Kiradech keeps hopes alive in Austin
Austin, Texas, March 28: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat battled to a 2 and 1 win over American Bryon DeChambeau on Thursday to keep alive his hopes at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.
After losing a closely-fought opening Group 6 match to Australian Marc Leishman on Wednesday, the 29-year-old Kiradech battled for his survival in the US$10.25 million showpiece at Austin Country Club to secure an important first point that will ensure his final group match against Russell Knox of Scotland remains relevant.
Leishman stayed in control of his own destiny after securing a second 2-up group win over Knox and needs a tie or a win against DeChambeau to progress into the knockout phase. If DeChambeau and Aphibarnrat each win on Friday, they will force a three-man playoff with Leishman to determine who progresses from the group.
Under blustery condition, Kiradech won six holes, five of which with pars and the highlight being an eagle two on the fifth hole where he drove the green and landed five feet of the flag to go 1-up in the match. DeChambeau, a five-time PGA TOUR winner, tied the match twice by winning holes 10 and 12 before Kiradech won successive holes at 13 and 14 which he then closed out DeChambeau on the 17th green.
“I don’t think we played our “A” game. Me and Bryson weren’t playing good golf. I think I just made one eagle the whole day. No birdies at all and a couple of bogeys. In match play, it just depends on the day, especially on this golf course which is really difficult. If you put the ball in the wrong position, sometimes it’s impossible to get up and down. Sometimes par is good enough to win,” said Kiradech.
“However, I’m really happy with the way we finished. I got the first point. I was really proud of the way I won the match. But there’s a lot of work that I need to do, and hopefully Bryson will play well tomorrow, and I’ll meet him in the playoff.”
Kiradech, who is the first Thai to hold a PGA TOUR card, is determined to fight to the end in his bid to replicate last year’s successful run where he qualified for the quarterfinals. With winds expected to make conditions tough again on Friday, he knows the key is to keep the ball in play.
“The key today was about hitting greens. The wind is really difficult and it’s not easy to hit it on the greens. You’ve got to keep the ball under the wind and give yourself more chances, hit it in the fairways, that is the big key for this week,” he said.
South Africa’s Justin Harding was defeated 3 and 2 by world number four Rory McIlroy but still stands an outside chance of advancing into the last 16. Harding needs to win his next match against Luke List and if McIlroy falls to Mathew Fitzpatrick, both Harding and McIlroy will head into a play-off to decide who goes through to the quarter finals.
As one in a series of four World Golf Championships events sanctioned and organized by the operational committee of the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour, the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play is one of the most exciting and biggest events on golf’s calendar.
New Delhi, India, March 28: Thailand’s Prom Meesawat opened his campaign with a four-under-par 68 to trail the leaders Stephen Gallacher of Scotland and American Julian Suri by one shot at the Hero Indian Open on Thursday.
The 34-year-old Thai traded five birdies against one bogey to stay close behind the leading duo who posted matching 67s at the US$1.75 million event staged at the challenging DLF Golf and Country Club.
India’s Shubhankar Sharma, Australia’s Scott Hend, Thai duo Poom Saksansin and Prayad Marksaeng and Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura stayed two shots off the lead following their rounds of 69.
Starting on the 10th hole, Prom remained patient as he tackled the demanding course, rolling in four birdies before stumbling with his only blemish of the day on the eighth hole.
Hend, who was victorious in Malaysia last week, completed an amazing turnaround for his opening efforts. The big hitting Australian recovered brilliantly with three closing birdies after making a triple bogey on the ninth hole where he found the water hazard twice.
Did you know?
· Prom Meesawat nicknamed “The Big Dolphin” is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He claimed his second title in Chinese Taipei in 2014, eight years after his breakthrough in Korea.
· This marks his best round at the DLF Golf course in his last three appearances at the Indian Open. He finished tied-13th and tied-57th in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
· Prom was accurate off the tees and only missed three fairways and hit 15 greens.
· Shubhankar Sharma hit nine fairways, missed four greens and totalled 30 putts in his opening round.
· Sharma’s best finish at the Indian Open was a tied-seventh result last year. He fired a 64 in his second round, which still remains the course record to beat.
· Sharma will be aiming to be the tenth Indian to lift the coveted trophy at the event which celebrates its 55th edition this week.
· Scott Hend surged up to 134th place on the OWGR after his win in Malaysia last week. With his victory, he ended a three-year title drought on the Asian Tour and became the second highest-earning player on Tour with accumulated earnings of US$5.04 million.
· The Australian, who leads the current Habitat for Humanity Standings, played the par-four holes in five-under-par. He suffered a triple-bogey eight on hole 18, which was one of five triple bogeys made on that hole for the day.
· Masahiro Kawamura overcame a two-shot deficit to claim his maiden breakthrough victory at the 2013 Asia-pacific Panasonic Open.
· Kawamura had a consistent driver to thank for his personal-best round at the Gary Player designed course since he last played the event in 2017 and shot opening rounds of 81 and 82.
Scores after round 1 of the Hero Indian Open 2019 being played at the par 72, 7438 Yards DLF GCC course (am – denotes amateur):
67 – Stephen Gallacher (SCO), Julian Suri (USA).
68 – Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Robert Karlsson (SWE), Prom Meesawat (THA).
