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.

Antwerp, Belgium, May 17: Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Gavin Green shares the lead after carding an opening four-under-par 67 at the Belgian Knockout on Thursday.

The 23-year-old Malaysian had a flawless round as he carded four birdies at the Rinkven International Golf Club in Antwerp, Belgium. Green is one of seven golfers in tied-first place at the European Tour tournament.

Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe, who is currently ninth on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, also did commendably well in Europe with a 68 in the first round for a share of eighth place. He dropped two shots but made them up with five birdies.

A shot behind Vincent is Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand. The 2017 Bangladesh Open champion put in a steady performance, carding three birdies against a lone bogey to end the day in tied-14th.

David Lipsky, the 2014 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, is in tied-39th after signing for a 71, while Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai finished in tied-58th with a 72. 

The Belgian Knockout has a hybrid format that incorporates 36 holes of stroke play before players go head-to-head over nine holes on Saturday and Sunday. 64 players who make it to the weekend rounds will be paired up and play against each over nine holes of stroke play. After three rounds of knockout matches, only eight players will proceed to Sunday and vie for the title.

Zhengzhou, Henan, China, May 16: Kurt Kitayama of the United States has enjoyed a successful foray into Asia and he looks set to carry on the good momentum at the Asia-Pacific Classic which gets underway on Thursday.

The Qualifying School graduate started the year triumphantly with a win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) followed by a tied-fourth finish at the New Zealand Open. Buoyed by his performances over the last few months, he is feeling confident heading into the tournament in China, which will be contested at the St Andrews Golf Club.

The young American is part of a strong contingent of Qualifying School graduates at the US$300,000 event that is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the China Golf Association (CGA).

The list includes recently-crowned ADT Tour champion Shohei Hasegawa of Japan as well as Ben Campbell of New Zealand and Jack Harrison of England, who both finished tied-second in Bangladesh last week.

Prom Meesawat of Thailand

Prom Meesawat of Thailand, the highest-ranked player on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings this week, feels that his game is on the ascendency. The experienced golfer has only missed one cut this year (not taking into consideration his withdrawal in Korea two weeks ago). Prom is targeting his third Asian Tour win at the Asia-Pacific Classic.

Similarly, India’s Chikkarangappa S. is aiming for victory in China, which will be his first on the Asian Tour. The 24-year-old, who narrowly retained his Asian Tour card for 2018, has a good feel of the golf course and is optimistic about putting in an excellent performance this week.

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:

• Kurt Kitayama was 1121st on the Official World Golf Ranking list at the end of 2017. He ventured to Asia and is now ranked 482nd.
• He qualified for the season-opening Singapore Open in the top spot. He shot six-under-par 65 at the Qualifying Tournament, which was played on Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course.
• Kitayama won his first ADT tournament in Johor in January. He enjoyed a two-shot victory over second-placed John Catlin, who is also competing this week.
• Prom Meesawat is a two-time Asian Tour champion. He won in 2006 and 2014, in Korea and Chinese Taipei respectively.
• Prom is the highest ranked golfer on the Habitat for Humanity Standings in the field this week. He has earned US$100,469 so far.
• His nickname is The Big Dolphin because of his physique and that he hails from the coastal town of Hua Hin.
• Chikkarangappa S. is a two-time ADT winner. Both victories were achieved in India.
• He finished 61st on the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit, which was just enough to secure his Tour card for 2018.
• The Asia-Pacific Classic is Chikkarangappa’s first professional tournament in China. He competed twice in the country previously as an amateur.

Players’ Quotes

Kurt Kitayama (Usa)

It’s been a great year so far and I’ve enjoyed the new experiences as well as the new places here in Asia. I’ve also had a couple of good finishes and a win. So yes, 2018 has been brilliant for me so far.

The excitement of trying something new spurred me on. I also have a different mindset while playing here on the continent. The Web.Com Tour season is typically short, so when you’re behind on the money list, you start to grind and put a lot of pressure on yourself.

