April 9: Miguel Tabuena is ready to put behind last year’s defeat at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club where he was in contention before settling for tied 11^th. He is ready to challenge for honours at the inaugural Solaire Open where he plays host to the Asian Tour players and staff. In this latest blog, he talks about growing up and taking the Tour’s staff out for dinner.
By Miguel Tabuena
The Solaire Open is a new event on the Asian Tour. I think it’s really good for the players as well as for the Asian Tour. I hope this tournament will go on for a long time. I played in a local event about a few weeks ago and I won. That really boosted my confidence and I hope to bring my good form to the Asian Tour on Sunday.
Being in contention last year (at the ICTSI Philippine Open), I’ve learnt to manage my nervousness better. I’ve been wanting to win on home soil. You’ve to hit the fairways and greens to have a good score here.
It is slightly different because there are more expectations when you play at home. Your family come out and watch as well. It is nice to have your family around. Hopefully I can play well in front of them.
Hopefully some of my fans come out as well! I’ve tweeted about this week’s event so I’m looking forward to seeing some of them at the course.
I brought a couple of Asian Tour staff for dinner on Sunday and it was good! We got to bond and I know them a bit better. My mum told them that she cooked but actually she didn’t (laughs).
It is nice being a host rather than just playing in an event. It is a new experience for me. We don’t get many events in the Philippines. It is nice because you don’t have to wait for the bus and stuff like that. It is a more relaxing week.
I know my priorities for this week which is to concentrate and get in position on Sunday. I have a week off next week so that’s when I see my friends.

New Delhi, India, March 9: Emiliano Grillo of Argentina carded a second-round four-under-par 68 to consolidate his top position at the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open on Friday. 

The 25-year-old, who started at the 10th tee, stormed out of the blocks with two consecutive birdies on holes11 and 12. The Argentinean made another birdie just before the turn and scored two more on his back nine holes at the Gary Player layout of the DLF Golf and Country Club. A bogey on hole nine was the only blemish on his scorecard.

Grillo, a one-time PGA Tour winner, heads into the clubhouse with an 11-under-par 133 total at the ongoing tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour.

South African Keith Horne kept the pace with a battling second-round performance. He carded a 73 to finish the day six shots behind the clubhouse leader, Grillo.

Matt Wallace of England and Jens Dantorp of Sweden scored matching 70s to join Horne on a 139 total.

Habitat for Humanity ambassador Casey O’Toole shot 66, the lowest score of the morning session. He is with Korea’s Jeunghun Wang (71), France’s Sebastien Gros (71), Netherland’s Joost Luiten (69) and Scotland’s Marc Warren (72) on 140.

Johor Bahru, Malaysia, April 9: Australian Luke Bleumink is looking forward to a successful title defence at the PGM-Maybank Johor Masters which starts on Wednesday despite being short of tournament sharpness.
The 27-year-old Bleumink headlines the RM200,000 (approximately US$65,000) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event at the challenging Johor Country Club which includes current Order of Merit leader James Bowen of the United States, local favourite Nicholas Fung, Chinese Taipei’s Hsieh Chi-hsien, who was fourth on the Merit list last season, and ADT winner Ryan Bulloch of Australia.
Last year, Bleumink secured his maiden professional victory in Johor by two shots, winning with a seven-under-par 281 aggregate after a closing round of 71.
After missing out on an Asian Tour card at Qualifying School in Hua Hin, Thailand earlier in January, Bleumink, who turned professional in 2010, has played in only two domestic events in Melbourne.
He has been working outside the ropes in between his golf to ensure he has enough funds to play regularly on the ADT, which is the feeder circuit to the established Asian Tour.
“It’s a weird feeling coming back to defend. I haven’t played too much golf this year but the game is feeling good,” said Bleumink today. “The golf course is in good condition and I think it is playing a bit easier this year as it was very fast and firm when I won here. I expect scores to be better this week.”
After seeing countrymen Scott Hend and Wade Ormsby triumph on the Asian Tour over the past few weeks, Bleumink believes the ADT is the best route to the region’s premier Tour which is celebrating its milestone 10^th season in 2013.
“I have been doing some labouring work back home to earn some money for my travels and I will take it as it comes.  I missed out at the Asian Tour Qualifying School but I’m going to try to play as much as I can on the ADT which provides a good chance for players like me to get onto the main (Asian) Tour,” he said.
This year, the ADT, which was launched in 2010, will offer Official World Golf Ranking points for the first time. This is seen as a major boost for the development of the game in Asia.
Malaysia’s Fung will lead the local assault where he is eager to launch a title charge after coming close on several occasions to a first ADT win. He finished runner-up in the last ADT stop at the PGM Northport Glenmarie Masters in Kuala Lumpur last month.
The top three players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn an Asian Tour card for 2014.
About the Asian Development Tour
The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Nationwide Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading three players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. The ADT will also receive Official World Golf Ranking points from 2013.

New Delhi, India, March 9: Emiliano Grillo of Argentina continued his brilliant form and carded a second-round four-under-par 68 to take the clubhouse lead at the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open on Friday. 

The 25-year-old, who started on the 10th hole, got off to a great start with consecutive birdies on holes 11 and 12. Grillo scored three more birdies and one bogey before ending his round at the Gary Player layout of the DLF Golf and Country Club. 

