Rising Sons Commit To Chiangmai Golf Classic
Chiangmai, Thailand, February 26: Japanese stars Tetsuji Hiratsuka, Kenichi Kuboya and last season’s Asian Tour Rookie of the Year Masanori Kobayashi have signed up for the inaugural US$750,000 Chiangmai Golf Classic presented by PTT next month.
The talented trio will join Asian history-maker Y.E. Yang of Korea and Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee in the Asian Tour’s newest tournament which will be held at the impressive Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai from March 28 to 31, 2013.
The Chiangmai Golf Classic is supported by PTT Group Company Limited, one of the largest corporations in Thailand, while other premier sponsors include PTT Public Company Ltd, Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, Advanced Info Service Plc, Siam Commercial Bank PCL, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Provincial Government of Chiangmai, Chiangmai Provincial Administrative Organisation, CAT Telecom Public Company Ltd, TOT Public Company Ltd, Thai Airways International Public Company Ltd, Thai Beverage Public Company Limited, Samart I-mobile PCL , Loxley Wireless Co Ltd, Forth Corporation Public Company Ltd, J.R.W Utility Plc, Standard Tour Co Ltd, Advanced Information Technology Public Company Ltd, Fenix Apparel and Accessories Co Ltd and Sports Authority of Thailand.
The 41-year-old Hiratsuka, who is a six-time winner in Japan, is one of the most successful Japanese players on the Asian Tour, which will be celebrating its 10th season throughout 2013. After earning his Tour card from Qualifying School in 2009, the powerful Japanese ace went on to win three tournaments in 2010 to finish third on the Order of Merit and subsequently claimed a fourth title on the region’s premier Tour in 2011.
A neck injury slowed down his charge last season but Hiratsuka is all geared up for another successful campaign ahead and will be targeting the Chiangmai Golf Classic, which is a full-field Asian Tour tournament, as his two wins in Asia were achieved at the Queen’s Cup and Black Mountain Masters in Thailand three years ago.
“I’m very comfortable playing in Thailand and I’m looking forward to the Chiangmai Golf Classic. I was struggling with a neck injury last year but it has become a lot better now, so I hope to start playing well again in 2013,” said Hiratsuka, who finished 96th on the rankings last season.
Kobayashi produced a memorable rookie season on the Asian Tour. After earning his card from Qualifying School, he won the Asia Pacific Panasonic Open, jointly sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour, on home soil and added two other top-10s to finish fourth on the Order of Merit.
He signed up for the Asian Tour after watching Hiratsuka achieve success in the region and is now looking forward to adding a second career title at the Chiangmai Golf Classic.
“I’ve enjoyed travelling to different countries in Asia last year. I’ve learned a lot, especially playing with the top players which was very good experience for me,” said Kobayashi.
“My goal this season is to win one title on the Asian Tour and another title in Japan. I’m looking forward to visiting Chiangmai for the first time.”
Kuboya holds six Tour victories in Japan, enjoying his biggest career victory when he triumphed in the Japan Open last season. The 40-year-old has also plied his trade on the Asian Tour in the past few seasons.
The Chiangmai Golf Classic presented by PTT is primed to extensively promote Chiangmai, which is located in northern Thailand, as a top golfing and tourist destination through the four days of live broadcasts on the Asian Tour’s global television platform, which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
The Chiangmai Golf Classic will be a 72-hole strokeplay tournament showcasing 144 players with the leading 99 Asian Tour players featuring in the elite field alongside 10 players from the top-200 of the Official World Golf Ranking, 20 players from Thailand and 15 sponsor’s invitations.
The Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai, designed by Ron M. Garl, is located in a valley between mountain ranges in the heart of the San Kampaeng natural forests and boasts of natural beauty.
About the Asian Tour
In 2013, the Asian Tour will celebrate a momentous milestone with its 10th season. As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Abacus (Official Apparel Partner), BlackBerry (Official Communications Partner), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Singha Beer (Official Beer), Srixon (Official Ball), Starwood Hotels and Resorts (Official Hotels and Resorts) and Rolex (Official Timekeeper). The Asian Tour has offices in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Also, visit us at www.wp-asiantour.ocs-sport.com, www.facebook.com/asiantourgolf, www.twitter.com/asiantourgolf, www.youtube.com/theasiantour and www.weibo.com/asiantourgolf
About IMG
IMG Worldwide is a global sports, fashion and media business, with nearly 3,000 employees operating in more than 30 countries around the globe. IMG’s areas of expertise are diverse and wide ranging: IMG College; IMG’s Joint Ventures in India, China, Brazil and Turkey; IMG Media; IMG Events and Federations; IMG Fashion; IMG Models; IMG Art+Commerce; IMG Clients; IMG Academy; IMG Consulting and IMG Licensing. More information is available at www.imgworld.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.
