Lee triumphs in dramatic play-off to win the GS Caltex Maekyung Open

Published on May 5, 2019

Seongnam, Korea, May 5: Korea’s Taehee Lee successfully retained the trophy on home soil after prevailing on the third extra hole to complete a wire-to-wire victory and claim his first Asian Tour title at The 38^th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship on Sunday.

Lee, who shared the overnight four-shot lead with Finland’s Janne Kaske, was locked in a tight battle with the Finnish throughout the day as they closed with matching even-par 71s to tie on nine-under-par 275 after the end of regulation play at the Namseoul Country Club.

It was a birdie from six feet on the 75^th hole that sealed the deal for Lee as Kaske was left to rue a bad break on the 18^th fairway after his drive found a divot and his second shot would end up 20 yards short of the green. Kaske eventually three-putted for a double-bogey.

Lee took home a winner’s prize purse of US$266,798, thanks to his victory in the KR₩1,200,000,000 (approx. US$1,067,000) event, which is celebrating its 38^th edition this week. It is his first Maekyung Open title and also his third professional victory on home soil.

The duo had made respective double-bogeys and bogeys on the first two holes of the play-off, held on the 433-yard par-four 18^th hole, before officials made a rare decision to change to a relatively easier pin position on the green.

Lee got off to a quick start with two birdies in his opening four holes while Kaske reeled in four straight pars. Kaske sank his first birdie of the day on fifth to move within one before turning the table around on the seventh after holing an amazing second shot from 120 yards out for an eagle-two.

It was a three-shot swing for Kaske as he took over the two-shot lead from Lee, who dropped a shot on the same hole. Kaske would go on to drop a shot on the ninth but recovered well with a birdie on 12 after knocking his second shot from the right rough to about two-feet.

However, another bogey on the 14^th saw him slip back into a share of lead again with Lee, who chipped in for birdie on the par-five hole. The duo went neck and neck coming down the stretch, both dropping shots on 16 and 17.

An errant drive from Kaske on the 72^nd hole saw his second shot from the fairway bunker land just short right of the green. His chip from the fringe came up about 18 feet short the hole on this extremely difficult green. However, Kaske held his nerves and made that clutch putt to ensure his place in the sudden play-off.

Korea’s Daehyun Kim returned with the day’s best score of a 65 to take third place on 276 while last year’s winner Sanghyun Park settled three shots back in fourth following a second consecutive 69 at the storied event.

Thai star Prom Meesawat battled to a 68 to take seventh place on 280 while compatriot Phachara Khongwatmai improved his tied-12^th finish last year by signing for a 73 to settle a further shot back in joint-eighth at the event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korea Golf Association.

Did you know?

Taehee Lee trained under Korean legend Sangho Choi, a two-time winner of the Maekyung Open, at the Namseoul Country Club from 2003 to 2010.
Lee entered the week on the back of a tied-sixth place result on his domestic circuit. Also enjoyed a solid season in 2018, claiming one victory and four top-10 finishes on his domestic circuit.
Lee won the Genesis Championship in 2018 for his second professional victory. That win earned him two starts on the PGA Tour – The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges last October and the Genesis Open in February earlier this year.
The 34-year-old Lee claimed his first career victory in 2015. He came in tied-55th at the 2018 Maekyung Open. Lee ensured that the trophy is kept on home soil following his victory. No foreigner has won the event since 2005.
Janne Kaske, who turned professional in 2011, won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2015. He is currently based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Off the course, Kaske is an avid guitarist. He is also a graduate of the Augusta State University, where he played in the same team alongside Patrick Reed for a semester before graduating.
Kaske would mark his best result on the Asian Tour with his runner-up finish at the 2019 Maekyung Open. His fine performance also propelled him to seventh place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, where he would have virtually sealed his card for the 2020 season.
He notched a total of eight top-10 finishes on the ADT last year to finish in fifth place on the Order of Merit, thereby earning his playing rights on the Asian Tour for 2019.
Kaske failed to make the mark in his first attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2012. He returned for another shot in 2015, where he would top the class in the first stage but missed the grade in the final stage. Kaske, however, started plying his trade on the ADT that year and captured two titles.
He continued to ply his trade on the ADT in 2016, 2017 and 2018 after missing consecutive attempts at the Qualifying School. A solid season on the ADT in 2018 finally earned him playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2019.
Prom Meesawat is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He first won in Korea in 2006 before claiming his second victory in Chinese Taipei in 2014.
He would mark his second top-10 result on the Asian Tour this season with his seventh-place finish in Korea.

