Caption: (l-r) Masanori Kobayashi, Shota Akiyoshi, Michael Hendry and Masahiro Kawamura qualified for The 147th Open at the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open at the Royal Golf Club in Japan.

Japan, May 28: Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura successfully earned his place at The 147th Open after closing with a one-under-par 71 to finish in tied-second place at the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open held on home soil on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Kawamura, a one-time Asian Tour winner in 2013, ended his campaign one shot back of winner and compatriot Shota Akiyoshi on even-par 288 total to grab one of the four tickets on offer at The Royal Golf Club.

Kawamura will be making his debut at The Open, which gets underway at the Carnoustie Golf Links from July 19 to 22. It will be his second appearance in a Major championship since qualifying for the US Open through a sectional qualifier in Japan three years ago.

“To have earned a place in The Open is fantastic and I am very excited to be playing in the Championship” said Kawamura. “It will be my first visit to Scotland and I am looking forward to the challenge of playing Carnoustie,” he added.

“I am a little disappointed not to have won the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open but to have earned a place in The Open is fantastic and I am very excited to be playing in the Championship,” said Kawamura.

“It will be my first visit to Scotland and I am looking forward to the challenge of playing Carnoustie for the first time. I know that links golf is very different so I will speak to my friends in the UK to get some advice. The way in which the course was set up this week will give me good experience in preparation for playing Carnoustie,” he added.

Sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO), the Mizuno Open is the fourth event in The Open Qualifying Series. The leading four players in the top-12 and ties, who were not already exempt, earned The Open berths this July.

New Zealander Michael Hendry and Japan’s Masanori Kobayashi, a one-time Asian Tour winner, also earned coveted spots at The Open after carding respective rounds of 74 and 71 to finish joint runner-ups at The Mizuno Open.

Indian hotshot Shubhankar Sharma, who leads the current Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, will be making his maiden appearance at Golf’s oldest Major this July.

He earned his ticket after claiming his breakthrough victory at the Joburg Open, which was the second tournament of The Open Qualifying Series, last December.

Asian Tour winners Jazz Janewattananond and Danthai Boonma of Thailand secured their dream debut at the year’s second Major championship after finishing tied-fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open in January.

Reigning Order of Merit champion Gavin Green of Malaysia and Thai star Kiradech Aphibarnrat are also set to tee up for The Open in two months’ time.

The upcoming Kolon Korean Open, 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.

Bangkok, May 25: Australia’s Scott Hend hopes to bounce back into form and challenge for a 10th Asian Tour title at the US$300,000 Thailand Open, which gets underway from June 7 to 10.

The 2016 Asian Tour number one struggled with a back injury earlier this year but  is determined to turn the corner when he returns to Thailand, the country where he has won three out of nine Asian Tour titles.

The big-hitting Hend will be part of a strong line-up of Asian Tour stars gathered at the Thai Country Club. He will be joined by Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, Xiao Bowen of China and 2017 Rookie of the Year Micah Lauren Shin of the United States.

The home challenge will be spearheaded by defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan, Thaworn Wiratchant, the only player to win three Order of Merit titles, Pannakorn Uthaipas, Panuphol Pittayarat and Jazz Janewattananond.

Hend uncharacteristically missed five out of 10 cuts in 2018 but believes he is slowly rediscovering his form and ready to put up a title challenge at the Thailand Open, which will kick-start the second edition of the Panasonic Swing series.

“I had a little bit of back issues. My back’s getting better and it’s good to go now. After an extended break, it takes me a little bit more time to sharpen up again and try to win a tournament. I’m trying to fast track that a little bit and we’ll see how it goes,” said Hend.

His dip in form has seen him slip out of the top-200 on the Official World Golf Ranking but Hend is confident he will start playing his best golf again.

“I always try to finish the year inside the top-50 on the world rankings but  my rankings have been slipping rapidly because I’ve not been playing well. But I hope to change that very soon,” said Hend, who enjoyed a tied sixth result at the Thailand Open last year.

Hend is one of the most successful international golfers on the Asian Tour. He became the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title and the fourth player to surpass US$1 million in earnings during a season in 2016. During the same year, he was also voted by his peers as the Players’ Player of the Year.

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, June 23: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat is the highest-ranked Asian Tour member at 31st place on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) that was released on Monday.

Kiradech, a former Asian Tour number one, achieved his personal best of 29th place in the world after finishing tied-fifth at the WGC-Dell Technologies in March. Despite dropping two positions, the Thai is still safely inside the top-50 in the world.

A total of 16 Asian Tour members are also ranked inside the top-200 on the OWGR. Japan’s Yuta Ikeda, the only EurAsia Cup member that was undefeated in Team Asia, sits in 71st place while India’s Shubhankar Sharma is placed 74th.

Shubhankar Sharma of India

Sharma is currently the highest ranked Indian in the world and he enjoyed a big jump in rankings following his win at the Maybank Championship in February. He was ranked 202nd place at the end of 2017 after winning the Joburg Open in South Africa.

The other Asian Tour members in the top-200 include Hideto Tanihara (101st), Anirban Lahiri (104th), Shaun Norris (109th), Paul Peterson (137th), Jeunghun Wang (148th), Gaganjeet Bhullar (160th), Younghan Song (161st ), Sanghyun Park (166th), Jazz Janewattananond (174th), David Lipsky (178th), Gavin Green (186th), Ajeetesh Sandhu (192nd), Phachara Khongwatmai (198th).

The biggest mover last week on the Asian Tour was American John Catlin who moved to 207th place following his win at the Asia-Pacific Open in China last week. Prior to the win, he was ranked 507th at the end of 2017.

Ends.

Sentosa, Singapore, May 21: The Asian Development Tour (ADT) is the breeding ground for champions, and American John Catlin would be one of the first to endorse it following his breakthrough win at the US$300,000 Asia-Pacific Classic on Sunday.

The 27-year-old mustered all his ADT experience to power his way to victory at the Asian Tour’s second event in China this season.

“This victory validates all the hard work that I’ve put in since missing the cut in Manila in 2016. I was finally fed up with not giving it my all. That weekend I spent eight hours a day working on my game and ended up winning two weeks later. Winning on the ADT is nice, but the main Tour is a step up and as we all know, this is the main Tour on the continent,” said Catlin, who is based in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Catlin, who hails from Sacramento, California, saw the potential in ADT as a platform for emerging stars in Asia. After a mediocre rookie season on the Asian Tour, his turning point in his career finally came towards the end of 2016 where he savoured his maiden ADT victory at the Combiphar Golf Invitational.

