Chachoengsao, Bangkok, June 9: Home favourite Panuphol Pittayarat birdied the last two holes for a four-under-par 66 to pull one shot clear in the third round of the Thailand Open on Saturday. 

Playing on his home course, the bubbly Panuphol returned with a bogey free card to lead on 13-under-par 197 and put himself in prime position to win his second Asian Tour title at the Thai Country Club.

Thailand’s Poom Saksansin trailed closely in second place after matching Panuphol’s 66 while overnight leader Sarit Suwannarut posted a 69 to lie in third place, two shots from the lead at the US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

Poom Saksansin of Thailand

Asian Tour rookie Kurt Kitayama stayed in the title hunt following a 66 to share fourth place with four-time Asian Tour winner, Chapchai Nirat, who fired a blistering 64 for a 200 total.

The 25-year-old Panuphol, who won his first Asian Tour title last year, was neck-to-neck with Poom before he seized the outright lead by holing a 10-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole.

Poom, a two-time Asian Tour winner, also birdied the last to stay in contention of becoming the fifth Thai player to win their National Open since 1965.

Did you know?

• Panuphol enjoyed his first bogey-free round this week. After 54 holes, he has only dropped three shots.
• After missing the last four cuts, Panuphol is now in the running to win the Thailand Open after finishing fourth last year.
• This is Panuphol’s best three round score since going 16-under in the penultimate round of the 2017 Indonesia Open. He went on to win the tournament.
• Since his win in Indonesia, Panuphol has struggled to rediscover his winning form. His best result since the win was a tied 16th place finish at the Hero Indian Open in March.
• There will be extra added value for the winner this week as the Thailand Open marks the start of the 2018-2019 Panasonic Swing. Panuphol finished ninth in the inaugural Panasonic Swing which ended in April while Poom settled for 39th place.
• Poom is a two-time Asian Tour winner. He has changed the driver six times this year after struggling with erratic tee shots. He showed huge signs of improvement today after finding 13 out of 14 fairways.
• His three-day total of 12-under-par matched his best score at the Take Solutions Masters in India where he went on to win the tournament. He has never won a tournament while trailing after 54 holes.
• He was one of the standout performers at the EurAsia Cup earlier this year where he contributed two points which included defeating Paul Casey in the Singles matches.
• Only four Thai players have won their National Opens since 1965. The last time the Thailand Open had two back-to-back Thai winners was in 1991 (Suthep Meesawat) and 1992 (Boonchu Ruangkit).
• After 54 holes, the hole-in-one prize of 10,000 Dragon Coins on the 16th hole is still unclaimed. Dragon, the world’s entertainment token which offers the best digital payment solutions, will enter its first foray into golf sponsorship at the Thailand Open.

Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand

Player quotes:

Panuphol Pittayarat (Tha) – Third Round 66 (-4), Total 197 (-13)

The first 16 holes was very tight. It was hot and humid after the rain suspension but the two last birdies made my day.

This is home for me and everything here makes me feel comfortable. I really enjoy playing and practising here. I know the course well but you have to be patient. It is golf and it doesn’t mean that you will do well on your home course every day. You have a little bit of advantage.

My win in Indonesia taught me how to win a golf tournament. I’m going to go out tomorrow and try to have fun.

I’m happy to be in contention and I’m happy that I’m playing well. I just want to be on top on Sunday. I’m not surprised with how well I’ve played. I missed four cuts before this week but it doesn’t mean that I played badly. I’ve been playing well but it just doesn’t reflect in my score.

The birdie on the last was nice. I hit a perfect drive and approach. My (10 feet) birdie putt slowed down a bit but it eventually fell into the hole so that was nice.

Poom Saksansin (Tha) – Third Round 66 (-4), Total 198 (-12)

I feel good because I finished under-par. I putted very good but my iron wasn’t as good as I liked it to be. Honestly, I’m scared to hit driver so I’m hitting more fade shots to control my ball. I found a lot more fairways today.

I feel very excited but I cannot think ahead. My plan is to try and finish under-par. I want to win the Thailand Open but if I don’t, I hope another Thai player will win it.

Sarit Suwannarut (Tha) – Third round 69 (-1), Total 199 (-11)

It wasn’t my day but I reached my goal of finishing under-par. My driving and second shot were not good. I got to hit it better tomorrow. I’m not disappointed because I felt a lot of pressure. I didn’t play that badly.

I want to try and play today. I played with Panuphol and Poom today and I know them quite well. The round was quite chill so I hope to keep it that way. When you play with somebody else and he is serious, I would be like ‘please talk to me’ but it was fun today.

Kurt Kitayama of United States

Scores after round 3 of the Thailand Open being played at the par 70, 7060 Yards Thai CC course (am – denotes amateur):

197 – Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 67-64-66.

198 – Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 66-66-66.

199 – Sarit SUWANNARUT (THA) 65-65-69.

200 – Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 68-68-64, Kurt KITAYAMA (USA) 67-67-66.

201 – Scott HEND (AUS) 69-66-66.

202 – Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA) 66-69-67.

203 – Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 69-67-67, Natipong SRITHONG (THA) 64-69-70.

204 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 67-71-66, Doyeob MUN (KOR) 70-69-65, Rory HIE (INA) 67-72-65, David GLEESON (AUS) 67-69-68, Jake HIGGINBOTTOM (AUS) 67-69-68, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 67-69-68, Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69-66-69, Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 65-69-70.

205 – Kammalas NAMUANGRUK (am, THA) 68-70-67, Jarin TODD (USA) 68-71-66, Andrew MARTIN (AUS) 71-67-67, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 69-67-69, Daisuke KATAOKA (JPN) 70-66-69, Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA) 72-68-65, Adam BLYTH (AUS) 66-69-70, Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 65-70-70.

About Panasonic Swing

The Panasonic Swing was initiated by the Asian Tour and the Panasonic Corporation to reinforce Panasonic’s support for professional golf across the region when it came on board as the Asian Tour’s Official Consumer Electronics in May 2017.

The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at selected tournaments in Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

The inaugural Panasonic Swing, launched at the 2017 Thailand Open before concluding at the 2018 Panasonic Open Japan, saw India’s Shiv Kapur winning the Panasonic Swing with total points of 2922.90. His compatriot Rahil Gangjee came in second with 2805.00 while Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand finished third on 2380.50.

The second edition of the Panasonic Swing is set to kick off again at the 2018 Thailand Open, which will be staged at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10. It will feature tournaments in India, Malaysia and Indonesia before concluding at the Panasonic Open Japan in 2019.

About Thailand Open

The prestigious Thailand Open returned on the Asian Tour schedule in 2017 after an eight-year lapse. The Thailand Open, which was inaugurated in 1965, is one of the oldest National Opens in Asia.

Rattanon Wannasrichan became the fourth Thai player to win the Thailand Open when he claimed his breakthrough last year. The three other Thais are Suthep Meesawat (1991), Boonchu Ruangkit (1992 and 2004) and Prayad Marksaeng (2013).

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Thailand Golf Association, the Thailand Open will return to the Thai Country Club for its second straight edition on the Asian Tour from June 7 to 10.