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Shenzhen, China, May 5: Finland’s Mikko Korhonen ensured his first play-off duel would end in victory when he drained an eight-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Frenchman Benjamin Hebert and win the Volvo China Open on Sunday.

Together with Spain’s Jorge Campillo, the Finn began his final round at the Genzon Golf Club three shots back of Hebert in a share of second place with the Spaniard.

The trio were tussling for the lead for much of the day and were all tied at 19-under-par when they approached the 17^th tee.

Korhonen gained an advantage with his birdie after Campillo and Hebert both made par there.

Hebert, who started the day with a three-shot lead over his two playing partners, however forced the contest into extra-time when he converted his birdie chance on 18 for a final round three-under-par 69.

Campillo bowed out after signing for a 67, leaving Hebert and Korhonen to head back to the 18^th tee after they both finished regulation play with their four-day total of 20-under-par 268.

The Finn would then make no mistake with his birdie putt from 10 feet to win the Volvo China Open.

Li Haotong had a birdie-birdie finish to thank for lifting him to outright fourth place and also emerging as the best Chinese player at their National Open.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena were among the 10 players tied for 19^th place after they both signed off with matching 70s.

Did you know?

Prior to his Volvo China Open victory, Mikko Korhonen made his breakthrough on the European Tour with his win at the inaugural Shot Clock Masters in his 146th attempt last year.
With his win, Korhonen is the first player from Finland to win the Volvo China Open.
Korhonen began playing the game aged 10 after his father had started a year earlier.
Benjamin Hebert has six wins on the European Challenge Tour and was leading for the first time in his career after he established a 54-hole lead on Saturday.
Like his near miss at the Volvo China Open, Hebert also missed out on his breakthrough on the European Tour when he lost in the final of the Belgian Knockout last year.
Jorge Campillo made his breakthrough on the European Tour with his win in Morocco last week and has four top three finishes from his last five starts prior to this week’s Volvo China Open.

Ends.

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Mikko Korhonen (Fin) Fourth round 66 (-6), Total 268 (-20)

It’s an amazing feeling. I don’t know how I did it. But it’s probably the putter that was my winning formula this week. I made lots of putts from outside 15-20 feet this week. I made a birdie on 17 and gave myself a chance to win it on 18 but I didn’t manage to do that. But I was happy to get into the play-off. It was my first time in a play-off and I had nothing to lose. I just had to make birdie. Winning a golf tournament is never easy. It was a battle all day as everyone was making putts and I had to stay patient and do the same. It’s great to have this second win in the bag and I’m delighted.

Benjamin Hebert (Fra) Fourth round 69 (-3), Total 268 (-20)

It has been a good week. It has been a long travel from Morocco to China and now next to England. I’m happy, finishing second. I missed the wedding of one of cousin’s this week so it was very important for me to have a good week here. Looking at the way I played, I’m happy. Mikko played great today and he didn’t make any mistakes and putted well. I knew I had to make four-under to take the lead and win the tournament but I couldn’t and only managed a three-under. Mikko and Jorge had a great start and it was an interesting battle with them. I couldn’t really find my rhythm as compared to yesterday. I’m tired but happy. I’m still chasing my first win. I got close this week and I have to be more consistent and see what happens.

Jorge Campillo (Esp) Fourth round 67 (-5), Total 269 (-19)

It was disappointing. I finished as a champion last week, but I didn’t this week. I had the tournament in my hands but missed a few shots in the middle of my round which cost me the tournament. Mikko played unbelievable golf today and it was just a shame I couldn’t join the play-off. Hopefully, I can hit it better with my driver the next time.

Li Haotong (Chn) Fourth round 66 (-6), Total 272 (-16)

I played quite solid this weekend but still made a couple of mistakes. But overall, I’m very happy to end the week with two birdies in a row. It’s very pleasing to come back home and play like this. I’ve been playing very solid again and it’s nice to know your game’s back. The game’s heading in the right direction here in China. It’s great to see Kuang Yang, who’s only 14 making the cut and it’s amazing to see these juniors making Chinese people proud. I look forward to coming back home to play again.

