers at the moment, says he feels he has a lot more success to come and has not yet reached the peak of his powers.
The Korean star [main picture, winning last year] claimed the KPGA Founders Cup with Hanmac CC in April on the Korean PGA Tour to go with his three wins last year, including the Shinhan Donghae Open – an event tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan Tours, since 2019.
It has been a terrific run of form for the 24-year-old, who has also not missed a cut in six starts on the Asian Tour this season.
“I don’t think it’s my heyday yet,” said Koh.
“I’m just trying to improve every day, every year, and I’m trying to work hard on my weaknesses.”
It’s difficult to see any cracks in his game at the moment. When he won here last year at Ocean Course at Club72, Incheon, he birdied the par-five 18th to catch Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai on the 72nd hole, after hitting a brilliant third shot to three feet, and he then proceeded to make four again in the play-off, holing a 10-footer.
Guntaek Koh closing in on his win last year. Picture supplied by the Korean PGA Tour.
“It is an honour to be the defending champion this week in a prestigious event like the Shinhan Donghae Open. As I come out as the defending champion, I want to focus and defend the title. I’ve been practicing a lot for this week, so I think it’s possible,” he added.
“It was a great season last year because I won three times. I remember winning the Shinhan Donghae Open because it was very tough, and I was so happy to win.
“It is a windy course. To perform well, you have to calculate the wind. The same hole can have a different level of difficulty each time you play it depending on the location of the pin. Sometimes you have to play safely and sometimes you have to attack.”
Koh also finished runner up in the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open on the Japan Golf Tour in late May, earning him a ticket to The Open at Royal Troon. Success overseas is very much on his radar.
He said: “I haven’t won on an overseas tour yet, so I want to win overseas in the second half of the year, and I’ll prepare well physically because I have a lot of competitions ahead.”
Since the Shinhan Donghae Open was launched in 1981 only three players have successfully defended the title: Sangmoon Bae, KJ Choi, and Changsang Han. On current form Koh is a strong bet to become the fourth as he attempts to close in on his ‘heyday’.
Tournament Information
- Tournament: Shinhan Donghae Open
- Venue: Ocean Course at Club 72, Incheon, Korea
- Date: September 5-8, 2024
- Purse: KRW1,400,000,000 (approximately US$1,043,646)
- Asian Tour leg: 11th event of 2024 season
- Edition of tournament: 40th
- Total number of players: 138
- Format: 72-hole stroke play with a cut made after two rounds. Leading 65 pros plus ties make it through to the weekend
- Social Media Hashtags: #TimeToRise #ShinhanDonghaeOpen
Past champions and leading players this week gathered for a photo call yesterday.
Field Breakdown
- Order of Merit winners: Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019)
- Nationalities: 12
- Past winners of tournament in the field: Guntaek Koh (2023), Kazuki Higa (2022), Yoseop Seo (2021), Hanbyeol Kim (2020), Jbe Kruger (2019), Sanghyun Park (2018), Richard T. Lee (2017), Gaganjeet Bhullar (2016), Hyunwoo Ryu (2009)
- Defending champion: Guntaek Koh (KOR) [main picture]
- Top contenders: Steve Lewton (ENG), Seungtaek Lee (KOR), Richard T. Lee (CAN), Minkyu Kim (KOR), Travis Smyth (AUS), Kensei Hirata (JPN), Guntaek Koh (KOR), Phachara Khongwatmai (THA), Ryo Ishikawa (JPN)
- Highest ranked player on OWGR: Kensei Hirata (JPN) #181
- Highest ranked player on 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit: Minkyu Kim (KOR) #6
- No. of amateurs: 1
- No. of Korean players in the field: 62
Last week’s winner Steve Lewton is here this week.
Tournament notes
- Englishman Steve Lewton is fresh of his win in Jakarta last week, his second Asian Tour victory after a winless period since the 2014 Mercuries Taiwan Masters. He also has two other top 10s this season, finishing tied ninth at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open and tied 10th at the Kolon Korea Open.
