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Vincent remains upbeat despite another missed opportunity at ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth


Published on February 18, 2019

Perth, Australia, February 18: Despite missing out on yet another opportunity for his maiden Asian Tour win, Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe took pride in his fourth-place finish at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth on Sunday, which was his best outing in the innovative event.

The 26-year-old Vincent was amongst the 10 players fighting for nine spots following the 54-hole stroke play at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club on Saturday but a par on the first play-off hole confirmed his place as one of the top-24 players for the six-hole Knockout Match Play.

He went on to defeat Australian Wade Ormsby 3&2 in the first round and beat Japan’s Yuta Ikeda 2 UP in the second before progressing into the Quarter-finals after he triumphed against Ben Campbell of New Zealand on the second Knockout hole.

Vincent eventually lost to Spaniard Adrian Otaegui 3&2 in the semi-finals and was left to battle for third place against Paul Dunne of Ireland in the event tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

Despite nailing a 35-footer on the fifth and winning the sixth to take the duel to the extra hole, Vincent had to concede defeat after a wayward tee shot into the grandstand saw him leave the way clear for Dunne, who made a short putt to claim third.

Vincent, who had his wife Kelsey on his bag, took home a prize purse of US$54,875 and moved up 14 rungs to second place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.

“I had my chances but just didn’t take advantage of them. That’s what happens at match play. I didn’t expect to get this far. Obviously, there was a chance but the fact that I made it into the semi-final was pretty good,” said Vincent, the first Zimbabwean to play on Tour.

“I will keep building from there and get better,” added Vincent, who featured in the Match Play stage for the first time in three appearances at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.

Vincent’s career has been on a rise since coming through the Qualifying School in 2016. He did not miss a single cut in six tournaments that year and in 2017, he notched three top-three results to finish in 17th place on the Merit rankings to retain his playing rights.

Vincent went on to cap a career-best season yet on the region’s premier Tour in 2018 where he came in fifth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to nine top-10 results – the most number of top-10s made by a player without a win last season.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, who won the season-opener in Singapore last month, continued his reign atop the Habitat for Humanity Standings following his tied-13th place finish, which increased his total earnings to US$197,230.

Jazz, a three-time Asian Tour winner, went the distance with eventual winner Ryan Fox in the second round of the Match Play before getting knocked out by the New Zealander on the third Knockout hole.

“I really felt I had it in my hand already and someone just slapped it away. I felt I got really close and I felt that if I had beaten Ryan Fox, I would have gone on to do better in the next one. But I guess you just have to accept it and move on.

“I’ll be heading to New Zealand next and I’ll work on the things that I fell short in this week. Hopefully I can lift myself up there and perform again,” said the 23-year-old Jazz.

The Asian Tour will head the 100th New Zealand Open next week. The tournament, which offers a prize purse of NZ$1,250,000 (approx. US$850,000), will be held at The Hills and Millbrook Resort from February 28 to March 3.

Ends.

Top players on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos  Player  Order of Merit  (US$)

1. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $197,230.76

2. Scott VINCENT (ZWE) $63,595.03

3. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $40,618.10

4. Doyeob MUN (KOR) $37,150.00

5. Ben CAMPBELL (NZL) $36,327.27

5. Gareth PADDISON (NZL) $36,327.27

7. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $35,120.68

8. Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA) $26,500.00

9. Yuta IKEDA (JPN) $24,535.51

10. Berry HENSON (USA) $24,199.05

11. Jarin TODD (USA) $19,316.67

12. Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $19,095.67

13. Miguel TABUENA (PHI) $17,457.17

14. Kazuki HIGA (JPN) $14,266.67

14. Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $14,266.67

16. Justin HARDING (RSA) $14,232.38

17. Steven JEFFRESS (AUS) $12,423.71

17. Andrew MARTIN (AUS) $12,423.71

17. Wade ORMSBY (AUS) $12,423.71

20. Sihwan KIM (USA) $12,404.39

20. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $12,404.39


Published on February 17, 2019

Perth, Australia, February 17: New Zealand’s Ryan Fox produced a dominant performance in the final by beating Spain’s Adrian Otaegui 3&2 to lift the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth trophy on Sunday.

Scott Vincent, who is the first Zimbabwean to play on the Asian Tour, had to settle for fourth place after he lost to Ireland’s Paul Dunne at the first knockout hole at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club.

Fox, who received a bye into the last 16, had to make three trips to the knockout hole to first beat Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond before claiming 1up triumphs over Norwegian Kristoffer Reitan and Ireland’s Paul Dunne in the quarter finals and semi finals respectively.

The 32-year-old was 3Up against Otaegui in the final’s first three holes and his victory was confirmed when they both parred the fourth hole.

It was the case of so near yet so far again for Vincent. After defeating Australia’s Wade Ormsby 3&2 in their opening match, the Zimbabwean took down Yuta Ikeda when he won the match 2Up against the seeded Japanese.

Vincent had a crucial par putt on the second knockout hole to thank when he defeated New Zealand’s Ben Campbell to seal his passage into the semi-finals.