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) Fourth round 70 (-2), Total 277 (-11)

It was a very successful week. My game is heading in the right direction but there’s still some work to be done. I left a lot of shots out there because I just have not been practicing enough. I haven’t been playing tournament golf for about a month. I’ve recently signed with a new sponsor and the putter and driver in the bag really helped. I’m pretty confident now. Give me a few more days and I should be back to where I should be.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) Fourth round 70 (-2), Total 277 (-11)

My goal this week was to get my momentum right for the PGA Championship because I haven’t been playing that well lately and I feel I can do better. I missed the cut in India by one shot and I missed the cut a couple of weeks ago in Japan by one shot too. So that was not fun. But I made the cut this week and I need momentum like that to be on form.

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Taehee Lee (Kor) – Final round 71 (even-par), Total 275 (-9)

When I was on the course, I had strength, but when I finished, I felt really relieved.

Every hole was memorable. I think my birdie on the 14th hole was the turning point. I actually told my family not to come out today because of the dust and pollens out there but they still came to support. I am really happy.

I just focused on my game out there. I tried to think well. We just kept the game going. I am very happy to win such a big tournament. I am now going to aim for the KPGA Order of Merit title now.

After missing shots, I told myself that “This is Nam Seoul Country Club”. I was angry to miss shots out there but I managed to recover before going on to the next hole. I just wanted to make the putts.

My caddy helped me a lot out there. He’s like a brother to me and we practiced a lot together on this course. He is also a professional golfer but he didn’t qualify for this tournament. We told ourselves to stay focused out there.

Today is the most beautiful day of my life. It’s a moment that I will treasure forever. I am thinking of going to play on bigger Tours like the Asian and European Tours.

Janne Kaske (Fin) – Final round 71 (even-par), Total 275 (-9)

It looks like I was going to win it pretty easily at some point. But I started to make stupid mistakes and it looks like he was going to win it and then I was going to win. I think it switched about five times in the last hour.

I had a three-footer to win the tournament and he had like two putts from 10 feet to win. There’s just so much to talk about. We keep giving our chances away. We both could have won it. I hit a good drive on the third play-off hole but landed in a sandy divot.

It was a terrible lie and I couldn’t get a contact with it but Lee hit it nicely to birdie the hole and win the tournament. The eagle was definitely the turning point for me. I made a solid par putt from about 30 feet on the 18^th in regulation play to ensure I’m in the play-off.

It was like a surreal feeling, given the hole location today. It was good to give myself a chance but I don’t know what to say right now. We both had a chance. I can’t analyse this. It’s still a good result for me, my best result on the Asian Tour so far.

This should help me keep my card for next year as well. Obviously, I would love to win but my goal for this year was to keep my card so I’ll take the second-place finish. I am heading to Japan for the Diamond Cup next week.

Prom Meesawat (Tha) – Final round 68 (-3), Total 280 (-4)

I made a 40-footer for birdie on the third hole and that gave me a lot of confidence. I was just riding on the good momentum from there. I hit it close for the other birdies but it was difficult coming down the stretch, especially the last three holes.

I was prepared for it. I know this course and I know it was going to be tough coming back. I have been hitting the ball good all week actually. Just managed to make some putts today. I am really pleased with my result, it’s a second top-10 finish for me this season.

This should give me a little boost on the Order of Merit. I’m heading to Japan for the Diamond Cup so hoping to carrying on the good form. I have been playing well since winning the Asian Development Tour (ADT) event in Brunei last week.

Published on May 4, 2019

Shenzhen, China, May 4: France’s Benjamin Hebert stunned the crowd with a sparkling eight-under-par 64 to snatch the third round lead, taking along a three-shot cushion into the final round of the Volvo China Open on Saturday.

Finland’s Mikko Korhonen and Spain’s Jorge Campillio took advantage of China’s Wu Ashun’s slip-up by posting rounds of 65 and 68 respectively to share second place with their three-day total of 14-under-par 202 at the Genzon Golf Club.

Wu was left to rue four costly bogeys which saw him lose his grip on his overnight lead as he slipped to fourth place, four shots back of Hebert with a 72.

Wu had produced a flawless front-nine to open up a three shot lead then but dropped four consecutive shots starting from the 12^th hole to relinquish his place atop the leaderboard.

Hebert started the day four shots behind Wu and was five back just after the turn but he stormed ahead by firing six birdies and an eagle on his back-nine to take over the lead.

Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena and Thailand’s Tirawat Kaewsiribandit meanwhile returned with matching 65s to give themselves an outside chance of winning in Shenzhen as they are eight shots back of Hebert, in a share of 14^th place together with seven other players.

Did you know?

