Pavit eyes SJM Macao Open title armed with memories of 2016
When Pavit Tangkamolprasert lifted the Macao Open trophy back in October of 2016, it was the culmination of an emotional week for the Thai player for two reasons. Firstly, because it came during a week when a ceremony was held to mark the passing of Thailand’s beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej at the age of 88, and secondly due to the fact it was his first victory on the Asian Tour. Report by Olle Nordberg, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour.
“It was because of the King, I really wanted to win it for the King,” said Pavit, ahead of this week’s SJM Macao Open – which tees-off tomorrow and is making its return to the golfing calendar for the first time since 2017.
“That was my passion before the tournament started, and I think it gave me a lot of power and he helped me with everything. Like my putts, everything went in. I couldn’t believe it.”
He beat Asian Tour great, Indian Anirban Lahiri, after one of the most sensational finishes Macau has witnessed. He won on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off after shooting a brilliant seven-under-par 64, which helped him to counter an explosive finish by Lahiri that saw him birdie the last seven holes.
Pavit Tangkamolprasert pictured during the Pro-am today. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Armed with those inspiring memories he has been eagerly anticipating the start of what is the 20th edition of the Macao Open this week.
He says: “I’m really looking forward to this week, I really like the course. I mean it’s challenging, but after I won, we only played there for one year in 2017, and this is like six years. I have been looking forward to going back.”
The victory was also significant because it helped him finish 10th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – meaning for the first time in eight years playing on the Tour he was able to finish in the top-60.
“Well, I was very surprised, because first I just wanted to keep my card,” adds the 34-year-old.
“Even before the last day, if I finished well, I would have managed to keep my card and I just wanted to get in the top-60. But the last day I shot seven-under-par and beat Anirban in the playoff, which was unexpected, it was just my week.”
Pavit had started the final round playing in the penultimate group, one shot behind the leader Lahiri.
The Thai got off to a hot start and was four under for his first seven holes, while Lahiri was two over through his first seven.
Pavit found himself in the lead going into the back nine, but his Indian opponent stormed back into contention by birdieing his way home from the 12th for a 65.
“Honestly, there was no leaderboard after 11, and at that point I was maybe three or four shots ahead. From the 11th until the 17th hole, I didn’t know what was going on,” said Pavit.
“I birdied 12 and 13 and I thought it was done, but when I walked on the 16th and I saw him doing a fist pump on 17, as he had made a birdie, and I looked at the walking scorer and I thought oh, he’s coming. I was like, it’s impossible for him to make six birdies straight in those conditions. But he did, and he almost made a chip for eagle on the last too, and I thought wow, that was good.”
Pavit Tangkamolprasert. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Pavit had to birdie the par-five 18th to force the tournament into overtime and he made another four on the same hole to win on the first extra hole, after Lahiri found water with his second.
After a slow start to 2023 Pavit has managed to turn his game around and showed a marked improvement when he tied for fifth at the Mandiri Indonesia Open in early August and followed that up with top-10s in the International Series England and the Yeangder TPC in Chinese-Taipei.
“Yeah, after Indonesia I kind of found something, my rhythm. I have been doing alright for the past three weeks, played very solidly. With my driver I’ve hit more fairways, and my putting has been very good,” he said.
Just the right preparation as he looks to add to his two Asian Tour wins to date – he also claimed the Sabah Masters in 2019 – and his record seven titles on the Asian Development Tour.
Gaganjeet Bhullar’s excitement to be competing in this week’s US$1 million SJM Macao Open at Macau Golf and Country Club is understandable: he is the defending champion, and a two-time winner – on both occasions, incredibly, wire-to-wire.
“You know, I’m very, very excited,” said Bhullar, of being back for Macau’s national Open, which was last played in 2017.
“Of course, I do have a lot of positive and good memories of Macau, having won the tournament twice and, by the way, I came second once. It brightens my whole aura, and it brings back all the positives and all the happy memories for me.”
