Pattaya, Thailand, June 28: Thai talent Poom Saksansin took advantage of his solid iron-play to sign for an opening eight-under-par 63, grabbing a one-shot lead over countryman Jazz Janewattananond at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Thursday.

Poom, a two-time Asian Tour winner, nailed eight birdies before dropping a shot on 17 for his only blemish of the day. The 25-year-old Thai, however, recovered swiftly with a birdie on the last to take his place atop the leaderboard at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

Jazz, who will be making his Major debut at The Open next month, returned with a bogey-free round highlighted by seven birdies to sit in second place at the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, who was flawless with six birdies, shared third place with American Paul Peterson and Danthai Boonma of Thailand on matching 65s. Peterson came home with four straight birdies while Danthai got off to a birdie-eagle start en route to their 65s.

Jbe Kruger of South Africa recorded the first hole-in-one of the week when he aced the par-three 16th hole with a gap wedge from 145 yards. He trails by three shots in tied-sixth place following a 66.

Defending champion Nicholas Fung of Malaysia posted a 72 to tie in 103rd place at the Queen’s Cup, which welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season.

Did you know?

• Poom Saksansin is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He produced a five-shot victory at the 2016 Indonesian Masters to win his first Asian Tour title and completed a convincing wire-to-wire victory at the 2017 TAKE Solutions Masters where he won by two shots.
• Poom led the 2014 Queen’s Cup into the final round before finishing second behind Thaworn Wiratchant.
• He finished in a career-high eighth position on the 2017 Merit rankings and earned a maiden appearance at the 2018 EurAsiaCup where he represented Team Asia.
• Poom, together with Sunghoon Kang, defeated Henrik Stenson and Alex Levy in the first day four-ball match 5&4. Also beat Paul Casey 1 up on the final day Singles match.
• Poom sits in 29th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to two top-10s, which included a runner-up finish at the Thailand Open earlier this month.
• Jazz missed only two fairways and three greens in his flawless round of 64 today.
• Jazz will be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the season-opening SMBC Singapore Open, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.
• Jazz missed only one cut in 10 starts on Tour to sit in a current 16th place on the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• He came in runner-up at the Queen’s Cup last year, finishing just one shot back of winner Nicholas Fung of Malaysia.
• Jazz won his first Asian Tour title at the 2017 Bangladesh Open by four shots. The victory was especially sweet for him as he finished outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School. He went on to notch five other top-10s to finish a career-high 13th place on the Order of Merit.
• Siddikur Rahman is a two-time Asian Tour winner. Became the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour in 2010.
• Siddikur needed only 21 putts for his commendable round of 65.
• Siddikur has recorded five top-10 results in his last eight appearances at the Queen’s Cup, albeit on a different golf course.
• Like Jazz, Danthai will also be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He also secured his spot after finishing tied-fourth in Singapore in January.
• Danthai has enjoyed some good results at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. He finished tied-third at the King’s Cup in 2016 and came in tied-eighth at the Royal Cup last December.
• The 22-year-old Danthai secured his Asian Tour breakthrough at the World Classic Championship in Singapore in 2015.
• Paul Peterson claimed his breakthrough win on the Asian Tour at the Myanmar Open earlier in January.
• The left-handed Peterson came in tied-third at the Queen’s Cup in 2016 before going on to win his first European Tour title at the Czech Masters two months later.
• The 29-year-old Peterson sits in eighth place on the current Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Players’ quotes:

Poom Saksansin (Tha) – First Round 63 (-8)

I hit very good approach shots today. My mid-irons and short irons were very good. I got a bit of luck with my putting as well. The highlight of my round today was on the 12th hole. I almost made an eagle there but my putt lipped out.

I am very happy with the way I played today. I wasn’t thinking much. I just stuck to my game plan and kept the momentum going. The game’s feeling much better now. I am feeling more confident after finishing second at the Thailand Open earlier.

I guess my mental game has improved a lot and that’s why I am playing good again. This is a course that I practise a lot on so I am very familiar with it. It’s a very short course. You need to drive the ball well and hit good iron shots to play well here. This is the lowest score that I have ever shot on this course.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – First Round 64 (-7)

I got off to a good start. Everything was pretty smooth for me out there. I was just hitting a lot of fairways and a lot of greens, made some putts and missed some. It was overall a pretty good round. 

I was playing with no pressure. I guess that helps. It’s still early in the week. I am not thinking much. It’s going to be a hot week here. I was just trying to save my energy. It was pretty windy when we start so it was a little tough.

Siddikur Rahman (Ban) – First Round 65 (-6)

I haven’t had a bogey-free round for a long time. I had an excellent day out there. My putting was really good and that’s the reason why I can put up such a low score today. Everything went well today except for the 18th hole where I hit a bad drive.

But I made a great up and down from the bunker for birdie there. It was about 25 yards from the bunker but I made that. My back was really sore yesterday. I went for treatment at the physio yesterday after my practice round and also this morning before my round.

It was much better today. It felt totally different out there. I was able to swing my best today and it was great. I made most of my birdies from within 10 to 15 feet today. I started from the 10th hole today and got off to a great start with two straight birdies. 

It feels good coming to play at the Queen’s Cup, although it’s being held at a different venue this year. I have had some good results at the Queen’s Cup before so I just feel a lot of positive vibes coming to play this tournament.

This course suits my game too as it’s not too long. I like this golf course. I am feeling very excited now and I am looking forward to the rest of the season. The season hasn’t been that good so far. It’s been on and off.

My game is there but I just can’t show in my results. But having said that, there are still many more tournaments to go so I am not too worried about my performance. This is a really short course. You need to putt well. Everyone is going to hit it close out there.

Danthai Boonma (Tha) – First Round 65 (-6)

I had a really good start today. I made the birdie putt from about seven feet on the first and that got my momentum going. I think I was a bit lucky with my eagle on the second hole. I hit the green in two and sank the eagle putt from about 20 feet!

I felt good after the strong start. I played really well after that. I putted very well. My tee shots were good too. I like this golf course. I finished inside top-10 the last two times we played here. Although we’re playing a different back nine this week, I still feel very comfortable out there.

Paul Peterson (Usa) – First Round 65 (-6)

It was nice not to drop a shot today. I switched back to my old driver and I am really happy with it. It was the same one I used when I won Myanmar earlier. It just got me into a very good rhythm out there and to finish six-under.

I made a nice up and down on the 12th hole and hit some quality shots and made some putts coming in. I had the wind a little bit wrong on the 12th. I was trying to be short on that hole and picked a club that I thought was very short but it just flew the green. 

I chipped it to about three feet and made the putt. It was a very good par save there and it just got my momentum going. My groupmates were hitting some good shots coming down the stretch so we were just feeding off each other.

I hit a really good three-wood in on the seventh hole to about eight feet. It was awesome. I didn’t convert the eagle putt unfortunately but it was good to hit it about 250 yards. I felt like the birdie on ninth kind of jumpstarted the round and I was able to finish off strong.

Scores after round 1 of the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak being played at the par 71, 6951 Yards Phoenix GC course (am – denotes amateur):

63 – Poom SAKSANSIN (THA).

64 – Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA).

65 – Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN), Danthai BOONMA (THA), Paul PETERSON (USA).

66 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG), Dino A. GIACOMAZZI (USA), Sihwan KIM (USA), Jbe KRUGER (RSA), Scott VINCENT (ZIM), Natipong SRITHONG (THA).

67 – Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Wongsakorn PIKUNSAWAT (THA), Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA), Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA), Kittiporn JAVANAPONG (THA), Wolmer MURILLO (VEN), Ronnachai JAMNONG (THA), Ben CAMPBELL (NZL), Miguel TABUENA (PHI), Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA), Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA), William HARROLD (ENG), Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA).

