Mauritius, November 30: Arjun Atwal of India fired a superb nine-under-par 62 without playing a practice round to lead by four shots on the first day at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on Thursday. 

The former Asian Tour number one posted a flawless round highlighted by seven birdies and one eagle to hold a commanding lead over Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines, Sebastian Heisele of Germany, Louis de Jager of South Africa and Adilson Da Silva of Brazil at the Heritage Golf Club.

Major champion Louis Oosthuizen and George Coetzee of South Africa, who won this event in 2015, were bunched up in tied sixth place on matching 67s at the €1million (approximately US$1.07 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour and European Tour.

Atwal, who is the Captain for Team Asia at the 2018 EurAsia Cup, arrived late Wednesday evening after traveling 16 hours via Dubai from Kuala Lumpur where he attended a press conference to announce his team for the match-play event against Europe next year.

The 44-year-old exceeded his own expectations by shooting 31 in each half with the highlight of his day coming on the 14th hole where he sank a huge 25-foot eagle putt. His score of 62 is also the new course record at the Heritage Golf Club.

The 23-year-old Tabuena put on a battling performance and is on a mission to erase the heartbreak of missing out on a second Asian Tour title at the Resorts World Manila Masters three weeks ago where he bogeyed the last hole to miss the play-off.

Did you know? 

• Atwal replaced the course record of 65 set by Coetzee, Jeunghun Wang of Korea, Carlos Pigem of Spain and Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark in 2015.
• The last time Atwal shot a 62 was in the opening round of the 2005 Indonesia Open. The score remains his lowest on the Asian Tour.
• He took advantage of a hot putter in the opening round where he totalled 26 putts which included 10 one putts.
• Atwal is an eight-time Asian Tour champion but his last victory was at the 2014 Dubai Open. He also won the Order of Merit in 2003.
• Atwal holds the distinction as the first Indian to win on the PGA Tour at the 2010 Wyndham Championship.
• The last time he played at the Heritage course was in 2015 where he missed the cut. He finished tied 27th last year but on a different golf course.
• Atwal is currently ranked 55th on the Order of Merit. He needs a good result this week to stay inside the top-60 at the end of the 2017 to retain his full Asian Tour card.
• Tabuena is one of the rising stars on the Asian Tour. He is enjoying a superb 2017 season so far with two tied third results and one tied fifth finish. He won his first Asian Tour title in 2015.
• He enjoyed a flawless first nine which included an eagle-three on the seventh hole. He traded three birdies against two bogeys on his homeward nine.
• Tabuena missed only two fairways and three greens in regulation. He totalled 29 putts with a three-putt on the 18th hole being the highest. He bogeyed that hole.
• Da Silva is searching for his first Asian Tour title. He traded seven birdies against two bogeys to give himself a battling chance this week.
• He enjoyed a career high in 2016 when he was given the honour of striking the first tee shot at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro when golf made a return into the programme after 112 years.

Player interviews:

Arjun Atwal (Ind) – First Round 62 (-9)

I was in Kuala Lumpur the last two days to announce the players in Team Asia for the EurAsia Cup and I had some media activities to do. I had no practice round and straight on the first tee.

I’m pleased and shocked. I took a very long route coming here. I came through Dubai and it took me 16 hours to get here. I was tired and I didn’t really expect anything. Sometimes when you don’t expect much, you get a lot out of it.

I missed two or three fairways but for most of the part I kept the ball in front of me. I played here two years ago but I don’t really remember the course. I made a few putts and every time you want to shoot low, that’s what you have to do.

I found it pretty tough out there but I didn’t make any mistakes and I had a hot putter. The wind was on and off. It wasn’t very gusty. I’m looking forward to some rest and see what happens tomorrow.

It is very important to play a practice round if you haven’t played the course before. It is kind of important but not the end of the world especially for a guy who has played enough golf in his life.

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) – First Round 66 (-5)

I made a terrible error on 17. Three putting is not the best thing to do but I came back strong. I put myself in position to make birdie and I made it. It was a bit gusty today.

I’ve been striking the ball really well the past few weeks but I wasn’t happy with my putting in Hong Kong last week. I changed putter and it is working this week.

You can’t hit it too high here. If you do that, the wind will take it away. This is a thinking golf course. You can’t blink or it will bite you.