As it stands, Grillo leads by four shots on 11-under-par 133 over India’s Shubhankar Sharma at the 54th Hero Indian Open, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour.

Shubhankar Sharma of India

Sharma brought his tournament winning form into his National Open, carding nine birdies and one bogey to sign for a course-record-breaking 64. The two-time Asian Tour champion was sensational over the back nine, where he overcame the challenging course set up to sink six birdies.

The 21-year-old turned his tournament around dramatically after carding five-over-par on his opening nine holes yesterday.

Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal (71) and England’s Andrew Johnston (66) are a shot behind Sharma in tied-third, while four golfers, including South Africa’s Keith Horne (73) and Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat (70) are currently in tied-fifth on 139.

Habitat for Humanity ambassador Casey O’Toole shot 66, one of the lowest scores of the day. The American is currently in tied-ninth, along with Asian Tour members Jeunghun Wang (71), Khalin Joshi (68), Sihwan Kim (70) and Paul Peterson (73).

Play was suspended due to darkness. Eight players will return on Saturday morning, 7am, to complete round two. Round three will not start before 9.30am. The projected cut is three-over-par.

Did you know:

• Emiliano Grillo was Anirban Lahiri’s teammate at last year’s Presidents Cup. The Argentinean was selected by Nick Price as one of the captain’s pick.
• In the second round of the Hero Indian Open, he hit 12 out of 14 fairways as well as 16 out of 18 greens.
• Grillo turned professional when he was 19 years old.
• Shubhankar Sharma made the decision to turn professional when he was just 16 years old.
• He earned his Asian Tour card for the first time at the 2016 Qualifying School.
• Keith Horne first played on the Asian Tour in 2003. 2010 was his most fruitful year, when he earned US$181,961 to finish 14th on the Order of Merit.
• His best finish on the Asian Tour in 2017 was tied-second, at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters.
• Casey O’Toole is an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity, the official sustainable development partner of the Asian Tour.
• He scored the first hole-in-one on the Asian Tour this year, at the SMBC Singapore Open in January.
• Jeunghun Wang won his first Asian Tour title at the 2016 AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open. 
• He was selected as a captain’s pick by Jeev Milkha Singh for the 2016 EurAsia Cup.
• Gavin Green set the previous course record of 65 in 2017. Emiliano Grillo tied the record yesterday and Shubhankar Sharma broke the record today.

Player interviews:

Emiliano Grillo (Arg) Second Round 68 (-4), Total 133 (-11)

It was pretty similar to yesterday, although I made a few more birdie putts in round one. Today, I have also hit plenty of fairways and greens. I thought that I played the round very well. Hopefully, I can find my putter a bit more tomorrow, like how it was on day one and with that, I can keep climbing up the leaderboard.

It’ll be the same, which is to hit fairways and greens! I’ll have the same mentality whether I’m six shots ahead or behind.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it. When I practised on Tuesday and played the pro-am on Wednesday, I was telling myself that I’ll be in a good position if I can just shoot under par every day. Hopefully, I can keep my form going. I’ve done well over the past two days and I can’t ask for more. Today, I hit some bad putts, but I think I’ll be fine.

I’m just going to work a bit more my putting and hit a few more drives. I’ll be looking to playing the weekend rounds like how I did in rounds one and two.

Shubhankar Sharma (Ind) Second Round 64 (-8), Total 137 (-7) 

Today’s round will definitely rank up there as one of my most significant achievements, especially when it is played at this course. This is a tough course and it is not easy to go low here. I’m very happy with the way I played. I shot a few low numbers in my career and this one is right in my top five. 

I know I had to get a good start. I normally try to do as best as I can on the front nine. I did my best, but it was still two-under-par. But I was hitting it well, even though the back nine is tougher than the front nine, I knew I could still make birdies. 

If you told me I would be seven-under-par going into the weekend after being five-over-par on my opening nine holes (10th to 18th) yesterday, I would just have laughed. To be able to bounce back is really important, I knew I was playing well and I had to push myself a little. In the morning, I told myself that I have momentum on my side. I just need to foot on the pedal and keep on going. 

My highlights are all from the back nine. My second shot on the 10th, which landed about a foot from the hole, started it all. That was a very tough pin. The birdie putt on the 12th hole was huge as well. 

I knew the course record is seven-under-par. To hold the record on my home course would be mean a lot to me. That was why, I decided to go for the green.

The crowd was fantastic. I always enjoy playing in front of the home crowd. 

I’m just going to play the way that I’ve always been playing. I’m just going to have fun. I know I’m playing well and I have nothing to lose.

Keith Horne (Rsa) Second Round 73 (+1), Total 139 (-5)

Today was a bit of a struggle. I was a little tensed up over the first six holes. I loosened up after that, as I hit some good shots that unfortunately weren’t rewarded. I have also made a couple of mistakes. It has been an up-and-down day and I made a lot of saves to keep it going. It was a very different round compared to the first day.

For round one, I thought that I was in control. Today, it was a grind. I let a few chances go and at the same time, made a few chances. All in all, five-under-par after two days on this golf course is a good position to be in.

All the holes were very scary. I hit a good putt on the seventh hole today, which settled me down and got me back into the zone for the day. The fear does motivate me. You have to concentrate on every single shot, as a bad shot can spell disaster. You tend to focus a lot. The challenge is to find a balance while you are out there.