69 – Erik Van Rooyen (RSA), Edoardo Molinari (ITA), Ashley Chesters (ENG), Prayad Marksaeng (THA), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Scott Hend (AUS), Masahiro Kawamura (JPN), Poom Saksansin (THA), Richie Ramsay (SCO).
Ends.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dhgW4_dG0I[/embedyt]
Austin, Texas March 28: South Africa’s Justin Harding, a two-time Asian Tour winner took down 2013 U.S. Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick of England 1-up in his first career match play at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play on Thursday.
Harding was 2-down with three holes to play but won the last three holes against the Englishman.
“I definitely feel as though I stole it. I, like Matty, didn’t really get too much going. I battled with the club selection pretty much the entire day. I hung in there, missed a couple of putts I probably would otherwise like to have not missed. But I guess the up-and-down on 17 was quite special,” said Harding.
The South African will face off against Rory McIlroy in his next match and is ready to put up a stern challenge against the world number four.
”I think I’m going to have to improve a little bit to take him on. Rory’s been playing great over the last couple of weeks. It will be a nice opportunity for me to see how it’s done inside the ropes, and maybe learn a little bit as well, and give the boy a little bit of a challenge,” said Harding.
Big-hitting Kiradech, who qualified for the quarterfinals here last year before bowing out to eventual winner Bubba Watson, meanwhile fought hard in his opening Group 6 match against four-time PGA TOUR winner Marc Leishman before losing 2-up on the 18th hole.
The Thai star kept the match close with some good play but his putting let him down as he made just three birdies during his match.
“I fought hard but didn’t make too many putts. I had some chances but the putts didn’t want to go in. It was good that I kept fighting until the 18th hole and Marc then just hit a great shot into 18 to make birdie for the win. I’ve got no choice now but to try and win my match against Bryson (DeChambeau) tomorrow. He is a great player but I will give it my best,” said Kiradech, the first Thai to play on the PGA TOUR.
As one in a series of four World Golf Championships events sanctioned and organised by the operational committee of the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour, the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play is one of the most exciting and biggest events on golf’s calendar.
Ends.
By Olle Nordberg, Former Asian Tour and European Tour professional
At most Tour events there are a few key holes that have the possibility to make or break a round, scoring wise and mentally. Holes that can prove pivotal to a win or top finish on Sunday afternoons if they are managed successfully or mean a missed opportunity if not executed well.
They can be risk or reward type of holes such as reachable par-four’s or par-five’s where eagles and birdies can be had, but with trouble waiting for errant shots bringing bogeys or worse into play. They can also be difficult holes where par is a good score that players will have to navigate safely to keep a good round going.
The Gary Player designed course at DLF Golf and Country Club is definitely a course where you need to be at the top of your game to have a chance to win on Sunday afternoon. It will challenge all parts of your game and can be very intimidating visually as well.
Many of the holes have no safe bail-out like a lot of other courses, a bad swing is very likely going to cost at least one shot and quite possibly more. In last year’s Hero Indian Open at DLF there were 318 double-bogeys, 57 triple-bogeys, 23 quadruple-bogeys and five more unmentionables made.
At the DLF Gary Player Course holes number nine, 14, 17 and 18 can be considered key holes for any player that has aspirations to win the championship:
KEY HOLES
- Hole 9:
This short par-four is reachable off the tee for many players depending on the wind and where the markers are placed, and the last two editions of the Hero Indian Open has seen a number of players attempting to do so. If going for the green with the tee-shot, players will need to avoid the lake guarding the right side and the sloping rough on the left.
A well-executed swing should be rewarded with an excellent chance for birdie or even eagle, and this hole has produced nine eagles and 239 birdies the past two years. It has also seen 37 doubles, five triples and three quads, so aggressive play is not always recommended.
Playing to an average of 3.940 or 0.06 under par, it has played as the second and third easiest hole in 2017 or 2018 respectively.
- Hole 14:
The long dogleg left par-4 has been the most difficult hole at DLF both the last two years, with a difficult to find fairway and an even more difficult green to hit in regulation. Only 41.08% of players did so in 2017/2018 which would explain the average score of 4.520 or 0.520 over par.
Only 56 birdies have been made on 14, against 71 doubles and 21 triples and higher with one unfortunate player carding a dreaded double-digit 10 in 2018. Par is a very good score on this hole.
- Hole 17:
The signature hole of the course and one of the most scenic holes on tour. A tee-shot that finds the fairway will leave players with an uphill second shot to a highly elevated green protected by a massive rock formation. Playing around 14 yards uphill makes it more difficult to control the distance on the approach, as the ball will be coming in on a flatter trajectory making it more difficult to stop on the green. Any shots coming up short will be bouncing off the rocks and ending up in the hazard.
The hole has played to a 4.255 average or 0.255 over par, with 112 birdies made but also 35 doubles and 14 triples or more.
- Hole 18:
Not a pleasant tee-shot if you don’t have your shot-shape dialed in, with an intimidating view from the tournament tee. The lake that goes all along the left side of the hole will catch any balls going even slightly left, and the bush to the right of the fairway is not much less penalizing. However, a precise drive can make the green reachable in two for the longer hitters and give them a chance for a closing eagle or birdie.