However he was denied by Otaegui in the semi-final after the Spaniard won the match 3&2.

Panuphol, who took down England’s Ben Evans at the first knockout hole in his first match, fell to Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan in his second match after the European Tour rookie won their match 1Up.

Did you know?
  • Ryan Fox was making his third appearance at the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth and the first time he has advanced to the Sunday match play. His previous best finish was 25th in 2017.
  • Adrian Otaegui was playing at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth for the first time this week.
  • The Spaniard’s previous victories have come from match play or knock out events (2018 Belgian Knockout and 2017 Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play)
  • Scott Vincent is the first Zimbabwean to play on the Asian Tour. Although he has yet to win on the Asian Tour, he posted nine top-10s to finish the 2018 season in fifth place on the Order of Merit.
  • He finished runner-up on three occasions in Indonesia, India and Korea last year.
  • Vincent was playing in his second match play format event this week. His first was at the Belgian Knockout on the European Tour last year.
  • Jazz Janewattananond was making his first Sunday appearance at Lake Karrinyup Country Club. He missed the cut in his previous two attempts.
  • Panuphol Pittayarat enjoyed his first top-10 this season when he finished tied-ninth at the Asian Tour season-opening event in Singapore.
  • He is playing in his ninth season on the Asian Tour and has won twice.

Published on February 15, 2019

Perth, Australia, February 15: Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat headed to the top of the leaderboard after firing seven birdies against one bogey to share the second round lead with New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, Australia’s Matthew Griffin and Belgium’s Thomas Pieters at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth on Friday.

Starting his round five shots off the lead, Panuphol quickly hauled himself back within one shot of the lead with birdies on the second, fourth, sixth and seventh holes.

He dropped a shot on the eighth but regained his advantage with further gains on nine, 11 and 15 to sign for a six-under-par 66 and an eight-under-par 136 total at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club.

Fox, who missed out on the match play stages after losing in a play-off in 2017 and finished a shot out of the play-off 12 months ago, is poised to make his Sunday appearance after he birdied two of his last three holes to get to grab a share of the one-shot lead.

Pieters, who won the ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf for his country last November, bounced back from the sick bed to move atop the leaderboard with a 66.

American Berry Henson is also hoping to feature in the shootout round after carding a 67 to stay two shots back from the leaders in a share of eighth place.

The top 65 and ties players after 36 holes will advance to Saturday where the leading 24 players after 54 holes of stroke play will progress to the six-hole knockout match play on Sunday.

The weekend cut was set at one-under with 66 players making it into the third round.

Did you know?

  • Panuphol Pittayarat enjoyed his first top-10 this season when he finished tied-ninth at the Asian Tour season-opening event in Singapore.
  • He is playing in his ninth season on the Asian Tour and has won twice.
  • He broke into the world’s top-200 for the first time in his career after claiming a one-shot victory at the Thailand Open last year.
  • That win was his second victory on the Asian Tour after his breakthrough at the Indonesia Open in 2017.
  • Panuphol turned professional in 2007 at a young age of 14 and was nicknamed ‘Coconut’ by his parents.
  • Berry Henson has played at Lake Karrinyup Country Club on three occasions and has made the cut for the first time this week.
  • Thomas Pieters has fond memories of Australia, having won the ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf with compatriot Thomas Detry last November.
  • He missed the cut when he last teed it up on the Lake Karrinyup layout in 2014.

Published on

Sentosa, Singapore, February 15: Chikkarangappa S. and Danthai Boonma have both become landmark champions on their home Tours. Not only have they won their respective season openers, but they have gone down in history as the first winners to have received Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points following their victories on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT)

This is the first time the Tours’ where their tournaments are awarded world ranking points following the OWGR’s decision to include the PGTI and AGTI into the OWGR system.

The OWGR is used to determine eligibility to lucrative events such as Major championships, World Golf Championship tournaments, the World Cup, Olympic golf tournament and several other high-profile events worldwide.

With these domestic Tours attaining OWGR points, golfers will have more opportunities to earn points and work their way up the rankings.

India’s Chikkarangappa claimed a two-shot victory at the Golconda Masters 2019 Powered By Telangana Tourism & Incredible India, the season-opening event on the PGTI. The 26-year-old received five OWGR points, which lifted him from 461 to 357 on the world rankings.

Danthai Boonma of Thailand

Thailand’s Danthai Boonma was dominant at the Singha E-San Open 2019 as he finished the tournament five shots ahead of the field. He earned seven points and rose from 395 to 315 on the OWGR.

Chikkarangappa and Danthai are regular competitors on the Asian Tour, which has worked closely with the PGTI and ATGT in developing professional golf in the region.

In 2018, the Asian Tour co-sanctioned the Hero Indian Open, TAKE Solutions Masters and the Panasonic Open India with the PGTI. The year also saw the emergence of India’s Shubhankar Sharma, who started his professional career on the PGTI.

The All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT) has nurtured the likes of two-time Asian Tour winner Jazz Janewattananond and three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Thongchai Jaidee.