The Thailand Open is proudly sponsored by Panasonic, Singha, Dragon, Novotel Bangkok Bangna, Srixon and Ricoh.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Chachoengsao, Bangkok, June 8: Little known Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand emerged as the surprise package at the US$300,000 Thailand Open after grabbing the second round clubhouse lead on Friday.  

Playing in only his second Asian Tour tournament, the big-hitting 20-year-old averaged 322.5 yards en-route to a second straight five-under-par 65 as he leads the weather interrupted tournament on 10-under-par 130.

The Thailand Open was suspended at 6.45pm due to darkness after thunderstorms halted play for more than an hour in the morning. A total of five players will return on Saturday at 6.45am to complete round two.  

Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand

Sarit, who joined the play-for-pay ranks earlier this year, produced a flawless card highlighted by five birdies to lead by one-shot from Panuphol Pittayarat, who equalled the week’s low round of 64, on his home course at the Thai Country Club.

After changing his driver for the sixth time, Poom Saksansin fired a solid 66 to charge into contention for a third Asian Tour victory on a 132 total.

The little known Sarit pursued his studies at the Virginia Tech University in the United States last year before returning to Thailand to pursue his golf career. He is a regular on the local Tour and has won two out of three long drive competitions in 2018.  

Playing without any expectations this week, Sarit has only dropped one shot in 36 holes and is in prime position to win his first Asian Tour title.

Did you know?

• Sarit has only dropped one shot in 36 holes. He has 11 birdies so far and was flawless in the second round.
• The young Thai is the only player to reach double digits at the halfway stage of the Thailand Open.
• Sarit is known for his big-hitting game. He took advantage of his booming drives where he averaged 322.5 yards. He has also won two longest drive competitions held on the local circuit this year.
• Sarit is among a strong Thai representation on the leaderboard. Five Thai players occupy the top six spots with fifth placed Kurt Kitayama of the United States being the only non-Thai player.
• He studied and played golf at the Virginia Tech University in the United States in 2016 but returned to Thailand earlier this year to pursue his dream of becoming a professional golfer.
• Sarit was nicknamed ‘safe’ by his mother after she suffered a miscarriage. She wanted Sarit to be safe during her pregnancy and gave him the moniker. He is the only child in the family.
• Panuphol is enjoying a return to form after missing the last four cuts. He will look to better his fourth place finish at the Thailand Open last year.
• His score of six-under-par 64 equalled the low round set by overnight leader Natipong Sritong.
• Panuphol struggled off the tees today. He found five out of 14 fairways but bounced back with a hot putter. He totalled 24 putts today.
• Poom is a two-time Asian Tour winner. He has been struggling with the driver this year which has resulted in him changing the big stick six times.
• He was one of the standout performers at the EurAsia Cup earlier this year where he contributed two points en-route to defeating Paul Casey in the Singles matches.

Poom Saksansin of Thailand

Player quotes:

Sarit Suwannarut (Tha) – Second Round 65 (-5), Total 130 (-10)

I feel pretty good about my game. I feel good about everything. My putting was pretty good the last two days and I made a lot of long putts. I’m a bit surprised my putting is this good but it will be the key this week. I want to try and go out there and have fun. I’m not thinking about winning.

I’m feeling a lot of pressure. I just came back from the United States because I didn’t play good golf there so I wanted to come here and become a professional golfer. I went to college in the United States (Virginia Tech University).

I’m going to talk to my friend, who is my caddy this week, to ease the pressure. I’m very excited to be leading the tournament. I think it is good to be a ‘no name’ here because nobody is looking for you. You just play your game.

On the local tour, they have the long drive competitions during the tournaments. I actually won it twice in three matches. I played football when I was seven or eight but I injured myself and I could barely walk. When I got hurt, I watched my father play golf and I took his club and hit the ball on my first try. That’s how why my parents said I should start playing golf.

My nickname is ‘Safe’ because my mom lost my brother while she was pregnant. She wanted me to be safe so I got this nickname. I’m the only child in the family.

Panuphol Pittayarat (Tha) – Second Round 64 (-6), Total 131 (-9)

I’m very happy to be on nine-under especially on my home course. I didn’t expect to finish birdie, birdie but I went into the restaurant (during the rain suspension) and had two boiled eggs. When I returned to the course, I finished with two birdie! If it is one egg for one birdie then I will have eight eggs tomorrow (laughs).

It wasn’t a good start for me this year. I haven’t been playing well in Japan. It is golf and you have to keep trying and practising. Hopefully you find what you need to do and hang on to it.

I hit it in the right rough on the eighth hole and hit it to about 25 feet and holed that birdie putt. I hit it in the right rough on the ninth again and hit it to five feet and holed that.

Poom Saksansin (Tha) – Second Round 66 (-4), Total 132 (-8) 

I hit my irons really good today. My driver hasn’t been working but I’ve fixed it and now it is getting better. I’ve changed many drivers this year. This month I changed four drivers so in total it has been six new drivers.

My driving has been so poor and after I changed one driver, I started to change shafts and couldn’t stop changing drivers (laughs). This course suits my game. It isn’t long and the fairways are quite tight.

This is my National Open and it is the biggest golf tournament in my country. I really want to win this.

Kurt Kitayama of the United States

About Panasonic Swing

The Panasonic Swing was initiated by the Asian Tour and the Panasonic Corporation to reinforce Panasonic’s support for professional golf across the region when it came on board as the Asian Tour’s Official Consumer Electronics in May 2017.

The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at selected tournaments in Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

The inaugural Panasonic Swing, launched at the 2017 Thailand Open before concluding at the 2018 Panasonic Open Japan, saw India’s Shiv Kapur winning the Panasonic Swing with total points of 2922.90. His compatriot Rahil Gangjee came in second with 2805.00 while Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand finished third on 2380.50.

The second edition of the Panasonic Swing is set to kick off again at the 2018 Thailand Open, which will be staged at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10. It will feature tournaments in India, Malaysia and Indonesia before concluding at the Panasonic Open Japan in 2019.

About Thailand Open

The prestigious Thailand Open returned on the Asian Tour schedule in 2017 after an eight-year lapse. The Thailand Open, which was inaugurated in 1965, is one of the oldest National Opens in Asia.

Rattanon Wannasrichan became the fourth Thai player to win the Thailand Open when he claimed his breakthrough last year. The three other Thais are Suthep Meesawat (1991), Boonchu Ruangkit (1992 and 2004) and Prayad Marksaeng (2013).

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Thailand Golf Association, the Thailand Open will return to the Thai Country Club for its second straight edition on the Asian Tour from June 7 to 10.

The Thailand Open is proudly sponsored by Panasonic, Singha, Dragon, Novotel Bangkok Bangna, Srixon and Ricoh.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Chachoengsao, Bangkok, June 8: Little known Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand emerged as the surprise package at the US$300,000 Thailand Open after grabbing the second round clubhouse lead on Friday.  

Playing in only his second Asian Tour tournament, the big-hitting 20-year-old averaged 322.5 yards en-route to a second straight five-under-par 65 as he leads the weather interrupted tournament on 10-under-par 130.

The Thailand Open was suspended at 6.45pm due to darkness after thunderstorms halted play for more than an hour in the morning. A total of five players will return on Saturday at 6.45am to complete round two.  

Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand

Sarit, who joined the play-for-pay ranks earlier this year, produced a flawless card highlighted by five birdies to lead by one-shot from Panuphol Pittayarat, who equalled the week’s low round of 64, on his home course at the Thai Country Club.

After changing his driver for the sixth time, Poom Saksansin fired a solid 66 to charge into contention for a third Asian Tour victory on a 132 total.

The little known Sarit pursued his studies at the Virginia Tech University in the United States last year before returning to Thailand to pursue his golf career. He is a regular on the local Tour and has won two out of three long drive competitions in 2018.  

Playing without any expectations this week, Sarit has only dropped one shot in 36 holes and is in prime position to win his first Asian Tour title.

Did you know?

• Sarit has only dropped one shot in 36 holes. He has 11 birdies so far and was flawless in the second round.
• The young Thai is the only player to reach double digits at the halfway stage of the Thailand Open.
• Sarit is known for his big-hitting game. He took advantage of his booming drives where he averaged 322.5 yards. He has also won two longest drive competitions held on the local circuit this year.
• Sarit is among a strong Thai representation on the leaderboard. Five Thai players occupy the top six spots with fifth placed Kurt Kitayama of the United States being the only non-Thai player.
• He studied and played golf at the Virginia Tech University in the United States in 2016 but returned to Thailand earlier this year to pursue his dream of becoming a professional golfer.
• Sarit was nicknamed ‘safe’ by his mother after she suffered a miscarriage. She wanted Sarit to be safe during her pregnancy and gave him the moniker. He is the only child in the family.
• Panuphol is enjoying a return to form after missing the last four cuts. He will look to better his fourth place finish at the Thailand Open last year.
• His score of six-under-par 64 equalled the low round set by overnight leader Natipong Sritong.
• Panuphol struggled off the tees today. He found five out of 14 fairways but bounced back with a hot putter. He totalled 24 putts today.
• Poom is a two-time Asian Tour winner. He has been struggling with the driver this year which has resulted in him changing the big stick six times.
• He was one of the standout performers at the EurAsia Cup earlier this year where he contributed two points en-route to defeating Paul Casey in the Singles matches.

Poom Saksansin of Thailand

Player quotes:

Sarit Suwannarut (Tha) – Second Round 65 (-5), Total 130 (-10)

I feel pretty good about my game. I feel good about everything. My putting was pretty good the last two days and I made a lot of long putts. I’m a bit surprised my putting is this good but it will be the key this week. I want to try and go out there and have fun. I’m not thinking about winning.

I’m feeling a lot of pressure. I just came back from the United States because I didn’t play good golf there so I wanted to come here and become a professional golfer. I went to college in the United States (Virginia Tech University).

I’m going to talk to my friend, who is my caddy this week, to ease the pressure. I’m very excited to be leading the tournament. I think it is good to be a ‘no name’ here because nobody is looking for you. You just play your game.

On the local tour, they have the long drive competitions during the tournaments. I actually won it twice in three matches. I played football when I was seven or eight but I injured myself and I could barely walk. When I got hurt, I watched my father play golf and I took his club and hit the ball on my first try. That’s how why my parents said I should start playing golf.

My nickname is ‘Safe’ because my mom lost my brother while she was pregnant. She wanted me to be safe so I got this nickname. I’m the only child in the family.

Panuphol Pittayarat (Tha) – Second Round 64 (-6), Total 131 (-9)

I’m very happy to be on nine-under especially on my home course. I didn’t expect to finish birdie, birdie but I went into the restaurant (during the rain suspension) and had two boiled eggs. When I returned to the course, I finished with two birdie! If it is one egg for one birdie then I will have eight eggs tomorrow (laughs).

It wasn’t a good start for me this year. I haven’t been playing well in Japan. It is golf and you have to keep trying and practising. Hopefully you find what you need to do and hang on to it.

I hit it in the right rough on the eighth hole and hit it to about 25 feet and holed that birdie putt. I hit it in the right rough on the ninth again and hit it to five feet and holed that.

Poom Saksansin (Tha) – Second Round 66 (-4), Total 132 (-8) 

I hit my irons really good today. My driver hasn’t been working but I’ve fixed it and now it is getting better. I’ve changed many drivers this year. This month I changed four drivers so in total it has been six new drivers.

My driving has been so poor and after I changed one driver, I started to change shafts and couldn’t stop changing drivers (laughs). This course suits my game. It isn’t long and the fairways are quite tight.

This is my National Open and it is the biggest golf tournament in my country. I really want to win this.

Kurt Kitayama of the United States

About Panasonic Swing

The Panasonic Swing was initiated by the Asian Tour and the Panasonic Corporation to reinforce Panasonic’s support for professional golf across the region when it came on board as the Asian Tour’s Official Consumer Electronics in May 2017.

The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at selected tournaments in Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

The inaugural Panasonic Swing, launched at the 2017 Thailand Open before concluding at the 2018 Panasonic Open Japan, saw India’s Shiv Kapur winning the Panasonic Swing with total points of 2922.90. His compatriot Rahil Gangjee came in second with 2805.00 while Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand finished third on 2380.50.

The second edition of the Panasonic Swing is set to kick off again at the 2018 Thailand Open, which will be staged at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10. It will feature tournaments in India, Malaysia and Indonesia before concluding at the Panasonic Open Japan in 2019.

About Thailand Open

The prestigious Thailand Open returned on the Asian Tour schedule in 2017 after an eight-year lapse. The Thailand Open, which was inaugurated in 1965, is one of the oldest National Opens in Asia.

Rattanon Wannasrichan became the fourth Thai player to win the Thailand Open when he claimed his breakthrough last year. The three other Thais are Suthep Meesawat (1991), Boonchu Ruangkit (1992 and 2004) and Prayad Marksaeng (2013).

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Thailand Golf Association, the Thailand Open will return to the Thai Country Club for its second straight edition on the Asian Tour from June 7 to 10.

The Thailand Open is proudly sponsored by Panasonic, Singha, Dragon, Novotel Bangkok Bangna, Srixon and Ricoh.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Chachoengsao, Bangkok, June 7: Thailand’s Natipong Srithong seized the opening round lead at the Thailand Open on Thursday, just five days after completing his final examinations for a law degree.

The 24-year-old completed his studies at the Thammasat University in Thailand on Saturday before turning his focus to the US$300,000 tournament where he fired a six-under-par 64 to lead by one shot.

India’s Chikkarangappa S. produced his best round in 2018 to trail in second place alongside Jazz Janewattananond and Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand on matching 65s at the award-winning Thai Country Club.

Chikkarangappa S.

China’s Xiao Bowen, Australia’s Terry Pilkadaris and Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, who represented Team Asia at the EurAsia Cup earlier this year, were among nine players bunched up in tied fifth place on 66s.

Natipong, who won his first Asian Tour title at the 2015 Resorts World Manila Masters while pursuing his law degree, produced a flawless round highlighted by six birdies. The young Thai was surprised with his hot start after taking time off from golf to study for his examinations.

After working with his coach Vijay Divecha last week, Chikkarangappa played one of his best rounds which was only marred by a bogey on his final ninth hole where his tee shot hit a tree and found water. He narrowly missed his par putt to settle for a 65.

