Published on August 2, 2023

Sadom Kaewkanjana always exudes calmness and composure but at this week’s Mandiri Indonesia Open that will be even more apparent as, just last month, the Thai star concluded his two-week monkhood.

With the main aim of giving his family considerable credit, he was ordained a monk for a short period of time, something Thai men, after they turn 20, often chose to do, entering a monastery to study dharma – the teachings of the Lord Buddha.

“I was ordained because I wanted to return the greatest merit and repay my parents,” said Sadom, who tees off in Indonesia’s National Open tomorrow at Pondok Indah Golf Course.
“During this time of ordination, it was of great value and experience, even though the ordination was a short period of time.”

As was well documented, in 2017, his compatriot Jazz Janewattananond went through the same process and a month later he won his first event on the Asian Tour – the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open.

Said Jazz at the time: “They [the monks] just make you see things in a different perspective. Golf is not the biggest thing in your life.”

And, back in 2014, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, the Asian Tour number one at the time, also swapped his golfing attire for a robe to be ordained a monk for a week.

Sadom will also be hoping the special spiritual experience has a positive effect on the golf course. He is currently in sixth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM), following a strong start to the year, which saw him place fourth in the season-opening Saudi International, and then joint second in the International Series Oman, the following week.

However, he has missed the cut in his last year’s three events and will be looking to bounce back this week in an event that marks the start of the second half of the season.

He said: “I was cut off from the rest of the world when I was ordained, that made me feel more calm. I was able to concentrate more, which will help me improve my game of golf.”

His time in the temple required him to shave his head and eyebrows, wake up at 4.30am, meditate, and clean the temple grounds, eating just one meal a day.

The 25-year-old is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour; the first coming in the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open in 2019, before he recorded a famous win in one of Asia’s most prestigious events, the Singapore Open in 2022.

The second victory was expected to open the floodgates to more success but while he has regularly been in contention since then, and finished third on last year’s OOM, a third win has been elusive so far.

That could change this week, though, with the supremely talented golfer, boasting a textbook swing, seeing the world and his ambitions in the game in a different light.

Published on August 1, 2023

Gaganjeet Bhullar’s record in the Mandiri Indonesia Open is second to none – he clinched the title for a record third-time last year – and ahead of this week’s tournament, which starts on Thursday at the renowned Pondok Indah Golf Course, he says he will look for inspiration from those remarkable performances.

“You know that success will inspire me a lot,” said the 35-year-old from Amritsar.

“They basically will remind me of all the good shots, all the good moments I’ve had in Indonesia and I’m just hoping that I will play as good as I played last year.”

Having triumphed in 2013 and 2016, the latter also at Pondok Indah, a reinvigorated Bhullar, fully recovered from a bad bout of COVID at the start of the year, made it a third title last season by storming to a two-shot victory over compatriot Rashid Khan and England’s Steve Lewton.

Bhullar was at his imperious best on the last day on the Robert Trent Jones Jnr-designed layout, carding a bogey-free seven-under-par 65 for a tournament total of 20-under.

“I remember clearly pretty much every hole. I got off to a really good start. I was paired with Rashid Khan and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai and I remember those two guys they also played well actually but I got off to a good start,” said the Indian, who was marking his return to his home continent after four years focusing on Europe and who dedicated his triumph to his 11-month-old daughter.

“I was driving the ball well, I didn’t miss any fairways on Sunday, hit my iron shots on the green and I think I just putted well. Once you’re on the positive mojo it just multiplies over and over. I’m glad I just closed it well and that was another victory under the belt.”

He has started this year slowly by his own high standards and is currently 50th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, having played eight of the 10 events so far, with his best result coming on home ground at The DGC Open presented by Mastercard, where he tied for sixth.

However, he is hoping that his recent break from the game will help get him back on track.

“I basically took two months off, just over two months, I think close to nine weeks off, and this was the first time I actually got such a long break ever since I’ve turned pro in the last 17 years,” he said.

“I was actually looking forward to this break and there were so many things which I’ve worked on during my off season from my fitness right to my driving speed to my playing ability.

