Tabuena back in winner’s circle at the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation

Published on December 2, 2018

Bangkok, Thailand, December 02: Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines signed for a stunning four-under-par 66 in the final round of the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation to end a three-year title drought on the Asian Tour on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Filipino dug deep into his reserves to hold off the challenge from the fast-chasing field after he birdied four of his closing six holes to reign supreme on a 20-under-par 260 total at the Legacy Golf Club.

Tabuena’s last victory came in 2015 when he secured his maiden win at his National Open. He traded five birdies against a lone bogey on the first hole to take his long-awaited return into the Asian Tour winner’s circle.

With his victory, Tabuena took home a winner’s prize purse of US$90,000 and moved up to 15th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

American Johannes Veerman made a charge on the final day after carding a bogey-free 66 highlighted by four birdies, but he was unable to catch up with the relentless pace of Tabuena, and settled for second place on 263 at the US$500,000 event hosted by Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee.

Home favourite Jazz Janewattanond had a chance to complete a successful title defence after reeling in three birdies from the 11th. However, he struggled to a dropped-shot on the last and left Tabuena running away with a three-shot victory.

The Queen’s Cup is celebrating it’s 11th edition on the Asian Tour this week and Thongchai assumed responsibility of hosting for the first time on the region’s premier Tour, in his efforts to draw attention to his foundation.

Did you know?

· Miguel Tabuena only dropped three shots all week after posting two consecutive bogey-free rounds in the first and second rounds.

· Tabuena was accurate off the tees all week and only missed seven out of 56 fairways.

· He has enjoyed three top-10 finishes this season, including a fifth-place result at the Queen’s Cup in July.

· Prior to his win, Tabuena won his National Open for the second time on his local circuit in March.

· Tabuena, who claimed his first Asian Tour title on homesoil in 2015, became the first Filipino to win his National Open since 2008 at just 21-years-old.

· The Filipino is huge fan of the Team Philippine’s basketball team. He decided to play the Queen’s Cup this week instead of heading to Mauritius because he would have missed the game if he went to Mauritius instead.

· He took a career-high fifth place on the money list in 2016 thanks to five top-10 finishes.

· Johannes Veerman clinched the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit title in 2016 thanks to his win at the Taifong Open and five top-10s.

· The American resides in Texas but had spent 13 years living in Asia.

· His opening round 62 was his lowest career round since coming through Qualifying School in 2016.

· He only dropped two shots all week and his second-place finish marks his best result at the Queen’s Cup since he came in tied-10th in July.

· Veerman only missed three greens and needed 29 putts in his final round.

· Jazz Janewattananond had his new caddy Jacob on his bag this week. Jacob plays regularly on the Thailand local circuit and practices with Jazz at his home course.

· Jazz was the youngest player to make the halfway cut in an Asian Tour event at the age of 14 years and 71 days.

· The Thai started working with a new coach, Pete Cowen, just two months ago. Cowen is also the coach of Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who is the highest-ranked Thai golfer.

Players’ Quotes:

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) – Final Round 66 (-4), Total 260 (-20)

I am really happy, I did not get off a good start, bogeying the first hole. It took a lot of digging and scrambling because the guys were relentless all day. Natipong (Srithong) kept making birdies and I was pretty nervous at one point.

On this course you need to keep making birdies because they will eventually catch up. I wasn’t happy when I made the turn at even-par. But I am happy with how I came back strong on the back nine with four birdies.

(About being back in the winner’s circle) I didn’t expect it to take this long. I am really grateful for being able to finally get the job done. I have worked so hard over the past few weeks with my coach and when I missed the cut last week, I told myself to trust the process and it will eventually be worth it.

It means the world to win a tournament hosted by an Asian legend like Thongchai. It’s a dream come true to lift this trophy.

Johannes Veerman (Usa) – Final Round 66 (-4), Total 263 (-17)

I played really well. I was bogey-free again today. This week was probably the best I have ever done in a tournament so I am really pleased with that.

I played really solidly all week. I left a lot of putts short today so that’s going to come back to haunt me. But I have so many positives to take away from this week. Just with how I handled myself and how solid I played today. Hats off to Miguel (Tabuena). He played really well this week.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Final Round 68 (-2), Total 264 (-16)

If I were to sum up my round today, I would say, it was almost good. It was up and down all day, started out good then just went downhill on the back nine. It was a pretty normal round, I am just not hitting it well these couple of weeks so I will take a third-place finish.

I was very unsure with how I was going to perform this week because of all the swing changes I am going through. Going from not having a coach to working with someone is a pretty big change for me.

I need to go back and figure out some stuff, I have to work on with my new coach before Indonesia. Miguel today played fantastic, it really was his day. I didn’t see him hit any bad shots today at all. When you play with someone like that you just know that they are going to win. It was going to be hard to beat if you don’t have your A-game. And I just didn’t have my A-game this week.

Published on December 1, 2018

Beau Champ, Mauritius, December 1: South Africa’s Justin Harding is poised for another win on the Asian Tour after carding an eight-under-par 64 to grab a share of the lead with United States’ Kurt Kitayama at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on Saturday.

The 32-year-old displayed the form that led him to two titles on Tour this season at the Four Seasons Golf Club, Mauritius at Anahita.

Harding rode on a hot putter as he put together a bogey-free round that was highlighted by eight birdies. Starting the day in tied-seventh, he moved up into the joint lead with Kitayama on 16-under-par 200.

Kurt Kitayama of the United States

Kitayama, who was adjusting to the change in wind conditions, fought to a 70 to stay in the hunt for his maiden Asian Tour title. The American started his day ideally with two birdies in his first four holes. However, he could not get the momentum going and even made an uncharacteristic bogey on the 12th.

The 25-year-old Kitayama will be heading into the final round of a tournament in the lead for the first time on the Asian Tour.

Chikkarangappa S. of India was struggling for the majority of the day, as he found only nine out of 18 greens-in-regulation. A birdie-birdie finish lifted his spirits and kept him in contention at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Conversely, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon was progressing steadily, making birdies on two, nine and 13. He dropped a shot on 15th but bounced back with a birdie on the next hole. He ended his day with a bogey on 18th.

Did you know:

Harding is ranked first in putts per round (26) and second in putts per greens-in-regulation (1.475) at the tournament.
In his two victories on the Asian Tour this season (Bank BRI Indonesia Open and Royal Cup), Harding was leading after three rounds.
Harding third on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, trailing the leader Shubhankar Sharma, by US$331,817. A good finish in Mauritius will close the gap significantly.
He is currently 90th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), his highest position yet.
Kurt Kitayama, a former University of Nevada-Las Vegas standout, turned professional in 2015 and had played on the Web.com Tour for the past two years before.
At 326.3 yards, he is ranked first in average driving distance after three round of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.
Kitayama has three top-10s on the Asian Tour this season. He was tied-fourth at the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open, tied-second at the Royal Cup, and tied-fourth at the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup.
Chikkarangappa S. has won 11 titles on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), with the most recent one being the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2018.
He enjoyed his best season on the Asian Tour in 2016, when he finished a career-high 27th on the Order of Merit.
Chikkarangappa was picked by S.S.P. Chawrasia to represent India at the 2016 ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf. The team finished in tied-22nd.