The Asian Tour has been in close collaboration with the ATGT over the last 20 years.

This week the Asian Development Tour (ADT) is holding a joint-sanctioned event in Lopburi at the home of Thai Legend Thongchai Jaidee. Last year, the Asian Tour worked with the ATGT to put together two events on the ADT, the Singha Laguna Phuket Open and the Betagro Championship.

The top five golfers on the respective Order of Merit lists at the end of the season will receive spots at the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School, with the top-ranked player earning playing rights on Asia’s premier circuit.

Said Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Chief Operating Officer: “The Asian Tour would like to congratulate Chikkarangappa S. and Danthai Boonma for winning their respective tournaments. It’s great to see two of our members victorious and boosted their positions on the world rankings.

“The PGTI and ATGT have reached a significant milestone with their inclusion into the OWGR system. The Asian Tour will continue to collaborate with local golf bodies to collectively develop the game of golf in the region.”


Published on February 12, 2019

By Olle Nordberg, founder of golf equipment survey company, Northmountain International. 

Perth, Australia, February 12: As the saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The modified format that mixes both stroke play and match play will be used at the 2019 ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth for the third consecutive year, proving that it has gained acceptance among golf aficionados.

Perhaps, it’s the unpredictability and excitement of the format.

Case in point: Brett Rumford and Kiradech Aphibarnrat won the 2017 and 2018 editions of the tournament in a vastly different manner.

Rumford was the leading player after three days of stroke play in 2017 at 17-under-par. He went on to win the knock-out match play rounds on Sunday.

Aphibarnrat, on the other hand, barely managed to squeeze through the first three rounds of stroke play at five-under-par for a tied-17th place, before emerging victorious in the Sunday match play. In a normal 72-hole stroke play format, a five-stroke deficit after three rounds would have been more challenging to overcome.

Neither Rumford (who is out injured) or Aphibarnrat (playing on the PGA Tour) will be in the field this week at Lake Karrinyup Country Club in Perth, but there’s a good chance that some of the following players in strong form will be in with a chance to win on Sunday afternoon

Justin Harding

Arguably the hottest player in the field, coming off a fourth-place finish in last week’s Vic Open on the European Tour and Australasian PGA Tour, as well as tied-11th at the Saudi International and tied-seventh at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic on the European tour. He is the highest ranked player on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) in the field at 65th.

Jazz Janewattanond

He is already a winner this year at the SMBC Singapore Open, and in doing so, broke into the top-100 on the OWGR. Jazz finished the 2018 Asian Tour season very strongly by finishing third at the Queen’s Cup Hosted by Jaidee Foundation, and 2nd at the BNI Indonesian Masters. He’s also pretty adept at match play, evident from his performance at the Friendship Cup between Thailand and Japan in late December, where he won all his five matches. He was in tied-10th going into the last round at the Vic Open last week, before falling back a bit in the last round.

Lucas Herbert

Herbert has had top-10 finishes in this event the last two years by finishing third in 2018 and tied-ninth in 2017. Both years, he finished tied-second after the stroke play rounds. Recently, he finished tied-seventh at the star-studded Omega Dubai Desert Classic in late January. Recent form and previous performances at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth put him in good stead.

A Numbers Game

From the statistics from the last few years, players who can hit Greens-In-Regulation (GIR) will have an edge at the Lake Karrinyup Country Club, at least, for the stroke play rounds. A couple of very strong players that ranked highly in this statistic on the 2018 Asian Tour should also be good picks for a possible victory this week:

Scott Vincent

The Zimbabwean finished fifth on the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, racking up nine top-10s during the season including three second-place finishes. Vincent was ranked third in GIR on the Asian Tour last with 73.8 per cent. He is very much due for a breakthrough win in 2019, evident from his solid statistics across the board last year. In addition to his GIR, he was also ranked commendably in Stroke Average (69.84, third on Tour), Putts per GIR (1.74, 12th), birdies (306, first), as well as Birdies per Round (4.43, third).

Jake McLeod

McLeod is the reigning Australasian PGA Tour Order of Merit Champion. In his rookie season on the Asian Tour, McLeod hit 70.7 per cent of his GIR (ranked 16th on Tour), and even more impressive was his Birdies per Round at 4.78 (second).

OWGR Watch

With lucrative events such as the World Golf Championships (WGC), Majors and the Player’s Championship looming, players will be jostling for top positions on the OWGR. Two members making a significant charge up the rankings are Harding and Jazz. They could make some big strides with some high finishes in the weeks to come.

Of course, Kiradech Aphibarnrat will already be eligible for all of the above.

In Harding’s case, he is currently 65th on the OWGR and is very close to qualifying for the Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas at the end of March, where the top-64 available players get a spot. The cutoff date is still five weeks away, but another top finish in Perth this week could put him inside this number. The U.S. PGA Championship at Bethpage Black in New York on May 16 to 19 will usually give a Special Exemption to players ranked within the top-100 of the OWGR. Harding earned one of these spots last year after winning the Bank BRI Indonesia Open and Royal Cup consecutively in 2018.

Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand

Jazz, now in 77th place on the OWGR, will need to do a bit more to get inside the top-64 for a spot at the Dell Technologies Match Play. However, a couple of high finishes in Perth or at the upcoming New Zealand Open could edge him over the line. Jazz is also currently in line for one of the Special Exemption spots into the U.S. PGA Championship.

For both players, what’s more desirable is sure the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. Although, it will be a tough task.  To get an invitation to the year’s first Major, they have to be inside the top-50 on the OWGR as of March 31st.

The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass from March 14 to 17 in Jacksonville, Florida is another event that gives exemptions to the top-50 on the OWGR. The cutoff is coming up soon on March 4 after the New Zealand Open, and a huge move up the rankings would require some stellar play in the three weeks ahead.


Published on February 8, 2019

By PGA Tour

February 8: India’s Shubhankar Sharma can’t wait to return to the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship later this month.

A year ago, the 22-year-old prospect took the world by storm, grabbing the second- and third-round leads against a star-studded field at Club Golf de Chapultepec before finishing T9.

While disappointed he failed to cross the finish line first, Sharma’s valiant run in Mexico propelled him to global fame and set him off on an adventure of a lifetime where he featured in all four World Golf Championships plus the majors, won the Asian Tour Order of Merit title and was afforded the Arjuna award which is one of the highest sporting accolades conferred in India.

Sharma believes his 2018 campaign will form the building blocks as he pursues greater success in his burgeoning career, which presently includes two victories in Asian Tour-European Tour sanctioned tournaments achieved in South Africa and Malaysia.

He has so far endured a subdued start to 2019 with two missed cuts from three tournaments but a timely return to the tree-lined and tricky Chapultepec course from February 21 to 24 will get his adrenaline rushing again.

“I’m looking forward to going back to Mexico. Obviously, I’ve got lots of special memories and feelings from last year’s tournament. I really like the golf course where you have to be sharp with your game. I’ll be giving my best for sure. You never know what can happen … golf is funny game. I wasn’t able to win it last year and I’ll keep trying,” he said.

Sharma, who grew up watching major golf events with his father during the wee hours of mornings in their Chandigarh home, shot rounds of 65, 66 and 69 to turn the spotlight on himself before closing with a 74. It marked a magical week which included an amusing encounter with eventual winner Phil Mickelson, who had brushed Sharma away when the Indian approached him on the practice putting green as the American though he was a journalist looking for an interview.

“It (Mexico) was definitely a highlight in 2018. I couldn’t finish it off, but it was a turning point for me. It showed I could play against best in the world in what was my first WGC of my career. Having a chance to win at this stage of my career was a good experience, and upon my return home, I received a lot of support and a lot of kids now look up to me and they also believe they can play at the highest stage,” said Sharma.

“Mexico was a really big stage and I had a chance to win which was huge. Hopefully I’ll get more opportunities.”

In October, he reinforced his growing credentials by taking the co-third round lead in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia before finishing T10 with a final round 72. He believes he can eventually break through and earn the right to compete full time on the PGA TOUR.

“You always learn something new, there’s a lot of pressure and the body can react differently. In Mexico and CIMB, I learned a lot. It’s more of the mental approach, getting more comfortable playing in the lead groups. I’m comfortable playing in the lead but at the highest stage, it’s a different level. I think you just have to tell yourself it’s golf. That’s what I’ll try to do,” he said.

In all, Sharma featured in 33 tournaments around the globe in 2018 and he hopes to trim his schedule this season to ensure his mind and body are fresh whenever he tees it up.

“I played a lot of big events. A lot of good things happened and it raised my confidence that I could play against the best,” he reflected. “It was a long season and I got to learn about my body. I’m learning to get over jet lags and getting rested up. The body and mind react differently when you play so much and it’s something I’m learning to manage. I’m hoping to get the scheduling right, make a proper schedule and stick to it. I was also playing on new courses on most weeks and hopefully it becomes easier when I get back to those places that I’ve been to.”

His goals for 2019 are quite clear– he intends to join the International Team for the Presidents Cup at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in December and also challenge for a PGA TOUR card through the non-member category.

“I’m aiming for more consistency, more top-10s, top-15s,” Sharma said. “Winning will be great but I’m looking for more top results in a consistent manner.

“Getting into the Presidents Cup team … that’s right up there. I really want to be part of the team. The PGA TOUR is a goal but I’m not going to push it too hard. I’ve got Mexico and The Open on my schedule right now which counts towards the PGA TOUR so hopefully I can have some good results and see where it takes me.”


Published on February 7, 2019

New Zealand, February 5: The two most successful golfers to come out of Korea – KJ Choi and YE Yang – have confirmed they will both play in the 100th New Zealand Open Championship in Queenstown from February 28 to March 3.

KJ Choi is one of the top 25 players on the PGA TOUR’s all-time money-list with earnings of over NZ$50 million in prize-money. The hugely popular Korean has 20 professional victories worldwide to his credit, winning eight times on the PGA TOUR and taking the trophy at the 2011 PLAYERS’ Championship.