“I played so many rounds on the golf course with a mindset of scoring well, I was mentally fatigued, so I personally feel that this break was much needed, and I have utilized it in a great way, in a structured manner. Now, I’m actually mentally and physically prepared and ready for the second half.”

He plans to play pretty much all the events from here on in, which will be at least 14 more, with this week’s event signifying the commencement of the second-half of the season.

His first victory on the Asian Tour also came in Indonesia at the President Invitational in 2009. That win set in a motion an outstanding career in Asia, which has also seen him claim the Macau Open twice.

“The majority of the golf courses in Indonesia and Thailand and Malaysia all really suit my style of play and over the years I’ve just felt very comfortable, and maybe it’s something to do with the weather, I feel very comfortable playing in hot and humid weather,” said the Indian, his country’s number one amateur in 2004 and 2005.

“Golf, it’s a game of clicks, one thing leads to the next. One good shot will keep on making a new thread of good shots, so I think that has happened over the past few years and that was one of the reasons why I’ve won their multiple times.”

Bhullar will have his work cut out for him this week though with a strong field in attendance, led by Filipino Miguel Tabuena, second on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, and Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Gunn Charoenkul as well as Taichi Kho from Hong Kong – all ranked in the top 10.

Published on July 31, 2023

Patrick Reed will be aiming to deliver a super-charged performance at this month’s inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship.

The appearance of the 2018 Masters champion further bolsters the line-up for the US$1.5 million event which will be the 12th leg of the 2023 Asian Tour season and the sixth stop on The International Series.

In what promises to be a memorable week at Fairmont St Andrews (24-27 August), Reed will join fellow Masters champion Sergio Garcia and Joaquin Niemann, alongside a host of players from the LIV Golf roster.

Organisers also announced today that South Africans Dean Burmester and Branden Grace, Australian Matt Jones, Spaniard Eugenio Chacarra, Colombian Sebastian Munoz, New Zealander Danny Lee and Austrian Bernd Wiesberger will be gracing the fairways of the Torrance Course at Fairmont St Andrews.

Reed has been a permanent fixture in the top-50 in the Official World Golf Ranking since 2014 and is in an elite group of players who have posted top-10 finishes in all four Majors.

He’s been one of the most consistent players at this year’s Majors. Following a share of fourth at Augusta National in April, Reed was joint 18th at the PGA Championship, tied for 56th at the US Open and equal 33rd at last month’s Open Championship.

Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Commissioner & Chief Executive Officer, said: “We’ve had some strong fields at our International Series events thus far and the St Andrews Bay Championship is no exception. It’s wonderful to have such prominent players compete more regularly on the Asian Tour since the establishment of The International Series and this definitely validates the Asian Tour’s growth into a global Tour.

“I know this will motivate and inspire our Asian Tour members to raise their games. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to test themselves against genuine world-class players at a world-class venue.”

Winner of nine tournaments worldwide, Reed achieved his highest world ranking of sixth in June 2020.

In the 2022 LIV Golf Invitational series, he was in the top-five three times, including a runner-up spot in Bangkok, and finished fourth in the Individual Champion standings. In the 2023 standings he’s currently fourth having had four top-five finishes.

Callum Nicoll, Director of Golf & Estates at Fairmont St Andrews, said: “We’re delighted to see such a strong field shaping up and very much look forward to welcoming so many outstanding players to Fairmont St Andrews.

“Set among 520 acres of stunning Scottish coastline with views of St Andrews Bay, the Torrance Course at Fairmont is a worthy venue for such an historic tournament.”

Sculpted by European Ryder Cup legend Sam Torrance, the 7,230-yard layout has previously hosted the DP World Tour and European Seniors Tour as well as being a venue for Open Qualifying.

Part of the Asian Tour’s 2023 ‘UK Summer Swing’, the St Andrews showpiece will be preceded by the International Series England, at Close House in Newcastle.

The Asian Tour’s elite-level International Series comprises 10 events, featuring elevated prize funds and welcoming top golfers from every continent and Tour.