Players’ Quotes

Justin Harding (Rsa) – Third round 64 (-8), total 200 (-16)

I never really like to think about things as I walk down the holes but I felt like I played pretty well today. I had good control, especially in the first 10 to 13 holes. I kind of felt like I could birdie every hole out there.

I certainly gave myself a few chances. The toughest stretch of the course is 14, 15 and 16.

I got off to my good start and it was just more about making some good pars out there and at the end of the day, I did the job. That is, putting myself in a decent position for tomorrow.

I’ve got some good numbers here. My caddy and I fought hard last week in Hong Kong, but we just never really seemed to get some good numbers.

I feel like I have an excellent putter in my hands. It was a tough day starting out, but I got off to a hot start.

On 18, the hole makes you feel like you want to get a good score, especially coming in. It’s been nice to me in the last couple of days.

It’s a tough day though because, at this golf course, if you miss it in the wrong spot you’re going to get hurt. I thought there were some good pins out there, especially on the back nine. Conversely, on some holes, if you’re on the wrong side of the holes, you had no chance. So, I kind of managed my game well.

I enjoy being up there [in the lead]. It’s good. I have a pretty good attitude in terms of holding leads. I like it when guys coming at me, rather than me having to chase the leader as I sometimes get in my own way when I’m chasing. So, I’m looking forward to tomorrow.

Kurt Kitayama (Usa) – Third round 70 (-2), total 200 (-16)

Today played a little tougher. Being in the last group added a little more pressure. I made two birdies in the first four holes and I grinded it out, made a bogey at the back followed it up with another birdie.

It was windy in the first two rounds and it was tricky in that way. I was trying to adjust to that. I just didn’t hit as well as I did on the first two days.

[On being tied with Justin Harding for the lead] There are still guys who are just a few shots back. With things playing out the way it did today, there will be plenty of scoring opportunities and it will be a shootout.

I’m not sure if being in the lead will affect me. Let’s see how I’m feeling in the morning, how the wind is and see if I can hit as many drivers as I did the first two days. Then, I will make adjustments along the way.

Chikkarangappa S. (Ind) – Third round 71 (-1), total 203 (-13)

Over the front nine, I felt like I was playing football on the golf course. I have only hit two greens-in-regulation and somehow managed to make the turn at even par. I managed to pull back in the end. The birdies on 17th and 18th were very important for me to get back in the hunt. Now, I’m just three shots behind.

[On the chip-in on three] I was plugged in the bunker and I didn’t expect that to go in. I got lucky there.

Today, playing in a two-ball felt like a marathon for me. I do take a bit of time and I just need to focus on that and not get pressured by my routine. If I can find five greens-in-regulation and shoot one under, tomorrow I’ll just need to shoot 15 greens-in-regulation which will be able to help me to make more birdies and with that, have a chance of winning.

After shooting eight-under par on Thursday, I have always thought about finishing at the top. I dreamed of winning an Asian Tour event and a European Tour event. Fortunately, I’m in a good position to do that as I’m just three shots behind. I just need to go out there and play like how I did during the first round and that should do the work for me.

Matthieu Pavon (Fra) – Third round 70 (-2), total 203 (-13)

I played well, hit some really solid putts but didn’t hole a few. This is the only thing I struggled with today because the game was pretty solid.

The game since the start of the week has been pretty solid, the driving is decent and the iron shots are really good. The only thing I was looking for was to drop more putts and I did not, so I will try tomorrow.

The tactic will be the same as the first three days. I have played well, I just need to get a bit closer to the flags and hole more putts but I like where I am and I will try to fight to win the title this week.

Of course, I think about winning, as I’ve never won before. It’s going to be a new day. I’ll restart everything and try to do my best. If everything goes the right way, I will have a chance to take the title.

Published on

Bangkok, Thailand, December 01: Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines stayed accurate off the tees to post a four-under-par 66 and storm into the outright lead at the penultimate round of the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation on Saturday.

The 24-year-old Tabuena drew encouragement from his father Luigi watching him on the sidelines, to birdie three of his closing four holes and seize the lead late in the day by two shots over defending champion Jazz Janewattananond at the US$500,000 event held at Legacy Golf Club.

Tabuena, who stayed bogey-free for 37 holes till his scorecard was marred by a bogey on hole two, traded six birdies against two bogeys for a 16-under-par 194 total, at the event hosted by three-time Asian Tour number one Thongchai Jaidee.

Two-time Asian Tour winner Jazz, who had a hot putter to thank for, only needed 21 putts in his round of 68 to take second place on his own and remain on course for a successful title defence.

Thailand’s Natipong Srithong, who started the round with a five-shot deficit, put his foot on the gas pedal and shot a 65 to share third place on 197 with overnight leader, American Johannes Veerman, who battled to a 72.

Natipong’s solid bogey-free round highlighted by five birdies set him up nicely for a second title charge since his maiden victory in Philippines in 2015.

American Sihwan Kim, currently ranked eighth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, was among three bunched in fifth place at the 11th edition of the event held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit.

Did you know?

• Miguel Tabuena joined the play-for-pay ranks when he was just 17-years-old.

• He claimed his maiden victory at the Philippine Open in 2015, becoming the first Filipino to win his National Open since 2008.

• Tabuena was accurate off the tees where he only missed one fairway and hit 13 greens-in-regulation for his commendable round of 66.

• Jazz Janewattananond is defending his title this week, which also marks his ninth appearance at the Queen’s Cup.

• Including his win at this event in July, he has finished in the top-five on three occasions.

• Jazz had a three-day total of 196, which is two shots better than his 54-hole total when he won in July.

• Natipong Srithong will be hoping to end a three-year title drought on the Asian Tour this week. His last win came at the Resorts World Manila Masters in 2015.

• Natipong finished tied-sixth at the Queen’s Cup in July, which was his best result in his past three appearances at the event.

• The 24-year-old completed six years of study in undergrad law in June.

• Johannes Veerman came through Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2016. He is chasing a breakthrough victory on the region’s premier Tour this week.

• By dink of winning the richest event on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) schedule, he became the third American to take home the ADT Order of Merit crown.

Players’ Quotes:

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) – Third Round 66 (-4), Total 194 (-16)

I didn’t start the way I wanted it to start. I made a bogey on the second hole but it came pretty early in the round. Hole number two isn’t an easy hole to par because it is a pretty long hole and I kept telling myself that there was still a lot of birdie holes left. So, I was happy with how I recovered and did well to catch up.

I didn’t really look at the leaderboard and I stuck to my game plan all day so hopefully it will work all the way till the 18th hole tomorrow.

I do draw encouragement from my father coming to watch me. It’s always such a pleasure having him around because he travels a lot and I rarely see him. But it also adds a little bit of pressure because I really want to do well in front of him.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Third Round 68 (-2), Total 196 (-14)

I started out really slow. Couldn’t really hit the shots that I wanted and I wasn’t making a lot of putts. I found a little bit of momentum in the second nine. I ha done chip-in on the par-three 12th hole that saved my round.

I was scrambling throughout the round, didn’t hit a lot of greens. My short game really helped today. If I didn’t make as many up-and-downs I don’t think my name would be up there today.