YE Yang is the first Asian-born player to win a Major, with his famous victory over Tiger Woods in the 2009 US PGA Championship among his 12 career wins. The 47-year-old proved he is far from a spent force in the game with an outstanding 2018 season on the Japan Golf Tour, including victory at The Crowns among seven top-13 finishes that saw him 12th overall on the Order of Merit.

The pair has a shared history in golf in New Zealand, both coming here as young professionals to learn the game before embarking on their illustrious careers. Yang returned to compete in the New Zealand Open in 2017 and Choi last year, with both players excited to return to the country and to have the opportunity to play with sponsors in Queenstown.

“I very much enjoyed playing in Queenstown last year but because I now know more about the courses I wanted to return and be even more competitive this time,” says Choi who missed the cut by just one shot last year.

Yang finished T39th at the New Zealand Open last year, which was a springboard for his exceptional season in Japan.

“New Zealand was important for me when I was starting in golf. I spent almost four years here playing and practicing in Auckland, Christchurch and Taupo especially,” says Yang.

“Last year gave me the chance to return and play in Queenstown which is beautiful, so I was keen to return again and I would like to play well especially in the 100th New Zealand Open – it would be a special honour.”

The addition of YE Yang to the field now means that the 100th New Zealand Open will boast three former Major winners, with Yang lining up alongside former US Open Champions Michael Campbell and Geoff Ogilvy.

Tournament Director Michael Glading commented: “It is a thrill to know that two legends of the game have enjoyed their previous visits here so much that they are both keen to return. Not only that, both are extremely competitive – Korean golf goes from strength to strength and both KJ and YE remain at the forefront of that.”

Ends.

Photo credit: Photosport

About the 100th New Zealand Open

  • The tournament is one of New Zealand’s leading sporting events with a long and prestigious history.
  • The tournament was founded in 1907 and will be played for the 100th time in 2019.
  • The tournament is a co-sanctioned event on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour schedules.
  • The tournament also has a partnership agreement with the Japan Golf Tour
  • A professional field of 152 players will play the first two rounds alternately at Millbrook Resort and The Hills before the second round cut of 60 + ties
  • The final 2 rounds will be played at The Hills
  • The New Zealand Open Champion will be the leading player after 72 holes of stroke play
  • The tournament also hosts 152 amateur players, each partnering with a Professional in a two-man best-ball event, competing for the NZ Pro-Am Championship

Follow developments for the New Zealand Open:

www.nzopen.co.nz Facebook: NZ Open @NZOpenGolf  #NZOpen100


Published on February 3, 2019

By V. Krishnaswamy, in Saudi Arabia

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, February 3: Seasoned Scott Hend (67) showed he is on his way back with a tied-sixth finish at the Saudi International at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in Jeddah on Sunday.

The result also equalled his best finish since the runner-up place at the Omega European Masters in the September 2017.

Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson (67) and Li Haotong (69) slugged it out on the back nine of the Saudi International, before the world number three American pulled off a birdie-birdie finish despite going all over desert to emerge a two-shot winner. Johnson was 19-under-par, Li was two shots behind and Tom Lewis (65), who with five birdies in first five holes got into the frame for a while, ended third at 16-under-par.

Another young star, Australian Min Woo Lee, who is playing only his second event as a pro finished the weekend 63-63 to be fourth at 15-under-par.

Hend closed with three birdies on the last four holes for his 67 and ended the week at tied-sixth alongside Joost Luiten (63), Bryson DeChambeau (65), Ian Poulter (66) and Ryan Fox (68).

Justin Harding turned on his putting machine for the second Sunday in a row and shot 63 to vault to tied-11th alongside Malaysian Gavin Green (67) at 10-under-par. Harding’s 63 this time was seven-under-par as against nine-under-par last week.

David Lipsky (67) was tied-24th, while India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar and Australian Jake McLeod (68) were tied-34th.

Good finish for Hend, Harding and Green

Hend would be pleased that his comeback was coming along well. After missing out some weeks of golf due to injuries, which he battled with much of 2018, a tied-sixth, would do his confidence wonders.

“I am just started to getting back. I am working, the gym, eating well and all and trying to get back to where I was,” said Hend. “Now I am off to Australia for Vic Open and Perth Sixes and then a break and after that it will be Oman and Qatar and then Malaysia Indian Open. I want to get back to where I was.”

Hend was 59th in the world and playing well in 2016 before injuries laid him low.

Harding was happy with his two weeks in the Middle-East.

“I got into the Dubai event through the Asian Tour and now here tied-11 is great. I have to get these rounds (63 in Dubai and Saudi) earlier to put myself in a  position to have a chance to win. My game is looking good and I played solid, missed a few but also made a lot of putts. I really enjoyed myself over these last couple of weeks and now it is off to Australia for Vic Open and Perth and I am excited about the format in Perth. I will go to India, unless I get to WGC-Matchplay, but I need some more good weeks for that.”