He found his groove eventually in 2017, making it his best season yet, with six top-10 finishes and another ADT win in Malaysia, to come in third on the ADT Merit rankings and earned his Asian Tour card for the 2018 season.

Catlin admitted he felt intimated by the field during his first start on the Asian Tour in New Zealand this season where he missed the cut. However, he stayed patient and continued to build up this winning momentum on the ADT in the following weeks with three top-10 finishes before stepping back onto the bigger stage to finish tied-eighth in Korea and finally securing his Asian Tour breakthrough in China.

The determined American has already set bigger goals for himself after earning his well-deserved place in the winner’s category that has given him a one-year exemption on the Asian Tour.

“Knowing that I can compete and win at this level gives me a lot of confidence going forward. In fact, my next aim is to get into the "Multiple Winners" category. The Habitat for Humanity Standings is also an aim for me. Shubhankar (Sharma) has a pretty huge lead, but we’re getting into some big money events so, anything can happen,” said the American.

His breakthrough victory catapulted him into 20th place from 43rd place on the Habitat for Humanity standings after his winner’s purse of $US 54,000 which led him to accumulate a season’s haul of $US 95,718.

Runner-ups Natipong Srithong of Thailand and Australia’s Adam Blyth moves to 42nd place and 62nd place respectively after their commendable finishes.

Japan’s Shohei Hasegawa who came through the Asian Tour Qualifying school this year and has already won a maiden ADT victory, moved up 66 spots to 76th place with his third-place finish in what was his third start on the premier tour this year.

The top-10 positions remained unchanged, with India’s Shubhankar Sharma still in the lead at US$ 589,575 while England’s Matt Wallace and India’s Rahil Gangjee take second and third place respectively, as the Asian Tour heads to Thailand for the Thailand Open in a fortnight.

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos      Player Order of Merit  (US$)

1            Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) $589,575.00

2            Matt WALLACE (ENG) $446,660.00

3            Rahil GANGJEE (IND) $283,018.87

4            Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) $265,573.14

5            Sihwan KIM (USA) $226,710.14

6            Paul PETERSON (USA) $215,758.57

7            Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $187,124.00

8            Daniel NISBET (AUS) $150,863.64

9            Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $145,208.76

10          Berry HENSON (USA) $140,613.57

11          Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) $131,214.35

12          Hideto TANIHARA (JPN) $123,306.08

13          Shaun NORRIS (RSA) $118,284.91

14          Khalin JOSHI (IND) $111,140.00

15          Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $110,826.17

16          Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $108,596.69

17          Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) $105,907.84

18          Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $104,947.17

19          Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $99,480.65

20          John CATLIN (USA) $95,718.60

Ends.

Henan, China, May 20: American John Catlin won his maiden Asian Tour title after carding a final-round three-under-par 69 to win the US$300,000 Asia-Pacific Classic on Sunday.

The 27-year-old had a nervy start as he dropped two shots on his opening nine holes. However, he recovered when it mattered most, scoring birdies on holes 11, 13 and 14 before holding on for his maiden Asian Tour victory on a 16-under-par 272 total at the St Andrews Golf Club in Henan, China.

Catlin, a two-time Asian Development Tour (ADT) winner who has earned his Asian Tour card by finishing third on the ADT merit list, took home a winner’s purse of US$54,000. He has risen from 44th to 20th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Natipong Srithong of Thailand

Thailand’s Natipong Srithong (66) and Australia’s Adam Blyth (70) share second place, two shots behind Catlin. Natipong shot six birdies during his flawless round, but it was a case of too little, too late. Blyth rued his bogey at the 10th, which took away his momentum in his chase for the title.

Shohei Hasegawa of Japan finished in lone fourth after carding a 69. Andrew Martin of Australia and Miguel Carballo of Argentina share fifth place, while Canada’s Justin Shin was a further shot behind in lone seventh place.

Huang Wenyi flew the flag for China, as he ended his tournament with a 71 for a 279 total. He finished in tied-eighth along with Australia’s Josh Younger. 

The Asia Pacific Classic is the Asian Tour’s second stop in China this season. The tournament is part of the Asian Tour’s strategic partnership with the China Golf Association where the goal is to grow and develop professional golf in the region.  

Did you know:

• John Catlin entered the Asia-Pacific Classic ranked 278th on the Official World Golf Ranking list. His best position ever is 277th and he looks set to go even higher after earning 10 World Ranking points from this win in China.
• Catlin becomes the eighth player following Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski, American Berry Henson, Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei, Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Poom Saksansin, as well as Malaysian duo Gavin Green and Nicholas Fung, to win on the Asian Tour after enjoying successes on the ADT, which was inaugurated as the gateway to the Asian Tour in 2010.
• He hit 36 out of 56 fairways, 54 out of 72 greens in regulation and took 28.25 putts per round this week.
• Catlin has been on a sharp incline since missing the cut in Manila in 2016. He finished third on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit last year and enjoyed three top-10 finishes on the ADT in 2018 before his breakthrough victory in China.
• Adam Blyth has always played well in China. He was tied-fifth at the 2005 Volkswagen Masters-China, tied-fourth at the 2006 Crowne Plaza Open and second at the 2006 Pine Valley Beijing Open in 2006.
• He was an accomplished amateur golfer, winning 32 titles before turning professional in 2004.
• Blyth played in four events on the Asian Tour before the Asia-Pacific Classic, making the cut only once at the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth.
• Natipong Srithong was his maiden Asian Tour title in Manila in 2015. He got into the tournament on a sponsor’s invite and ended up topping the field.
• He finished 44th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit last year, and his best finish was tied-sixth at the Shinhan Donghae Open.
• Shohei Hasegawa’s breakthrough win on the ADT was achieved in Indonesia this year. There, he beat American Sydney Chung by one shot.
• He earned his Asian Tour card for 2018 by finishing tied-11th at the Qualifying School early this year. 
• Huang Wenyi is the highest-placed Chinese golfer at the Asia-Pacific Classic. He ended his tournament in tied-eighth. Compatriot Xiao Bowen had to contend with a tied-12th finish

Players’ Quotes

John Catlin (Usa) – Final round 69 (-3), total 272 (-16)

Firstly, I’ll have to thank my coach, Noah. He has done amazing work for me over the past four years. It has been a long time coming. He stayed very patient with me, through ups and down. Being here is a huge testament. Victory feels just so good. Unreal, surreal, lots of different feelings now.

Going into the final two holes, I told myself to keep going. Adam could have made a birdie and I could have made a bogey. So, I told myself to secure that last par and I was able to lie one here (on the 18th green) close to about six inches, which made it a lot easier. As they say, it’s never over until the final putt.

