Bengaluru, August 10: Young Thai talent Danthai Boonma got off to a flying start with seven consecutive birdies from the first before signing for a scintillating 10-under-par 61 to grab a five-shot halfway lead at the US$350,000 TAKE Solutions Masters on Friday.

The 22-year-old Thai, who opened with a flawless 66, stayed blemish-free by nailing 10 birdies to take his place atop the leaderboard with a 15-under-par 127 total.

He would have matched the lowest 36-hole score and marked the largest 36-hole lead on Tour this season if not for the preferred lies in play.  

Asian Tour newcomer Miguel Carballo of Argentina posted a second straight 66 to share second place with Maverick Antcliff of Australia, who signed for a 65, at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

Bengaluru-native Chikkarangappa S. fired a 64 to emerge as the highest-placed Indian in fourth place on 133 while compatriot S.S.P. Chawrasia rediscovered some of his best form after carding a 65 to stay a further shot back in fifth.

Overnight leader Thammanoon Sriroj of Thailand slipped to tied-eighth place on 136 after stumbling to a 74 while countryman and defending champion Poom Saksansin grabbed a share of 25th place following a 67.

The halfway cut was set at one-under-par 141 with a total of 69 players, including two local amateurs, progressing into the weekend rounds at the TAKE Solutions Masters, which is celebrating its second straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.

Did you know?

• Danthai Boonma made his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie last month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open earlier in January, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series. The young Thai, however, failed to make the cut in his first Major after signing for rounds of 78 and 74.
• Despite hitting only six out of 13 fairways, Danthai found 15 greens in total and needed only 23 putts in his solid round of 61, which is his personal best 18-hole score since turning professional in 2015.
• He would have matched the lowest 36-hole score and marked the largest 36-hole lead on Tour this season if not for the preferred lies in play.
• Danthai is a one-time Asian Tour winner. He claimed his breakthrough at the 2015 World Classic Championship in Singapore. Also a one-time winner on the Asian Development Tour where he won the 2016 Boonchu Ruangkit Championship.
• Danthai sits in a current 24th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to three top-10 finishes.
• Danthai is a double gold medalist at the 2012 South East Asia (SEA) Games.

• Miguel Carballo is playing in his first season in Asia. He came through the Qualifying School in his first attempt earlier in January.
• Carballo has notched five top-10s in seven starts on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) so far this season. He sits in fourth place on the current ADT Order of Merit.
• Carballo enjoyed a tied-fifth place finish on the region’s premier Tour at the Asia-Pacific Classic in China in May. He missed three cuts in seven starts on the Asian Tour this season. Needs a strong finish this week to boost his ranking on the Habitat for Humanity Standings where he sits in a current 93rd position.S
• Carballo turned professional in 2002. Hails from Bahia Blanca, Argentina. He is the only Argentinean member on the Asian Tour. Also a former player on the PGA Tour in 2012.
• Maverick Antcliff is a graduate of the 2018 Asian Tour Qualifying School. He enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish in his Asian Tour debut at the Asian Golf Championship in China last year.
• Since earning his Tour card, the 25-year-old Australian has missed only two cuts in eight starts so far this season. His best result was a tied-ninth place finish in Indonesia last month.
• Chikkarangappa S. won the event twice when it was staged on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2014 and 2015.
• Claimed that he has only lost twice in all his past tournaments played at the Karnataka Golf Association Golf Course. The first time was at the amateur event where Khalin Joshi broke the course record in 2012 and the second time at the 2017 TAKE Solutions Masters.

Players’ quotes:

Danthai BOONMA (THA) – Second round 61 (-10), Total 127 (-15)

It’s amazing. It’s my personal best, my first time shooting 10-under-par in my life. I feel very happy and excited. It’s my first time starting the round with seven birdies in-a-row too! It’s just amazing.

On the seventh hole, my ball was on the fringe about 20 feet from the pin. I thought I will try and hit it close and two putts for par but I sank the birdie putt which has two breaks and was downhill. My putter was hot. I told myself to just enjoy the game, stay happy and not think so much. I made a similar putt on the 14 too.

I kept to my routine out there. My putting was very good today. I was able to hit it close as well. I forgot my Buddhist pendant necklace this morning. It’s like my lucky charm so I went back to the hotel to take just 20 minutes before my tee time this morning. Thankfully the hotel is just next to the course.

It’s pretty windy today. Good that I had the experience of playing against the wind at The Open earlier. But obviously the windy conditions here can’t be compared to what it was at Carnoustie. I guess that experience helps as I felt it was easier here and I felt more comfortable playing in the wind here as well.

I just want to enjoy my game tomorrow and not think too much. I’ve been singing this Thai song in my head and I want to continue that tomorrow. It helps calm me down. I will keep smiling and keep it fun out there.

Thammanoon’s five straight birdies yesterday came to my mind this morning but I thought I should just focus on my game. I tried not to think so much out there already, especially after that seven straight birdies. I told myself to stay in it and not get ahead of myself.

It’s been three years since I last won. I definitely want to do it again, especially after coming close a few times this year. But having said that, I don’t want to put so much pressure on myself so I won’t think about it.

Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) – Second round 66 (-5), Total 132 (-10)

I started from the 10th hole and I played solid on my front nine. But back nine wasn’t that good. I made a good eagle on the par-five 11th hole. I hit a driver and then a five-wood to the green and made the eagle putt from about 10 yards.

I made good birdie putts on 14th and 15th too, both from about five yards. This is my second week here in Bengaluru. I played the Asian Development Tour (ADT) event here last week and came in tied-11th. I have been hitting the ball well from tee to green since last week.

I made 28 putts today for the five-under-par 66. I had the same score yesterday too but with 31 putts. Hopefully I can do better tomorrow. This year’s been a great experience for me playing in Asia. It’s my first time playing a full season in Asia and I am happy with how I played so far.

This golf course is similar to what I used to play on the PGA Tour before. It’s in great condition, from the fairways to the bunkers and the rough, it’s very nice. I am very happy to play well in the first two rounds this week. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Going to different countries to play different tournaments and meet new people, I think I am very lucky. I am enjoying myself here. My focus now is to play on the Asian Tour. The competition is stronger in the United States. I have played about 10 years in the States. I thought I needed some new experiences so I came to try out here in Asia.

