5 things we learned at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open

Published on April 8, 2019

Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 8: Here’s five takeaways from the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open where Sadom Kaewkanjana lifted his maiden Asian Tour victory.

Sadom Kaewkanjana became the fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on the Asian Tour following his victory at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open where he made his first start in his rookie season. The record was previously held by Australian duo Kane Webber and Todd Sinnott who won in their second starts after coming through the Qualifying School in 2006 and 2017 respectively.
Sadom first played at the Kurmitola Golf Club as an amateur four years ago. He came in second at the 30th Bangladesh Amateur Golf Championship.
Sadom would become the third Thai after Thitiphun Chuayprakong (2016) and Jazz Janewattananond (2017) to win the National Open of Bangladesh.
Zamal Hossain Mollah emerged as the best-placed Bangladeshi for the second year straight after closing with a 65 to finish in tied-10th position. He enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish last year.
Since joining the play-for-pay ranks last December, Sadom has broke through on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and the Asian Tour and also claimed two top-10 finishes on his domestic circuit.

Published on April 6, 2019

Published on

Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 6: Young Thai talent Sadom Kaewkanjana became the record fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on the Asian Tour after surviving a nail-biting finish to clinch the US$350,000 Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open by one shot on Saturday.

Sadom, playing in his first Asian Tour start this season, extended his overnight two-shot lead to four with two opening birdies but had to fend off the spirited challenge from India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu after dropping three consecutive bogeys from the 13th to blow the title race wide open.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

The 20-year-old Thai, however, fought back gallantly with successive birdies on 16 and 17 to give himself a one-shot advantage over Sandhu, who dropped his first bogey in 63 holes on the par-five 17, heading into the last at the Kurmitola Golf Club.

After hitting his tee shot on the par-four 18 to behind the tree on the left, Sadom chipped it back to the middle of the fairway before hitting to about eight feet. He would eventually nail that par putt to close with a one-under-par 70 and a winning total of 19-under-par 265.

Sadom, who joined the play-for-pay ranks last December, was thrilled to produce a dramatic turnaround in the closing stage to claim his first Asian Tour victory and a second win as a professional after breaking through on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in February.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

With this win, he would also become the third Thai after Thitiphun Chuayprakong (2016) and Jazz Janewattananond (2017) to win the National Open of Bangladesh, which is celebrating its fifth consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this week.

Sandhu, a one-time Asian Tour winner, closed with a second straight 65 to take second place while his compatriot Rashid Khan capped a second straight top-10 finish on the region’s premier Tour after battling to a 70 to settle two shots back in third.

Ajeetesh Sandhu of India

Australia’s Maverick Antcliff posted a 70 to finish in fourth place on 272 while Jazz, highest-ranked player in the field this week, settled a further shot back in tied-fifth after closing with a 69. Zamal Hossain Mollah emerged as the best-placed Bangladeshi for the second year straight after closing with a 65 to finish in tied-10th place.

Sadom will take home a winner’s prize purse of US$63,000 and receive 14 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, thanks to his victory.

The Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open 2019 welcomed a new title sponsor in the National Bank Ltd, a public limited bank in Bangladesh. The tournament has been named in honour of the father of the nation of Bangladesh, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

Did you know?