Benjamin Hebert has six wins on the European Challenge Tour and is leading for the first time in his career after establishing a 54-hole lead.
Jorge Campillo made his breakthrough on the European Tour with his win in Morocco last week and has four top three finishes from his last five starts.
Wu Ashun played predominately on the Asian Tour and in Japan since he turned professional in 2007 before he started playing regularly on the European Tour following his win at the Volvo China Open in 2015.
With that victory, Wu became the first Chinese golfer to win a European Tour title on home soil.
Wu has since followed up that victory with wins in Austria and The Netherlands which made him the first Chinese player to win three times on the European Tour.
Miguel Tabuena hurt his back while playing in Malaysia in March and was only advised by his doctor to resume practicing only last week.
Tabuena hit 10/14 fairways and 14/18 greens in regulation today.
He is a two-time Asian Tour winner. He clinched his second Tour title at the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation last year.
Tabuena made his breakthrough on home soil in 2015 when he became the first Filipino to win his National Open since 2008 at just 21-year-old.
Tirawat Kaewsiribandit made his breakthrough on the Asian Tour last year when he won the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship in Pakistan.
He made a total of 28 putts today.
It was a remarkable achievement for the Thai after being plagued by a lower back injury in the majority of the year.
The Thai earned a Tour card in 2017 via Qualifying School and went on to finish 36th on the Order of Merit. He has also won once on the Asian Development Tour.

Ends.

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Seongnam, Korea, May 4: Finland’s Janne Kaske and Taehee Lee of Korea extended their overnight one-shot lead to four after signing for matching three-under-par 68s in the penultimate round of The 38^th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship on Saturday.

The 32-year-old Kaske surged into the outright lead after firing four birdies to turn in 32. He dropped a shot on the 11^th hole but made it up with a birdie on 16^th where he hit an incredible bunker shot to about 20 feet before nailing the putt.

However, Kaske would relinquish his sole possession of the lead after dropping another shot on the par-three 17th. He now shares it with Lee with their three-day total of nine-under-par 204s at the fabled Namseoul Country Club.

Janne Kaske of Finland

Young Thai talent Phachara Khongwatmai battled to a 70 to move into third place with Hyungjoon Lee of Korea, who returned with a second straight 69, at the KR₩1,200,000,000 (approx. US$1,067,000) event, which is celebrating its 38^th edition this week.

Korea’s Sanghyun Park, highest-ranked player in the field, kept his hopes of a successful title defence alive as he battled to a 69 to lurk five shots back in fifth place alongside countrymen Junwon Park and Innchoon Hwang. Park is also chasing for an unprecedented treble in the storied event.

Kaske, who won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2015, is standing on the verge of his maiden title on the region’s premier Tour. He secured his Asian Tour card thanks to a stellar season on the ADT in 2018.

Lee, a two-time winner on the local circuit, marked his card with four birdies and a bogey to stay in control at the event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korea Golf Association. The 34-year-old had held a share of the lead since the opening round.

After stumbling with a double-bogey on the fifth, Phachara recovered with a birdie on the ninth to turn in 37. He would return home with two birdies in his closing four holes to give himself a chance at improving on his tied-12 finish last year.

Taehee Lee of Korea

Did you know?

Janne Kaske, who turned professional in 2011, won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2015. He is currently based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Off the course, Kaske is an avid guitarist. He is also a graduate of the Augusta State University, where he played in the same team alongside Patrick Reed for a semester before graduating.
His best result on the Asian Tour so far is a fifth-place finish at the Bangladesh Open in 2015.
He notched a total of eight top-10 finishes on the ADT last year to finish in fifth place on the Order of Merit, thereby earning his playing rights on the Asian Tour for 2019.
Kaske failed to make the mark in his first attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2012. He returned for another shot in 2015, where he would top the class in the first stage but missed the grade in the final stage. Kaske, however, started plying his trade on the ADT that year and captured two titles.
He continued to ply his trade on the ADT in 2016, 2017 and 2018 after missing consecutive attempts at the Qualifying School. A solid season on the ADT in 2018 finally earned him playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2019.
Taehee Lee trained under Korean legend Sangho Choi, a two-time winner of the Maekyung Open, at the Namseoul Country Club from 2003 to 2010.
Lee entered the week on the back of a tied-sixth place result on his domestic circuit. Also enjoyed a solid season in 2018, claiming one victory and four top-10 finishes on his domestic circuit.
Lee won the Genesis Championship in 2018 for his second professional victory. That win earned him two starts on the PGA Tour – The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges last October and the Genesis Open in February earlier this year.
The 34-year-old Lee claimed his first career victory in 2015. He came in tied-55th at the 2018 Maekyung Open.
Phachara Khongwatmai enjoyed a tied-12th place finish at the Maekyung Open last year.
He became the youngest winner of a professional tournament when he won on home soil in July 2013 at the age of 14. Came into prominence when he won the 2015 PGM CCM Rahman Putra Championship to become the youngest ADT winner at the age of 15.
Phachara finished a career-high third place on the Asian Tour Merit standings in 2017, thanks to four top-five finishes which include three runner-up results.
The Thai grabbed the last Asian Tour card on offer in 2015 when he won his second ADT title at the season-ending event to take the fifth spot on the ADT Order of Merit.
No past winners of the Maekyung Open has successfully defended their title in the tournament’s 37-year history and no player has won the tournament more than twice. Sanghyun Park has a chance to break these two records.