I’m really motivated to bounce back from my defeat at the Resorts World Manila Masters three weeks ago. I would be okay if I bogeyed the hole if I was in a bad position but I was in a good position. I made a mental error and it hit me in the gut. I’ve put the defeat behind me and there’s still a lot of golf to be played this week.

Eagle on the fifth hole: Hit a nine-iron from 171 yards and holed a six feet eagle putt.

Adilson Da Silva (Bra) – First Round 66 (-5)

I didn’t hit the ball that great but I chipped and putt really well. I was really happy on the greens. My chip and putt saved me and that’s how I put a good score together.

It was a nice finish on 18. I didn’t know what to do and in the end I decided to give it a go and hit a good approach to three feet. That helped.

The course and greens are so good. If you can keep the ball in play you can give yourself a lot of chances. The wind slowed down a bit later this afternoon.

This is a beautiful place. It is like playing golf in paradise. The layout of the course is so beautiful and it suits my eye for some reason. I like playing on this golf course and that makes a big difference.

Louis De Jager (Rsa) – First Round 66 (-5)

I’m pleased with the score today. It was quite calm this morning, so the score was up there. First and last holes I made two bogies, but the 16 holes in between I played lovely, so I’m really pleased.

My putting has improved a lot the last few weeks. I’ve worked a lot on my putting, so that was really good. I saw all the lines nicely and I hit the ball well, I drove it nicely, so that helps. It’s a good combination to have.

The greens are rolling very nicely. They have a good speed, a comfortable speed, so you can really give the birdie putts a bit of a go. They are very true. What you see is what they usually do.

It’s not the narrowest course, so if you just give yourself enough opportunities on the greens. It gets quite windy, so if you get the wind right on the shots you should be fine.

It’s always a special place to come to, so we’re really enjoying it. It’s nice and hot and humid. I’ll go for a swim this afternoon.

Sebastian Heisele (Ger) – First Round 66 (-5)

I’m very pleased with my round. My front nine was a bit of a nightmare to be honest. I didn’t really feel too comfortable but slowly found something that worked for me. I got going on the back nine and pleased to pick up five shots on the back.

I was pulling my shots left as in far left and that made it hard. I feel that the back nine is easier than the front. When you are not feeling it and when you are looking down the fairway and see the bushes along the fairway, you just don’t feel comfortable.

I felt that I’ve been hitting the ball well all of this week. I had a few days off after a long stretch in the last season so I came out here without much expectation. My score surprised me and it also surprised me that I was hitting so badly earlier today but I’m happy I got it back.

Leading first round scores:

62 – Arjun ATWAL (IND)

66 – Sebastian HEISELE (GER) , Louis DE JAGER (RSA) , Miguel TABUENA (PHI) , Adilson Da SILVA (BRA) , Ockie STRYDOM (RSA)

67 – Joel STALTER (FRA) , Romain LANGASQUE (FRA) , Pontus WIDEGREN (SWE) , George COETZEE (RSA) , Louis OOSTHUIZEN (RSA) , Jbe KRUGER (RSA) , Oliver BEKKER (RSA) , Teaghan GAUCHE (RSA) , Anders HANSEN (DEN) , Marcus KINHULT (SWE) , Jason KNUTZON (USA) , Dylan FRITTELLI (RSA) , Laurie CANTER (ENG)

68 – Justin WALTERS (RSA) , Adrien SADDIER (FRA) , Sam HORSFIELD (ENG) , Jacques KRUYSWIJK (RSA) , Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) , Ricardo GOUVEIA (POR) , Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) , Andrea PAVAN (ITA) , Jarin TODD (USA) , Richard MCEVOY (ENG) , Jose-Filipe LIMA (POR) , Pep ANGLES (ESP) , Casey O’TOOLE (USA)

69 – Raphael JACQUELIN (FRA) , Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) , Douglas MCGUIGAN (RSA) , Andrew CURLEWIS (RSA) , Johannes VEERMAN (USA) , Mark WILLIAMS (ZIM) , Jaco PRINSLOO (RSA) , Haydn PORTEOUS (RSA) , S.S.P CHAWRASIA (IND) , Matthieu PAVON (FRA) , Shiv KAPUR (IND) , James MORRISON (ENG) , Jaco AHLERS (RSA)

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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By V Krishnaswamy

Augusta, April 9: Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who seemed to be headed out of Augusta early after a disappointing opening round of seven-over-par 79, made a steady recovery with rounds of 70, 70 and 71 to finish in tied-44th place on four-over-par 292 total at the Masters tournament on Sunday.