Casey O’Toole (Usa) Second Round 66 (-6), Total 140 (-4)

I played really well yesterday, but let the round get away from me a little bit. Today, I played solid again. I hit a lot of really good shots. I’m very pleased for my first two rounds.

The conditions were quite calm today, similar to yesterday. I just thought that I played solid and minimised mistakes. I didn’t get into a lot of bad spots. I also think that my short game saved me on many occasions, which is good to see as I’ve been working very hard on that aspect of my game. My short game has really been the difference.

At hole four, I hit a good drive, followed by a hybrid that landed about four feet from the hole. I then sunk the putt for eagle. That was a bonus there. I was just trying to hit it into the bunker or just beside of the green, then do a chip-and-putt.

I’m very honoured and happy to be asked as an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity. In fact, this week after the tournament on Monday, we’ll be meeting the families that the organisation has helped. I’m really looking forward to it.

Jeunghun Wang (Kor) Second Round 71 (-1), Total 140 (-4)

The pin positions today were more challenging compared to yesterday. I think I hit the ball badly and I wasn’t putting as well as I wanted to. I three-putted at holes seven and eight, which was disappointing. However, despite my putting woes, I am very happy with a one-under-par today. Hopefully, I can play better tomorrow.

For this course, I think the approach is to defend. It’s narrow, with hazards all around. The greens are tough, too. I’ll just try to avoid making bogeys.

I remembered the fourth hole, where it’s always challenging. But I found out that if you adopt a safety-first strategy, you can make birdies, which was what I did.

Scores after round 2 of the Hero Indian Open 2018 being played at the par 72, 7379 Yards DLF GcC course (am – denotes amateur):

133 – Emiliano GRILLO (ARG) 65-68.

137 – Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) 73-64.

138 – Pablo LARRAZABAL (ESP) 67-71, Andrew JOHNSTON (ENG) 72-66.

139 – Matt WALLACE (ENG) 69-70, Keith HORNE (RSA) 66-73, Jens DANTORP (SWE) 69-70, Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 69-70.

140 – Sebastien GROS (FRA) 69-71, Joost LUITEN (NED) 71-69, Marc WARREN (SCO) 68-72, Jeunghun WANG (KOR) 69-71, Casey O’TOOLE (USA) 74-66, Khalin JOSHI (IND) 72-68, Paul PETERSON (USA) 67-73, Sihwan KIM (USA) 70-70.

141 – Jamie DONALDSON (WAL) 71-70.

142 – Gavin GREEN (MAS) 69-73, Hideto TANIHARA (JPN) 74-68, Thomas BJORN (DEN) 70-72, James MORRISON (ENG) 70-72, Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 69-73, CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 71-71, Ricardo GOUVEIA (POR) 69-73.

143 – Matthias SCHWAB (AUT) 71-72, Jinho CHOI (KOR) 72-71, Wade ORMSBY (AUS) 71-72, Stephen GALLACHER (SCO) 72-71, Edoardo MOLINARI (ITA) 71-72.

144 – Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND) 68-76, Anthony WALL (ENG) 71-73, Clement SORDET (FRA) 72-72.

145 – Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 72-73, Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 72-73, Adrien SADDIER (FRA) 67-78, David GLEESON (AUS) 75-70, Ashley CHESTERS (ENG) 74-71, Steven BROWN (ENG) 74-71, Darren CLARKE (NIR) 72-73, Gregory HAVRET (FRA) 73-72, Yikeun CHANG (KOR) 73-72.

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.

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Emiliano Grillo (Arg) Second Round 68 (-4), Total 133 (-11)

It was pretty similar to yesterday, although I made a few more birdie putts in round one. Today, I have also hit plenty of fairways and greens. I thought that I played the round very well. Hopefully, I can find my putter a bit more tomorrow, like how it was on day one and with that, I can keep climbing up the leaderboard.

It’ll be the same, which is to hit fairways and greens! I’ll have the same mentality whether I’m six shots ahead or behind.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting it. When I practised on Tuesday and played the pro-am on Wednesday, I was telling myself that I’ll be in a good position if I can just shoot under par every day. Hopefully, I can keep my form going. I’ve done well over the past two days and I can’t ask for more. Today, I hit some bad putts, but I think I’ll be fine.

I’m just going to work a bit more my putting and hit a few more drives. I’ll be looking to playing the weekend rounds like how I did in rounds one and two.

Shubhankar Sharma (Ind) Second Round 64 (-8), Total 137 (-7)

Today’s round will definitely rank up there as one of my most significant achievements, especially when it is played at this course. This is a tough course and it is not easy to go low here. I’m very happy with the way I played. I shot a few low numbers in my career and this one is right in my top five.

I know I had to get a good start. I normally try to do as best as I can on the front nine. I did my best, but it was still two-under-par. But I was hitting it well, even though the back nine is tougher than the front nine, I knew I could still make birdies.

If you told me I would be seven-under-par going into the weekend after being five-over-par on my opening nine holes (10th to 18th) yesterday, I would just have laughed. To be able to bounce back is really important, I knew I was playing well and I had to push myself a little. In the morning, I told myself that I have momentum on my side. I just need to foot on the pedal and keep on going.