68 – Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Hamza AMIN (PAK), Kammalas NAMUANGRUK (THA), Thepbodin AMARANAN (THA), Javier GALLEGOS (ESP), Naras LUANGPHETCHARAPORN (THA), Raththee SIRITHANAKUNSAK (THA), Paul HARRIS (USA), Sarit SUWANNARUT (THA), Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA), WANG Wei-lun (TPE), Nirun SAE-UENG (THA), Jarin TODD (USA), Gareth PADDISON (NZL), Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND), Casey O’TOOLE (USA), Josh YOUNGER (AUS), Kevin LEE (KOR), Sung LEE (KOR), Tanapat PICHAIKOOL (am, THA).

69 – Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), LIU Yanwei (CHN), Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA), Javi COLOMO (ESP), Rashid KHAN (IND), Viraj MADAPPA (IND), Atiruj WINAICHAROENCHAI (THA), John Michael O’TOOLE (USA), Tawan PHONGPHUN (THA), Hein SITHU (MYN), Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA), Malcolm KOKOCINSKI (SWE), Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA), Khalin JOSHI (IND), Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA), Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA), Chaiphat KOONMARK (THA).

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.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 28: Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh renewed his love affair with the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak when he opened with a bogey-free six-under-par 65 to grab the clubhouse lead by one shot on Thursday.

The 33-year-old Siddikur, who has recorded five top-10 results in his last eight appearances albeit on a different venue at the Queen’s Cup, overcame a nagging back pain by firing six birdies to take his place atop the leaderboard.

Asian Tour rookies Miguel Carballo of Argentina and American Dino A. Giacomazzi carded matching 66s to share second place in the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

Thitiphun Chuayprakong, who has well-recovered from a career-threatening wrist injury, is amongst the local prospects bunched in fifth place following identical rounds of 67s at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

“I haven’t had a bogey-free round for a long time. I had an excellent day out there. My putting was really good and that’s the reason why I can put up such a low score today. Everything went well today except for the 18th hole where I hit a bad drive.

“But I made a great up and down from the bunker for birdie there. It was about 25 yards from the bunker but I made that. My back was really sore yesterday. I went for treatment at the physio and it’s much better today,” said Siddikur, a two-time Asian Tour winner.

“I made most of my birdies from within 10 to 15 feet today. I started from the 10th hole today and got off to a great start with two straight birdies. This course suits my game too as it’s not too long. I am feeling very excited now and I am looking forward to the next few rounds,” Siddikur added.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 27: Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung believes he can conjure another magical winning act when the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak gets underway at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club on Thursday. 

Fung, the 2013 Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit champion, hopes to become the first Malaysian to successfully defend his title on the Asian Tour at the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

The 28-year-old Fung will spearhead the talented 150-man field alongside 38 other Tour champions, including in-form Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand, who is also a proud graduate of the ADT after topping the Merit rankings in 2014.

Nicholas Fung of Malaysia

Pavit, who secured a record sixth ADT victory on home soil last month, hopes to ride on his good form at the prestigious event, which will be held for the first time at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club, a venue where he had previously won on his local circuit four years ago.

Placed seventh on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, American Sihwan Kim is also looking to boost his ranking with a good showing in what will be his second appearance at the Queen’s Cup.

The 29-year-old Kim, playing in only his second season on the Asian Tour, has emerged as one of the top favourites tipped to win on Tour after coming close to his breakthrough in India and Japan earlier this season.

The Queen’s Cup, held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season.

Did you know?

• Nicholas Fung claimed his first victory at the 2017 Queen’s Cup and dedicated his win to his father as a Father’s day gift.
• Enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2013 where he was crowned the ADT Order of Merit, thanks to one victory and three runner-up finishes. Also rose from 1,428th to 239th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) that year.
• Fung represented Team Asia in all three editions of the EurAsia Cup in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
• Fung, who sits in a current 478th place on the OWGR, is the second highest-ranked Malaysian following Gavin Green, who is placed 202nd in the world.
• Pavit Tangakamolprasert battled against a wrist injury to claim a record sixth ADT victory on home soil last month.
• Pavit was crowned the 2014 ADT Order of Merit champion, after winning three titles on the secondary circuit that year.
• Pavit won his first Asian Tour title at the 2016 Venetian Macao Open in sensational style by defeating Anirban Lahiri of India on the first play-off hole.
• Pavit won the 2014 Singha Open on his local circuit at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The tournament was also played on the Mountain and Ocean courses, same as the Queen’s Cup this week.
• Pavit sits in 46th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. His best result this season is a tied-13th place finish at the Thailand Open earlier this month.
• Sihwan Kim is the highest-ranked player in the 150-man field this week. He sits in seventh position on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to a current haul of US$231,694.
• Kim came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2017 and kept his card for the 2018 season after notching three top-10s to finish in 55th place on the final Order of Merit.
• Playing in only his second season on the Asian Tour, Kim claimed his first top-three result when he came in second runner-up at the Hero Indian Open earlier in March. He followed up with a tied-fourth finish at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan.

Players’ quotes:

Nicholas Fung (Mas)

I come to Thailand very often. In the past, I always come here hoping to win my first title but this week feels different. I am defending the title for the very first time on the Asian Tour. I feel good. It feels like home here in Thailand. I have many good friends here.

Although I’m defending the title on a different course this week, I feel I still have some good chances after playing this course the last two days. They changed the back nine to the Oceans course this year and it’s a lot shorter than what we played at the Royal Cup last year.

I think that’s an advantage for me but the back nine is quite narrow. I don’t want to think much about winning yet. I have been hitting well lately, just need to work more on my putting. I am working with a new caddy this week so hopefully I can get some good tips on the greens.

Everyone’s going to hit it good on this course so the person who can putt well will win this week. Putting is key. It’s been a year since I won the Queen’s Cup. That victory gave me a lot of confidence in my game. I am trying to win more and try to get on the European Tour and PGA Tour.

Kiradech (Aphibarnrat) is a very good example. The way he advances from the Asian Tour to the PGA Tour is very inspiring and motivating for us. I would love to follow in his footsteps.

It will be an honour to represent Malaysia in the upcoming World Cup of Golf. Gavin (Green) is the highest-ranked Malaysian on the Official World Golf Ranking right now so he gets to choose who he wants to partner.

I will try my best to produce some good results over the next few months and hopefully boost my world ranking to qualify for the World Cup. It’s definitely one of my targets for this season.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand

Pavit Tangkamolprasert (Tha)

I am feeling very confident with my game right now, especially after winning on the ADT last month. It’s in good shape. Coming back to play on home soil is always good. With the prestige of the Queen’s Cup, it will be very special for me if I can win the tournament.

I won the Singha Open on this golf course back in 2014 and we played the Mountain and Ocean courses back then as well. I went to practise the Ocean course yesterday but I couldn’t recall anything (laughs). It’s been four long years.

The course is pretty short so it won’t be that tough this week. I played in Korea last week and that course was really difficult. It definitely feels easier coming back to play here.

It’s great to see many ADT players winning on the Asian Tour now. I have benefited from playing on the ADT before so I know how it can help advance your career. The playing standards on the ADT has become stronger over the years.

These players are good enough to compete against the Asian Tour professionals anytime and you can tell from the recent wins by John Catlin and Malcolm Kokocinski, who were plying their trades on the ADT previously. It’s getting more and more competitive now.

Apart from myself, the ADT has also produced other Asian Tour winners like Chan Shih-chang. With players given playing rights on the Asian Tour straight after winning three times on the ADT in a season, it’s a great motivation.

Brooks Koepka defended his title at the US Open recently. He also started his career from the European Challenge Tour so it’s inspiring to see. It shows how the experiences from playing on the secondary Tours can help you to work your way up to the top, as long as you practise hard.

Sihwan Kim of United States

Sihwan Kim (Usa)

It’s my first time playing here at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The game’s feeling pretty good. I just need to get my putter going. My putting hasn’t been too great the past few weeks.

The season’s been pretty good for me so far. I have had a couple of good results. It’s a bit on and off but when it was on, my putting was good and that made the difference. I got to get that back and hopefully I can do the same this week.

