Saitama, Tokyo, September 23: Yuta Ikeda of Japan won his 20th career title in sensational style after shooting a final round three-under-par 68 at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup on Sunday.

The 32-year-old Ikeda romped to an impressive six-shot victory after ending his campaign on 15-under-par 269 at the JP¥150 million (approximately US$1.35 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization.

The in-form Justin Harding of South Africa, who claimed two titles in his first two starts on the Asian Tour in 2018, registered a 66 to finish in second place at the Musashi Country Club, Sasai Course.

Ikeda, who held an overnight one-shot lead, bogeyed the first hole but steadied ship with birdies on holes two, four and six. As his closest challengers faded, Ikeda marked his card with another birdie on 15 to cruise to a comfortable victory.

Ranked 98th on the Official World Golf Ranking, Ikeda secured his first title in 2018 to continue an impressive winning record where he has won every season since 2009.

The 32-year-old Harding produced the round of the day but it was not enough to challenge the impeccable Ikeda. Despite settling for second place, he moved to eighth position on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

The leading 10 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings on October 8 will qualify for the lucrative CIMB Classic next month.

Did you know?

• This is Ikeda’s 20th victory on the JGTO and second on the Asian Tour. He is now the eighth player to win 20 titles in Japan alongside Graham Marsh, Toru Nakamura and Toru Taniguchi. Masashi ‘Jumbo’ Ozaki holds the record of most wins in Japan with 94 titles.
• Ikeda is the only player to finish the tournament in double digits. His six-shot win equals the largest winning margin on the Asian Tour this year. He is also the first Japanese player to win on the region’s premier Tour in 2018.
• He started the tournament slowly when he opened with a 69 but showed his class in round two when he shot a 66 in raining conditions followed by another 66 in the penultimate round.
• Ikeda will earn 15 Official World Golf Ranking points for the victory which also includes a cool prize purse of US$266,514. A member on the Asian Tour, he will move to seventh position on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• He is now five victories from earning a lifetime membership on the JGTO.
• Ikeda was one of the star performers for Team Asia against Team Europe in the biennial EurAsia Cup. Despite Team Asia’s defeat, Ikeda was unbeaten and helped his team secure three points.
• Harding made a huge move from his overnight 16th placing. He played under-par for three rounds except the second day where he struggled in the rain to return with a 74.
• He is enjoying the form of his life at the moment. He won back-to-back titles in his first two starts on the Asian Tour, in addition to his two victories on the Sunshine Tour earlier this year.

Player quotes:

Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) – Final Round 68 (-3), Total 269 (-15)

I started with a bogey so it wasn’t a good start but it didn’t affect me that much because my game felt good. I’m glad I was able to recover from that bogey.

This is my 20th victory and I didn’t expect to win so many in my career. It is a step forward for me and now I’m looking at winning five more titles and that motivates me more. Obviously I’m proud to have won so many times.

Nobody was doing anything and after my birdie on the sixth hole, I felt like I had a good chance to win. I’m really happy I’m able to win by such a big margin. My rounds on Friday and Saturday were important. Those were really good rounds.

You need to keep the ball on the fairway on this course but it is a difficult golf course and you can’t always keep it on the fairways. Having the ability to recover when you get into the rough was the difference between me and the other players this week

I want to build on this win and for the remainder of the season. I’ve won every year since 2009. Earlier in my career, I played with the pressure of trying to win every year. Now I don’t have that pressure anymore.

Justin Harding (Rsa) – Final Round 66 (-5), Total 275 (-9)

I had the easiest putt (birdie) on the last hole and left it short! I played nicely. I battled on Friday in the rain and didn’t have a good day. I find myself putting my round together a little bit better in the weekend. I felt like I was burning edges for three days in a row and finally I made a couple today.

I looked at the scoreboard a few times and nobody seemed to be running away except for the leader. A second place was definitely up for grabs. I gained some momentum with a birdie on nine but threw it away on the 10th hole. At the end of the day I’m happy with the result.

Friday was a tough day for everybody barring for one or two guys. The golf course is hard if you miss the fairways. Currently there’s only one guy who is double digits and that shows that the course has some meat to it.

Scores after round 4 of the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup being played at the par 71, 7060 Yards Musashi GC course (am – denotes amateur):

269 – Yuta IKEDA (JPN) 69-66-66-68.

275 – Justin HARDING (RSA) 67-74-68-66.

276 – Hiroshi IWATA (JPN) 65-69-71-71.

277 – Kenichi KUBOYA (JPN) 67-70-70-70, Shaun NORRIS (RSA) 70-69-68-70, Rikuya HOSHINO (JPN) 69-70-68-70, Sanghyun PARK (KOR) 68-71-68-70, Kurt KITAYAMA (USA) 67-70-68-72.

278 – Prayad MARKSAENG (THA) 66-73-72-67, John CATLIN (USA) 69-72-66-71, Yuki INAMORI (JPN) 65-72-69-72, Adilson DA SILVA (BRA) 69-70-67-72.

279 – Ben LEONG (MAS) 73-69-68-69, Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 67-74-66-72.

280 – Yosuke ASAJI (JPN) 68-73-70-69.