Sadom Kaewkanjana carded the lowest round in the tournament history when he shot a stunning 62 in the second round to lead by three at the halfway stage. He went on to shoot a 68 in the third round to take a two-shot lead heading into the all-important final round.
Sadom became the fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on the Asian Tour following his victory at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open. The record was previously held by Australian duo Kane Webber and Todd Sinnott who won in their second starts after coming through the Qualifying School in 2006 and 2017 respectively.
Sadom secured his 2019 Asian Tour card in his first attempt at the Qualifying School last December. He is making his debut appearance at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open which is also his first start on the Asian Tour this season.
He turned professional at the end of 2018 and broke through on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) after claiming his first professional victory at the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation in February.
Sadom enjoyed a tied-sixth finish on the Asian Tour when he played the 2018 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak as an amateur last year.
Sadom enjoyed an illustrious amateur career prior to joining the play-for-pay ranks. He was ranked as high as 10th position on the Official World Amateur Rankings and his amateur wins include the 2017 Malaysian Amateur Open, 2017 All Indian Amateur and the 2018 Dutch International Junior Open. Also won the 2017 Singha Pattaya Open on his domestic circuit as an amateur.
Sadom first played at the Kurmitola Golf Club as an amateur four years ago. He came in second at the 30th Bangladesh Amateur Golf Championship.
Ajeetesh Sandhu is a one-time winner on the Asian Tour. A week after claiming his first Asian Tour title in Chinese Taipei in 2017, Sandhu went on to win the Taiheiyo Club Challenge Tournament on the Japan Challenge Tour.
The 30-year-old Sandhu claimed three top-10 finishes in 2018 to finish in 28th position on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.
After opening his campaign with three bogeys in eight holes, Sandhu stayed bogey-free for 62 holes before dropping his fourth bogey of the week on the 71st hole at the 2019 Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open.
Rashid Khan, who turned professional in 2010, is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He won twice in Thailand and India in 2014.
Khan has been enjoying a good run of form since winning on his domestic circuit in Mumbai last December. He won again in Bangladesh last month before claiming a solid top-10 finish at the Hero Indian Open last week.
Khan’s third-place finish at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open would be his second straight top-10 finish on the Asian Tour this season. He came in tied-10th in his National Open at the Hero Indian Open last week.
Zamal Hossain Mollah emerged as the best-placed Bangladeshi for the second year straight after closing with a 65 to finish in tied-10th position. He enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish last year.

Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh

Published on

Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) – Final round 70 (-1), Total 265 (-19)

Winning in my first start on the Asian Tour, I feel very happy. I will take a lot of positives from this week and this win will give me a lot of confidence in my game as well. It’s been an unbelievable journey since turning professional last December.

My initial goal was just to keep my Asian Tour card for the next season but now I have won on both the Asian Development Tour and the Asian Tour. I am really happy. I didn’t expect to do so well. I finished second here in an amateur event four years ago. It’s good to come back and get that win now as a professional. I will remember all the good memories here.

I started well today. I got lucky with my second shot. I managed to hit it to within 10 feet and made that birdie putt on the first. I went on to sink a 20-footer for birdie on the next hole which gave me a lot of confidence heading into the round. I had a good par-save on the third as well from 15 feet.

My putter, however, went cold after the first three holes but thankfully I got it back in my closing three holes. I wasn’t feeling the nerves actually. I was just thinking about making birdies, especially after dropping three bogeys in-a-row. I told myself I need to make birdies to get it back. I am glad I did it.

I made the birdie putt from about 10 feet on the 16 and then a 20-footer for birdie on 17 to regain a one-shot lead. After hitting it to behind the tree on the last, I was just trying myself to try and make putt from there. I chipped my second shot back to the middle of the fairway and hit it to the right of the pin and made the par putt from there.

I am happy to win on my first start. I will have to work harder to get even better after this.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

Ajeestesh Sandhu (Ind) – Final round 65 (-6), Total 266 (-18)

I knew what I had to do when I started out. I actually did what I needed to so I am quite happy with that. I just made a mistake on one hole. I haven’t made any bogey in three and a half days. It’s not that I played the hole bad. I just missed out on the putt.

I knew I had a one-shot lead after the birdie on 14 but nothing changed for me then. I played 15 and 16 pretty well but I knew I had to probably make one more birdie coming in. I didn’t manage to do that but overall, it’s been a great week, considering how I started the week with three bogeys in my opening eight holes.

If someone had told me I would finish second at the start of the week, I would have taken that. I have been playing well for awhile now. I just didn’t have good finishes. It’s good to cap a good finish this week. A win would have been nice but it’s alright. I will take a couple of weeks off to rest before going to Volvo China Open.