I just want to go out there and win the tournament. Nothing else. I will just play hole by hole and hopefully that will give me the results I need to boost my rankings on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

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.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 26: Thailand’s Prom Meesawat will be looking to complete some ‘unfinished business’ at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club when he tees off for the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Thursday.

Prom, a two-time Asian Tour winner but not since 2014, came agonisingly close to ending his title drought on the same venue six months ago before finishing one shot back in second place. He is hopeful of putting up another title run when the US$300,000 event gets underway this week.

The 33-year-old Prom has enjoyed a commendable season so far, missing just one cut in 10 starts to sit in 19th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings with a current haul of US$117,085.

He will spearhead the strong Thai contingent alongside young talents Panuphol Pittayarat, Jazz Janewattananond and Poom Saksansin, as well as former Order of Merit champion Thaworn Wiratchant, who also won the prestigious tournament twice in 2012 and 2014.

Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang is relishing a return to his winning ground where he claimed his breakthrough victory two years ago.

Having established himself as one of the most successful players from Chinese Taipei with two Asian Tour wins and five Asian Development Tour (ADT) victories, the 32-year-old Chan hopes to regain some of his best form when he steps up to the tee on his favourite hunting ground

Young Thai talent Jazz Janewattananond hopes to go one better in his title charge at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak while Indian hotshot Gaganjeet Bhullar is looking to sharpen his short game for a successful title assault this week.

A total of 150 players from 25 different countries, including 40 Tour champions, will challenge for top honours at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak, which is celebrating its 10th consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this season.

The Queen’s Cup, held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season. 

Did you know?

• Prom Meesawat is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He claimed his second title in Chinese Taipei in 2014, eight years after his breakthrough in Korea.
• Prom last played at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club for the Royal Cup six months ago, where he came close to winning his third Asian Tour title before ending his campaign one shot back for a runner-up finish.
• Prom put up another title run at the ISPS HANDA Super 6 Perth earlier in February where he emerged as the top seed heading into the final round six-hole knockout Match Play. He eventually finished in ninth-place for his only top-10 result so far this season.
• Nicknamed the ‘Big Dolphin’ due to his burly physique and because he comes from the coastal town of Hua Hin, south of Bangkok. 
• Prom has enjoyed a relatively good season so far, missing just one cut in 10 starts on Tour to sit in a current 19th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• Chan Shih-chang claimed his Asian Tour breakthrough at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club two years ago. He returned to play the Royal Cup at the same golf course last December and finished tied-fourth.
• Chan, now a two-time Asian Tour winner, is a proud graduate of the Asian Development Tour (ADT). He claimed five titles on the region’s secondary circuit over a two-year span from 2013 and was the first player to win three times in a single season on the ADT in 2014.
• Gaganjeet Bhullar is an eight-time winner on the Asian Tour. He claimed his eighth victory at the Macao Open last year and became the youngest player to win eight titles on the region’s premier Tour.
• The 30-year-old Bhullar came in second runner-up when he last played the Royal Cup at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club six months ago.
• Jazz Janewattananond, who sits in 16th place on the current Habitat for Humanity Standings, came in second at the Queen’s Cup last year, finishing just one shot back of Fung.
• Jazz won his first Asian Tour title in Bangladesh in 2017. The victory was especially sweet for him as he finished outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School.
• He went on to notch five other top-10s to finish a career-high 13th place on the 2017 Order of Merit.
• Jazz will be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He secured his spot after finishing tied-fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.

Players’ quotes:

Prom Meesawat (Tha)

It’s always nice to be playing a tournament at home in Thailand and especially so on a course that you have played well before. You tend to have more expectations coming to a course that you know you can play well on but this week, I just want to go out and enjoy my game.

I am happy with the way that I am playing now. My putting has been getting better over the last few weeks. I came really close to winning my third title on this course last December before finishing second. I am looking forward to playing well again this week.

The back nine will be different this week as we’re playing the Oceans course. I have played that course long time ago. I used to play that side of the golf course a lot. I played yesterday and I realised I still have some memory of that course.

There are a lot of birdie opportunities this week. But if the greens get firmer, it’s going to be hard to control. Everyone has a good chance to make birdies this week. There are some narrow holes out there and the greens can be tricky. You need to put the ball on the right spots.

I like the Bermuda greens here. I can read the lines pretty well and I’m comfortable putting on these greens. I hope that will be an advantage for me this week. Putting will be key this week. It’s not a long course. You got to keep the ball in play and keep hitting fairways and greens.

The season’s been pretty alright so far. I had a good start. It’s a bit slow now but I hope it will pick up from now. I will go out and enjoy myself and try my best to win the tournament this week.

Chan Shih-chang (Tpe)

I feel really good coming back here. This is where I won my first title on the Asian Tour. I came back here last December and enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish as well so I am feeling some really positive vibes coming back here. 

This is not a long course so it’s an advantage for me. If I can put up a good short game display this week, I should be able to do pretty well. I quite like the greens here. I feel very comfortable on these greens, although it’s not quite similar to what I get back home in Chinese Taipei.

The course is in great condition. I have played this course for a few times and I’m pretty used to the layout and all. The game’s getting slightly better now. I struggled with my driver when I played in Japan earlier this year and wasn’t able to produce good results.

I changed my driver a few weeks ago and I’m starting to see some difference. Although my results are still not that great, I am seeing improvements. I hope it gets better this week. I’ve switched my focus to playing in Japan this year but I still like playing on the Asian Tour.

I like how it feels to play on the Asian Tour, with all the familiar faces whom I used to play with before. The courses in Japan are pretty different from the courses that we play on the Asian Tour. The roughs are very different from what we get on the Asian Tour.

But having said that, I’ve learnt a lot and gained a lot of experiences there which are important for my game. Hopefully that will help me do well this week.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha)

It’s good to be back home playing the Queen’s Cup this week. I had a great finish last year but on a different golf course. This week, we are also playing the back nine on the Oceans course for the first time too. 

I just came back from Korea. The course was tough last week. I was struggling a bit but it’s a brand-new week now. I think it’s going to be good. It’s good to be playing at home again. I want to just play my best again this week and see what happens.

I hope to do well and prepare myself for The Open next month. I plan to play next week in Sarawak and then take a week off to rest and get ready for my trip to Scotland. These two weeks will be important for me to get into tournament feel and put my game in good shape for The Open.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind)

It feels good to be back. I played well on this course before. We’re playing a different back nine this week but the track seems fair enough. Only three par-fives this week so one has to be really careful and see if they want to really go for those par-fives.

Apart from that, I really enjoyed myself the last time I played here. I am looking forward to play well this week. The game’s feeling very good. I have been striking the ball well. I just have to work on my short game this week and get used to the greens speed here.

Things should turn out pretty well this week. I’m 11th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings right now. Like the other players, the goal is definitely to try and better my rankings and qualify for the upcoming big events like the CIMB Classic and WGC-HSBC Champions.

Honestly, I am playing well, I am well enough to produce some good scores out there. The key is patience. I just need to keep on doing what I have been doing for the past few years and hope for the best to happen.

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.

June 26: Here’s what Minchel Choi had in his bag when he won the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship.

Driver: Titleist 917D3 9.5*                                 Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 X

Fairway1: Titleist 915F 13.5*                              Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X

Fairway2: Titleist 915F 18*                                Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X

Hb/Ut1: Titleist 816H1 21*                                 Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI HY 95 X

Irons: Titleist AP2 718 (4-9)                               Shaft: TrueTemper Dynamic Gold S300

Wedge1: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 46* F Grind

Wedge2: Titleist Vokey Design SM6 52* F Grind

Wedge3: Titleist Vokey Design PROTO 58* K Grind

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5W

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 x (2017)

Shoe: FootJoy

Cap: Korean Brand

Bag: Titleist

Glove: FootJoy

Sentosa, Singapore, June 25:  Here’s five takeaways from the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship 2018 where Minchel Choi took home his first Asian Tour victory.