The 22-year-old Jazz, who has been juggling between tournaments in Europe and Asia, was also bogey-free as he put himself in position to launch a title assault for a second Asian Tour victory.  

Did you know? 

• Natipong struggled earlier in the year and was low on confidence before finishing tied second at the Asia-Pacific Classic in China in May.He admits that he was worried about his final examinations.
• In relation to par, Natipong matched his best score at the Thai Country Club where he fired a six-under in the final round of the 2017 Thailand Open. The course is playing to a par-70 this year as opposed to a par-71 last year.
• Natipong started on the 10th hole and produced three birdies in each half.
• He broke through in style when he won the 2015 Resorts World Manila Masters which was only his fourth event on the region’s premier Tour.
• Natipong said he was happy to complete his exams but when he graduates, he will still choose golf over becoming a lawyer.
• This was Chikkarangappa’s best opening round since shooting a 65 at the 2015 Take Solutions Masters on home soil.
• He went through an intensive two-day training with his coach in Bangalore last week to iron out his erratic golf game which resulted in four out of seven missed cuts in 2018.
• Chikkarangappa took advantage of a hot putter where he totalled 23 putts in a round of six birdies against one bogey.
• He ended the 2017 season as the last player to earn full playing rights on the 2018 Asian Tour season after finishing in 61st position on the Order of Merit.
• Jazz and Sarit ensured a strong Thai presence at the top of the leaderboard. Sarit charged into a share of second place after shooting four straight birdies from the 14th hole.
• Jazz won his first Asian Tour title at the Bangladesh Open last year. The victory was especially sweet for him as he finished outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School.
• He still holds the record as the youngest ever player to make the halfway cut at the 2010 Asian Tour International in Bangkok at the age of 14 years and 71 days

Player quotes:

Natipong Srithong (Tha) – First Round 64 (-6)

I feel very happy because last week I didn’t practice much. I was preparing for my final exams for my law degree. I’m so happy because I’ve finished my studies and I can focus on golf. I was surprised with my result today.

I wanted to keep my ball on the fairway and I executed the plan very well. I didn’t play very well at the start of the 2018 Asian Tour season. After finishing second in China, I became more confident in my golf game. I was thinking too much earlier in the year.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – First Round 65 (-5)

The course is more difficult as compared to last year so I’m happy with my round without any bogeys. The conditions were tough so your all round game has to be good. I saved quite a few good pars so I’m happy with how I played.

The course is set-up really good so thank you Thai Country Club. I’ve been playing in Europe and Asia but I’m happy with how I’ve been playing. Look at Kiradech (Aphibarnrat), he played in Asia and Europe before so if he can do it, I need to learn how to do it as well.

There are lot of golf to be played so I want to keep my momentum going.

Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand

S. Chikkarangappa (Ind) – First Round 65 (-5)

This is my best round in a long time. It was a very solid round. My putting was amazing, I made 23 putts today. I holed some clutch par putts and that’s where I managed to keep going.

I’ve been going through a lot of changes and not being able to progress in the right way. It has been a year of the half now and I spend two solid days with my coach (Vijay Divecha). I was swinging all over the place previously but now I have it under control.

I was a bit nervous obviously coming into this week because I’ve been making so many changes. But after my lesson with my coach, I’m feeling more confident with my game.

(On the bogey on 18) That was probably the only bad shot I hit the whole day. It was right to left wind as I was about to hit my shot and my ball hit the tree and entered the left hazard. It is okay, you tend to have bad shots in a round. You can’t help it.

To be honest, the line of my putt was very tricky and I hit a great putt but I didn’t get the speed right. I felt bad the putt didn’t go in but I was happy because I read the line correctly. I’ve been able to read the greens very well here so I should take the positives going into the coming rounds.

I was the last person to earn a full Asian Tour card last year and it was a great relief to me. I’ve been working with my coach and making sure that I don’t end up in the same situation I was (on the Habitat for Humanity Standings).

Scores after round 1 of the Thailand Open being played at the par 70, 7060 Yards Thai CC course (am – denotes amateur):

64 – Natipong SRITHONG (THA).

65 – Chikkarangappa S. (IND), Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA), Sarit SUWANNARUT (THA).

66 – Nattawat SUVAJANAKORN (THA), Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA), Suttijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA), Terry PILKADARIS (AUS), XIAO Bowen (CHN), Poom SAKSANSIN (THA), Adam BLYTH (AUS), Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Josh YOUNGER (AUS).

67 – David GLEESON (AUS), Anthony KANG (USA), John CATLIN (USA), Daniel NISBET (AUS), Rashid KHAN (IND), Rory HIE (INA), Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA), Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA), Kurt KITAYAMA (USA), Miguel CARBALLO (ARG), Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA), Jake HIGGINBOTTOM (AUS), Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA), Scott BARR (AUS), Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA).

68 – Somsak KAOPRATUM (THA), Chapchai NIRAT (THA), LU Wei-chih (TPE), Witchayanon CHOTHIRUNRUNGRUENG (am, THA), Kammalas NAMUANGRUK (am, THA), Ben CAMPBELL (NZL), Peradol PANYATHANASEDH (THA), Charng-Tai SUDSOM (THA), Tanapat PICHAIKOOL (am, THA), Danthai BOONMA (THA), Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN), Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN), Jarin TODD (USA), Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA).

About Panasonic Swing

The Panasonic Swing was initiated by the Asian Tour and the Panasonic Corporation to reinforce Panasonic’s support for professional golf across the region when it came on board as the Asian Tour’s Official Consumer Electronics in May 2017.

The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at selected tournaments in Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

The inaugural Panasonic Swing, launched at the 2017 Thailand Open before concluding at the 2018 Panasonic Open Japan, saw India’s Shiv Kapur winning the Panasonic Swing with total points of 2922.90. His compatriot Rahil Gangjee came in second with 2805.00 while Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand finished third on 2380.50.

The second edition of the Panasonic Swing is set to kick off again at the 2018 Thailand Open, which will be staged at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10. It will feature tournaments in India, Malaysia and Indonesia before concluding at the Panasonic Open Japan in 2019.

About Thailand Open

The prestigious Thailand Open returned on the Asian Tour schedule in 2017 after an eight-year lapse. The Thailand Open, which was inaugurated in 1965, is one of the oldest National Opens in Asia.

Rattanon Wannasrichan became the fourth Thai player to win the Thailand Open when he claimed his breakthrough last year. The three other Thais are Suthep Meesawat (1991), Boonchu Ruangkit (1992 and 2004) and Prayad Marksaeng (2013).

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Thailand Golf Association, the Thailand Open will return to the Thai Country Club for its second straight edition on the Asian Tour from June 7 to 10.

The Thailand Open is proudly sponsored by Panasonic, Singha, Dragon, Novotel Bangkok Bangna, Srixon and Ricoh.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Chachoengsao, Bangkok, Thailand, June 6: Rashid Khan of India hopes to end a four-year title drought when he contends at the US$300,000 Thailand Open which starts on Thursday. 

The lanky Indian enjoyed an amazing season in 2014 when he won two Asian Tour titles in India and Thailand. He has been  through some lean years since but hopes to turn the corner at the Thai Country Club, a venue where he last played  10 years ago.