At the fifth and seventh, nerves got the better of me. But I found ways to calm myself. I know I’ve worked hard and I knew that I can execute any shot. I had a sense of calm. It was nice to birdie ninth and at the 10th, I made par which was big. I made birdies on 12th and 13th, which made up for the mistakes earlier one.

My goal is to win on the Asian Tour and to accomplish that this week is huge. I have to start booking my flights! Knowing that I’m eligible for the events takes a lot of pressure off.

This victory validates all the hard work that I’ve put in since missing the cut in Manila in 2016. Winning on the ADT (Asian Development Tour) is nice, but the main Tour is a step up and as we all know, this is the main Tour on the continent. So, to be able to get into the winners’ category on the Asian Tour is huge. 

Knowing that I can compete and win at this level gives me a lot of confidence going forward. In fact, my next aim is to get into the "Multiple Winners" category. I’m glad that I was able to transit very well onto the Asian Tour. Playing a full schedule on the ADT certainly helped, and being based in Asia as well. I moved permanently in November 2016 and my game has got better and better ever since.

The Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings is also an aim for me. Shubhankar (Sharma) has a pretty huge lead, but we’re getting into some big money events so, anything can happen. Right now, I’m just happy to have won, and I’m looking to win again!

Adam Blyth (Aus) – Final round 70 (-2), total 274 (-14)

John (Catlin) thoroughly deserved it today. He had a good run there, especially with the birdies on 13th and 14th. He got a good momentum, nudged ahead and I wasn’t able to make the putts. I made an error on 10th. John played well.

Obviously, it was a great week coming in second place. The earnings will bump me up the Habitat for Humanity Standings. But, when you had that opportunity to win, you want to finish it. Although, he did have the lead coming into today and it just stayed that way. I’ll just have to keep working harder.

I took the lead early on, but it was still a long way to go. My goal this week was to get to 16-under-par and if that happened, it would have been a play-off. But, I’m taking the positives and moving on.

I’m heading to the Thailand Open, which is great. I’m looking forward to that. Playing like this gives you confidence, especially when you see your game coming together after all the hard work that I’ve put in. Second place is OK, although it’s hard to take right now and that I didn’t put the pressure on. But, it’s all good!

Natipong Srithong (Tha) – Final round 66 (-6), total 274 (-14)

I feel very happy to have a low score for the final round. I played well today as I stuck to my game plan, which is to stay on the fairway and make birdies. I made six of them, so I’m very happy!

I’ve played my wedges well and made some long putts. Hole one stood out, as I birdied from about 25 feet away. My feel for my putter has been great today. 

I only took notice of the leaderboard at the last hole. I was aiming to make a birdie and get to 15-under-par, but I missed it, unfortunately. 

I haven’t been playing well this year, so to finish well here in China certainly gave me back my confidence.

Shohei Hasegawa (Jpn) – Final round 69 (-3), total 275 (-13)

I’m thrilled with the way I’ve finished this tournament! Today, I played well. I had no bogey and three birdies. It wasn’t a win, but it’s OK. Over the front nine, I could have scored a lot more birdies and pile the pressure on John (Catlin) and Adam (Blyth), but it wasn’t the case. John played good and easy golf. So, congratulations to him! For me, maybe, I’ll grab the chances next time!

I like the Asian Tour and the ADT, because of the players and the courses. It’s very nice and I look forward to competing on both Tours in the future.
The 13th was memorable for me. I hit a great approach to the green and I only had to tap in for birdie. 

Andrew Martin (Aus) – Final round 69 (-3), total 277 (-11)

I struggled with the driver off the tee during the last three rounds. Being on the fairway would have made the approach easier but overall, I still hit some good shots. I just gave myself chances really. The tournament was pretty good overall.

The rounds have been quite stress-free, actually. But you still want to chase the leaders as well. But then again, that’s golf. I didn’t know what was going on on the leaderboard. I know I’m giving myself plenty of chances, but the leaders were probably doing the same. 

I’m happy with my tournament and I’ve always enjoyed coming to China. I’m looking ahead to Thailand.

Miguel Carballo (Arg)  – Final round 68 (-4), total 277 (-11)

I played very well this week, had plenty of opportunities for birdies. 11-under-par is a good result for me. My putting hasn’t been great though, which was a waste because my drives and approach play has been good this week.

This is my first tournament on the Asian Tour that I made the cut, and to be in the top-10 to boot. So, I’m very happy about this week. I’m getting a lot of confidence from the Asia-Pacific Classic. I’ve played very well on the ADT as well, so I’m very happy about my game.

 I birdied the 10th because of three good shots to the green, and a good putt. That hole stood out for me.   

Scores after round 4 of the Asia-Pacific Classic being played at the par 72, 7261 Yards St. Andrews (Zhengzhou) Golf Club course (am – denotes amateur):
272 – John CATLIN (USA) 68-66-69-69.
274 – Natipong SRITHONG (THA) 67-67-74-66, Adam BLYTH (AUS) 70-66-68-70.
275 – Shohei HASEGAWA (JPN) 68-69-69-69.
277 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 68-71-70-68, Andrew MARTIN (AUS) 66-72-70-69.
278 – Justin SHIN (CAN) 70-70-70-68.
279 – Josh YOUNGER (AUS) 67-70-71-71, HUANG Wenyi (CHN) 71-69-68-71.
280 – Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 71-71-72-66, Jack HARRISON (ENG) 67-69-72-72.
281 – Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 68-69-71-73, Jack WILSON (AUS) 67-71-69-74, XIAO Bowen (CHN) 70-68-69-74, Callum TARREN (ENG) 67-72-68-74.
282 – Bryden MACPHERSON (AUS) 71-73-67-71, Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA) 71-71-69-71, Kevin LEE (KOR) 69-73-69-71, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 67-74-69-72, KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 67-69-73-73.
283 – Alex BELT (ENG) 74-69-70-70, Taewoo KIM #1087 (KOR) 70-69-76-68, Udorn DUANGDECHA (THA) 71-68-70-74, Steven JEFFRESS (AUS) 71-67-70-75.
284 – ZHANG Huilin (CHN) 70-73-70-71, HAK Shun-Yat (HKG) 71-68-73-72, Niall TURNER (IRL) 71-70-71-72, Sunil JUNG (CAN) 73-66-72-73, Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA) 71-68-72-73, Charlie SAXON (USA) 69-66-74-75.
285 – LU Wei-chih (TPE) 72-68-74-71, Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA) 72-71-71-71, LIU Yanwei (CHN) 67-75-71-72, Honey BAISOYA (IND) 67-73-72-73, HUNG Chien-yao (TPE) 72-72-71-70, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 71-70-71-73, Matt STIEGER (AUS) 71-71-74-69.