1. Korean duo Minchel Choi and Sanghyun Park earned the two available spots for The Open. They will be making their Major debut in Carnoustie next month.
2. The Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship is Choi’s first win on the Asian Tour and Korean Tour.
3. Hosung Choi certainly endeared himself to the crowd with his unorthodox swing dubbed the ‘Fisherman’ swing. He does not have any formal training and his swing is a self-taught one which he adapted and constantly works on for optimum distance.
4. Hosung Choi picked up golf at a relatively late age at 25. He was a contract worker at the BeNest Country Club in Korea and developed an interest for the game there.
5. He sliced off part of his right thumb when he was cutting tuna and had to use part of his skin from his stomach for a skin graft.

June 25: England’s Matt Wallace fired a seven-under-par 65 in the final round of the BMW International Open to win by one shot at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof.

The 28-year-old Wallace, who started the round at the 10th tee and two shots off the lead, made a charge with five birdies in his first seven holes to make the turn at 31. He went on to make birdies on holes one and three to seal his victory on a 10-under-par 278 total.

Three players took tied-second including Denmark’s Thorbjorn Oleson who signed for a record-breaking 61 which was the lowest round in the event’s history.

“I made two long putts on holes 10 and 11 and hit some great shots which gave me the confidence to think that I could actually get there. I played the front nine really nicely but still missed a lot of putts,” said Wallace.

Wallace took home his first victory of the season at the Hero Indian Open in March. He also recorded a tied-third finish at the Volvo China Open in April. He said that his excellent performances in Asia had given him the confidence he needs to perform on the European Tour.

“I work very hard and I believe I can do it, I want to go further and keep building on this. I want to keep building on this. Obviously, this gives me a lot of confidence to go on and play well and hopefully do this in the bigger events from now on. It is brilliant to win here in Germany and this is such a great event with a great field,” added Wallace.

Former Asian Tour number one Scott Hend, who was leading after the second round, settled for a tied-seventh place after trading five birdies against a disappointing double bogey on hole 10 and a bogey on his last hole for a final round 70.

American David Lipsky finished at tied-18th on a 285 total following a 71 while Malaysia’s Gavin Green took 73rd place after carding a 76.

Over in the United States, India’s Anirban Lahiri carded a one-under-par 69 to take tied-ninth place at the Travelers Championship held at TPC River Highlands.

Lahiri, a seven-time Asian Tour winner, struggled in the final round when he traded five birdies against two bogeys and one double bogey to drop six spots.

Ends.

Cheonan, Korea, June 25: Sanghyun Park of Korea strengthened his credentials as a leading contender on the Asian Tour following his impressive second-place finish at the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship on Sunday.

The 35-year-old, who was five shots off the lead going into the final round, carded a resplendent five-under-par 66 that was tied for the lowest score of the day. However, compatriot Minchel Choi was able to hold off Park’s late challenge after sinking a birdie at the last hole to win the tournament by two shots at the Woo Jeong Hills Country Club.

Park earned a prize cheque of US$108,536.39 that moved him up three places to fourth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. He has also punched a ticket to The Open in Carnoustie next month, with the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship part of The Open Qualifying Series this year.

“I’m really looking forward to playing in my first Major at The Open. It’s every professional golfer’s dream to play in a Major and I’m no different,” said Park.

The experienced competitor has been in red-hot form in 2018, particularly in his home country. Park won his maiden Asian Tour title at the 37th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship in early May and was victorious on the domestic circuit a week before the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship.

He added: “I came very close to winning again but that’s okay. Golf is like that. I’ve put up a good fight but Choi’s a deserving winner. You cannot win all the time and hopefully, my day will come again.”

John Catlin of the United States

John Catlin of the United States continues his brilliant run on the Asian Tour. The reigning Asia-Pacific Classic champion signed for a five-under-par 279 total to land in tied-fifth in Korea, his fourth top-10 finish in six starts this year. The 27-year-old has moved eight places up the Habitat for Humanity Standings to 13th.

Indian hotshot Shubhankar Sharma is on top of the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings with his current earnings of US$589,575 while England’s Matt Wallace is second with US$446,660. Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat is in third place on US$360,737.14 following his 15th place finish at the U.S. Open last week.

This week, the Asian Tour returns to Thailand for the US$300,000 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak, which will be celebrating its 10th straight edition on Asia’s premier golf circuit. The event will be played at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya.

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos  Player  Order of Merit  (US$)

1. Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) $589,575

2. Matt WALLACE (ENG) $446,660

3. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) $360,737.14

4. Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $295,660.39

5. Rahil GANGJEE (IND) $290,425.53

6. Sihwan KIM (USA) $231,693.77

7. Paul PETERSON (USA) $215,758.57

8. Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $160,219.85

9. Daniel NISBET (AUS) $151,883.64

10. Berry HENSON (USA) $148,766.66

11. Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) $136,843.3

12. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $129,874.11

13. John CATLIN (USA) $128,096.66

14. Hideto TANIHARA (JPN) $123,306.08

15. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $123,024.39

16. Shaun NORRIS (RSA) $118,284.91

17. Khalin JOSHI (IND) $117,959.7

18. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $117,085.91

19. Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $115,809.8

20. Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) $105,907.84

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.

Pattaya, June 25: A total of 86 players teed off under sunny skies at the Qualifying tournament on Monday, vying for one of the seven spots on offer for the 2018 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak which starts on Thursday.

Local amateur Atiruj Winaicharoenchai emerged top of the field after signing for a superb six-under-par 65 at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The 18-year-old plans to make his professional debut at the US$300,000 event, where he has previously finished tied-33rd in 2015.

Teerapat Punglamyai, also of Thailand, came in two shots back to share second place with American Cory Oride while Wolmer Murillo of Venezuela and Brett Munson of the United States were tied in fourth-place on matching 68s alongside Thai duo Sajawat Sriprasit and Nirun Sae-ueng.

The cut-line was set at three-under-par 68 with the leading seven players securing spots at the prestigious tournament, which is celebrating its 10th consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this week.

2018 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak – Monday qualifier (Results)

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Pattaya, Thailand, June 28: Thai talent Poom Saksansin took advantage of his solid iron-play to sign for an opening eight-under-par 63, grabbing a one-shot lead over countryman Jazz Janewattananond at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Thursday. Poom, a two-time Asian Tour winner, nailed eight birdies before dropping a shot on 17 for his […]

Pattaya, Thailand, June 28: Thai talent Poom Saksansin took advantage of his solid iron-play to sign for an opening eight-under-par 63, grabbing a one-shot lead over countryman Jazz Janewattananond at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Thursday.

Poom, a two-time Asian Tour winner, nailed eight birdies before dropping a shot on 17 for his only blemish of the day. The 25-year-old Thai, however, recovered swiftly with a birdie on the last to take his place atop the leaderboard at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

Jazz, who will be making his Major debut at The Open next month, returned with a bogey-free round highlighted by seven birdies to sit in second place at the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, who was flawless with six birdies, shared third place with American Paul Peterson and Danthai Boonma of Thailand on matching 65s. Peterson came home with four straight birdies while Danthai got off to a birdie-eagle start en route to their 65s.

Jbe Kruger of South Africa recorded the first hole-in-one of the week when he aced the par-three 16th hole with a gap wedge from 145 yards. He trails by three shots in tied-sixth place following a 66.

Defending champion Nicholas Fung of Malaysia posted a 72 to tie in 103rd place at the Queen’s Cup, which welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season.

Did you know?