281 – Shugo IMAHIRA (JPN) 68-71-72-70, Ryosuke KINOSHITA (JPN) 69-70-71-71, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 67-71-69-74, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 65-74-68-74, Yikeun CHANG (KOR) 70-68-64-79.

Saitama, Tokyo, September 22: Japanese star Yuta Ikeda put himself in contention for a 20th career victory after shooting a third round five-under-par 66 at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup on Saturday.

Ikeda, the world number 98th, has won every year since 2009 and is now in position to secure his first title in 2018 after totalling 12-under-par 201 at the Musashi Country Club, Sasai Course.

He will have to fend off the challenge from Korean rising star Yikeun Chang, who eagled the 17th hole from 12 feet to trail by a single shot at the JP¥150 million (approximately US$1.35 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO).

Overnight leader Hiroshi Iwata slipped to a share of third place despite recording a hole-in-one on the par-three ninth hole. He returned with a 71 to tie with Tour rookie Kurt Kitayama (68) on matching 205s, four shots back of the leader.

Ranked 42nd on the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings, the 32-year-old Ikeda opened with a birdie before surging ahead with four straight birdies from the 12th hole.

Ikeda, who was unbeaten at the EurAsia Cup earlier this year, took full advantage of his sharp approach shots, missing only one green-in-regulation.

Chang, the 2016 Asian Tour Qualifying School winner, put in a resolute performance under the watchful eye of his father, whose putting tip earlier in the week has given him an extra spring in his step.

Did you know?

• Ikeda produced his first bogey-free round in 54 holes. He has won 19 times in Japan, one of which was a co-sanctioned event with the Asian Tour in 2016.
• His iron play has been his strongest part of his game as he has missed only nine greens-in-regulation so far this week.
• Ikeda was ranked 37th at the end of the 2017 season after winning three times on the JGTO.
• He was one of the star performers for Team Asia against Team Europe in the biennial EurAsia Cup. Despite Team Asia’s defeat, Ikeda was unbeaten and helped his team secure three points.
• Chang is searching for his first victory on the Asian Tour. His best result so far this year is a tied second place at The 37th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship on home soil.
• He won his National Open last year and one more tournament on home soil. He earned an Asian Tour card after winning the 2016 Asian Tour Qualifying School.
• Kitayama eagled the 17th hole from six feet which put him in contention for a first Asian Tour title.
• He is playing competitively for the first time in Japan. His parents are Japanese but he was born in the United States. He occasionally visits family in Japan but does not speak the language.
• Former PGA Tour player and overnight leader Iwata aced the 207-yard par-three ninth hole. It was the week’s first hole-in-one.

Player quotes:

Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) – Third Round 66 (-5), Total 12-under-par 201

If I win tomorrow, it will be number 20 but I would like to play without thinking about it. I do not want to put too much pressure on myself. I’m obviously very satisfied with my score and performance so far. I just kept giving myself good opportunities and went on to play the next hole without putting too much give myself expectations.

Yikeun Chang (Kor) – Third Round 64 (-7), Total 11-under-par 202 

It was fantastic. On the back nine, I had 12 putts and I holed all of it. I told myself to keep the ball in play because it will be very hard if you miss the fairway here. On the back nine, I happened to hole everything and that made things easier.

I’m lucky my tee shots went straight today (laughs). If I do the same tomorrow, then I have a good chance to get the trophy. Coming into this week, I fixed something with my dad and now I’m rolling it perfectly. He told me to release the putter and I’m putting great right now.

Throughout my career, my dad has taught me golf. I have a coach in the United States but my dad knows me very well so it is nice to have him here with me. If the weather stays like this and if you can find the fairways, you will have a lot of birdie opportunities.

Eagle on 17: I hit the perfect drive and it is a difficult fairway to find. I had about 250 yards to the pin and hit my hybrid to about 12 feet.

Kurt Kitayama (Usa) – Third Round 68 (-3), Total eight-under-par 205

It was a solid round. I had one loose driver on 11 but for the most part, I felt really good. That eagle on 17 was good. I hit a good drive there and I was in a good spot to hit my four iron to six feet which I converted. That will give me something nice to think about in my room.

I didn’t have many good looks even though I wasn’t hitting it close. On the front nine, I had two tap in birdies and I hit it close on 17. Other than that, I didn’t have good opportunities. Maybe I was trying to force myself to hit it closer to the hole.

Scores after round 3 of the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup being played at the par 71, 7060 Yards Musashi GC course (am – denotes amateur):

201 – Yuta IKEDA (JPN) 69-66-66.

202 – Yikeun CHANG (KOR) 70-68-64.

205 – Kurt KITAYAMA (USA) 67-70-68, Hiroshi IWATA (JPN) 65-69-71.

206 – Adilson DA SILVA (BRA) 69-70-67, Yuki INAMORI (JPN) 65-72-69.

207 – Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 67-74-66, John CATLIN (USA) 69-72-66, Tomoharu OTSUKI (JPN) 72-68-67, Sanghyun PARK (KOR) 68-71-68, Rikuya HOSHINO (JPN) 69-70-68, Shaun NORRIS (RSA) 70-69-68, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 65-74-68, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 67-71-69, Kenichi KUBOYA (JPN) 67-70-70.

209 – Justin HARDING (RSA) 67-74-68.