This is a hole where no lead may be safe on Sunday afternoon, as the wide range of scores in previous editions of the Hero Indian Open has shown.
The average score on 18 has been 5.275 or 0.275 over par, with eight eagles and 192 birdies against 62 doubles and 43 triples and higher. Included in those were four 10s and one 11 which proves that anything can happen on the last hole of the event.
ANALYSIS
DLF Golf and Country Club’s Gary Player Course is a difficult one to navigate without costly mistakes, and the route to success in the Hero Indian Open will be to keep big numbers off the card and take advantage of the easier scoring holes.
In 2018 Matt Wallace won the event by playing the key holes in one under par for the week, beating the field average by 4.64 strokes.
More importantly, Wallace played the ninth hole in 3-under par for the week, whereas runner-up Andrew Johnston, losing to Wallace in a play-off, double-bogeyed the hole on Thursday and only managed one birdie on the hole the next three rounds. A costly difference of four shots by end of the week.
S.S.P Chawrasia won the 2017 edition by making very few mistakes all week. Only six bogeys against 16 birdies meant he won by seven shots ahead of runner-up Gavin Green, and could afford to play the dangerous 18th hole very conservatively.
Green played the key holes well for the week and was two strokes lower on them than Chawrasia, three-under-par vs. one-under-par. He made total of 23 birdies for the week and tied with Anirban Lahiri for the most of any player during the event. He also made 15 bogeys, one double and one triple to off-set his gains, which was too many to overcome in the end.
Sentosa, Singapore, March 25: Australian Scott Hend cemented his status as the most successful international golfer on the Asian Tour after claiming his 10th victory and first in three years at the US$3 million Maybank Championship on Sunday.
Thanks to a winner’s prize purse of US$500,000, Hend propelled to the top of the Habitat for Humanity Standings and broke the US$5 million mark in career earnings on the region’s premier Tour following his play-off success at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.
With accumulated earnings of US$5.04 million since making his debut in 2007, the 45-year-old Hend is now the second highest-earning player following Thai star Thongchai Jaidee, a record three-time Order of Merit champion, on the Asian Tour’s Career Money List.
Thai legend Thaworn Wiratchant, who holds an unprecedented 18 wins on Tour, sits in third place with US$4.57 million in earnings while India’s Anirban Lahiri and Prayad Marksaeng, also of Thailand, took fourth and fifth with US$3.90 million and US$3.86 million respectively.
Hend’s achievements over the past decade have been highly-commendable, especially in Asia, where he had claimed all his 10 victories, including three at events co-sanctioned with the European Tour.
He broke through in Indonesia in 2008 and won eight titles across Singapore (1), Thailand (3), Macau (2), Hong Kong (1) and Chinese Taipei (1) between 2012 and 2016. Hend became the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2016, thanks to two victories and three top-10s.
“I’m leading the Asian Tour Order of Merit at the moment and it gives me a good chance to win it again. It’ll be another fantastic achievement and I would like to do it again,” said Hend, who also became the fourth player to surpass US$1 million in earnings in a single season in 2016.
Hend’s victory in Malaysia was made special with his good friend and long-time caddy Tony Carolan by his side.
“I’m a grinder and a fighter. So is my caddy Tony. We both have the same mental attitude. It doesn’t matter how old we are, we work hard at what we do. Just takes a bit of luck to win. Obviously, I had a bit of luck on the play-off hole. If you don’t have any luck you won’t win,” Hend added.
The big-hitting Hend is now the fourth player after Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant (18), Thongchai Jaidee (13) and Prayad Marksaeng (10) to obtain 10 wins or more on the Asian Tour.
Hend took over the driver’s seat on the Habitat for Humanity Standings with earnings of US$507,792 while previous leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand, who enjoyed a third-place finish in Malaysia, slipped to second with a current haul of US$427,600.
Australian rookie Zach Murray also slipped to third place following a tied-41st place finish in Malaysia while American Johannes Veerman, who took home his career’s biggest prize purse of a U$150,000 thanks to his fourth-place finish, propelled to fourth place on the money list.
The Asian Tour will head to India for the prestigious Hero Indian Open this week. The US$1,750,000 event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour, will be held at the DLF Golf and Country Club from March 28 to 31.
Leading 20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings
Pos Player Order of Merit (US$)
1. Scott HEND (AUS) $507,792.25
2. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $427,600.44
3. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $189,140.71
4. Johannes VEERMAN (USA) $158,720.00
5. Scott VINCENT (ZWE) $71,245.03
6. Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $54,826.67
7. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $53,518.10
8. Nicholas FUNG (MAS) $51,160.16
9. Chikkarangappa S. (IND) $48,843.74
10. David LIPSKY (USA) $47,100.00
11. Paul PETERSON (USA) $45,039.20
12. Ben CAMPBELL (NZL) $41,648.48
13. Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN) $40,560.00
14. Angelo QUE (PHI) $38,120.00
15. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $37,869.98
16. Doyeob MUN (KOR) $37,150.00
17. Gareth PADDISON (NZL) $36,327.27
18. Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) $35,765.50
19. Shaun NORRIS (RSA) $33,220.00
20. Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) $29,400.00
I’m leading the Asian Tour Order of Merit at the moment and it gives me a good chance to win it again. It’ll be another fantastic achievement and I would like to do it again.