• Poom Saksansin is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He produced a five-shot victory at the 2016 Indonesian Masters to win his first Asian Tour title and completed a convincing wire-to-wire victory at the 2017 TAKE Solutions Masters where he won by two shots.
• Poom led the 2014 Queen’s Cup into the final round before finishing second behind Thaworn Wiratchant.
• He finished in a career-high eighth position on the 2017 Merit rankings and earned a maiden appearance at the 2018 EurAsiaCup where he represented Team Asia.
• Poom, together with Sunghoon Kang, defeated Henrik Stenson and Alex Levy in the first day four-ball match 5&4. Also beat Paul Casey 1 up on the final day Singles match.
• Poom sits in 29th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to two top-10s, which included a runner-up finish at the Thailand Open earlier this month.
• Jazz missed only two fairways and three greens in his flawless round of 64 today.
• Jazz will be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the season-opening SMBC Singapore Open, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.
• Jazz missed only one cut in 10 starts on Tour to sit in a current 16th place on the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• He came in runner-up at the Queen’s Cup last year, finishing just one shot back of winner Nicholas Fung of Malaysia.
• Jazz won his first Asian Tour title at the 2017 Bangladesh Open by four shots. The victory was especially sweet for him as he finished outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School. He went on to notch five other top-10s to finish a career-high 13th place on the Order of Merit.
• Siddikur Rahman is a two-time Asian Tour winner. Became the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour in 2010.
• Siddikur needed only 21 putts for his commendable round of 65.
• Siddikur has recorded five top-10 results in his last eight appearances at the Queen’s Cup, albeit on a different golf course.
• Like Jazz, Danthai will also be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He also secured his spot after finishing tied-fourth in Singapore in January.
• Danthai has enjoyed some good results at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. He finished tied-third at the King’s Cup in 2016 and came in tied-eighth at the Royal Cup last December.
• The 22-year-old Danthai secured his Asian Tour breakthrough at the World Classic Championship in Singapore in 2015.
• Paul Peterson claimed his breakthrough win on the Asian Tour at the Myanmar Open earlier in January.
• The left-handed Peterson came in tied-third at the Queen’s Cup in 2016 before going on to win his first European Tour title at the Czech Masters two months later.
• The 29-year-old Peterson sits in eighth place on the current Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Players’ quotes:

Poom Saksansin (Tha) – First Round 63 (-8)

I hit very good approach shots today. My mid-irons and short irons were very good. I got a bit of luck with my putting as well. The highlight of my round today was on the 12th hole. I almost made an eagle there but my putt lipped out.

I am very happy with the way I played today. I wasn’t thinking much. I just stuck to my game plan and kept the momentum going. The game’s feeling much better now. I am feeling more confident after finishing second at the Thailand Open earlier.

I guess my mental game has improved a lot and that’s why I am playing good again. This is a course that I practise a lot on so I am very familiar with it. It’s a very short course. You need to drive the ball well and hit good iron shots to play well here. This is the lowest score that I have ever shot on this course.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – First Round 64 (-7)

I got off to a good start. Everything was pretty smooth for me out there. I was just hitting a lot of fairways and a lot of greens, made some putts and missed some. It was overall a pretty good round. 

I was playing with no pressure. I guess that helps. It’s still early in the week. I am not thinking much. It’s going to be a hot week here. I was just trying to save my energy. It was pretty windy when we start so it was a little tough.

Siddikur Rahman (Ban) – First Round 65 (-6)

I haven’t had a bogey-free round for a long time. I had an excellent day out there. My putting was really good and that’s the reason why I can put up such a low score today. Everything went well today except for the 18th hole where I hit a bad drive.

But I made a great up and down from the bunker for birdie there. It was about 25 yards from the bunker but I made that. My back was really sore yesterday. I went for treatment at the physio yesterday after my practice round and also this morning before my round.

It was much better today. It felt totally different out there. I was able to swing my best today and it was great. I made most of my birdies from within 10 to 15 feet today. I started from the 10th hole today and got off to a great start with two straight birdies. 

It feels good coming to play at the Queen’s Cup, although it’s being held at a different venue this year. I have had some good results at the Queen’s Cup before so I just feel a lot of positive vibes coming to play this tournament.

This course suits my game too as it’s not too long. I like this golf course. I am feeling very excited now and I am looking forward to the rest of the season. The season hasn’t been that good so far. It’s been on and off.

My game is there but I just can’t show in my results. But having said that, there are still many more tournaments to go so I am not too worried about my performance. This is a really short course. You need to putt well. Everyone is going to hit it close out there.

Danthai Boonma (Tha) – First Round 65 (-6)

I had a really good start today. I made the birdie putt from about seven feet on the first and that got my momentum going. I think I was a bit lucky with my eagle on the second hole. I hit the green in two and sank the eagle putt from about 20 feet!

I felt good after the strong start. I played really well after that. I putted very well. My tee shots were good too. I like this golf course. I finished inside top-10 the last two times we played here. Although we’re playing a different back nine this week, I still feel very comfortable out there.

Paul Peterson (Usa) – First Round 65 (-6)

It was nice not to drop a shot today. I switched back to my old driver and I am really happy with it. It was the same one I used when I won Myanmar earlier. It just got me into a very good rhythm out there and to finish six-under.

I made a nice up and down on the 12th hole and hit some quality shots and made some putts coming in. I had the wind a little bit wrong on the 12th. I was trying to be short on that hole and picked a club that I thought was very short but it just flew the green. 

I chipped it to about three feet and made the putt. It was a very good par save there and it just got my momentum going. My groupmates were hitting some good shots coming down the stretch so we were just feeding off each other.

I hit a really good three-wood in on the seventh hole to about eight feet. It was awesome. I didn’t convert the eagle putt unfortunately but it was good to hit it about 250 yards. I felt like the birdie on ninth kind of jumpstarted the round and I was able to finish off strong.

Scores after round 1 of the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak being played at the par 71, 6951 Yards Phoenix GC course (am – denotes amateur):

63 – Poom SAKSANSIN (THA).

64 – Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA).

65 – Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN), Danthai BOONMA (THA), Paul PETERSON (USA).

66 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG), Dino A. GIACOMAZZI (USA), Sihwan KIM (USA), Jbe KRUGER (RSA), Scott VINCENT (ZIM), Natipong SRITHONG (THA).

67 – Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Wongsakorn PIKUNSAWAT (THA), Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA), Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA), Kittiporn JAVANAPONG (THA), Wolmer MURILLO (VEN), Ronnachai JAMNONG (THA), Ben CAMPBELL (NZL), Miguel TABUENA (PHI), Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA), Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA), William HARROLD (ENG), Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA).

68 – Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Hamza AMIN (PAK), Kammalas NAMUANGRUK (THA), Thepbodin AMARANAN (THA), Javier GALLEGOS (ESP), Naras LUANGPHETCHARAPORN (THA), Raththee SIRITHANAKUNSAK (THA), Paul HARRIS (USA), Sarit SUWANNARUT (THA), Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA), WANG Wei-lun (TPE), Nirun SAE-UENG (THA), Jarin TODD (USA), Gareth PADDISON (NZL), Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND), Casey O’TOOLE (USA), Josh YOUNGER (AUS), Kevin LEE (KOR), Sung LEE (KOR), Tanapat PICHAIKOOL (am, THA).

69 – Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), LIU Yanwei (CHN), Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA), Javi COLOMO (ESP), Rashid KHAN (IND), Viraj MADAPPA (IND), Atiruj WINAICHAROENCHAI (THA), John Michael O’TOOLE (USA), Tawan PHONGPHUN (THA), Hein SITHU (MYN), Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA), Malcolm KOKOCINSKI (SWE), Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA), Khalin JOSHI (IND), Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA), Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA), Chaiphat KOONMARK (THA).

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.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 28: Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh renewed his love affair with the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak when he opened with a bogey-free six-under-par 65 to grab the clubhouse lead by one shot on Thursday. The 33-year-old Siddikur, who has recorded five top-10 results in his last eight appearances albeit on a different […]

Pattaya, Thailand, June 28: Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh renewed his love affair with the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak when he opened with a bogey-free six-under-par 65 to grab the clubhouse lead by one shot on Thursday.

The 33-year-old Siddikur, who has recorded five top-10 results in his last eight appearances albeit on a different venue at the Queen’s Cup, overcame a nagging back pain by firing six birdies to take his place atop the leaderboard.