Ajeetesh Sandhu of India

Rashid Khan (Ind) – Final round 70 (-1), Total 267 (-17)

I started alright. I hit it close to give myself opportunities to make birdies on the first few holes. I hit a few good shots but couldn’t hole the putts. It was all good.

I expected it to be better but it’s fine. I just made some mistakes out there but otherwise, I am happy. Overall, it’s still a good finish for me.

Rashid Khan of India

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Final round 69 (-2), Total 273 (-11)

It’s been a good week although I didn’t manage to bring my ‘A’ game out there. I am really happy to come back here to play Kurmitola this week. It treated me well in 2017 but kind of bite back this time round but still, all is good.

It’s good to cap another top-five finish for the season. It’s always nice to finish inside top-five. It could have been better. I left so many shots out there. The season’s been really good for me so far. It’s been tiring too but I have been playing a lot.

I am looking forward to take a few weeks off and prepare for my season on the Japan Golf Tour and my next Asian Tour event at the Volvo China Open.

Zamal Hossain Mollah (Ban) – Final round 65(-6), Total 275 (-9)

I missed a lot of short putts there today. I could have done better. But I hit the ball really well. It’s the best I have done this week so I am still very happy with my round today. This is my home course and I have an advantage here. I am happy with another good finish here.

Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh

Published on April 2, 2019

With lucrative events such as WGC’s and Majors looming, the Official World Golf Rankings becomes all important. Here we follow the Asian Tour players that are making a charge up the rankings and their quest to play their way into these events via the OWGR.

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, currently ranked number 42 on the OWGR, is already eligible for all the above events.

By Olle Nordberg, Former Asian Tour and European Tour professional.

Kiradech won one of his group-stage matches at the WGC-Dell Matchplay last week, beating world number six Bryson DeChambeau 2&1, while losing his two other matches against Marc Leishman and Russel Knox both 2-down. The Thai star slipped one spot down in the rankings to 42^nd following his performance last week.

Last week’s Hero Indian Open saw Asian Tour member Masahiro Kawamura of Japan finish in solo-second place, following a great par-save on the final hole after being in the hazard off the tee.

Kawamura took home 11.4 OWGR points and rose 47 spots from 208th to 161th on the ranking list. He also climbed to third place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings with a current haul of $249,266.

Other Asian Tour players to watch on the current rankings are:

Justin Harding (RSA)

Harding played the WGC-Dell Matchplay in Austin, Texas last week against a stellar field that included 64 out of the top 66 players in the world. Although he didn’t make it out of his group that included world number three Rory McIlroy, Luke List and Matthew Fitzpatrick, he crucially won two matches after beating Fitzpatrick 1-up and List 2-up, losing only to McIlroy 3&2.

These two important points meant he would be guaranteed to finish the week inside top 50 on the OWGR and receive an invitation to his first Masters Tournament next week in Augusta, Georgia.

Harding gained one place on the OWGR and is now ranked number 48, a remarkable achievement for a player that started his 2018 season in 716^th place.

Jazz Janewattananond (THA)

Missing his first cut of the year in Delhi last week, Jazz drops two places on the ranking list to number 73.

The next major event coming up where OWGR rankings will be important is the US PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in New York May 16-19th. The top 100 will usually get a special exemption into this event, and Jazz is likely to secure one of these invitations.

The cut-off date for the top 100 special exemptions is May 5, 2019.

Kurt Kitayama (USA)

Kitayama did not play last week and remains at number 104. He is still only one good tournament away from breaking into the top 100 and a chance for a start in the US PGA Championship.

Published on

Seoul, Korea, April 2: The 35^th edition of the Shinhan Donghae Open will become the first event in Korea to be tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Korean PGA and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO), officials announced today.

The Shinhan Donghae Open has been co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and KPGA since 2016 but will welcome the JGTO as its newest sanctioning partner when the event returns to the Bear’s Best Cheongna Golf Club from September 19-22.