Following the first four International Series events of 2023, American Andy Ogletree leads the way in the overall standings with Japan’s Takumi Kanaya, Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent and Australian Wade Ormsby in pursuit.

The final Asian Tour entry list will be unveiled soon.

Published on July 26, 2023

The highly anticipated 2024 Asian Tour Qualifying School is set to be held across six different venues in three countries over a span of five months starting this September.

Apart from its regular destination in Thailand, the Asian Tour Qualifying School will also be staged in the United States for the second straight year and is set to make a welcome return to Australia following a 17-year lapse.

The First Stage of the Qualifying School will consist of six events, with the first to be played ‘Down Under’ at the Mt Derrimut Golf & Community Club in Victoria from September 26-29, while the Soboba Springs Golf Club in California will host the next stop from November 7-10.

Thailand, which has such a strong association with the Qualifying School will then stage the ensuing events, at Grand Prix Golf Club, Kanchanaburi from December 12-15, and Pattana Sports Resort, Chonburi from December 19-22.

The final two First Stage qualifiers will be played simultaneously from January 9-12 at the Phoenix Gold Golf Bangkok and Grand Prix Golf Club.

Each event will be played over four rounds, with the top-placed finishers earning places in the Final Qualifying Stage to be played in Thailand from January 16-20.  The top-35 will earn their cards for the 2024 Asian Tour season with the venue for the final qualifying stage to be announced in due course.

“The Asian Tour added a new Qualifying School site in the United States for the first time last year and we received immediate interest with the site filling up in a matter of days. It made complete sense to look at other regions from which we typically see a large number of entrants. Australia was the natural candidate.” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

“A First Stage Qualifying event being played in Australia reflects increased interest in the Asian Tour and our need to broaden Qualifying School’s reach. It also demonstrates the strong bond we have always enjoyed with Australia’s talent pool year in and year out. This way we can help lessen the burden if travelling for Stage 1.”

The Final Qualifying Stage will be played over five rounds. The top 140 players (and ties) after 36 holes will progress to round three and four. The top 70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the decisive final round, which will be held on January 20. At the conclusion of 90 holes, the top 35 will be ranked accordingly for the 2024 season.

Many of the Asian Tour’s most successful golfers have ascended through the Qualifying School including Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (1999) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (2009), Australian Scott Hend (2007), and American John Catlin (2018).

The Asian Tour Qualifying School was last held in Cranbourne, Australia in November 2006.

Registration for the 2024 Asian Tour Qualifying School will begin on August 7, 2023. Check out asiantour.com/q-school for more information.

Ends.

Published on July 24, 2023

As the clock on the clubhouse at Hoylake ticked round to 2.28 pm, the final flight in the final round of the 151st Open Championship were approaching the first green.

Trying to shield themselves from the wind and rain, Brian Harman and Cam Young were vying for a place in golfing history, writes Spencer Robinson – Contributing Editor, Asian Tour – from Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Trampling through the mud-soaked pathways and puddles lining the Royal Liverpool Golf Club fairways, thousands of hardy spectators, brollies raised, were braving the elements.

In the maelstrom of an Open Championship Sunday, one man could be seen in splendid isolation back on the putting green alongside the third fairway, a hive of activity throughout the week, until about an hour earlier.

Clad in light blue waterproofs as steady drizzle continued to fall, putter in hand, he stooped over a right-to-left six-foot putt, the ball breaking gently and disappearing below ground into the cup in front of the red-bricked clubhouse.

There were no fans there to cheer him; no caddie to retrieve his ball from the hole and no coach to offer technical advice. All alone in his bubble, he diligently continued his putting drills, seemingly oblivious to the roars from around the course.

On his Open Championship debut, Bio Kim missed the half-way cut following two rounds of two-over-par 73.

Unlike most others who failed to progress to the weekend, the Korean, second on last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit, opted to hang around at Royal Liverpool and work on his game.

“I’ve been struggling with my putting. I’m working on tucking in my elbow and improving my rhythm and tempo,” said Kim, who secured his ticket to The Open by finishing joint fourth in the World City Championship in Hong Kong in March.