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Chiba prefecture, Japan, May 4: The leading players from the Asian Tour are set to light up the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup when they return to the Land of the Rising Sun next week.

The Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup is the Tour’s first stop in Japan this season and promises to showcase the best talents from the region with the event being sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) again.

The Sobu Country Club, which is located in the Chiba prefecture on the outskirts of Tokyo, will welcome over 50 winners who have won on the Asian Tour.

Eight past champions including defending champion Yuta Ikeda of Japan, Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng will also tee up at the ¥150,000,000 (Approx. US$1,338,067) event.

Chan is one of the contenders looking forward to another good showing at the Asian-Pacific Diamond Cup.

It was at the same event in 2016 where he won his second Asian Tour title to end the year in a career high of fourth position on the Order of Merit then.

“The Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup holds lots of fond memories for me. I won twice that year and that victory in Japan was special as I also became a multiple winner that year. I look forward to going back and let’s see if I can do it (win) again,” said Chan.

The Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup is supported by four key stakeholders. They are Mitsubishi Corporation, Kansai Television, Asia Pacific Golf Confederation and Japan Golf Association.

With the involvement of the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the tournament has welcomed a large number of amateurs over the years.

This year, 10 amateurs, including Singapore’s James Leow, India’s Anant Singh and China’s Lin Yuxin will be part of the field.

The Asian Tour was a co-sanctioning partner of the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open from 2008 to 2013 before the event was renamed as the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup in 2014.

Ends.

Published on May 2, 2019

With the Volvo China Open making its return to the Asian Tour schedule again this week, Swamy goes on a nostalgic drive back to the past when India’s Jeev Milkha Singh won the event in 2006.

By V Krishnaswamy (@Swinging_Swamy)

Swamy is one of India’s leading sports writers, who has covered over 20 Majors and 250 international golf tournaments.

Following Jeev Milkha Singh’s fortunes at the 25th edition of the Volvo China Open’s brought back a flood of memories about this great champion.

It was the summer of 2006 when Jeev ended a seven-year drought by winning the then US$ 1.8 million Volvo China Open by a single stroke over Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain. I was the only Indian journalist at the event.

Jeev had been winless since the 1999 Lexus International on Asian Tour. The event then did not count towards the World Rankings.

Jeev had been second seven times since then and he also had 23 top-10s in the period. But a win kept eluding him.

Back home in India, a new crop of stars had emerged – Gaurav Ghei and Jyoti Randhawa among them; and Arjun Atwal had returned from the US and was regularly playing in Asia from the mid-1990s.

Only a couple of years earlier, Rahil Gangjee had won a title in his rookie year in 2004 and in 2005, Shiv Kapur made big waves with his triumph at the Asian Tour’s season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia in Thailand.

I had to fish out a report from my personal archives to recall what Jeev had told me after the win that week. He said, “I just can’t explain this feeling, it’s been a long seven years.”

He added: “I’ve let so many tournaments go in the last few years and went in to today with reverse psychology, thinking that if I didn’t win, it didn’t matter.”

Jeev started the final day one shot behind the leader, David Lynn. The Indian was tied for second with Prayad Marksaeng, while Fernandez-Castano and Paul Casey were tied fourth another shot behind.

Jeev started the final day with a bogey but got that shot back with a birdie soon after on the third hole.

He caught up with Lynn by the seventh hole and when the Englishman dropped a shot on nine, Jeev was the leader at the turn at 10-under. Lynn caught up again on 10, but his bogey on 13 was costly.