My highlights are all from the back nine. My second shot on the 10th, which landed about a foot from the hole, started it all. That was a very tough pin. The birdie putt on the 12th hole was huge as well.

I knew the course record is seven-under-par. To hold the record on my home course would be mean a lot to me. That was why, I decided to go for the green.

The crowd was fantastic. I always enjoy playing in front of the home crowd.

I’m just going to play the way that I’ve always been playing. I’m just going to have fun. I know I’m playing well and I have nothing to lose.

Pablo Larrazabal (ESP) Second Round 67 (-5), Total 138 (-6)

I played great. The front nine I played great golf. I put myself in a lot of birdie chances. The tee shots on ten and 11 were a little unexpected. I probably lost a bit of concentration on the tenth. When you have a bad swing on this golf course with the next swing you make you never know what will happen.

The pins on the back nine were very tough and the wind – there’s not a lot of wind but it’s switching around all the time. To hit to those little spots that the flag is in, it’s very tough to put it close. A good example was 17. I hot one of the best shots of the day and ended up with an impossible up and down to make. You have to take it. This is the toughest golf course we play. Red numbers are awesome.

Patience is key. Big time. You don’t see too much wind out there but it’s switching. Three or four meters makes a lot of difference in this golf course. You have to keep patient. When you don’t hit a great shot and you have a 20 or 30 foot putt, you try to hit a good putt. Go to the next, make pars and try to use the par fives to your advantage, try to make birdies there. To finish under par is great.

It’s not the same going in six behind or five behind the leader. We all know that Grillo is a super, top-class player. He should be in the top 20 in the world. He doesn’t know how good he is. I like to go and play against the best in the world and he is one. I’m ready for the challenge.

The golf course will be at least one or two shots tougher over the weekend. There are some tough flags out there and they will move a couple of tees back. I’m ready for the challenge. I love the challenge. I love to go over the weekend and attack this tough golf courses and see what’s going on.

Keith Horne (Rsa) Second Round 73 (+1), Total 139 (-5)

Today was a bit of a struggle. I was a little tensed up over the first six holes. I loosened up after that, as I hit some good shots that unfortunately weren’t rewarded. I have also made a couple of mistakes. It has been an up-and-down day and I made a lot of saves to keep it going. It was a very different round compared to the first day.

For round one, I thought that I was in control. Today, it was a grind. I let a few chances go and at the same time, made a few chances. All in all, five-under-par after two days on this golf course is a good position to be in.

All the holes were very scary. I hit a good putt on the seventh hole today, which settled me down and got me back into the zone for the day. The fear does motivate me. You have to concentrate on every single shot, as a bad shot can spell disaster. You tend to focus a lot. The challenge is to find a balance while you are out there.

Casey O’Toole (Usa) Second Round 66 (-6), Total 140 (-4)

I played really well yesterday, but let the round get away from me a little bit. Today, I played solid again. I hit a lot of really good shots. I’m very pleased for my first two rounds.

The conditions were quite calm today, similar to yesterday. I just thought that I played solid and minimised mistakes. I didn’t get into a lot of bad spots. I also think that my short game saved me on many occasions, which is good to see as I’ve been working very hard on that aspect of my game. My short game has really been the difference.

At hole four, I hit a good drive, followed by a hybrid that landed about four feet from the hole. I then sunk the putt for eagle. That was a bonus there. I was just trying to hit it into the bunker or just beside of the green, then do a chip-and-putt.

I’m very honoured and happy to be asked as an ambassador for Habitat for Humanity. In fact, this week after the tournament on Monday, we’ll be meeting the families that the organisation has helped. I’m really looking forward to it.

Jeunghun Wang (Kor) Second Round 71 (-1), Total 140 (-4)

The pin positions today were more challenging compared to yesterday. I think I hit the ball badly and I wasn’t putting as well as I wanted to. I three-putted at holes seven and eight, which was disappointing. However, despite my putting woes, I am very happy with a one-under-par today. Hopefully, I can play better tomorrow.

For this course, I think the approach is to defend. It’s narrow, with hazards all around. The greens are tough, too. I’ll just try to avoid making bogeys.

I remembered the fourth hole, where it’s always challenging. But I found out that if you adopt a safety-first strategy, you can make birdies, which was what I did.

Khalin Joshi (Ind) Second Round 68 (-4), Total 140 (-4)

To go bogey-free on this course is extremely pleasing. My short-game was unreal today. I made all putts from a range of five feet. I also made some terrific par-saves from the bunker. I missed just one fairway.

My game has been in good shape so I just needed a solid game-plan heading into today’s round. I sat down with my coach Gaurav Dewan who is here this week and chalked out my game-plan. The plan was to play conservative and stay out of trouble. It worked well for me.

The chip from 55 feet on the second that landed within inches of the flag was my best par-save of the day. The birdie on the seventh was also special as I landed it within a foot of the pin.

Gavin Green (Mas) Second Round 73 (+1), Total 142 (-2)

Today wasn’t very good. There were too many big numbers on my scorecard. I didn’t hit it very well today, and I paid the price. I’ve made the weekend rounds and I still in with a chance, but I’ve got to work out my game, especially off the tees. I was put out of position after my drives. So, if I can sort that out, I should be fine.