I am playing very well this year. I have a couple of good finishes on both the Asian Tour and the ADT which is good. Hopefully I can get a win soon. I have no goals to go play on the PGA Tour for now. I want to focus on the Asian Tour and if I play good enough, I will go to the European Tour.

Maverick ANTCLIFF (AUS) – Second round 65 (-6), Total 132 (-10)

I played pretty solid today. It was nice to finish with a birdie on the ninth. I made a bogey there yesterday. I had three birdies in-a-row from the fifth. I hit it just to the left on the par-four sixth and I chipped it in for birdie. I was about a metre off the green and had like 20 feet to the pin.

Conditions were pretty similar compared to yesterday. I was just aiming to hit the fairways and greens. You just need to plot along. I hit a bunch of fairways and greens and tried to stay patient out there. You know you not going to make everything so you just need to hit it close.

I wasn’t really looking at the leaderboard out there. I just thought I was playing alright. I tried to just do my own thing. You can’t really control anyone else. I haven’t really thought about tomorrow. I am pretty hungry now. Looking forward to get a good night’s sleep tonight.

Chikkarangappa S. (IND) – Second round 64 (-7), Total 133 (-9)

I have only lost two events at the KGA golf course. One was the TAKE Solutions Masters last year and the other was when Khalin Joshi shot 10-under-par in an amateur tournament in 2012. Those are the only two times I have lost here.

I started good today. I have actually not been feeling well, yesterday I had some cold and a bad throat. Luckily I had a morning tee off yesterday, and then I had a lot of time to recover, so I did that. Today the body was feeling great.

Overall I played superbly well today and my putting was really amazing. I hit the ball really good. I did a couple of changes just before this event with Mr. Sujith Somasunder from a mental aspect and also with my coach on a couple of things. I would say it was a phenomenal round. 

I made a very good putt on hole number eight. It was a downhill left to right putt. A lot of thoughts were going through my mind, whether it will break or not. It was a muc- needed putt for me to boost myself going forward into the back nine. It was about 15-18 feet.

Everything was going in today, and yesterday nothing went in. Yesterday also I felt I putted really well, but it was just that everything was on the cup or just lipped out. But I knew I was putting really well so I went with the confidence. That’s what I have been on – to forget what happened previously and focus on that particular moment and shot. 

I love playing at home. I have won plenty of events at home and the kind of love and warmth you get from the people of Bangalore, it is really amazing. There is no pressure, they actually cheer you up. It doesn’t matter if you win or you don’t win, they are always there and come out and support you. And I really thank them for that.

I spoke to Anirban Lahiri just a couple of days back. He is feeling solid too. I need to trust myself and have that belief. He told me that you need to go out there and enjoy yourself. And ask yourself how happy you were after the round.

I am so glad and happy to be playing along with SSP tomorrow. Coming into the range I saw SSP up there and I was so happy because I know how he is struggling on the European Tour. But I was so happy to see him shooting those numbers today and that probably also boosted me up going into my second round. He’s an amazing person, we come from similar backgrounds and I really look up to him.

The golf course is playing great. Just that it also has confused a lot of local lads like me because the greens are playing really soft so the ball is spinning a lot. So it is bit difficult for you to judge the spin and how much it is going into spin back.

S.S.P. CHAWRASIA (IND) – Second round 65 (-6), Total 134 (-8)

I had a good round yesterday as well, but today was better as I played bogey free. 

I made quite a few long putts and because of which, my scoring was better today. The new putter seems to be working well. My first long putt was at 12th hole, around 20 feet from outside the green. And then one on hole 16, which was about a 50-feet putt for birdie from outside the green. Then couple of 12 footers at 15th, second and third. Then a 10-footer on the seventh.

I missed a couple out there as well. On the sixth and 10th holes, I missed from within 10 feet and then on the eighth, I missed one around 15 feet. The 2nd shot on the 18th hole was a good save for par. It was a tough shot from the left to right. 

I am looking forward to tomorrow. No pressure as I just want to focus on my own game. This is the first event this year where I have played good golf over the first two rounds. Let’s see what happens in the next two rounds.

My old putter was a centre-shaft and the new one is hinge-shaft. It is a little differently shaped. It is a Odyssey. This is my first week with the new putter. The KGA golf course is always in great condition. For me, it’s ranked one of the top-five courses in India.

My mother was diabetic and she was admitted into the intensive care unit just before I came. But she is better now and that helped me to focus more on the golf. Yes, during the off-time and break between the shots, I was thinking about her but I didn’t let it affect my game.

Aadil Bedi is a great player. He’s just 17 but he is very mature. He was playing good yesterday, and even today he was playing well. He just missed a couple of putts, otherwise he is a great player.

Scores after round 2 of the Take Solutions Masters being played at the par 71, 7074 Yards Karnataka Golf Association course (am – denotes amateur):

127 – Danthai BOONMA (THA) 66-61.

132 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 66-66, Maverick ANTCLIFF (AUS) 67-65.

133 – Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 69-64.

134 – S.S.P CHAWRASIA (IND) 69-65.

135 – Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 66-69, Viraj MADAPPA (IND) 70-65.

136 – Khalin JOSHI (IND) 67-69, Honey BAISOYA (IND) 70-66, Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA) 62-74, Anura ROHANA (LKA) 67-69, Jake MCLEOD (AUS) 67-69, Matt KILLEN (ENG) 68-68.

137 – Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 69-68, Scott VINCENT (ZIM) 66-71, Scott BARR (AUS) 71-66, KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 68-69, Sunit CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-66, Kapil KUMAR (IND) 68-69, Aman RAJ (IND) 69-68, CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 70-67, Veer AHLAWAT (IND) 69-68, Om Prakash CHOUHAN (IND) 67-70, Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA) 69-68.