Six years ago he beat countryman Ajeetesh Sandhu and Filipino Angelo Que by three, in 2012 he triumphed by two over American Jonathan Moore, while in 2009 he was runner-up to Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant.
Marquee players at today’s photo call. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He added: “You know, I’ve been coming to Macau since 2007 – it was actually my first year on the Asian Tour. I mean, I have actually seen Macau grow up. We used to stay in the older part of town and then drive all the way to the golf course, and there used to be nothing on the Cotai strip, nothing. And now it’s been close to 10 years, we have not been to the old town, and I’ve stayed in some of the biggest five-star resort casinos in the world. It just gives you the buzz you know, it’s buzzing with light and life and everything. So, I think that is one thing which I’ve seen in Macau which has changed over the period of years.”
The 35-year-old is the most winningest Indian player on the Asian Tour with 10 victories and this week he is bidding to become the first player to win this event three times, as are Australian Scott Hend and Zhang Lianwei from China. Hend, 50, won here in 2013 and 2015, while Zhang, now 58, back-to-back in 2001 and 2002.
Macau Golf and Country Club, which has been the event’s regular home since its launch in 1998, features dramatic elevation changes on some holes – including the spectacular par-three 17th – and due to being right on the south coast of Coloane wind can also be a big factor. With his extensive experience on the course, Bhullar seems to have figured out what is needed to do well on the challenging layout.
“I personally think if you are driving the ball well on this golf course it gives you an edge, and all my good finishes in Macau came years when I drove the ball really well. Because if you are in the fairway throughout the round, it gives you so much of good momentum, it basically sets you up for really, really good birdie chances,” says the Indian.
“And if you’re ending up putting well, I mean, you’re unstoppable. This works for everybody and anybody who drives the ball well and putts well, but on this particular golf course, I’ve noticed, if the ball is in play off the tee, then the course is short, and the birdie opportunities open up.”
His most recent win on the Asian Tour came in last year’s Mandiri Indonesia Open, which was yet another start-to-finish victory and also his third success in the event, and ahead of this week’s tournament, which starts on Thursday, he knows there is work to be done.
“Well, if I look from my stats point of view, I’m quite happy,” said Bhullar, who is tied third on the Asian Tour’s all-time winners list.
“But if I look from the scores point of view, I think there are a few things which do not match, the scores are not matching the stats. But I’m working with my team. I’m trying to narrow down those mistakes, and I’m trying to narrow down all the small little errors which I make during the rounds. And once I end up narrowing that gap, I think the scores will definitely follow my stats.”
A detail view of the winner’s names on the base of the Macao Open trophy. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Australian Min Woo Lee, Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines, Thai Poom Saksansin and China’s Li Haotong, are some of the big guns here this week looking to win in Macau for the first time.
China’s Liang Wenchong, the Asian Tour number one in 2007, has also entered. The 45-year-old coached China in the recent Asian Games.
David Puig strolled to a majestic five-shot win in the US$2 million International Series Singapore today – to register his maiden victory in the professional game.
He completed a stunning wire-to-wire triumph after firing a final round one-over-par 73 to finish the Asian Tour event on 19-under, with Jaewoong Eom from Korea finishing in second place, after carding a 69.
American Andy Ogletree took another step closer to securing both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits by closing with a 69, which featured a hole-in-one on the par-three fourth, to finish in a tie for third with Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, in with a 68.
Puig had a nine-shot lead at the start of the day thanks to rounds of 64, 66 and 66 and was never challenged. Playing conservatively, he made the turn in one under with a birdie on eight, before a minor wobble with bogeys on 11 and 14. The 21-year-old had a six-shot lead playing 18, which playing partner Eom birdied.
David Puig. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It’s awesome,” said Puig, who won US$360,000, and became the youngest winner of an International Series event.
“You know, this is my first year as a professional, but I think I deserved a win probably two or three months before this day. But, yeah, it’s awesome, it’s the best feeling in the world. That’s why I practice so hard and yeah, very happy.”
His win comes as no surprise, as since turning professional in September last year he has been close to winning on numerous occasions, including in his first event the International Series Morocco, where he was third, and the International Series England in August, when he tied for fourth.