The jet lag is still affecting me a little bit. I’m trying my best to fight it off. For sure, I’ll be taking a good rest today.

April 9: The Asian Tour stars will continue their search for glory at the inaugural US$300,000 Solaire Open at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club. AsianTour.com takes a look at the top contenders this week.
Baek Seuk-hyun (Kor)
Baek is the dark horse this season. He has two top-five finishes so far and is currently fifth on the Order of Merit with earnings of US$145,303. He believes he has the game to win a first Asian Tour event but needs to stay fit. He is slowly reaping the benefits of a fitness change earlier this year and has lost eight kilograms so far.
Order of Merit: 5^th
Chawalit Plaphol (Tha)
Chawalit won the season-opening Zaykabar Myanmar Open and since then his best result was tied 34^th at the Avantha Masters in India. After his victory in Myanmar, the lanky Thai said the goal is to continue winning, which he hopes to do so at the Solaire Open.
Order of Merit: 10^th
Himmat Rai (Ind)
Himmat Rai of India
He was in contention at the Zaykabar Myanmar Open and Avantha Masters but eventually finished tied 13^th and ninth respectively. He believes he is riding a hot form and is ready to contend for a second Asian Tour title since his maiden victory in 2011 in Singapore.
Order of Merit: 20^th
Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha)
Chinnarat set the stage alight when he shot an opening round 61 at the Avantha Masters in India before finishing tied 23^rd. He is a three-time Asian Tour winner but not since 2009, something he hopes to change this week. The Thais have enjoyed great success on the Asian Tour this year and Chinnarat will be determined to join the party.
Order of Merit: 25^th
Hu Mu (Chn)
His runner-up finish at the Chiangmai Golf Classic two weeks ago was his best result on the Asian Tour so far. It gave him the self-belief that he can take on the best players in the region and claim a first victory on the Asian Tour. He failed to earn an Asian Tour card at Qualifying School earlier this year but is making the most of his limited appearances.
Order of Merit: 27^th
Scott Barr (Aus)
Scott made the cut in his last four appearances on the Asian Tour. He is motivated by the victories of his countrymen Scott Hend and Wade Ormsby who won in the last two Asian Tour events. He has yet to win on the Asian Tour but is one of the top favourites to finally land that elusive title.
Order of Merit  28^th

New Delhi, India, March 8: Emiliano Grillo of Argentina carded an opening seven-under-par 65 to take the clubhouse lead at the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open on Thursday.

After a birdie and a bogey at his opening two holes, the one-time PGA Tour winner racked up seven birdies before signing for a 65, which ties the course record at the Gary Player layout of the DLF Golf and Country Club.

Grillo, 76th on the Official World Golf Ranking, currently leads by two shots at the Hero Indian Open, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour

Paul Peterson of the United States

Paul Peterson of the United States carded a 67 for a share of second place along with Italy’s Matteo Manassero and Spain’s Pablo Larrazabal.

Peterson, who won his first Asian Tour title in Myanmar this year, had a near flawless round, carding six birdies against a lone bogey. The 29-year-old was pleased with how he bounced back with three consecutive birdies after dropping a shot at the sixth hole.

2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Green of Malaysia overcame jet lag to sign for a 69 and a share of ninth place. The 24-year-old, who played in Mexico last week, dropped three shots through five holes but recovered magnificently in the rest of his round with two eagles, three birdies and just one bogey.

Eight other players share ninth place, including Asian Tour players Nicholas Fung of Malaysia and Panuphol Pittayarat of Thailand.

Play was suspended due to darkness. 24 players will return on Friday morning, 7am, to complete round one.

Did you know: 

• Emiliano Grillo ties the course record with a 65, which was set by Gavin Green in 2017.
• He won the 2016 Frys.com Open on the PGA Tour and the 2015 Web.com Tour Championship on the Web.com Tour.
• Grillo played at last year’s CIMB Classic in Malaysia and finished tied-54th.
• Paul Peterson won his maiden Asian Tour title this year at the LeoPalace21 Myanmar Open.
• Before Myanmar, Paul Peterson’s last win was in 2016 at the Czech Republic on the European Tour.
• The American took 69.58 strokes per round in 2017, which is the lowest stroke average on the Asian Tour.
• Peterson, a southpaw, earned his Tour Card at the 2014 Qualifying School. He went on to finish a credible 22nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit that year.
• Pablo Larrazabal nearly missed his tee time. The tournament administrator had to call the hotel to wake him up.
• Gavin Green is the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion. He is the first Malaysian in Asian Tour history to win the merit title.
• He finished second at last year’s Hero Indian Open, seven shots behind the champion.
• Green is the first amateur to win an Asian Development Tour (ADT) title following his victory in 2014. The ADT is the feeder circuit of the Asian Tour.
• Nicholas Fung won for the first time on the Asian Tour at the 2017 Queen’s Cup. He dedicated the victory to his father, who is a constant source of inspiration throughout his golf career.
• In 2012, Panuphol Pittayarat nearly forced a playoff with Richie Ramsay and Thaworn Wiratchant at the Hero Indian Open if not for a bogey at the last hole.

Player interviews:

Emiliano Grillo (Arg) First Round 65 (-7)

I almost had to play perfect golf out there. It’s a very difficult golf course. I’m very happy with the way I handled myself out there. It was very tough and I was able to make some good putts and hit the fairways when I needed to.