Asian Tour rookies Miguel Carballo of Argentina and American Dino A. Giacomazzi carded matching 66s to share second place in the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

Thitiphun Chuayprakong, who has well-recovered from a career-threatening wrist injury, is amongst the local prospects bunched in fifth place following identical rounds of 67s at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

“I haven’t had a bogey-free round for a long time. I had an excellent day out there. My putting was really good and that’s the reason why I can put up such a low score today. Everything went well today except for the 18th hole where I hit a bad drive.

“But I made a great up and down from the bunker for birdie there. It was about 25 yards from the bunker but I made that. My back was really sore yesterday. I went for treatment at the physio and it’s much better today,” said Siddikur, a two-time Asian Tour winner.

“I made most of my birdies from within 10 to 15 feet today. I started from the 10th hole today and got off to a great start with two straight birdies. This course suits my game too as it’s not too long. I am feeling very excited now and I am looking forward to the next few rounds,” Siddikur added.

Karachi, Pakistan, June 28: Pakistan’s leading shipping agency United Marine Agencies (UMA) will be the title sponsor of the CNS Open Golf Championship when it debuts on the Asian Tour at the Karachi Golf Club from October 11 to 14. The tournament, re-christened the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship, has been staged on the local circuit […]

Karachi, Pakistan, June 28: Pakistan’s leading shipping agency United Marine Agencies (UMA) will be the title sponsor of the CNS Open Golf Championship when it debuts on the Asian Tour at the Karachi Golf Club from October 11 to 14.

The tournament, re-christened the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship, has been staged on the local circuit since 1995. With its entry into Asia’s premier golf circuit this year, the US$300,000 event will receive Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.

UMA, one of Pakistan’s top five shipping agencies, provides shipping, cargo and marine-related services in the country as well as the region. The company has always been deeply involved in sports. It was the main sponsor of the 49th CISM World Military Sailing Championship and a major contributor for the infrastructural enhancements at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium, to name a few.

UMA Chief Executive Officer Sohail Shams said: “It gives us great honour and pleasure to be the title sponsor of the CNS Open Golf Championship. We aim to sensitise the society, especially the business community, about the benefits of sports and we are thrilled to be able to do it via one of Pakistan’s most important golf tournaments.”

Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer Josh Burack said: “On behalf of the Asian Tour, I’d like to thank Mr Shams and the UMA for their support and commitment to the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship. Their title sponsorship is a very positive step towards the development of golf in Pakistan, as well as the region.”

Ends.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 27: Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung believes he can conjure another magical winning act when the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak gets underway at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club on Thursday.  Fung, the 2013 Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit champion, hopes to become the first Malaysian to successfully defend his […]

Pattaya, Thailand, June 27: Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung believes he can conjure another magical winning act when the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak gets underway at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club on Thursday. 

Fung, the 2013 Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit champion, hopes to become the first Malaysian to successfully defend his title on the Asian Tour at the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

The 28-year-old Fung will spearhead the talented 150-man field alongside 38 other Tour champions, including in-form Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand, who is also a proud graduate of the ADT after topping the Merit rankings in 2014.

Nicholas Fung of Malaysia

Pavit, who secured a record sixth ADT victory on home soil last month, hopes to ride on his good form at the prestigious event, which will be held for the first time at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club, a venue where he had previously won on his local circuit four years ago.

Placed seventh on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, American Sihwan Kim is also looking to boost his ranking with a good showing in what will be his second appearance at the Queen’s Cup.

The 29-year-old Kim, playing in only his second season on the Asian Tour, has emerged as one of the top favourites tipped to win on Tour after coming close to his breakthrough in India and Japan earlier this season.

The Queen’s Cup, held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season.

Did you know?

• Nicholas Fung claimed his first victory at the 2017 Queen’s Cup and dedicated his win to his father as a Father’s day gift.
• Enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2013 where he was crowned the ADT Order of Merit, thanks to one victory and three runner-up finishes. Also rose from 1,428th to 239th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) that year.
• Fung represented Team Asia in all three editions of the EurAsia Cup in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
• Fung, who sits in a current 478th place on the OWGR, is the second highest-ranked Malaysian following Gavin Green, who is placed 202nd in the world.
• Pavit Tangakamolprasert battled against a wrist injury to claim a record sixth ADT victory on home soil last month.
• Pavit was crowned the 2014 ADT Order of Merit champion, after winning three titles on the secondary circuit that year.
• Pavit won his first Asian Tour title at the 2016 Venetian Macao Open in sensational style by defeating Anirban Lahiri of India on the first play-off hole.
• Pavit won the 2014 Singha Open on his local circuit at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The tournament was also played on the Mountain and Ocean courses, same as the Queen’s Cup this week.
• Pavit sits in 46th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. His best result this season is a tied-13th place finish at the Thailand Open earlier this month.
• Sihwan Kim is the highest-ranked player in the 150-man field this week. He sits in seventh position on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to a current haul of US$231,694.
• Kim came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2017 and kept his card for the 2018 season after notching three top-10s to finish in 55th place on the final Order of Merit.
• Playing in only his second season on the Asian Tour, Kim claimed his first top-three result when he came in second runner-up at the Hero Indian Open earlier in March. He followed up with a tied-fourth finish at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan.

Players’ quotes:

Nicholas Fung (Mas)

I come to Thailand very often. In the past, I always come here hoping to win my first title but this week feels different. I am defending the title for the very first time on the Asian Tour. I feel good. It feels like home here in Thailand. I have many good friends here.

Although I’m defending the title on a different course this week, I feel I still have some good chances after playing this course the last two days. They changed the back nine to the Oceans course this year and it’s a lot shorter than what we played at the Royal Cup last year.

I think that’s an advantage for me but the back nine is quite narrow. I don’t want to think much about winning yet. I have been hitting well lately, just need to work more on my putting. I am working with a new caddy this week so hopefully I can get some good tips on the greens.

Everyone’s going to hit it good on this course so the person who can putt well will win this week. Putting is key. It’s been a year since I won the Queen’s Cup. That victory gave me a lot of confidence in my game. I am trying to win more and try to get on the European Tour and PGA Tour.

Kiradech (Aphibarnrat) is a very good example. The way he advances from the Asian Tour to the PGA Tour is very inspiring and motivating for us. I would love to follow in his footsteps.

It will be an honour to represent Malaysia in the upcoming World Cup of Golf. Gavin (Green) is the highest-ranked Malaysian on the Official World Golf Ranking right now so he gets to choose who he wants to partner.

I will try my best to produce some good results over the next few months and hopefully boost my world ranking to qualify for the World Cup. It’s definitely one of my targets for this season.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand

Pavit Tangkamolprasert (Tha)

I am feeling very confident with my game right now, especially after winning on the ADT last month. It’s in good shape. Coming back to play on home soil is always good. With the prestige of the Queen’s Cup, it will be very special for me if I can win the tournament.

I won the Singha Open on this golf course back in 2014 and we played the Mountain and Ocean courses back then as well. I went to practise the Ocean course yesterday but I couldn’t recall anything (laughs). It’s been four long years.

The course is pretty short so it won’t be that tough this week. I played in Korea last week and that course was really difficult. It definitely feels easier coming back to play here.

It’s great to see many ADT players winning on the Asian Tour now. I have benefited from playing on the ADT before so I know how it can help advance your career. The playing standards on the ADT has become stronger over the years.

These players are good enough to compete against the Asian Tour professionals anytime and you can tell from the recent wins by John Catlin and Malcolm Kokocinski, who were plying their trades on the ADT previously. It’s getting more and more competitive now.

Apart from myself, the ADT has also produced other Asian Tour winners like Chan Shih-chang. With players given playing rights on the Asian Tour straight after winning three times on the ADT in a season, it’s a great motivation.

Brooks Koepka defended his title at the US Open recently. He also started his career from the European Challenge Tour so it’s inspiring to see. It shows how the experiences from playing on the secondary Tours can help you to work your way up to the top, as long as you practise hard.

Sihwan Kim of United States

Sihwan Kim (Usa)

It’s my first time playing here at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The game’s feeling pretty good. I just need to get my putter going. My putting hasn’t been too great the past few weeks.