It’s slightly less hectic here, so I’m able to focus a little more. And as I’ve mentioned, when you travel to new countries and experience different cultures, it’s certainly more exciting compared to travelling within the United States. Asia has been an inspiration to my game.

The set up here in China is different for sure. The course is pretty good, has a good layout and I’m excited to play on it this week. You’ll have to drive it well here. There are a lot of hazards off the tee, so you’ll have to be accurate. The greens are pretty big, so I should be able to hit those. We’ll also have to factor in the rough, which is quite thick.

I’ve risen quite substantially on the world rankings, with the win on the ADT and my tied-fourth finish in New Zealand. It has been great.

I’ve been driving a lot better this year compared to last year. With that, I’ve got a lot more scoring opportunities.

I’m looking for a good finish here in Zhengzhou and with that, ride a good momentum into the next half of the year.

Prom Meesawat (Tha)

The course is good and the greens, as well as fairways, are soft. It’s not that long. It should be a low scoring week. Although, it depends on the wind and the weather. Putting is key to scoring well on any course, and St Andrews is no exception. I’m working on that aspect of my game in particular. I lost that good putting feeling in Japan, so hopefully, I can get it fixed before the start of the tournament this week.

I’m not thinking about being the highest-ranked player on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. I’m just coming here to compete and focus on getting back into the winners’ circle. I’m going to play more on the Asian Tour this year, and I hope to play well enough to win again.

Early this year, I missed the cut in Singapore, but I’ve been playing well after that. My game is slowly coming back. In Perth, I was enjoying the course and I didn’t put too much pressure on myself. It has worked for me, evidently.

I always enjoy coming back to China. I always play well here and I hope to do that again this week.

Chikkarangappa S. (Ind)

This is my first professional event in China. It’s been nice so far and I’ve been enjoying my experience here. It is similar to India, especially when it comes to population size! The weather has been great so far. There’s a bit of rain, but it’s clearing up nicely.

The course has an interesting layout, with plenty of water bodies. The greens here are huge and sloppy, so it’ll be a tough week for us when it comes to putting. As the days go on, we’ll have a better idea of the greens for sure. The fairways and greens are soft, which means that the ball won’t be running too much. So, we’ll have to take that into consideration.

Obviously, I will want to win the tournament. But other than that, I’m taking the opportunity to explore the rest of the country. Who knows? I may just take the chance to visit this cool place called The Ark Hotel after the tournament. Google it!

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.

Zhengzhou, Henan, China, May 15: Bowen Xiao of China hopes to rediscover his winning form by switching to a more competitive mindset at the US$300,000 Asia-Pacific Classic which tees off on Thursday.

The 28-year-old was recovering from a shoulder injury and he felt that he was adapting, rather than contending on the Asian Tour in the early part of this year. He has now put his woes behind him and is determined to put in a good performance at the St Andrews Golf Club.

Xiao earned his breakthrough victory on the Asian Tour in Xiamen last year and he’ll be looking to turn his season around on home soil at the Asia Pacific Classic, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the China Golf Association (CGA).

Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh

Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh will also be tweaking his approach in China. Last week, he felt that he may have over prepared for his National Open and put himself under too much pressure to win. The two-time Asian Tour champion is going to enjoy the process this week and he is optimistic about his chances at the Asia-Pacific Classic.

Asian Tour Qualifying School graduate Miguel Carballo of Argentina is enjoying an outstanding run in the Asian Development Tour (ADT), finishing in the top-10 four times in five starts. The 39-year-old is relishing his opportunity to compete on the Asian Tour and is looking forward to teeing off in China.

Apart from Carballo, top Qualifying School graduates to feature at the tournament include Shohei Hasegawa of Japan and Kurt Kitayama of the United States, who have both won on the ADT, as well as Ben Campbell of New Zealand, who finished tied-second in Bangladesh last week.

Other notable names in the field include the Thai trio of Prom Meesawat, Poom Saksansin and Rattanon Wannasrichan.