I get to play in the last group again tomorrow. It’s good that I’m there so I can keep my eye on Miguel. I’m just going to relax today and think through my round and get myself ready for tomorrow.

Natipong Srithong (Tha) – Third Round 65 (-5). Total 197 (-13)

On the front nine my tee shots were not very good but my putting was good. It was the other way around on the back nine where my tee shots were better but I wasn’t making as many putts.

I played pretty safe for the most part of today and just stuck to my game plan of fairways and greens. Hole five was my turning point when I made a birdie after hitting my approach to two-feet.

I have no expectations but I am happy with my position right now. I will just keep this steady pace and hope for the best tomorrow.

Johannes Veerman (Usa) – Third Round 70 (E), Total 197 (-13)

I hit it really well today. I hit a lot of greens and made a lot of putts. It is nice to know that I am hitting it well so that leaves the ability to go low and I am only three back of Miguel who played really great today.

It’s nice to be in this position going into the final round, I am hitting it well and my game is in great shape so we’ll see how it goes out there tomorrow.

Sihwan Kim (Usa) – Third Round 66 (-4), Total 201 (-9)

I hit it really well, left a lot of putts out there but it was still a good round. The wind made it a little trickier today but other than that its been pretty much the same as yesterday.

I just kept a steady pace all. I hit it pretty consistently all day and just had a steady momentum. No holes that were outstanding today but I am still in a good position.

Looking at the scores right now looks like I have a little more than five strokes that I have to gain. So hopefully my putter will fall in better tomorrow and we’ll see how it goes.

Published on November 30, 2018

Beau Champ, Mauritius, November 30: Kurt Kitayama of the United States shot his second seven-under-par 65 in two days to take control at the halfway stage of the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on Friday.

The 25-year-old started where he left off, making a birdie on hole one. However, he dropped shots for the first time in the tournament, making a double-bogey at the par-five second.

Undeterred, Kitayama displayed plenty of resolve and skill to came back with four consecutive birdies in his subsequent four holes at the Four Seasons Golf Club, Mauritius at Anahita.

Kitayama, who is enjoying a successful season on the Asian Tour after making the mark at this year’s Qualifying School, sunk four more birdies on his inward nine before signing for a 13-under-par 130 total at the event, tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the Sunshine Tour.

Chikkarangappa S. of India

India’s Chikkarangappa S. is two shots behind after ending his day with a 68. The wheels seemed to have fallen off for the 25-year-old Indian after consecutive bogeys on holes 14 and 15. However, he made a fantastic recovery after the turn by sinking five birdies in a row from holes one to five. Another birdie on nine put him in lone second going into the weekend rounds.

Frenchmen Victor Perez and Matthieu Pavon shot 69 and 66 respectively to keep up the pace. They are three shots behind the leader, in tied-third.

Justin Harding made the cut for the first time at the AfrAsia BankMauritius Open. The South African hit some wild drives on his first 10 holes that led to three bogeys, but he managed to haul himself back into contention with four consecutive birdies from holes two to five.

Harding finished the second day in tied-seventh, and he has an excellent opportunity to close the gap on leader Shubhankar Sharma in the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings race.

Did you know:

Kurt Kitayama earned his Asian Tour this year via Qualifying School with a third-place finish. Tour cards are given to golfers within the top-35 and ties.
He was 1121st on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) at the end of 2017. He is currently ranked 362nd after his fine performances on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and Asian Tour.
Kitayama has yet to miss a cut and he has three top-10s on the Asian Tour this season. He is 20th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and has virtually secured a Tour card for next season.
Chikkarangappa S. left the 2016 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in tears. He was first reserve for the tournament but had to leave for home as he could not get the final spot.
He won the TAKE Solutions India Masters, an event on the Asian Development Tour, in 2014 and 2015.
He will be looking to improve on his best result on the Asian Tour this season, a ninth-place finish at the TAKE Solutions Masters, here in Mauritius.
Victor Perez is a two-time winner on the Challenge Tour.
Justin Harding has never made the cut at his previous three AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open tournaments.
He is enjoying one of his best seasons as a professional golfer. Currently, he is placed third on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings and first on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit.
He earned a spot at this year’s PGA Championship after breaking into the top-100 of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) following his Royal Cup victory.

Kurt Kitayama (Usa) – Second round 65 (-7), total 130 (-14)

I started with a birdie and then just had a little blunder on two. I got back on track straight right after, so it was nice to bounce back after a double.

It was just a little pitching wedge on 17, hit it to about five or six feet and made that putt. I hit a good drive on 18, so that was short iron in and a two putt. Those were two stress-free birdies.

I’m driving it well which is making it a lot easier. It’s a pretty big advantage to be able to hit shorter irons in. I’m feeling pretty comfortable. I’ll stay the same over the weekend, still be aggressive. It’s gone well so far so don’t want to switch things up too much.

I’m just focusing on this little stretch to end 2018 and then regroup at the end of the year and see what I’m thinking about for the future. It’s just trusting the process. Coming from the end of the Web.com season and transitioning to the Asian Tour. I’ve been making some changes, it’s a whole process and it’s starting to pay off.

Chikkarangappa S. (Ind) – Second round 68 (-4), total 132 (-12)

I started the round well; a par followed by a birdie. I just got a bit of bad luck on holes 14 and 15, where my ball got plugged in the bunker. I told myself to hit more fairways and give myself birdie opportunities, and that was what I did from hole one.

I birdied the first hole and made birdies until hole five. That was an important run for me to get back to where I was yesterday. I putted really well. Made some solid putts on four and five. There were some tough lines and I was able to read them. Overall, it was a good front nine (holes one to nine).

It was pretty warm out there but you’re on the ocean side, the cool breeze would come in but if you’re in the middle of the course, it can get hotter but I guess, I’m used to it. I’ve just got to hydrate myself.

I’m looking at making my card look red. That’s the goal for this week.

Previously, I didn’t have that confidence in my golf swing, so I had to make adjustments. I managed to do that. I was also thinking too much and I didn’t swing the way I wanted. I tweaked my swing about seven weeks back and now I feel solid about it. The last time I felt like this was about one and a half years back at the Macao Open. Since then, I’ve struggled. Looking forward, I’ve got to stay patient and just keep working on my game.

Victor Perez (Fra) – Second round 69 (-3), total 133 (-11)

I thought it was quite nice to bounce back after the bogey at the second. Going off at 7 am with no wind and really ideal conditions and the two par fives at the second and the fourth, you’re hoping to get off to a good start.

I wasn’t able to do that, but I was able to grind through it, stay patient, make some pars. The birdies at nine and ten got the round going and then two more birdies on the back nine and especially the birdie on nine was nice to finish with.

It was definitely nice to back up the performance of yesterday with another solid round. Only one dropped shot early which could have been avoided but I don’t think I was really in trouble, except at the 11th where I could have dropped a shot and I was able to make a nice par save. Definitely pleased moving into the weekend.

I feel like the conditions are ideal. It’s not windy, it’s warm, the ball is travelling quite far. It helps some of those missed shots a little bit to still carry and get the distance.

You’re trying to give yourself some opportunities but I think some of the missed shots are penalised less than if it was a little bit worse condition.