138 – Syed Saqib AHMED (IND) 70-68, Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 71-67, Sam CHIEN (USA) 68-70, Karandeep KOCHHAR (IND) 69-69, Harimohan SINGH (am, IND) 69-69, Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA) 67-71.

139 – Ashok KUMAR (IND) 69-70, Aadil BEDI (am, IND) 68-71, Himmat RAI (IND) 69-70, Javier GALLEGOS (ESP) 69-70, Ankur CHADHA (IND) 72-67, Rashid KHAN (IND) 71-68, Mithun PERERA (LKA) 69-70, Marcus BOTH (AUS) 68-71, Chanachok DEJPIRATANAMONGKOL (THA) 69-70.

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.

Bengaluru, August 10: Asian Tour newcomer Miguel Carballo of Argentina took advantage of a solid front-nine to sign for a second straight five-under-par 66, grabbing the halfway clubhouse lead by two shots at the TAKE Solutions Masters on Friday.

The 39-year-old Carballo, who started from the 10th hole, fired an eagle and three birdies to turn in 32 before trading a birdie against a bogey on his way home for a two-day total of 10-under-par 132 at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

Indian hotshot S.S.P. Chawrasia, a six-time Asian Tour winner, rode on a hot putter to sign for a solid 65. He trails Carballo by two shots at the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.

Young Thai talent Suradit Yongcharoenchai, who enjoyed a seventh place finish last year, battled to a 69 to stay three shots off the pace at the TAKE Solutions Masters, which is celebrating its second edition on the Asian Tour this week.

“This golf course is similar to what I used to play on the PGA Tour before. It’s in great condition, from the fairways to the bunkers and the rough. I am very happy to play well in the first two rounds. Looking forward to tomorrow,” said Carballo, a former player on the PGA Tour.

Since making the mark in his first attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January, Carballo has notched five top-10s on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and a tied-fifth finish on the region’s premier Tour at the Asia-Pacific Classic in China in May.

Ends.

August 10: India’s Shubhankar Sharma fired an opening one-under-par 69 to take a share of 33rd place at the PGA Championship on Thursday.

The current Habitat for Humanity standings leader mixed his card with three birdies and two bogeys to stay five shots back of American leader Gary Woodland at the year’s final Major.

Japan’s Yuta Ikeda, carded a 68 to share 16th place while Anirban Lahiri signed for a 70 to end the day tied for 48th place.

South Africa’s Justin Harding and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat would be looking for improved performances after they carded rounds of 72 and 75 respectively  to languish in tied 83rd and 134th place at the Bellerive Country Club.

Ends.

Singapore, Sentosa, August 10: It was in December 2016 when Jazz Janewattananond decided to live a humble and pious life as a monk for two weeks.

He stayed at the Wat Benchamahophit Dusitvanaram temple in Bangkok and traded his trendy golf attire for a bright orange robe. His hair was shaved off and instead of playing golf, he prayed and chanted every day.

Jazz needed to reflect on life after going through a challenging 2016 season. He had lost his Asian Tour card for the first time since 2013 and missed the grade at the Qualifying School which left him with limited opportunities for the year.

Despite facing uncertainty in his career, Jazz never relented and seized the opportunity when it presented itself by winning the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open by a convincing four shots.

After the win, a reinvigorated Jazz said that in life, sometimes it takes failure to bring out success.

“I guess those setbacks helped in my game but the win did come sooner than I thought,” said Jazz.

“I prayed and chanted every day in the temple. I felt really peaceful. I seem to take things a lot easier now. Golf used to be everything for me but now I’m just happy that I get to play in tournaments.”

Fast forward to 2018 and Jazz is enjoying life in the fast lane. He won his second Asian Tour title at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak in July and also made his Major debut at The Open.

There’s no denying the huge amount of talent he possesses. Even as a junior golfer, his tenacity and natural ability on the golf course never went unnoticed.

At the age of 14, Jazz played his way into the history books on the Asian Tour in 2010 when he became the youngest ever player to make the halfway cut at the Asian Tour International in Bangkok. He turned professional in the same year.

Three years after relinquishing his amateur status, Jazz was a regular on the Asian Tour and was always a joy to watch for his fluid golf swing and psychedelic pants, made famous by Major champion John Daly.

After experiencing the ups and downs in golf, Jazz’s career is beginning to flourish. Now a two-time Asian Tour champion and a bright future ahead of him, it is no surprise why Jazz is part of our new #whereitsAT campaign.

After all, the Asian Tour is where you will find Tomorrow’s Stars Today.

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.

Bengaluru, August 9: Thai veteran Thammanoon Sriroj rolled back the years after signing for a spectacular nine-under-par 62 to lead by four shots following the opening round of the TAKE Solutions Masters on Thursday.

The 49-year-old Thammanoon, a five-time Asian Tour winner by not since 2004, got off to a solid start with five straight birdies from the 10th hole before adding another birdie on 18 to turn in 31.

He nailed three more birdies on the first, third and sixth holes but dropped his only bogey of the day on the seventh hole. The experienced Thai, however, bounced back swiftly with a birdie on the par-three eighth after hitting his tee shot to within three feet.

Young Thai duo Danthai Boonma and Suradit Yongcharoenchai shared second place with Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, Argentinean Miguel Carballo and local prospect Feroz Singh Garewal after they cardedmatching rounds of 66s at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

India’s rising star Khalin Joshi was amongst those bunched in seventh place after he carded a 67 on his home course. Defending champion Poom Saksansin of Thailand battled to a 71 to tie in 64th position at the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.

Did you know?