Bowen Xiao of China

Did you know:

• Bowen Xiao has never competed outside China before winning the Asian Golf Championship. He went to the Indonesian Masters in December 2017 for his first overseas tournament, where he finished tied-17th.
• He is the third Chinese player, after Lianwei Zhang and Wenchong Liang, to win on the Asian Tour.
• Xiao, a big Tiger Woods fan, is a self-taught golfer, which makes his victory at the Asian Golf Championship in Xiamen even more impressive.
• Siddikur Rahman is a two-time Asian Tour winner. He won in 2010 in Brunei and 2013 in India.
• He represented Bangladesh in golf at the 2016 Rio Olympics and was also the flag bearer for his country.
• Siddikur enjoyed a four-shot victory on the ADT in January this year over recently crowned Bangladesh Open champion, Malcolm Kokocinski.
• Miguel Carballo earned his Asian Tour card by virtue of his tied-20th finish at the Qualifying School.
• He turned professional in 2002 and is a two-time winner on the Web.com Tour, as well as a one-time winner on the Challenge Tour.
• Carballo came close to winning his maiden ADT title in Penang two weeks ago. He finished tied-second, two shots behind the champion, Nitithorn Thippong.

Players’ Quotes

Bowen Xiao (Chn)

I got to travel across Asia to compete after winning in Xiamen, which was fantastic for me. I have more opportunities to play, which is always great. But, what’s past is past. I’m now focusing on 2018.

In the first few tournaments that I played on the Asian Tour, I felt that my standards have elevated. But recently, the euphoria has died down and with that, my results haven’t been up to par. Now, I’m focused on rediscovering my form, making the weekend rounds at every tournament and retaining my Asian Tour card for next year.

I had a shoulder injury and at the same time, I was fine-tuning my swing. Perhaps, these are the reasons why I wasn’t performing well. Mentally, I felt that I was merely participating in the tournaments, instead of competing in them. I’ve switched my mindset and most definitely, I’m going to be even more focused going into Asian Tour tournaments like the Asia Pacific Classic.

I’ve played on this course when it hosted tournaments over the past two years and the experience will surely help me. The conditions have always been excellent. Good drives, and staying on the fairways are the keys to scoring well here. It gets tricky too if the wind picks up. This year, with the Asian Tour players competing, I’ll have to bring my “A” game to contend here in St Andrews.

Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh

Siddikur Rahman (Ban)

I was aiming to win my National Open last week, but unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way. My short game, which has always been my strong point, didn’t work too well. It wasn’t my week, but I’m not disappointed at all. I’m just looking ahead to future tournaments and learn from my mistakes.

Perhaps, I have put too much pressure on myself. I skipped the million dollar tournament in Korea in preparation for Bangladesh, and the pressure to do well may have bothered me. Furthermore, I know the breaks on the greens like the back of my hand, so when the ball didn’t go in, it really frustrated me and that probably affected my game.

This time, I’m going to enjoy the process and my game. So, I think that this week will be better than last week. I’m really excited and looking forward to the tournament.

The course has a good set up. It’s a little long for me, but the greens are soft. Which means, the ball will stay even with a long club. The course will be good fun.

Miguel Carballo (Arg)

This is my first time here in China and my second Asian Tour tournament after Bangladesh. The course is looking great! I’m grateful for the chance to be able to play on the main Tour.

I missed the cut last week, but this week will present a new opportunity and challenge, as the tournament is held in a different country and on a different golf course. Currently, I’m working on my chipping and putting, which hasn’t clicked for me recently. But overall, I’m feeling great and I can’t wait for the tournament to start.

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, May 14: Players from the Asian Development Tour (ADT), led by Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski showed they can step up onto the bigger stage when opportunity knocks. 

Kokocinski’s battling spirit was for all to see when he overcame a three-shot deficit to clinch his maiden Asian Tour victory at the AB Bank Bangladesh Open last Saturday. 

And it was a cherished victory that spoke volumes of his determination to excel on the biggest stage of his career so far.

“This win means a lot to me. I don’t have a status on the Asian Tour before this week so I am really pleased with how I played here to win. I went back to the Qualifying School earlier this year but didn’t make the grade so I went to play on the ADT,” said the Swede.