- Australian Travis Smyth again had a good tournament in Indonesia last week finishing tied fourth, his fourth top-10 of the season to go along with a tied fifth at the International Series Morocco, a tied ninth at the IRS Prima Malaysian Open and a tied 10th at the International Series Oman. Currently 11th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
- Defending champion Guntaek Koh of Korea has already posted one win on the Korean PGA Tour this season after he won the KPGA Founders Cup in a play-off against fellow Korean Seungtaek Lee. Koh also finished runner up in the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open on the Japan Tour in late May, earning him a ticket to The Open at Royal Troon.
- Seungtaek Lee from Korea won the Lexus Masters last week on the Korean PGA Tour and he also has a runner up, a tied third and three other top 10s on his home circuit to currently sit in third place in KPGA’s Gensis Point Rankings. The Asian Tour member has a tied 13th in the International Series England as his best result on the Asian Tour this season.
- Japan’s Kensei Hirata also won the weather shortened (to 36 holes) Fujisankei Classic on his domestic tour, the Japan Golf Tour, last week and currently sits in fourth place on that tour’s Reward Ranking money list. It was the 2023 Japan PGA Championship winner’s second win of the season in Japan, and he has also posted four other top 10s during his 2024 campaign in Japan.
- Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa is also here this week. He won the Japan Players’ Championship in June, for his 19th win on the Japan Golf Tour and first since in two years.
Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa is here chasing his second victory of 2024.
- Richard T. Lee from Canada won the Shinhan Donghae Open in 2017, and he has been a consistent high performer on the Asian Tour in 2024. Lee narrowly missed the play-off at this year’s GS Caltex Maekyung Open and has one more top 10 on the Asian Tour this season, placing eighth at the International Series Macau presented by Wynns. In six outings the Canadian has no missed cuts and a tied 22nd as his worst result.
- Dual member (KPGA and Asian Tour) Minkyu Kim is the highest-ranking Asian Tour player in the field this week at sixth on the Order of Merit, mainly thanks to his Kolon Korean Open win in June. He’s also ranked second in the KPGA Tour’s Genesis Points list after the Kolon Korea Open win, plus his victory at the Descente Korea Matchplay in early June.
- The event is tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Japan and Korean Tours.
Phachara Khongwatmai competes in the Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea this week saying he has fully recovered from the back injury that forced him to withdraw from the Olympics and the International Series England.
It’s a timely recovery for the brilliant Thai golfer who nearly won this event here last year at Ocean Course at Club72, near Incheon airport. Korean Guntaek Koh beat him on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off, after Phachara, playing in the seventh from last group out, had shot a remarkable nine-under-par 63 to set the target in the clubhouse.
Koh birdied the par-five 18th in regulation play to catch him, and then made birdie again on the last to take the title, after his Thai opponent found water with his second shot but still managed to make par after hitting his fourth to 12 feet.
It was a typically cavalier performance from Phachara, coming during an outstanding season when he was also third twice, fourth three times and recorded fifth and sixth place finishes.
Phachara Khongwatmai and Kiradech Aphibarnrat pictured at the Olympics. Picture by Tracy Wilcox/PGA TOUR/IGF.
However, it was yet another season, like this year so far, that left him chasing that elusive second victory on the Asian Tour, to add to the Laguna Phuket Championship he claimed in December of 2021.
Opportunity knocks again this week on a course he likes and with his back back to normal.
“My back injury started because of the village at the Olympics,” he explained.
“On Wednesday I got food allergies, and I slept all day in the village, but the bed was not very good, that is when it started to hurt. But not too bad, just like tight and not hurt a lot. In Paris the course was quite narrow and the rough quite sticky, like really long rough.
“And I hit it in the rough almost every hole so then my back kept hurting. I had to stop after nine holes on the last day. Then I tried to play in the UK, but I only lasted the first round. But now it’s better, I don’t feel any pain anymore, now like back to normal.”
To make matters worse his driver cracked at the Olympics – effecting the strongest part of his game. He started using a new one at last week’s Mandiri Indonesia Open, where he put together four solid rounds to restore his confidence. He tied for 27th and is currently in 44th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and looking for a spark to ignite his season.