• Thammanoon Sriroj is one of Thailand’s most successful golfers with five titles on the Asian Tour. He claimed his fifth victory in China in 2004.
• Thammanoon’s four-shot advantage is the largest 18-hole lead on the Asian Tour so far this season.
• Thammanoon is using a near brand-new set of clubs this week. Apart from his putter and sand wedge, the other clubs are new.
• The Thai veteran hit only seven fairways but found 15 greens and needed only 24 putts in his solid round of 62.
• Earlier in January, Thammanoon regained his Asian Tour card by making the grade at the grueling 90-hole Qualifying School where he finished in tied-11th place.
• He marked his best result on Tour so far this season at the AB Bank Bangladesh Open in May where he came in tied-11th.
• In 2015, Thammanoon secured his first win on the Asia Development Tour after prevailing in a play-off at the Ballantine’s Taiwan Championship.
• Danthai Boonma made his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie last month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open earlier in January, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series. The young Thai, however, failed to make the cut in his first Major after signing for rounds of 78 and 74.
• Danthai is a one-time Asian Tour winner. He claimed his breakthrough at the 2015 World Classic Championship in Singapore. Also a one-time winner on the Asian Development Tour where he won the 2016 Boonchu Ruangkit Championship.
• Danthai sits in a current 24th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to three top-10 finishes.
• Danthai is a double gold medalist at the 2012 South East Asia (SEA) Games.
• Danthai missed only three fairways and three greens in his commendable round of 66. He averaged 291 yards off the tee and amassed a total of 28 putts today.
• Feroz Singh Garewal turned professional in 2015 at the age of 17. He trains under Jesse Grewal, who also coaches Indian star Shubhankar Sharma.
• Garewal was a regular player on the Asian Development Tour from 2015 to 2017. Represented his country at the 2014 Asian Games and came in fifth at the Youth Olympics the same year.
• Garewal found only five out of 13 fairways but was able to hit 14 greens in total. He needed only 27 putts in his opening round of 66.
• Scott Vincent is the highest-ranked Asian Tour player in 10th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• Vincent’s wife Kelsey is on his bag this week.
• The 26-year-old Vincent, the only Zimbabwean player on the Asian Tour, closed with three straight birdies from the 16th hole to grab a share of second place.
• An eagle-birdie-birdie finish puts Suradit Yongcharoenchai right in the mix as he signed for a 66. The 19-year-old came in seventh last year.

Players’ quotes:

Thammanoon Sriroj (Tha) – First round 62 (-9)

My tee shots were good today but my putting was even better. I made a lot of long putts today. I made my only bogey of the day on the seventh after hitting into the trees but bounced back with a good birdie on the eighth where I hit it to about a foot. I thought I hit it really close but my playing partner Mukesh Kumar hit it even closer.

I have played here a few times. I knew it’s a narrow course and the rough will be tough which doesn’t suit my game. I was thinking much before I started the round. I thought I might missed the cut again but the confidence grew as I head into the round today and I played better and better from there.

I started the round making birdies. At first, I thought I am just lucky but after making five in-a-row, I thought maybe it’s just my talent. I have shot 10 birdies before in Thailand. I have had more birdies in a row too.

I will not expect too much this week because this course doesn’t really suit my game. We will see how it goes tomorrow. I have played in Japan for four years before and I am planning to play the Senior Tour in Japan after I turn 50 next year.

I am using almost a brand-new set of clubs this week and I am feeling comfortable with it. Only my putter and my sand-wedge are old. The rest of the clubs are new this week.

Danthai BOONMA (Tha) – First round 66 (-5)

I played really good today. I started well with three birdies in my opening five holes. I hit my tee shots very well. I putted well as well. I was able to hit it close for birdies on two of the par-threes too.

I started from the 10th hole today and my first birdie of the day on 13th got my round going. I hit close to about three feet before making the putt. The course is in good condition this week. It’s pretty wet compared to last year.

It was quite windy in the morning but I enjoyed myself out there. I like the challenge. I am feeling confident with my game right now, especially after playing at The Open earlier although I missed the cut there. Looking forward to the rest of the week. I will try my best.

Feroz Singh GAREWAL (Ind) – First round 66 (-5)

I hit it really close on the eighth hole, played eight-iron off the tee. And 10, 11 and 12 I hit it really close so I converted those. Then on the 18th I made a long putt for a birdie – nine yards, about 27 feet.

Not a good driving day for me. Was struggling off the tee. Made a few up and downs in the beginning and that sort of got the momentum going. Back 9 was good, I hit nine greens in the back 9.

I dropped a shot on seventh. Hit it left. Then missed the green and then missed up and down. Two bad shots on one hole. 

The course played really good. It is a beautiful golf course. The rough is a little high but it’s in perfect conditions. Wind wasn’t a factor in the morning but later on the day it was a little high up there, but it was fine. It was not swirling, it was just one way so that’s fine. 

I play at the KGA every year. The familiarity with the course always helps. You get used to the conditions so you know where to miss and where not to miss. Even if you are in trouble, you know where to get out. 

Scott Vincent (Zim) – First round 66 (-5)

It was good out there, a lot better than what I was expecting. I hit a lot of greens. I hit the ball very nicely. Didn’t make any putts until the last three holes where I birdied all. It was a nice way to end the day. The longest putt I made today was on the last hole 18th. I had about 15 feet downhill, a little right to left.

The conditions were pretty good. We were pretty lucky with the weather. The rain came when we were walking off the tee box to our second shot. I was just chatting my wife Kelsey, who is on my bag this week, and we were having a good time out there. Obviously easier to do that when you’re playing well. It was a fun day for us.

Playing in the morning tomorrow, hopefully the weather stays and we have the chance to chase down the leader. It’s going to be the same thing for me tomorrow. I didn’t do a good job hitting the fairways today. I hope to do better tomorrow.

Scores after round 1 of the Take Solutions Masters being played at the par 71, 7074 Yards Karnataka Golf Association course (am – denotes amateur):

62 – Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA).

66 – Feroz Singh GAREWAL (IND), Danthai BOONMA (THA), Scott VINCENT (ZIM), Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA), Miguel CARBALLO (ARG).

67 – Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA), Om Prakash CHOUHAN (IND), Jake MCLEOD (AUS), Maverick ANTCLIFF (AUS), Khalin JOSHI (IND), Anura ROHANA (LKA), Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA).

68 – Kapil KUMAR (IND), Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA), Marcus BOTH (AUS), Matt KILLEN (ENG), Jaibir SINGH (IND), Sudhir SHARMA (IND), Aadil BEDI (am, IND), Sam CHIEN (USA), KOH Deng Shan (SIN), M DHARMA (IND).