Justin Harding (Rsa) – Second round 69 (-3), total 136 (-8)

It was one of those days when I was coming out and swinging badly. I didn’t hit it very good for the first 10 holes or so. Amazingly, I missed fairways and these fairways are hard to miss at times. But, I’m happy with the result. I said to my caddy that it has been a bigger grind than what I expected at the start of the day. I made a few of birdies in the back nine, and I played my way back to the tournament.

Chipped from the back on the green on hole two, which lipped out. That was a good one. I hit it close, about 10 feet on three. I hit a driver off the deck on four that went to the green. I felt that I should be more under par than I should have been.

Silly three putt on seven. The greens were a little slower compared to yesterday. I don’t like three-putting, it annoys me badly. I had a birdie on the ninth and now I can enjoy lunch.

It’s a good day. I am happy to grind out a sub 70. I’m still in the tournament, doing what I’ve been doing all season long.

This is my first cut made out of four tournaments! It’s a bonus. This time, I can enjoy the tournament on the golf course and not so much on the beach.

Published on

Bangkok, Thailand, November 30: American Johannes Veerman took advantage of his brilliant form to sign for a five-under-par 65 and continued to hold his lead at the halfway stage of the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation.

The 26-year-old Veerman leads by one shot on a 13-under-par 127 total over defending champion Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand and Miguel Tabuena of Philippines, who carded matching 63s to share second place at the US$500,000 event staged at Legacy Golf Club.

Veerman, chasing a breakthrough victory on the Asian Tour since coming through Qualifying School in 2016, set the tone early in the round when he drilled in a 30-footer for birdie on the first hole.

The 2016 Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit winner returned with a bogey-free round highlighted by five birdies to stay atop the leaderboard at the event hosted by Thai veteran Thongchai Jaidee.

One-time Asian Tour winner Tabuena, who is on a mission to end a three-year title drought on the region’s premier Tour, stayed bogey-free through 36 holes to trail by one shot with Jazz on 128.

The Thai, who is looking to become the first player in the tournament history to successfully defend the Queen’s Cup title, traded nine birdies against two bogeys to put himself in prime position for a weekend charge.

India’s Amardip Malik was thrilled to sign for a 65, which marked his career-best score outside the country, to take fourth place on his own at the 11th edition of the Queen’s Cup.

Thai legend Thaworn Wiratchant posted a 67 to lurk five shots off the pace in tied-fifth with countrymen Natipong Srithong (66), Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (62) and Peradol Panyathanasedh (65).

A total of 75 players made the halfway cut set at one-under-par 139.

Did you know?

· Johannes Veerman is currently ranked 40th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

· The American tied the knot earlier in this year in Switzerland, which is also where his wife Angela is based to play professional volleyball.

· Veerman enjoyed a dream rookie season in 2016 when he secured his breakthrough victory on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) which led him to lift the ADT Order of Merit crown.

· Miguel Tabuena needed only 25 putts in his second consecutive bogey-free round which was seven putts better than his opening round.

· Tabuena will be eyeing his second Asian Tour victory this week since claiming his maiden victory at his National Open in 2015. He secured his second Philippine Open title on his local circuit in March this year.

· Tabuena’s best finish in his past six Queen’s Cup appearances was a fifth-place result in July this year.

· Jazz Janewattananond is aiming to become the first player in the history of the event to successfully defend the title.

· Jazz missed only three fairways and found 15 greens-in-regulation in his solid second round of 63.

· Amardip Malik, who is playing under a country exemption, is playing in his first start outside the country this week.

· Malik has one win on his local circuit in 2017 which came two years after he was diagnosed with a bone defect and was forced to take a seven-month layoff from golf.

· The Indian only needed 24 putts in his round of 65, which marks his personal best score outside of India.

· At 52 years young, Thaworn Wiratchant is the oldest player placed in the top-five while Atiruj Winaicharoenchai, 18-years-old, is the youngest player.

· Thaworn has won once on the Japan Senior Tour and once on the Staysure Tour this season..

Players’ Quotes:

Johannes Veerman (Usa) – Second Round 65 (-5), Total 127 (-13)

Sometimes you can come off a good round and wonder if it’s still there today. I saw those guys from the morning session on top and it just gave me something to shoot for. My aim coming into today was to shoot around five or six under so I did achieve that.

I started the round with a great birdie on the first after sinking a 30-footer and that got the ball rolling. I had a lot of confidence coming from that and lasted throughout the round. I’m really happy with how I did today and excited for tomorrow.

I’m playing it pretty safe for the most part on this course. You can make a lot of silly mistakes on this course. Tee to green I will just have to keep my ball in play all weekend.

There is a lot of golf left to play and I am halfway through. I know jazz and Miguel are quality players, so I expect them to play well and put up a good fight, but I expect myself to perform well too.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Second Round 63 (-7), Total 128 (-12)

I started off good like yesterday’s round with a birdie. Got off to a good start and then had some stupid mistakes along the way. On hole 14 I just got it on the wrong side of the green and three-putted. But the good thing was I managed to get it out of my mind and move on pretty quick and recovered with a birdie right after.

My game is pretty much the same as yesterday, nothing really stood out and I think I could’ve done way better if not for some shots I left out there.

I had one good putt today on hole eight, before I three-putted the last. Pretty frustrated with how I ended the round. It was easy putts like that, that I was giving away all day.

Don’t get my wrong today was still a good round, but I could have gone so much lower if I eliminate some of these mistakes.

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) – Second Round 63 (-7), Total 128 (-12)

I took advantage of the calm conditions this morning and I am pretty happy with my round. All my birdies were inside six feet because I am striking the ball well but there is a lot of golf left to play so I am not going to get ahead of myself.

I am hitting the ball really well. If I continue to hit it like that the next two rounds and maybe drop a few more putts I know it will be a good week for me.

My father surprised me by flying out to see me this weekend. I’m happy that he is going to see me because I always like when my parents come and watch me play.

It’s tough if you don’t hit the fairways here. Just keeping it on the fairways and going for the pins is my plan this week.

Amardip Malik (Ind) – Second Round 65 (-5), Total 131 (-9)

I have been playing well for a bit now. This is my first start outside the country. I hit it well all day so my game is feeling good.

I kept it together all day. The highlight of my round would have to be on the last hole when I made a 35-footer for birdie. I wasn’t expecting it, and just wanted to make a two-putt for par. But it came out of nowhere and it was a nice end to a good round.

I made a lot of good up and downs to save par today. I am very excited because this is my best score ever outside of the country and I just feel really good going into the weekend.

Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) – Second Round 67 (-3), Total 132 (-8)

I played better than yesterday and my putting helped me a lot. I think my approach shots could have been better, the fairways are wide but it is important to place your ball on the right side of the green to shoot low here.

There were a couple of tricky in positions today and I was not on the right side of the green on a lot of holes. But no complaints because I think I still did better and I am happy with my round.

Scores after round 2 of the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation being played at the par 70, 6939 Yards Legacy GC course (am – denotes amateur):

127 – Johannes Veerman (USA) 62-65.

128 – Miguel Tabuena (PHI) 65-63, Jazz Janewattananond (THA) 65-63.

131 – Amardip Malik (IND) 66-65.

132 – Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 65-67, Natipong Srithong (THA) 66-66, Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (THA) 70-62, Peradol Panyathanasedh (THA) 67-65.