The latest tri-sanctioning agreement is part of the Shinhan Financial Group’s “2020 SMART Project,” where its aim is to broaden the group’s global reach and position Shinhan as the leading financial group in Asia.

Additionally, the Shinhan Financial Group aims to solidify its “One Shinhan Brand” in Japan while making its inroads to future growth markets in South East Asia.

“Playing in international tours is no longer a choice, but a must for Korean pro golfers. The Group shall cooperate with the three tours to ensure that Shinhan Donghae Open is a truly international tournament, where all world renowned golf stars come to compete and advance,” said Shinhan Financial Group’s Chairman Yong-byoung Cho.

Cho Minn Thant, Chief Operating Officer of the Asian Tour welcomed the move and said: “The Shinhan Donghae Open is a storied event within the golfing landscape of Asia. We have seen many great champions from all over the world victorious over the years and we are here today to welcome the participation of our counterparts from the Japan Tour.

“The Asian Tour alongside the KPGA have been very proud to be involved as co-sanctioning partners for the past three editions which have elevated the event to the international stage. Now with the inclusion of the JGTO the tournament reaches the next level.”

Hwee-Boo Yang, Chairman of the KPGA also stated: “We have further globalized KPGA, thanks to the three tours’ close partnership. I hope Shinhan Donghae fuels Korean players to launch their international careers.”

JGTO’s Chairman Isao Aoki concluded: “This kind of bilateral cooperation has never been attempted until today so this MOU is even more meaningful in the two countries’ pro golf worlds. JGTO co-hosting Shinhan Donghae this year can shorten the distance between the two countries through the spirit of the game.”

Korea’s Sanghyun Park, who finished second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2018, claimed a wire-to-wire victory at the Shinhan Donghae Open last year.

Other Asian Tour winners who have won the Shinhan Donghae Open include India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (2016) and Canada’s Richard T. Lee (2017).

Ends.

Published on April 1, 2019

Sentosa, Singapore, April 1: Homeward-bound Masahiro Kawamura of Japan hopes to return with all guns blazing after suffering the agony of another bridesmaid finish at the Hero Indian Open on Sunday.

The Japanese is looking forward to a well-deserved break following his exertions at the DLF Golf and Country Club where he tried to surmount another late fightback only to be denied another victory by one shot again.

“I haven’t been home for the last three months and I need to take a holiday now. I’ve been on the road since my first event in Singapore in January and I guess it’s time for me to recharge and come back stronger again,” said Kawamura.

Kawamura’s second-place finish in India was his fourth runner-up result in the last 12 months and he is seeking better fortunes when he tees up for his next event on the Asian Tour.

“Coming into the last two holes and seeing my name on the leaderboard, I knew how important the final hole was and I hit a good shot but was just unlucky.

“Last year I finished second three times on the Japan Tour, lost by one shot twice and once in a play-off. Now I finished second by one shot this time again,” said Kawamura.

Kawamura maybe left to wait longer for his second Asian Tour win but his finish in India has moved him three spots up to third place on the Habitat for Humanity standings.

Scott Hend continues to lead the money list after his 10th Asian Tour victory at the Maybank Championship a fortnight ago while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond remains in second place after his season haul of US$427, 600.

S. Chikkarangappa and Rashid Khan, who emerged as the highest-placed Indians in tied-10th last week, meanwhile occupied seventh and 30th place.

“I’ve been having a good stretch since I won the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational (PGTI event), I think that was where it all started for me and it’s been going great. I am feeling good about my game and all parts of my game are going good,” said Chikkarangappa.

The Asian Tour heads to Dhaka, Bangladesh for the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open 2019 this week.

Held at the highly-acclaimed Kurmitola Golf Club, the full-field Asian Tour event, which has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2015, will also welcome the return of all its past champions when it celebrates its fifth consecutive edition from April 3 to 6 (Wednesday to Saturday).

Ends.