69 – Aman RAJ (IND), Harimohan SINGH (am, IND), Veer AHLAWAT (IND), Nirun SAE-UENG (THA), Casey O’TOOLE (USA), Danny CHIA (MAS), Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA), Shohei HASEGAWA (JPN), Chikkarangappa S. (IND), Angad CHEEMA (IND), Chanachok DEJPIRATANAMONGKOL (THA), Kushal SINGH (IND), Ashok KUMAR (IND), Sujjan SINGH (IND), S.S.P CHAWRASIA (IND), Jason KNUTZON (USA), Himmat RAI (IND), Javier GALLEGOS (ESP), Miguel TABUENA (PHI), Dodge KEMMER (USA), Mithun PERERA (LKA), Karandeep KOCHHAR (IND), Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA).

70 – Sanjeev KUMAR (L) (IND), Shakhawat SOHEL (BAN), Tapy GHAI (IND), David GLEESON (AUS), Viraj MADAPPA (IND), CHOO Tze Huang (SIN), Suttijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA), Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND), Digvijay SINGH (IND), Jakraphan PREMSIRIGORN (THA), Akshay SHARMA (IND), Mitchell SLORACH (SIN), Syed Saqib AHMED (IND), Honey BAISOYA (IND), Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Mukesh KUMAR (IND), Amritinder SINGH (IND).

71 – Digraj Singh GILL (USA), Josh YOUNGER (AUS), Andrew MARTIN (AUS), Arie Irawan (MAS), Amir NAZRIN (MAS), WANG Wei-lun (TPE), Peradol PANYATHANASEDH (THA), Deepinder Singh KULLAR (IND), Sung LEE (KOR), Abhinav LOHAN (IND), R Mari Muthu (IND), Pawan KUMAR (IND), Anil Bajrang MANE (IND), Paul HARRIS (USA), Arjun SHARMA (IND), N. THANGARAJA (LKA), LIU Yanwei (CHN), Poom SAKSANSIN (THA), Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), Rashid KHAN (IND), Nattawat SUVAJANAKORN (THA), Scott BARR (AUS), XIAO Bowen (CHN), Shivendra Singh SISODIA (IND), Amardip MALIK (IND), Sunit CHOWRASIA (IND), Alvin CHEUNG (HKG), Saarthak CHHIBER (am, IND).

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.

Bengaluru, August 9: Young Thai talent Danthai Boonma and local prospect Feroz Singh Garewal fired matching five-under-par 66s to set the early pace at the ongoing opening round of the TAKE Solutions Masters on Thursday.

The 22-year-old Danthai, who made his Major debut at The Open last month, returned with a flawless round highlighted by five birdies while Garewal, 21, carded six birdies against a bogey to lead the way at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

Thailand’s Settee Prakongvech, who enjoyed a top-10 finish last year, stayed bogey-free to trail the leading duo by one shot alongside local hope Om Prakash Chouhan, as well as Australian duo Jake McLeod and Maverick Antcliff at the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.

“I played really good today. I started well with three birdies in my opening five holes. I hit my tee shots good and I putted well. It was quite windy in the morning but I enjoyed myself out there. I like the challenge.

“I am feeling confident with my game right now, especially after playing at The Open earlier although I missed the cut there. Looking forward to the rest of the week. I will try my best,” said Danthai, who sits in 24th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to three top-10 finishes.

End.

Bengaluru, August 8: Poom Saksansin of Thailand hopes to take advantage of his recent run of good form to launch a successful title defence at the US$350,000 TAKE Solutions Masters, which starts on Thursday.

Coming off the back of a tied-sixth finish in Fiji last week, Poom is confident of putting up another good run at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course, where he had led from start to end to win by two shots for his second Asian Tour title 12 months ago.

The 25-year-old Poom, who sits in 23rd place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, believes his game is trending in the right direction but prefers to play down his expectations as he bids to retain his title successfully for the first time in his career.

Poom will spearhead the talented 156-man field alongside Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe, highest-ranked Asian Tour player in 10th place on the Habitat of Humanity Standings, as well as Indian stalwart S.S.P. Chawrasia and homegrown talent Khalin Joshi.

Chawrasia, a six-time Asian Tour winner, is playing in his first event in four months on the region’s premier Tour. The 40-year-old Indian, who made only two cuts in five starts this season, is looking to regain his top form at the event backed by his sponsor, TAKE Solutions.

Rising star Joshi, who came in runner-up last year, will be banking on his home course knowledge to put up another title run for a breakthrough victory on the Asian Tour.

Vincent hopes to make it a week to remember by claiming his maiden Asian Tour title in his first visit to Bengaluru at the TAKE Solutions Masters. Prior to last week’s Fiji International, the 26-year-old Vincent has claimed four top-10 results in his last five starts on Tour.

Poom Saksansin of Thailand

Did you know?

• Poom Saksansin completed a wire-to-wire victory to seal his second Asian Tour title at the 2017 TAKE Solutions Masters.
• Thanks largely to that victory, Poom finished in a career-high eighth position on the Merit rankings in 2017 and earned a maiden appearance at the 2018 EurAsiaCup where he represented Team Asia.
• Poom, together with Sunghoon Kang, defeated Henrik Stenson and Alex Levy in the first day four-ball match 5&4. Also beat Paul Casey 1 up on the final day Singles match at the 2018 EurAsia Cup.
• Poom produced a five-shot victory at the 2016 BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich to win his first Asian Tour title.
• Poom, who turned professional in 2013, used to ply his trade on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) where he has won a title at the 2015 PGM Kinrara Championship in Malaysia.
• Poom enjoyed a tied-sixth place finish at the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways last week. It was his third top-10 finish this season. He claimed his best result at the Thailand Open in June, where he finished one shot back of winner Panuphol Pittayarat to settle for second place on his own.
• S.S.P. Chawrasia of India successfully defended his title at the 2017 Hero Indian Open for his sixth Asian Tour victory. Became only the third player to make a successful defence of his National Open.
• Chawrasia, who is sponsored by TAKE Solutions, became a recipient of the prestigious Arjuna award in 2017.
• The 40-year-old Chawrasia claimed his first Asian Tour victory outside of India at the 2016 Resorts World Manila Masters. Also represented his country at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro the same year.
• Chawrasia is playing in only his sixth start on the Asian Tour this season. He spent most of the season plying on his trade on the European Tour.
• Khalin Joshi, also sponsored by TAKE Solutions, holds the home course advantage this week. He enjoyed a runner-up finish last year.
• Joshi also holds the course record of a 10-under-par 62 which he set during an amateur event in 2012. He turned professional in 2013.
• The 25-year-old Joshi enjoyed a tied-fifth place finish at the lucrative Maybank Championship in Malaysia earlier in February. Sits in 18th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and has virtually sealed his card for the 2019 season.
• Scott Vincent is the highest-ranked player in the 156-man field this week. He sits in 10th place on the latest Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• Vincent is only member from Zimbabwe on the Asian Tour. He signaled his arrival in Asia by coming through the Qualifying School in 2016. Claimed two top-10 finishes in six starts that year. Did not miss a single cut and was crowned the rookie of the year after finishing in 29th place on the Order of Merit that season.
• Vincent claimed four top-10s in 2017 to finish in 17th place on the Order of Merit, thereby retaining his card for the 2018 season. He has notched six top-10 results so far this season.