The 27-year-old Khan will look to high-flying countryman Shubhankar Sharma, who just qualified for next week’s U.S. Open, for inspiration when he goes up against the elite field led by title holder Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand

Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert will also feature in his National Open after winning a  record sixth Asian Development Tour (ADT) title in Thailand a fortnight ago. Prior to the ADT win, the 29-year-old Pavit rested for four weeks to recover from a wrist injury.

Also returning from injury is Scott Hend of Australia, the 2016 Asian Tour number one. He is slowly returning to form after a bulging disc in his back kept him out of the game for five weeks starting from the middle of March.

The nine-time Asian Tour winner, who finished tied 14th at  the Italian Open last week, will feel at home at the Thai Country Club, a venue where he regularly practices when he is in Asia.

Did you know?

• Khan won two titles at the 2014 SAIL-SBI Open in India and 2014 Chiangmai Golf Classic in Thailand. He earned a three-year multiple winner’s exemption which ended at the end of last year. He finished in 39th place on the 2017 Order of Merit to earn full playing rights this season.
• He has struggled with illnesses and injuries over the years but the biggest setback he suffered was when he got into a motorcycle accident which kept him out of the game for a month in 2016.
• Khan said his driver has been a huge letdown in his game and he might opt to use a three-wood off the tees at the Thailand Open this week.
• The last time Khan played at the Thai Country Club was in 2008 when he qualified for the Volvo Masters of Asia after winning the Faldo Series.
• Pavit sensationally won his first Asian Tour title at the 2016 Macao Open when he defeated Anirban Lahiri of India on the first play-off hole.
• He is aiming for a second Asian Tour title at the Thailand Open this week and will be buoyant by his sixth ADT win two weeks ago. He currently holds the most number of victories on the ADT.
• Since the Thailand’s Open inauguration in 1965, only four Thai players have won their National Open.
• Hend is one of the most successful international golfers on the Asian Tour. He has won nine Asian Tour titles, three of which are from Thailand. He is also the first Australian to win the Order of Merit crown.
• He made the long trip to Thailand after finishing tied 14th at the Italian Open last week.
• Hend finished tied sixth at the Thailand Open last year and was six shots back of the champion Rattanon, who finished on 21-under-par 263. He expects another low scoring week.
• The Thai Country Club will be played as a par-70 course as opposed to last year’s par-71.
• The Thailand Open will also offer a hole-in-one prize of 10,000 Dragon Coins "DRG" to the first professional who aces the 16th hole. Dragon, the world’s entertainment token which offers the best digital payment solutions, will enter its first foray into golf sponsorship at the Thailand Open.

Players’ quotes:

Rashid Khan (Ind)

I’m playing this golf course after 10 years. The last time I played here was in 2008 (Volvo Masters of Asia) after I won the Faldo Series. I was quite surprised when I reached the golf course because it looked so familiar. Took me two days to find out I played here before!

I’ve been struggling with my driver for a very long time. The driver technology has changed so much. Now you have to fix the bolts here and move the nuts there so it is very confusing.

I have tried so many different things to improve on my driving. I have tried so many things that I’ve forgotten what I’m supposed to be doing. I’m planning to find a new coach to help me fix this problem soon. I hope my driver works tomorrow but if it doesn’t I will use my three wood.

My irons are okay and my short game is perfect but on this course, you must find the fairways.

The last few years have been frustrating. When I’m playing good golf, I get food poisoning, fall sick or get into a bike accident. It is heart breaking because you practise so hard and bad things like this tend to put a lot of negative thoughts in your mind.

I feel that I’m very close to my best game. Last week I shot 12-under at the Delhi Golf Club in a practice round so I feel that my game is there. I just need to feel comfortable with the driver.

Shubhankar (Sharma) and I used to play on the PGTI and on the Asian Tour. Now he is playing on the PGA Tour. It gives me a lot more motivation and because of his success, I’m practicing more. I used to chill at home but now I’m training more and spending 10 hours at the golf course. Everybody struggles in their game including Tiger Woods. I have to stay positive if I want to play my best golf again.

Scott Hend of Australia

Pavit Tangkamolprasert (Tha)

The win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) two weeks ago was very special because I’m the brand ambassador for Betagro. It is also very special because I just returned from a wrist injury and it was my first tournament in four weeks.

I feel very confident at the moment. When I was injured, I didn’t touch my golf clubs for four weeks. That’s the first time that I didn’t touch my clubs at all. I felt fresh in my mind and I took the time to work out more.

I really wanted to play golf so badly and I gave it my all at the ADT event. I didn’t expect to win because I wasn’t 100% healed. Luckily I shot a 62 in the third round and that obviously helped a lot.

This week, I feel really good. It will be a tough week but I’m a long hitter so I have an advantage here. I’m very happy to play in the Thailand Open because I didn’t play here last week. It is always nice to play at home, people are cheering for you so it is a very special week.

Winning on the Tour is not easy even on the ADT. The competition is so strong now. The most important thing is to keep your card on the main Tour and don’t think about winning every week. That will only put pressure on yourself.

Scott Hend (Aus)

My back is starting to feel better. I’m starting to feel the golf club a bit better. It is just a matter of getting some confidence. It is always difficult for anybody from any sport to have an injury and not play for a long time. It is a slow process.

I had a bulging disc in my back. I hurt it in New Zealand and tried to play in India. Then I went home to see my physiotherapist and chiropractor and decided to have a MRI. It is not a golf injury but probably from go karting. I had the longest break in my 20-year golf career because I didn’t touch a club in five weeks.

It is a tough thing for me to be on a break. I’m the sort of person who wants to play every single week so for me not to play and practice was excruciating. This is like a home course to me. When I’m in Asia, I practice and play here. The golf course, in my opinion is one of the best in the region.

No, my game is not 100%. We are getting there. It is a long season and we are only half way there. There’s a lot of stiff competition here. Look at Rattanon last year, he played extremely well. There are low scores out here and if you are not on top of your game, you are not going to win. 

About Panasonic Swing

The Panasonic Swing was initiated by the Asian Tour and the Panasonic Corporation to reinforce Panasonic’s support for professional golf across the region when it came on board as the Asian Tour’s Official Consumer Electronics in May 2017.

The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at selected tournaments in Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

The inaugural Panasonic Swing, launched at the 2017 Thailand Open before concluding at the 2018 Panasonic Open Japan, saw India’s Shiv Kapur winning the Panasonic Swing with total points of 2922.90. His compatriot Rahil Gangjee came in second with 2805.00 while Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand finished third on 2380.50.

The second edition of the Panasonic Swing is set to kick off again at the 2018 Thailand Open, which will be staged at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10. It will feature tournaments in India, Malaysia and Indonesia before concluding at the Panasonic Open Japan in 2019.

About Thailand Open

The prestigious Thailand Open returned on the Asian Tour schedule in 2017 after an eight-year lapse. The Thailand Open, which was inaugurated in 1965, is one of the oldest National Opens in Asia.

Rattanon Wannasrichan became the fourth Thai player to win the Thailand Open when he claimed his breakthrough last year. The three other Thais are Suthep Meesawat (1991), Boonchu Ruangkit (1992 and 2004) and Prayad Marksaeng (2013).