The season’s been pretty good for me so far. I have had a couple of good results. It’s a bit on and off but when it was on, my putting was good and that made the difference. I got to get that back and hopefully I can do the same this week.

I just want to go out there and win the tournament. Nothing else. I will just play hole by hole and hopefully that will give me the results I need to boost my rankings on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

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.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 26: Thailand’s Prom Meesawat will be looking to complete some ‘unfinished business’ at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club when he tees off for the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Thursday. Prom, a two-time Asian Tour winner but not since 2014, came agonisingly close to ending his title drought on […]

Pattaya, Thailand, June 26: Thailand’s Prom Meesawat will be looking to complete some ‘unfinished business’ at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club when he tees off for the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Thursday.

Prom, a two-time Asian Tour winner but not since 2014, came agonisingly close to ending his title drought on the same venue six months ago before finishing one shot back in second place. He is hopeful of putting up another title run when the US$300,000 event gets underway this week.

The 33-year-old Prom has enjoyed a commendable season so far, missing just one cut in 10 starts to sit in 19th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings with a current haul of US$117,085.

He will spearhead the strong Thai contingent alongside young talents Panuphol Pittayarat, Jazz Janewattananond and Poom Saksansin, as well as former Order of Merit champion Thaworn Wiratchant, who also won the prestigious tournament twice in 2012 and 2014.

Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang is relishing a return to his winning ground where he claimed his breakthrough victory two years ago.

Having established himself as one of the most successful players from Chinese Taipei with two Asian Tour wins and five Asian Development Tour (ADT) victories, the 32-year-old Chan hopes to regain some of his best form when he steps up to the tee on his favourite hunting ground

Young Thai talent Jazz Janewattananond hopes to go one better in his title charge at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak while Indian hotshot Gaganjeet Bhullar is looking to sharpen his short game for a successful title assault this week.

A total of 150 players from 25 different countries, including 40 Tour champions, will challenge for top honours at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak, which is celebrating its 10th consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this season.

The Queen’s Cup, held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season. 

Did you know?

• Prom Meesawat is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He claimed his second title in Chinese Taipei in 2014, eight years after his breakthrough in Korea.
• Prom last played at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club for the Royal Cup six months ago, where he came close to winning his third Asian Tour title before ending his campaign one shot back for a runner-up finish.
• Prom put up another title run at the ISPS HANDA Super 6 Perth earlier in February where he emerged as the top seed heading into the final round six-hole knockout Match Play. He eventually finished in ninth-place for his only top-10 result so far this season.
• Nicknamed the ‘Big Dolphin’ due to his burly physique and because he comes from the coastal town of Hua Hin, south of Bangkok. 
• Prom has enjoyed a relatively good season so far, missing just one cut in 10 starts on Tour to sit in a current 19th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• Chan Shih-chang claimed his Asian Tour breakthrough at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club two years ago. He returned to play the Royal Cup at the same golf course last December and finished tied-fourth.
• Chan, now a two-time Asian Tour winner, is a proud graduate of the Asian Development Tour (ADT). He claimed five titles on the region’s secondary circuit over a two-year span from 2013 and was the first player to win three times in a single season on the ADT in 2014.
• Gaganjeet Bhullar is an eight-time winner on the Asian Tour. He claimed his eighth victory at the Macao Open last year and became the youngest player to win eight titles on the region’s premier Tour.
• The 30-year-old Bhullar came in second runner-up when he last played the Royal Cup at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club six months ago.
• Jazz Janewattananond, who sits in 16th place on the current Habitat for Humanity Standings, came in second at the Queen’s Cup last year, finishing just one shot back of Fung.
• Jazz won his first Asian Tour title in Bangladesh in 2017. The victory was especially sweet for him as he finished outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School.
• He went on to notch five other top-10s to finish a career-high 13th place on the 2017 Order of Merit.
• Jazz will be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He secured his spot after finishing tied-fourth at the SMBC Singapore Open, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.

Players’ quotes:

Prom Meesawat (Tha)

It’s always nice to be playing a tournament at home in Thailand and especially so on a course that you have played well before. You tend to have more expectations coming to a course that you know you can play well on but this week, I just want to go out and enjoy my game.

I am happy with the way that I am playing now. My putting has been getting better over the last few weeks. I came really close to winning my third title on this course last December before finishing second. I am looking forward to playing well again this week.

The back nine will be different this week as we’re playing the Oceans course. I have played that course long time ago. I used to play that side of the golf course a lot. I played yesterday and I realised I still have some memory of that course.

There are a lot of birdie opportunities this week. But if the greens get firmer, it’s going to be hard to control. Everyone has a good chance to make birdies this week. There are some narrow holes out there and the greens can be tricky. You need to put the ball on the right spots.

I like the Bermuda greens here. I can read the lines pretty well and I’m comfortable putting on these greens. I hope that will be an advantage for me this week. Putting will be key this week. It’s not a long course. You got to keep the ball in play and keep hitting fairways and greens.

The season’s been pretty alright so far. I had a good start. It’s a bit slow now but I hope it will pick up from now. I will go out and enjoy myself and try my best to win the tournament this week.

Chan Shih-chang (Tpe)

I feel really good coming back here. This is where I won my first title on the Asian Tour. I came back here last December and enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish as well so I am feeling some really positive vibes coming back here. 

This is not a long course so it’s an advantage for me. If I can put up a good short game display this week, I should be able to do pretty well. I quite like the greens here. I feel very comfortable on these greens, although it’s not quite similar to what I get back home in Chinese Taipei.

The course is in great condition. I have played this course for a few times and I’m pretty used to the layout and all. The game’s getting slightly better now. I struggled with my driver when I played in Japan earlier this year and wasn’t able to produce good results.

I changed my driver a few weeks ago and I’m starting to see some difference. Although my results are still not that great, I am seeing improvements. I hope it gets better this week. I’ve switched my focus to playing in Japan this year but I still like playing on the Asian Tour.

I like how it feels to play on the Asian Tour, with all the familiar faces whom I used to play with before. The courses in Japan are pretty different from the courses that we play on the Asian Tour. The roughs are very different from what we get on the Asian Tour.

But having said that, I’ve learnt a lot and gained a lot of experiences there which are important for my game. Hopefully that will help me do well this week.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha)

It’s good to be back home playing the Queen’s Cup this week. I had a great finish last year but on a different golf course. This week, we are also playing the back nine on the Oceans course for the first time too. 

I just came back from Korea. The course was tough last week. I was struggling a bit but it’s a brand-new week now. I think it’s going to be good. It’s good to be playing at home again. I want to just play my best again this week and see what happens.

I hope to do well and prepare myself for The Open next month. I plan to play next week in Sarawak and then take a week off to rest and get ready for my trip to Scotland. These two weeks will be important for me to get into tournament feel and put my game in good shape for The Open.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind)

It feels good to be back. I played well on this course before. We’re playing a different back nine this week but the track seems fair enough. Only three par-fives this week so one has to be really careful and see if they want to really go for those par-fives.

Apart from that, I really enjoyed myself the last time I played here. I am looking forward to play well this week. The game’s feeling very good. I have been striking the ball well. I just have to work on my short game this week and get used to the greens speed here.

Things should turn out pretty well this week. I’m 11th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings right now. Like the other players, the goal is definitely to try and better my rankings and qualify for the upcoming big events like the CIMB Classic and WGC-HSBC Champions.

Honestly, I am playing well, I am well enough to produce some good scores out there. The key is patience. I just need to keep on doing what I have been doing for the past few years and hope for the best to happen.

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.

June 26: Here’s what Minchel Choi had in his bag when he won the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship. Driver: Titleist 917D3 9.5*                                 Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 X Fairway1: Titleist 915F 13.5*                              Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X Fairway2: Titleist 915F 18*                                Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD […]

June 26: Here’s what Minchel Choi had in his bag when he won the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship.