210 – Johannes VEERMAN (USA) 71-72-67, Ben LEONG (MAS) 73-69-68, Ryosuke KINOSHITA (JPN) 69-70-71, Daijiro IZUMIDA (JPN) 63-75-72.

Chinese Taipei, September 28: Adilson Da Silva of Brazil renewed his love affair with the Tamsui course after carding a two-under-par 70 to grab a share of the halfway lead at the wind-swept Mercuries Taiwan Masters on Friday.

Silva, who holds an impeccable track record in the storied event, fired four birdies against two bogeys under blustery conditions to take his place atop the leaderboard alongside Australian Maverick Antcliff (72), South African Justin Harding (73) and Lionel Weber (73) of France.

The quartet leads by one shot on three-under-par 141 total in the US$850,000 Asian Tour event held at its traditional home at the fabled Taiwan Golf and Country Club, which is celebrating its centennial year in 2018.

Korea’s Heungchol Joo produced the highlight of the day when he stuck an ace on the par-three eighth hole after hitting a four-iron from 172 metres. It was the second time he sank a hole-in-one during a professional tournament.

Local veterans Lin Wen-tang and Tsai Chi-huang signed for respective rounds of 72 and 71 to share fifth place with Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (72) at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, which is celebrating its 32nd edition this week.

The halfway cut was set at four-over-par 148 with a total of 53 players, including one local amateur, advancing to the next two rounds.

Chinese Taipei, September 21: Zimbabwean Scott Vincent believes patience will be the key when he continues his search for his maiden Asian Tour victory at the prestigious Mercuries Taiwan Masters next week.

The 26-year-old Vincent, who was named the Asian Tour Rookie of the year in 2016, established himself as one of the most consistent players on Tour after notching eight top-10 finishes in 15 starts this season.

Placed fifth on the latest Habitat for Humanity Standings, Vincent will spearhead a talented cast of players at the US$850,000 event, which will be celebrating its 32nd edition at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club from September 27 to 30.

His dream of making a breakthrough on the Asian Tour received a further boost when he came in runner-up, for the third time this year, in Korea last week. He will be looking to reproduce that good form when he returns to the storied event, where he came in tied-second 12 months ago.

Despite missing out on his breakthrough win on several occasions, Vincent believes his chance will come again as long as he keeps knocking on the door.

“I’m feeling good. There are a lot of good things about my game. I’m absolutely happy with my season so far. It’s opening up a lot of doors. I locked up a chance to play in the CIMB Classic now and I’m also in for a chance to qualify for the WGC-HSBC Champions.

“It bothers me a little bit but I don’t get too caught up in that because I do a lot of right things. I seem to come across someone who is just better that week. I can’t control if I’m going to win or not but I’ll have more opportunities if I keep doing what I’ve been doing,” said Vincent.

Vincent, the only Zimbabwean member on Tour, is also leading the total against par rankings where he is 101-under-par in 55 rounds this season. He is incredibly 27 shots to-par better than anyone else in the ranking.

“I know that with hard work and some luck, my win will come one day. I just have to be patient,” added Vincent, who will be making his debut appearance at the ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf in November.

Held annually on the region’s premier Tour since 2004, the Mercuries Taiwan Masters is the longest-running full-field event on the Asian Tour.

Over the years, it has welcomed many worthy winners such as local heroes Lu Wei-chih, Lin Wen-tang, Australian Scott Hend, Malaysia’s Danny Chia and reigning Order of Merit champion Gavin Green.

This year’s edition will also mark a significant milestone as the regular host venue, the Taiwan Golf and Country Club, which is the oldest club in Taiwan, celebrates its centennial year in 2018.

The Mercuries Taiwan Masters, which is celebrating its 15th consecutive edition on the region’s premier Tour this year, will be the first of the two back-to-back Asian Tour events held in Chinese Taipei this season.

The top 10 and top four players (not otherwise exempt) on the Habitat for Humanity standings will qualify for the US$7 million CIMB Classic and US$10 million WGC-HSBC Champions staged in Malaysia and China respectively.

The Mercuries Taiwan Masters will be the penultimate event for players to try and boost their rankings on the Habitat for Humanity Standings before the cut-off date on October 7.

Ends.

Saitama, Tokyo, September 21: Hiroshi Iwata of Japan battled to a two-under-par 69 in persistent rain to seize the halfway lead at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup on Friday.

The rainy conditions made it tricky for players on day two but Iwata stood firm as he led on eight-under-par 134 at the JP¥150 million (approximately US$1.35 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization.

EurAsia Cup star Yuta Ikeda, who has won 19 titles in Japan, fired the second round’s low score of 66 to trail Iwata by one shot at the Musashi Country Club, Sasai course.

The big-hitting Kurt Kitayama of the United States grinded to a hard-fought 71 to sit in tied third place alongside Kenichi Kuboya (70) and Yuki Inamori (72) on 137s.

After dropping his first shot of the tournament on hole 14, former PGA Tour player Iwata bounced back superbly with three straight birdies to hold a narrow edge over a fast-charging Ikeda.

Currently placed 98th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Ikeda lived up to his billing as the second highest ranked player in the elite field when he fired three birdies in each half against a single bogey.