India’s sole player to make the cut, Gaganjeet Bhullar hit the ball very well and gave himself a lot of chances on the final but never really got on top of these greens through the week. From being two-under-par through the first five holes, he ended even-par 70 and finish four-under-par for the week and in tied-34th place. He finished at even par 70 a four-under-par 276 for the week.

“I hit the ball so well this week, but just did not get any putts to fall. Sure, they were grainy and not as firm, but that is to expected on a new and young course. However the conditions were the same for all, so I did not make it.” Next on for Bhullar is the ISPS Handa Super 6 in Perth.

Johnson thrilled to win after battling with Haotong

“It feels really good. Any time you can win a professional golf tournament, no matter where it is in the world, it’s a big win. I’m honoured to be the champion, and I’m very pleased with the win,” said Johnson. “I’m heading back to the States tonight, and you know, I’ve got three big weeks in a row. I’ve got Pebble, L.A. and México coming up. You know, to win here, obviously, the game is in good form, and I’m heading into three really big weeks for me.”

When Johnson and Li finished 16-under-par on Saturday evening, five clear of third-placed Lewis, it seemed it would be a two-horse race. But no soon had Lewis got out of the gates, he was on a tear.

When action got into the back nine, Li was one ahead. That’s when Johnson seemed to switch gears. He pulled ahead bombing drives and finding greens even from wasteland and bunkers and holing the putts. He birdied the 11th and 12th and moved ahead of the Chinese star. The second shot to within four feet for a birdie on 12th was one of the crucial ones for Johnson.

Li added to his woes by not finding fairways and missing putts. He bogeyed 13th and 14th and suddenly Johnson was three clear. Li did not throw in the towel. He birdied 15th which Johnson parred after missing a makeable putt.

Then as Johnson found water on 16th another twist loomed large. A double bogey seemed likely but Johnson made an up-and-down from 150-yards for a good bogey to stay one ahead after 16 holes.

“That birdie on the 12th and then the up-and-down for bogey on 16th were momentum changers,” said Johnson later.

Another huge drive and a perfect pitch set up a Johnson birdie on 17th while Li went into the wasteland and made par to fall two behind. Johnson again smashed a huge drive and put his second shot on the green for an eagle chance of which the ball stopped one roll short. He tapped in for birdie. Li, too, got a birdie and that helped him to sole second.


Published on January 31, 2019

Melbourne, Australia, January 31: Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond has emerged as a surprise but legitimate contender for a place in the International Team for the Presidents Cup against the United States at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club later this year.

The 23-year-old claimed his third and biggest career victory yet on the Asian Tour two weeks ago when he won the SMBC Singapore Open which featured several of the game’s leading stars including Paul Casey, Sergio Garcia and World Golf Hall of Famer Davis Love III, all winners on the PGA TOUR.

It was his sixth top-10 finish over his last eight starts stretching back to September which has helped the slender Thai strike the right notes and launch an early challenge for a place in Captain Ernie Els’s International Team where he is presently ranked 12th on the team rankings for the biennial competition which takes place from December 9-15, 2019.

“I saw on Twitter recently that said I had a chance to qualify for the International Team,” said Jazz. “It’s a long-term goal of mine as when you look at the rankings, there are so many top (International) players. If I can continue to play good golf and make it there, it will be a big bonus.”

Jazz recalls watching the 2009 Presidents Cup on TV when Ryo Ishikawa of Japan made the International Team as one of captain Greg Norman’s picks and he knows only too well the lone International victory in the series was secured at Royal Melbourne in 1998 when another Japanese star, Shigeki Maruyama emerged as one of the International Team’s heroes with his 5-0 winning record.

“The Americans are really strong in this format and I want to see the International players beating the Americans this year, and I’ll always be rooting for the International Team,” said Jazz, who is currently ranked 75th in the world.

With his father, who is a judge in Thailand, being an avid golfer, Jazz started hitting golf balls when he was eight. He started competing in one-day tournaments and won age-group events by 10. He turned professional before he was 15 years old after deciding it was a career he wanted to pursue. “When I was four, I was introduced to swimming and everyone outgrew me. I’m this scrawny kid and I then started playing football (soccer) at six and I was horrible at it. Maybe that’s why I changed to golf and I got really good at 12 and when I was 14, I became the youngest golfer to make the cut in an Asian Tour event (2010 Asian Tour International in Bangkok),” he said.

Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand

Jazz comes from a family of scholars, with his sister and cousins studying medicine or are already doctors or judges. “Almost 10 of my family members are doctors or judges … except me, I’m the weird one. I guess I always liked spending time outdoors, though I was pretty good in school too. Golf has turned out pretty good. When I turned pro before turning 15, my parents were fully supportive. It’s my job, my life now and I enjoy it. I’m going to do this for rest of my life and hopefully I can be a regular on the PGA TOUR sometime soon,” added the Thai, whose real name is Atiwit but switched to Jazz in 2013 which is the nickname given by his father who is fan of jazz music.