Although he ended level there with Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines, it was Kim who claimed the last of the four Open spots on offer by virtue of his higher position in the Official World Golf Ranking, 164th.

As he discovered at Royal Liverpool, to bridge the gap to the world’s best and to become Major championship contenders, there are no short cuts and no secrets. It calls for hard work, toil and practice, Kim acknowledged.

“I’m disappointed not to have done better here, but I’ve enjoyed it – and I’d love to come back,” said Kim, expressing sentiments that were echoed by fellow Asian Tour members who made it to Hoylake.

Six of the top 19 from the current Merit standings – Takumi Kanaya (third), Taichi Kho (10th), Travis Smyth (11th), Seungsu Han (joint 12th), Kim (18th) and Jazz Janewattananond (19th) – set out on Thursday morning with hopes of making some major moments.

Of the sextet, only Smyth departed with a memory to savour, even if his hole-in-one on the 17th in round two (the only ace of the week) was insufficient to enable him to play all four rounds.

His six-over 150 aggregate was matched by Seungsu Han with Kanaya (153), Kho (160) and Jazz (164) all left to lick their wounds.

For two of the past four Asian Tour Order of Merit champions, however, it was a week that they’ll look back upon with fondness.

Indian Shubhankar Sharma, who topped the Merit standings in 2018, was joint fourth at the half-way stage.

Continuing to play with grit and determination as the weather worsened over the weekend, he ended a week in which he celebrated his 27th birthday by finishing in a share of eighth place with Cam Young.

His closing 70 was Faldo-esque, 17 pars and one birdie. Over the four rounds he had only three bogeys and one double-bogey (a five at 17 on day two) on his card, testament to his controlled ball flight.

Sharma’s bid to contend for the Claret Jug may not have quite materialised, but producing the best-ever Open Championship finish of an Indian at The Open (bettering Jyoti Randhawa’s tied 27th in 2004) is a well-deserved consolation.

It’s also only the third top-10 Major finish by an Indian, following Jeev Milkha Singh (tied ninth, PGA Championship 2008) and Anirban Lahiri (tied fifth, PGA Championship 2015). Expect to hear more from him.

Meanwhile, the stock of Tom Kim continues to soar.

The Korean made his Open debut last summer as the second youngest winner of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and swiftly followed it with two victories on the PGA Tour, capturing the Wyndham Championship by five shots after a scintillating closing 61, and then the Shriners Children’s Open by three.

Sandwiched between those successes, he won his first Presidents Cup cap and had victories alongside KH Lee and Siwoo Kim.

At Royal Liverpool, the 21-year-old’s rapid ascent continued, a thrilling final-round 67 – the joint best score of the day – elevating him into a share of second, alongside Jon Rahm, Jason Day and Sepp Straka.

No wonder Kim is spoken of as one of the hottest properties in the world game. With more hard work, toil and practice, a maiden Major is surely not far away.

Published on July 23, 2023

At the highest level, golf can be a brutally tough and unforgiving game. Just ask Taichi Kho.

Ahead of his Major championship debut in the 151st edition of The Open, the rookie Hong Kong pro exuded an air of quiet confidence. His demeanour was calm and his mood upbeat, writes Spencer Robinson – Contributing Editor, Asian Tour – from Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

After two bruising days trying to navigate his way around Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Kho was shaken and somewhat subdued. Understandably so, given the roller-coaster ride he endured.

Beaten but unbowed, he has vowed to learn from the harsh lessons that were meted out to him. It may take a while for all the scars to heal, but time is very much on the side of this level-headed 22-year-old whose chastening experience has only served to strengthen his resolve,

“It was a tough couple of days but I learned a lot. It was great being in this atmosphere. Something I’ll definitely take forward. I feel I came out a way better player,” he said.

Brave words from a man who ran up seven bogeys in his opening nine holes followed by a quintuple-bogey 10 on the 18th that added up to a 12-over-par 83 and left him propping up the 156-man field. Any hopes of making the cut were well and truly buried in the Hoylake sand.