Tour rookie Kitayama kept up his chase for a first Asian Tour victory after struggling off the tees where he found eight out of 14 fairways. He returned with four birdies against three bogeys to give himself a fight chance on the weekend.

A total of 66 players made the cut which was set at two-over-par 144.

Did you know?

• Iwata has only dropped one shot in 36 holes. He dropped his only bogey on the 431-yard par-4 14th hole despite finding the fairway.
• He has won twice on the JGTO in 2014 and 2015.
• Iwata is a former PGA Tour player. He earned his 2016 PGA Tour card at the 2015 Web.com Tour finals.
• Other than his victories, Iwata’s other career highlight was finishing tied third at the 2014 WGC-HSBC Champions in China.
• Ikeda is the second highest ranked player at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup after Shugo Imahira, who is ranked 86th in the world.
• He is one of the most prolific players in Japan. He has tasted victory on the JGTO every single year since 2009.
• Ikeda was one of the star performers for Team Asia against Team Europe in the biennial EurAsia Cup. Despite Team Asia’s defeat, Ikeda was unbeaten and helped his team secure three points.
• He is currently ranked 40th on the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• Kitayama is playing in his first year on the Asian Tour after finishing third at Qualifying School. This is his first competitive tournament in Japan.
• He is one of the most consistent players on the Asian Tour where he has yet to miss a single cut in nine appearances and is ranked 28th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• His parents are of Japanese heritage but Kitayama does not speak the language. He occasionally visit his family in Japan.

Player quotes:

Hiroshi Iwata (Jpn) – Second Round 69 (-2), Total 134 (-8)

Obviously my round wasn’t as good as yesterday because my iron and putter were not as sharp as it should be. On the positive note, my tee shot was better.

My bogey on 14 was very disappointing because I was on the fairway but I was able to recover with three straight birdies and that’s very satisfying and good for me. I didn’t really think about the bogey or didn’t get irritated by it so that’s good.

It was raining the whole day but it wasn’t too bad. It only got worst towards the end. I have extra motivation to play here because if you win, I can play in more tournaments outside of Japan. However, it is only the second day and I don’t want to think too much. I just have to prepare and keep improving.

Yuta Ikeda (Jpn) – Second Round 66 (-5), Total 135 (-7)

It was a very good day because I kept hitting fairways. Even in such difficult conditions, I’m able to give myself a lot of birdie opportunities so I’m very happy. The best birdie has to be on the third hole because it led to five other birdies. I only made a mistake on hole number nine but I stayed calm. Obviously I’m thinking of winning because I’m hoping to win in every tournament I play in.

Kurt Kitayama (Usa) – Second Round 70 (-1), Total 137 (-5)

It was an up-and-down round because of the rain and I grinded it out to a one-under. My scrambling really helped especially on my last few holes where I made important up-and-downs. That gives me some momentum heading into tomorrow. It was really tough out there.

I need to drive better. I didn’t hit it very well and missed a few fairways which made it really tough. I need to focus more tomorrow. I’ve got the length off the tees so that helps if I can find the fairways because I can get a wedge in. But if I’m in the rough, it is very difficult. Maybe I won’t hit the driver on every hole but try to find more fairways.

Scores after round 2 of the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup being played at the par 71, 7060 Yards Musashi GC course (am – denotes amateur):

134 – Hiroshi IWATA (JPN) 65-69.

135 – Yuta IKEDA (JPN) 69-66.

137 – Yuki INAMORI (JPN) 65-72, Kenichi KUBOYA (JPN) 67-70, Kurt KITAYAMA (USA) 67-70.

138 – Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 67-71, Daijiro IZUMIDA (JPN) 63-75, Yikeun CHANG (KOR) 70-68.

139 – Adilson DA SILVA (BRA) 69-70, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 65-74, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 67-72, Kazuhiro YAMASHITA (JPN) 67-72, Shaun NORRIS (RSA) 70-69, Rikuya HOSHINO (JPN) 69-70, Shugo IMAHIRA (JPN) 68-71, Prayad MARKSAENG (THA) 66-73, Sanghyun PARK (KOR) 68-71, Ryosuke KINOSHITA (JPN) 69-70.

140 – Tomoyo IKEMURA (JPN) 68-72, Tomoharu OTSUKI (JPN) 72-68, Junggon HWANG (KOR) 70-70, Kazuki HIGA (JPN) 71-69.

Saitama, Tokyo, September 20: Danthai Boonma took advantage of a hot start as he fired an opening six-under-par 65 to trail the leader Daijiro Izumida by two shots at the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup on Thursday.

The bubbly Thai started with four straight birdies before adding five more birdies against three bogeys to stay hot on the heels of home talent Izumida who produced a superb 63 at the Musashi Country Club.

Danthai, a winner on the Asian Tour, shared second place alongside Yuki Inamori and Hiroshi Iwata while Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng was a further shot back in fifth place at the JP¥150 million (approximately US$1.35 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO).

In-form players Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, Justin Harding of South Africa and Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe were among nine players bunched in sixth place on matching 67s.

The story of the day belonged to the 25-year-old Izumida, who continued his momentum following his career’s first victory on the JGTO last month. He superbly turned in 30 on the front nine and returned three birdies against one bogey to set the pace.