It was a good fightback from Kiradech over the last three days after a tough start in what was his second appearance at the Augusta National Golf Club. “This has only got me determined to come back and do better,” said Kiradech, Asia’s number one in 2013.

American Patrick Reed, who played college golf in Augusta, held off a host of challengers by closing with a 71 and a 273 total to win his maiden Major championship title at the Masters tournament, which is the year’s first Major.

Reed won by one shot over compatriot Rickie Fowler (67), who capped a solid back-nine 32 after hitting a great second shot to set up a birdie on the par-four 18th hole.

Reed, who birdied the 14th hole to move to 15-under, tamed his nerves to par the last four holes under tense conditions to win his first green jacket.

The final moment for the fiery Reed came when he read the three-and-a-half footer perfectly for par after making his first putt from 25 feet and just over the ridge line on the 18th green.

Rory McIlroy (74), looking to win to complete a career Grand Slam, was right there for the first few holes and even reduced the overnight gap of three to just one shot, but kept missing short putts – he missed five in the first nine holes – and his challenge faded away as he finished tied-fifth.

Kiradech, a three-time Asian Tour winner, traded four birdies against three bogeys at a tournament that seemed be over even before it began. He broke his usual driver two days before the start of the tournament and despite a great effort by his team at Callaway, he could not get used to the brand new driver which he got before the first round.

The big-hitting Kiradech, however, fought hard and played the best he could to make the halfway cut on the mark at five-over-par following a second round 70.  

“It was a good finish after all that happened in the first part of the week,” said Kiradech. “I had been playing well and driving well, so it was a disappointment to see my old driver broken. I thought I would be able to get used to it and my team is very good. But that did not happen and I gave away too much on the first day.”

“I have played well with top-five finishes at two World Golf Championship events and I thought I have a good chance at the Masters where I finished tied-15th two years ago. I want to come back here again and again, because I love this course and it suits me,” Kiradech added.

Asian Tour honorary member Vijay Singh, who closed with a 71, ended his campaign in 49th position on 295 while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama emerged as the best-placed Asian at tied-19th position on 285.

Japan’s Satoshi Kodaira finished in a share of 28th place on 288 while Haotong Li of China settled a further shot back in tied-32nd place following a closing 72 in his Masters debut.

Before Fowler set the target of 14-under, Jordan Spieth played the round of his life at 64 and only a bogey on 18th deprived him of a share of the course record of 63 held by Nick Price (1986) and Greg Norman (1996). Spieth finished at eight-under for the day and 13-under for the tournament.

Jon Rahm (69) came in fourth at 11-under, while two-time champion Rory McIlroy (74), Bubba Watson (69), Henrik Stenson (70) and Cameron Smith (66) were all tied for fifth. Marc Leishman (70) was ninth and Tony Finau (66) shared the 10th place with World No. 1 Dustin Johnson (69).

Ends.

Mauritius, November 30: Arjun Atwal of India fired a superb nine-under-par 62 without playing a practice round to lead by four shots on the first day at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on Thursday. 

The former Asian Tour number one posted a flawless round highlighted by seven birdies and one eagle to hold a commanding lead over Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines, Sebastian Heisele of Germany, Louis de Jager of South Africa and Adilson Da Silva of Brazil at the Heritage Golf Club.

Major champion Louis Oosthuizen and George Coetzee of South Africa, who won this event in 2015, were bunched up in tied sixth place on matching 67s at the €1million (approximately US$1.07 million) event sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour and European Tour.

Atwal, who is the Captain for Team Asia at the 2018 EurAsia Cup, arrived late Wednesday evening after traveling 16 hours via Dubai from Kuala Lumpur where he attended a press conference to announce his team for the match-play event against Europe next year.

The 44-year-old exceeded his own expectations by shooting 31 in each half with the highlight of his day coming on the 14th hole where he sank a huge 25-foot eagle putt. His score of 62 is also the new course record at the Heritage Golf Club.

The 23-year-old Tabuena put on a battling performance and is on a mission to erase the heartbreak of missing out on a second Asian Tour title at the Resorts World Manila Masters three weeks ago where he bogeyed the last hole to miss the play-off.

Did you know? 