This was only his ninth start on the Asian Tour and moved him into second position on the International Series Order of Merit and fourth place on the Asian Tour merit list.
His success comes off the back of an outstanding season on the LIV Golf League, where he has been playing for Torque GC – the dominant team this year, having won four times.
He added: “It has been an awesome journey. I had a good opportunity to join LIV right after college and I think I took advantage of that and played pretty good this year. Also, I want to say thanks to my team, the Torque team, they have always been very helpful to me, and I learned a lot from them. And yeah, playing against these guys, it’s a dream come true. But I think I should be here and then today I showed that.”
Jaewoong Eom. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Today’s victory is the perfect preparation for next week’s LIV Golf Jeddah – the final regular-season event of 2023. He’ll be hoping to improve on his best individual finish on LIV Golf, which is joint fourth place at LIV Golf Greenbrier in August.
Eom’s strong finish allowed him to match his best performance on the Asian Tour, as he tied for second in the New Zealand Open in March.
“I’m very pleased with the way I played this week,” said Eom.
“Nice to finish with a birdie on the last. I actually had a lot of chances out there, but it was just too hot outside. I was feeling dizzy out there, that’s why I made a bogey on the 15th. But I managed to hang in there and finish well to claim second. It feels good to finish runner-up in a big tournament like this. It’s also going to help me keep my card for next year.”
The Korean injured his left wrist a couple of years ago, underwent surgery and spent a year and a half recuperating before making a comeback last year.
Ogletree’s ace was the result of a magnificent five iron from 230 yards that flew straight into the cup.
He said: “Yeah, it was crazy. I didn’t see it. I just had a really bad hole on three and was trying to decide between a four and a five. I said let’s hit the five and give it a chance, and it flew in. Crazy. We heard it hit the pin, but we didn’t know where it went. We got up there, and there it was in the hole.”
It was his ninth hole in one and he also chipped in on the next hole for a birdie.
Remarkably, moment earlier, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma won a brand new BYD SEAL EV thanks to a superb ace on the par-three 16th. He fired in a perfect nine-iron and claimed the keys to the electric vehicle.
Singapore amateur Ryan Ang also finished in a blaze of glory holing his second shot on the par-four ninth, his final hole, for an eagle two and a 68. His six-under total meant he finished as the leading local player in a tie for 23rd.
Andy Ogletree. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The SJM Macao Open is the next stop on the Asian Tour and tees-off on Thursday at Macau Golf and Country Club. It is the first time the event has been played since 2017, when India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar won the event for the second time.
Australian brothers Jediah and Lincoln Morgan are at different stages of their golf careers, but this week’s International Series Singapore brought the pair together – one of three sets of brothers playing at the esteemed Tanah Merah Country Club.
The Morgans lined up alongside Zimbabwean brothers Scott and Kieran Vincent, and the Mexican siblings Carlos and Alvaro Ortiz, in a star-studded field that also included 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell, 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel, plus Spanish rising star David Puig, American sensation Andy Ogletree and top talent from all over the world battling it out for this year’s International Series Order of Merit
Elder brother Jediah, 23, is one of several LIV Golf stars appearing regularly on The International Series schedule, with a T55 in England the best finish in four appearances for the Ripper GC star who has competed on the events as a regular tune-up to complement the 14-date LIV Golf League schedule.
Three years his junior, younger brother and 2023 Singapore Amateur champion Lincoln was also in the field this week, getting his first taste of action in a professional event.
Morgan junior, crowned Singapore Amateur Champion at Orchid Country Club earlier this year, was not overawed by the experience, although a respectable one-over 73 and three-over 74 left him on the wrong side of the one-under cut line after two rounds on the testing Tampines Course.
Lincoln Morgan. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He said: “I’m playing with good golfers, when you see the names such as Charl, Graeme, Carlos Ortiz, Andy Ogletree and my brother, it was pretty cool for my first pro event to be honest!