Danthai was on track to challenge Izumida’s morning target but the Thai struggled to maintain his charge after his tee shots on holes 14, 18 and four landed in the thick rough which resulted in bogeys.

Prayad, a 10-time Asian Tour champion and multiple winner in Japan, traded six birdies against one bogey to give himself a chance of winning the tournament for the second time since 2008.

Did you know?

• Izumida birdied his opening two holes before adding four straight birdies from the 14th hole. The superb start gave him a confidence boost after feeling anxious in the practice round.
• He won his first JGTO title at the RIZAP KBC Augusta last month. The victory came after missing three straight cuts in Japan.
• Izumida totalled 24 putts which included seven straight one putts from his opening 10th hole.
• Danthai is known for his happy-go-lucky character. He wielded a hot putter and negotiated around the greens in 22 putts as he launched his search for a second Asian Tour win.
• He has two runner-up results so far in 2018 and is currently ranked 16th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. He needs to break and stay inside the top-10 of the rankings before the cut-off date on October 7 to qualify for the CIMB Classic in October.
• After making his Major debut at The Open in July, Danthai said the experience has helped him to become a better player.
• He hopes to follow in the footsteps of countryman Thanyakorn Khrongpha who won in Japan two weeks ago.
• At the age of 52, Prayad rolled back the years with a commendable performance among the younger players. He has won five titles on the Japan Seniors Tour in 2018 and will be looking to add a second Diamond Cup trophy following his win in 2008.
• The Asian Tour’s in-form players are lurking closely behind the leader. Bhullar, who won his ninth Asian Tour title last month, is four shots back alongside last week’s runner-up Vincent and Harding, who won twice in his first two starts on the Asian Tour this year.

Player quotes:

Daijiro Izumida (Jpn) – First Round 63 (-8)

It was almost a perfect round because of my ball striking and putting. I didn’t have high expectations. During the practice round I was a bit anxious but it turned out really well.

Making two birdies really got me going and it helped me feel comfortable. I haven’t done anything special since my win. I’m playing with more confidence and the win has helped me to be more aggressive.

The course is not too long so there are some holes where I won’t need to hit a driver. I’ll try to use a two or three-iron. I do dream to play outside of Japan. If I win this tournament or get a good result it will open up many doors for me and that’s my motivation.

Today was much better than I expected. There will be times when I will need to stay patient especially when I put the ball in the rough. On those occasions I need to stay patient.

Danthai Boonma (Tha) – First Round 65 (-6)

I played very good because of my putting. I started with four birdies in a row and that gave me a lot of confidence. My tee shots weren’t that good and the three bogeys today came after I hit it in the thick rough.

Yes, after those birdies I thought it will be a very good day but I kept myself calm and not get ahead of myself. I had fun and kept smiling. Hole number two was good because I hit a nice approach to 15 feet and I holed it.

Playing at The Open has helped me a lot in my career. After The Open I returned and trained harder. I think that has really helped me.

Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) – First Round 66 (-5)

This is my first time playing on this golf course. The rough is very thick here so you need to hit good tee shots. Luckily it isn’t a long golf course. I’ve won five times on the senior Tour but this is different. I’m usually more relaxed on the senior Tour because there’s no rough but here I have to more focus. My body feels good and I won this tournament before in 2008 but on a different golf course.

Scores after round 1 of the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup being played at the par 71, 7060 Yards Musashi GC course (am – denotes amateur):

63 – Daijiro IZUMIDA (JPN).

65 – Yuki INAMORI (JPN), Danthai BOONMA (THA), Hiroshi IWATA (JPN).

66 – Prayad MARKSAENG (THA).

67 – Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN), Kenichi KUBOYA (JPN), Justin HARDING (RSA), Kurt KITAYAMA (USA), Scott VINCENT (ZIM), Atomu SHIGENAGA (JPN), Shingo KATAYAMA (JPN), Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND), Kazuhiro YAMASHITA (JPN).

68 – Yosuke ASAJI (JPN), Rahil GANGJEE (IND), Poom SAKSANSIN (THA), Shugo IMAHIRA (JPN), Sanghyun PARK (KOR), Keith HORNE (RSA), Tomoyo IKEMURA (JPN).

69 – Anthony QUAYLE (AUS), Takashi OGISO (JPN), Angelo QUE (PHI), Keita NAKAJIMA (am, JPN), John CATLIN (USA), Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND), Daisuke MATSUBARA (JPN), Hosung CHOI (KOR), Rikuya HOSHINO (JPN), Ryosuke KINOSHITA (JPN), Yuta IKEDA (JPN), Jbe KRUGER (RSA), Adilson DA SILVA (BRA), Travis SMYTH (AUS), Masanori KOBAYASHI (JPN), CHAN Shih-chang (TPE).

Saitama, Tokyo, September 19: Indian star Gaganjeet Bhullar will be aiming to reach double digits in Asian Tour victories at the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup which starts on Thursday.

The in-form Bhullar won his ninth Asian Tour title in Fiji last month and he will be hoping to continue his purple patch at the JP¥150 million (approximately US$1.35 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization.

The 30-year-old, currently ranked fourth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, will be among the top contenders which include Scott Hend of Australia, Shugo Imahira, ranked 86th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and Korea’s Sanghyun Park, who won his second Asian Tour title last week.