Shah Alam, Malaysia, January 14: Team Europe, captained by Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn, dominated the Singles matches to earn a hard-fought win over Team Asia with a 14-10 victory to retain the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM on Sunday.
After trailing Team Asia over the last two days, Europe surmounted a gallant fightback to win eight out of 12 matches in the Singles format at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.
“It was a great performance today from every single one of them, they came off the golf course yesterday and there was a determination and a will of wanting to win this,” said Bjorn.
“From there, to then go out and do the job the way they did today shows a lot about the character of these 12 guys and it shows a lot about the character of European golf and it shows a lot about what we are,” added the Dane.
Alex Noren of Sweden delivered the day’s first point with a convincing 4&2 win over Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung. Asia’s number one Gavin Green of Malaysia then fell victim to Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello 4&3
Europe’s number one Tommy Fleetwood earned another point for his team when he brought down India’s S.S.P. Chawrasia 2&1 before Thailand’s Poom Saksansin gave Asia a brief reprieve, beating England’s Paul Casey by one hole.
Major winner Henrik Stenson put another point on the board for Europe when he won 2&1 against Japan’s Hideto Tanihara before Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger took them three clear with a 2&1 victory over Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai.
France’s Alexander Levy then brought Europe to within a point of retaining the EurAsia Cup when he defeated Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat 3&1.
The winning moment for Europe came on the 18th hole when Belgium’s Thomas Pieters beat Korea’s Byeonghun An by one hole.
“It always nice to get the winning point. We all have to do our own part today. We knew that and we knew what we had to do. You can see early on that we wanted it badly because the board was pretty blue,” said Pieters.
England’s Tyrrell Hatton then won 2&1 against India’s Anirban Lahiri to make it 13 ½ -7 ½ with three matches remaining.
Korea’s Sunghoon Kang and England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick shared the spoils before Japan’s Yuta Ikeda and China’s Li Haotong salvaged some pride for Team Asia by beating England’s Ross Fisher (1 hole) and Ireland’s Paul Dunne (3&1) respectively.
“These kind of events always become closer than you think sometimes, and that’s always good to know. When you go out there as a team, you’ve got to play. You play for very few points the first two days and then you play for a lot of points on Sunday, and that’s the way these events are.
“It can swing very much on the last day and we showed today that if you are good and strong on Sundays, you can win these things,” said Bjorn.
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), 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
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.
Shah Alam, Malaysia, January 14: Team Asia’s captain Arjun Atwal praised his charges despite falling 10-14 to Team Europe at the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM on Sunday.
Atwal’s team had led for two days after the Fourball and Foursomes matches but were outplayed by Team Europe in the Singles matches at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.
“I’m very proud of these guys. They are all awesome players and it’s just unfortunate we lost today. We just didn’t make enough putts and they, on the other hand, made a lot more putts than us,” said Atwal.
While his team fell short on the final day, Atwal was delighted to witness the talent on display, particularly from the young Thai duo of Poom Saksansin and Phachara Khongwatmai.
“The sky’s the limit for them. It’s unbelievable. They are all fantastic players. I got to know some of these guys a lot better this week and by just watching them play, I know they can achieve anything they want. They can win majors. They can win big tournaments on big tours. There’s no limit,” added the Indian.
Poom, who was making his debut at the EurAsia Cup, showed no fear as he brought down seasoned Ryder Cup campaigner Paul Casey in the Singles match by one hole. Together with Korea’s Sunghoon Kang, the 24-year-old also created the biggest upset on the opening Fourballs when they won 5&4 over Henrik Stenson and Alexander Levy.
Phachara proved to be another star in the making when he put up a masterclass in putting in the first two days. The young Thai put two points on the board for Team Asia and showed he can be the man for the big occasion.
“Look at the way he (Phachara) handled himself under pressure. If I was 18, I don’t know if I would be able to do what he did this week by playing in this type of pressure,” said Atwal.
With the conclusion of the third edition of the EurAsia Cup, Atwal hopes to revive his memories and stand proud as a captain one day again.
“I had a lot of fun and I had an absolute blast this week. Even though we didn’t win, they are all champions and for me personally, I would do this in a heartbeat again,” said Atwal.
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), 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
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.
Shah Alam, Malaysia, January 14: Thailand’s Poom Saksansin emerged as one of the stand-out performers for Team Asia in the Singles matches which were dominated by a victorious Team Europe at the EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM on Sunday.
The 24-year-old Poom defeated world number 14 Paul Casey of England in a pulsating match, emerging victorious by 1-hole at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.
Despite his win, Team Europe won eight other Singles matches while one match was halved as they successfully retained the EurAsia Cup with 14 points against Team Asia’s 10 points in the third edition of the biennial showpiece.
Yuta Ikeda of Japan enjoyed a perfect debut in the tournament after winning his match against Ross Fisher by 1-hole. Another debutant Li Haotong of China secured a 3&1 win over Paul Dunne of Ireland.
