Published on June 19, 2023

To the victor the spoils. With a mature final-round display and an explosive extra-time finish, Minkyu Kim (main picture) grabbed the glory at the 64th edition of the Kolon Korea Open.

Four years after making global headlines with victory in the D+D Real Czech Challenge to become the European Challenge Tour’s youngest winner at the age of 17, Kim finally triumphed on home soil for the first time.

“I can’t believe I’ve actually won,” said Kim, who had posted seven top-10s in his previous 10 starts.

“I’ve come close to winning before (in Korea) and I wondered if I would ever win. I felt good on the back nine and started to feel I had a chance.”

While 21-year-old Kim celebrated his success at the notoriously demanding Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, it was difficult not to spare a thought for Mingyu Cho.

Minkyu Kim. Picture courtesy KGA.

Twelve years Kim’s senior and a two-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, Cho was left to fathom how another significant triumph eluded him after two bites at the cherry.

Three shots ahead of Kim in a share of the third-round lead with fellow-Korean Taehoon Ok, Cho had a 20-foot birdie putt on the last hole of regulation to overhaul clubhouse leader Kim, who had surged to the top of the standings with a closing 69.

With his courageous effort narrowly missing the cup, Cho signed for a one-over 72, matching Kim’s 72-hole aggregate of four-under-par 280, a score illustrating the degree of difficulty of the course.

Despite the disappointment of failing to close the deal, a play-off with Kim presented Cho with a second opportunity to add his name to the illustrious list of past Korea Open champions, including YE Yang, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia and John Daly.

Once more, though, fortune would conspire against Cho.

While the vast majority of golf tournaments that require a play-off opt for a sudden-death solution, the Kolon Korea Open plumps for a mini tournament format with the combined score of each player over three additional holes being adopted.

In this case it proved to be a cruel quirk of fate for Cho who would have been crowned champion on the second extra hole, the 17th, if sudden-death was being used to determine the outcome.

Mingyu Cho. Picture courtesy KGA.

Instead, Cho, on the back of pars at 16 and 17, arrived at the tee of the par-five 18th with a one-stroke advantage over Kim, who made bogey at 17.

An errant drive from Cho forced him to punch his ball back into play, while Kim struck two mighty blows through the back of the green.

With the momentum having switched, Cho’s third found the edge of the green from where he struck a poor chip to 25 feet and was unable to save par.

That left the way clear for Kim who gleefully got up-and-down for the most important birdie of his career, that two-stroke final-hole swing in his favour proving decisive.

Cho could only shrug. “Winning is a difficult task. I will move on,” said Cho, who at least had the not inconsiderable consolation of securing one of the two spots on offer for The 150th Open Championship at St Andrews in July. “I’m now planning to go and play in Europe for the first time. I’m sure, I’ll learn a lot.”

Like Cho, Hyungjoon Lee and American Jarin Todd were left with regrets.

Playing in the penultimate group, Lee looked set for victory when he headed to the 18th hole with a one-shot lead only for his hopes to fall apart with a double-bogey seven after going out-of-bounds.

He had to content himself with a joint-third finish alongside Todd, one stroke shy of joining the play-off.

Following the second round, Todd was asked about his prospects. He said: “I’d rather take The Open spot than the win this week, because it’s going to be at the Old Course at St Andrews and it’s on every golfer’s bucket list.”

Although he missed out this time, Todd and his fellow Asian Tour members were simply pleased to have the Kolon Korea Open back on the calendar following a two-year hiatus due to Covid.

Story from the 2022 Asian Tour Yearbook.

Published on June 16, 2023

The Asian Development Tour (ADT) will return to one of its most popular and regular destinations this year after confirming today that four events in Indonesia have been included on the schedule.

The Indonesia Pro-Am Presented by Combiphar & Nomura – an innovative and exciting new event benefitting from the support of a duo of strong, existing tournament partners – and three established events, the BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, the OB Golf Invitational and The 2nd Indo Masters Golf Invitational presented by TNE, will be staged mid-season adding to an increasingly expanded schedule.

The first event – which in addition to the individual tournament will feature a Pro-Am competition – will be played at Gunung Geulis Country Club from August 16-18. Total prizemoney will be US$125,000, while there is a pot of US$25,000 for the Pro-Am. The venue’s West and East Courses will be utilised.

The US$125,000 BNI Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament – won last year by impressive Thai golfer Suteepat Prateeptienchai, the 2022 ADT Order of Merit (OOM) winner following a hat-trick of victories – will return to Damai Indah Golf, BSD Course, from 23-26 August.  This year will mark the eighth edition of the tournament.