Bhullar has won in six different countries in his young career and will be looking to add Japan to his list this week. He is one victory from joining Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand as a 10-time Asian Tour winner, behind Thongchai Jaidee (13) and Thaworn Wiratchant (18).

Another player searching for victory this week is Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, who claimed his third runner-up result in Korea last week. Vincent is arguably the most consistent player in 2018 and has established himself as a genuine contender each time he tees up in an event.

Poom Saksansin of Thailand finished tied second in this event last year, albeit on a different golf course, but he is aimingto go one position better at the par-71 Musashi Country Club, Sasai Course.

Did you know?

• In his nine Asian Tour victories, Bhullar has won in Indonesia (three times), Thailand, Chinese Taipei (twice), Macao, Korea and Fiji.
• He admits that he struggles to play his best in Japan, a country where his best result was tied 51st place in 2009.
• Ranked fourth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, Bhullar has sealed his place in the CIMB Classic next month but he still needs to fight for a place in the WGC-HSBC Champions. The leading four players (not otherwise exempt) on October 7 will qualify for the tournament in China.
• Bhullar holds the most number of victories by an Indian golfer on the Asian Tour. His next big goal is to win the Habitat for Humanity Standings. He currently trails countryman Shubhankar Sharma by US$116,404.
• Vincent is ranked first in the total against par rankings where he is -101 in 2018. He is incredibly 27 shots to-par better than anyone else in the ranking.
• He has yet to win on the Asian Tour but is edging closer after notching three runner-up results and five other top-10 finishes.
• Poom is a two-time Asian Tour winner. He was in contention at the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup last year before a final round 73 dashed his title hopes.
• The result helped him finish in a career-high eighth position on the Merit rankings and earned a maiden appearance at the 2018 EurAsiaCup where he represented Team Asia.

Player Quotes:

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind)

You can only get better. Normally the second half of the season is packed up with tournaments and everybody including myself starts to gain momentum. All these tournaments are important towards the Habitat for Humanity Standings. The goal is to keep repeating what I’ve been doing in the last six or seven months and give your 100%.

My caddy and I talked about this at the start of the week. I’ve won in Korea and in other countries but Japan is still new to me! I’m trying to figure out a new game plan here. The golf course looks really nice. The course is in great shape but the only struggle will be if you miss the fairway. The rough is up so you have to hit lots and lots of fairways.

I’m trying to minimise my errors when playing in this part of the world. Hopefully I will play well this week. To be honest, I don’t know why Japan is different for me. I’ve had some good rounds in the past but it is about putting the rounds together. This course suits my eye so this could be a good week for me.

The goal is to reach double digits of victories on the Asian Tour. Before that, I have to remember that I need to continue working hard and the win will come.

Scott Vincent (Zwe)

I’m feeling good. Last week was great because there were a lot of good things about my game. I’m looking forward to this week. The course is tough. It is going to be the kind of week where who can hit it the straightest wins. I’m excited for the challenge ahead.

Yes, I’m absolutely happy with the season. It is opening up a lot of doors and I locked up a chance to play at the CIMB Classic. I’m also in with a chance to qualify for the WGC-HSBC Championship.

It bothers me a little bit (on winning his first Asian Tour title). I don’t get too caught up in that because I do a lot of right things. I seem to come across someone who is just better that week. I’m playing good golf. I can’t control if I’m going to win or not but I’ll have more opportunities if I keep doing what I’ve been doing.

Poom Saksansin (Tha)

The course is very tight and the rough is thick. Last year the course was playing easier. This course is short so it will be good for me but I’m very worried about my driving. I played well in the last few events because my putting was good.

I can hit a draw shot now but sometimes I do it a bit too much. I practised my draw shots at the driving range yesterday and hit a car… So now I’m only using a three wood and hybrid at the range. When I get nervous, my swing is fast. Now I hit it slower and close my clubface.

Tokyo, September 18: American John Catlin is ready to make his maiden trip to Japan an unforgettable one as he prepares himself for the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup which gets underway on Thursday.

Catlin is running high on confidence after winning twice on the Asian Tour this season. He is also coming into the week of the JP¥150 million (approximately US$1.36 million) event on the back of another top-10 finish in Korea last week.

The 27-year-old American will be up against Korea’s Sanghyun Park and South Africa’s Justin Harding, who have also won twice on the Asian Tour this season.

Also in the fray at the Musashi Country Club, Sasai Course are defending champion Daisuke Kataoka of Japan, Zimbabwean Scott Vincent, who is coming off his third second-place finish in two months, Australia’s Scott Hend, the 2016 Asian Tour number one and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, a nine-time winner on the Asian Tour.

“This is my first time ever in Japan. I’ve heard so many great things about the courses here and I’m just glad to be here and experience it for myself. The greens are great and the course is in fantastic shape so I can’t wait to get out there.

“This year has been great and I have a good chance to get into the CIMB Classic, which is what a lot of us out here are working towards too,” said Catlin.

With the CIMB Classic taking place in Malaysia next month firmly on his mind, Catlin, who sits in 11th-place on the current Habitat for Humanity Standings, is looking for a strong performance to break into the top-10 and qualify for the lucrative event in Malaysia.