I had, I think, 26 putts and that helps anyone’s round out there. Hopefully I can keep rolling them in. I’ve just got to keep the ball in play, that’s what matters around here.

The par save on 15th was a rollercoaster. Then, on 16th, I got a little bit unlucky and hit the rocks on the bunker and it went pretty far on a bad lie. But I was able to make the putt coming back in there. It was very important to close with a birdie because I was playing very well going into the last hole. Just got to keep going.

You have no idea how difficult the course is. I shot seven-under-par, but I think anywhere else it would have been close to a 59. It was definitely a magnificent round of golf. Every tee shot, every second shot, you don’t want to miss it in the wrong place.

Paul Peterson (Usa) First Round 67 (-5)

I’m really happy with today’s round. Four-under-par was my goal today, so to one up that was nice. It felt like it was nice to get out in the morning. There was not much wind out there, and I felt like the pin locations were pretty accessible today. I have a feeling that they are not going to be as nice over the next three days. It was good to get out in front of that.

I made a bad swing there on the sixth hole. Then, to bounce back with three birdies to finish the day was big. It’s funny how sometimes a bogey can kind of catapult you to make a few coming in, so I was happy I was able to bounce back from that.

I’m still hitting a lot of greens, really happy with consistency from tee to green and I was able to roll in a couple of putts, so it was great.

It’s unbelievable (the course). Some of the tee boxes changed from last year as I remember. It just seems like even off the fairway it’s getting a little bit more brutal with some of the fescue grass that they have got. So, you just have to be in control of your golf ball and be really, really patient. I think that will be a good recipe.

It’s just good to start off with some momentum. To be able to carry that going into the next few days, I’m really happy to be in the spot that I’m at. I’m feeling confident with my game.

Pablo Larrazabal (Esp) First Round 67 (-5)

My lovely new iPhone went back to Spanish time overnight and I woke up at the hotel 38 minutes before my tee-time.

Thanks to Dorothée, the secretary of the European Tour, who called me in my room and said ‘Pablo, you’re playing in 38 minutes, you must wake up and go to the tenth tee’.

I woke up, had a ten-second shower and I ran and had a courtesy car waiting for me. I arrived at the course 25 minutes before my tee-time. My heart was pumping big time, I was very nervous. I think the courtesy car made a world record from the hotel to the golf course in a couple of minutes, a ride that can take ten or 15 minutes, it was really wild 

I started with a birdie on 11 and then I four-putted 15, then birdied 16, 17 and 18 to shoot two-under-par on the back nine – that is very, very good. Then a three-putt on the first but I kept playing well and birdied four to eight, and then another three-putt on the ninth. One four-putt, two three-putts, nine birdies on this monster is quite unbelievable.

Gavin Green (Mas) First Round 69 (-3)

It was a pretty slow start of me. I’ve hit good tee shots, but I just didn’t good second shots. I got into the groove later in the round, after the birdied the sixth hole and eagled the eighth hole. That got me into a momentum a bit.

I hit good shots with my long iron. Throughout the round, I just kept the ball in play and didn’t do anything crazy. I’m just aiming to hit fairways and greens, and make putts. I made a 20-foot birdie at the 14th hole, which was satisfying.

At the 18th, I hit a good three wood, and then a good five wood; I just went for it. I’m happy with my round considering my jet lag. I flew in on Tuesday. I’ll just adopt the same approach tomorrow, hopefully with a more solid start.

Nicholas Fung (Mas) First Round 69 (-3)

We started early and I think that’s an advantage. I teed off at 7.30am, and there were no winds at all. I was just aiming to keep the ball in play all the time. It doesn’t matter if the approach shot is long. It is most important to keep your ball on in play here at this golf course.

I’ve hit it well and I’m happy with three-under-par. The holes from 14th to 18th are the most difficult and most important in many golfers’ opinion. I three putted and bogeyed the 14th, birdied the 15th, bogeyed the 16th and birdied the 18th. Overall, I played even-par for those five holes, which I think is good. The most important thing to do is to score on the front nine. Bogey is not a bad score, just don’t go beyond that.

Panuphol Pittayarat (Tha) First Round 69 (-3)                                

To score a three-under-par 69 here is very satisfying for me. And, to be bogey free anywhere is nice, especially here on this challenging golf course. I struck the ball well today. I also had two great up-and-downs on holes 14 and 16.

After winning the Indonesian Open last year, I’ve been playing golf with plenty of confidence. Right now, I’m just enjoying my game and looking to improve every aspect my game. Nothing has changed. I have the same routine, same practice and I’m still grinding every day.

I’ll be adopting the same approach tomorrow. I’ll just keep the ball in play and I’m not going to try anything too funky. It’s a “place” golf course. You have to place the ball in the right positions on the fairways and greens.

Scores after round 1 of the Hero Indian Open 2018 being played at the par 72, 7379 Yards DLF GcC course (am – denotes amateur):

65 – Emiliano GRILLO (ARG).

67 – Pablo LARRAZABAL (ESP), Matteo MANASSERO (ITA), Paul PETERSON (USA).

68 – Marc WARREN (SCO), Ajeetesh SANDHU (IND).