Poom Saksansin of Thailand

Players’ quotes:

Poom Saksansin (Tha)

I had a good finish last week so I am feeling more confident with my game. It was really windy in Fiji last week but luckily the greens were softer that’s why I was able to score. I am very proud with my result last week. It shows that I can play well in windy conditions.

I am excited to be back here to defend my title this week. This is a very tight golf course. I just hope my driver will be good. I hope I can defend my title but my first goal is to make the cut first. I hope to put myself in contention again but I don’t want to think about that yet.

I will just try and make the cut first. I got in to Bengaluru late last night. I went back home for a day just to see my mother. I am feeling pretty tired now but I am looking forward to tomorrow. I hope I can continue to hit the ball good and putt well.

The course seems pretty different from last year. It’s been raining and it seems like you’re hitting shorter out there. Some holes are playing long for me. I think my game is good right now. My putting is in good shape.

Tee shots will be the key this week as there are a few narrow holes out there. Putting is important too. I only remember I won here last year, can’t remember anything else but I feel very good to be back here again.

S.S.P. Chawrasia of India

S.S.P. Chawrasia (Ind)

The course is a little bit wet today but conditions wise, it’s excellent. The game’s feeling alright. I played good in the pro-am tournament today so I hope to continue that good form over to the next few days.

This is my sponsor’s event. I am very excited. TAKE Soutions has been supporting me for many years and they have helped a lot of other players as well. I haven’t been playing well for the last couple of weeks so this week will be a good event for me to get my game back on track and build on my confidence.

I have been working on my putting. I think I’m not practicing good enough so that’s why I am struggling. I have played many events here so I am pretty familiar with this course and although I have never win here before, I have had a lot of top-10 finishes here.

There are a couple of narrow holes out there but also a couple of wide holes. It’s a good mixture. Putting will be the key to score this week. We know the Bengaluru greens are tricky so everyone is working on their putting this week.

Khalin Joshi of India

Khalin Joshi (Ind)

I have a bunch of good memories out here but the one that stands out the most is my last amateur event here. I shot a course record 62. That’s one of the fondest memories I have out here. Hopefully I can repeat that again this week or make it even better.

I am looking for my maiden Asian Tour victory this week. Hopefully I can do it on my home course here. There’s no other better venue than this for me. This is my home tournament as well. It would mean the world to me if I can win this week because I’m sponsored by TAKE Solutions as well.

First victory at this golf club and at this tournament, it’s going to mean everything to me. I am going to put in my heart for this week and hopefully I can be victorious on Sunday.

Scott Vincent (Zim)

I played in Fiji last week after taking a short break. The game felt a bit rusty there but I’m happy to play four rounds. Obviously hoping to play four more here in Bengaluru. I have high expectations this week, some are self-imposed while some from the outside.

But it’s good to have those high expectations of yourself. I’m looking forward to this week and looking forward to the challenges ahead. The course is in good shape. It’s a little wet with the rain today but apart from that, everything looks good.

The game’s not great at the moment but I’ll do some practice later and hopefully find something for the next few days. It’s my first time in Bengaluru. It’s been good so far. The course is good and where we’re staying is good too.

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.

Bengaluru, August 7: Malaysia’s Danny Chia hopes to get his season back on track at the US$350,000 TAKE Solutions Masters which gets underway on Thursday.

The 45-year-old Chia, who enjoyed a tied-10th finish in last year’s edition, will draw from his good memories when he chases for glory at the Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) Golf Course.

Chia, a two-time Asian Tour winner but not since 2015, will rely on his old swing which helped him to a tied 22nd place finish which was also his first cut in seven attempts at the Royal Cup in Thailand two weeks ago.

Chia struggled with poor ball-striking after making changes to his swing at the start of the season but he is slowly rediscovering his form thanks to advice from Terry Pilkadaris of Australia. After narrowing his stance, Chia is now beginning to strike the ball more consistently.

Bengaluru native Chikkarangappa S. will have unfinished business at the TAKE Solutions Masters where he was in contention before settling for a tied-10th place finish last year. He won the event twice when it was staged on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2014 and 2015.

Coming off a victory on home soil last week, Indonesian Rory Hie will bank on a feel-good factor when he challenges for top honours at the TAKE Solutions Masters. He enjoyed a tied-fourth finish last year to fork his best ever result on the Asian Tour.

Danny Chia with his pro-am partners

Did you know?