“I thought I would be a bit more nervous than I was, but it was too early to think too much about it,” he joked. “It is strange, I didn’t feel out of place, but I didn’t exactly feel comfortable. But once the round got going, I started to feel more comfortable and finished quite well in the end.”
So, did Lincoln seek out older brother Jediah for some sage advice ahead of his big day?
“I didn’t really ask him anything this week, I felt like I should steer clear of him and let him do his own thing and I can do mine. We can have our own preparation before events,” added the 20-year-old who is hoping to be in place for a crack at Q-school – potentially in the Asian Tour – in ‘a year or maybe two’.
Big brother Jed confirmed the distanced approach.
“I think he watches what I do more than anything,” he laughed. “He’s a bit younger than I am and we are a bit different, but he’s seen it all before at LIV events and he has been fortunate enough to see what all the top guys do to prepare, so I don’t think he needs to learn too much from me! We are different – he needs to do what he needs to do.”
Morgan senior has shown glimpses of his undoubted talent in patches at LIV, playing in the Ripper GC team alongside the 2022 Champion Golfer of the Year Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman and Matt Jones.
Some strong performances – including a five-under 66 on day one last time out at LIV Golf Chicago and a T16 finish at Sentosa in LIV Golf Singapore – have provided to be important contributions that have helped the all-Australian team to fourth in the LIV Golf League’s first season standings.
Morgan had been hoping to use the International Series Singapore as important preparation for a huge week at the season-ending LIV Golf Jeddah next week, where he is fighting for his card ahead of next season because of his current status in the lower reaches of the individual standings.
But his one-over first round and level par second – which included a costly triple bogey on two, left the 2022 Australian PGA Championship winner one over and out of the weekend’s action. Despite that disappointment he declared himself satisfied with important aspects of his game.
Morgan, who carded five birdies over the two rounds, said: “I felt good out there, my swing felt nice. It’s just my putter that needs to get hot. There’s a couple of tricky pins out there so you need to hole some putts you don’t usually hole.
“The course set up, it was tough. That’s why it is good to play these elevated tournaments – they are good and highly competitive. I enjoy playing these as well as LIV events, and the goal is to play plenty of International Series events ahead of League fixtures.”
David Puig impressively remained on course to win his first title as a professional when he carded a third-round six-under-par 66 for a gaping nine-shot lead in the US$2 million International Series Singapore at Tanah Merah Country Club (TMCC).
The Spaniard dominated The International Series event for the third successive day, reaching 20 under, with Korean Jaewoong Eom leading the chasing pack after shooting a 69.
Thailand’s Atiruj Winaicharoenchai returned a 68, and Australian Jack Thompson a 69, to sit in a tie for third, one shot back – on another incredibly hot and humid day on TMCC’s magnificent Tampines Course.
Puig’s 64 on day one gave him a three-shot lead, and after a 66 yesterday he moved six in front before more big drives, precision iron play and a hot putter today saw him extend the gap.
SINGAPORE: Jaewoong Eom of Korea pictured during Round Three of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Saturday October 7, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The 21-year-old, who also plays on the LIV Golf League, attacked the front nine with three birdies and an eagle to take a firm grip of the event before eight successive pars on the back was fittingly capped off with a birdie on the par-five 18th.
Said the richly talented golfer: “Yeah played very good again, hit a lot of fairways and greens and made some putts on the front nine. I think I missed some on the back but overall played very good, very steady and pretty happy.”
His 54-hole score is the lowest of the season on the Asian Tour, while he also has the biggest three-round lead of the year.
Despite his exceptional performance he did admit he still has concerns.
“You know, I always get frustrated. It doesn’t matter if I’m leading like this week or if I’m playing pretty bad, I always get frustrated because I always want to make the best score I can,” he said.
“But again, I know I was hitting good putts, they dropped in the front nine and they didn’t on the back, so I think it was pretty average overall. But again, very happy with the way I’m playing, and it was good to finish with a birdie on 18.”
Puig is expected to see it through tomorrow and banish the memories of recent missed opportunities, when he dropped shots at crucial stages.