• Atwal replaced the course record of 65 set by Coetzee, Jeunghun Wang of Korea, Carlos Pigem of Spain and Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark in 2015.
• The last time Atwal shot a 62 was in the opening round of the 2005 Indonesia Open. The score remains his lowest on the Asian Tour.
• He took advantage of a hot putter in the opening round where he totalled 26 putts which included 10 one putts.
• Atwal is an eight-time Asian Tour champion but his last victory was at the 2014 Dubai Open. He also won the Order of Merit in 2003.
• Atwal holds the distinction as the first Indian to win on the PGA Tour at the 2010 Wyndham Championship.
• The last time he played at the Heritage course was in 2015 where he missed the cut. He finished tied 27th last year but on a different golf course.
• Atwal is currently ranked 55th on the Order of Merit. He needs a good result this week to stay inside the top-60 at the end of the 2017 to retain his full Asian Tour card.
• Tabuena is one of the rising stars on the Asian Tour. He is enjoying a superb 2017 season so far with two tied third results and one tied fifth finish. He won his first Asian Tour title in 2015.
• He enjoyed a flawless first nine which included an eagle-three on the seventh hole. He traded three birdies against two bogeys on his homeward nine.
• Tabuena missed only two fairways and three greens in regulation. He totalled 29 putts with a three-putt on the 18th hole being the highest. He bogeyed that hole.
• Da Silva is searching for his first Asian Tour title. He traded seven birdies against two bogeys to give himself a battling chance this week.
• He enjoyed a career high in 2016 when he was given the honour of striking the first tee shot at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro when golf made a return into the programme after 112 years.

Player interviews:

Arjun Atwal (Ind) – First Round 62 (-9)

I was in Kuala Lumpur the last two days to announce the players in Team Asia for the EurAsia Cup and I had some media activities to do. I had no practice round and straight on the first tee.

I’m pleased and shocked. I took a very long route coming here. I came through Dubai and it took me 16 hours to get here. I was tired and I didn’t really expect anything. Sometimes when you don’t expect much, you get a lot out of it.

I missed two or three fairways but for most of the part I kept the ball in front of me. I played here two years ago but I don’t really remember the course. I made a few putts and every time you want to shoot low, that’s what you have to do.

I found it pretty tough out there but I didn’t make any mistakes and I had a hot putter. The wind was on and off. It wasn’t very gusty. I’m looking forward to some rest and see what happens tomorrow.

It is very important to play a practice round if you haven’t played the course before. It is kind of important but not the end of the world especially for a guy who has played enough golf in his life.

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) – First Round 66 (-5)

I made a terrible error on 17. Three putting is not the best thing to do but I came back strong. I put myself in position to make birdie and I made it. It was a bit gusty today.

I’ve been striking the ball really well the past few weeks but I wasn’t happy with my putting in Hong Kong last week. I changed putter and it is working this week.

You can’t hit it too high here. If you do that, the wind will take it away. This is a thinking golf course. You can’t blink or it will bite you.

I’m really motivated to bounce back from my defeat at the Resorts World Manila Masters three weeks ago. I would be okay if I bogeyed the hole if I was in a bad position but I was in a good position. I made a mental error and it hit me in the gut. I’ve put the defeat behind me and there’s still a lot of golf to be played this week.

Eagle on the fifth hole: Hit a nine-iron from 171 yards and holed a six feet eagle putt.

Adilson Da Silva (Bra) – First Round 66 (-5)

I didn’t hit the ball that great but I chipped and putt really well. I was really happy on the greens. My chip and putt saved me and that’s how I put a good score together.

It was a nice finish on 18. I didn’t know what to do and in the end I decided to give it a go and hit a good approach to three feet. That helped.

The course and greens are so good. If you can keep the ball in play you can give yourself a lot of chances. The wind slowed down a bit later this afternoon.

This is a beautiful place. It is like playing golf in paradise. The layout of the course is so beautiful and it suits my eye for some reason. I like playing on this golf course and that makes a big difference.

Louis De Jager (Rsa) – First Round 66 (-5)

I’m pleased with the score today. It was quite calm this morning, so the score was up there. First and last holes I made two bogies, but the 16 holes in between I played lovely, so I’m really pleased.

My putting has improved a lot the last few weeks. I’ve worked a lot on my putting, so that was really good. I saw all the lines nicely and I hit the ball well, I drove it nicely, so that helps. It’s a good combination to have.

The greens are rolling very nicely. They have a good speed, a comfortable speed, so you can really give the birdie putts a bit of a go. They are very true. What you see is what they usually do.

It’s not the narrowest course, so if you just give yourself enough opportunities on the greens. It gets quite windy, so if you get the wind right on the shots you should be fine.

It’s always a special place to come to, so we’re really enjoying it. It’s nice and hot and humid. I’ll go for a swim this afternoon.

Sebastian Heisele (Ger) – First Round 66 (-5)

I’m very pleased with my round. My front nine was a bit of a nightmare to be honest. I didn’t really feel too comfortable but slowly found something that worked for me. I got going on the back nine and pleased to pick up five shots on the back.

I was pulling my shots left as in far left and that made it hard. I feel that the back nine is easier than the front. When you are not feeling it and when you are looking down the fairway and see the bushes along the fairway, you just don’t feel comfortable.

I felt that I’ve been hitting the ball well all of this week. I had a few days off after a long stretch in the last season so I came out here without much expectation. My score surprised me and it also surprised me that I was hitting so badly earlier today but I’m happy I got it back.

Leading first round scores:

62 – Arjun ATWAL (IND)

66 – Sebastian HEISELE (GER) , Louis DE JAGER (RSA) , Miguel TABUENA (PHI) , Adilson Da SILVA (BRA) , Ockie STRYDOM (RSA)

67 – Joel STALTER (FRA) , Romain LANGASQUE (FRA) , Pontus WIDEGREN (SWE) , George COETZEE (RSA) , Louis OOSTHUIZEN (RSA) , Jbe KRUGER (RSA) , Oliver BEKKER (RSA) , Teaghan GAUCHE (RSA) , Anders HANSEN (DEN) , Marcus KINHULT (SWE) , Jason KNUTZON (USA) , Dylan FRITTELLI (RSA) , Laurie CANTER (ENG)

68 – Justin WALTERS (RSA) , Adrien SADDIER (FRA) , Sam HORSFIELD (ENG) , Jacques KRUYSWIJK (RSA) , Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) , Ricardo GOUVEIA (POR) , Shubhankar SHARMA (IND) , Andrea PAVAN (ITA) , Jarin TODD (USA) , Richard MCEVOY (ENG) , Jose-Filipe LIMA (POR) , Pep ANGLES (ESP) , Casey O’TOOLE (USA)

69 – Raphael JACQUELIN (FRA) , Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) , Douglas MCGUIGAN (RSA) , Andrew CURLEWIS (RSA) , Johannes VEERMAN (USA) , Mark WILLIAMS (ZIM) , Jaco PRINSLOO (RSA) , Haydn PORTEOUS (RSA) , S.S.P CHAWRASIA (IND) , Matthieu PAVON (FRA) , Shiv KAPUR (IND) , James MORRISON (ENG) , Jaco AHLERS (RSA)

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

Augusta, April 8: Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat continued to show his battling spirit at the Masters Tournament by signing for a third round even-par 72 to take a share of 43rd place on Saturday. 

The 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit championship made it into the weekend rounds right at the cutline after sinking a crucial birdie at the last hole.

Kiradech resumed his third round promisingly with a birdie on three but suffered a double-bogey five at the next hole.

He then marked his card with another birdie on seven before a bogey on 10 followed by another birdie on 13 saw him sign for a three-day total of five-over-par 221 at the Augusta National Golf Club

Kiradech will tee off alongside American Xander Schauffele in the final round of the year’s first Major while Asian Tour honorary member Vijay Singh of Fiji will start in 53rd place after rounds of 71, 74 and 79.

Ends.

Augusta, April 7: Kiradech Aphibarnrat fought hard and came up with a crunch birdie on the final hole to make the cut at the Masters despite a disappointing first round, and he will now have a chance to improve on that over the weekend.

The 28-year-old Thai who finished 15th at the Masters two years ago, carded two-under-par 70 in his second round for a two-round total of five-over-par 149. He finished right on the cut line.

Meanwhile 21-year-old Indian star Shubhankar Sharma, who is making his major debut this week, battled tooth-and-nail but still failed to make the cut by two strokes after carding a second round 74.

Honorary Asian Tour member Vijay Singh (74) made the cut to sit in tied-23rd place while Asian Tour winner, Yuta Ikeda of Japan missed the cut following a 77.

American Patrick Reed put himself in prime position for his first Major win by carding a second round score of 66 to take the lead by two strokes over Australian Marc Leishman who carded a low round of 67.

Trying to adjust to a new driver that did not seem to be working on the first day, Kiradech made the right adjustments to bounce back in the tournament. “I knew I had to fight hard and not give up till the last. After an even par front nine, I knew I had to get some birdies. The eagle on hole 13 followed by birdies on 15th and 18th got me over,” said Kiradech.

The birdie on hole 18, which was playing tough on Friday was crucial. After crushing a drive to 295 yards, he had a superb second shot to three feet, which he holed for a birdie and got him a place in the weekend rounds.

Kiradech bogeyed the par-3 third hole to slip to eight-over-par, but the birdie on the eighth gave him an outside chance. At the turn, he bogeyed hole 10, but then recovered superbly with an eagle on hole 13.

The drama came on the final hole, which was a 465-yard par 4. On the green in two, Kiradech holed the putt he needed to enable him to make it to the weekend.

Talking about his Masters experience, Sharma added, “It has been fantastic.  I think I’ll be a few shots shy of the cut but I thought I played pretty well, just didn’t finish the way I wanted to yesterday.  But this experience is invaluable.  Just can’t wait to get back every year after this and I’ll do my best and I know I’ll have to play my best to get here every year, but it has been a fantastic experience.  The course has been in superb condition, the crowds have been great and it’s just a pleasure to play in front of them,” said Sharma.

Despite missing the cut, Sharma plans to stay on for the next two days, before heading to his next event in Texas.

 “I am going to stay on and enjoy the week. I have learnt a lot and I will surely be back,” added Sharma

Rory McIlroy, chasing a career Grand Slam with a Masters victory, and 2015 Masters champion Jordan Spieth shared fourth on 140, McIlroy after a 71 while first-day leader Spieth shot 74.

More winds and cooler conditions are expected Saturday along with rain.

Ends.

Shah Alam, Malaysia, November 28: Team Asia Captain Arjun Atwal has announced a young and immensely talented team for the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM with current Order of Merit leader Gavin Green, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, S.S.P. Chawrasia and Li Hao-tong representing Asia.

Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai, Poom Saksansin, Malaysia’s Green and India’s Chawrasia make up the leading four Asian players on the Order of Merit who qualified for Team Asia in the biennial event which will be played at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club from January 12 to 14, 2018.

Yuta Ikeda of Japan, ranked 37th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Li of China, Anirban Lahiri of India, the 2015 Asian Tour number one, and Kiradech of Thailand all 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 a captain’s wildcard 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 Asia will have a combined total of 58 titles won worldwide while six players in the 12-man team are still in their 20s. Phachara is the youngest at 18 and Tanihara is the oldest at 39.

“I’m proud to announce my team which is predominantly represented by young players. Most of them are still in their 20s but they have achieved huge success at a young age and have established themselves in the game,” said Atwal.

“Seven players in my team are ranked inside the top-100 on the Official World Golf Ranking and this underlines the strength of Team Asia. This is a strong team and it will be our goal to win the EurAsia Cup.”

“We will face a strong Team Europe but I have faith in every member in my team. I’ve already mapped out a game plan to keep the players motivated and battle-ready when the tournament starts,” said Atwal.

The 23-year-old Green will represent Team Asia for the first time after a splendid 2017 season where he won his first Asian Tour title and finished runner-up three times.

“It is always nice playing in front of the home crowd. The EurAsia Cup is a huge thing and it is a totally different ball game as compared to a stroke-play event. It is a team event and everyone gathers like a big family. I hope a lot of Malaysian fans come out and support Team Asia,” said Green.

China’s Li will also make his first appearance in the team event, dubbed the ‘Ryder Cup of the East’. The supremely talented Chinese holds one victory on the European Tour and is currently ranked 57th in the world thanks to a third-place result at The Open.

Ikeda, the highest ranked player in Team Asia, has enjoyed a remarkable season in Japan where he won thrice while Kiradech is also coming off a solid 2017 where he finished second at the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Champions and Italian Open.

Atwal will also rely on the experience of countrymen Lahiri, who represented Team Asia in the last two editions and Chawrasia who successfully defended the Hero Indian Open earlier this year.

“The knowledge of playing in team match-play is crucial and the experience of players like Lahiri, Chawrasia, An and Kiradech will be very important in the team. It is a nice mix of experienced and new players which have huge potential,” said Atwal.

Poom qualified for the team through the Order of Merit thanks to one victory and a runner-up result in Japan. The fearless Phachara, a two-time runner-up in 2017, is another new addition to team alongside Kang, who also finished second twice in the United States this year.

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

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.

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.

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.

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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.

Beijing, April 7: China’s Bowen Xiao will be looking to impress his home crowd when he makes his third appearance at the prestigious Volvo China Open, which gets underway at the Beijing Topwin Golf and Country Club from April 26 to 29.

The 28-year-old Xiao, who joined the play-for-pay ranks in 2012, claimed his maiden professional win in a nail-biting fashion where he prevailed on the second extra hole against Australian Bryden Macpherson in his Asian Tour debut five months ago.

He will spearhead the local charge alongside past champion Haotong Li, as well as Wen-chong Liang and Ashun Wu at the CNY 20 million (approximately US$3,150,000) event, tri-sanctioned by the China Golf Association, Asian Tour and the European Tour.

“The Volvo China Open is one of the oldest and most prestigious tournament in China. It’s an event every Chinese player wants to play. It feels different because you get to play alongside some of the top golfers in the world,” said Xiao, who hails from Shandong.

Xiao enjoyed a tied-17th finish at the Asian Tour season-ending event in Indonesia, two weeks after his breakthrough victory. Despite missing three cuts in a row this season, the talented Chinese is determined to bank on his home comfort as he takes aim at another good showing.

“This course is a good test for every aspect of your game, including your tee shots, iron-play and putting. You need to hit your irons well to get on the greens. I won’t set a fixed target for myself. I just want to play my best.

“I will not give myself any pressure to do well, just like how I managed to do so in Xiamen when I won last year. That helps me to play to my best capability,” added Xiao.

Young Indian talent Shubhankar Sharma and Thai star Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who sits in first and third place respectively on the current Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, will also feature in the storied event.

Also in the fray are former Asian Tour Merit champions Gavin Green of Malaysia, Scott Hend of Australia and Thai veteran Thongchai Jaidee, as well as young Thai talent Phachara Khongwatmai and defending champion Alexander Levy of France.

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.

November 27: Arjun Atwal of India, the captain for Team Asia in the 2018 EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM, visited the Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak to give an update on the team match-play event which will be played at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club from January 12 to 14, 2018.

Also joining him in the session are (from left to right in the photo titled Arjun Atwal visiting the Malaysian Prime Minister) Mahmood Abdul Razak, Group Head Strategic Communications Division, DRB-HICOM, Tun Ahmad Sarji bin Abdul Hamid, Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, PGM, Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, Arjun Atwal, Josh Burack, Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer and Datuk Mohamed Razeek Md Hussain, Chief Operating Officer, Services, Education and Defence, DRB-HICOM.

By V Krishnaswamy 

Augusta, April 5: Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Shubhankar Sharma will fly the Asian Tour flag as the Masters Tournament gets underway on Thursday in Augusta. 

Kiradech has been in excellent form since the second half of the 2017 season which saw him break into the top-50 on the Official World Golf Ranking. After a sensational start to the 2018 season where he won on the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour (ADT), the popular Thai is now ranked 30th in the world.

Sharma, who has won twice since December last year, will make his Major debut this week after accepting an invitation to play at the Masters Tournament.

He shot into stardom following his win at the Joburg Open in South Africa in December and Maybank Championship in February. He also earned praise for his battling spirit at the WGC-Mexico Championship where he led in the second and third rounds before finishing in tied ninth place.

Jeev Milkha Singh, a two-time Asian Tour number one, was the first and only Indian before Sharma to receive an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament in 2008.

Sharma has been paired with Augustan Larry Mize, the 1987 Masters winner and another Georgian, Russell Henley for the first two days, while Kiradech goes out with Pat Perez and Italian Francesco Molinari.

As he strode to play the course on Tuesday, Sharma seemed to have gotten over his initial awe of the Masters and the excitement of driving down the Magnolia Lane.

“This course suits my eye and I love it. I want to come here again and again. I definitely feel I can win it. I always dreamed of playing here, but to be honest I was very surprised when I got the invitation and I always wanted to get here, but just to get here so early is truly, truly a dream come true,” said Sharma.