• Danny Chia is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He first won the Taiwan Open in 2002 before ending a 13-year title drought at the 2015 Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
• Chia is a history-maker for Malaysia. In 2010, he became the first player from his country to play in all four rounds at The Open at St Andrews, which he also qualified for in 2005 and 2008.
• Chia is the first Malaysian to win on the Asian Tour. He is also a three-time winner on the ADT.
• The 45-year-old Chia enjoyed a tied-10th place finish at the 2017 TAKE Solution Masters. Having made only one cut in seven starts this season, Chia hopes to turn the corner with a good result this week.
• Currently ranked 161st on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, Chia needs to step up his game to finish inside the top-60 at the end of the season to retain his Asian Tour card for 2019.
• Chikkarangappa S. won the tournament twice when it was held on the ADT in 2014 and 2015. He also became the top golfer in his domestic circuit in 2015.
• The 24-year-old Bengaluru native also enjoyed a tied-10th place result at the 2017 TAKESolutions Masters.
• Earned his Asian Tour card at the 2016 Qualifying School. Went on to establish himself with four top-10s to earn a full card for 2017 where he ended the season right on the top-61 cut-off mark to keep his card for 2018.
• Chikka currently sits in 66th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to three top-15 finishes.
• Rory Hie marked his best Asian Tour result when he came in tied-fourth at the 2017 TAKE Solutions Masters.
• Hie has made only two cuts in eight starts on the Asian Tour this season. His best result was a tied-18th place finish at the Thailand Open in June.
• The 29-year-old Indonesian claimed a victory on home soil on his domestic circuit last week.
• Hie is the first Indonesian to earn playing rights on the Asian Tour after making the grade at the Qualifying School in 2009.

Danny Chia of Malaysia

Players’ quotes:

Danny Chia (Mas)

I quite like the course layout here. It’s a tree-lined golf course. You need to hit fade shots on quite a few holes here and I quite like that. The course suits my eyes a lot. It’s one of the reasons why I decided to come back and play again this year.

Tee shots will be key this week. You need to keep the ball on the fairways. The rough seems thicker, as compared to last year. It depends on how the weather plays out this week. If the greens get dry, it can be quite tough.

I am starting to hit the ball better, since the Royal Cup two weeks ago. I am pretty happy with the way I strike the ball now. At the start of this year, I made some changes to my swing, putting in a lot of new things but I never feel comfortable with it.

It was only until the Royal Cup that I decided to go back to how I used to swing. Things seem to turn out better from there. I got a little bit of help from Terry Pilkadaris as well. It’s a long story. I have been having a bit of back issues and was wondering if it’s because I’m getting old.

I spoke to Terry about it and he looked at the way I hit the ball. He suggested that I narrow down my stance which will help me to turn easier. I felt the ease straightaway when I hit the ball after that. That kind of started to connect with the other things that I’m working on.

I started to strike the ball more consistently that week. I didn’t play great but at least my ball striking was more consistent so it’s something positive that I’m bringing to this week. Hopefully I can continue to strike the ball well this week.

Chikkarangappa S. of India

Chikkarangappa S. (Ind)

I feel good coming back home to play this week. The KGA Golf Course is like my second home course, to be honest. I have played here a lot during my junior and amateur days and I have won all the events whenever I played there.

I have a lot of good memories and confidence there. It’s a pretty long golf course. I think tee shots are important and putting will be the key. It’s going to be tricky so if you can read some good lines, you should be able to score.

It’s always nice to be playing on home soil. Everyone comes out to support you, no matter young or old. It’s a great feeling and a proud moment when you play in front of your home crowd.

Obviously, I had a bad stretch last year but somehow managed to get my card. The season’s getting better. I have been consistent for the last couple of weeks. Just working on a few new things which is getting in place now. I feel more confident playing on course as well.

I won this event twice when it was staged on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2014 and 2015 but it’s different winning on the ADT and winning on the Asian Tour. Winning on the Asian Tour will definitely open up more opportunities.

If you can win on home turf, it will be even more special. I will try my best this week and we’ll see what happens.

Rory Hie of Indonesia

Rory Hie (Ina)

Good vibes coming back here, definitely. I had my best finish on the Asian Tour when I came in tied-fourth at the TAKE Solutions Masters last year. I like this course. I like the greens. I feel like I putt well on these greens. I feel like I can manage my way around the golf course pretty well.

The key would be to manage my club selection this week because there is going to be a lot of cross winds and that’s going to be the tricky part. The weather is pretty different from last year. We’ve got some rain already and it’s windier as well.

The course looks great. The conditions have always been good. My caddy was just saying the greens are better than last year as well. The season’s been pretty slow for me so far. Hopefully I can get it kick-started this week.

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.

Sentosa, Singapore, August 6: After becoming the first Indian to win nine Asian Tour titles, Gaganjeet Bhullar is now set for an epic showdown against countryman Shubhankar Sharma for the Habitat for Humanity Standings crown.

The 30-year-old made huge waves at the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways after displaying mental courage and resilience to surpass the eight titles previously won by compatriots Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa.

Few would have doubted his chances in Fiji looking at his current form. In his last seven starts, Bhullar posted four top-10s including two runner-up finishes at the Maekyung Open and Queen’s Cup in Korea and Thailand respectively.

After winning his first European Tour title, Bhullar has now set his sights on winning the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings where he previously finished fifth in 2012 and 2013.

He is currently ranked fourth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings with earnings of US$357,630 and trails the leader Sharma by slightly over US$240,000. It will prove to be an exciting race towards the finishing line with the business-end of the Asian Tour season looming.

“There are still a lot of great tournaments coming up in the second half.  Winning the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings will definitely be on my mind right now,” said Bhullar, whose wife Naureen Sandhu was present to witness his win in Fiji.

“Las week was something really special and I could feel a victory coming my way.  I’ve been playing really well lately and I think the momentum was getting ready to win like this,” explained the Indian, who played his 185th Asian Tour event last week.

Bhullar is still driven despite his immense success. His career highlights include his wire-to-wire victory at the Macao Open last year and in the process, becoming the youngest player to secure eight titles on the region’s premier Tour.

“I would cherish this because we worked really hard for it. I was tied (on the titles won) with my childhood heroes Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa, so this is an achievement for me. I’m going to work even harder to win even more titles on the international level,” said Bhullar.

The victory came with huge rewards including securing his spot in the lucrative CIMB Classic sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGA Tour this October. He is also in the running to qualify for the WGC-HSBC Championship in October.  