Phachara Khongwatmai. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He said: “Now, you know for me, it seems like my season is just starting. Hopefully my game will be back to normal soon.
“I like this week’s course; I like the greens. Putting is key this week because the greens have a lot of slope, and they are quite tricky. If I’m putting good I have a chance.”
It’s been 10 years since he turned professional – and 11 since he made global headlines by winning the Singha Hua Hin Open as a 14-year-old amateur – countless missed chances to win again have passed but at 25 years of age time is most definitely on the side for one of Thailand’s most precocious stars.
This week’s event is tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Japan and Korean Tours.
England’s Steve Lewton [main picture] triumphantly ended a 10-year wait to claim his second title on the Asian Tour by winning the US$500,000 Mandiri Indonesia Open today in a captivating sudden-death play-off.
Experiencing the full gamut of emotions, he won with a birdie on the second extra hole against third-round leader Aaron Wilkin from Australia and Chinese rookie Sampson Zheng.
Lewton had looked on course to win in regulation play when he birdied 16 and 17 for a two-shot lead but he made a ruinous double-bogey on the par-fourth 18th, where his tee-shot landed in a hazard left of the tee.
He returned a three-under-par 68 for a tournament total of 16-under, while Zheng shot the same score and Wilkin a 69, here at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course, just north of Jakarta.
When they returned to 18 they all made bogey, with Lewton coming closest to making a par, missing a four footer.
Steve Lewton. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Lewton nearly found the hazard again on second extra-hole, but his ball stopped on a cart path. He capitalised on that good fortune and hit his second to eight feet which he duly made to register one of the year’s most popular wins. Zheng nearly chipped in for a birdie, while Wilkin missed his three from 12 feet.
It was just reward for Lewton, who tied for second in this event the past two years, when on both occasions it was played at Pondok Indah Golf Course.
Said an ecstatic and relieved Lewton: “It’s just been a long, long time, and I feel like in the last three years, I’ve been playing quite good. So, it’s just nice to get over the line and win a tournament again. Because it’s been a long time since I had that feeling.”
His first win came at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in 2014, two years after he first started playing on the Asian Tour.
He added: “Yeah, I thought I got through 10 holes, and I felt like I was kind of coasting. And then I made it difficult again through 14 holes, and then I birdied 16 and 17, and then I had a mini disaster on 18. I was just very happy to get it done the second time of asking in the play-off.”
He’d started the day one back of Wilkin, and playing in the penultimate pairing with Zheng and another Chinese golfer Liu Yanwei, he made seven birdies, one double and two bogeys. His bid for glory started with three birdies in a row from the fifth and another on nine to go out in four under. Another birdie followed on 10, before the drama started with bogeys on 13 and 14.
“I am very happy not to finish second again,” joked the 41-year-old at the prize presentation.
Wilkin, a graduate from last year’s Asian Development Tour, and Zheng, who turned professional in June, were both trying to win for the first time on the Asian Tour.
Aaron Wilkin. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
“I thought I handled myself pretty well to be honest. I just didn’t play well enough to be fair,” said the Australian, who also led after day one with a staggering course record 61.
“I controlled my emotions pretty well until probably the play-off, but I reckon that was just poor swings. I still felt pretty good. I’m happy, it’s all good. Like, I mean, I would have loved to win, it would have wrapped up my card for the year, or a couple years, but I feel like the game is going in the right direction.”
Zheng, who graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, last year, that year he also finished runner-up at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, said: “You know, I kept myself in it the entire day. Had my first three putt of the tournament on nine, which kind of sucked a little bit. But I bounced back nicely with a birdie on 10, and there were a couple of putts that just didn’t quite fall my way on the back nine. Yeah, gave myself opportunities all day, and that’s what I wanted to do, and I did that. So overall, happy with the performance.”
Australian Travis Smyth (67) and Liu (68) missed making the play-off by one shot and tied for fourth, with the latter frustratingly missing a short par putt on the last.