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.

Henan, China, May 19: John Catlin of the United States is on course to win his maiden Asian Tour title after carding a three-under-par 69 to stay in the lead at the US$300,000 Asia-Pacific Classic.

The two-time Asian Development Tour (ADT) winner admitted that he was not playing up to his standards, but he still managed to card six birdies against three bogeys to lead with a 13-under-par 203 total at the St Andrews Golf Club in Henan, China.

Adam Blyth of Australia

Adam Blyth of Australia is just a shot behind the leader after signing a 68. Similar to his second round, he made a string of birdies towards the end of the front nine. He was in good form on Saturday, having dropped only a single shot at the 10th hole. 

Japan’s Shohei Hasegawa finished the day in lone third place on a 206 total. Like Blyth, he had a near flawless round, carding four birdies against a lone bogey on hole 14. 

Local favourite Xiao Bowen continues to play well on home soil as he carded a 69 to keep pace with the leaders. He scored five birdies against two bogeys and with three good rounds in, he felt that the form that led to his victory in Xiamen is returning to him. He is in tied-fourth with Englishman Callum Tarren and Australian Jack Wilson.

The top of the leaderboard at the Asia-Pacific Classic remains tight. Seven golfers are in tied-seventh, five shots off the lead. 

The Asia-Pacific Classic is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the China Golf Association (CGA). This is the Asian Tour’s second stop in China this season. 

Did you know:

• John Catlin is the only golfer today to score a birdie on the 17th hole. 
• He studied at the New Mexico University and he was awarded the 2012 Student of the Year for this athletic and academic prowess.
• He turned professional in 2013 and has four wins so far.
• Adam Blyth has two wins in his professional career. In 2016, he won two events on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
• He missed the cut in Bangladesh last week but has bounced back with a commanding performance at the Asia-Pacific Classic so far.
• Blyth enjoyed a top-10 finish on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) this year. He was ninth in Penang in early May.
• Shohei Hasegawa is a one-time winner on the ADT. He made his breakthrough at the OB Golf Invitational in Indonesia.
• He finished second in the prestigious Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2013.
• Shohei has played in two Asian Tour tournaments in 2018 prior to the Asia-Pacific Classic. He made the cut at the AB Bangladesh Open and finished in tied-34th.
• Xiao Bowen’s previous China Tour tournament was the Belt & Road Colorful Yunnan Open last month, where he finished tied-18th.
• He rose from 1929th to 516th on the Official World Golf Ranking list after winning the Asian Golf Championship in Xiamen last year.
• Callum Tarren was third on the China Tour Order of Merit list in 2017.

Players’ Quotes

John Catlin (Usa) – Third round 69 (-3), total 203 (-13)

I’m definitely excited. I’ve been working very hard over the last two years and I’ve been dreaming of having this chance. Winning on the  ADT (Asian Development Tour) twice is going to give a lot of confidence going into tomorrow knowing I’ve been there and done that. It’s a very difficult golf course as you have make sure you’re in the right spot. I’ve done that the last three days and I hope to do that again tomorrow.

At the 10th, it was 127 yards away with a wedge and I just made a horrible swing! It was straightforward shot. My upper body took over and I pulled it left. I was able to make the corrections, fortunately. I hit a few shots that were offline on the front nine. I didn’t have my best stuff from tee to green, but I was able to manage it OK. 

The 17th hole was nice. I hit my three-wood just into the left rough. There was mud on my golf ball and there was about 187 yards to the hole. I guess, which was all that you can do in that situation and I guessed it right. The ball landed six or seven feet away, and I made that one. The putts today weren’t that long, which was nice. I missed a bit of shorts ones and I didn’t have my A game, but overall I think I managed myself pretty nicely.

Nothing changes for tomorrow. I just hope to get more birdie chances. I missed a few greens today and had to get up-and-down. I hope to hit more greens and feel less stressed. But, nothing changes. One shot at a time. 

Adam Blyth (Aus) – Third round 68 (-4), total 204 (-12)

I go on the train there again (his consecutive birdies at the end of the front nine). Seeing those putts and shots come was nice. They are good holes to birdie and good opportunities for a lot of guys. I hit a beautiful into eighth with a four-iron. It was a tough and long hole, with a tucked pin near the water. I drew one in there very nicely and I am very happy to get a birdie there. It was a good days’ work. 

I believe my experience will help me tomorrow. The more you do it, the more you learn about yourself in those situations. I’m excited about tomorrow, playing well and be near the lead. It’ll be good fun. 

The conditions were quite perfect to play golf in. The greens were soft so you can fire a lot of pins. But the course was set up a bit more difficult today. The tee boxes were back and there were a few tucked pins. The scores would show that today. Despite the rain, it was quite nice actually.

I’m not going to get too anxious about the outcome. Things have been rolling along well so I’m just going to keep doing that and stay in my mindset of playing my own game. From there, we’ll see what everyone else does.

Shohei Hasegawa (Jpn) – Third round 69 (-3), total 206 (-10)

I mentioned that my driving wasn’t great yesterday and today, it was still just so-so. The rest of my game is still pretty good. I’ve enjoyed today’s round. Tomorrow, I hope that I’m in a position to win over the last three holes. I’m not nervous about tomorrow, just excited. 

I hope that my tee shots will improve even more tomorrow, as my iron shots and putting aren’t too bad. 

Xiao Bowen (Chn) – Third round 69 (-3), total 207 (-9)

I think my game was pretty balanced today. From tee to green, I think I did generally well in every aspect of my game. Apart from getting a few drives into the rough, I didn’t encounter big problems on the golf course today. On the back nine especially, I managed to seize the opportunities for birdies. 

The feeling that led to my win in Xiamen is coming back. Today, with the bad weather, I told myself to just post a score in the red and drop as little shots as possible. This way, I won’t falter too far from the leaders. I’m glad my objective is met.

I three-putted on the 17th, which led to my bogey. I read the greens wrongly. It wasn’t a long putt, but I may have been deceived by the direction of the grass. 

I didn’t know anything about my position on the leaderboard. I just focused on the game. Birdies on the 15th and 16th got me going, but the bogey on 17th held me back a little bit.

It’ll be the same tomorrow. I’m looknig to create more birdie chances and try to seize as many of them as possible. 

Callum Tarren – Third round 68 (-4), total 207 (-9)

I got off to a pretty fast start. Three three, so birdie-eagle. I chipped in on the second hole. The front nine was pretty flawless as I didn’t do anything wrong. The back nine was fine too, I just missed a few putts. Overall, it was a good round.