69 – Nicholas FUNG (MAS), Ricardo GOUVEIA (POR), Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA), Terry PILKADARIS (AUS), Sebastien GROS (FRA), Gavin GREEN (MAS), Shaun NORRIS (RSA), Matt WALLACE (ENG), Jeunghun WANG (KOR).

70 – Prayad MARKSAENG (THA), Thomas BJORN (DEN), James MORRISON (ENG), Sihwan KIM (USA).

71 – Jamie DONALDSON (WAL), Danthai BOONMA (THA), Edoardo MOLINARI (ITA), CHAN Shih-chang (TPE), Soomin LEE (KOR), Aaron RAI (ENG), Matthias SCHWAB (AUT), Joost LUITEN (NED), Wade ORMSBY (AUS), Arjun ATWAL (IND).

72 – Scott JAMIESON (SCO), Khalin JOSHI (IND), Andrew JOHNSTON (ENG), Darren CLARKE (NIR), Clement SORDET (FRA), Erik VAN ROOYEN (RSA), Kurt KITAYAMA (USA), Jarin TODD (USA), Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND), Jinho CHOI (KOR), Honey BAISOYA (IND), Prom MEESAWAT (THA), Daniel IM (USA), Anirban LAHIRI (IND), Ashun WU (CHN), Stephen GALLACHER (SCO), Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA).

73 – Oliver FISHER (ENG), Shubhankar SHARMA (IND), Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA), Lionel WEBER (FRA), Scott FERNANDEZ (ESP), Gregory HAVRET (FRA), Yikeun CHANG (KOR), Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), Robert ROCK (ENG), Jason SCRIVENER (AUS), Marcus FRASER (AUS), Yashas CHANDRA (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.

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Kuala Lumpur, April 8: A scribbled note-to-self on his yardage book worked wonders as Wade Ormsby extended a winning run by Australian players on the Asian Tour with a one-shot triumph at the Panasonic Open India over the weekend.
Ormsby, playing in his second season on the region’s premier Tour, credited countryman Scott Hend, winner of the previous week’s Chiangmai Golf Classic presented by PTT, for giving him sound advice on the art of winning.
The 33-year-old Ormsby said Hend simply told him to stay patient following several disappointing results over the past month and he took the advice to heart by picking up a first Asian Tour title.
“I spoke to Scott on Sunday night last week. I said ‘Mate, I’m so disappointed with the way I finished in Chiangmai’ and he just said to stay patient and to keep doing what I’ve been doing. I wrote that down in my yardage book today and I’m happy that got me over the line,” said a delighted Ormsby.
“I’ve played in over 200 tournaments worldwide and to get my first win here takes the monkey off my back. I really wanted to win and I’m glad I did that.”
He needed to overcome a triple bogey early in the final round before streaking past Thai veteran star Boonchu Ruangkit, who was bidding to become the oldest winner on the Asian Tour at the age of 56 years old.
Such was his hurry to wrap up his maiden title that Ormsby tapped in for victory after lagging his first putt on the 18^th green.  It is often customary for the champion to have the last putt of the tournament as his playing partner Lam Chih Bing of Singapore still had a four-foot putt for par.
Ormsby pocketed US$54,000 for his wire-to-wire success at the challenging Delhi Golf Club and moved up to the eighth place on the latest Asian Tour Order of Merit. He also picked up 14 Official World Golf Ranking points, jumping over 300 rungs to 324th position on the latest list.
Since earning his Tour card at Qualifying School in 2012, the Aussie has enjoyed playing on the Asian Tour. “I love playing in Asia. I’m 33-years-old and I see myself playing more on the Asian Tour. It’s a big Tour with lots of opportunities for players like us,” said Ormsby.
Singaporean Lam Chih Bing’s third-placed finish in New Delhi has boosted his confidence for the remainder of the 2012 season, which is the Asian Tour’s milestone 10^th season.
“Just being back in contention means a lot and more than anything else, I’ve learnt to believe in myself again. Losing my card last year was a big wake-up call and hopefully it’s a blessing in disguise,” said Lam, who moved up to 34^th place on the Order of Merit.
The evergreen Boonchu continued to show he could still compete at a high level with his runner-up finish which pushed him up to 15^th place on the Order of Merit.
Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrath, winner of the Maybank Malaysian Open, heads the Order of Merit with US$616,535.
The Asian Tour will travel to Philippines for the inaugural Solaire Open which will be held at the Wack Wack Golf & Country Club this week. Former Asian Tour number one Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines will lead the home challenge.
Asian Tour Order of Merit – Top-20
Pos  Player Earnings (US$)
1. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) $616,535
2. Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) $269,066
3. Scott HEND (AUS) $207,915
4. LIANG Wen-chong (CHN) $175,909
5. BAEK Seuk-hyun (KOR) $145,303
6. Anirban LAHIRI (IND) $865,86
7. Bryce EASTON (RSA) $84,120
8. Wade ORMSBY (AUS) $82,868
9. Joonas GRANBERG (FIN) $80,812
10. Chawalit PLAPHOL (THA)$70,971
11. Shiv KAPUR (IND) $65,842
12. SIDDIKUR (BAN) $62790
13. Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) $61,620
14. Mithun PERERA (SRI) $61,477
15. Boonchu RUANGKIT (THA) $61,046
16. KIM Gi-whan (KOR) $60,617
17. Prayad MARKSAENG (THA) $57721
18. Berry HENSON (USA) $56,626
19. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $55,201
20. Himmat RAI (IND) $53,300
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. 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 Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf.
 