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Thailand Golf Association, the Thailand Open will return to the Thai Country Club for its second straight edition on the Asian Tour from June 7 to 10.

The Thailand Open is proudly sponsored by Panasonic, Singha, Dragon, Novotel Bangkok Bangna, Srixon and Ricoh.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Chachoengsao, Bangkok, Thailand, June 5: Young talent Rattanon Wannasrichan aims to become the second Thai player to win multiple Thailand Open titles when the event gets underway on Thursday.

The 22-year-old became the fourth local player to win his National Open last year and will be eyeing a successful title defence at the Thai Country Club, which he rates as his favourite course.

Thai legend Boonchu Ruangkit is the only local player to win the prestigious event twice in 1992 and 2004.

Rahil Gangjee of India

There will be extra motivation for Rattanon to do well this week as the Thailand Open marks the start of the 2018-2019 Panasonic Swing race which will see players battle it out in an aggregate points ranking at five selected tournaments across Asia.

Joining the young Thai in the US$300,000 Asian Tour event are Rahil Gangjee of India, who is the highest ranked player in third place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and newly-crowned Asian Tour champion, John Catlin of the United States.

Gangjee is still feeling the after-effects of ending a 14-year wait for a second Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in April. His confidence is still high but the 39-year-old prefers to keep his expectations low.  

The 28-year-old Catlin won his first Asian Tour title at the Asia-Pacific Classic in China last month and is relishing the opportunity to contend at the Thailand Open. The American is confident of doing well in the country where he has set-up base since coming to Asia two years ago.

Did you know?

• Rattanon became only the fourth Thai player to win his National Open after after Suthep Meesawat (1991), Boonchu Ruangkit (1992 and 2004) and Prayad Marksaeng (2013) to win the prestigious tournament since its inception in 1965.
• Rattanon is one of the highly rated young golfers to emerge from Thailand. He won his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title at the 2015 Taifong Open in Chinese Taipei before securing his first Asian Tour win last year.
• He won the Thailand Open with a winning total of 21-under-par 263 total and only dropped four bogeys the entire week. He held at least a share of the lead since the opening round last year.
• Rattanon said the Thai Country Club is his favourite course because of the hot weather.
• He represented Thailand during his amateur days and won the team and individual gold medals at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.
• Gangjee is adopting a different approach this week and will keep his expectations low. He said “If my expectations go down low, it is okay because that’s when I play my best golf.”
• He is ranked third on the Habitat for Humanity Standings where he trails the leader and countryman Shubhankar Sharma by slightly more than US$300,000.
• Gangjee’s future took a turn for the better when he won the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in April. Prior to the win, he missed five cuts and retired twice in seven appearances.
• Catlin sharpened his game on the ADT before going on to win on the Asian Tour last month. He is also a two-time ADT winner.
• At the age of 27, Catlin believes Thailand is his ‘home away from home’ as he has been based in Hua Hin in the last two years.
• Before turning professional, Catlin earned the honours of being named an All-American in two of the four years he spent at the New Mexico University.

Players’ quotes:

Rattanon Wannasrichan (Tha)

It feels good to be back here. I want to try and win again. If I can putt as good as I did last year, I believe I have a chance. The greens are quite firm this year and it will be difficult to get up-and-down around the greens. If you hit the greens, you will have a better chance at getting birdies.

I came close to winning the 2017-2018 Panasonic Swing but I was nervous on the last day of the Panasonic Open Golf Championship (final Panasonic Swing event). I didn’t win but I did earn a bonus of US$30,000 so I was very happy with that.

When I smile, I don’t feel nervous. I feel relaxed. I just want to follow the same game plan and hope to sink my putts. Last year I hit many fairways and my putter was really hot. Last year, I was very proud when I became only the fourth Thai player to win the Thailand Open. It is a very good record for me because it was also my first Asian Tour title.

If I win, I think I’m lucky but I really want to try and win it again this year because I really like this golf course. It is not my home course but I like the hot weather here.

The players at the press conference

Rahil Gangjee (Ind)

It has been unreal (on his win at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan). There was enough excitement when I got home. We had a nice big party, all my friends came and even though it was after a week, it still felt unreal. I still feel excited when people remind me about the final day in Japan.

Confidence is the key thing in golf. It is like a chicken and egg situation. You play well and get confidence or you have confidence and play well? The key word is ‘confidence’ whichever way you get it. It must be there in your game.

I absolutely did not expect to win, let’s be truthful. It was about a year and half since I played decent golf and there was something lacking in the game. I started working on things which I haven’t in the past and had time to reflect during the quiet weeks.

My expectations were way down. It is something which I don’t mind. If my expectations go down low, it is okay because that’s when I play my best golf. When you don’t have expectations, you feel relaxed and you play the way you need and supposed to play.

I felt my expectations were a bit high in recent weeks but it was something which I addressed immediately. I’m on the path to get rid of expectations. For me, having that expectation and putting pressure on myself doesn’t work.

I’m not chasing anything anymore. If it happens, it happens. It was a long time since I won and over that period you look back and you ask yourself what’s going on? I’ve played well and kept my Tour card every year but you look back at the bigger picture and you tell yourself that you need to do things differently.

This mind-set comes with age. Experience is the biggest teacher. If somebody had told me this when I was 24, I might not have known how to put it into action. When you are young got the power of the world behind you and you want to just beat everybody. As you get older, you realise that you have to play a certain way to be able to beat everybody.

John Catlin (Usa)

Thailand always feels  like a home away from home ever since I came here two years ago. It was a very easy transition for me. The people here are friendly and the food is good. It has been a great home base for me. As long as I’m playing the Asian Tour, I will definitely be based in Thailand.

The win in China was huge. My goal in the beginning of the year was to win on the Asian Tour so it was good that I did it so early in the season. I’m really excited to keep going. Anytime you put yourself in the winner’s circle, it’s awesome and it gives you a lot of confidence.

The hard work has definitely been showing dividends. I kept telling myself to stay patient and hit the shot you feel comfortable with. You never know when the win will come and when it does, it feels fantastic.

The ADT is great. It is a four-day tournament and it gives you Official World Golf Ranking points. For me it was huge playing on the ADT because it gave me the comfort of travelling around Asia and playing on different grasses. I felt a lot more confident playing on the Asian Tour this year because the ADT prepared me for it.

The win is huge… monstrous for my confidence. I’m looking forward to the next opportunity to win again and say it to myself that I’ve been here and I’ve done it.

About Panasonic Swing

The Panasonic Swing was initiated by the Asian Tour and the Panasonic Corporation to reinforce Panasonic’s support for professional golf across the region when it came on board as the Asian Tour’s Official Consumer Electronics in May 2017.

The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at selected tournaments in Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

The inaugural Panasonic Swing, launched at the 2017 Thailand Open before concluding at the 2018 Panasonic Open Japan, saw India’s Shiv Kapur winning the Panasonic Swing with total points of 2922.90. His compatriot Rahil Gangjee came in second with 2805.00 while Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand finished third on 2380.50.