133 – Pelle Edberg (SWE) 67-66, Lu Wei-chih (TPE) 67-66, Kosuke Hamamoto (THA) 65-68.

Published on November 29, 2018

Beau Champ, Mauritius, November 29: India’s Chikkarangappa S. shot one of the best rounds of his professional career, carding an eight-under-par 64 to grab a share of the lead at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on Thursday.

The 25-year-old was brilliant from tee to green throughout the day, which led to a bogey-free round at the Four Seasons Golf Club, Mauritius at Anahita.

Chikkarangappa’s confidence is sky-high after making adjustments to his swing. The Indian golfer, who was victorious at an event on his local circuit recently, is determined to end his season on a high by winning the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, or one of the remaining tournaments on the Asian Tour schedule.

Also in tied-first is France’s Victor Perez. He enjoyed a near flawless round, trading nine birdies against a lone bogey.

Kurt Kitayama of the United States, Masahiro Kawamura of Japan and Jaco Van Zyl of South Africa are one shot behind the leaders in tied-third.

Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski, who won on the Asian Tour for the first time this season, is also right in the mix after carding a 67 to finish the day in tied-sixth.

Justin Harding of South Africa continued his resplendent form this season and signed for a 67. Harding, third on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, got away with a bogey on the 16th after a wayward drive. He left the golf course with a broad smile on his face after chipping in for eagle on the 18th.

Did you know:

Chikkarangappa S. is a two-time winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), the feeder tour to the Asian Tour.
He was the number one golfer on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) in 2015.
He secured an Asian Tour card for the 2018 season last year on the number.
Chikkarangappa S. had humble beginnings, working as a ball boy and earning US$1 a day.
Kurt Kitayama’s first foray into the Asian Tour has led to three top-10s. He is currently 20th on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.
Masahiro Kawamura made his The Open debut this year.
Malcolm Kokocinski was leading the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit before his breakthrough victory at the Bangladesh Open this year.
He seemed to have turned his season around in Mauritius. After his victory in Bangladesh, the Swede has yet to secure a top-10 finish.
Justin Harding is one of the Asian Tour’s best performers this season, evident from his third-placing on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings. He is also the leader on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit.
He won the Bank BRI Indonesia Open and followed by the Royal Cup two weeks later. With that, became the first golfer in Tour history to win twice in his first two starts.
Following his Royal Cup win, he broke into the top-100 on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and earned a spot at the PGA Championship.

Players’ Quotes

Chikkarangappa S. (Ind) – First round 64 (-8)

It was a “dream come true” round today. I hit the ball great, putted really well, kept the ball on the fairway which is key to scoring here, hit 13 fairways, hit almost every green in regulation and made 25 putts. Everything was perfect today.

I was first reserve in 2016 (when the event was held at Anahita) and I didn’t get into the event. I had to go back home, with tears in my eyes. I was playing really solid and was eager to get the chance to play. This year, I was really looking forward to coming and I’m here this week.

Right now, I’m looking to get a win in the remaining three events on the Asian Tour. I’m not thinking of securing my card. I’ve been through the situation last year and made it on the number, and I don’t want to go through it again. The best is just to win an event. If I win here, I’ll get a card both on the Asian Tour and European Tour, and that’s what I’m looking at.

I’m going to stick to my same plan. Good tee shops and hole putts. The weather just needs to stay the same and the good scores will come tomorrow.

I’ve been playing well, having won the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational back home. I’ve changed my golf swing to the way I used to play. I wasn’t feeling comfortable and I made the changes about seven weeks back. Then I won a tournament and last week, I played really well, just that I got punished by kicks and bad lies. I know myself, that I’m playing well and hitting the ball great. This has been the best situation for the last two years.

Victor Perez (Fra) – First round 64 (-8)

I’ve been playing a lot of good golf lately. It’s been a really good streak, a little hard to believe in golf when we know how the highs and the lows can be. I’m trying to ride this wave out as long as possible and it showed again in this first round.

I don’t really know what was going right, I was kind of in the zone. I was just trying to go shot after shot. There were some opportunities out there with no wind on the par fives. I drove the second in two, hitting driver on my second shot gave me a tap-in for birdie.

After missing a short putt for birdie on one, that kept the round going after birdieing 18, I missed that opportunity after the turn on one and the birdie on two really kept it going. Then I was able to birdie three, four and nine to finish which was awesome.

I came here two years ago for a small French event. I think I finished third or fourth so I have good memories of this golf course and I was able to use some of the good visuals that I remembered, which was awesome.

Kurt Kitayama (Usa) – First round 65 (-7)

It was a solid round today. The course is quite open for me and I hit a lot of drivers, and it opened a lot of opportunities for me. Chipping around the greens is difficult so I’m just aiming to hit a lot of greens to avoid those into-the-green chips, and I was able to do that.

Justin Harding (Rsa) – first round 67 (-5)

Mauritius is nice. Whenever you’re on a holiday island, it’s always pretty nice. It’s a little humid, but in a good way. I felt that I was in good control all day. I drove it well; I made a silly bogey on three, but that was just between clubs. There were a few times out there, holes three and eleven in particular, where I was in between clubs. I plodded my way around, made a great putt on eight, slid it down the hill which kept me on and I made a good one on nine. It kept the momentum going through 11 with another par save.

I thought I gave myself good chances on 14th and 15th. The greens were breaking more and faster than I’m used to during practice.

On 16th, I made a bad swing. I am happy to get out there with a five (after incurring stroke and distance penalty). That was a bonus. On 18th, I hit a nice chip-in, which cool, especially when it was done in front of the crowd and on television!

Today’s round is a continuation of a pretty decent year. I’m just going to keep trying. You put three rounds together and give yourself a chance come Sunday. I thought I had a pretty good week in Hong Kong; it’s a matter of doing what I’ve been doing.

[On chasing the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings title] I’m trying to maintain my position and if I have a couple of good results here and in South Africa, then I’ll be able to put myself in a good position. Shubhankar (Sharma) is miles ahead, Sanghyun Park is playing well also. If I play nicely, then we’ll see what happens. It’s as easy as that.

Malcolm Kokocinski (Swe) – first round 67 (-5)

I’m feeling very good. I’m in a good mood, the golf course is very nice and it was an enjoyable walk. I have my older brother on the bag and we’re having a great time. We went to the beach this morning, had a swim and had a very good warm-up. This is a good place, with good vibes.

My putting was great today. I missed three greens, and I made all three up-and-downs. I stayed bogey-free and consistent today. I missed only one fairway, created a lot of opportunities and I told my brother to stay patient and the putts will fall.

This is the second time my brother is caddying for me; the first time was the Korean Open. It has worked out well so far.

We’ll be aiming to keep the mood and the balance good and have a smooth flow throughout the whole week.

Published on

Bangkok, Thailand, November 29: American Johannes Veerman produced the fireworks with a magnificent eight-under-par 62 to lead by three shots at the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation on Thursday.

The 26-year-old Veerman, who was crowned the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit champion in 2016, rode on a hot putter at the US$500,000 event to put up a near-perfect round which included one eagle and seven birdies against a lone bogey at the highly-rated Legacy Golf Club.