I still remember it was the birdie on the 14^th at the Beijing Honghua International Golf Club that set Jeev on the road to victory. He was now two clear of the field and was consistent with pars over the next three holes. Meanwhile Lynn dropped shots on 13 and 15, but Fernandez-Castano came within a shot.

On the 18^th the Spaniard needed a birdie to catch up with Jeev, who was behind him. His effort to get that extra birdie forced an errant drive off the 18^th and ended with a bogey handing Jeev a two-shot cushion with one hole to play.

“When I saw him (Fernandez-Castano) bogey the 18th, I decided to play it safe and not even go for the flag,” said Jeev, who bogeyed the 18^th and still won by one at 10-under 278. Fernandez-Castano was second, Lynn was third and Casey was Tied-fourth.

When he finally got time to reflect on the win after his duties with press Conference, TV interviews, photos with staff and sponsors, Jeev got emotional and looked totally drained.

Who were the other Indians that day? Amandeep Johl finished T20th, Harmeet Kahlon was T-54^th and Rahil Gangjee was T-60, while Shiv Kapur and Gaurav Ghei had missed the cut. The next morning, all of us left for Shanghai for the next event, the Asian Open.

The ever-gracious Jeev got all the Indians together in Shanghai – and invited all the players and some local friends to dinner at an Indian restaurant and he made sure I was there.

At Shanghai, he gave another example of his sportsmanship, by calling a penalty on himself while taking a shot from a lake and finished tied-26th. But for that penalty, he may have been close to Top-10.

That Volvo China win also took him to the top of the Order of Merit, which he ended up winning. He had been 314^th (thank you, www.owgr.com) the week before and he rose to 194^th and kept climbing there on.

With the burden of winning now gone, Singh won three times more that year – the Volvo Masters of in Valderrama to complete a Volvo double and added two titles in successive weeks in Japan (Casio World Open and Golf Nippon JT Series).

Thee wins in a six-week stretch and one third (Hong Kong Open) and 17^th at HSBC Champions saw Jeev rising to 39^th in the world and just as Christmas came around, the postman delivered the Masters invite to his home in Chandigarh.

When the last event of the 2006 season came around in Thailand, I was in Doha for the Asian Games, where India’s budding amateur stars, Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Chiragh Kumar and Joseph Chakola (who now manufactures golf apparel) were winning a team silver.

With his Order of Merit win assured, Jeev spoke to me to ask if I could come to Bangkok to celebrate the win. I missed the closing ceremony in Doha and landed in Bangkok on the third day of the event and had a great celebration over the weekend.

It does not stop there. When the Masters invite came in the mail, Jeev again called up to invite me (and another journalist friend, the Dubai-based Joy, who had also flown into Bangkok) to come to the Augusta National as it would be the first time an Indian would play at the Masters.

He ensured accommodation for us along with his family and it was the beginning of my love affair with the Masters, which I have not missed for a decade now.

Jeev has always been a great ambassador for Indian sport and golf. One would love to see him win yet again, and maybe in China this week, where at one stage he was three-under (actually the scoreboard showed four-under) but ended at one-under with a double on 18^th at the Genzon Golf Club. There are three more days to go.

Come on, Jeev. Do it again.

*Singh opened his account at the 2019 Volvo China Open with a one-under-par 71 to trail the leaders by six shots in tied-69th place.

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Korea’s Taehee Lee successfully retained the trophy on home soil after prevailing on the third extra hole to complete a wire-to-wire victory and claim his first Asian Tour title at The 38th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship on Sunday.

Did you know?

Taehee Lee trained under Korean legend Sangho Choi, a two-time winner of the Maekyung Open, at the Namseoul Country Club from 2003 to 2010.
Lee entered the week on the back of a tied-sixth place result on his domestic circuit. Also enjoyed a solid season in 2018, claiming one victory and four top-10 finishes on his domestic circuit.
Lee won the Genesis Championship in 2018 for his second professional victory. That win earned him two starts on the PGA Tour – The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges last October and the Genesis Open in February earlier this year.
The 34-year-old Lee claimed his first career victory in 2015. He came in tied-55th at the 2018 Maekyung Open. Lee ensured that the trophy is kept on home soil following his victory. No foreigner has won the event since 2005.
Janne Kaske, who turned professional in 2011, won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2015. He is currently based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Off the course, Kaske is an avid guitarist. He is also a graduate of the Augusta State University, where he played in the same team alongside Patrick Reed for a semester before graduating.
Kaske would mark his best result on the Asian Tour with his runner-up finish at the 2019 Maekyung Open. His fine performance also propelled him to seventh place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, where he would have virtually sealed his card for the 2020 season.
He notched a total of eight top-10 finishes on the ADT last year to finish in fifth place on the Order of Merit, thereby earning his playing rights on the Asian Tour for 2019.
Kaske failed to make the mark in his first attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2012. He returned for another shot in 2015, where he would top the class in the first stage but missed the grade in the final stage. Kaske, however, started plying his trade on the ADT that year and captured two titles.
He continued to ply his trade on the ADT in 2016, 2017 and 2018 after missing consecutive attempts at the Qualifying School. A solid season on the ADT in 2018 finally earned him playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2019.
Prom Meesawat is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He first won in Korea in 2006 before claiming his second victory in Chinese Taipei in 2014.
He would mark his second top-10 result on the Asian Tour this season with his seventh-place finish in Korea.