Malaysian Ervin Chang recorded his best finish on the Asian Tour by tying for sixth, three shots back, but it could have been so much better as he also made a double on 18. He finished in a tie with American Austen Truslow (63), Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut (67), Suteepat Prateeptienchai (68) and Poosit Supupramai (68), plus Ian Snyman (67) from South Africa, and Indian Saptak Talwar (68).
Sampson Zheng. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour is in Korea next week for the Shinhan Donghae Open. The event, won last year by Korean Guntaek Koh , who beat Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai in a play-off, will be played at Ocean Course at Club72, near Incheon airport, from September 5-8. It’s tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan Tours.
Aaron Wilkin kept up his hopes of claiming his maiden title on the Asian Tour by edging ahead of a stacked leaderboard today to finish with a one-shot lead after round three.
The Australian, the first-round leader after a sensational course record 10-under-par 61, carded a 67 for a tournament total of 14-under, here at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course, North Jakarta.
Four players are one shot back: Chinese-Taipei’s Ho Yu-Cheng (65), Malaysian Ervin Chang (66), Steve Lewton (66) from England and China’s Sampson Zheng (72) – who had a four-shot lead at the start of the day, over Wilkin.
Eighteen players are within five shots of Wilkin, setting up a brilliant final day of golf with the tournament wide open.
Wilkin, a graduate from last year’s Asian Development Tour (ADT), carded a 71 yesterday after his first-round fireworks, and was equally resilient today when moving day truly came alive.
Sampson Zheng. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Playing in the final pairing he made six birdies and two bogies, with his final birdie on the par-five 17th proving the difference.
“I’m happy with that,” said the 31-year-old, playing his first full season on the Asian Tour.
“Sort of stayed behind yesterday which I don’t normally do and did a little bit of practice on the putting, which sort of deserted me a little bit yesterday. So yeah, I felt like the putting was better. I didn’t hit it any better than the last few days, I just holed a few extra putts. Sort of stayed in the round for longer.”
He won the Queensland PGA Championship in 2022 and the BRG Open in Vietnam last year on the ADT – both experiences he can draw upon as he attempts to claim the biggest title of his career tomorrow.
“I was happy with the way I controlled my emotions today, sort of just didn’t really let much get to me. I missed a few putts which I probably expected to hole, hit a few poor shots, but I just sort of just accepted it and moved on. I’m gonna have to do the same tomorrow, I just had a quick look at the leaderboard and there’s so many guys behind me. So yeah, I’m just gonna have to knuckle down and play my own game.”
Zheng, in his rookie season as a professional, had been expected to build on his opening two rounds of 65 and 63.
However, he made the turn in one over for his round, after a double, a bogey, and two birdies before a level par back nine, with one birdie and one bogey.
Steve Lewton. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
He said: “It was playing pretty tough today. I felt like my iron play wasn’t sharp enough, and I missed in a few spots where I shouldn’t have. That cost me a few shots, but I am one back and in position to make a good push tomorrow. I just need to fall back on my strengths and go back to the basics.”
Lewton finished joint second in this event last year and the season before, although at a different venue, and after one of the strongest seasons of his career is attempting to win his first Asian Tour title since his 2014 Mercuries Taiwan Masters victory.
“Played really steady, one silly error which was kind of my fault and not, so apart from that I played really good golf,” said Lewton.
Remarkably, after making a double-bogey par-four 13th, he eagled the following par-four.
He added: “Yeah, I hit a good drive [on 14). I had 40 yards from the fairway to the flag and then pitched in, so that more than made amends for the previous hole, which was a nightmare, from the middle of the fairway making double.”
Like Wilkin, both Ho and Chang are enjoying one of their finest tournaments, chasing their first Asian Tour title.
They also both came through the ADT last year, with the former winning the PKNS Selangor Masters, and the latter also performing with distinction as the recipient of The Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award – an initiative that sees worthy players selected by the Han family and the Asian Tour, to receive funding to help with the costs of their debut season on the Asian Tour.