Starting from the 10th hole, Veerman took advantage of the calm morning conditions to nail a pair of birdies on 12th and 13th before pulling away with five straight birdies from the 15th hole. He dropped a shot for his only blemish on his card on the par-three fifth but would bounce back swiftly with an eagle-three on the next after sinking a 20-footer.

Defending champion Jazz Janewattananond also got off to a brilliant start with a 65 highlighted by an eagle on hole 15 after sticking his approach to three-feet.

The Thai took a share of second place with compatriots Thaworn Wiratchant and Kosuke Hamamoto, as well as Miguel Tabuena of Philippines.

Thai prodigy Phachara Khongwatmai, placed 54th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and among those fighting to keep their cards for 2019, is among the seven players bunched in tied-sixth following matching 66s, just four shots off the pace.

The Queen’s Cup, held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, is celebrating its 11th edition this week with Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee being the tournament host.

Did you know?

· Johannes Veerman is chasing his breakthrough victory on the Asian Tour with his father on his bag this week.

· Veerman missed only three fairways and needed only 24 putts around the greens for his commendable round of 62, which marks his lowest round this year.

· The American finished tied-10th at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak held in July which sparked the first of four consecutive top-10 finishes he recorded this season.

· Kosuke Hamamoto is playing in his first Asian Tour event as a professional this week. He joined the play-for-pay ranks in September this year.

· Kosuke is born to a Japanese father and a Thai mother. His family is based in Thailand and he travels to Japan once a year to celebrate the new year.

· Thaworn Wiratchant is one of Thailand’s most decorated stars with 18 Asian Tour wins under his belt and two Order of Merit crowns.

· He is aiming to become the first Thai to win the prestigious trophy three times after winning the showpiece in 2012 and 2014.

· Jazz Janewattananond secured his second Asian Tour title in July at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak in July when he birdied five of his closing nine holes.

· The Thai, who made his Major debut earlier this year at The Open Championship, has recorded five top-10 finishes this season, including a runner-up result at the Sarawak Championship in July.

· Miguel Tabuena claimed his first Asian Tour win at the Philippine Open presented by ICTSI in 2015.

· He did not miss a single green thanks to his solid ball-striking and only missed one fairway in his opening round.

Players’ Quotes:

Johannes Veerman (Usa)- First Round 62 (-8)

My round overall was pretty good, it was one of the those rounds that just came out of nowhere. I have been playing decently and today everything just came together. Last week I didn’t play as well but I was hitting it alright.

When I started this morning there wasn’t whole lot of wind, I made some birdies and got some momentum and then it just kept rolling. I had a string of birdies that started on the 15th. I was making everything from inside 15-feet which helped a lot.

I made an eagle on hole six which was the highlight of my day. I just bogeyed the hole before and was trying to get that behind me as quick as I could. I hit a good drive down the fairway followed by a five-iron from about 200 yards to about 20-feet. The putt was downhill with a slight break and I saw the line and stuck to it.

Kosuke Hamamoto (Tha)- First Round 65 (-5)

Today was pretty stress-free for me except for hole 11 when I hit a bad drive to the right and didn’t recover well on that hole. I lost focus on that hole and didn’t stick to my game plan so I was pretty frustrated with that double-bogey.

I got luck on the next hole, I didn’t hit a good tee shot but I manged to hole out from the greenside bunker to make birdie It was definitely the turning point for me and I got my momentum going again.

But overall, I am happy with my opening round. This is only my sixth tournament since I turned professional two months ago.

Jazz Janewattananond- First Round 65 (-5)

Honestly overall my game wasn’t that great. There wasn’t anything exceptional about today. I missed a couple of short putts and didn’t hit it that great. I was just trying to keep myself steady all round and put up a decent score.

I made some really silly mistakes today. Like on hole six it is a pretty easy hole but I made bogey there because my drive ended up in a bad lie.

The highlight of my round would have to be hole 15, I hit my approach to about three feet with my five-wood and made the putt for eagle. Sanghyun (Park) also made an eagle on that hole from off the green when he chipped in.

Miguel Tabuena- First Round 65 (-5)

My round was really good and I played really well today. Although I shot five-under-par I think I left a lot of shots out there because I was striking it well today. It could have been an even lower round if I just dropped a couple more putts in the first nine.

Although I missed the cut last week in Hong Kong I knew that I was playing well and it showed this week.

I started out a little slow and I just told myself I was hitting it really well and I just need to pull myself together and drop more putts. When I birdied hole 10, it was my turning point and I knew I could go a lot lower in my back nine.

Scores after round 1 of the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation being played at the par 70, 6939 Yards Legacy GC course (am – denotes amateur):

62 – Johannes Veerman (USA).

65 – Kosuke Hamamoto (THA), Thaworn Wiratchant (THA), Miguel Tabuena (PHI), Jazz Janewattananond (THA).

66 – Vanchai Luangnitikul (am, THA), Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA), Amardip Malik (IND), Kammalas Namuangruk (THA), Phachara Khongwatmai (THA), Pawin Ingkhapradit (THA), Natipong Srithong (THA).

67 – Peradol Panyathanasedh (THA), Giwhan Kim (KOR), Lu Wei-chih (TPE), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Ben Leong (MAS), Ratchapol Jantavara (THA), Pelle Edberg (SWE), Philip Matsson (THA).

Published on November 28, 2018

Beau Champ, Mauritius, November 28: Jeunghun Wang of Korea is excited to be back for the €1 million (approximately US$1.14 million) AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open which tees off on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Wang won the tournament in 2016 and he is riding on the positive vibes from the Four Seasons Golf Club, Mauritius at Anahita to spur him to another triumphant performance.

Wang pipped Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman to the title two years ago, when the tournament was played on the same venue. Both golfers were deadlocked going into the final hole of the event and it was Wang who scored the pivotal birdie on the final hole to win his maiden Asian Tour title by one shot.

Fellow past champions Dylan Frittelli and George Coetzee are also fancying their chances at the event, tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Sunshine Tour.

Last year, when the event was played at the Heritage Golf Club, South Africa’s Frittelli beat India’s Arjun Atwal in a play-off to capture his second European Tour title.

Frittelli is looking to improve his record at the Four Seasons Golf Club, Mauritius at Anahita. He missed the cut when the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open was played there in 2016.

Compatriot Coetzee lifted the winged trophy in 2015 after defeating Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen on the second extra hole. Like many golfers in the field, he is enjoying the pleasant atmosphere in Mauritius but remains focused on playing well in the tournament.

Ernie Els of South Africa

It will be a homecoming for Asian Tour honorary member and International Ambassador Ernie Els. The four-time Major winner will be competing for the first time on the golf course that he designed.

Most definitely, he will be using his intimate knowledge of the course to his advantage at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open

Did you know:

Jeunghun Wang won back-to-back European titles in 2016, in Morocco and Mauritius. With that, he became the youngest player at 20 years and 263 days to achieve this feat.
Wang also capped a remarkable maiden season in Europe by claiming the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year title in 2016.
Also in 2016, he was placed a career-high third on the Asian Tour Order of Merit. Apart from his victory in Mauritius, he posted five top-10s on Tour that year.
Dylan Frittelli missed the cut at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open in 2015 and 2016 before winning it in 2017.
He was awarded the European Tour Graduate of the Year in 2017.
George Coetzee has traditionally done well in this part of the world. Out of the four European Tour tournaments that he won, three were held in South Africa and one was held in Mauritius.
Ernie Els accepted an Asian Tour honorary membership and became the Tour’s International Ambassador in 2013.
He won three times on the Asian Tour, at the 2003 Johnnie Walker Classic, 2005 Qatar Masters and 2005 BMW Asian Open.