“Obviously, you want to play well every time you tee it up, that’s why you put yourself in these positions. Nothing’s going to change but it’s nice to have the opportunity to qualify for these huge events.

“I’ve worked so hard to get to this position and I want the spot really bad, but I’m going to treat it like any other tournament, no matter how big or small the event is. The game is feeling good so I’m looking forward to a good week,” added Catlin.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond who finished tied-30th at the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup last year, will be looking to go one better this week in order to climb up the money list too.

“I remember when I played at this event last year, it was also my second week in a row coming straight into Japan. I needed to play well because I was on the line to qualify for the CIMB Classic and I am in that same position,” said Jazz, who is currently in 12th-place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Having already claimed his second Asian Tour victory on home soil in June, the Thai prefers not to give himself too much pressure ahead of the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup, which is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation and is also the Tour’s second stop in Japan this season.

“We’re playing at a different golf course this year so I’ll be adopting a totally different approach. I’m not going to put that much pressure on myself this week.

“I’ve been playing a lot in Europe since my win at the Queen’s Cup. This would be my second week since I’ve been back in Asia. So, I didn’t have much rest coming straight from Europe to Korea last week, and then Japan now. There’s still a long way to go before the CIMB Classic and anything can happen,” said Jazz.

The top 10 (not otherwise exempt) on the Habitat for Humanity standings will qualify for the US$7 million CIMB Classic staged in Malaysia next month.

The cut-off date for qualification will be upon the conclusion of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in Chinese Taipei on October 7.

Ends.

Sentosa, Singapore, September 17: The battle to top the Habitat for Humanity standings has heated up with Korea’s Sanghyun Park throwing his name into the fray.

Following his latest victory at the Shinhan Donghae Open, Park has moved to second place on the standings and declared his intention to stake his claim as Asia’s number one when the 2018 Asian Tour season concludes.

“I’m looking at winning the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings and I’ll be putting more priority on the Asian Tour.

“I’m going to adjust my schedule so that I can play all the required events on the Asian Tour,” said Park, who trails India’s Shubhankar Sharma by slightly over US$116,400.

Park underlined his bold ambitions with a performance on home soil that left his closest rivals in their wake.

He led from start to finish and his final round of eight-under-par 63, which was also the lowest score all-week, saw him romp to a dominant five-shot victory and also his second Asian Tour victory this season.

With the Asian Tour set to embark on a busy stretch of events, offering lucrative prize money and world ranking points, Park knows his goals are within sight.

“I want to play in the WGC-HSBC Champions and CIMB Classic to improve my world ranking. Those are my goals. After winning the Shinhan Donghae Open, these tournaments are well within my reach.

“These days, if I’m in the champion’s group, I’m not anxious. I feel that I can dominate the game. That’s where I feel I’ve grown over the past few years,” said Park, who moved to 126th place on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Scott Vincent, who is the first Zimbabwean to play on the Asian Tour, may have missed out on another chance to win his first Asian Tour title but by securing his eighth top-10 this season with a runner-up finish, Vincent moved four spots up to fifth place on the standings.

“I put him under pressure, but he (Sanghyun Park) was just too good today. All credit to him and there was not much more I could have done. I’m happy with how I did.

“I know that with hard work and some luck, my win will come one day. I just have to be patient,” said Vincent.

The top 10 and top four players (not otherwise exempt) on the Habitat for Humanity standings will qualify for the US$7million CIMB Classic and US$10 million WGC-HSBC Champions staged in Malaysia and China respectively.

The cut-off date for both events will be upon the conclusion of the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in Chinese Taipei on October 7.

The Asian Tour heads to the Land of the Rising Sun for the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup where the JP¥150 million (approximately US$1.36 million) event is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation.

Ends.

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos       Player   Order of Merit (US$)

1            Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) $603,155.55

2            Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $486,751.99

3            Matt WALLACE (ENG) $446,660.00

4            Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) $380,632.02

5            Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $373,619.30

6            Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) $372,480.89

7            Rahil GANGJEE (IND) $290,425.53

8            Sihwan KIM (USA) $279,623.77

9            Minchel CHOI (KOR) $271,340.97

10          Paul PETERSON (USA) $241,148.57

11          John CATLIN (USA) $222,619.68

12          Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $215,952.98

13          Justin HARDING (RSA) $191,515.12

14          Berry HENSON (USA) $164,560.60

15          Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $159,975.32

16          Danthai BOONMA (THA) $151,926.48

17          Daniel NISBET (AUS) $151,883.64

18          Khalin JOSHI (IND) $147,664.56

19          Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $140,649.11

20          Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $136,428.22

Incheon, Korea, September 16: Sanghyun Park of Korea stamped his authority as he shot a magnificent eight-under-par 63 to claim a wire-to-wire victory at the KR₩1,200,000,000 (approximately US$1,000,000) 34th Shinhan Donghae Open on Sunday.

The 35-year-old Park won his second Asian Tour title following his dominant five-shot triumph at the Bear’s Best Cheongna Golf Club in Incheon, Korea.

Park started the final round with a slim one-shot lead, but he pulled away from the rest of the field after scoring six birdies on his front nine. Even with a five-shot lead at the turn, Park continued to dictate proceedings as he marked another two birdies on his scorecard before signing for 22-under-par 262 total.