Ends.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 24: Australia’s Scott Hend returned to winning ways by clinching his first Asian Tour title since 2016 with his dramatic play-off victory over Spain’s Nacho Elvira at the Maybank Championship on Sunday.
Hend held a slender one-shot lead heading into the final hole but late drama ensued when a clap of thunder disrupted Elvira’s approach into the 18th green. The skies opened soon after leaving officials with no choice but to suspend the play at 2.49pm (local time)
When play resumed at 4.30pm, Elvira drained a monstrous 30-feet birdie putt to force a play-off with Hend, who had no answer to the Spaniard’s remarkable birdie effort.
After more than 90 minutes of delay, Hend and Elvira were back at the tee box on 18.
Hend got a lucky break when his tee shot at the first extra-hole hit the base of a tree and ended up on the fairway, while Elvira’s ball went into the fairway bunker.
The Australian hit another tree with his second shot and went into the greenside bunker. Hend splashed his shot out from the bunker to within three feet of the hole which he coolly rolled in to clinch the Maybank Championship and banish memories of his previous play-off defeats in Switzerland in 2016 and 2017.
Elvira’s runner-up finish was his second in as many starts after he ended his recent campaign in Qatar in a tie for second in his last outing.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond enjoyed yet another top-10 finish by closing with a 69 to take third place while Johannes Veerman of the United States bettered his previous best result of 12th position in 2017 by signing off with a 66 to finish in fourth place.
Did you know?
- With this victory, Scott Hend moved into second place on the all-time career-earnings list, and becomes the second player to break the US$5 million mark on the Asian Tour.
- Scott Hend has appeared in every edition of the Maybank Championship since it was first played in 2016. His best previous result was 29th in 2017.
- He is the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 2016
- All of Hend’s wins have come in Asia.
- Hend is the fourth player after Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng to obtain 10 wins or more on the Asian Tour.
- Nacho Elvira was making his third appearance consecutive appearance at the Maybank Championship and the first time he has made the cut.
- It was also the first time he held the 54-hole lead on the European Tour.
- Jazz Janewattananond has appeared in every edition of the Maybank Championship since it was first played in 2016. His best previous result was a tied-39th finish last year.
- He broke into the world’s top-100 for the first time in his career after claiming his third Asian Tour title at the season-opening event in Singapore in January.
- That victory also earned him a coveted spot in The Open, where he made his Major debut last year.
- Johannes Veerman is born to an Indonesian mother and an American father. He resides in Texas but had spent 13 years living in Asia.
- Veerman came through Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2016 and went on to enjoy a dream rookie season.
- He bagged three consecutive top-10 finishes on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) before securing his breakthrough win at the Taifong Open.
- He became the third American to lift the ADT Order of Merit crown in 2016 with that victory and as well as five other top-10 finishes.
Ends.
By Calvin Koh, Head of Press Operations and Media Partnerships
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 24: A split second was all it took to turn Shaaban Hussin’s life upside down.
Shaaban’s promising golf career was immediately shattered the moment he was thrown onto the road shoulder of a highway in Malaysia in the early morning of March 31, 2016.
That horrific motorcycle accident nearly left him for the dead. His left foot was so badly crushed and had to be amputated from the knee down.
All his dreams were also broken just like his left arm.
The months that followed left Shaaban having to deal with a myriad of emotions that included wanting to end his life.
Fast forward three years later, I caught up with Shaaban at the Maybank Championship and he is literally back on his feet again.
An inspiring figure, the 2001 SEA Games Gold Medalist and Malaysia’s number one amateur in 2001 and 2002, felt right back at home at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, in the company of good friends, ‘just playing in the tournament and waiting to tee off’.
He said: “I am really happy to see my old friends out again this week. My old pals like Danny Chia and Nicholas Fung are very happy to see me too.
“Yesterday I met Prayad Marksaeng and Prom Meesawat and some other players from Chinese Taipei. They were very encouraging and I felt confident again after speaking to them.”
Adversity might have set him back momentary but courage has restored his ability to find new meaning in his life again.
Fitted with a prosthetic leg now, he is also a golf coach to juniors who attend his training classes which start from 8.30am till 6.30pm.
“I try not to put myself down despite what has happened to me. At least I still have something to do now. I still can help in the development of golf.
“I want to see the juniors improve and make Malaysia proud. I have played enough tournaments to share with them my life experiences.
‘Never give up’ is what I always tell my juniors. That’s my motto in life.’
I’m glad I got the chance to catch up with this gentleman who has defied all odds to become a truly inspirational figure today.
Ends.
Kiradech keeps hopes alive in Austin
By -
[addtoany]
Austin, Texas, March 28: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat battled to a 2 and 1 win over American Bryon DeChambeau on Thursday to keep alive his hopes at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.
Austin, Texas, March 28: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat battled to a 2 and 1 win over American Bryon DeChambeau on Thursday to keep alive his hopes at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.
After losing a closely-fought opening Group 6 match to Australian Marc Leishman on Wednesday, the 29-year-old Kiradech battled for his survival in the US$10.25 million showpiece at Austin Country Club to secure an important first point that will ensure his final group match against Russell Knox of Scotland remains relevant.