The second edition of the Panasonic Swing is set to kick off again at the 2018 Thailand Open, which will be staged at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10. It will feature tournaments in India, Malaysia and Indonesia before concluding at the Panasonic Open Japan in 2019.

About Thailand Open

The prestigious Thailand Open returned on the Asian Tour schedule in 2017 after an eight-year lapse. The Thailand Open, which was inaugurated in 1965, is one of the oldest National Opens in Asia.

Rattanon Wannasrichan became the fourth Thai player to win the Thailand Open when he claimed his breakthrough last year. The three other Thais are Suthep Meesawat (1991), Boonchu Ruangkit (1992 and 2004) and Prayad Marksaeng (2013).

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Thailand Golf Association, the Thailand Open will return to the Thai Country Club for its second straight edition on the Asian Tour from June 7 to 10.

The Thailand Open is proudly sponsored by Panasonic, Singha, Dragon, Novotel Bangkok Bangna, Srixon and Ricoh.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Bangkok, June 1: A strong line-up of Asian Tour stars comprising of 13 players inside the top-20 of the Habitat for Humanity Standings will challenge for the Thailand Open title next week.

Rahil Gangjee will be the highest-ranked player in the elite field where he currently sits in third place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. He will be joined by new Asian Tour winner John Catlin and an in-form Sihwan Kim of the United States at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10.

Australia’s Scott Hend, the 2016 Asian Tour number one, Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe, Berry Henson of the United States and Indian stalwart Gaganjeet Bhullar will also feature in the US$300,000 Asian Tour event which also marks the start of the new 2018/2019 Panasonic Swing series.

Thailand will also be well represented in her National Open by defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan, Jazz Janewattananond, Danthai Boonma, Panuphol Pittayarat and Pavit Tangkamolprasert, who won his sixth Asian Development Tour (ADT) title last week.

Korean-American Kim is enjoying a splendid season on the Asian Tour so far. The 29-year-old finished tied third at the Hero Indian Open in March and followed up on that performance with a fourth-place finish at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan in April. 

Kim is playing in his second full season on the Asian Tour and he hopes to land his first victory. He is currently ranked fifth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and is determined to improve on his tied 15th place finish at the Thailand Open last year.

“If I can play well, things will take care of itself. I’ve had good results and that will get my confidence up. If I continue to play like how I did in India and Japan, then I’ll be fine,” said Kim.

Malcolm Kokocinski of Sweden

New Asian Tour winner Malcolm Kokocinski of Sweden, who is based in Hua Hin, Thailand, is determined to continue his winning form.

The Swede played primarily on the ADT earlier this year where he secured three runner-up finishes before going on to win his first Asian Tour title at the AB Bank Bangladesh Open last month.

“The victory in Bangladesh means a lot to me. I didn’t have a status on the Asian Tour so I’m pleased with how I won. I have had some good results on the ADT so I decided to stay in Thailand and see what the year has to offer,” said Kokocinski.

The Thailand Open will also see a charity drive initiated by the Asian Tour’s Sustainable Development Partner, Habitat for Humanity. The non-profit organisation, which focusses on providing low-income families in need of decent shelter, will raise funds by selling their merchandise at the Thai Country Club.

Ends.

About Panasonic Swing

The Panasonic Swing was initiated by the Asian Tour and the Panasonic Corporation to reinforce Panasonic’s support for professional golf across the region when it came on board as the Asian Tour’s Official Consumer Electronics in May 2017.

The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at selected tournaments in Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

The inaugural Panasonic Swing, launched at the 2017 Thailand Open before concluding at the 2018 Panasonic Open Japan, saw India’s Shiv Kapur winning the Panasonic Swing with total points of 2922.90. His compatriot Rahil Gangjee came in second with 2805.00 while Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand finished third on 2380.50.

The second edition of the Panasonic Swing is set to kick off again at the 2018 Thailand Open, which will be staged at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10. It will feature tournaments in India, Malaysia and Indonesia before concluding at the Panasonic Open Japan in 2019.

About Thailand Open

The prestigious Thailand Open returned on the Asian Tour schedule in 2017 after an eight-year lapse. The Thailand Open, which was inaugurated in 1965, is one of the oldest National Opens in Asia.

Rattanon Wannasrichan became the fourth Thai player to win the Thailand Open when he claimed his breakthrough last year. The three other Thais are Suthep Meesawat (1991), Boonchu Ruangkit (1992 and 2004) and Prayad Marksaeng (2013).

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Thailand Golf Association, the Thailand Open will return to the Thai Country Club for its second straight edition on the Asian Tour from June 7 to 10.

The Thailand Open is proudly sponsored by Panasonic, Singha, Dragon, Novotel Bangkok Bangna, Srixon and Ricoh.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Sentosa, Singapore, May 31: Promising talent Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand will brace himself for new challenges when he makes his debut appearance at The 147th Open at Carnoustie in July.

The 22-year-old Jazz, who earned the coveted berth by finishing tied-fourth at The Open Qualifying Series at the SMBC Singapore Open in January, is excited to make his first Major appearance at the venue where he watched his idol Tiger Woods in action in 2007.

“My father brought me to watch Tiger play in The Open at Carnoustie when I was around 10 years old so earning my Major debut to play at the same venue this year makes me feel really special. It has been a long journey since.

“I’m just trying to gather as many information as I can before I head there. It’s going to be a different kind of golf tournament for sure. I have never played there before so I need to expect the unexpected, go there with an open mind and see what I can do,” said Jazz.

Jazz reckons that playing in the unfamiliar conditions will be his biggest test when he tees off in the year’s third Major championship from July 19 to 22.

“I’ve been asking around to find out how it is like to play on a links course. I played with Thongchai (Jaidee) and Kiradech (Aphibarnrat) during a practice round at the Volvo China Open last month and they gave me some advice on what I should be prepared for,” he added.

Jazz turned professional at the end of 2010. Earlier that year, he played his way into the history books of the Asian Tour by becoming the youngest ever player, at the age of 14 years and 71 days, to make the halfway cut at the Asian Tour International.

He failed to retain his Asian Tour card for the first time at the end of 2016 but a breakthrough win at the 2017 Bangladesh Open saw him turned his career around and eventually finished the season in a career-high ninth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“It’s difficult to find something that’s similar to the links course here. The weather is different and the ground is firmer. Everything is going to be different. Sometimes, when a big event comes, you try and do something different. But it doesn’t necessarily work all the time.

“I just want to give it my best. I will prepare to my best capability and see what happens. My parents will be heading over to Carnoustie with me so I am looking forward to it. Playing in a Major tournament is every professional golfer’s dream. I can’t wait to be there,” Jazz said.

This July, Jazz will represent his country alongside Kiradech Aphibarnrat, world number 30, and Danthai Boonma, who also secured his Major debut after finishing tied-fourth at the season-opener in Singapore in January.

Reigning Order of Merit champion Gavin Green of Malaysia and India’s Shubhankar Sharma, who leads the current Habitat for Humanity Standings, will also feature at The Open, golf’s oldest Major championship.

Other players expected to spearhead the Asian Tour challenge at The Open include 2015 Order of Merit champion Anirban Lahiri of India, South African Shaun Norris, Japan’s Yuta Ikeda and Mashiro Kawamura.