Although he hails from Sweden, Kokocinski, whose parents are from Poland, has decided to call Asia home with Thailand his preferred abode since 2013.

The Swede failed to make the grade at the Asian Tour Qualifying School then but decided to embark on the arduous route to success which finally paid off with his win in Dhaka.

Prior to his victory, Kokocinski was an ADT regular where he showed great form by posting three runner-up results, including a second place finish and tied third place result at two ADT events staged at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Bangladesh earlier this year.

“I have had some good results on the ADT so I decided to stay in Asia and see what the year has to offer. My experiences from playing on the ADT has helped a lot. I have been in these situations before so I knew I had to focus on my shots to get the job done. I’m glad I pull in off this time,” said Kokocinski, who leads the ADT Order of Merit.

With his breakthrough on the Asian Tour, Kokocinski propelled to 36th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings and also the seventh player after 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.

Like Kokocinski who was making his first start on the Asian Tour, England’s Jack Harrison also savoured a memorable week in Bangladesh despite having to settle for tied-second place after taking the third round lead.

Harrison’s made his entry into the Habitat for Humanity standings in 59th place after earning US$25,950.

“I can’t complain with a tied-second place finish in my first start on the Asian Tour. A little bit disappointed for not getting the win but there is always a winner and a loser. Overall, it was a great week and I am very happy,” said the Englishman.

India’s Shubhankar Sharma continues to lead the Habitat for Humanity Standings with England’s Matt Wallace and Rahil Gangjee in second and third place respectively as the Asian Tour heads back to China for the Asia Pacific Classic this week.

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) $100,469.67

19          Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $99,480.65

20          Jeunghun WANG (KOR) $91,100.00

Ends.

Dhaka, May 12: Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski secured an inspiring victory after closing with a six-under-par 65 to win by three shots for his first Asian Tour title at the AB Bank Bangladesh Open on Saturday.

Kokocinski, a regular on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) where he leads the current Order of Merit, overturned a three-shot deficit after returning with his best efforts of the week to cap a winning total of 14-under-par 270 at the Kurmitola Golf Club.

Malcolm Kokocinski of Sweden

The 26-year-old Kokocinski, who is based in Thailand, takes home a winner’s prize purse of US$54,000, courtesy of his breakthrough win on the Asian Tour, which also marked his second professional victory since joining the play-for-pay ranks in 2012.

Overnight leader Jack Harrison of England endured two closing bogeys for a 71, settling for a share of second place with fellow Qualifying School graduate Ben Campbell of New Zealand, who carded a 69, in the US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

American John Catlin capped back-to-back top-10 finishes on the region’s premier Tour after closing with a 66 to finish five shots back in tied-fourth place with Zamal Hossain Mollah, who emerged as the highest-ranked local player following a 69.

The Bangladesh Open welcomed a new title sponsor in AB Bank, leading bank in Bangladesh, in its fourth consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this week. The highly-acclaimed Kurmitola Golf Club, which hosted two other events on the ADT this season, continues to provide top-class hospitality as the home of the Bangladesh’s National Open.

Malcolm Kokocinski of Sweden

Did you know?