Leishman stayed in control of his own destiny after securing a second 2-up group win over Knox and needs a tie or a win against DeChambeau to progress into the knockout phase. If DeChambeau and Aphibarnrat each win on Friday, they will force a three-man playoff with Leishman to determine who progresses from the group.
Under blustery condition, Kiradech won six holes, five of which with pars and the highlight being an eagle two on the fifth hole where he drove the green and landed five feet of the flag to go 1-up in the match. DeChambeau, a five-time PGA TOUR winner, tied the match twice by winning holes 10 and 12 before Kiradech won successive holes at 13 and 14 which he then closed out DeChambeau on the 17th green.
“I don’t think we played our “A” game. Me and Bryson weren’t playing good golf. I think I just made one eagle the whole day. No birdies at all and a couple of bogeys. In match play, it just depends on the day, especially on this golf course which is really difficult. If you put the ball in the wrong position, sometimes it’s impossible to get up and down. Sometimes par is good enough to win,” said Kiradech.
“However, I’m really happy with the way we finished. I got the first point. I was really proud of the way I won the match. But there’s a lot of work that I need to do, and hopefully Bryson will play well tomorrow, and I’ll meet him in the playoff.”
Kiradech, who is the first Thai to hold a PGA TOUR card, is determined to fight to the end in his bid to replicate last year’s successful run where he qualified for the quarterfinals. With winds expected to make conditions tough again on Friday, he knows the key is to keep the ball in play.
“The key today was about hitting greens. The wind is really difficult and it’s not easy to hit it on the greens. You’ve got to keep the ball under the wind and give yourself more chances, hit it in the fairways, that is the big key for this week,” he said.
South Africa’s Justin Harding was defeated 3 and 2 by world number four Rory McIlroy but still stands an outside chance of advancing into the last 16. Harding needs to win his next match against Luke List and if McIlroy falls to Mathew Fitzpatrick, both Harding and McIlroy will head into a play-off to decide who goes through to the quarter finals.
As one in a series of four World Golf Championships events sanctioned and organized by the operational committee of the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour, the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play is one of the most exciting and biggest events on golf’s calendar.
Prom Meesawat opened his campaign with a four-under-par 68 to trail the clubhouse leaders Stephen Gallacher of Scotland and American Julian Suri by one shot at the Hero Indian Open on Thursday.
New Delhi, India, March 28: Thailand’s Prom Meesawat opened his campaign with a four-under-par 68 to trail the leaders Stephen Gallacher of Scotland and American Julian Suri by one shot at the Hero Indian Open on Thursday.
The 34-year-old Thai traded five birdies against one bogey to stay close behind the leading duo who posted matching 67s at the US$1.75 million event staged at the challenging DLF Golf and Country Club.
India’s Shubhankar Sharma, Australia’s Scott Hend, Thai duo Poom Saksansin and Prayad Marksaeng and Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura stayed two shots off the lead following their rounds of 69.
Starting on the 10th hole, Prom remained patient as he tackled the demanding course, rolling in four birdies before stumbling with his only blemish of the day on the eighth hole.
Hend, who was victorious in Malaysia last week, completed an amazing turnaround for his opening efforts. The big hitting Australian recovered brilliantly with three closing birdies after making a triple bogey on the ninth hole where he found the water hazard twice.
Did you know?
· Prom Meesawat nicknamed “The Big Dolphin” is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He claimed his second title in Chinese Taipei in 2014, eight years after his breakthrough in Korea.
· This marks his best round at the DLF Golf course in his last three appearances at the Indian Open. He finished tied-13th and tied-57th in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
· Prom was accurate off the tees and only missed three fairways and hit 15 greens.
· Shubhankar Sharma hit nine fairways, missed four greens and totalled 30 putts in his opening round.
· Sharma’s best finish at the Indian Open was a tied-seventh result last year. He fired a 64 in his second round, which still remains the course record to beat.
· Sharma will be aiming to be the tenth Indian to lift the coveted trophy at the event which celebrates its 55th edition this week.
· Scott Hend surged up to 134th place on the OWGR after his win in Malaysia last week. With his victory, he ended a three-year title drought on the Asian Tour and became the second highest-earning player on Tour with accumulated earnings of US$5.04 million.
· The Australian, who leads the current Habitat for Humanity Standings, played the par-four holes in five-under-par. He suffered a triple-bogey eight on hole 18, which was one of five triple bogeys made on that hole for the day.
· Masahiro Kawamura overcame a two-shot deficit to claim his maiden breakthrough victory at the 2013 Asia-pacific Panasonic Open.
· Kawamura had a consistent driver to thank for his personal-best round at the Gary Player designed course since he last played the event in 2017 and shot opening rounds of 81 and 82.
Scores after round 1 of the Hero Indian Open 2019 being played at the par 72, 7438 Yards DLF GCC course (am – denotes amateur):
67 – Stephen Gallacher (SCO), Julian Suri (USA).
68 – Christiaan Bezuidenhout (RSA), Pablo Larrazabal (ESP), Robert Karlsson (SWE), Prom Meesawat (THA).
69 – Erik Van Rooyen (RSA), Edoardo Molinari (ITA), Ashley Chesters (ENG), Prayad Marksaeng (THA), Shubhankar Sharma (IND), Scott Hend (AUS), Masahiro Kawamura (JPN), Poom Saksansin (THA), Richie Ramsay (SCO).