The Korean set a new tournament record for the lowest winning gross score. Jiman Kang and Gaganjeet Bhullar, champions in 2006 and 2016 respectively, jointly held the previous record of 269.

Park also beat the record for lowest winning to-par score of 19-under-par, set by Kang.

Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent posted his eighth top-10 finish on the Asian Tour this season after a carding a 66 to land in lone second place.

He crept up to Park towards the end of the round after sinking three consecutive birdies from holes 13 to 15, but his tournament unravelled after his approach at the 16th found the water, resulting in a double bogey.

Nick Voke, playing on a sponsor’s invitation, traded eight birdies against two bogeys en route to a 65 to finish commendably in third place.

Travis Smyth of Australia displayed plenty of promise as he notched his first top-10 on the Asian Tour. He finished seventh after a carding a final-round 70.

Did you know:

• Sanghyun Park is the third golfer after United States’ John Catlin and South Africa’s Justin Harding to win two times on the Asian Tour this season. Park was also victorious at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open earlier this year.
• He made 20 putts in round four.
• His win at the 34th Shinhan Donghae Open is the first wire-to-wire victory on the Asian Tour in 2018.
• This is Park’s third win in Korea this year. He has also won the 2018 KEB Invitation, an event on the Korean PGA (KPGA).
• Park has risen to second place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings behind India’s Shubhankar Sharma.
• Scott Vincent earned his first Asian Tour card in 2016 via Qualifying School.
• In his rookie year on Tour, he posted two top-10s, including a tied-second finish at the Shinhan Donghae Open. Vincent went on to finish 28th on the Order of Merit to retain his card for the 2017 season.
• In 2017, he claimed four top-10s to finish in 17th place on the Order of Merit.
• Travis Smyth turned professional in November 2017
• He made it to the weekend rounds at his last five starts on the Asian Tour.

Player’s Quotes:

Sanghyun Park (Kor) – Final round 63 (-8), total 262 (-22)

I thought that this course is difficult and I didn’t think that I’d score. So, I thought my game was mad. I’m very happy and satisfied.

On breaking the records, it seems that I can do these kinds of impossible things. I’m happy and excited.

I thought my shoulder and neck were stiff in the morning. I stretched a lot, and I tried to warm up more at the range. I was worried when I went on the course.

However, I thought that I had to play my own game and told myself to focus. I did not have any idea that I’d win. Byeonghun and Vincent were catching up in the latter half, but I tried to keep my focused over 18 holes.

It was only after 16, when I started on the 17 when I was confident of winning the tournament. There was a five-shot cushion at that time.

I remember all eight birdies but if I have to pick one, I will choose the seventh. It was a bunker shot that went in. That changed the atmosphere of the game.

I want to go into the WGC-HSBC Champions and CIMB Classic to increase my ranking. Even the CJ Cup as well. Those are my goals. After winning today, these tournaments are well within my reach. I’m also looking at winning the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings as well.

I will be putting more priority on the Asian Tour and I will adjust my schedule to attend the events.

These days, if I’m in the champion’s group, I’m not anxious. I feel that I can dominate the game. That’s where I feel I’ve grown over the past few years.

Scott Vincent (Zim) – Final round 66 (-5), total 267 (-17)

I put him under pressure, but he (Sanghyun Park) was just too good today. All credit to him and there was not much more I could have done. I’m happy with how I did.

After the turn, it was now or never. I knew I needed to get something to happen. I got three birdies and it was looking good. He was able to save a couple of shots that could have gone either way. A disaster at hole 16 that closed the door on any chances.

I was trying to play the ball into the middle of the green and give myself a chance. From the backswing, I felt that I could go a little closer and changed what I wanted to do. I hit it into the water and suffered.

I have an excellent record here at the Shinhan Donghae Open (tied-second in 2016 and tied-third in 2017) and I can’t wait to be back.

Travis Smyth (Aus) – Final round 70 (-1), total 272 (-12)

Today was a little bit shaky off the tee. Other days I was finding a lot of fairways so I was just mad at myself. I missed, just a bunch of times. It would have helped my score a lot. But, it wasn’t meant to be as the leaders’ scores are very low anyway.

I’m looking to try to keep my card for next year. I’ll be playing in the next few events. It’s certainly one step in the correct direction.

My coach is going to accompany next week, so I hope that I’ll have a week that is as great as this was.

I’m back to where I want my game. The crowd is awesome and the course is great. So, I’m really looking forward to coming back.

Scores after round 4 of the The 34th Shinhan Donghae Open being played at the par 71, 7161 Yards Bear’s Best Cheongna Golf Club course (am – denotes amateur):
262 – Sanghyun PARK (KOR) 65-68-66-63.
267 – Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 69-66-66-66.
269 – Nick VOKE (NZL) 68-68-68-65.
270 – Doyeob MUN (KOR) 71-67-68-64, Hyunwoo RYU (KOR) 71-64-69-66.
271 – Hyungjoon LEE (KOR) 68-65-72-66.
272 – Travis SMYTH (AUS) 69-66-67-70.
273 – John CATLIN (USA) 71-68-67-67, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 67-70-68-68, Byeonghun AN (KOR) 69-66-65-73.
274 – Hyowon PARK (KOR) 70-71-69-64, Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 68-65-70-71.

Ends.