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings
Pos Player Order of Merit (US$)
1. Scott HEND (AUS) $520,392.25
2. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $427,600.44
3. Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $249,266.67
4. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $189,140.71
5. Johannes VEERMAN (USA) $158,720.00
6. Scott VINCENT (ZWE) $83,845.03
7. Chikkarangappa S. (IND) $77,128.12
8. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $61,743.10
9. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $55,807.48
10. Ben CAMPBELL (NZL) $55,648.48
11. Jarin TODD (USA) $55,251.05
12. Nicholas FUNG (MAS) $51,160.16
13. David LIPSKY (USA) $47,100.00
14. Paul PETERSON (USA) $45,039.20
15. Keith HORNE (RSA) $41,497.38
16. Sihwan KIM (USA) $40,688.77
17. Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) $40,600.00
18. Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN) $40,560.00
19. Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) $40,140.50
20. Berry HENSON (USA) $39,039.96

Published on

New Delhi, India, April 1: Here are five takeaways from the Hero Indian Open where Scotland’s Stephen Gallagher claimed his first title in Asia.

Stephen Gallacher became the first Scotsman to lift the trophy since the event was inaugurated in 1964. He is the second player after Kurt Kitayama to have won a tournament with a quadruple-eight on his card.
It was a special win for Gallacher who had his son Jack on his bag this week. Both father and son delivered the best present for the woman in their lives with Mother’s Day being celebrated on March 31 back in their native Scotland.
A record three hole-in-ones were made during the week. Australia’s Daniel Nisbet and India’s Om Prakash Chouhan aced the third and fifth holes respectively during the second round while Kalle Samooja made a hole-in-one on hole 12 on the final day.
The par-four hole 14 was ranked the most difficult for the third year running averaging 4.54 strokes over the four rounds.
It is touted as one of the most scenic closing stretches with about 17,000 rocks lining holes 16, 17 and 18.

Published on March 31, 2019

New Delhi, India, March 31: Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher staged a remarkable comeback by firing three birdies in his closing four holes to close with a one-under-par 71 and win the Hero Indian Open 2019.

It was the Scotsman’s first victory in Asia and his winning total of nine-under-par 279 was just enough to give him a one-shot triumph over Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura at the S$1.75 million event which was held at the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Starting the round with a three-shot deficit, the 44-year-old Gallacher stayed patient to overcome a roller-coaster round where he recovered from a horrible quadruple-bogey on hole seven to take home a winner’s prize purse of US$291,660.

Kawamura had the opportunity to force a play-off with Gallacher at the last but could not take it into extra time as he could only make par. The Japanese settled for second place on his own following a 73.

Local prospects Rashid Khan (70) and S. Chikkarangappa (74) finished as the highest-placed Indians in tied-10th position at the event which was celebrating its 55th edition this week.

Finland’s Kalle Samooja aced the 12th hole from 127 metres with his pitching wedge, marking the first time in the history of the Indian Open that three hole-in-ones were made in the same year.

Did you know?

· Stephen Gallacher claimed his first title on Indian soil and fourth European Tour title this week at the event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour.

· Gallacher fulfilled a lifelong dream by playing in The Ryder Cup in his home country of Scotland in 2014, forming part of the winning team for the European side.

· With his son, Jack, on his his bag this week, the Scotsman hit nine fairways and 13 greens and totalled 29 putts.

· Masahiro Kawamura finished runner-up on the Japan circuit three times last year.

· Kawamura claimed his first Asian Tour victory at the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open in 2013 where he overcame a two-shot deficit to defeat Y.E. Yang.

· The 25-year-old Kawamura finished tied-second at the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open last May to earn his spot at the 147th Open.

· With his second-place finish, Kawamura moved up three spots to take third place on the current Habitat for Humanity Standings.

· Chikkarangappa won two events on the PGTI in the last four months. He won the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational in November of last year and claimed a two-shot victory at the Golconda Masters 2019 Powered By Telangana Tourism & Incredible India last month.

· The Bengaluru-born golfer played in his first National Open when he was a 15-year-old amateur golfer. This marks his best result at the Indian Open.