My first three rounds were excellent, I made 15 birdies in two rounds, but was just five-under-par. Today, I limited my mistakes as I just had two bogeys. Everything was pretty good and I’m looking forward to tomorrow. 

If I’m being totally honest, I’m just going to enjoy it. I’ve been in this position over the past few years. I’m used to being in the leader group. You just have to play golf and see what happens. THere’s still a lot of golf to be played, so let’s see what happens.

Leading scores after round 3 of the Asia-Pacific Classic being played at the par 72, 7261 Yards St. Andrews (Zhengzhou) Golf Club course (am – denotes amateur):
203 – John CATLIN (USA) 68-66-69.
204 – Adam BLYTH (AUS) 70-66-68.
206 – Shohei HASEGAWA (JPN) 68-69-69.
207 – Callum TARREN (ENG) 67-72-68, XIAO Bowen (CHN) 70-68-69, Jack WILSON (AUS) 67-71-69.
208 – HUANG Wenyi (CHN) 71-69-68, Steven JEFFRESS (AUS) 71-67-70, Andrew MARTIN (AUS) 66-72-70, Josh YOUNGER (AUS) 67-70-71, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 68-69-71, Jack HARRISON (ENG) 67-69-72, Natipong SRITHONG (THA) 67-67-74.
209 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 68-71-70, Udorn DUANGDECHA (THA) 71-68-70, KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 67-69-73, Charlie SAXON (USA) 69-66-74.
210 – Danthai BOONMA (THA) 67-74-69, Justin SHIN (CAN) 70-70-70.
211 – Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA) 71-71-69, Kevin LEE (KOR) 69-73-69, Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA) 71-68-72, Sunil JUNG (CAN) 73-66-72, YANG Yinong (CHN) 67-71-73, Bryden MACPHERSON (AUS) 71-73-67.
212 – Niall TURNER (IRL) 71-70-71, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 71-70-71, Gareth PADDISON (NZL) 68-74-70, Honey BAISOYA (IND) 67-73-72, Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 71-69-72, HAK Shun-Yat (HKG) 71-68-73.

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.

Henan, China, May 18: John Catlin of the United States continued his outstanding run of form as he carded a six-under-par 66 to share the current lead with Natipong Srithong of Thailand at the ongoing Asia-Pacific Classic on Friday.

The 27-year-old, who started on the 10th tee, was flawless over his first nine holes. He scored birdies on the 10th, 15th and 16th before dropping a shot right after the turn. Catlin bounced back with an eagle on the second and a birdie on the fifth, and he will head into Saturday on a 10-under-par 134 total.

Natipong, the 2015 Resorts World Manila champion, has also put himself in an exceptional position after making six birdies against a lone bogey on the 18th hole to sign for his second consecutive 67. 

American Charlie Saxon showed glimpses of his tournament winning form as he returned with a 66 for a 135 total. He has won twice on the Chinese domestic circuit and is the runaway leader on the China Tour Order of Merit list.

Adam Blyth of Australia ended his second round with a birdie blitz. He was even-par on his opening nine holes and made his first birdie after the turn, on the second hole. Blyth then made five consecutive birdies from holes five to nine to finish with a 66.

Henan, China, May 18: Natipong Srithong of Thailand shot a second round five-under-par 67 to grab a share of the halfway lead at the US$300,000 Asia-Pacific Classic on Friday.  

The one-time Asian Tour champion had a near flawless round, carding six birdies against a lone bogey to sign for his second consecutive 67 at the St Andrews Golf Club in Henan, China.

John Catlin of the United States shared the lead with Natipong on a 10-under-par 134 total. The 27-year-old continued his outstanding run of form as he carded a 66 at the tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the China Golf Association (CGA).

John Catlin of the United States

Catlin, who has recently finished in the top-10 in two consecutive Asian Tour tournaments, blemished his scorecard with a bogey on hole one but recovered brilliantly with an eagle on the following hole.

American Charlie Saxon displayed the form that led to two titles on the China Golf Tour as he returned with a bogey-free 66. He fought through a stomach ache to card four birdies and an eagle.

Adam Blyth of Australia began his second round unceremoniously but ended the day with a birdie blitz. Blyth, who started on tee 10, made his first birdie after the turn on the second hole then made five consecutive birdies from holes five to nine to finish with a 66.

Xiao Bowen of China made a personal breakthrough by making the cut on the Asian Tour for the first time in 2018. He won on home soil last year in Xiamen and had put himself in contention with a 68 for a 138 total. Xiao is just four shots off the lead.

Did you know:

• Natipong Srithong won his maiden Asian Tour title in Manila in 2015. He won the tournament by one shot.
• He hit 14 greens in regulation and took 27 putts in the second round of the Asia-Pacific Classic.
• Natipong was an accomplished amateur golfer, winning four gold medals when he represented Thailand in golf at the SEA Games in 2011, 2013 and 2015.
• John Catlin is a two-time winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT). He won once in 2016 and 2017. On both occasions, he won in the month of November.
• He earned his Asian Tour card for 2018 by finishing within the top five on the ADT Order of Merit list last year. He was in third place.
• Catlin enjoyed back-to-back top-10 finishes on the Asian Tour in May. He was eighth in Korea and tied-fourth in Bangladesh.
• Charlie Saxon is the current leader on the China Tour Order of Merit. He won two consecutive tournaments on the domestic circuit at the start of the year.
• Adam Blyth has a top-10 finish in China in 2005, when he finished tied-fifth at the Volkswagen Masters-China.
• Blyth started playing on the Asian Tour in 2005. He came close to winning on many occasions with the most recent one in Myanmar in 2012 when he finished tied-second.
• Xiao Bowen made the cut for the first time in 2018 at the Asia-Pacific Classic.
• His breakthrough victory in Xiamen last year came after a dramatic play-off with Bryden Macpherson. Xiao beat the Australian with a birdie at the second extra hole.

Players’ quotes

Natipong Srithong (Tha) – Second round 67 (-5), total 134 (-10)

I’m very happy with my tournament so far. I haven’t been playing very well this year as I missed a lot of cuts. But after these two rounds in China, my confidence is coming back.

This week, I am working hard on my driver as well as three-wood shots off the tee and keeping the ball on the fairway. I was driving very badly previously, but it has changed for the better this week! You have to keep off the rough here, otherwise, you may have problems keeping the ball on the green. My putting has also been very good this week.

I made a birdie from about 25-feet away on my last hole yesterday. Today, the good thing was that I didn’t have to make such long putts for birdies as my approach shots were good. I’ll keep to my same plan for Saturday and Sunday, that is, to keep the ball on the fairway.