The top three places on the money list remained unchanged with Matt Wallace (US$446,660) of England in second and Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand (US$372,481) in third position.

Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe nudged Thailand’s Jazz Janewattanond out of the top-10 after his tied-60th finish in Fiji. Ben Campbell of New Zealand, who finished in tied-third, jumped 24 places to 30th position.

This week, the Asian Tour heads to Bangalore for the US$350,000 TAKE Solutions Masters, where Thailand’s Poom Saksansin will be defending his title.

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos  Player  Order of Merit  (US$)

1. Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) $603,155.55

2. Matt WALLACE (ENG)         $446,660

3. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) $372,480.89

4. Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) $357,630.25

5. Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $295,660.39

6. Rahil GANGJEE (IND) $290,425.53

7. Sihwan KIM (USA) $279,623.77

8. Minchel CHOI (KOR) $271,340.97

9. Paul PETERSON (USA) $241,148.57

10. Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $233,741.1

11. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $207,973.14

12. John CATLIN (USA) $199,617.91

13. Justin HARDING (RSA) $188,648.75

14. Berry HENSON (USA) $159358.66

15. Daniel NISBET (AUS) $151,883.64

16. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $146,227.34

17. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $140,649.11

18. Khalin JOSHI (IND) $133,933.64

19. Shaun NORRIS (RSA) $130,943.24

20. Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $125,015.8

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, August 6: The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is set for its third staging in 2019 when it gets underway from February 14 to 17 at Lake Karrinyup Country Club in Perth, Western Australia.

In the inaugural ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth, Australia’s Brett Rumford dominated in front of his home crowd while Thai superstar Kiradech Aphibarnrat proved a popular winner when he triumphed in 2018.

The 2019 ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is set to again be a highlight on an impressive sporting schedule in Perth which has grown exponentially since the opening of the Perth Stadium last year.

Following 6 months of review and preparations the third edition is set to capitalise on a successful 2018 tournament that featured Lee Westwood, Danny Willett and cult hero Andrew ‘Beef’ Johnston.

“We are extremely proud of how far the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth has come over the last two years,” said Gavin Kirkman, CEO of the PGA of Australia which owns the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.

Lake Karrinyup Country Club is one of the best golf courses in the country and we are delighted to be hosted by this fantastic venue once again in 2019,” he added.

Tri-sanctioned for the third time in 2019, the Asian Tour, ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, and the European Tour, the field is set to include a plethora of golfing talent from all corners of the globe. 

Equally pleased with the scheduling of the event is Dr Haruhisa Handa, Founder and Chairman of ISPS HANDA.

 “We are delighted to continue our title sponsorship of the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth, for the third year running,” said Dr Handa.

“ISPS believes in the ‘power of sport’ to inspire change. The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth embodies sport’s ability to innovate with its dynamic new format and will provide a thrilling start to the 2019 sporting calendar. I wish the tournament the very best of success,” he added.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth was the first of a number of format innovations the European Tour has introduced over the years, emphasising the importance of entertainment as a way of bringing the game of golf to new audiences. They have since introduced the Golf Sixes event and Shot Clock Masters to their schedule.

Keith Waters, Chief Operating Officer at the European Tour, said: “We are delighted to be returning to Perth and Lake Karrinyup Country Club for an event which has gone from strength to strength in the last two years.

“The innovative format was a ground-breaking one when it was introduced at this tournament in 2017 and its continued success is a testament to ISPS HANDA, the Western Australian government and the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia. We look forward to co-sanctioning another great event next February.”

The Asian Tour will again be a welcomed guest on Australian shores as it forms a stronger alignment with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia enhancing opportunities for professional golfers in the region.

Cho Minn Thant, Chief Operating Officer of the Asian Tour says they look forward to returning to what has been a happy hunting ground for their players.

“The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth has been a huge success with its refreshing and innovative format. Fans have enjoyed the tournament and it is also a very popular event with our players,” he said.

“We hope to see continued success from our members following Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai’s runner-up finish in 2017 and Kiradech Aphibarnrat’s victory earlier this year.

“We are eagerly anticipating our return to Lake Karrinyup Country Club in Perth next year and look forward to working closely with ISPS HANDA, the Western Australian government and the PGA Tour of Australasia in making it another successful tournament,” said Cho.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth will be played from February 14 to 17, 2019 at Lake Karrinyup Country Club in Perth, Western Australia.

Tickets will go on sale from 1 October 2018 and will be available from Ticketmaster.

The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth event is proudly supported by the Western Australian Government through Tourism WA.

Ends.

About the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth

To be played at Lake Karrinyup Country Club from 14-17 February, 2019 and tri-sanctioned by the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, European Tour and Asian Tour, the ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth combines 54 holes of traditional stroke play across the first three days with an exciting knockout match play format for the fourth and final round. A regular cut will fall after 36 holes before the field is then further reduced to the top-24 players following 54 holes of regulation play, with any ties for 24th place being decided by a play-off. Those remaining players will then earn their places in the six-hole shootout. Any matches tied after the six holes will be decided by playing the new Shootout Hole – a purpose-built 90-metre hole constructed at Lake Karrinyup, with a tee placed adjacent to the 18th fairway and utilising the 18th green. The ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth is a revolutionary golf tournament designed to retain the traditions of the game whilst appealing to a broader audience.

About ISPS HANDA

ISPS HANDA is a ‘General Incorporated Association’ based in Tokyo. ISPS HANDA was founded by Japanese philanthropist Dr Haruhisa Handa in 2006 to support charitable causes throughout the sporting world. ISPS HANDA’s support for golf is founded in its belief in the “power of sport” and it has fostered partnerships with golf governing bodies worldwide to help develop the game at every level and promote blind and disabled golf. ISPS HANDA’s heritage in supporting blind and disabled golf and Dr Handa’s interest and philanthropic contribution in golf has formed the foundation of its wider mission for golf to become a Paralympic sport. Outside of golf, ISPS HANDA’s support extends to other sports including rowing, football, polo, boxing and the convening of discussion platforms for young leaders in sports.

More information: www.ispsgolf.com

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.