Ends.
Catch up on all the highlights from round one at the Hero Indian Open.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dhgW4_dG0I[/embedyt]
Justin Harding took down Matthew Fitzpatrick 1-up in his first career match play at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play on Thursday.
Austin, Texas March 28: South Africa’s Justin Harding, a two-time Asian Tour winner took down 2013 U.S. Amateur champion Matthew Fitzpatrick of England 1-up in his first career match play at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play on Thursday.
Harding was 2-down with three holes to play but won the last three holes against the Englishman.
“I definitely feel as though I stole it. I, like Matty, didn’t really get too much going. I battled with the club selection pretty much the entire day. I hung in there, missed a couple of putts I probably would otherwise like to have not missed. But I guess the up-and-down on 17 was quite special,” said Harding.
The South African will face off against Rory McIlroy in his next match and is ready to put up a stern challenge against the world number four.
”I think I’m going to have to improve a little bit to take him on. Rory’s been playing great over the last couple of weeks. It will be a nice opportunity for me to see how it’s done inside the ropes, and maybe learn a little bit as well, and give the boy a little bit of a challenge,” said Harding.
Big-hitting Kiradech, who qualified for the quarterfinals here last year before bowing out to eventual winner Bubba Watson, meanwhile fought hard in his opening Group 6 match against four-time PGA TOUR winner Marc Leishman before losing 2-up on the 18th hole.
The Thai star kept the match close with some good play but his putting let him down as he made just three birdies during his match.
“I fought hard but didn’t make too many putts. I had some chances but the putts didn’t want to go in. It was good that I kept fighting until the 18th hole and Marc then just hit a great shot into 18 to make birdie for the win. I’ve got no choice now but to try and win my match against Bryson (DeChambeau) tomorrow. He is a great player but I will give it my best,” said Kiradech, the first Thai to play on the PGA TOUR.
As one in a series of four World Golf Championships events sanctioned and organised by the operational committee of the International Federation of PGA Tours, which includes the Asian Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour, PGA TOUR, PGA Tour of Australasia and Sunshine Tour, the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play is one of the most exciting and biggest events on golf’s calendar.
Ends.
At the DLF Gary Player Course holes number nine, 14, 17 and 18 can be considered key holes for any player that has aspirations to win the championship
By Olle Nordberg, Former Asian Tour and European Tour professional
At most Tour events there are a few key holes that have the possibility to make or break a round, scoring wise and mentally. Holes that can prove pivotal to a win or top finish on Sunday afternoons if they are managed successfully or mean a missed opportunity if not executed well.
They can be risk or reward type of holes such as reachable par-four’s or par-five’s where eagles and birdies can be had, but with trouble waiting for errant shots bringing bogeys or worse into play. They can also be difficult holes where par is a good score that players will have to navigate safely to keep a good round going.
The Gary Player designed course at DLF Golf and Country Club is definitely a course where you need to be at the top of your game to have a chance to win on Sunday afternoon. It will challenge all parts of your game and can be very intimidating visually as well.
Many of the holes have no safe bail-out like a lot of other courses, a bad swing is very likely going to cost at least one shot and quite possibly more. In last year’s Hero Indian Open at DLF there were 318 double-bogeys, 57 triple-bogeys, 23 quadruple-bogeys and five more unmentionables made.
At the DLF Gary Player Course holes number nine, 14, 17 and 18 can be considered key holes for any player that has aspirations to win the championship:
KEY HOLES
- Hole 9:
This short par-four is reachable off the tee for many players depending on the wind and where the markers are placed, and the last two editions of the Hero Indian Open has seen a number of players attempting to do so. If going for the green with the tee-shot, players will need to avoid the lake guarding the right side and the sloping rough on the left.
A well-executed swing should be rewarded with an excellent chance for birdie or even eagle, and this hole has produced nine eagles and 239 birdies the past two years. It has also seen 37 doubles, five triples and three quads, so aggressive play is not always recommended.
Playing to an average of 3.940 or 0.06 under par, it has played as the second and third easiest hole in 2017 or 2018 respectively.
- Hole 14:
The long dogleg left par-4 has been the most difficult hole at DLF both the last two years, with a difficult to find fairway and an even more difficult green to hit in regulation. Only 41.08% of players did so in 2017/2018 which would explain the average score of 4.520 or 0.520 over par.
Only 56 birdies have been made on 14, against 71 doubles and 21 triples and higher with one unfortunate player carding a dreaded double-digit 10 in 2018. Par is a very good score on this hole.
- Hole 17:
The signature hole of the course and one of the most scenic holes on tour. A tee-shot that finds the fairway will leave players with an uphill second shot to a highly elevated green protected by a massive rock formation. Playing around 14 yards uphill makes it more difficult to control the distance on the approach, as the ball will be coming in on a flatter trajectory making it more difficult to stop on the green. Any shots coming up short will be bouncing off the rocks and ending up in the hazard.
The hole has played to a 4.255 average or 0.255 over par, with 112 birdies made but also 35 doubles and 14 triples or more.