He led after three rounds of the International Series Morocco last year, in his first event on Tour, before finishing third, and this year he shared the lead at the half-way mark of the International Series England in August, eventually finishing fourth. The following week he had a three-shot lead after two rounds of the St Andrews Championship but ended in a tie for 14th. And last month he was the first-round leader in the Shinhan Donghae Open, before coming home in equal 11th place.
He also hasn’t missed the cut in his nine starts on the Asian Tour, since turning professional just over a year ago.
Little is known of Eom, although he excelled in the New Zealand Open this year, finishing in a tie for second and will at the very least look to repeat that tomorrow.
“I couldn’t make as many putts as I did yesterday,” he said.
“I gave myself a lot of opportunities but couldn’t make most of them. That’s the key difference compared to yesterday. I managed to save pars on two holes after hitting wayward drives. Nice to stay bogey-free for two rounds.
Atiruj Winaicharoenchai of Thailand pictured during Round Three of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Saturday October 7, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Puig played very well and he is too far ahead. It will be tough to catch him tomorrow. But I learned a lot from watching how he played today. I will just play my game tomorrow and try to finish the best I can.”
While his English is limited, he does surprisingly speak Mandarin fluently having lived in Qingdao, China, for a couple of years when he was a teenager and went to high school and college there.
American Andy Ogletree – leader of both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits – came in with 68, while Koreans Seungtaek Lee and Yongjun Bae plus Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho carded 69s and are in a tie for fifth but a whopping 11 shots behind the runaway leader Puig.
Defending champion Nitithorn Thippong from Thailand fired a 73 and is one under, in a tie for 55th.
Singapore’s next generation of golfing talent were given an insight into the skills needed to make it to the top of the game, at a special masterclass delivered by Graeme McDowell, one of the LIV Golf League superstars playing at International Series Singapore this week.
The 2010 US Open champion spent time with 15 talented youngsters on the Singapore Golf Association’s SGA Futures programme, delivering tips on technique and attitude at the Tanah Merah Country Club’s driving range on Friday, day two of the US$2million event which is one of 10 marquee events on the Asian Tour season.
McDowell, who triumphed at Pebble Beach in 2010 to become the first European in 40 years to win the US Open, said: “It is fun, but of course it’s important for us as pro golfers to take this stuff seriously.
“We always talk about coming to Asia and parts of the world where golf is obviously still a developing sport. It’s great to see the next generation out here playing the game and looking to improve,” added McDowell who plays on the Cleeks GC in the LIV Golf League.
Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland conducts a golf clinic for Singapore Golf Association children at the driving range at the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Friday October 6, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Despite having star billing, the 44-year-old Northern Irishman struggled for form in the International Series Singapore, and ultimately missed the cut after carding scores of 74 and 75 on the challenging Tampines Course at TMCC.
He said: “You are always hoping that you are inspiring the next generation – not inspiring this week with a 74 and 75 from me! It’s probably one of the most educated bunch of young kids that I have ever done a clinic for but it’s great for me to think through the mechanics and some of the things I forget a little bit as well.
“It’s cool, a lot of fun getting to spend some time with them. We always talk about growing the game but sometimes we don’t do enough to help and grow the game but it’s a nice opportunity to do this today.
“My little boy and my little girl are seven and nine years old, and they’re on a very similar program to this one. It’s great.”
David Puig took a stranglehold of the US$2 million International Series Singapore today after carding a second-round six-under-par 66 today to take the lead on 14-under.
The 21-year-old Spaniard has a commanding six-stroke lead over Korean Jaewoong Eom, who returned a 67 – in the seventh International Series event of the season.
Australian Jack Thompson, this year’s Qualifying School winner, shot a 68 and is a further shot behind, while Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho (67) and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger (69s) are in group of nine players tied for fourth, another stroke back.
Puig has been knocking on the door of a first Asian Tour victory since turning professional just over a year ago and looks like having his best chance this week.
He started the day with a three-shot lead after a sublime 64 yesterday and boarded the birdie train again today making light work of the formidable Tampines Course here at Tanah Merah Country Club.
Jaewoong Eom of Korea pictured during Round Two of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Friday October 6, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He started on 10 with a bogey but bounced back with birdies on 11, 14, 15 and 17 and swept through the second half with four more birdies, including on the last, and one dropped shot.
“Two awesome days. Played very good,” said Puig, pronounced ‘P-w-ee-g’.
“I think I even played better today than I did yesterday. You know, it was pretty hot at the end, and I had a couple bad shots on holes seven and eight to finish, but overall, very happy.”
This is not the first time he has been out in front on the Asian Tour: he led after three rounds of the International Series Morocco last year, in his first event on Tour, before finishing third, and he had a three-shot margin after two rounds of the St Andrews Championship in August but ended in a tie for fourth.
About those performances he said: “It’s experience you know, and kind of learning from the past. I mean, I think I already learned a lot in this last month, on seven for example, or eighth, I hit a couple bad shots and instead of trying to be a hero and try to even make birdie or par, where sometimes you make like six or seven, I played steady and had two fives. I knew I was going to get two fives, but you know, I think I’m ready.”
He has also been competing full-time on the LIV Golf League playing for Torque GC – the dominant team this season, having won four times. His best finish individually came in Chicago in August when he was fourth and next week he heads to LIV Golf Jeddah.
L-R – Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and Taichi Kho of Hong Kong pictured together on the 18th green during Round Two of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Friday October 6, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
His six-shot advantage is still some way short of the Asian Tour’s record after two rounds. England’s Lee Westwood holds that as he had an 11-stroke lead at the 2011 Thailand Golf Championship.
Eom, who shone in the New Zealand Open earlier in the year when he finished in a tie for second, made five birdies and was one of the few players to go bogey free.
“I think everything was good today, from tee shots to iron-play to putting,” said the Korean, who as well as being a fine golfer, also speaks Mandarin fluently.
“Everything was good, and I am pleased with the way I played. This is actually my first time in Singapore. The golf course looks great and the greens are in good conditions. It was really hot out there. That’s the toughest part. I’m not used to playing in this heat. We never get this in Korea.”
Kho is clearly still on a high after claiming the gold medal at the Asian Games last week in China and shot up the leaderboard making six birdies before dropping his only shot of the day on the last.
He said: “I felt like I had some issues with strategy and bit of focus yesterday, but I was able to clean that up really nicely, so I was able to attack the golf course like I thought I could. And overall, a really good day.”
The 22-year-old made history in March by becoming the first player from Hong Kong to win an Asian Tour event after he recorded a hugely popular and significant victory at the inaugural World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club.
“I think I have a mixture of confidence and a little bit of fatigue, but I feel like it almost works to my advantage because I’m just out here playing golf,” said Kho, who finished 27 under at the Asian Games.
“And that’s all it really feels like, there’s no added pressure or anything like that. So, yeah, overall, I’m just trying to play golf and just try to get a little bit better this week. But other than that, there’s a lot of confidence from my ability to go low from the previous week, and hopefully that can help me this week and in the future as well.”
Bernd Wiesberger of Austria pictured during Round Two of the International Series Singapore at the Tanah Merah Country Club (Tampines Course) on Friday October 6, 2023. The US$2 million Asian Tour event is staged from October 5-8, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
One shot further back are a group of players that includes American Andy Ogletree (71), the runaway leader on both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits (OOM), and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (70), last year’s International Series OOM champion, which earned him a place on this year’s LIV Golf League.
October is known worldwide as the month of Breast Cancer Awareness, and The International Series is joining the fight against the disease, with a US$25,000 contribution to the Singapore Cancer Society, made at the International Series Singapore.
Singapore Cancer Society Commissioner & CEO Albert Ching received the cheque from Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, and Cho Minn Thant, the CEO & Commissioner of the Asian Tour ahead of the tournament at Tanah Merah Country Club.
The Singapore Cancer Society has also laid on a special awareness activation, running from 11am to 4pm from Friday to Sunday, where a limited number of free Faecal Immunochemical Test kits (FIT kits), a vital preliminary test for colorectal cancer, will be distributed to Singaporean spectators aged 50 and above while stocks last.
Special educational games and brochures will also be available at the stand which is located at the Tanah Merah Country Club spectator pick up and drop off spot.
Richard Bland wearing a breast cancer awareness ribbon. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The activation will also feature complimentary health tests – including blood pressure, BMI and cholesterol – conducted by medical professionals in partnership with the Hope Ambulance, for spectators from 11am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday only.
To raise further awareness about the disease and to show support for those affected by Breast Cancer, players donned pink ribbons, provided by the Singapore Cancer Society, on their caps or clothing during day one of the tournament.
Rahul Singh, Head of The International Series, said: “We have an ongoing commitment to the communities that host our International Series events, and it is vital that we use our platform to support these societies.
“In this instance, we are raising awareness about cancer to encourage positive change in health and wellbeing in Singapore, the home and heartland of the Asian Tour.”
Albert Ching, CEO of Singapore Cancer Society, added: “Cancer is the leading cause of death in Singapore and that is why the Singapore Cancer Society must step up to support society here by minimising cancer and maximising lives.
“Support like this from The International Series is crucial – in terms of supporting the cancer community and also in helping our work as we reach out to the wider community and general public at large to educate them about cancer awareness so they can also play their part in this important fight to minimise the disease.”
The International Series Singapore, one of the Asian Tour’s series of marquee events, runs from 5-8 October.
Organisers of the widely acclaimed Yeangder TPC – impressively won by Thailand’s Poom Saksansin two weeks ago – have announced that the prize money for next year’s tournament will be increased to US$1million, which elevates it to the joint-richest golf event in the country.
This marks the third successive time the purse has been increased. The tournament returned to the Asian Tour schedule in 2022, having been played solely as an event on the domestic circuit for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a prize purse of US$700,000 which was a significant rise from the previous purse of US$500,000 in 2019. This season it was upped again to US$750,000.
“Our thanks go to the Yeangder Group and its Chairman Emmet Hsu for once again elevating the prize money for what is one of the Asian Tour’s key tournaments. Not only have we seen an elevation in the purse in recent years, but we’ve also seen a considerable effort made towards improving playing conditions at the host venue. The conditions this year were the best we have ever seen.” said Cho Minn Thant, the Asian Tour’s Commissioner and CEO.
“This means the Yeangder TPC will continue to play a decisive role in determining our Merit champion and final overall finishing places on the list.
Poom Saksansin of Thailand pictured with the winner’s trophy during Round Four, Sunday September 24, 2023 at the Yeangder TPC, Linkou International Golf and Country Club. The US$ 750.000 Asian Tour event is staged from September 21-24, 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Chinese Taipei has long been one of the Asian Tour’s biggest supporters, through events like the Yeangder TPC and its many great players – past, present and future.”
Poom was triumphant over Australian Travis Smyth, the defending champion, by three shots this year at Linkou International Golf and Country Club, the tournament’s permanent home since its launch in 2010.
He closed with a brilliant six-under-par 66 to finish on 24-under for his first Asian Tour title in five years and earned a cheque for US$135,000.
The inaugural Yeangder TPC was won by Thai great Thaworn Wiratchant. He triumphed again in 2013 and remains the only player to date to have his name etched on the trophy twice.
The event boasts an impressive list of international winners with the victories of Thai Prom Meesawat (2014) and Spaniard Carlos Pigem (2016) were notable for the fact that they were achieved after play-offs, while Lu Wei-chih (2011) is the only local player to have savoured success in the event when it has been sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
Indian Gaganjeet Bhullar’s four-stroke success in 2012 remains the largest winning margin in the event’s history.
Also on the Yeangder TPC roll of honour are South African Shaun Norris (2015), Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu (2017), American John Catlin (2018) and Korean Yikeun Chang (2019).
Main photo: (L-R) Bryant Hsu, Vice President of Yeangder Group and his father Emmet Hsu, Chairman of Yeangder Group.
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