Currently, three Asian players – Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (4th), Haotong Li of China (5th) and Shugo Imahira of Japan (6th) – are featuring in the top-eight of the International Team rankings for automatic qualification into the International Team. Jazz’s countryman Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who is competing in his first full season on the PGA TOUR, is presently 29th.

Making his first-ever start in the Farmers Insurance Open, Australia’s Adam Scott finished solo second at Torrey Pines and made the biggest move in the International Team Presidents Cup standings from No. 67 to No. 11. A berth in the 2019 Presidents Cup would make Scott the first player to make nine appearances on the International Team, eclipsing Vijay Singh and 2019 Team Captain Ernie Els who have eight appearances.

The Presidents Cup will return to Melbourne, Australia and The Royal Melbourne Golf Club for the third time, December 9-15, 2019, when the International Team, led by Captain Els, will take on the U.S. Team led by Captain Tiger Woods.

Making his fourth start of the 2018-19 PGA TOUR Season, Scott’s runner-up finish was his second top-10 and first since he closed with a 63 on Sunday at the CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES to finish T10 last October. The flat stick proved vital for Scott’s success in San Diego, where the 38-year-old finished 14th in Stroked Gained: Putting after making a putter switch ahead of the tournament. Scott went on to need just 28 putts in each of his four rounds.

While Scott finished two back of eventual champion Justin Rose, two other International Team veterans cracked the top 5 at Torrey Pines: Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (T3) and Australia’s Jason Day (T5).

A two-time champion at the Farmers Insurance Open, Day bookended his tournament with matching 67s for his second top-5 finish of the season and a spot inside the top 10 in the International Team Presidents Cup standings, where the four-time International Team member jumped from No. 13 to No. 9.

Matsuyama vaulted from No. 8 to No. 4 in the standings after notching his first top-5 finish of the season as he looks toward a potential fourth appearance on the International Team. Elsewhere on the leaderboard, Cameron Smith (T9) recorded a 7-under 65 on Sunday to finish with the low round of the day and return to No. 2 in the International Team standings. Marc Leishman remains atop the International Team standings after a T43 finish at the Farmers Insurance Open.

On the U.S. side, Xander Schauffele’s T25 in his hometown event earned him enough FedExCup points to reclaim the top spot from Bryson DeChambeau, who was victorious in Dubai on the European Tour.

The top 15 players in the International and U.S. Presidents Cup Team Standings as of Jan. 28, 2019 are listed below:

INTERNATIONAL

Rank    Player                          Country                       Points
1.         Marc Leishman             Australia                       104.20

  1. Cameron Smith            Australia                       82.71
  2.         Louis Oosthuizen          South Africa                  81.03
  3. Hideki Matsuyama        Japan                            72.10
  4.         Abraham Ancer             Mexico                         71.15
  5. Haotong Li                   China                           59.57
  6. Shugo Imahira              Japan                            54.17
  7. Shaun Norris                South Africa                  52.96
  8. Jason Day                     Australia                       51.38
  9.        Emiliano Grillo             Argentina                     51.21
  10. Adam Scott                   Australia                       50.99
  11. Jazz Janewattananond    Thailand                       50.81
  12. Adam Hadwin              Canada                         44.74
  13.        Lucas Herbert               Australia                       42.43
  14. Yuki Inamori                Japan                            41.77

UNITED STATES

Rank    Player                                      Points

  1. Xander Schauffele                     4,194
  2. Bryson DeChambeau                4,160
  3. Justin Thomas                           3,934
  4. Brooks Koepka                         3,591
  5. Dustin Johnson                         3,470
  6. Tony Finau                               3,133
  7. Gary Woodland                        2,997
  8. Matt Kuchar                             2,979
  9. Webb Simpson                         2,747
  10.        Patrick Cantlay                         2,697
  11. Charles Howell III                    2,536
  12.        Phil Mickelson                         2,321
  13. Patrick Reed                            2,228
  14. Andrew Putnam                        2,164
  15. Bubba Watson                          2,126

International Team eligibility criteria

The top eight (8) international players (excluding those eligible for the European Ryder Cup team) from the Presidents Cup International Team Points List which shall be Official World Golf Ranking points accumulated in the time period from August 27, 2018 (Dell Technologies Championship) through August 25, 2019 (TOUR Championship).

Four Captain’s selections will be made at a to-be-determined later date.

U.S. Team eligibility criteria

The top eight (8) U.S. PGA TOUR members who have earned the most FedExCup points from September 11, 2017 (2017 BMW Championship) through 2019 TOUR Championship, weighted as follows:

(a) 2017 BMW Championship through 2018 TOUR Championship: 1 FedExCup point = 1 point

(b) First event of the 2018-2019 season through 2019 TOUR Championship: 1 FedExCup point = 2 points

Four Captain’s selections will be made at a to-be-determined later date.

The return to Melbourne, Australia, will mark the third time in the biennial event’s 25-year history it has been held at the renowned Sandbelt course, as the event was previously held in Melbourne in 1998 and 2011 at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club.