 

New Delhi, April 7: Australian Wade Ormsby claimed a nerve-jangling maiden Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open India to deny Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit from a historic victory at the Delhi Golf Club on Sunday.
Ormsby overcame a disastrous triple bogey on the third hole to shoot a final round one-under-par 71 to win the US$300,000 tournament by one stroke from the 56-year-old Boonchu, who was bidding to become the oldest winner on the region’s premier Tour.
The wire-to-wire win earned Ormsby’s the winner’s cheque of US$54,000 and moved him up to eighth place on the Order of Merit.
Boonchu Ruangkit of Thailand.
Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing, who led briefly during the final round, settled for third place after carding a level par 72 while Shiv Kapur’s search for a first win on his home course was extended after he bogeyed two of his last three holes to finish three shots behind Ormsby in fourth position.Ormsby, who held at least a share of the lead from the opening day, birdied the second hole but stumbled badly with a seven at the next hole.
However, the Aussie showed great character by shooting birdies on the fifth, seventh and eighth holes to stay in the title hunt.
He bogeyed the 12^th and needed an 18-foot birdie conversion on 17 which proved decisive as Boonchu’s title challenge faded with a bogey on 16.
“It means so much. I’ve played tournaments worldwide but to finally get a win in Asia is fantastic. I felt pretty good on the fourth tee but I just put my head down and tried to get down into it and birdied the fifth,” said Ormsby.
“I was so disappointed in Malaysia and Chiangmai as I played well on both weeks but didn’t finish them off. I knew there was a win in there for me and I am glad I came here,” added the Australian who finished tied-33^rd and tied-20^th in Malaysia and Chiangmai respectively.
Boonchu, who was bidding to become the oldest winner in the Asian Tour history, seemed on course to create history but a costly bogey on the 16^th put paid to all hopes.
“Conditions were really tough out there the entire week but to be able to play the way I did even at 56 years old really says a lot about my game,” said Boonchu.
“I’ve shown that I still have what it takes to compete against the younger boys but I just ran out of steam towards the end. But overall, it has been a good week and all I can say is never write off an old man!” smiled Boonchu.
Despite finishing third, Lam found the much needed self-belief again. The 36-year-old was seeking to end his five-year title drought and losing his Tour card last season was a rude awakening for him.
“Maybe losing my Tour card last year was a blessing in disguise as it was a wake-up call. I reassessed my game and took pains to put in those extra hours in getting back my best form,” said Lam.
Lam Chih Bing of Singapore.
“Just being back in contention means a lot and more than anything else, I’ve learnt to believe in myself again” added Lam
As the top-three players at the Panasonic Open India, Ormsby, Boonchu and Lam will be extended invitations to the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation, in Osaka, Japan in September.
The Panasonic Open India was beamed live throughout four days on the Asian Tour Media’s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
Leading scores after round 4 of the Panasonic Open India 2013 being played at the par 72, 6935 Yards Delhi Golf Club course (a- denotes amateur):
279 – Wade ORMSBY (AUS) 67-67-74-71.
280 – Boonchu RUANGKIT (THA) 70-68-73-69.
281 – LAM Chih Bing (SIN) 67-69-73-72.
282 – Shiv KAPUR (IND) 71-68-72-71.
283 – S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND) 69-69-77-68, Anura ROHANA (SRI) 71-72-71-69, Digvijay SINGH (IND) 71-71-71-70.
284 – Richard LEE (CAN) 72-68-77-67, Shamim KHAN (IND) 73-75-67-69.
285 – Rahil GANGJEE (IND) 73-73-71-68, SIDDIKUR  (BAN) 71-71-74-69, Manav JAINI (IND) 75-70-68-72.
Selected scores
286 – Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 73-72-67-74.
289 – Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) 72-73-73-71.
Ends.
About the Panasonic Open India 2013
The Panasonic Open India, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will return for its third edition from April 4 to April 7. Local hero Digvijay Singh will defend the title at the US$300,000 event held at the Delhi Golf Club. The Asian Tour event will be title sponsored by Panasonic India Pte Ltd and supported by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism and the Government of India. The Tournament will be played once again at the Host Venue Delhi Golf Club.  Other sponsors include. Homestead (Platinum Sponsor) Crowne Plaza Today New Delhi Okhla (Official Hotel), Bentbrass (Official Apparel), Srixon (Official Ball), 4moles.com (Digital Media sponsor), GolfPlus Monthly (Magazine sponsor) and Inetol Headwear.
The tournament is organized and promoted by the Asian Tour. Get the latest news and tournament information on www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com and www.4moles.com. You can also follow us on www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf and www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf
About Panasonic India
Panasonic makes available in India its wide range of consumer electronics and home appliances like LCD & Plasma TVs, DVD players, home theatre systems, cameras, camcorders, car audio systems, air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, automatic cookers, vacuum cleaners and the like. The Company has a workforce of about 12,650 in India and estimated to do a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore in FY 2012. For more information on the company and the Panasonic brand in India, please visit http://panasonic.co.in.
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. 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 Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Canon (Official Imaging Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Saxo Capital Markets (Official Statistics Partner), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf