Osaka, Japan, April 19: Japan’s Shingo Katayama and Rikuya Hoshino took the early honours when they returned with matching seven-under-par 64s for a share of the first round lead at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship on Thursday. 

The Japanese trio of Jinichiro Kozuma, Masahiro Kawamura and defending champion Kenichi Kuboya posted identical 66s to stay one shot off the pace while Malaysia’s Ben Leong, who welcomed the arrival of his baby boy on Monday, had a promising start when he posted a 67 to stay in the mix at the Ibaraki Country Club.

Thailand’s Prom Meesawat and veteran Prayad Marksaeng also opened their campaigns encouragingly by signing for a 68 at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship, which is also the concluding leg of the Panasonic Swing series.

Katayama, who finished in eighth place on the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) money list last season, has never got the job done despite getting off to good starts at the Ibaraki Country Club.  

But at 45, he believes he is now older and wiser to contend for the title.

“I’ve played here a few times and I remember leading a tournament here before. I carded an eight-under in my first round.

“But that time I was much younger, so I went out drinking in the city after that I played really poorly. I’m pretty much settled now so I will not going to make same mistake again,” said the Japanese.

Katayama stormed towards the turn by firing five birdie for flawless outward 31 in his back-nine 10.

He continued his birdie blitz on holes one and two after the turn but dropped a shot on three for what would be his only blemish of the day.

The 45-year-old then picked up another gain on six before reaching home in 33 for a 64.

“I like to hear ‘Nice Play’ from the crowd. The conditions were ideal today as there was not much wind and I was pretty consistent with my shots and putting,” said Katayama.

Leong meanwhile found similar bliss on and off the golf course as the new father emerged as the leading Malaysian after the opening day of the Panasonic Open Golf Championship which is jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and JGTO.

Starting from the back-nine 10, Leong mixed three bogeys and two birdies for an outward 37.

He regained his composure in his inward-nine by battling back with five birdies to stay three shots off the pace set by the Katayama and Hoshino.

“It was bumpy for my first nine holes with lots of bogeys and birdies. But I settled down in my back-nine and told myself not to give up and just do my best.

My wife was not supposed to be due on Monday. My wife has been really supportive and she told me, you don’t know when he’s going to come, so don’t miss this chance. I’m going to give my 100% this week,” said Leong.

Ends.

Joburg, South Africa, December 11: Shubhankar Sharma of India won the Joburg Open in sensational style on Monday and punched his ticket to The Open in 2018. 

The 21-year-old closed with a three-under-par 69 and was bogey-free in the final 54 holes as he ended his first tournament in South Africa with an impressive winning total of 23-under-par 264 at the Randpark Golf Club.

Sharma defeated home favourite Erik van Rooyen (66) by three shots while two-time Asian Tour winner Shaun Norris (65) of South Africa and Tapio Pulkkanen  of Finland settled for third place at the event sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Sunshine Tour.

Van Rooyen booked a spot at Carnoustie and he will be joined by countryman Norris who earned his second appearance at The Open after being ranked higher than Pulkkanen on the Official World Golf Ranking.

Sharma showed no ill effects from the overnight delay when he returned to birdie the ninth hole before parring his way home for a 69 to become the first Asian and Indian golfer to win the R16.5 million (approximately US$1.2 million) event.

The victory was even more special for the talented Indian as he won in the country of his golfing idol Ernie Els, who he met as an 11-year-old boy at the Delhi Golf Club in 2007.

Sharma caught the attention of Els at a golf clinic and after watching him hit a seven iron, the ‘Big Easy’ gave him an autographed business card and said, “Well when you grow up, I’ll be your agent.”

Did you know? 

• Sharma is the 11th Asian Tour member in his 20s to win in 2017. He is also the 11th first-time winner this season.
• He is the fifth Indian golfer to win on the Asian Tour this year.
• At the age of 21 years and 143 days, Sharma is the second youngest Indian golfer to win a first Asian Tour title after Gaganjeet Bhullar (21 years and 90 days).
• He is the third youngest player to win on the Asian Tour in 2017 after Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand and Micah Lauren Shin of the United States.
• Sharma is now the first Indian to win in South Africa. He also holds the record as the first Asian to lift the Joburg Open trophy.
• He punched his ticket to The Open in 2018 which will be his first ever appearance in a Major tournament.
• The Joburg Open was extended to Monday after thunderstorms forced officials to call off play on Sunday. Sharma returned to the eighth hole which he parred before making birdie on the next hole.
• He totalled 26 birdies at the Joburg Open and only dropped three bogeys in his opening round. He was flawless in the final 54 holes.

Player interviews:

Shubhankar Sharma (Ind) – Final Round 69 (-3), Total 264 (-23)

It feels fantastic. I’m glad I made the decision to come here after thinking about not coming. It has been absolutely fantastic and the people are very welcoming. I don’t think I will ever forget this week. This is my first win on the Asian Tour and the European Tour so it means a lot to me.

On the first day there were 240 players. I was just trying to play two good rounds to make the cut and the cut was really low. I was playing well and had a great start on the second day which got things going for me. As soon as I reached -13 after two days, I thought I had a chance to win.

The only thing I was telling myself was to stay aggressive. I never wanted to be defensive. Even when I was leading I never thought of defending my lead. I actually set a target of 25-under and I only shot a 23-under (laughs).

After yesterday’s rain delay I was walking back to the clubhouse and I saw Erik (van Rooyen) had just hit it to two feet so that was a birdie and it would narrow the gap to three shots. In golf, three shots is nothing. We’ve seen people drop shots. I just imagined that there was an invisible guy playing in my group and he was on 25-under. I was just trying to catch that invisible guy. I didn’t quite catch him but I’m happy that I won.

I would love to play in the South African Open and meet Ernie Els. I met him in Macao two years back. He is such a wonderful guy, not only in South Africa but in world golf. What happened to me in 2007 obviously changed everything for me. I was so happy and I framed the card. It just shows that small things from great players like him goes a long way. I was only an 11-year-old boy back then.

There were a lot of nerves. I got up like four times. I couldn’t sleep because it was raining so hard and I kept getting up. You have nothing to lose if you are chasing someone. It is very tough to maintain your lead. You just need to look at the bigger picture. If you played so well for three days, there’s no reason why you won’t play well in the final round. There were a few nervy moments but I’m glad I pulled through.

Playing in The Open is everyone’s dream. Personally it is my favourite Major championship. I’ve watched it every year on television and to be playing in it next year is absolutely fantastic.

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), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), FENIX XCell (Official Apparel Supplier), Titleist (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.

Please visit us at:

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Osaka, Japan, April 19: Japan’s Shingo Katayama and Rikuya Hoshino took the early honours when they returned with matching seven-under-par 64s for a share of the first round lead at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship on Thursday. 

Japan’s Ryosuke Kinoshita fired an eagle-three at the last hole to take outright third place on 65 while the fourth place was shared by seven players that included defending champion Kenichi Kuboya who posted a 66. 

Malaysia’s Ben Leong, who welcomed the arrival of his baby boy on Monday, enjoyed a promising start to his campaign when he posted a 67 to end the day tied for 11 at the JP¥150,000,000 (approx. US$1,370,000) event that is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

Thailand’s Prom Meesawat and veteran Prayad Marksaeng also opened their accounts encouragingly when they signed for matching 68s at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship, which is also the concluding leg of the Panasonic Swing series.

Katayama, who finished in eighth place on the JGTO money list last season, has never got the job done despite getting off to good starts at the Ibaraki Country Club before. But at 45, the flamboyant Japanese believes he is now older and wiser to contend for the title.

Leong found bliss on and off the golf course as the new father emerged as the leading Malaysian. The 32-year-old is currently three shots off the pace and is seeking to end a decade-long drought on the Asian Tour while Prom will be relying on his playing experience in Japan to notch his first Asian Tour win since 2014.  

Ends.

Did you know?

• Shingo Katayama turned professional in 1995 and he topped the JGTO money list five times- 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2008.
• He has won 31 tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour and his last win came at the ISPS HANDA Match Play Championship last year.
• Katayama finished tied-fifth at the Token Homemate Cup in Nagoya last week.
• Rikuya Hoshino regards Ryo Ishikawa as his big brother and used to attend the same training camp as Ishikawa.
• He started playing golf at the age of six and turned professional in 2016 when he was 20 years old.
• He is highly rated as one of the longest hitters on JGTO and was ranked ninth in their driving distance category last year. His average driving distance was 292 yards today.
• Ben Leong got married in June 2017 and he welcomed his baby boy just three days ago on Monday.
• Leong’s best result in five starts on the Asian Tour so far was a tied-23rd finish at the Asian Tour season opening event in Singapore.
• He also holds the distinction of topping the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School in successive years at the end of 2006 and 2007
• He turned professional after representing Malaysia in the Asian Games in Doha in 2006 and enjoyed a good amateur career, highlighted by his triumphs in the Putra Cup.
• Leong’s last win on the Asian Tour was in 2008 at the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters. He also holds one win on the Asian Development Tour.
• Prom Meesawat finished ninth at the ISPS HANDA World Super Six in Perth. It remains as his best result on the Asian Tour this year.
• The Thai is a two-time Asian Tour winner and he enjoyed four top-10 finishes in the last two months of 2017.

Players’ Quotes

Shingo Katayama (Jpn) First round 64 (-7)

I like to hear ‘Nice Play’ from the crowd. The conditions were ideal today as there was not much wind and I was pretty consistent with my shots and putting. I bought a massager from Panasonic with the prize money I won last week and I really like it. The massaging functions were really good and it helped me relax. After playing in the final group last week, I was thinking why was I not in the position to win the tournament. I realized it was not my golf skills, but my mental strength. So I learned from it and decided to keep my focus. I’ve played here a few times and I remember leading a tournament here before. I carded an eight-under in my first round. But that time I was much younger, so I went out drinking in the city after that I played really poorly. I’m pretty much settled now so I will not going to make same mistake. 

Rikuya Hoshino (Jpn) First round 64 (-7)

I had many shots so close to pin today and I also made a few long putts. During the off season, I took time to build up on my physical strength. I focused a lot on my lower body to keep myself fit. I like this golf course. It is challenging but it suits my game. The last time I played here was in 2016 and my goal for this year is to get a win as soon as possible and hopefully qualify for US Open and the Open.

Ben Leong (Mas) First round 67 (-4)

It has been a couple of weeks since we last teed up on the Asian Tour and it’s nice to get off to a good start. It was bumpy for my first nine holes with lots of bogeys and birdies. But I settled down in my back-nine and told myself not to give up and just do my best. The arrival of my baby boy has given me lots of joy and new responsibilities too. My wife was not supposed to be due on Monday. He’s our first child and we don’t know when he’s going to come as it might be late or early. My wife has been really supportive and she told me, you don’t know when he’s going to come, so don’t miss this chance. So I’m going to give my 100% this week.

Prom Meesawat (Tha) First round 68 (-3)

It’s always nice to get off to a good start especially on golf courses in Japan. They are always very challenging as you got to be really accurate here by getting your ball onto the fairways on greens. This is the third time I’m playing here. Your iron shots must be sharp to get yourself into a good position over here. I’ve been playing in Japan for a long time and that experience has helped me a lot especially today.

Ends.

Joburg, South Africa, December 9: Shubhankar Sharma of India continued his blistering form by shooting a third round seven-under-par 65 to take a five-shot lead at the Joburg Open on Saturday. 

The 21-year-old birdied four in a row from the second hole before adding three birdies to surge to the top of the leaderboard on a 20-under-par 195 total at the R16.5 million (approximately US$1.2 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour and European Tour.

After shooting a second round 61, the talented Sharma maintained his hot streak to put himself in prime position to secure a first Asian Tour victory at the Randpark Golf Club, Firethorn course.

Sharma holds a fairly dominant lead over his closest challenger Christofer Blomstrand of Sweden, who registered a sparkling 62 on his 26th birthday. James Morrison of England and Erik Van Rooyen of South Africa were a further six shots back of the lead following rounds of 67 and 70 respectively.  

The talented Indian will enter the final 18 holes as the leader for the first time in his career as he set his sights on the Joburg Open title and one of the three tickets available to The Open in 2018.

Sharma played solidly from tee-to-green and was rarely in trouble except on the par-four 18th hole when his approach shot landed in the greenside bunker. He stayed bogey-free when he superbly hit it out of the sand trap for a close range par putt.

Did you know?

• Sharma is bogey-free in his last 36 holes. He made three bogeys in the opening round but since then, he has kept a clean card.
• Sharma has never led heading into the final round. His five-shot lead is also the largest advantage after 54 holes on the Asian Tour in 2017
• His 20-under-par total is the second lowest on the Asian Tour this year, one shot shy of Pat Perez’s three day effort at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia in October.
• Sharma has not won on the Asian Tour before but he is now in the running to become the first Asian to win the Joburg Open. This is also his first appearance in South Africa.
• He admits that he almost pulled out from the Joburg Open to take a much needed break before finally deciding to play in the prestigious tournament.
• Sharma shot a second round 61 which is the lowest on the Asian Tour in 2017 and his career’s best.
• Ranked 22nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Sharma has enjoyed a great season so far highlighted by four top-10s and one tied fourth finish at the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open in February.
• Blomstrand was on a 59 watch when he was 11-under through 14 holes. He returned with three pars and a closing bogey to finish on a 62. He eagled the par-five four and 14th holes to charge into contention.
• The Swede made a huge move from 36th place to second position on a day where he celebrated his 26th birthday.
• Blomstrand has one win on the Sunshine Tour. The victory came at the 2016 Zambia Sugar Open.

Player interviews:

Shubhankar Sharma (Ind) – Third Round 65 (-7), Total 195 (-20)

I’m really happy. I wanted to play even though I shot a 10-under yesterday and it is always difficult to follow up on a low round. I’m really proud with the way I played today.

The way I read the lines on the greens were pretty good. I got off to a fast start and that’s very important if you want to go low. My putting has been really good and I hope it continues.

I made birdie on hole two with a good up-and-down from the left rough. On the third, I hit a really good approach shot which spun to about five or six feet. On the par-five fourth hole, I hit two solid shots and almost made the eagle putt. On the par-three fifth hole, I hit a six-iron to four feet.

The wind kept swirling. The direction switched a few times in the round. You got to be really committed before you hit the shot.

I’m very pleased that I came to the Joburg Open. I had my visa but it has been a very long season so I was contemplating if I wanted to come here. I’m really happy that I did!

I want to stay within myself and play against my course. I have a good lead but you saw some low scores today. Anyone can shoot a seven or eight-under-par. I need to stay calm and hit the right shots.

I don’t want to change my strategy because I’ve played solid golf. There’s nothing much to change. You can’t play it safe because everything is in front of you. I’m going to be aggressive and won’t hit any stupid shots.

Christoffer Blomstrand (Swe) – Third Round 62 (-10), Total 190 (-15)

It’s a really nice birthday present! I had a 45-foot putt on the first which was bumping around, and then it started rolling quite nicely after that.

My first eagle was on hole four. I hit quite a good drive and then I hit a three-wood from 260 a bit left of the pin, and then it was straight in. I was quite happy for that. On 14, I hit a good drive as well. Then I had 245 to the pin and I hit three-wood into the wind. It was a good strike to 25 feet maybe.

I was really happy with my putter. I was hitting quite good shots in the beginning of my round, and then I holed them as well. It was a good start and I just tried to keep going from there.

I’m looking forward to tomorrow. It’s really going to be fun. This is what I play for.

My Sunshine Tour win (Zambia Sugar Open, 2016, Lusaka) was absolutely important in getting me here. After I won there, I tried to figure out what my schedule was going to be and then I understood that I was going to get into these events on the European Tour. So I played a few events down here, and then I played on the Challenge Tour, and then I got my European Tour card at Qualifying School.

Of course it means a lot that there are Open Championship spots available here. But we have to treat this like a normal event. We need to play well for all four rounds, and then we can see what else is happening.

Gavin Green (Mas) – Third Round 70 (-2), Total 207 (-8)

I had a couple of birdie looks but I didn’t hit it very good off the tees. The wind was up a little bit and I thought the course was playing tough. I didn’t capitalise on my big drives on the par fives. Other than that, an under-par round never hurt anybody.

The fairways here are so tight and if you miss it, you have difficulty controlling the distance. I went through that today. Hopefully tomorrow I will keep it in play and have another under-par round.

I’m going to approach the final day like any other round. If you go at this course, it can bite you quite bad. You have to be really smart and control the ball flight a bit especially when it gets windy. For tomorrow, I’m going to see what I can do. Who knows? There might be a low one out there.

(On the Order of Merit chase) I say I feel it and sometimes I don’t but in actual fact you are always thinking about it but if you go out and play solid golf, everything takes care of itself. 

Leading third round scores:

195 – Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) 69 61 65

200 – Christopher BLOMSTRAND (SWE) 70 68 62

201 – James MORRISON (ENG) 64 70 67, Erik VAN ROOYEN (RSA) 64 67 70

202 – Marcus ARMITAGE (ENG) 69 66 67, Tapio PULKKANEN (FIN) 65 64 73

204 – Ross MCGOWAN (ENG) 66 72 66, Christiaan BEZUIDENHOUT (RSA) 69 69 66, Oliver BEKKER (RSA) 66 70 68, Steven BROWN (ENG) 68 65 71, Joachim B. HANSEN (DEN) 66 67 71

205 – Hennie OTTO (RSA) 70 68 67, Daniel GREENE (RSA) 70 68 67, Matt WALLACE (ENG) 73 65 67, Shaun NORRIS (RSA) 69 68 68, Jinho CHOI (KOR) 69 66 70, Kristian Krogh JOHANNESSEN (NOR) 70 65 70, Haydn PORTEOUS (RSA) 69 70 66, Charlie FORD (ENG) 70 64 71

206 – Hennie DU PLESSIS (RSA) 71 67 68, Paul PETERSON (USA) 70 67 69, Nathan KIMSEY (ENG) 65 71 70, Mikko KORHONEN (FIN) 66 65 75                         

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), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), FENIX XCell (Official Apparel Supplier), Titleist (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.

Please visit us at 

www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com

www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf

www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf

www.youtube.com/theasiantour

www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf

Osaka, Japan, April 18: Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan hopes to upset the odds by making a last-ditch effort to win the Panasonic Swing series with a victory at the Panasonic Open Championship which starts on Thursday. 

Rattanon still has an outside chance of pipping India’s Shiv Kapur to the Panasonic Swing title and he holds the belief that anything is possible at the Ibaraki Country Club this week. 

The 22-year-old was in commanding form when he romped to a wire-to-wire victory at the Thailand Open, which marked the start of the Panasonic Swing series in his home country last May. 

He aims to reproduce that similar form again when he takes on the best players from the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) this week.

Scott Hend of Australia

India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia is also hoping to get back to his winning ways after enjoying a refreshing break from golf at home.

Chawrasia, a six-time Asian Tour winner, has missed the cut twice in his last three starts and will be seeking to make himself one of the genuine contenders again this week.

 Australia’s Scott Hend is also eyeing similar fortunes after a lackluster start to the year where he has missed all three cuts on the Asian Tour.

 Hend will be looking forward to getting back to his competitive best which saw him clinch the prestigious Asian Tour Order of Merit crown in 2016.

 Did you know?

• Rattanon finished tied-fifth in Myanmar which was also his best result on the Asian Tour this year.
• He has also won once in ChineseTaipei on the Asian Development Tour in 2015
• Rattanon represented Thailand during his amateur days and won the team and individual gold medals at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.
• S.S.P. Chawrasia was a recipient of India’s prestigious Arjuna award in 2017.
• He claimed his first victory outside of India when he won in the Philippines in 2016. Chawrasia represented India at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro that year.
• The Indian has played three events on the Asian Tour so far. He missed the cut in the national opens of Singapore and India and was tied-55th in Malaysia.
• Scott Hend is the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title and the fourth player to surpass US$1 million in earnings during a season in 2016.
• He was also voted Asian Tour Players’ Player of the Year by fellow peers that year.

Players’ Quotes

Rattanon Wannasrichan (Tha)

There’s a lot at stake this week. There are extra points for the Panasonic Swing and it’s going to be interesting. The first thing that I would try to do is the make the cut first. After that, I’ll focus on making it into the top-five and if I can do that, I’ll try to go for that win. I’m very relaxed now and I’m not giving myself any pressure. I have not made the cut in Japan before and I hope to change that this week. I’ve been working on my drivers a lot during the break as it’s important to get all your shots onto the fairways here in Japan. I’m doing well and I’m looking forward to a good week.

S.S.P. Chawrasia (Ind)

I had a good break after the Indian Open. I was just relaxing at home and spending time with the family. I practiced a little bit but it was a good time for me to recharge as I didn’t have a good start since the start of the year. I hope to shake off the rust soon and be back at my best. This week would be a good time for me to do that as I feel very comfortable here and I’ve got a good feeling about my game.

S.S.P. Chawrasia of India

Scott Hend (Aus)

I have not been back to Japan for some time and with events in China and Korea taking place after this, I want to stay in the same time zone rather than going back and forth between different time zones. I have a little bit of back issues for the last four weeks and haven’t been able to play at all. My back’s getting better and it’s good to go this week. The grass is different here and the greens are quite fast. After an extended break, it takes me a little bit more time to sharpen up again and try to win a tournament. I’m trying to fast track that a little bit and we’ll see how it goes. I always try to finish the year inside the top-50 on the world rankings as my rankings have been slipping rapidly because I’ve not been playing well. But I hope to change that very soon.

Bowen Xiao (Chn)

I will be going to Japan for the Panasonic Open Championship before going home for my national open. This will be my first visit to Japan and it’s also my first time travelling overseas for event on my own. The last few events I had my friends either accompanying me or caddy for me. The Asian Tour staff are very helpful. They have all planned it nicely for us so I thought it would be good to try and experience how it is like to travel and compete abroad on my own. I also spoke to Liang Wen chong earlier. He will also be in Japan that week. He shared his experiences of playing in Japan with me and also gave me some advices and encouragement which I really appreciate.

Danny Chia (Mas)

I’ll be focusing my time in Japan, at least until June. I want to test myself here and see where I stand before the re-rankings on JGTO. I had my first start in Japan last week and unfortunately I missed the cut. But I’m more familiar with this golf course and I hope to do better. I thought I would have played enough golf in Japan to know what to do here but in reality, there are still so many things for me to learn here. It’s a different ball game over here and it’s still a learning process for me. Every golf course is new to me. For example, I got totally no idea where the wind was coming from when I played last week. I didn’t hit the ball too badly but I just couldn’t score. It has not been a good start for me this year and I think it’s because I’m still trying to experiment with my techniques. I’ve put a stop to it and have told myself to stick to what I’ve been doing in the past. I have not really been scoring but I managed to hit the ball a lot better now.

Ends.

Joburg, South Africa, December 8: A red-hot Shubhankar Sharma of India fired his career’s low round of 10-under-par 61 to charge into contention at the halfway stage of the Joburg Open on Friday.

The 21-year-old, who is searching for a first Asian Tour win, fired 10 birdies at the Randpark Golf Club, par-71 Bushwillow course, to trail the leader Tapio Pulkkanen of Finland by one-shot at the R16.5 million (approximately US$1.2 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour and European Tour.

The flamboyant Pulkkanen, who stood out with his fedora hat in the 240-man field, birdied his opening six holes to finish with a solid 64 at the par-72 Firethorn course for a two-day total of 14-under-par 129.

Sharma’s second day effort was the best score after 36 holes. He also established the lowest round on the Asian Tour’s 2017 season but it will not stand as a record as the lift, clean and place rule was in effect.

South Africa’s Erik van Rooyen produced a 67 to share third place with Mikko Korhonen of Finland. They trail the leader Pulkkanen by two shots in the event which was suspended at 5.24pm due to thunderstorms.

A total of 19 players will return at 7.30am on Saturday to complete their rounds. The projected cut is currently at four-under.

Did you know?

• Sharma returned with a flawless card highlighted by five birdies in each half. It is the best score at the Joburg Open after 36 holes.
• His second day 61 is also the lowest on the Asian Tour and his career’s best. He previously shot a 62 at the 2016 Resorts World Manila Masters.
• After two days, Sharma has only dropped two shots at Firethorn, the course which will stage the final two rounds.
• Ranked 22nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Sharma has enjoyed a great season so far highlighted by four top-10s and one tied fourth finish at the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open in February.
• Sharma has not won on the Asian Tour before but he is now in the running to become the first Asian to win the Joburg Open.
• Pulkkanen remains bogey-free after two days. He got off to a hot start when he birdied his opening six holes before adding birdies on holes 11 and 12.
• He won last season’s Road to Oman on the Challenge Tour. This is his second European Tour event in the new 2018 season. He missed the cut at the UBS Hong Kong Open two weeks ago.
• Pulkkanen is easily recognisable in the 240-man field for wearing a stylish fedora hat.
• Overnight leader Keenan Davidse of South Africa slipped to a share of 27th place after posting a disappointing 74 at Firethorn.
• Order of Merit leader Gavin Green of Malaysia safely made the cut by shooting a 67 at Bushwillow. He is tied in 27th place and is on track to become the Asian Tour’s number one golfer in 2017.
• The top three players this week who are not already exempt will earn a place at The Open in 2018.

Player interviews:

Tapio Pulkkanen (Fin) – Second Round 64 (-8), Total 129 (-14)

I started really well. Six birdies in a row – that was an awesome start. I had some tough times midway but I managed to get good pars and a couple of birdies on the back nine. Solid round.

I birdied five of those in the practice round so it was a similar feeling. It was a fantastic feeling. I tried to have a new start on the back nine. I made myself feel like I was level par and tried to make more birdies. That was the goal.

We (with Erik van Rooyen) had some good battles last year on the Challenge Tour and I’m looking forward to playing against him on the weekend. Yesterday I had a birdie putt on the last hole and I saw that Erik was on the board on seven-under, so I told myself I had to make that birdie putt and I did.

My driver has been really good. That’s been key for me. The course is perfect, no problem at all. A little bit soft greens but perfect.

Shubhankar Sharma (Ind) – Second Round 61 (-10), Total 130 (-13)

It was great. I couldn’t have done better. I made pretty much made everything I looked at. I hit the ball pretty decent and made a few key up and downs. I couldn’t have asked for a better round.

When I shot three-under yesterday, I went home and slept and when I woke up, so many guys were under-par! I wasn’t relaxed with a three-under-par and I really wanted to make birdies in my round. As soon as I was four-under after six, I was relaxed because I’m playing well.

On 17, I hit a good shot. I tried to hit a hard drive to get on the green in two but I pulled it a little bit. I told my caddy we can still make a birdie with a wedge and hit it to about four feet. That was a good birdie.

Bushwillow is obviously shorter than Firethorn but it is narrow. You have to be really straight off the tee if you want to attack the greens. I’m glad I came here. I’m really happy to be in the situation which I’m in.

It is great to have a tri-sanctioned event. It is great for the Asian players like me to come out here. It is my first time in South Africa and the courses are great. We are all looking forward to more of such events in the future.

It is every golfer’s dream to play in The Open but at the same time, I don’t really want to think too much about it. It is only halfway through. I want to keep my head down and keep playing. To win is a big thing and whatever comes with it is a bonus. 

Mikko Korhonen (Fin) – Second Round 65 (-6), Total 131 (-12)

Very pleased with my efforts. I didn’t feel very comfortable going out, just a little nervous and stuff, but on the back nine I started going pretty well.

I played Bushwillow the most in practice. It definitely helped. There’s a lot more placing the ball off the tee. It’s important to hit the fairways, and to hole some putts. The fairways were rolling very nicely. It’s dried out really well.

I hit some good hybrids today. I hit three or four, and they were all good.

Judging the distance as it gets hotter is just luck, I guess (laughs). The distance is about 10 percent different here for me, and it varies a little from wedges, to long irons, to driver. It’s a little bit of a guess sometimes, but I’ve guessed well so far.

I’m really looking forward to the challenge of the weekend. It’s the first tournament of my season, so there’s not much expectation, but it’s fun to find yourself in the mix.

It means a lot to be playing for a spot in The Open. It’s a good incentive.

Erik van Rooyen (Rsa) – Second Round 67 (-5), Total 131 (-12)

It was a great start to get four birdies in a row. The weather was perfect this morning. It doesn’t matter when you make them, as long as you make them. It was fun to get off to a hot start. And you don’t want to rein yourself in when you get that kind of run going. You try and keep the pedal down. I still played fine. I had a couple of close shaves on the greens here and there. It’s not as if I all of a sudden played poorly. I still played some good golf and I made a couple of nice putts on the back nine as well.                    

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), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), FENIX XCell (Official Apparel Supplier), Titleist (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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Dhaka, April 18: AB Bank will title sponsor the Bangladesh Open when the tournament returns for its fourth consecutive edition on the Asian Tour at the Kurmitola Golf Club from May 9 to 12 (Wednesday to Saturday). 

AB Bank, Bangladesh’s leading bank, will enter its first foray into professional golf by supporting the country’s National Open, which offers a prize purse of US$300,000.

The tournament has welcomed many worthy champions since its inaugural edition in 2015 where Singapore’s Mardan Mamat claimed his fifth Asian Tour victory.

In 2016, Thitiphun Chuayprakong of Thailand earned a sensational first win while his countryman Jazz Janewattananond scripted an inspiring victory last year.

AB Bank Limited was delighted to title sponsor the Bangladesh Open and give an opportunity to local golfers to follow in the footsteps of Bangladeshi hero Siddikur Rahman, who is a two-time Asian Tour winner. 

“AB Bank is proud to be the title sponsor of the Bangladesh Open, an event which holds high prestige in the country. We look forward to working together with the Asian Tour and Bangladesh Golf Federation to ensure another highly successful tournament,” said President and Managing Director AB Bank Ltd. Moshiur Rahman Chowdhury.

“Siddikur (Rahman) is an inspiration to many people in Bangladesh. We salute his passion for the game and hope that he will lead a new generation of golfers from Bangladesh who will contend regularly on the Asian Tour,” he added.

Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer Josh Burack said AB Bank’s title sponsorship is testament that golf is enjoying a growing popularity in the country.  

“On behalf of our talented members, we would like to welcome AB Bank as the new title sponsor of the Bangladesh Open, an event which has grown in popularity since 2015. A big thank you to AB Bank for their vision and sponsorship which goes a long way to promote the game of golf in Asia,” said Burack.

Senior Vice President AKM Abdullahil Baquee of the Bangladesh Golf Federation said, “We look forward to another successful event. A big thank you goes out to AB Bank for their support in the event which has been a great platform for the younger generation to watch the international Asian Tour stars in action. We hope that more young golfers will take up the game of golf and in the future join Siddikur on the Asian Tour.”

The Kurmitola Golf Club, which is more than 65 years old, has been a regular host venue on the Asian Tour and the Asian Development Tour.  

Club Captain Quazi Shamsul Islam of Kurmitola Golf Club said, “Our club has successfully staged the last three editions of our National Open and we look forward to welcoming the Asian Tour stars again. We are proud to host the fourth AB Bank Bangladesh Open and hope to watch another exciting event at our course.”

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.

Shah Alam, Malaysia, December 8: India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia believes his experience will help the young Asian team when they face Team Europe at the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOMB from January 12 to 14, 2018

Making his second appearance at the EurAsia Cup, Chawrasia counts himself as a veteran, who is ready to step up and guide his younger teammates as they go up against some of the best players from Europe at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.

“This is my second appearance. I’m really looking forward to the event. I believe it is a good thing that we have a young team. The team this year is stronger than last year because players like Anirban (Lahiri) are playing well and I’m also playing okay!

“Anirban and I have played many years on the Asian Tour so we have the experience as compared to the younger players. I think we will sit down together with the Captain and the new guys and keep the mood very positive among the team. It is very important to be positive in a team event. You have to keep motivating each other,” said the 39-year-old.

Chawrasia, a six-time Asian Tour winner, has also placed his trust in compatriot Arjun Atwal, who will captain Team Asia for the first time at the EurAsia Cup.

“Arjun is a great captain and we come from the same golf course. We know each other very well. I think he will be a great captain for us. We were chatting in Mauritius and everything is very positive. He told me that we can choose a few players who we feel comfortable to play with and he will decide how to do the pairings.

“I like his style and he is respected by the players because he came from the Asian Tour and played on the European Tour and PGA Tour. I’m sure his experience will be very useful to the team,” said Chawrasia.

The Indian also believes he has matured and developed significantly as a player since his EurAsia Cup debut and is confident of a better showing this time around.

“2016 was my first year and I was a little bit nervous because I haven’t played in a team event before. It was a bit confusing but I learnt many things. I’m more confident this year. Hopefully we can play better. It is very exciting because all the players are playing for Asia. It is great fun,” said Chawrasia.

China’s Zhang Lianwei has been picked as Vice-Captain by Atwal to help him lead Team Asia against Thomas Bjorn’s Team Europe.

Malaysia’s Gavin Green, Chawrasia along with Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai, Poom Saksansin make up the leading four Asian players on the Order of Merit.

Japan’s Yuta Ikeda of Japan, China’s Li Haotong, India’s Lahiri and Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat also earned their spot in Team Asia as the leading available Asians on the world ranking.

Korea’s Byeonghun An, who represented Team Asia in the second edition in 2016, will make his return to the team after being selected as a captain’s pick.

Joining him as Atwal’s wildcards are Hideto Tanihara of Japan and Nicholas Fung of Malaysia who will make their third appearance in the EurAsia Cup.

Sunghoon Kang of Korea, a winner on the Asian Tour, will make his debut after being selected as the final captain’s pick.

Team Europe will feature Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Paul Casey, Paul Dunne, Ross Fisher, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Alex Levy, Alex Noren, Thomas Pieters, Henrik Stenson and Bernd Wiesberger.

The EurAsia Cup will feature 24 matches, with day one showcasing six Fourball matches, followed by six Foursomes matches and 12 Singles matches on the third day.

Ends.

About DRB-HICOM

DRB-HICOM Berhad (“DRB-HICOM”) is one of Malaysia’s leading conglomerates with core businesses in the Automotive, Services & Education, as well as Property sectors. With more than 90 active companies in its stable and over 59,000 employees group-wide, DRB-HICOM’s aim is to continue adding value and propelling the nation’s development. In the Automotive sector, DRB-HICOM is involved in the manufacturing, assembly and distribution of passenger and commercial vehicles, including the national motorcycle. In Services & Education, DRB-HICOM is involved in various businesses, including concession and financial-related services. In Property, DRB-HICOM is involved in residential and commercial developments.

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), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), FENIX XCell (Official Apparel Supplier), Titleist (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.

Please visit us at:

www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com

www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf

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www.youtube.com/theasiantour

www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf

About the European Tour

The European Tour celebrates men’s professional golf on a global stage. In 2017, the European Tour International Schedule features a minimum of 47 tournaments in 26 countries, including eight Rolex Series events, all part of the Race to Dubai. Celebrating the global connectivity of the European Tour and Dubai, the Race to Dubai is a season-long competition to crown the European Tour’s Number One player, an honour which in 2016 went to Sweden’s Henrik Stenson for the second time, and which since 2009 has also been achieved three times by Rory McIlroy, as well as by Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and Luke Donald. Formerly known as the Order of Merit, points are accumulated based on prize money won, with the top 10 ranked players at the end of the season sharing a $5million Race to Dubai bonus pool. Since its formation in 1972, the European Tour has witnessed 26 Members celebrate a total of 52 Major Championship titles between them, enjoyed ten Members attaining the pinnacle of World Number One and has celebrated its diversity as players from 36 different countries have won on the Tour. The European Tour also manages the Challenge Tour, which featured 28 tournaments in 22 countries in 2016, and the Senior Tour, which featured 13 tournaments in nine countries in 2016. It is also the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe, the body which, alongside the PGA of America, administers golf’s greatest team contest, The Ryder Cup. The European Tour broadcasts live coverage of its tournaments to more than 490 million homes in more than 150 countries every week, generating in excess of 2,200 global broadcast hours for each event. It also enjoys the support of many of the world’s leading business brands with Rolex, BMW, Emirates and Titleist as Official Partners.

About MMC Corporation Berhad

MMC Corporation Berhad (MMC) is a leading utilities and infrastructure group with diversified businesses under three divisions, namely ports & logistics, energy & utilities and engineering & construction. Its key businesses under the Ports and Logistics division include the operations of Port of Tanjung Pelepas Sdn Bhd, Johor Port Berhad, Northport (Malaysia) Bhd, Penang Port Sdn Bhd, Kontena Nasional Berhad and JP Logistics. Internationally, MMC has an associate stake in Red Sea Gateway Terminal Company Limited, a container port terminal within the Jeddah Islamic Port, Saudi Arabia. Under the Energy & Utilities division, MMC is the single largest shareholder of both Malakoff Corporation Berhad and Gas Malaysia Berhad. MMC’s Engineering & Construction division has further established itself in the sector with a leading role as the Project Delivery Partner (PDP) and underground works package contractor for the 51km Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) project (Sungai Buloh-Kajang Line) and Line 2 project (Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya Line). Prior to this, MMC has successfully completed the 329km Ipoh-Padang Besar Electrified Double Tracking Project as well as the innovative Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel (SMART) motorway, the first-of-its-kind dual-purpose tunnel in the world. MMC continues to make inroads in the construction industry, securing key civil and infrastructure projects in the country namely Langat Centralised Sewerage Treatment Plant, Langat 2 Water Treatment Plant, civil and infrastructure works for RAPID Pengerang Cogeneration Plant. Additionally, MMC has a 20% effective interest in Borneo Highway PDP Sdn Bhd (BHP) which has been appointed as PDP for the Sabah Pan Borneo Highway Project. In other businesses, MMC owns Aliran Ihsan Resources Berhad, a water treatment plant operator and Senai Airport Terminal Services Sdn Bhd, the operator of Senai International Airport in Johor Bahru; a major aviation hub and the main air transportation gateway to Iskandar Malaysia. Additionally, MMC’s Group Property arm manages close to 6,000 acres of industrial developments in Iskandar Malaysia, Johor and Kulim, Kedah, namely Senai Airport City, Tanjung Bin Petrochemical & Maritime Industrial Centre (TBPMIC) and Northern Technocity in Kulim. The Senai Airport City, TBPMIC and NTC (NTC) developments come under the ambit of Group Property’s three operating companies – Senai Airport City Sdn Bhd, Seaport Worldwide Sdn Bhd and Northern Technocity Sdn Bhd respectively.

Osaka, Japan, April 18: Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan hopes to upset the odds by making a last-ditch effort to win the Panasonic Swing series with a victory at the Panasonic Open Championship which starts on Thursday. 

Rattanon still has an outside chance of pipping India’s Shiv Kapur to the Panasonic Swing title and he holds the belief that anything is possible at the Ibaraki Country Club this week. 

The 22-year-old was in commanding form when he romped to a wire-to-wire victory at the Thailand Open, which marked the start of the Panasonic Swing series in his home country last May. 

He aims to reproduce that similar form again when he takes on the best players from the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) this week.

Scott Hend of Australia

India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia is also hoping to get back to his winning ways after enjoying a refreshing break from golf at home.

Chawrasia, a six-time Asian Tour winner, has missed the cut twice in his last three starts and will be seeking to make himself one of the genuine contenders again this week.

 Australia’s Scott Hend is also eyeing similar fortunes after a lackluster start to the year where he has missed all three cuts on the Asian Tour.

 Hend will be looking forward to getting back to his competitive best which saw him clinch the prestigious Asian Tour Order of Merit crown in 2016.

 Did you know?

• Rattanon finished tied-fifth in Myanmar which was also his best result on the Asian Tour this year.
• He has also won once in ChineseTaipei on the Asian Development Tour in 2015
• Rattanon represented Thailand during his amateur days and won the team and individual gold medals at the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.
• S.S.P. Chawrasia was a recipient of India’s prestigious Arjuna award in 2017.
• He claimed his first victory outside of India when he won in the Philippines in 2016. Chawrasia represented India at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro that year.
• The Indian has played three events on the Asian Tour so far. He missed the cut in the national opens of Singapore and India and was tied-55th in Malaysia.
• Scott Hend is the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title and the fourth player to surpass US$1 million in earnings during a season in 2016.
• He was also voted Asian Tour Players’ Player of the Year by fellow peers that year.

Players’ Quotes

Rattanon Wannasrichan (Tha)

There’s a lot at stake this week. There are extra points for the Panasonic Swing and it’s going to be interesting. The first thing that I would try to do is the make the cut first. After that, I’ll focus on making it into the top-five and if I can do that, I’ll try to go for that win. I’m very relaxed now and I’m not giving myself any pressure. I have not made the cut in Japan before and I hope to change that this week. I’ve been working on my drivers a lot during the break as it’s important to get all your shots onto the fairways here in Japan. I’m doing well and I’m looking forward to a good week.

S.S.P. Chawrasia (Ind)

I had a good break after the Indian Open. I was just relaxing at home and spending time with the family. I practiced a little bit but it was a good time for me to recharge as I didn’t have a good start since the start of the year. I hope to shake off the rust soon and be back at my best. This week would be a good time for me to do that as I feel very comfortable here and I’ve got a good feeling about my game.

S.S.P. Chawrasia of India

Scott Hend (Aus)

I have not been back to Japan for some time and with events in China and Korea taking place after this, I want to stay in the same time zone rather than going back and forth between different time zones. I have a little bit of back issues for the last four weeks and haven’t been able to play at all. My back’s getting better and it’s good to go this week. The grass is different here and the greens are quite fast. After an extended break, it takes me a little bit more time to sharpen up again and try to win a tournament. I’m trying to fast track that a little bit and we’ll see how it goes. I always try to finish the year inside the top-50 on the world rankings as my rankings have been slipping rapidly because I’ve not been playing well. But I hope to change that very soon.

Bowen Xiao (Chn)

I will be going to Japan for the Panasonic Open Championship before going home for my national open. This will be my first visit to Japan and it’s also my first time travelling overseas for event on my own. The last few events I had my friends either accompanying me or caddy for me. The Asian Tour staff are very helpful. They have all planned it nicely for us so I thought it would be good to try and experience how it is like to travel and compete abroad on my own. I also spoke to Liang Wen chong earlier. He will also be in Japan that week. He shared his experiences of playing in Japan with me and also gave me some advices and encouragement which I really appreciate.

Danny Chia (Mas)

I’ll be focusing my time in Japan, at least until June. I want to test myself here and see where I stand before the re-rankings on JGTO. I had my first start in Japan last week and unfortunately I missed the cut. But I’m more familiar with this golf course and I hope to do better. I thought I would have played enough golf in Japan to know what to do here but in reality, there are still so many things for me to learn here. It’s a different ball game over here and it’s still a learning process for me. Every golf course is new to me. For example, I got totally no idea where the wind was coming from when I played last week. I didn’t hit the ball too badly but I just couldn’t score. It has not been a good start for me this year and I think it’s because I’m still trying to experiment with my techniques. I’ve put a stop to it and have told myself to stick to what I’ve been doing in the past. I have not really been scoring but I managed to hit the ball a lot better now.

Ends.

Joburg, South Africa, December 7: Keenan Davidse of South Africa rose from his sick bed to shoot a superb eight-under-par 63 and seize the first round lead at the Joburg Open on Thursday. 

The 28-year-old fell ill before the event and was hospitalised for four days. He showed no signs of sickness when he fired nine birdies against one bogey at the Randpark Golf Club, par-71 Bushwillow course.

He held a one-shot lead over South Africa’s Jared Harvey, Erik van Rooyen, Ockie Strydom, England’s Matthew Baldwin, James Morrison and Sebastian Heisele of Germany, who all played at Bushwillow.

Asian Tour member Scott Barr of Australia was a further shot back in tied eighth place at the event which is the first tri-sanctioned tournament by the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour and European Tour in South Africa.

Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand, Shubhankar Sharma of India, Masahiro Kawamura of Japan and Jinho Choi of Korea, who played at the par-72 Firestone, were the best placed Asians in 38th place on matching 69s.

Gavin Green of Malaysia, the Order of Merit leader, returned with a 70 to lie in tied 60th place in the 240-man field.

Searching for a first career first win, Davidse turned in 32 before firing five birdies on his homeward nine to hold a slight edge over the chasing pack at the R16.5 million (approximately US$1.2 million) event.

Did you know?

• Davidse is on track to better his best result at the Joburg Open earlier this year where he finished tied seventh, albeit on a different golf course.
• He has not won on the Sunshine Tour but enjoyed a solid 2017 season where he finished inside the top-five thrice and enjoyed a runner-up result in August.
• Davidse was among the leading seven players in round one who all played at the shorter Bushwillow course.
• He took advantage of his sharp-shooting game where he missed only two greens in regulation while totalling 26 putts.
• Davidse is now in the running to become the ninth South African to win the Joburg Open.
• He can also qualify for The Open as the Joburg Open is part of the Qualifying Series which offers three spots to the leading players who are not already exempt to The Open in 2018.
• Green of Malaysia is fighting to make the cut at the Joburg Open. He is currently on the bubble and needs to make the weekend rounds to stand a chance of winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit title on Sunday.
• Barr of Australia is also on a mission this week to save his Tour card for next year. He is currently ranked 60th on the Order of Merit and will need to finish inside the top-61 on the final ranking. The Joburg Open is the penultimate event on the 2017 Asian Tour Schedule.
• Darren Fichardt of South Africa opened his title defence with a disappointing 75 at Firestone.

Player interviews:

Keenan Davidse (Rsa) – First Round 63 (-8)

I don’t know what to say (laughs). It’s not like I’m shocked. I’m obviously very happy, pleased obviously. I’ve worked very hard. I went to Mauritius last week and didn’t play too well. I was in hospital for about four days. So I’m very chuffed today.

When I played the Sunshine Tour event at Simola, my little boy was sick with a bad chest. Then my wife had flu, and then I got flu, and lost a lot of weight. I couldn’t deal with that and the heat in Mauritius so I checked myself into hospital for four days.

I didn’t really have any expectations coming into the week. I’m just out here to have fun, obviously, so I’m very blessed to be playing well.

Some people say Bushwillow is easy – and I have just shot 63 – but to be fair, it’s not easy. You can’t say any golf course is easy. You’ve still got to hit the ball. The flags were pretty good. The rough’s not as up as it is on Firethorn, but it’s a good test. You’ve still got to hit your ball in the right areas and then you have to make the putts.

I don’t have a preference for the courses. Firethorn is just another course. If you play what’s in front of you, you’re going to play well, but if you play fearing the tournament, you’re going to play badly. I’ve experienced that a few times. I’m not here to paint pictures. I’m here to write down numbers. I got a good number down today and I’m just going to take it day by day.

Sebastian Heisele (Ger) – First Round 64 (-7)

I’m very happy. I had a good day. I was in position last week as well so hopefully I make the most of today and do a better job in the next few days. It was a good way to end the day because there are a couple of holes where you can pick up some shots.

I putted really well and hit the ball fairly well. I had a terrible bogey on the 14th hole after a bad bunker shot but I got away with one bad shot. I’ll take that and move into tomorrow.

There are 240 guys here so somebody is bound to shoot a low one, especially on that side of the course. We knew that going into today and told ourselves to try and play aggressive on that side and see where we stand.

I started with an eagle on the first and that gave me some momentum boost. It got easier from there and picked up another eagle on the 12th hole. I had a good finish in the end and I’m in good position for tomorrow.

James Morrison (Eng) – First Round 64 (-7)

I’m very happy. I played very well from start to finish. I had a really good three ball and we ticked along really well. We got lucky because we didn’t get any rain until the 18th fairway. The course is softer as compared to when I played on Monday. That’s the way it is with the storms we have here. Fingers crossed the rain will stay away from us.

My game is in really good shape. My brain is in good shape which is the main thing in this game. I finished top-10 in Hong Kong a couple of weeks ago. This game is a silly game, you never know when it is going to happen so you have to keep playing well and giving your best shot the whole time.

I hit the ball an average length. This course (Bushwillow) suits me down to the ground where you got to keep it on the fairway, hit it good with the short irons and wedges. I did that today. I got it in play and hit it close when I had to. I’m a good chipper and putter so this golf course sets up well for me. The other golf course is quite similar, if you can keep it in play, you have a chance to score.

Matthew Baldwin (Eng) – First Round 64 (-7) 

I’m very pleased. It was nice playing first thing this morning. I got off to a good start with a pair of threes. We had a spell where there was quite heavy rain playing the third, but other than that, it’s been pretty good.

It was great getting two eagles. To start with an eagle is very nice and then to follow it up on 12 was a good feeling.

There wasn’t really pressure to get a good number knowing that I was playing Bushwillow first. You’ve just got to play your golf and see how you go. Now I’ve got three days on the so-called big course, and I’m looking forward to it.

The small greens on Bushwillow tested my game most. Second shots are important. Off the tees, it’s quite narrow in places. It’s more of a tactical course. It’s not driver everywhere, but I think the fact that the greens are small means if you hit a lot of greens, you’ve got a lot of birdie chances.

I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing when I take on Firethorn tomorrow. Unfortunately, I didn’t play last week in Mauritius, but hopefully this week I can make amends.

Getting a spot in The Open would be nice. But I’ll take things one day at a time.

Jared Harvey (RSA) – First Round 64 (-7)

It was a bit of luck finishing with a birdie and then the rain came! Coming down the last couple of holes, I was a little bit nervous. There was a big hold-up on 17, I think with two or three groups.

I didn’t even know until I finished, but thank goodness, I do now that I was bogey-free. I take a lot of confidence from that. I struggled a bit last week in Mauritius. But I’ve had a good season so I think it’s quite important to step it up this week and find what has had me on a good run for most of the year.

Bushwillow was really good. There was a bit of a swirling breeze the last couple of holes, but other than that, it’s there where you find it. It’s like a normal golf course. If you play nicely, you’re going to score well, and if you’re going to be off line, you’re going to struggle. Fortunately, I played quite nicely.

A lot of the holes are doglegs and the rough is quite up, so if you’re missing it at bad angles off the tee, you can be quite blocked out by trees. So I was quite pleased to be driving it nicely today, and I felt like my long game was really good today. But the thing that stood out the most was the putter. I actually changed my putter today. I was very pleased with a few putts today.

Scott Barr (Aus) – First Round 65 (-6)

It was a tricky day. The wind was swirling and we had a little bit of rain at the start. It was a difficult day just to get the direction of the wind so I’m very pleased with what happened.

I played the front nine well and didn’t get what I deserved. The wind was playing havoc and but on the back nine my confidence was up and I played solid. I was out early and the greens were in great shape, the fairways are beautiful so it is actually a very nice golf course (Bushwillow) to play on.

It is a fun course to play on. It is short but you need to hit the right yardages off the tee. Tomorrow I’m playing on the big course so I need to wrap my head around that.

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), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), FENIX XCell (Official Apparel Supplier), Titleist (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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