The 2019 Presidents Cup will bring the very best for fans interested in world-class team competition with the top 12 players from the United States taking on the top 12 from across the globe, excluding Europe. While golf fans can expect an incredible atmosphere and unmatched access to the competition, the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne will be a social, lifestyle and business gathering that will bring all backgrounds and interests together to enjoy a week-long festival atmosphere. On the course, players from across the world will be celebrated for their achievements, sportsmanship and love of the game. Off the course, fans will be able to find culinary options from around the world as well as hospitality and fan venues to match all levels of spectating and socializing, all while enjoying the very best in Australian culture.

The oldest golf club in Australia, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club was founded in 1891 and moved to its current location in 1926, becoming the anchor of what is now known as the Sandbelt. The gem of Australian golf, The Royal Melbourne Golf Club has two courses, both ranked in the World’s Top 100, which were designed by the legendary Alister MacKenzie. In 1959, in order to host the first of many international tournaments, 12 holes of the West Course and six from the East Course were combined to create what is known as the Composite Course, which also hosted the 2013 World Cup of Golf, won by Jason Day and Adam Scott.

About the Presidents Cup

The Presidents Cup is a unique golf event in that there is no purse or prize money.  Players are not paid for their participation, but each competitor allocates an equal portion of the funds generated to charities of his choice.  Since the event’s inception, more than $49.1 million has been raised for charity from event proceeds, as well as contributions made on behalf of the Presidents Cup, including a record charitable donation of $10.7 million from the 2017 event alone.

For more information, or to learn more about the Presidents Cup, information on travel packages, or get their names added to find out about ticket sales visit www.presidentscup.com, Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thepresidentscup, Twitter and Instagram at @presidentscup and sign up for the Presidents Cup e-newsletter.

Cit and Rolex are the exclusive Global Partners of the Presidents Cup.


Published on January 26, 2019

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, January 26:  Malaysia’s representation in this year’s Maybank Championship appears to be as good as it has ever been in a big international tournament.

As always, a strong line up of the top Malaysian golfers are fielded and is something all Malaysians can look forward to in the US$3 million Championship scheduled for March 21 to 24 at Saujana Golf & Country Club.

A 13-strong Malaysian contingent was named today, spearheaded by the country’s top-ranked Gavin Green, at a Maybank Championship Media Golf Day at Saujana today. Aside from Gavin Green, two other local pros namely Ben Leong and Nicholas Fung are in the line-up by virtue of their efforts on the Asian Tour.

The other home stars selected are Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour Player of the Year Shahriffuddin Ariffin, Danny Chia, Amir Nazrin, Sukree Othman, Kim Leun Kwang, Arie Irawan, Ramasamy Nachimuthu, Wilson Choo, Kenneth De Silva, and Kemarol Baharin, who all qualified through the local rankings.

Speaking at the event, Datuk R Karunakaran, Director of Maybank said, “The Maybank Championship is a unique tournament, truly one ‘Where the Best Meet’. While it features the top 60 from each of the European and Asian Tours, and 15 from the world’s top 150, we have never neglected our commitment to support and develop local players. Hence, we have set aside places for the top 10 Malaysian golfers – so that they too can have the exposure of playing in a world class event.”

For Green, the Maybank Championship will present a good opportunity to make impact not only on his endeavours on the Europe Tour, but also the domestic game. A lot will also be expected from Leong and Fung – both winners on the Asian Tour. The former played alongside Green in the World Cup in Melbourne, Australia, while Fung is generally regarded as among the most consistent of Malaysia’s players on the regional circuit.

Shahriffuddin, a multiple winner on the PGM Tour and a player who secured his first Asian Development Tour crown at the co-sanctioned Labuan Championship last August – en route to retaining his Order of Merit title – is another one to watch at Saujana.

The players in general at Saujana today welcomed the improved conditions of the Palm layout, also known as the Cobra course. This follows a refurbishment of the greens, which according to John Eu, Chief Executive Officer of GlobalOne, the promoters of the event, should reach at least 10.5 feet on the Stimpmeter.

“We could maybe get it up to 11.5 during tournament week,” he said. “This is mainly because the most significant improvements made in the refurbishment centred on the 18 putting greens. What took place here was that the seed bed of all the greens was replaced with cleaner and slightly coarser washed river sand. This was vitally important as it improves the porosity of the seedbed which allows the greens to better accommodate our heavy annual rainfall.

“Other improvements included providing the greens with better morning sunlight and air circulation through selective pruning and the removal of trees and undergrowth, and selective sub-soil drainage on fairways and other closely mowed areas,” added Eu.

Added Datuk Karunakaran, “Our Maybank Championship events in the past three years have given us a new and unexpected winner each year. While we do not know if it will happen again this year, what I can assure you is that the 2019 tournament will continue to be as thrilling, or even more so – not only based on the players who have confirmed, and the activities planned, but also because the Palm Course is in great shape after its refurbishment. Saujana is well known for being a challenging course, so the revamped greens will surely add to the excitement.”

The Maybank Championship, which has become Malaysia’s premier golf tournament, is set to announce a few other star attractions soon.

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