Sharma also knows a good result will mean a lot for Indian golf and therefore it means a lot to him. “Yeah, it’s ‑‑ it means a great deal to me.  I feel like if I can inspire kids back home in any way, it will definitely be a great thing for me, and I’ll be really happy if I can do that. I went back (after WGC-Mexico) for the Indian Open, and I had so many kids coming up to me and so many parents coming up to me and congratulating me, and I think that really makes me very happy that when I see more and more kids coming in the game, more and more people coming and following me.  So, yeah, definitely it has a good sound to it, that I am representing the future of golf (in India).”

Sharma, known to meditate between rounds to attain “a monk-like state” for five hours during a round, is still looking to meet Tiger Woods. Sharma admitted he would be nervous when he meets Woods. “I saw his bag in the morning (Tuesday).  So that’s the closest I’ve gotten to him.  I will be nervous a  little bit.  With Tiger I think everyone can be like a fanboy.  And this here, when I was in Dubai, I saw Rory and Dustin and all these guys, and I’m sharing the same locker room with them, so that was very, very special.  Then Phil in Mexico, But just Tiger has a different aura about him and just the player that he is and how he dominated the world of golf is something.  Yeah, so I just ‑‑ it definitely will be a fanboy moment for me when I go and say hi to him.”

Kiradech, who made his Masters debut in 2016 where he finished tied 15th, is back after getting into top-50 at the end of 2017. It was a very nerve wracking finish to the season and he just managed to get inside the line as the year drew to a close.

“I was very nervous as I tried to get into the Masters,” said Kiradech. “It was a great result to finish tied 15th. I have been trying to get back to the Masters since then and now I got in. (In 2016) I was very nervous to start, I was five-over on front nine and I could not control speed, could not control anything and I was so nervous. But I played very well on the back nine to go 5-under and even par for the round. I made the cut with 72-72, but had a tough time in round three before finishing Tied-15.”

He will enter the Masters in fine form after finishing tied fifth at the WGC-Mexico Championships and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

“I am playing well and I am comfortable with my swing. But unfortunately it (driver) broke during practice round. However my team at Callaway is very good, they will get it right before the first round. So I will play with a brand new driver, but I am confident as my team is very good.”

Ends.

Osaka, Japan, April 5:  Berry Henson of the United States hopes to play to his true potential and contend for his second Asian Tour title when the Panasonic Open Championship begins at the Ibaraki Country Club in a fortnight. 

The American has enjoyed a resurgent in his career following his comeback from injury where he was out of action for close to 18 months since June 2016.

Henson, who returned to competitive golf last December, has notched three top-10 finishes in five starts so far this season.

While no less than 30 Asian Tour winners are expected to feature at the Panasonic Open Championship which is the third event to be sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) this year, Henson believes he can savour another memorable Sunday bliss in Osaka. 

“I’m Mr. Sunday. It’s awesome. My game has been so good and I just needed to trust myself. 

“I’ve been coming close to unlocking the winner’s door again and I know my game is good enough for me to do so again. It’s just a matter of time,” said the 38-year-old. 

Henson signaled his arrival in Asia when he claimed his breakthrough Asian Tour title in the Philippines and became the rookie of the year in 2011. He now follows a strict fitness regime which is starting to pay off.

“I went through two pretty major wrist surgeries but I stayed positive. My doctor told me I was going to be fine and I worked hard on my body and did everything I could to get back out here.

“I feel so strong now and my body feels great. As I started to play golf again, I could see the changes in my swing and I was shooting some really good numbers,” said Henson.

Away from the golf course, Henson has also found time to contribute to charitable cause as an ambassador for the Habitat for Humanity where he is currently in sixth place on their standings, which is the Asian Tour’s season-long Order of Merit.

“I am honored and excited to support Habitat for Humanity. It is about getting chances to give back. I’m glad to be associated with an organization that helps people in over 70 countries. It will be cool to travel around the world and let everybody know about Habitat for Humanity,” said Henson.

The Panasonic Open Championship is the concluding leg of the Panasonic swing where the top-three finishers in the final ranking will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

India’s Shiv Kapur currently leads the Panasonic Swing which is based on an aggregate points ranking earned by players at the following five tournaments- 2017 Thailand Open, 2017 Panasonic Open India, 2018 Maybank Championship (Malaysia), 2017 Indonesian Masters and 2018 Panasonic Open Championship.

A minimum of two events are required to be played inclusive of the Panasonic Open Championship in order to qualify for the Panasonic Swing bonus pool. There will be a x1.5 multiplier for points earned at the Panasonic Open Championship.

Ends.