Catch up on the highlights from the final round of the Volvo China Open.

Relive all the action from the final round of The 38th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship.

Shenzhen, China, May 5: Finland’s Mikko Korhonen ensured his first play-off duel would end in victory when he drained an eight-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to defeat Frenchman Benjamin Hebert and win the Volvo China Open on Sunday.

Together with Spain’s Jorge Campillo, the Finn began his final round at the Genzon Golf Club three shots back of Hebert in a share of second place with the Spaniard.

The trio were tussling for the lead for much of the day and were all tied at 19-under-par when they approached the 17^th tee.

Korhonen gained an advantage with his birdie after Campillo and Hebert both made par there.

Campillo bowed out after signing for a 67, leaving Hebert and Korhonen to head back to the 18^th tee after they both finished regulation play with their four-day total of 20-under-par 268.

The Finn would then make no mistake with his birdie putt from 10 feet to win the Volvo China Open.

Li Haotong had a birdie-birdie finish to thank for lifting him to outright fourth place and also emerging as the best Chinese player at their National Open.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena were among the 10 players tied for 19^th place after they both signed off with matching 70s.

Did you know?

Prior to his Volvo China Open victory, Mikko Korhonen made his breakthrough on the European Tour with his win at the inaugural Shot Clock Masters in his 146th attempt last year.
With his win, Korhonen is the first player from Finland to win the Volvo China Open.
Korhonen began playing the game aged 10 after his father had started a year earlier.
Benjamin Hebert has six wins on the European Challenge Tour and was leading for the first time in his career after he established a 54-hole lead on Saturday.
Like his near miss at the Volvo China Open, Hebert also missed out on his breakthrough on the European Tour when he lost in the final of the Belgian Knockout last year.
Jorge Campillo made his breakthrough on the European Tour with his win in Morocco last week and has four top three finishes from his last five starts prior to this week’s Volvo China Open.

Ends.

Shenzhen, China, May 5: Read what 2019 Volvo China Open champion, Mikko Korhonen of Finland has to say following his victory at the Genzon Golf Club.

Mikko Korhonen (Fin) Fourth round 66 (-6), Total 268 (-20)

Benjamin Hebert (Fra) Fourth round 69 (-3), Total 268 (-20)

Jorge Campillo (Esp) Fourth round 67 (-5), Total 269 (-19)

Li Haotong (Chn) Fourth round 66 (-6), Total 272 (-16)

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) Fourth round 70 (-2), Total 277 (-11)

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) Fourth round 70 (-2), Total 277 (-11)

Read what players have to say following the final round of The 38th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship on Sunday.

Taehee Lee (Kor) – Final round 71 (even-par), Total 275 (-9)

When I was on the course, I had strength, but when I finished, I felt really relieved.

I just focused on my game out there. I tried to think well. We just kept the game going. I am very happy to win such a big tournament. I am now going to aim for the KPGA Order of Merit title now.

Today is the most beautiful day of my life. It’s a moment that I will treasure forever. I am thinking of going to play on bigger Tours like the Asian and European Tours.

Janne Kaske (Fin) – Final round 71 (even-par), Total 275 (-9)

Prom Meesawat (Tha) – Final round 68 (-3), Total 280 (-4)

Shenzhen, China, May 4: France’s Benjamin Hebert stunned the crowd with a sparkling eight-under-par 64 to snatch the third round lead, taking along a three-shot cushion into the final round at the Volvo China Open on Saturday.

Wu was left to rue four costly bogeys which saw him lose his grip on his overnight lead as he slipped to fourth place, four shots back of Hebert with a 72.