· Rashid Khan is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He claimed his breakthrough on homeground at the SAIL-SBI Open and won the Chiangmai Golf Classic by PTT later that year.

Ends.

Published on

March 31: Read what the players have to say following the final round of the Hero Indian Open.

Stephen Gallacher (Sco) Final round 71 (-1), Total 279 (-9)

Today the winds was swirling and the course was playing really tough. I was three behind the lead at the start of the day and got off to quite a solid start and then I hit a quadruple-bogey on hole seven. I was pretty calm at that point of time, I stood on the eighth tee and saw I was only five shots behind. I told myself to stick to the game and you never know what can happen. Especially with how hard it was playing and I came back three-under in the last four holes.

I am 45 this year so I am really proud of what I did out here today. It changes my schedule and I can play a bit less and it was great to win with my son on the bag. He has caddied for me 20 events already, and to win with him there and on Mother’s Day as well makes it even more special. It has been a great day.

Masahiro Kawamura (Jpn) Final round 73 (+1), Total 280 (-8)

The round was very good especially in such tough conditions. I wasn’t playing very well in the front nine and was struggling on a lot of the holes and I had some missed shots, but the back nine I played very well. The course was tough today but I managed to come back.

(Only the last hole) My tee shot was very good but the wind was strong and it just pushed it left. Coming into the last two holes and seeing my name on the leaderboard, I was really nervous. I knew how important the final hole was and I hit a good shot but was just unlucky. Last year I finished second three times on the Japan Tour, lost by one shot twice and once in a play-off. Now I finished second by one shot this time again.

Rashid Khan (Ind) Final round 70 (-2), Total 284 (-4)

It was pretty good week. Coming into this week I was a little bit scared because I missed the cut last year and I felt a bit of pressure to do well. I went to practice at a similar golf course the last couple of weeks and that really helped out.

Throughout the week I was hitting it really well. I only missed it on the wrong side of the green with my irons but it was the only mistake I made. But other than that, I was holing out a lot of putts and making a lot of birdies.

Ends.

Back to News Archive

Class of ’26: The new faces to look out for from Qualifying School

The Asian Tour gets underway this week in the Philippines with virtually all Qualifying School graduates participating

Singapore Open receives two places in The Open as part of OQS

This year’s Open Championship will take place at Royal Birkdale from 16-19 July

International Series Japan launches 2026 pathway to LIV Golf

Tournament will be played from 2-5 April, launching The International Series Rankings race

International Series calendar heralds next phase of global expansion

The International Series today unveiled the first nine events of its compelling 2026 schedule

Yeangder Group revives Taiwan Open refreshing Chinese-Taipei calendar

Increase in prizemoney for Mercuries Taiwan Masters and important date change to the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open

Here’s five takeaways from the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open where Sadom Kaewkanjana lifted his maiden Asian Tour victory.

Dhaka, Bangladesh, April 8: Here’s five takeaways from the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open where Sadom Kaewkanjana lifted his maiden Asian Tour victory.

Sadom Kaewkanjana became the fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on the Asian Tour following his victory at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open where he made his first start in his rookie season. The record was previously held by Australian duo Kane Webber and Todd Sinnott who won in their second starts after coming through the Qualifying School in 2006 and 2017 respectively.
Sadom first played at the Kurmitola Golf Club as an amateur four years ago. He came in second at the 30th Bangladesh Amateur Golf Championship.
Sadom would become the third Thai after Thitiphun Chuayprakong (2016) and Jazz Janewattananond (2017) to win the National Open of Bangladesh.
Zamal Hossain Mollah emerged as the best-placed Bangladeshi for the second year straight after closing with a 65 to finish in tied-10th position. He enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish last year.
Since joining the play-for-pay ranks last December, Sadom has broke through on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and the Asian Tour and also claimed two top-10 finishes on his domestic circuit.