A six-stroke improvement on day two at least enabled him to move up two spots and avoid the ignominy of finishing last.

In the immediate aftermath of his day one baptism of fire, Kho flatly declined requests to face the media. When questioned after round two, he spoke in thoughtful and measured tones.

“I’m naturally disappointed with the performance, but in the long run everything happens for a reason and I’m sure this week will be quite a helpful part of my career.

“I felt like I hit it pretty decent, but I have to sharpen up all around. I feel like my iron play has been progressing nicely so a lot of positives there,” he reflected.

Possibly the most important takeaway is that you don’t mess with the bunkers on links courses on The Open rota. You respect them at all times, take your medicine when appropriate … and move on.

Referring to his woes on the 18th when he twice failed to extricate himself from a bunker due to an overly ambitious approach, he said: “I was playing great on the back nine and thought if I birdied the last (18th), I could have a shot at the weekend.

“I hit two great shots into that left bunker and just got too aggressive from a bad lie and then kept compounding my mistakes. But I learned from that – and I’ll never do that again.”

With the unpredictable bounces and extreme run on firm fairways, he’ll be more cautious, too, about club selection.

He said: “With this course you can’t really take every bunker out of play. Because if you do, then you’re just really playing for pars. I felt like I had a good strategy to attack this golf course but I didn’t quite execute some shots and I found those bunkers.”

Not that Kho has any issue with the penal bunkering. On the contrary, his assessment is both refreshing and refreshingly honest.

“I think it’s great that when you get into those bunkers it’s a real hazard because I feel like a lot of modern golf courses don’t really do that with the bunkers.

“I appreciate the fact that the course asks a lot of tough questions. Hopefully next time I come back I can handle it a little better.”

It’s that humble and mature outlook which will stand Kho in good stead as he seeks to follow up his famous triumph in the World City Championship over his home course at the Hong Kong Golf Club by establishing himself on the Asian Tour – and earning further Major championship starts.

Now he’s had a taste of the big time, he wants more.

“Here (Royal Liverpool) it just seemed like an ocean of people crossing and lining the fairways. It was really cool. Amazing.

“Just being here and being part of this atmosphere was great. I definitely see myself coming back for a lot more of these.”

Published on July 22, 2023

To contend at the top level in any sport requires a combination of factors, talent and temperament being high on the list. A generous dose of self-belief does no harm, either.

As he’s proved over the opening two days of the 151st Open Championship, Shubhankar Sharma possesses all of the above attributes, writes Spencer Robinson – Contributing Editor, Asian Tour – from Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

On the occasion of his 27th birthday, Sharma posted an accomplished second round of even-par 71 at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

While many others were being blown off course by capricious winds, Sharma held firm to cement his place on the first page of the leaderboard, ensuring also he maintained his 100 per cent record of making the cut in all three Opens in which he’s participated.

With a 36-hole aggregate of three-under 139, the 2018 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion heads into the weekend in a share of fourth place with Australians Min Woo Lee and Jason Day.

Seven strokes adrift of pace-setting American left-hander Brian Harman he may be, but Sharma believes that talk about contending to become the first Indian Major winner is far from fanciful.

“Yes, I would like to think so,” he replied politely when asked if he thought his weekend prospects were positive. “If I play the way I have the first few days, make a few more putts, and if I’m in my process, then anything is possible, surely.”

Further insight into his mindset came from his answer as to whether he was aiming to better the previous best Open Championship showing from an Indian, a share of 27th place in 2004 for Jyoti Randhawa, another former Asian Tour Order of Merit champion.

“I don’t want to chase records to be the best Indian. It’s about coming and playing and finishing as high up as possible. I think everyone is playing to win, so that’s more important,” he said, emphatically.

The two Indian golfers who have had the most influence on Sharma are Jeev Milkha Singh and Anirban Lahiri, both with multiple Asian Tour wins to their names.