- Hole 18:
Not a pleasant tee-shot if you don’t have your shot-shape dialed in, with an intimidating view from the tournament tee. The lake that goes all along the left side of the hole will catch any balls going even slightly left, and the bush to the right of the fairway is not much less penalizing. However, a precise drive can make the green reachable in two for the longer hitters and give them a chance for a closing eagle or birdie.
This is a hole where no lead may be safe on Sunday afternoon, as the wide range of scores in previous editions of the Hero Indian Open has shown.
The average score on 18 has been 5.275 or 0.275 over par, with eight eagles and 192 birdies against 62 doubles and 43 triples and higher. Included in those were four 10s and one 11 which proves that anything can happen on the last hole of the event.
ANALYSIS
DLF Golf and Country Club’s Gary Player Course is a difficult one to navigate without costly mistakes, and the route to success in the Hero Indian Open will be to keep big numbers off the card and take advantage of the easier scoring holes.
In 2018 Matt Wallace won the event by playing the key holes in one under par for the week, beating the field average by 4.64 strokes.
More importantly, Wallace played the ninth hole in 3-under par for the week, whereas runner-up Andrew Johnston, losing to Wallace in a play-off, double-bogeyed the hole on Thursday and only managed one birdie on the hole the next three rounds. A costly difference of four shots by end of the week.
S.S.P Chawrasia won the 2017 edition by making very few mistakes all week. Only six bogeys against 16 birdies meant he won by seven shots ahead of runner-up Gavin Green, and could afford to play the dangerous 18th hole very conservatively.
Green played the key holes well for the week and was two strokes lower on them than Chawrasia, three-under-par vs. one-under-par. He made total of 23 birdies for the week and tied with Anirban Lahiri for the most of any player during the event. He also made 15 bogeys, one double and one triple to off-set his gains, which was too many to overcome in the end.
Australian Scott Hend cemented his status as the most successful international golfer on the Asian Tour after claiming his 10th victory and first in three years at the Maybank Championship.
Sentosa, Singapore, March 25: Australian Scott Hend cemented his status as the most successful international golfer on the Asian Tour after claiming his 10th victory and first in three years at the US$3 million Maybank Championship on Sunday.
Thanks to a winner’s prize purse of US$500,000, Hend propelled to the top of the Habitat for Humanity Standings and broke the US$5 million mark in career earnings on the region’s premier Tour following his play-off success at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.
With accumulated earnings of US$5.04 million since making his debut in 2007, the 45-year-old Hend is now the second highest-earning player following Thai star Thongchai Jaidee, a record three-time Order of Merit champion, on the Asian Tour’s Career Money List.
Thai legend Thaworn Wiratchant, who holds an unprecedented 18 wins on Tour, sits in third place with US$4.57 million in earnings while India’s Anirban Lahiri and Prayad Marksaeng, also of Thailand, took fourth and fifth with US$3.90 million and US$3.86 million respectively.
Hend’s achievements over the past decade have been highly-commendable, especially in Asia, where he had claimed all his 10 victories, including three at events co-sanctioned with the European Tour.
He broke through in Indonesia in 2008 and won eight titles across Singapore (1), Thailand (3), Macau (2), Hong Kong (1) and Chinese Taipei (1) between 2012 and 2016. Hend became the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2016, thanks to two victories and three top-10s.
“I’m leading the Asian Tour Order of Merit at the moment and it gives me a good chance to win it again. It’ll be another fantastic achievement and I would like to do it again,” said Hend, who also became the fourth player to surpass US$1 million in earnings in a single season in 2016.
Hend’s victory in Malaysia was made special with his good friend and long-time caddy Tony Carolan by his side.
“I’m a grinder and a fighter. So is my caddy Tony. We both have the same mental attitude. It doesn’t matter how old we are, we work hard at what we do. Just takes a bit of luck to win. Obviously, I had a bit of luck on the play-off hole. If you don’t have any luck you won’t win,” Hend added.
The big-hitting Hend is now the fourth player after Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant (18), Thongchai Jaidee (13) and Prayad Marksaeng (10) to obtain 10 wins or more on the Asian Tour.
Hend took over the driver’s seat on the Habitat for Humanity Standings with earnings of US$507,792 while previous leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand, who enjoyed a third-place finish in Malaysia, slipped to second with a current haul of US$427,600.
Australian rookie Zach Murray also slipped to third place following a tied-41st place finish in Malaysia while American Johannes Veerman, who took home his career’s biggest prize purse of a U$150,000 thanks to his fourth-place finish, propelled to fourth place on the money list.
The Asian Tour will head to India for the prestigious Hero Indian Open this week. The US$1,750,000 event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour, will be held at the DLF Golf and Country Club from March 28 to 31.
Leading 20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings
Pos Player Order of Merit (US$)
1. Scott HEND (AUS) $507,792.25
2. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $427,600.44
3. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $189,140.71
4. Johannes VEERMAN (USA) $158,720.00
5. Scott VINCENT (ZWE) $71,245.03
6. Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $54,826.67
7. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $53,518.10
8. Nicholas FUNG (MAS) $51,160.16
9. Chikkarangappa S. (IND) $48,843.74
10. David LIPSKY (USA) $47,100.00
11. Paul PETERSON (USA) $45,039.20
12. Ben CAMPBELL (NZL) $41,648.48
13. Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN) $40,560.00
14. Angelo QUE (PHI) $38,120.00
15. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $37,869.98
16. Doyeob MUN (KOR) $37,150.00
17. Gareth PADDISON (NZL) $36,327.27
18. Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) $35,765.50
19. Shaun NORRIS (RSA) $33,220.00
20. Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) $29,400.00
Catch up on all the highlights from the final round of the Maybank Championship.