Catch up on highlights from round 4 of the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open

Sadom Kaewkanjana became the record fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on the Asian Tour after surviving a nail-biting finish to clinch the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open by one shot.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

Ajeetesh Sandhu of India

Sadom will take home a winner’s prize purse of US$63,000 and receive 14 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, thanks to his victory.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

Did you know?

Sadom Kaewkanjana carded the lowest round in the tournament history when he shot a stunning 62 in the second round to lead by three at the halfway stage. He went on to shoot a 68 in the third round to take a two-shot lead heading into the all-important final round.
Sadom became the fastest Qualifying School graduate to win on the Asian Tour following his victory at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open. The record was previously held by Australian duo Kane Webber and Todd Sinnott who won in their second starts after coming through the Qualifying School in 2006 and 2017 respectively.
Sadom secured his 2019 Asian Tour card in his first attempt at the Qualifying School last December. He is making his debut appearance at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open which is also his first start on the Asian Tour this season.
He turned professional at the end of 2018 and broke through on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) after claiming his first professional victory at the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation in February.
Sadom enjoyed a tied-sixth finish on the Asian Tour when he played the 2018 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak as an amateur last year.
Sadom enjoyed an illustrious amateur career prior to joining the play-for-pay ranks. He was ranked as high as 10th position on the Official World Amateur Rankings and his amateur wins include the 2017 Malaysian Amateur Open, 2017 All Indian Amateur and the 2018 Dutch International Junior Open. Also won the 2017 Singha Pattaya Open on his domestic circuit as an amateur.
Sadom first played at the Kurmitola Golf Club as an amateur four years ago. He came in second at the 30th Bangladesh Amateur Golf Championship.
Ajeetesh Sandhu is a one-time winner on the Asian Tour. A week after claiming his first Asian Tour title in Chinese Taipei in 2017, Sandhu went on to win the Taiheiyo Club Challenge Tournament on the Japan Challenge Tour.
The 30-year-old Sandhu claimed three top-10 finishes in 2018 to finish in 28th position on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.
After opening his campaign with three bogeys in eight holes, Sandhu stayed bogey-free for 62 holes before dropping his fourth bogey of the week on the 71st hole at the 2019 Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open.
Rashid Khan, who turned professional in 2010, is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He won twice in Thailand and India in 2014.
Khan has been enjoying a good run of form since winning on his domestic circuit in Mumbai last December. He won again in Bangladesh last month before claiming a solid top-10 finish at the Hero Indian Open last week.
Khan’s third-place finish at the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open would be his second straight top-10 finish on the Asian Tour this season. He came in tied-10th in his National Open at the Hero Indian Open last week.
Zamal Hossain Mollah emerged as the best-placed Bangladeshi for the second year straight after closing with a 65 to finish in tied-10th position. He enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish last year.

Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh

Read what players have the say following the final round of the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open.

Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA) – Final round 70 (-1), Total 265 (-19)

I am happy to win on my first start. I will have to work harder to get even better after this.

Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand

Ajeestesh Sandhu (Ind) – Final round 65 (-6), Total 266 (-18)

Ajeetesh Sandhu of India

Rashid Khan (Ind) – Final round 70 (-1), Total 267 (-17)

I started alright. I hit it close to give myself opportunities to make birdies on the first few holes. I hit a few good shots but couldn’t hole the putts. It was all good.

I expected it to be better but it’s fine. I just made some mistakes out there but otherwise, I am happy. Overall, it’s still a good finish for me.

Rashid Khan of India

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Final round 69 (-2), Total 273 (-11)

I am looking forward to take a few weeks off and prepare for my season on the Japan Golf Tour and my next Asian Tour event at the Volvo China Open.

Zamal Hossain Mollah (Ban) – Final round 65(-6), Total 275 (-9)

Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh

Olle Nordberg watches the Official World Golf Ranking and pens his thoughts for the week ahead.

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, currently ranked number 42 on the OWGR, is already eligible for all the above events.

By Olle Nordberg, Former Asian Tour and European Tour professional.