Said Chang: “It’s not over until the last ball drops. It’s a great challenge, so far my best performance on the Asian Tour. I’ll keep doing what I am doing, looking forward to tomorrow.”
Ervin Chang. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
China’s Liu Yanwei fired a 67 and is solo sixth, two off top spot, with Travis Smyth from Australia and Filipino Miguel Tabuena, one stroke further back after rounds of 64 and 65 respectively.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai was 12 under for the tournament playing the par-four 18th, but made a costly triple, to slip back into a tie for 13th on nine under.
China’s rookie professional Sampson Zheng [main picture] showed just why he is so highly regarded today when he fired a bogey-free eight-under-par 63 to charge into the second-round lead at the US$500,000 Mandiri Indonesia Open.
After his opening day 65, it means he is 14-under for the Asian Tour event, with a healthy four-shot cushion over first-round leader Aaron Wilkin from Australia.
Wilkin, who broke the course record yesterday with a phenomenal 61, returned a 71, and is two in front of Sarit Suwannarut from Thailand, China’s Liu Yanwei and Malaysian Ervin Chang, who all carded 66s, plus England’s Steve Lewton, who was joint second last year and came in with a 67.
The tournament is being played at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course for the first time in 10 years.
Aaron Wilkin. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Zheng, aged 23 and a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, is playing in just his third Asian Tour event as a professional having turned professional earlier this year.
He tied for fourth in the International Series England three weeks ago and despite now being on the other side of the world is clearly still bang in form.
“You know, coming into the round today, I just wanted to repeat what I did yesterday, and I did two better. So, yeah, feels great,” said Zheng, who is playing in Indonesia for the first time and arrived last Friday in order to fully prepare.
Of his transition to the play for pay game, he said: “It’s a little different. In college we play three rounds, and obviously after turning professional, we play four, so the days are a bit longer, and everybody prepares really differently. And I think because golf is my job now, I’ve taken it seriously too.”
He made the turn in three-under with birdies on two, seven and nine, and then crushed the back nine with a hattrick of birdies from 11, and two more on 16 and 17.
The rising star has something of a cosmopolitan background. He lived in Japan for a couple of years growing up and then moved to the United States, where his golf career flourished.
Sarit Suwannarut. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
He was runner-up at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne last year, losing in a play-off to Australian Jasper Stubbs.
Wilkin overcame the nerves commonly associated with playing after having shot a super-low round to be perfectly placed going into the weekend.
“I can’t swear in this interview can I,” joked Wilkin when asked about his round
“It was pretty frustrating. Probably had a good opportunity to sort of push my lead out, just missed a few short putts. I struck it really well off the tee, probably hit it better off the tee today than I did yesterday.
“Hit more fairways, I know that I only missed a couple. My irons weren’t as good, probably chose the wrong shot at some wrong times, and yeah, I just need to clean the putting up. Yesterday, to be honest, I didn’t have that many putts over five feet, I hit it that close.”
He bogeyed his first two holes, but then bounced back with three successive birdies from the fifth, before dropping a shot on nine to turn in even. A birdie and a bogey on the back nine meant he finished as he started on 10 under.
All things considering it was a good performance, particularly because of the pressure he was under after his first round, which broke New Zealander Frank Nobilo’s course record set in 1994.
He added: “I wish I wasn’t feeling like I was this morning. I was trying to control my nerves a little bit, but yeah, I was definitely a little bit edgy. Started bogey, bogey, so the score probably showed that.”
Wilkin finished fifth on the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit last year which earned him his Asian Tour card for 2024, as the top 10 make it through.
Liu Yanwei. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Success has been hard to come by in what is his first full season on the Asian Tour, with his best performance coming at the Saudi Open presented by PIF, where he tied for 17th. He’s currently in 72nd place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit but now has a great chance to drastically improve his ranking.
Contrastingly, Sarit is no stranger to being in contention, with two Asian Tour wins under his belt: last year’s Volvo China Open, and the BNI Indonesian Masters, the year before.