• Malcolm Kokocinski is the second Swede to win in three weeks on the Asian Tour, following Alexander Bjork at the Volvo China Open.
• Kokocinski also became the third consecutive first-time winner at the Bangladesh Open, following Thailand’s Thitiphun Chuayprakong and Jazz Janewattananond in 2016 and 2017 respectively.
• Kokocinski missed only three fairways and needed only 25 putts on the greens for his closing round of 65.
• After missing the mark at the Asian Tour Qualifying School earlier in January, Kokocinski returned to ply his trade on the ADT and has enjoyed a superb season on the secondary circuit, although without a win.
• The 26-year-old Swede leads the current ADT Order of Merit with a season’s haul of US$25,026, thanks to five top-10s in six starts this season.
• He claimed two of his five top-10s on the ADT at the Kurmitola Golf Club. He came in runner-up at the Dhaka Open in January and finished tied-third at the BTI Open two weeks ago.
• Kokocinski becomes the seventh player following 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.
• Kokocinski missed the cut in his first attempt at the Bangladesh Open in 2015. He finished tied-14th in 2016 and did not play in the last edition.
• Kokocinski first came to Asia in 2013 where he played on the ADT after failing to make the mark at the Asian Tour Qualifying School. He came through the Qualifying School for the first time after finishing fifth in 2016 but failed to retain his card for the following season after ending the season in 71st place on the Order of Merit.
• His best finish on the Asian Tour, prior to his breakthrough win, came at the 2016 Shinhan Donghae Open where he came in tied-fourth.
• Jack Harrison secured his Asian Tour card for the 2018 season after finishing tied-15th at the Asian Tour Qualifying School, which was played over five rounds (90 holes) across two courses in Thailand earlier in January. It was his second attempt at the Qualifying School since 2013.
• Harrison, who turned professional in 2011, is playing in his first start as an Asian Tour rookie this week. He also plays on the Sunshine Tour, where he enjoyed a tied-sixth place finish at the Cape Town Open in February.
• Like Harrison, Ben Campbell also came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School earlier in January to earn his card for the 2018 season. It was his first time making the mark in four attempts since 2011.
• The 26-year-old Campbell is making his third start on the Asian Tour this season but playing in his first attempt at the Bangladesh Open this week.
• John Catlin is a two-time winner on the ADT. He finished third on the 2017 ADT Order of Merit to earn his Asian Tour card for the 2018 season.
• Zamal Hossain Mollah is playing on his home course this week. He secured his best ever result in his National Open after finishing tied-fourth this week. His previous best result was a tied-seventh place finish in 2016.

Players’ quotes:

Malcolm Kokocinski (Swe) – Final round 65 (-6), Total 270 (-14)

This win means a lot to me. I don’t have a status on the Asian Tour before this week so I am really pleased with how I played here to win. I have been playing well the last couple of months. I knew my game was good so I just had stick to my game plan and hit some good shots coming down the stretch.

I stayed patient out there. I was playing well all week so I knew a good round will come sooner or later. It was a big putt for me on the last hole. I knew Harrison was on -13 after looking at the leaderboard coming down the 18th. I’m glad I pulled off the putt. This will give me a lot of confidence for the future. The goal now is to win more trophies!

It’s really nice to perform under pressure. I knew a birdie on the last would put me up there. I wasn’t really thinking about winning. I was just focused on hitting good strokes to give myself a chance. I played in the last group for the first time on the Asian Tour yesterday and I didn’t play as good as I did today. I had a lot of lip-outs yesterday.

I guess playing in the second last group today helps lessen the pressure a bit. I am very happy with how I performed this week. I have been getting a lot of encouragements from my peers out here around the golf course this week as well as the members and staff of the club.

It was nice to be back at the Kurmitola Golf Club this week. This is my third time here this year. I came twice earlier for the ADT events and I played very well. That experience has definitely given me a lot of advantage and confidence.

Coming to play on the Asian Tour didn’t feel very different from playing on the ADT actually. I knew I was playing well so I just wanted to play my own game and not think about anything else. It’s been a great week. The people are very friendly here.

I went back to the Qualifying School earlier this year but didn’t make the grade so I went to play on the ADT. I have had some good results on the ADT so I decided to stay in Asia and see what the year has to offer. My experiences from playing on the ADT has helped a lot. I have been in these situations before so I knew I had to focus on my shots to get the job done. I’m glad I pull in off this time.

I would like to dedicate my win to my best friend Colin, who just had a new baby, and my parents back home, who are very happy for me, and all my friends. It’s been a couple of years in Asia. I have enjoyed all the travelling. The ADT is a good platform for me to get onto the Asian Tour and from the Asian Tour, I have more opportunities to get on the bigger Tours as well.

I am from Sweden but both my parents are from Poland. I started playing golf when I was 10 years old. I went to college in the United States and then came here to play on the Asian Tour in 2013 and I’ve been here since then.