Last week’s Hero Indian Open saw Asian Tour member Masahiro Kawamura of Japan finish in solo-second place, following a great par-save on the final hole after being in the hazard off the tee.

Kawamura took home 11.4 OWGR points and rose 47 spots from 208th to 161th on the ranking list. He also climbed to third place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings with a current haul of $249,266.

Other Asian Tour players to watch on the current rankings are:

Justin Harding (RSA)

These two important points meant he would be guaranteed to finish the week inside top 50 on the OWGR and receive an invitation to his first Masters Tournament next week in Augusta, Georgia.

Harding gained one place on the OWGR and is now ranked number 48, a remarkable achievement for a player that started his 2018 season in 716^th place.

Jazz Janewattananond (THA)

Missing his first cut of the year in Delhi last week, Jazz drops two places on the ranking list to number 73.

The cut-off date for the top 100 special exemptions is May 5, 2019.

Kurt Kitayama (USA)

Kitayama did not play last week and remains at number 104. He is still only one good tournament away from breaking into the top 100 and a chance for a start in the US PGA Championship.

Seoul, Korea, April 2: The 35th edition of the Shinhan Donghae Open will become the first event in Korea to be tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Korean PGA and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO), officials announced today.

Additionally, the Shinhan Financial Group aims to solidify its “One Shinhan Brand” in Japan while making its inroads to future growth markets in South East Asia.

Korea’s Sanghyun Park, who finished second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2018, claimed a wire-to-wire victory at the Shinhan Donghae Open last year.

Other Asian Tour winners who have won the Shinhan Donghae Open include India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (2016) and Canada’s Richard T. Lee (2017).

Ends.

Sentosa, Singapore, April 1: Homeward-bound Masahiro Kawamura of Japan hopes to return with all guns blazing after suffering the agony of another bridesmaid finish at the Hero Indian Open on Sunday.

Kawamura’s second-place finish in India was his fourth runner-up result in the last 12 months and he is seeking better fortunes when he tees up for his next event on the Asian Tour.

“Coming into the last two holes and seeing my name on the leaderboard, I knew how important the final hole was and I hit a good shot but was just unlucky.

“Last year I finished second three times on the Japan Tour, lost by one shot twice and once in a play-off. Now I finished second by one shot this time again,” said Kawamura.

Kawamura maybe left to wait longer for his second Asian Tour win but his finish in India has moved him three spots up to third place on the Habitat for Humanity standings.

S. Chikkarangappa and Rashid Khan, who emerged as the highest-placed Indians in tied-10th last week, meanwhile occupied seventh and 30th place.

The Asian Tour heads to Dhaka, Bangladesh for the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open 2019 this week.

Ends.

New Delhi, India, April 1: Here are five takeaways from the Hero Indian Open where Scotland’s Stephen Gallagher claimed his first title in Asia.

New Delhi, India, April 1: Here are five takeaways from the Hero Indian Open where Scotland’s Stephen Gallagher claimed his first title in Asia.

Stephen Gallacher became the first Scotsman to lift the trophy since the event was inaugurated in 1964. He is the second player after Kurt Kitayama to have won a tournament with a quadruple-eight on his card.
It was a special win for Gallacher who had his son Jack on his bag this week. Both father and son delivered the best present for the woman in their lives with Mother’s Day being celebrated on March 31 back in their native Scotland.
A record three hole-in-ones were made during the week. Australia’s Daniel Nisbet and India’s Om Prakash Chouhan aced the third and fifth holes respectively during the second round while Kalle Samooja made a hole-in-one on hole 12 on the final day.
The par-four hole 14 was ranked the most difficult for the third year running averaging 4.54 strokes over the four rounds.
It is touted as one of the most scenic closing stretches with about 17,000 rocks lining holes 16, 17 and 18.

cotland’s Stephen Gallacher staged a remarkable comeback by firing three birdies in his closing four holes to close with a one-under-par 71 and win the Hero Indian Open 2019.