He began on 10, playing that nine in even but showed the kind of golf he is capable of when he birdied five holes on the second half and didn’t drop a shot.
He said: “It was quite a slow start. I mean I made a lot of mistakes on my front nine, but luckily my putter was on fire on the back nine. So, nothing to complain about on the back nine, but tomorrow I need to fire it up earlier.”
The Thai star revealed he has been spending a lot of time in Indonesia in-between tournaments and that appears to be helping this week.
“I have a lot of friends here and it’s quite easy to find a good Airbnb and nice room,” he explained.
“So quite similar to home, like, Damai Indah, Pondok Indah and Gunung Gilis, everywhere. The weather is the same, so that’s why I pick here, I enjoy it here.”
Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar, a three-time winner of his event who has a tremendous record in Indonesia with five of his 11 Asian Tour victories coming here, rallied with a 68 to finish one under, which was the cut line.
Nitithorn Thippong’s poor form continued with the defending champion carding a 76. The Thai golfer finished three over and will be disappointed to have not made the cut.
Australian Aaron Wilkin sensationally broke Frank Nobilo’s 30-year course record at Damai Indah Golf – PIK Course today to take the first-round lead in the US$500,000 Mandiri Indonesia Open.
His blemish-free 10-under-par 61, one better than New Zealander Nobilo’s – which he carded at this event in 1994 – was made up of 10 birdies and gave him a three-shot lead over Australian Andrew Dodt, in with a 64.
Rookie professional Sampson Zheng from China is next best placed after a 65, along with Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai.
Wilkin, a graduate from last year’s Asian Development Tour, where he won the BRG Open Golf Championship – which is actually being played this week in Vietnam – started on 10 and had a stunning run of holes making five birdies in his last six on the back nine, including three in a row from 13.
“Not much went wrong today,” said the 31-year-old, whose other big career win came at the 2022 Queensland PGA Championship.
Andrew Dodt. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
“It was one of those days. I hit it close on four or five holes. I had a couple of easy tap ins, then holed a few nice putts and didn’t make any mistakes. Yeah, I will take that for sure. There was some lucky stuff today, which I am going to take and run with it.”
Dodt is a three-time champion on the Asian Tour, his most recent the Sarawak Championship in 2019, but his game has been out of sorts of late, so today’s round gave him a huge lift.
Commented the Australian: “It was pretty good, better than what it has been. I feel like I have found something in my swing last week. I have really struggled with my swing last 12 months. Hopefully I have turned the corner with that. Had some luck. Hit some good shots. Hit some bad shots.”
He had an eagle, six birdies and dropped one shot. His eagle came on the par five 17th where his second shot with a three-wood landed just short of the green from where he holed out from five metres.
“I missed the green on the par-three seventh. It was a pretty ordinary lie, and I used a rescue club from off the green and it went in. That was a bonus,” he added.
Sampson Zheng. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Zheng’s fine round was just reward for arriving early to practice for the event.
Aged 23 and a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, he has been quick to impress this year. He tied for fourth in the International Series England three weeks ago and made light work of the course today with eight birdies and two bogeys.
“It was good. I did what I wanted to do for the best part. I kept my ball under control and made a few putts,” said Zheng, who was runner-up at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Royal Melbourne last year, losing in a play-off to Australian Jasper Stubbs.
“It is my first time Indonesia. It’s hot, it’s humid. It’s very different from England, where we played last.
“I got here Friday night, a bit earlier than everyone else. Practiced on the range at the weekend, just getting used to the weather.”
This is only his fourth start on the Asian Tour. He was still an amateur for his first two appearances.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, Danthai Boonma, Poosit Supupramai and Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun plus Denzel Ieremia from New Zealand returned 66s.
Thailand’s Panuphol ‘Coconut’ Pittayarat, the winner of this event in 2017, at a different venue, plus Steve Lewton from England, joint runner-up last year, are in a group on 67.
Suteepat Prateeptienchai. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.
Defending champion Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand shot a 69.
Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar, the record three time winner of this event, needs to make up ground after a 73.
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