Wu had produced a flawless front-nine to open up a three shot lead then but dropped four consecutive shots starting from the 12^th hole to relinquish his place atop the leaderboard.

Hebert started the day four shots behind Wu and was five back just after the turn but he stormed ahead by firing six birdies and an eagle on his back-nine to take over the lead.

Did you know?

Benjamin Hebert has six wins on the European Challenge Tour and is leading for the first time in his career after establishing a 54-hole lead.
Jorge Campillo made his breakthrough on the European Tour with his win in Morocco last week and has four top three finishes from his last five starts.
Wu Ashun played predominately on the Asian Tour and in Japan since he turned professional in 2007 before he started playing regularly on the European Tour following his win at the Volvo China Open in 2015.
With that victory, Wu became the first Chinese golfer to win a European Tour title on home soil.
Wu has since followed up that victory with wins in Austria and The Netherlands which made him the first Chinese player to win three times on the European Tour.
Miguel Tabuena hurt his back while playing in Malaysia in March and was only advised by his doctor to resume practicing only last week.
Tabuena hit 10/14 fairways and 14/18 greens in regulation today.
He is a two-time Asian Tour winner. He clinched his second Tour title at the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation last year.
Tabuena made his breakthrough on home soil in 2015 when he became the first Filipino to win his National Open since 2008 at just 21-year-old.
Tirawat Kaewsiribandit made his breakthrough on the Asian Tour last year when he won the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship in Pakistan.
He made a total of 28 putts today.
It was a remarkable achievement for the Thai after being plagued by a lower back injury in the majority of the year.
The Thai earned a Tour card in 2017 via Qualifying School and went on to finish 36th on the Order of Merit. He has also won once on the Asian Development Tour.

Ends.

Finland’s Janne Kaske and Taehee Lee of Korea extended their overnight one-shot lead to four after signing for matching three-under-par 68s in the penultimate round of The 38th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship on Saturday.

Janne Kaske of Finland

Taehee Lee of Korea

Did you know?

Janne Kaske, who turned professional in 2011, won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2015. He is currently based in Bangkok, Thailand.
Off the course, Kaske is an avid guitarist. He is also a graduate of the Augusta State University, where he played in the same team alongside Patrick Reed for a semester before graduating.
His best result on the Asian Tour so far is a fifth-place finish at the Bangladesh Open in 2015.
He notched a total of eight top-10 finishes on the ADT last year to finish in fifth place on the Order of Merit, thereby earning his playing rights on the Asian Tour for 2019.
Kaske failed to make the mark in his first attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2012. He returned for another shot in 2015, where he would top the class in the first stage but missed the grade in the final stage. Kaske, however, started plying his trade on the ADT that year and captured two titles.
He continued to ply his trade on the ADT in 2016, 2017 and 2018 after missing consecutive attempts at the Qualifying School. A solid season on the ADT in 2018 finally earned him playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2019.
Taehee Lee trained under Korean legend Sangho Choi, a two-time winner of the Maekyung Open, at the Namseoul Country Club from 2003 to 2010.
Lee entered the week on the back of a tied-sixth place result on his domestic circuit. Also enjoyed a solid season in 2018, claiming one victory and four top-10 finishes on his domestic circuit.
Lee won the Genesis Championship in 2018 for his second professional victory. That win earned him two starts on the PGA Tour – The CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges last October and the Genesis Open in February earlier this year.
The 34-year-old Lee claimed his first career victory in 2015. He came in tied-55th at the 2018 Maekyung Open.
Phachara Khongwatmai enjoyed a tied-12th place finish at the Maekyung Open last year.
He became the youngest winner of a professional tournament when he won on home soil in July 2013 at the age of 14. Came into prominence when he won the 2015 PGM CCM Rahman Putra Championship to become the youngest ADT winner at the age of 15.
Phachara finished a career-high third place on the Asian Tour Merit standings in 2017, thanks to four top-five finishes which include three runner-up results.
The Thai grabbed the last Asian Tour card on offer in 2015 when he won his second ADT title at the season-ending event to take the fifth spot on the ADT Order of Merit.
No past winners of the Maekyung Open has successfully defended their title in the tournament’s 37-year history and no player has won the tournament more than twice. Sanghyun Park has a chance to break these two records.

Chiba prefecture, Japan, May 4: The leading players from the Asian Tour are set to light up the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup when they return to the Land of the Rising Sun next week.