The upcoming Kolon Korean Open, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korean Golf Association, will be part of The Open Qualifying Series.

Two spots will be awarded to the leading two players (not otherwise exempt) finishing in the top-eight and ties in the event, which will take place at the Woo Jeong Hills from June 21 to 24.

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Bangkok, May 30: Indian star Rahil Gangjee will take aim at the US$300,000 Thailand Open next week, which will mark the start of the 2018/2019 Panasonic Swing race on the Asian Tour.

Gangjee finished second on the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing ranking after sensationally winning his long-awaited second Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open Championship in Japan in April.

The bubbly Indian, who is currently ranked third on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, hopes to get off to a fast start in the latest Panasonic Swing race when he tees it up at the Thailand Open which will be played at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10.

Gangjee will be joined at the Thailand Open by nine-time Asian Tour winner Scott Hend of Australia and defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan, who finished a notable third on the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing ranking.

Newly-crowned Asian Tour winners John Catlin of the United States and Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski will also feature in the prestigious event alongside local hopes Pavit Tangkamolprasert, who won his sixth Asian Development Tour (ADT) title last week, and the talented Jazz Janewattananond.

Gangjee ended a 14-year title drought on the Asian Tour at the Panasonic Open Championship in April which also concluded the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing and was won by his close friend Shiv Kapur.

The victory last month was a huge relief for Gangjee, who prior to the win had uncharacteristically missed several cuts. He also had to fight tooth-and-nail in the 2017 season to narrowly retain his Asian Tour card by finishing 60th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“It has been 14 years. I’ve been in such situations a few times but obviously have not been able to convert my chances. It has been a very hard 14 years and the thing that surprises even myself is my will to keep going,” said a delighted Gangjee after his win in Japan.

Gangjee earned a x1.5 multiplier of Panasonic Swing points at the Panasonic Open Championship and his second place finish came with a bonus of US$50,000 while the winner Kapur took home US$70,000. Rattanon settled for US$30,000 after he finished third on the Panasonic Swing.

The Panasonic Swing, which was launched in 2017, is based on an aggregate points ranking earned by players at selected tournaments across Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking, which ends at the 2019 Panasonic Open Japan, will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Singapore, May 31: Former World Number one and four-time major champion Ernie Els is looking forward to exploring the Pacific paradise of Fiji when he makes his debut at the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course from August 2 to August 5.

Els will make it a family affair when he travels to Fiji for the first time to play in the tournament tri-sanctioned by the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, European Tour and Asian Tour.

“I’ve never been to Fiji so when I was contacted to see if I’d like to play I thought why not, it’s going to be late July and early August, should be nice and warm so I may as well check out Fiji,” said Els.

“I’m really looking forward to it; I’m taking my daughter and my wife so we’re all really looking forward to the trip,” added Els.

A consummate professional, Els will be doing his research on the Vijay Singh designed Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course before teeing it up at the picturesque venue.

He’s well aware of some of the challenges the 18-holes can present, in particular the gusting winds on the holes exposed to the Coral Sea.

“I’ll do some homework on the course in Fiji, Vijay has played there and Brandt Snedeker has played there, I did watch a little bit one year when the wind was blowing unbelievably,” added Els.

“Hopefully the wind stays away a little bit but I’ll find some information on it before I get there and go through the course.”

The South African has one of the most glittering resumes in professional golf and has recorded wins on both the European Tour (28) and PGA TOUR (19) throughout his career which has taken him across the world and to the upper echelons of the sport.

“I’ve been to quite a few spots in my playing career, I’ve played professionally since I was 20-years-old and I’m 48 now so it’s been quite a while.

“I’m not sure how many continents or countries I’ve been to, I haven’t quite taken count like my countryman Gary Player has, he could probably tell you exactly where he’s been,” said Els.

He’s now reached another milestone in the game and was named Captain of the International Team for next year’s Presidents Cup to be held at Royal Melbourne Golf Club from December 9 to December 15.

It has slightly changed how “The Big Easy” approaches tournaments he plays in with one eye now on the performances of potential International Team members.

“It’s a little bit different now, my capacity as a player has changed a little bit, I’m getting closer to 50 and I’m a Presidents Cup Captain so I’m really looking around at players,” Els said of his new a role.

“So I’m looking forward to changing my role from a player to a Presidents Cup Captain, I still love competing and I still love playing and I’m looking forward to giving you guys a good show in Fiji,” he added.

Els and the International Team will have their work cut out for them to break the dominance Team USA has over the Presidents Cup.

In the 12 editions of the tournament, the U.S. has won 10 times with the Internationals recording a victory in 1998 and a tie in 2003, Els a playing member of the Internationals on both those occasions.

“To topple the U.S. is going to be an immense task, they’re in-form, they’ve won the Ryder Cup, they’ve won the Presidents Cup so they’re pretty confident,” added Els.

“If you’ve watched the last couple of weeks especially on the U.S. Tour and last week at Wentworth, some of the International boys have really done well.”

The top-8 players (excluding those eligible for the European Ryder Cup team) from the Official World Golf Ranking at a nominated date will automatically qualify, leaving Els and his team to select four additional players to make up a squad of 12.

He won’t be short of players to pick from should the form of eligible players across the golfing world hold up in time for the December 2019.

“Satoshi Kodaira won at Hilton Head and then we’ve had some really good finishes by Marc Leishman, obviously Jason Day has been off the charts winning and it seems like he’s ready to win a major this year, Louis Oosthuizen is a top-5 player, Emiliano Grillo has played well.

“The core group of guys are starting to play well, we’re waiting for Hideki (Matsuyama) to come around and Adam Scott looks like he’s finding form. We’ve got eight players that have got to qualify then four picks, so I think I’m going to be in a healthy state come next year when we start making picks.

“We need to chip away at them, we’ve got four days next year to do that and the mission is to win 15 and a half points and we’ll be ready.”

About the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways

To be held from 2-5 August 2018 the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways will be played at Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course which boasts breathtaking views of the Coral Coast and is home to the Natadola Beach Land Estate. Enticed by the tropical destination, the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways has attracted some of the world’s best golfers since its inaugural staging in 2014 including Fijian hero and three-time Major champion Vijay Singh, 2017 champion Jason Norris, 2016 champion Brandt Snedeker, 2015 champion Matt Kuchar, 2014 champion Steven Jeffress, Steven Bowditch, Boo Weekley and Nick Price.This year’s tournament is set to feature four-time Major champion and Captain of the International Team for the 2019 Presidents Cup, Ernie Els. In 2018, the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways continues to have a global presence confirming its position as an integral tournament in the South Pacific region, with the tournament being tri-sanctioned by the European Tour, ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia and Asian Tour. A Pacific paradise, the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways also boasts some of the most unique hospitality options in world golf with the par-3 8th hole providing the perfect vantage point to watch the golf, whilst socialising on the beach More than just a golf tournament, the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways aims to leave a lasting legacy for golf in the Pacific region, with the PGA of Australia supporting initiatives to introduce and grow the game in Fiji. Owned by SEL and the PGA of Australia, the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways is proudly supported by the Fijian Government, Tourism Fiji and the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa as the official resort of the tournament.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.