Players’ Quotes

Jeunghun Wang (Kor)

I’m so happy to come back here. I love this course so I’m so excited to play this week and I hope I play well.

I like the wind actually, so I hope it is windy this week. I like the conditions here – the fairways, the greens, I love it all, so I’m so excited right now.

I love to stay in this resort. There are good views around the hotel, so it’s nice to stay there. I love this whole place.

I won here two years ago so, it feels a little different coming here compared to other tournaments. I’m just really enjoying being here right now. I don’t feel any pressure. I hope to enjoy this week and enjoy Mauritius.

If I win this week, that will meet my goal for this season. I want to win one time this season on the European Tour. That would be good for me. My goal is always to win, so I hope to do that again in the 2019 season.

I played Asian Tour for about three years before transitioning to the European Tour. The experience on the Asian Tour helped me tremendously, as I had the chance to play on a variety of course conditions. I also learned from playing alongside many good players.

And having played on the European Tour for the last two years, I realised that I’ve developed as a person. In particular, I am getting better at managing my emotions better on and off the golf course.

Dylan Frittelli (Rsa)

I look back on last year with fond memories, but I’ve got bigger sights this year. Hopefully I can win a few times or win some even bigger tournaments, but first of all, I want to play well here

I’m trying to win every event I play in, it’s just a matter of getting better and learning different conditions and trying to play better in bigger tournaments which are tougher to win. With better players in the field, it’s always going to be tough, but I’m not putting too much pressure on myself.

Coming in here as defending champion relaxes me if anything because the pressure is off me. People may say, “oh you’re used to the golf course”, well, no, I played here two years ago and missed the cut. Hopefully, this year will go a lot better.

It’s wonderful here. It’s nice to get off the course as you can relax easily. I’m partial to the ocean, I love surfing, I love swimming, so it’s a good spot for me to be in, it calms me down. I’ve got my family here this week as well, my sister, brother in law and parents are here, so I’m sure they’ll take a bit of my time I’m sure.

George Coetzee (Rsa)

I love the island vibe here; it’s such a special place to come and play. Obviously winning the first one makes it extra special for me to come back. It’s good fun. The weather comes and goes – every day you’ll have some time on the beach and some time that you can chill in your room, but it’s just a fun place to come to.

You can’t control the “uncontrollable”; you try to take every day as it comes. I’ll just be trying to play some decent golf as the season progresses.

With so many South Africans in the field, it feels like I’m playing a fun Sunshine Tour event very and we’ve invited a couple of Europeans along to watch us play.

Ernie Els (Rsa)

It’s really exciting to be back, I haven’t been back here since we opened the course. It’s so nice to have a tournament of this stature to be played on our golf course.

We have wider fairways but most of the holes were built with the oceanic winds in consideration. The greens are pretty small and they are quite undulating so that is where your challenge will be this week. You are going to have ample room from the tee, and the course is in good shape, so I think the guys can score.

It’s been nine years since we opened the course and that was the last time I played it. We’ve done quite a few courses since then, but my memories of the place come flooding back. I played the front nine earlier; I’ll play the back nine now and get myself reacquainted with things. It’s interesting to rediscover why I put certain things where I did because ten years ago I was a different person playing golf and designing. I would like to see what I have done good and what I’ve done bad.

When it comes to island courses, it’s the relaxed vibe. When I played in Fiji I had my wife and my daughter with me, and my wife is here this week. We’re close to South Africa; we’re only three and a half, four hours, so I feel like I’m heading home from here.

Published on

Bangkok, Thailand, November 28: Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih is aiming for a good result that will give his merit standings a huge boost when he tees off for the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation on Thursday.

With the Asian Tour heading into an exciting climax to the season, Lu will be among the bubble boys fighting to keep their cards at the US$500,000 event which is held at the Legacy Golf Club for the first time since it was inaugurated as an Asian Tour event in 2009.

Lu, a four-time Asian Tour winner, earned a two-year winner’s exemption through his win at the 2016 Mercuries Taiwan Masters. He will need a strong performance to ensure he continues to keep his card for the 2019 season. While he understands the importance of the week, Lu also knows he has to stay patient to take on the strong challenge from the local contingent led by defending champion Jazz Janewattananond.

Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, whose name translates to “Diamond”, is heartened to be back home after plying his trade on European soil for majority of the season. The Thai prodigy, who is also along the cut-off line, hopes to sparkle at the event hosted by his mentor Thongchai Jaidee.

Phachara enjoyed a stellar season in 2017 where he secured four top-five finishes including three runner-up finishes to take a career-high third place on the Asian Tour money ranks. He will bank on his experience of playing in Europe, to give him a final push and secure his spot for next season.

Australia’s Andrew Martin, who earned his Asian Tour card for the first time through Qualifying School this year, is also itching for a breakthrough victory to leave his mark on the Asian Tour.

Juggling between playing on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and the Asian Tour, Martin, who is ranked 67th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, will put his fatigue aside as he attempts to break into the top-60.

The top-60 players on the final Habitat for Humanity Standings will automatically retain their cards for next year.

Thongchai, who has hosted three successful events on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), will assume responsibility of tournament host for the first time on the Asian Tour with the intention of drawing attention to the Jaidee Foundation.

Did you know?

· Lu Wei-chih is ranked 57th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings with a current haul of $72,608.

· Lu is one of the three Chinese Taipei players in the top-60 on the merit standings after Lin Wen-tang in 47th place and Hung Chien-yao in 50th.

· Lu’s highest finish on the money list since plying his trade on the Asian Tour in 2004 was in 2011 when he enjoyed two wins on home soil that led him to a career-high ninth place.

· Lu underwent a brain surgery in 2012 and returned to action in 2013 where he only missed one cut in his nine starts.

· Phachara Khongwatmai currently sits in 54th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

· Phachara finished a career-high third place on the 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 the season-ending Asian Development Tour (ADT) event to take the fifth spot on the ADT Order of Merit.

· Andrew Martin came through Asian Tour Qualifying School this year after finishing tied-20th at the final stage.

· Martin currently sits in 67th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings with a current haul of US$55,726.

· Playing in his first full year on the Asian Tour, the Australian has recorded two top-10 finishes, including a tied-fifth finish at the Asia-Pacific Classic in May.

· Martin joined the play-for-pay ranks in 2006 and he grew up playing and practicing with fast-rising Australian star Lucas Herbert at Neangar Park Golf Club in Bendigo, Australia.

Players’ Quotes:

Lu Wei-Chih (Tpe)

I am obviously nervous about my position on the Habitat for Humanity Standings but I am trying not to think too much about the results and just concentrate on doing my best. I will do what I need to do this week and let the results take care of itself.