Ben Campbell of New Zealand

Ben Campbell (Nzl) – Final round 69 (-2), Total 273 (-11)

It’s a great finish. I came into the week thinking I might be able to complete the tournament as I had a back injury. So to finish joint-second this week feels really good. I have a lot of positives to take out from this week. I chipped it really well.

My tee shots were good too although I lost it a little bit on the back nine. It was close and I look forward to heading to China next week for the Asia Pacific Classic. I hope to get some practice and do what I need to work on. It’s always good to get a good start to the season so I can’t complain.

I didn’t really get off to a good start today. It was tough around the greens. I knew I had to make some birdies but my chipping was good. I hit a lot of fairways too and gave myself a lot of chances.

Jack Harrison of England

Jack Harrison (Eng) – Final round 71 (even-par), Total 273 (-11)

I can’t complain with a tied-second place finish in my first start on the Asian Tour. A little bit disappointed for not getting the win but there is always a winner and a loser. Overall, it was a great week and I am very happy.

I was just trying to stay calm out there and I did that pretty nicely today. I kind of pushed a little bit too hard towards the end. On the 17th hole, I pulled my tee shot left to behind the trees and ended up making bogey. On the 18th, I put myself in a hopeless position to make par really.

Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh

Zamal Hossain Mollah (Ban) – Final round 69 (-2), Total 275 (-9)

I didn’t putt well today. It was disappointing. I could’ve finish way better if I had sunk a few more putts. I hit my tee shots and my second shots very good today but I wasn’t able to make putts, which was really a pity.

I was just aiming to play my best today. I was hitting it good. I couldn’t have easily post a six or seven-under-par round today if my putts had dropped. I will be happier if I can win the tournament but to finish tied-fourth for my best result in the Bangladesh Open, I’ll take it.

I have high expectations for myself this week because I’m playing on my home course. This is where I practise and hone my game. I would like to thank AB Bank for their support and also my home course Kurmitola Golf Club for their commitment in the Bangladesh Open.

Scores after round 4 of the AB Bank Bangladesh Open 2018 being played at the par 71, 6642 Yards Kurmitola Golf Club course (am – denotes amateur):

270 – Malcolm KOKOCINSKI (SWE) 68-66-71-65.

273 – Ben CAMPBELL (NZL) 70-66-68-69, Jack HARRISON (ENG) 66-69-67-71.

275 – John CATLIN (USA) 67-70-72-66, Zamal Hossain MOLLAH (BAN) 69-65-72-69.

276 – Berry HENSON (USA) 69-68-71-68, Honey BAISOYA (IND) 71-67-69-69, Suttijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA) 71-64-70-71.

277 – Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA) 70-69-69-69, M DHARMA (IND) 66-71-68-72.

279 – David GLEESON (AUS) 69-73-72-65, Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA) 70-68-71-70, Mithun PERERA (LKA) 70-67-66-76.

280 – Kazuki HIGA (JPN) 68-71-73-68, Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA) 69-72-71-68, Badal HOSSAIN (BAN) 71-67-73-69, Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 68-71-71-70, Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 71-66-72-71, Divyanshu BAJAJ (IND) 67-69-70-74.

281 – Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 71-72-69-69, Rashid KHAN (IND) 71-67-70-73.

282 – Kurt KITAYAMA (USA) 73-70-70-69, Chanachok DEJPIRATANAMONGKOL (THA) 73-69-71-69, Shakhawat SOHEL (BAN) 73-70-71-68, Jack WILSON (AUS) 74-69-72-67.

283 – Peradol PANYATHANASEDH (THA) 71-72-70-70, Janne KASKE (FIN) 74-67-72-70, Anura ROHANA (LKA) 69-69-74-71, Rory HIE (INA) 69-69-74-71, Paul HARRIS (USA) 70-66-75-72, Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN) 72-69-70-72, Veer AHLAWAT (IND) 71-71-74-67, Lionel WEBER (FRA) 70-68-71-74.

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.