Charlie Saxon of England

John Catlin (Usa) – Second round 66 (-6), total 134 (-10)

I’m tired, but happy! I’m happy with my play and I’m glad that all my hard work is beginning to show. It’s nice to see a smooth transferring over from the ADT (Asian Development Tour) to the Asian Tour. It’s definitely a step up here. The players are better, the competition is better and the courses are more difficult, so to be able to make that adjustment is exciting. I’m looking forward to the future, and with so many tournaments added to the schedule, it’s going to be a great year to have full status.

The winds picked up in the middle of my round which made it more challenging. Ball striking is a premium out there. I was able to hit a lot of good shots. I only made one bad shot on the 18th hole. Other than that, most of my shots were rather solid.

I had a lot of stress-free pars and I chipped in for eagle on two. I played the par-fives well, which was why I was able to shoot 66.

I was working very hard since I missed the cut in Manila in 2016. I felt that I have only put in half of what I really had. After that, I’ve been putting in everything I’ve got into this game. I’ve been getting better and better after working on every facet of my game. I’m excited to play over the next two days.

Charlie Saxon (Usa) – Second round 66 (-6), total 135 (-9)

I played really well. I didn’t feel good though when I woke up this morning. I didn’t get to eat my breakfast as I was suffering from a stomachache. I warmed up for 15 minutes and just went to the tee, so to get a round like that is very satisfying.

I only made one mistake the whole day. I hit the ball into the hazard on seven, but recovered with a par. It kept some momentum going and I birdied the following hole. All in all, it was a great day. I’m looking forward to the weekend. Hopefully, my stomach will start feeling better.

I’m playing some good golf at the moment and I feel confident about my game. All you can do is to get yourself into contention, which I’ve done. You can’t win unless you do that.

Everything matters here in St Andrews. It’s a course that tests every aspect of your game. I’ll just go out there and not get ahead of myself too much. Hopefully, it all adds up to a good weekend.

Adam Blyth (Aus) – Second round 66 (-6), total 136 (-8)

It was a crazy finish, five-under-par over five holes! I wasn’t really expecting that. I played really solid all day. I parred the first 10 holes; I was steady, patient and it all came together.

Interestingly, my birdie putts got longer as the holes progressed. On my last hole, on the ninth, I sank a 40-footer! I also holed a birdie from the same distance yesterday, so the ninth is my hole.

I’ve been playing nicely without seeing the results, so it feels good to have the numbers coming together.

I used to play in China quite a lot back then. I’ve always done well here for some reason. I enjoy the courses here, the conditions and the culture here, which may explain why.

Jack Harrison (Eng) – Second round 69 (-3), total 136 (-8)

The round was a bit frustrating, as I didn’t hole a good number of putts. I think I hit every green in regulation today. So, I just need to get my putter working. I’ve got plenty of opportunities. Over on the front nine, I didn’t hit it close, to be honest, but I had good chances that I should have converted.

At the back nine, I hit it within three feet on the par threes, and you shouldn’t be missing the putts from there. I’m just going to do the same thing tomorrow, and hope that more putts drop.

It’s more difficult today with the pin positions. The wind was up a little bit more. So I had to think about it. Still, it was there for the taking. Two behind going into the weekend is a good position to be.

Jack Harrison of England

Koh Deng Shan (Sgp) – Second round 69 (-3), total 136 (-8)

The afternoon was a bit tricky because of the winds. The greens were bumpier as well. But, I putted well. Although, I didn’t drive just as well, which cost me a shot on the second hole. Apart from that, I hung in there.

My body got a bit tight on the last few holes. I didn’t turn through the shot so I missed it left a bit. I still kept the shots in play and I’m happy to finish three-under.

I’ve been in this situation (being in contention) a few times, in Vietnam and a few ADT events. Actually, there’s nothing really special that I need to do or feel. I’ll just stick to playing golf.

Prom Meesawat (Tha) – Second round 69 (-3), total 137 (-7)

My strategy of playing at my own pace worked so far. I’m aiming to finish three of four under-par every round. Still, I left a bunch of birdies out there. So, I hope it’ll get better during the weekend. My drives and approach shots are good. Wedge shots here aren’t easy, as it’s difficult to control the spin on the soft greens. You have to put yourself in line, and within good distance as well.

I’m playing good, but this morning, I woke up and had a sore neck. I was worried that it’ll affect me. But thanks to the physio, I’m alright now. I still have to get it treated. Hopefully, it’ll be ok for tomorrow and Sunday.

I’m working on my putting, but it’s getting better. I holed some clutch putts, which has built up my confidence.

Shohei Hasegawa (Jpn) – Second round 69 (-3), total 137 (-7)

It was an up and down, busy round for me. I putted well but had problems with my drives. I had one drive that went out-of-bounds and two that went into the hazard, but apart from that, my game was alright.

I’m heading to the driving range and hopefully, my drives will be fixed tomorrow. If I can keep my ball on the fairway, I am sure of a good score as I’m putting well. I’m enjoying myself so far, so I’ll be looking forward to the weekend rounds.

Shohei Hasegawa

Xiao Bowen (Chn) – Second round 68 (-4), total 138 (-6)

I think I had a good round today. Compared to my previous tournaments, I finally had a breakthrough and I rediscovered my form. Perhaps, being in China helped. I see a lot of familiar faces and I’m used to the place. It’s very different when I travel out of the country.

In particular, my iron shots have improved. These two days, I’ve given myself plenty of birdie opportunities. I still need to work on my putting in order to seize the chances. 

Leading scores after round 2 of the Asia-Pacific Classic being played at the par 72, 7261 Yards St. Andrews (Zhengzhou) Golf Club course (am – denotes amateur):
134 – John CATLIN (USA) 68-66, Natipong SRITHONG (THA) 67-67.
135 – Charlie SAXON (USA) 69-66.
136 – Adam BLYTH (AUS) 70-66, Jack HARRISON (ENG) 67-69, KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 67-69.
137 – Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 68-69, Shohei HASEGAWA (JPN) 68-69, Josh YOUNGER (AUS) 67-70.
138 – Jack WILSON (AUS) 67-71, XIAO Bowen (CHN) 70-68, YANG Yinong (CHN) 67-71, Andrew MARTIN (AUS) 66-72, Steven JEFFRESS (AUS) 71-67, Dino A. GIACOMAZZI (USA) 72-66.
139 – Sunil JUNG (CAN) 73-66, HAK Shun-Yat (HKG) 71-68, Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA) 71-68, Udorn DUANGDECHA (THA) 71-68, Callum TARREN (ENG) 67-72, Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 68-71, Taewoo KIM #1087 (KOR) 70-69.
140 – Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 71-69, HUANG Wenyi (CHN) 71-69, Justin SHIN (CAN) 70-70, Honey BAISOYA (IND) 67-73, LU Wei-chih (TPE) 72-68, CHEN Dinggen (CHN) 71-69, Chirat JIRASUWAN (THA) 70-70.
141 – Suteepat PRATEEPTIENCHAI (THA) 69-72, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 67-74, Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA) 67-74, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 71-70, Niall TURNER (IRL) 71-70.
142 – Michael CHOI (AUS) 71-71, Kevin LEE (KOR) 69-73, Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA) 71-71, Matt STIEGER (AUS) 71-71, Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA) 71-71, Javier GALLEGOS (ESP) 72-70, LIU Yanwei (CHN) 67-75, Suttijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA) 74-68, Mitchell SLORACH (SIN) 72-70, Gareth PADDISON (NZL) 68-74, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 71-71, MatthewPERRY (NZL) 72-70.