I remembered being in a similar position three years ago and I also told myself not to think too much and just focus on the task ahead. I didn’t play too well at the start of the year but I performed slightly better in the second half of the season.

I finished in the top-10 in two of the events at home but didn’t play too well after that. I missed the cut in Hong Kong by one and I only have two events left to things around. But I have learnt that the more pressure you put on yourself the more you are likely to be affected and not do well.

Phachara Khongwatmai (Tha)

I have not been playing much on the Asian Tour because I have been playing mostly in Europe. Right now I am around the cut-off point on the Habitat for Humanity Standings but I know that if I just stay consistent in these last couple of events, I am confident of keeping my card.

It has been a year of new experiences and learning how to adapt to different conditions. It was tough having to switch from different weather conditions and playing ondifferent grass. The competition is stiff in Europe and I struggled to do well so I was not able to keep my card on the European Tour.

I am excited to be playing in an event at home, especially since Thongchai (Jaidee) is hosting this event. When I played in Europe this year, I would stay with Thongchai a lot and he was my mentor on Tour. I really respect him and the Queen’s Cup is huge event for most Thais, so I hope to do well this week.

Andrew Martin (Aus)

It’s been a full schedule for me this year and I’m pretty happy with my season. I have been playing pretty consistently and there are a couple of important weeks coming up especially with where I stand right now on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

It was my goal at the start of the year to finish in the top-60 on the Asian Tour. It would open a lot of doors for me next year just to have a full card again.

The field is strong in Asia with so many great golfers and all the courses I’ve played this year have been in such great condition.

A breakthrough win is definitely on my mind and it would cap off a good year. The game is feeling good and this is the most number of events I have played in a single season since coming through Qualifying School. I think that is why I have been so consistent this year because I am playing week in week out.

Published on November 27, 2018

Beau Champ, Mauritius, November 27: Justin Harding of South Africa is banking on his blistering form this season to reverse his fortunes at the €1 million (approximately US$1.14 million) AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open which tees off on Thursday.

The 32-year-old failed to make the cut at the Mauritius Open in the last three editions of the tournament, but based on how he has been faring on the Asian Tour, Harding is confident that the outcome will be different this year when the event is hosted at the Four Seasons Golf Club, Mauritius at Anahita.

The South African has been resplendent in 2018, having notched five top-10s including two victories in his last nine starts on the Asian Tour. He is placed third on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings and he is the highest-ranked player in the field.

Like Harding, Brazil’s Adilson Da Silva and Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski have made their career breakthrough on the Asian Tour this year.

Adilson Da Silva of Brazil

Da Silva had a wretched start to the season, as he did not progress to the weekend rounds in his first six tournaments. However, his season turned around in a big way when he emerged victorious in Chinese Taipei two months ago.

Lifted by his recent victory, the Brazilian is raring to bring his momentum to Mauritius.

Kokocinski was making significant headway on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) at the start of this year. He seized his chances when he was given the opportunity to play an Asian Tour event in Bangladesh and went on to win the tournament by three shots.

The Swede has admitted that his game has not been up to scratch since his victory, but he feels that he is slowly rediscovering the form and he hopes for another breakthrough at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open.

Did you know:

Justin Harding received an invitation to play at the Indonesia Open by virtue of his good form on the Sunshine Tour. He went on to win the tournament and took up Asian Tour membership.
A fortnight later, he won the Royal Cup, becoming the first player on Tour to win twice in his first two starts in Asia.
In addition to two victories, Harding has also notched three top-10s this season. He was second at the Asia Pacific Diamond Cup, tied-fourth at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and 10th at the Yeangder TPC.
Adilson Da Silva is the first Brazilian to win on the Asian Tour.
Before his win in Chinese Taipei, Da Silva has made only three cuts in 11 starts this season. He started the season with six consecutive missed cuts before claiming a tied-ninth place result at the Asia Pacific Diamond Cup
Da Silva was given the honour of striking the first tee shot at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro when golf made a return into the programme after 112 years.
Malcolm Kokocinski was leading the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit before his victory at the Bangladesh Open this year.
He is the second Swede to win on the Asian Tour this season after Alexander Bjork at the Volvo China Open
Kokocinski’s best finish on the Asian Tour, prior to his breakthrough win, came at the 2016 Shinhan Donghae Open where he came in tied-fourth.

Players’ Quotes

Justin Hardin (Rsa)

Anahita is very wind dependent. The last time I played there, the winds were blowing at 65km/h and I was nearly blown off the golf course! It’s a long golf course and if the wind picks up, it will be very challenging.

It’s a nice week; you get hosted very nicely and it’s an awesome resort. It’s almost like a reward getting into the event. We always look forward to playing in Mauritius.

The guys on the Sunshine Tour will be gunning for my number one spot on the Order of Merit and it’s very important that I play well here. It’s an added bonus that the event is also sanctioned by the Asian Tour so I’ll also improve my position on the Habitat for Humanity Standings if I do well.

[When asked about his happiest memories in Mauritius] It’s funny you asked that because I missed the cut there for the past three years! I hope to bring this year’s performances with me to Mauritius. The winds blew a country mile previously and it was hard work for me. With a bit of luck, it won’t get too bad. I have a couple of things to work on before I get but nevertheless, it’s an awesome event and I’m looking forward to it.

Adilson Da Silva (Bra)

I look forward to playing in Mauritius. The last time I played on Anahita was in 2016. The wind was blowing the whole week, which was actually nice in my opinion. The conditions make you think about your tee shots. It’s a long course and you need to keep the ball in play. Mauritius is a beautiful place to go and a great golf destination.

It’s great to be the first Brazilian to win on Tour and I hope to win again soon. We’re going into final stretch of the season; I’m telling myself to take it one shot at a time and to stay patient. Sometimes, there’s a tendency to get ahead of yourself.

Malcolm Kokocinski (Swe)

This will be my first year in Mauritius and I’m very excited to have to chance to compete here. I haven’t played at the Anahita before but I’ve heard from other players that the course is very beautiful and it gets tricky when the wind picks up.

Winning on Tour has been brilliant so far. I can get to play on many new courses, including the one here at the Mauritius Open. I feel like I’m learning more, and I want to learn as much as possible in preparation for next year and beyond.

I have to admit that I haven’t been playing well after the win in Bangladesh. I’ve struggled a bit but I’ve been playing better recently. I’ll keep practising and stay patient.

Back to News Archive

Last year’s runners up Higa and Snyman back for more inspiration

Duo reveled being at the heart of the action in New Zealand – an event they both agree is one of their favourites

Powerful sense of history will be on display at the New Zealand Open

Eight past champions will tee-off this week at Millbrook Resort in Queenstown

New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort: Tournament Notes

All you need to know about the 105th New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort, which starts Thursday

Truslow benefitting from some ‘major players’ in his game

American competes in the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort this week off the back of a big win

New Zealand Open attracts global sports and entertainment icons

New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort has unveiled a world-class line-up of Ambassadors for next week

Bangkok, Thailand, December 02: Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines signed for a stunning four-under-par 66 in the final round of the Queen’s Cup hosted by Jaidee Foundation to end a three-year title drought on the Asian Tour on Sunday. The 24-year-old Filipino dug deep into his reserves to hold off the challenge from the fast-chasing […]