Sharma said: “Jeev was always the stalwart for us. He was the flag-bearer. He’s a lot older than me, so I never played with him. But he was like a God-figure for us, because he was playing so well.

“I’m closer to Anirban because he’s closer to my age. I learned a lot from him. I used to walk around with him when he was a pro and I was as an amateur.

“We’ve had a host of good players who have done really well, but these two definitely stand out.”

Over the first 36 holes at Hoylake, Sharma has stood out and done very little wrong. The only notable blemish was a double-bogey five at the short 17th when he misjudged the wind, over-clubbed and paid the penalty.

His performance here to date is especially laudable given his limited links experience.

“I’ve not played a lot of links golf, except for the tournaments we’ve had on the European Tour for the past five years – the Scottish, the Irish once in a while now.

“That’s all the experience that I’ve had, along with the two previous Opens that I’ve played. But it’s amazing.

“I’ve always loved links golf. Just watching it on TV, watching the British Open and the different shots that you can play and be creative … it’s definitely up my alley.”

Published on

He may have missed the half-way cut on his Open Championship debut, but there was plenty of cause for celebration for Travis Smyth.

With a single stroke of genius at Royal Liverpool Golf Club’s 132-yard, par-three 17th, the pony-tailed Australian won the admiration of the galleries … and earned himself a place in the Hoylake history books, writes Spencer Robinson – Contributing Editor, Asian Tour – from Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

“It was just the perfect distance, perfect wind and the club. Everything just kind of came together, and it was a moment I’ll never forget,” said Smyth of his beautifully-struck nine-iron that found the bottom of the cup, eliciting some of the biggest roars of the day.

Smyth, who punched his Open ticket by finishing third at the Asian Tour’s World City Championship in Hong Kong in March, added: “Even walking back to the 18th tee people were yelling my name; walking down 18 people were yelling my name.

“It was a chippy nine-iron, and just probably half-way through the flight I thought: ‘This is going to be good’. It looked amazing.

“I took some pace off to keep the ball flight down. I put it back in the stance a little bit, I gripped down a little, as well, and I tried to hit it 20 feet right of the pin and allowed for the wind to bring it back to the middle or basically the flag.”

Not only was it the first ‘ace’ at the 151st Open Championship, but the first at the new-look 17th that promises more drama over the weekend.

“When I first played it, I thought it was a great hole, for the length. If it was a little bit longer and we were hitting six-iron it would be pretty unfair. But there’s enough green over there for a nine-iron or eight-iron. The punishment is big, but it makes for great golf come Sunday,” said Smyth.

After rounds of 78 and 71 for a 36-hole total of 149, Smyth will not be part of that action.

“To be honest, I didn’t play very well this week. I didn’t have much control of my golf ball at all. It’s a pretty demanding golf course. I felt like I was on the wrong end of it all week. This has chewed me up a lot.

“But (thanks to the hole-in-one) it’s as good as you can feel not making the cut.”

Now, Smyth’s attentions and energy will turn to the Asian Tour as he bids to mount a challenge for Order of Merit glory, with a special focus on the International Series as a means to play his way back onto the LIV Golf League.

Having enjoyed a slice of the LIV action last year, he’s anxious to return to that platform and is well positioned to do so, currently 16th in the International Series Merit standings.

Smyth said: “About a month prior to last year’s International Series England, Asian Tour players were told that depending on how you play, if you come top three, there may be a spot in the very first LIV event. We were all very excited and I went and came second, narrowly missing a play-off.

“When I was at the prize ceremony, I got told that I’d get to play three LIV events. Then there was another sort of qualification process. But I got to play the first LIV event and it was unbelievable.”

It was also lucrative. At the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire, Smyth was part of the team which by finishing second earned him over £400,000 – more than twice the previous biggest cheque of his career.

“It’s changed my life, obviously, for the better financially. Professional golf is very, very expensive. Most people don’t realise that. Since the LIV experience I’ve been able to do my thing much more comfortably, and I’ve been better for it,” said Smyth, whose maiden Asian Tour triumph at the Yeangder TPC helped him to a seventh-place finish in the 2022 Order of Merit.

Now he’s looking forward. “We’re going to have a busy back-end of the year with the Asian Tour. I’m going to go back to Chicago for a couple weeks and then play the International Series events in England and Scotland.

“If you win the International Series for the Asian Tour, everyone knows you get a spot on the LIV Tour. That’s what I’m aiming at, for sure,” he said.

Published on July 21, 2023

It was supposed to be a dream come true for Taichi Kho. But the Hong Kong player’s Open Championship debut turned into a nightmare as he ran up a 10 at the devilish par-five closing hole at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

It was an excruciatingly painful conclusion to a trying day in what was his first Major championship round, writes Spencer Robinson – Contributing Editor, Asian Tour – from Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Eventually signing for a 12-over-par 83, Kho ended the opening round of the 151st Open Championship propping up the 156-strong field.

What was particularly galling for Kho was that he’d shown tremendous fortitude in fighting back well from a nerve-ridden front nine 43 that included seven bogeys and just two pars.

To his credit he re-focused and was rewarded with a string of seven pars from the 10th. When he holed from 27 feet at the short 17th for his first Major championship birdie, an unlikely comeback appeared possible.

But that optimism was short-lived. At the 599-yard 18th, his 313-yard drive found one of Hoylake’s many penal sand traps. Kho’s first two attempts to extricate himself from the bunker proved unsuccessful. The misadventures, sadly, did not stop there.

From sand to rough to bunker to rough he went, his travails as agonising for family and friends who had followed him all the way around as it must have been for him.

Kho finally made it onto the green with his eighth stroke and two-putted from nine feet. It all added up to a quintuple-bogey 10.

Although it would not have been of much comfort or consolation, he was far from the only player to be badly burned at the 18th. Justin Thomas had a nine, Rickie Fowler an eight and Adam Scott was among more than half-a-dozen players who had double-bogey sevens.

Yet so distressed was the usually mild-mannered 22-year-old Kho that he uncharacteristically declined post-round media requests, preferring to keep his own counsel.

The lows he felt as he departed the scene were in stark contrast to the highs of just four months ago when he was feted for winning the World City Championship over his home course at the Hong Kong Golf Club.

Not only did he become the first Hong Kong player to win on the Asian Tour, but it was that performance which secured him his starting place at Royal Liverpool for what was always going to be the most memorable week of his fledgeling professional career.

No matter what he goes on to achieve in the game or how many Majors he appears in, you can be sure that Kho will never forget his Hoylake baptism of fire.

But that’s for the future. Given that he’s scheduled to tee-off at 7.08 am local time in the second round on Friday, the immediate task at hand for Kho is to blank from his mind the first-day mis-adventures that befell him. Easier said than done.

Published on July 20, 2023

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond did his best to put on a brave face after a disheartening opening round at the 151st Open Championship. Story by Spencer Robinson at The Open.

 

Teeing-off at 6.46 am in the second flight of the day, conditions remained mild for most of his round.

 

But the seven-time Asian Tour winner was unable to take advantage, slipping to an error-strewn, birdie-less 81 at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

 

“I’m just struggling with my game,” admitted the Asian Tour’s 2019 Order of Merit champion.

 

Littered with four bogeys and three double-bogeys, his 10-over-par return was, by some distance, his poorest performance in what is his fourth Open appearance.

 

 

In eight previous Open championship rounds, Jazz’s highest score had been a 76 on day two at Carnoustie on his Open debut in 2018.

 

Although he managed a sheepish wave to the modest galleries who applauded him as he stepped onto the 18th green at Hoylake, there was no disguising the player’s frustration.

 

“Major championships are tough … and sometimes golf is bad. Today was not good for me. I’ve probably lost any chance to make the cut,” he admitted.

 

Even if his prospects of being around for the weekend are remote at best, Jazz will be aiming to salvage some pride when he tees-off at 11.47 am on Friday.

 

“How many people can say that they’ve played in Major championships? I’m proud to have made it here. I just have to go out (in round two) and do my best … and enjoy it,” he said.