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 19: Rising Thai star Rattanon Wannasrichan will defend the prestigious Thailand Open trophy when the event returns on the Asian Tour Schedule from June 7 to 10.

The 22-year-old convincingly won his first Asian Tour title last year by romping to a three-shot victory over Indian stalwarts Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shiv Kapur. He will be buoyant by his winning memories when he returns to the Thai Country Club next month.

Rattanon will be joined by a host of stars including 2017 Asian Tour number one Scott Hend of Australia, Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei, Xiao Bowen of China and Richard T. Lee of Canada at the US$300,000 event.

The baby-faced Rattanon enjoyed a sensational season in 2017 by winning the Thailand Open and securing three other top-five results before finishing 32nd on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

He did not play his best golf towards the end of last year after changing his swing, but he is slowly turning the corner. He finished tied-fifth at the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open in January and shared fourth place at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan last month.

“I hit the ball so well last year and I’m very happy I won. I felt good after my win but my form hasn’t been good after changing my swing. I hit a natural draw but I’m trying to hit more fades to avoid trouble. My swing is slowly getting better,” said Rattanon.

The soft-spoken Thai hopes to keep the revered Thailand Open trophy on home soil. Rattanon will also be motivated to do well in the event which will be part of the Panasonic Swing. He finished third in the 2017/2018 ranking which concluded at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship and won a bonus of US$30,000.

“I’m feeling confident. After playing on the course last year, I know whoever can make the most putts will win. I hope I can win again, but if I can’t I’ll be very happy if a Thai golfer wins the trophy,” he said.

Rattanon was among nine players who won their first Asian Tour titles in 2017. He is also among a strong group of Asian Development Tour (ADT) players who have won on the ADT and the region’s premier Tour.

Henan, China, May 17: Andrew Martin of Australia shot an opening six-under-par 66 to top a congested leaderboard at the US$300,000 Asia-Pacific Classic on Thursday.

The 33-year-old had a commendable front nine, carding four birdies against a lone bogey before turning in 32. Martin scored two more birdies before signing for a 66 for a one-shot lead at the St Andrews Golf Club in Henan, China.  

Martin, as well as, the leading golfers after the first round, took advantage of the calm weather conditions and soft greens to card low scores.

Honey Baisoya of India, Koh Deng Shan of Singapore and Liu Yanwei of China are among of a group of 11 players with matching 67s to share second place at the tournament, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the China Golf Association (CGA).

Baisoya, who won back-to-back domestic titles recently, is continuing his excellent form at the Asia-Pacific Classic. He had a near flawless round, carding six birdies against a lone bogey. Baisoya had an outstanding back nine, highlighted by the four consecutive birdies he made from holes 12 to 15. 

Koh attributed his brilliant round to his good reading of the greens. The Singaporean has also been accurate with his shots, missing only two fairways and greens on Thursday. He will be sticking to his game plan of trying to keep his ball in play in the subsequent rounds.

Local favourite Liu used his prior knowledge of the golf course to his advantage as he carded a 67 to stay one shot off the lead. He ended his round with a bogey at the ninth hole but remains patient and optimistic of a good performance on home soil.

The Asia-Pacific Classic the Asian Tour’s second stop in China this year. The tournament is promoted and operated by Beijing based promoter CGD (Beijing) Sports Industry Co., Ltd (CGDs).

Did you know:

• Andrew Martin earned his Asian Tour card for 2018 by finishing tied-20th at the Qualifying School early this year. He is one of the golfers inside the top-35 and ties.

• He hit 10 out of 14 fairways as well as 15 out of 18 greens and took 27 putts in the first round.

• He participated in five tournaments on the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia in 2018, missing the cut only once.

• Martin’s best finish on the Asian Tour so far is tied-eighth at the 2017 Indonesian Open. He carded a 12-under-par 276.

• Honey Baisoya was tied-sixth in Bangladesh last week, which was his second-highest finish on the Asian Tour. He was fifth at the 2016 Panasonic Open India.

• He won back-to-back events on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) in April this year.

• Koh Deng Shan turned professional in 2011 after winning the Warren Amateur Open, a leading amateur tournament in Singapore. 

• He came close to winning his maiden Asian Development Tour title in 2014 when he finished second in Langkawi, Malaysia. 

• Liu Yanwei achieved his highest-ever finish on the Asian Tour in Xiamen last year. He was third, just a shot behind the eventual champion, Xiao Bowen.

• He has a fairly consistent season on the Asian Tour so far, missing the cut only once in four starts.

• Liu was born in Beijing and is based in Shenzhen. He is the seventh best Chinese golfer on the current Official World Golf Ranking list.

• Apart from Martin, Jack Harrison, Jack Wilson and Josh Younger, who have all finished the round five-under-par, are also graduates from this year’s Asian Tour Qualifying School. 

Players’ Quotes

Andrew Martin (Aus) – First round 66 (-6)

The round was out there for the taking actually. It wasn’t windy and the greens were quite soft. I think I’m pretty happy with myself, on how I played the course. I hit some bad shots, but I managed to get away with them. So overall, yes, I’m very happy with my opening round.

There wasn’t a particular that stood out for me. I played solidly the whole day and hit plenty of fairways and greens. I was hitting it quite close early in my round. In my back nine, I drove a few shots into the rough which made it a little bit harder. But overall, I thought I had quite a solid round.

The calm conditions helped, and the soft greens allowed me to attack the pin, but you still have to hit it well and hole the putts.

I’m going to stick to my game plan. I’m not overly long compared to the other guys. I’m going to rest, as it is getting a bit humid here. After a visit to the physio, I’ll be heading back and relax for the afternoon.