The baby-faced Poom was in the second Singles match of the day and recorded Asia’s first point of the day after holding his nerve to defeat Casey on the 18th hole.
“I feel proud of myself that I get a point for Team Asia. He (Casey) played very good but maybe he had bad luck because the ball doesn’t go into the hole,” said Poom.
His victory in the Singles was his second point in the tournament as he combined with Sunghoon Kang in the Fourball format on Friday. Poom was clearly delighted to exceed expectations in the tournament.
“I feel very good because my goal was to get one point which is good enough but I got two so I’m very happy. On the 18th hole (today) I felt very nervous and I start to shake a little bit. But I won,” he smiled.
“I’m so happy I made Arjun proud as well. He told me ‘Good job, I love you,” said Poom.
The world number 36 Ikeda contributed three points to Team Asia and remained unbeaten in the EurAsia Cup when claimed his third victory in the showpiece.
“Today’s match was so close. I started two holes, birdie, and then number 16, I missed, bogey. On 17, an up and down so that was good. On the last hole I was lucky so I’m happy. Three matches, three wins so I’m very happy with the week,” said Ikeda.
First timer Li held his head high after contributing 2 ½ points which included the final point earned by Team Asia in the Singles matches.
“I think our team did great this week. I’m very happy to win 2 ½ points. I’m also very happy to meet a lot of new friends and hopefully we play well the rest of the season and come back better the next time,” said Li.
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), 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
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.
CHAWALIT PLAPHOL (THA) – FINAL ROUND 69 (-3), TOTAL 270 (-18)
I’m quite happy but a first win in two years is not enough! I want to win more Asian Tour titles. I knew at the 17th hole that Mithun was on 17-under. Luckily, I managed to hole a 15-feet birdie putt to tie for the lead.
It wasn’t smooth for me during the front nine because I was trying to force myself to play safe. I gave myself a bit of pressure and it felt better on the back. This win gives me more confidence to play on the Asian Tour because I have a two-year winner’s exemption (which starts from 2014) on the Asian Tour.
I can play without much pressure now but I’ll aim to finish inside the top-10 of the Order of Merit. My game is on track. I just need to work on my iron for the rest of the year.
MITHUN PERERA (SLK) – FINAL ROUND 65 (-7), TOTAL 271 (-17)
All you need is one good week to turn your life around. I feel my time is coming soon. Chawalit make two good birdies on 17 and 18 to win so this is definitely his week to win. I try my best in every tournament and I think the win is not far away.
I feel that I’ve grown a lot since last year. I have good and accurate tee shots. My putter is good as well. I do lack in distance off the tees but the win will come. I have a chance to win on the shorter courses like the Delhi Golf Club. My accuracy is the highlight of my game. All I need now is a bit of luck.
I’m sure my father and my country are proud of me. This week, I flew the Sri Lankan flag high. There’s no disappointment for me.
KIRADECH APHIBARNRAT (THA) – FINAL ROUND 70 (-2), TOTAL 272 (-16)
I played good this week. I couldn’t make a putt on the front nine but tried hard. I think the key moment for me was when I birdied 15 to tie for the lead. Again, I couldn’t make birdie putts in the last three holes. It was still a good attempt from me.
QUINCY QUEK (SIN) – FINAL ROUND 67 (-5), TOTAL 274 (-14)
I’m very happy with my performance for the first event of the year. I got off to a hot start with two early birdies and was four-under at the turn. If more putts went in I would have been lower but there’s always ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ in golf and I took my score gratefully.
I tried to go further in the back nine but it was a bit of a struggle. I wasn’t as sharp and dropped a shot on 13 but managed to pull back a birdie on the next. I was lucky to birdie the last hole. That was a bonus. It was a 20 footer going up hill. I didn’t expect to hole that putt.
I was six shots back before the round. When I won my first Asian Development Tour (ADT) event I was six shots back as well. But I told myself that I’ll take whatever that comes my way. The guys ahead of me are all really good players and have won before. I just want to go out there and do my thing. I’m pleased that I was able to come back during the weekend. Normally I would fall back but this time around I’m happy with my five-under.
There are a lot of positives to bring forward. It is nice to be in contention every time you play. You learn a lot when playing with Thaworn. This tournament alone I chipped in three times (round 1, 2 and 3) so a bit of Thaworn magic there!
HU MU (CHN) – FINAL ROUND 73 (+1), TOTAL 281 (-7)
It was disappointing. I had a good start and never capitalized. I pretty much shot a worst score as the week progressed and that doesn’t make you feel good. Despite that, I’m quite happy I could stick to my game plan even though I didn’t shoot good scores. I’m going to keep it that way and hopefully my game will come together next week (The Open Championship International Final Qualifying – Asia).
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