Read what players have to say following the conclusion of the 2019 Maybank Championship.
I’m leading the Asian Tour Order of Merit at the moment and it gives me a good chance to win it again. It’ll be another fantastic achievement and I would like to do it again.
Ends.
Hend wins his 10th Asian Tour title and first since 2016 at the Maybank Championship.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 24: Australia’s Scott Hend returned to winning ways by clinching his first Asian Tour title since 2016 with his dramatic play-off victory over Spain’s Nacho Elvira at the Maybank Championship on Sunday.
Hend held a slender one-shot lead heading into the final hole but late drama ensued when a clap of thunder disrupted Elvira’s approach into the 18th green. The skies opened soon after leaving officials with no choice but to suspend the play at 2.49pm (local time)
When play resumed at 4.30pm, Elvira drained a monstrous 30-feet birdie putt to force a play-off with Hend, who had no answer to the Spaniard’s remarkable birdie effort.
After more than 90 minutes of delay, Hend and Elvira were back at the tee box on 18.
Hend got a lucky break when his tee shot at the first extra-hole hit the base of a tree and ended up on the fairway, while Elvira’s ball went into the fairway bunker.
The Australian hit another tree with his second shot and went into the greenside bunker. Hend splashed his shot out from the bunker to within three feet of the hole which he coolly rolled in to clinch the Maybank Championship and banish memories of his previous play-off defeats in Switzerland in 2016 and 2017.
Elvira’s runner-up finish was his second in as many starts after he ended his recent campaign in Qatar in a tie for second in his last outing.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond enjoyed yet another top-10 finish by closing with a 69 to take third place while Johannes Veerman of the United States bettered his previous best result of 12th position in 2017 by signing off with a 66 to finish in fourth place.
Did you know?
- With this victory, Scott Hend moved into second place on the all-time career-earnings list, and becomes the second player to break the US$5 million mark on the Asian Tour.
- Scott Hend has appeared in every edition of the Maybank Championship since it was first played in 2016. His best previous result was 29th in 2017.
- He is the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 2016
- All of Hend’s wins have come in Asia.
- Hend is the fourth player after Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng to obtain 10 wins or more on the Asian Tour.
- Nacho Elvira was making his third appearance consecutive appearance at the Maybank Championship and the first time he has made the cut.
- It was also the first time he held the 54-hole lead on the European Tour.
- Jazz Janewattananond has appeared in every edition of the Maybank Championship since it was first played in 2016. His best previous result was a tied-39th finish last year.
- He broke into the world’s top-100 for the first time in his career after claiming his third Asian Tour title at the season-opening event in Singapore in January.
- That victory also earned him a coveted spot in The Open, where he made his Major debut last year.
- Johannes Veerman is born to an Indonesian mother and an American father. He resides in Texas but had spent 13 years living in Asia.
- Veerman came through Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2016 and went on to enjoy a dream rookie season.
- He bagged three consecutive top-10 finishes on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) before securing his breakthrough win at the Taifong Open.
- He became the third American to lift the ADT Order of Merit crown in 2016 with that victory and as well as five other top-10 finishes.
Ends.
Calvin Koh speaks to one of the most inspiring golfers he has met on Tour
By Calvin Koh, Head of Press Operations and Media Partnerships
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 24: A split second was all it took to turn Shaaban Hussin’s life upside down.
Shaaban’s promising golf career was immediately shattered the moment he was thrown onto the road shoulder of a highway in Malaysia in the early morning of March 31, 2016.
That horrific motorcycle accident nearly left him for the dead. His left foot was so badly crushed and had to be amputated from the knee down.
All his dreams were also broken just like his left arm.
The months that followed left Shaaban having to deal with a myriad of emotions that included wanting to end his life.
Fast forward three years later, I caught up with Shaaban at the Maybank Championship and he is literally back on his feet again.
An inspiring figure, the 2001 SEA Games Gold Medalist and Malaysia’s number one amateur in 2001 and 2002, felt right back at home at the Saujana Golf and Country Club, in the company of good friends, ‘just playing in the tournament and waiting to tee off’.
He said: “I am really happy to see my old friends out again this week. My old pals like Danny Chia and Nicholas Fung are very happy to see me too.
“Yesterday I met Prayad Marksaeng and Prom Meesawat and some other players from Chinese Taipei. They were very encouraging and I felt confident again after speaking to them.”
Adversity might have set him back momentary but courage has restored his ability to find new meaning in his life again.
Fitted with a prosthetic leg now, he is also a golf coach to juniors who attend his training classes which start from 8.30am till 6.30pm.
“I try not to put myself down despite what has happened to me. At least I still have something to do now. I still can help in the development of golf.
“I want to see the juniors improve and make Malaysia proud. I have played enough tournaments to share with them my life experiences.
‘Never give up’ is what I always tell my juniors. That’s my motto in life.’
I’m glad I got the chance to catch up with this gentleman who has defied all odds to become a truly inspirational figure today.
Ends.
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