Honey Baisoya (Ind) – First round 67 (-5)

I’m feeling great about the tournament. I was quite frustrated in the beginning, as I was one-over-par after three holes. I missed a short putt on the second hole. Then, I hit my tee shot into the hazard at the third hole and made a good bogey. At that point, I gave myself a target of five-under-par, so I’m happy to have achieved that.

It was a good bogey because I managed to find my ball in the left hazard. I chipped it out but missed the green from there, about 125 yards. I got the ball to around five feet. The putt caught the hole and it just went in.

Then at the fourth hole, I made a par when I could have easily bogeyed it. After the birdie on the fifth hole, everything came into place. I’m feeling great going into round two as I have a good score. If I play well again tomorrow, then I can surely get into contention.

Jack Harrison (Eng) – First round 67 (-5)

It was a pretty solid round for me. I gave myself a lot of chances, but I didn’t convert all of them. It was a decent start nevertheless and I’m happy with the round.

My round got going after I birdied the 16th and 17th. Those were good putts there and it gave me a bit of confidence going into the front nine holes, which was my back nine. I birdied the first and second hole and I was four-under-par at that point. I coasted home after that.

The conditions were perfect. There was no wind and the course is soft. It’s not too hot this morning, which was nice. If you can shoot four or five-under-par every round, then you’ll surely have a chance of winning it. So, I’ll just try to do that for the rest of the week.

Koh Deng Shan (Sgp) – First round 67 (-5)

The conditions are very good today, and the greens are soft. I hit the ball well and gave myself lots of chances for birdie. I hit my irons good today and I made quite a few long putts as well; a few 15, 20-footers for birdies at the 10th and 16th, also at the par-three fourth hole. The greens are different here compared to what I’m used to back in Southeast Asia. If you just go with the slope, you should be able to read the greens right.

It’ll be a different day tomorrow. I’ll just stick to my game plan and focus on every shot. I’ll aim to keep my ball in play. The fairways aren’t narrow, but you need to hit them. If the ball lands in the rough, you may get a flyer to the green.

Liu Yanwei (Chn) – First round 67 (-5)

I played really solidly today. The conditions were calm, which surprised me pleasantly. I took advantage of it and I’m happy to put in a good round.

The 9th pin (where he bogeyed) was at the back today, which made the second shot, and the hole slightly longer. There was headwind as well. I hit my five-iron for my second shot and I missed it slightly to the right. It was still a good shot as it was an awkward lie with the ball above my feet. I hit a good chip but the subsequent putt didn’t go in. I’m a bit disappointed but it is what it is. It’s a four-round tournament so there’s still plenty of golf to play. I’m just going to take it one shot at a time.

I’ve played here three times previously. It’s a straightforward course but having prior experience will always make a difference.

The collaboration between the CGA and the Asian Tour is great as it gives players from both sides more opportunities to play. I think it’s great and hopefully, we can have even more events in China this year.

Pannakorn Uthaipas (Tha) – First round 67 (-5)

Today, I drove well, hit my second shots well, but, I missed a lot of putts even though I gave myself a lot of chances for birdies. But, that’s fine. It’s good. Everything’s good.

The conditions were very nice. It was not hot, not cold, and there was no wind. The course is nice as well! Hole eight stood out for me. I had a long putt on the par-three hole for birdie.

I’m just going to play my own game tomorrow, as always. Compared to my previous tournaments, I’ve hit my second shots better. So, if my putts go in, then my scores will naturally be good.

Jack Wilson (Aus) – First round 67 (-5)

I was still adjusting to being in a new country before the start of the round, so it was good to get things going. I birdied the par-five and made a good save on hole four. I holed out for eagle on six and from then on, things were pretty easy. I birdied 10. I hit it five feet on 12, six feet on 13, 10 feet on 14 but didn’t make any of them. I also missed a short putt on 15. It was a bit deflating, but it’s good to get a good number on the board.

It was very easy out there on the golf course. But, you still got to hit it well. Ball striking has always been my strength and if I can get my putter working, then it should be a good week.

My decision making has been good today. I didn’t attack flags when I was out of position and I attacked the flag when I was in good positions. I kept myself level-headed on most parts.

Leading Scores after round 1 of the Asia-Pacific Classic being played at the par 72, 7261 Yards St. Andrews (Zhengzhou) Golf Club course (am – denotes amateur):
66 – Andrew MARTIN (AUS).
67 – Jack WILSON (AUS), Honey BAISOYA (IND), Jack HARRISON (ENG), Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA), Callum TARREN (ENG), LIU Yanwei (CHN), YANG Yinong (CHN), Josh YOUNGER (AUS), KOH Deng Shan (SIN), Natipong SRITHONG (THA), Danthai BOONMA (THA).
68 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG), Prom MEESAWAT (THA), Shohei HASEGAWA (JPN), Gareth PADDISON (NZL), John CATLIN (USA).
69 – Quincy QUEK (SIN), Ben CAMPBELL (NZL), Chanachok DEJPIRATANAMONGKOL (THA), Kevin LEE (KOR), Charlie SAXON (USA), Suteepat PRATEEPTIENCHAI (THA), WANG Wei-lun (TPE).
70 – XIAO Bowen (CHN), ZHANG Huilin (CHN), Taewoo KIM #1087 (KOR), WU Tuxuan (CHN), LIU Chun (CHN), Chirat JIRASUWAN (THA), Adam BLYTH (AUS), Justin SHIN (CAN), Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA).
71 – Udorn DUANGDECHA (THA), WU Hongfu (CHN), Bryden MACPHERSON (AUS), CHEN Dinggen (CHN), Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA), FAN Shiyu (CHN), Chapchai NIRAT (THA), Steven JEFFRESS (AUS), Shotaro BAN (USA), Niall TURNER (IRL), HSU Hao-sheng (TPE), Michael CHOI (AUS), Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA), LUO Xuewen (CHN), Yuto SOEDA (JPN), Poom SAKSANSIN (THA), Matt STIEGER (AUS), LIN Wen-tang (TPE), HUANG Wenyi (CHN), HUANG Chi (TPE), HAK Shun-Yat (HKG), Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA), Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA).
72 – CHEN Zihao (CHN), WANG Tsung-chieh (TPE), Itthipat BURANATANYARAT (THA), Chikkarangappa S. (IND), Javier GALLEGOS (ESP), Michael SKELTON (ENG), LU Wei-chih (TPE), Mitchell SLORACH (SIN), HUNG Chien-yao (TPE), Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA), Dino A. GIACOMAZZI (USA), Jeffrey KANG (USA), Matthew PERRY (NZL), LIU Zehao (CHN), LIANG Enqi (am, CHN), Ryann REE (USA), Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN), Todd BAEK (KOR), ZHI Shang (CHN), ZHUANG Zhu (CHN).

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.