Driver: Titleist 917D3 9.5*                                 Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 6 X

Fairway1: Titleist 915F 13.5*                              Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X

Fairway2: Titleist 915F 18*                                Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X

Hb/Ut1: Titleist 816H1 21*                                 Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI HY 95 X

Irons: Titleist AP2 718 (4-9)                               Shaft: TrueTemper Dynamic Gold S300

Wedge1: Titleist Vokey Design SM7 46* F Grind

Wedge2: Titleist Vokey Design SM6 52* F Grind

Wedge3: Titleist Vokey Design PROTO 58* K Grind

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron T5W

Ball: Titleist Pro V1 x (2017)

Shoe: FootJoy

Cap: Korean Brand

Bag: Titleist

Glove: FootJoy

Sentosa, Singapore, June 25:  Here’s five takeaways from the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship 2018 where Minchel Choi took home his first Asian Tour victory. Korean duo Minchel Choi and Sanghyun Park earned the two available spots for The Open. They will be making their Major debut in Carnoustie next month. The Kolon Korea Open […]

Sentosa, Singapore, June 25:  Here’s five takeaways from the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship 2018 where Minchel Choi took home his first Asian Tour victory.

1. Korean duo Minchel Choi and Sanghyun Park earned the two available spots for The Open. They will be making their Major debut in Carnoustie next month.
2. The Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship is Choi’s first win on the Asian Tour and Korean Tour.
3. Hosung Choi certainly endeared himself to the crowd with his unorthodox swing dubbed the ‘Fisherman’ swing. He does not have any formal training and his swing is a self-taught one which he adapted and constantly works on for optimum distance.
4. Hosung Choi picked up golf at a relatively late age at 25. He was a contract worker at the BeNest Country Club in Korea and developed an interest for the game there.
5. He sliced off part of his right thumb when he was cutting tuna and had to use part of his skin from his stomach for a skin graft.

June 25: England’s Matt Wallace fired a seven-under-par 65 in the final round of the BMW International Open to win by one shot at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof. The 28-year-old Wallace, who started the round at the 10th tee and two shots off the lead, made a charge with five birdies in his first seven holes […]

June 25: England’s Matt Wallace fired a seven-under-par 65 in the final round of the BMW International Open to win by one shot at Golf Club Gut Laerchenhof.

The 28-year-old Wallace, who started the round at the 10th tee and two shots off the lead, made a charge with five birdies in his first seven holes to make the turn at 31. He went on to make birdies on holes one and three to seal his victory on a 10-under-par 278 total.

Three players took tied-second including Denmark’s Thorbjorn Oleson who signed for a record-breaking 61 which was the lowest round in the event’s history.

“I made two long putts on holes 10 and 11 and hit some great shots which gave me the confidence to think that I could actually get there. I played the front nine really nicely but still missed a lot of putts,” said Wallace.

Wallace took home his first victory of the season at the Hero Indian Open in March. He also recorded a tied-third finish at the Volvo China Open in April. He said that his excellent performances in Asia had given him the confidence he needs to perform on the European Tour.

“I work very hard and I believe I can do it, I want to go further and keep building on this. I want to keep building on this. Obviously, this gives me a lot of confidence to go on and play well and hopefully do this in the bigger events from now on. It is brilliant to win here in Germany and this is such a great event with a great field,” added Wallace.

Former Asian Tour number one Scott Hend, who was leading after the second round, settled for a tied-seventh place after trading five birdies against a disappointing double bogey on hole 10 and a bogey on his last hole for a final round 70.

American David Lipsky finished at tied-18th on a 285 total following a 71 while Malaysia’s Gavin Green took 73rd place after carding a 76.

Over in the United States, India’s Anirban Lahiri carded a one-under-par 69 to take tied-ninth place at the Travelers Championship held at TPC River Highlands.

Lahiri, a seven-time Asian Tour winner, struggled in the final round when he traded five birdies against two bogeys and one double bogey to drop six spots.

Ends.

 

 

Cheonan, Korea, June 25: Sanghyun Park of Korea strengthened his credentials as a leading contender on the Asian Tour following his impressive second-place finish at the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship on Sunday. The 35-year-old, who was five shots off the lead going into the final round, carded a resplendent five-under-par 66 that was tied for […]

Cheonan, Korea, June 25: Sanghyun Park of Korea strengthened his credentials as a leading contender on the Asian Tour following his impressive second-place finish at the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship on Sunday.

The 35-year-old, who was five shots off the lead going into the final round, carded a resplendent five-under-par 66 that was tied for the lowest score of the day. However, compatriot Minchel Choi was able to hold off Park’s late challenge after sinking a birdie at the last hole to win the tournament by two shots at the Woo Jeong Hills Country Club.

Park earned a prize cheque of US$108,536.39 that moved him up three places to fourth on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. He has also punched a ticket to The Open in Carnoustie next month, with the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship part of The Open Qualifying Series this year.

“I’m really looking forward to playing in my first Major at The Open. It’s every professional golfer’s dream to play in a Major and I’m no different,” said Park.

The experienced competitor has been in red-hot form in 2018, particularly in his home country. Park won his maiden Asian Tour title at the 37th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship in early May and was victorious on the domestic circuit a week before the Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship.

He added: “I came very close to winning again but that’s okay. Golf is like that. I’ve put up a good fight but Choi’s a deserving winner. You cannot win all the time and hopefully, my day will come again.”

John Catlin of the United States

John Catlin of the United States continues his brilliant run on the Asian Tour. The reigning Asia-Pacific Classic champion signed for a five-under-par 279 total to land in tied-fifth in Korea, his fourth top-10 finish in six starts this year. The 27-year-old has moved eight places up the Habitat for Humanity Standings to 13th.

Indian hotshot Shubhankar Sharma is on top of the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings with his current earnings of US$589,575 while England’s Matt Wallace is second with US$446,660. Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat is in third place on US$360,737.14 following his 15th place finish at the U.S. Open last week.

This week, the Asian Tour returns to Thailand for the US$300,000 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak, which will be celebrating its 10th straight edition on Asia’s premier golf circuit. The event will be played at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club in Pattaya.

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos  Player  Order of Merit  (US$)

1. Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) $589,575

2. Matt WALLACE (ENG) $446,660

3. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) $360,737.14

4. Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $295,660.39

5. Rahil GANGJEE (IND) $290,425.53

6. Sihwan KIM (USA) $231,693.77

7. Paul PETERSON (USA) $215,758.57

8. Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $160,219.85

9. Daniel NISBET (AUS) $151,883.64

10. Berry HENSON (USA) $148,766.66

11. Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) $136,843.3

12. Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) $129,874.11

13. John CATLIN (USA) $128,096.66

14. Hideto TANIHARA (JPN) $123,306.08

15. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $123,024.39

16. Shaun NORRIS (RSA) $118,284.91

17. Khalin JOSHI (IND) $117,959.7

18. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $117,085.91

19. Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $115,809.8

20. Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) $105,907.84

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.

Pattaya, June 25: A total of 86 players teed off under sunny skies at the Qualifying tournament on Monday, vying for one of the seven spots on offer for the 2018 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak which starts on Thursday. Local amateur Atiruj Winaicharoenchai emerged top of the field after signing for a superb six-under-par […]

Pattaya, June 25: A total of 86 players teed off under sunny skies at the Qualifying tournament on Monday, vying for one of the seven spots on offer for the 2018 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak which starts on Thursday.

Local amateur Atiruj Winaicharoenchai emerged top of the field after signing for a superb six-under-par 65 at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The 18-year-old plans to make his professional debut at the US$300,000 event, where he has previously finished tied-33rd in 2015.

Teerapat Punglamyai, also of Thailand, came in two shots back to share second place with American Cory Oride while Wolmer Murillo of Venezuela and Brett Munson of the United States were tied in fourth-place on matching 68s alongside Thai duo Sajawat Sriprasit and Nirun Sae-ueng.

The cut-line was set at three-under-par 68 with the leading seven players securing spots at the prestigious tournament, which is celebrating its 10th consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this week.

2018 Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak – Monday qualifier (Results)

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