Sutteepat Prateeptienchai, won last year’s Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament and the ADT Order of Merit title. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

In 2019 Tom Kim, the young Korean star now ranked 22nd on the Official World Golf Ranking, and a two-time winner on the PGA Tour competing in this week’s US Open, claimed the Ciputra event – firing a warning shot to the world of golf that he was coming. Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament

The US$70,000 OB Golf Invitational, first played in 2018, will be hosted by Sentul Highlands Golf Club, a new venue for the event, from 6-8 October.

The country’s rising star Naraajie E. Ramadhanputra (main picture) triumphed in the event last year, helping to launch an outstanding start to his professional career, as he also won the inaugural PIF Saudi Open later in the year, before finishing third on the Final ADT OOM to secure, along with Suteepat, full playing privileges on this year’s Asian Tour – a reward bestowed on the top-10 finishers on the Merit list. The young Indonesian has also been in fine form this season, securing the Singha Phuket Open in May – the ADT’s season-opening event, jointly sanctioned with the All Thailand Golf Tour.

The 2nd Indo Masters Golf Invitational presented by TNE – which, like the Indonesia Pro-Am and OB Golf Invitational, is promoted by OB Golf, the organiser of the country’s most lucrative golf tournament the Indonesian Masters, on the Asian Tour and part of The International Series – completes the four events and will be hosted by Imperial Klub Golf, from 11-13 October. The purse will be US$70,000. Australian Harrison Gilbert lifted the trophy in 2022.

“This is another important announcement for the Asian Development Tour, the Asian Tour’s incredibly important feeder circuit, that continues to flourish and confirm its essential position across our platforms,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

Australian Harrison Gilbert pictured after winning last year’s Indo Masters Golf Invitational.

“OB Golf are a long standing and wonderfully supportive partner, and we also thank Ciputra, the Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia, and the respective sponsors and venues for their much-welcomed involvement.

“The addition of a Pro-Am style tournament is also an exciting development that will add another level of excitement and interest in the Tour. Further schedule updates will be announced in due course.”

The next event on the ADT is the inaugural ADT – All Thailand Partnership Trophy, which will be staged at Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club, Mountain/Ocean Course, 6-9 July.

Published on June 14, 2023

Berry Henson, the effervescent American who has made his home on the Asian Tour with great success for more than a decade, makes his debut in the US Open tomorrow and the build up to playing in the biggest and most important tournament of his life has clearly exceeded even his lofty expectations.

“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” said Henson, who grew up just two hours drive from this week’s famous venue, The Los Angeles Country Club.

“I was telling my team this week that it’s kind of been like having the lead for like seven days straight. Haven’t been sleeping that good. Obviously, the attention has been amazing. I’m very blessed, very humbled and honoured to be here at the U.S. Open for my first Major championship.”

Nine days ago, the 43 year old, a winner on both the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour (ADT) who is based in Hua Hin, Thailand, qualified for the third Major of the year by finishing second at the sectional qualifier at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey, with rounds of 64 and 71.

He is one of seven Asian Tour members playing this week – a group that includes Thailand’s in-form golfer Gunn Charoenkul. Korea’s Joohyung Kim, the 2021 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion and now a star on the PGA Tour where he has won twice, is also competing.

However, it is Henson, whose nickname is the Hensonator, who has captured the headlines and appeared on network television, not least because media have latched onto the fact that when he is not competing in tournaments and at home in the US, he is a part-time Uber driver.

He said: “The Hensonator Nation is going to be very strong this week. I’ve got so many friends, so much support in the California/Southern California area, and they’re coming out in droves. I’ve been getting definitely a lot of messages trying to get tickets, and it’s going to be an exciting week.

“I can’t wait to really get it going, but I feel like I came here on Saturday, got to play a few practice rounds through the course, feel comfortable with it.”

Those practice rounds included playing with Americans Phil Mickelson, a six-time runner up in this event, and Bryson DeChambeau, the 2010 US Open champion.

“I played Saturday with Phil (Mickelson) and I just had no clue what to do on lines and it is very difficult to play the first time around,” Henson said. “We played the next day and we had a little game and that got me to kind of seeing the lines a little clearer and picking the shots that I will be hitting this week.”

Henson tees off tomorrow at 6.45am local time with Japan’s Ryutaro Nagano and American Hank Lebioda, starting from tee 10, with a very clear mind set.

He said: “You know, I think my number one goal this week is to stay humble. The U.S. Open is definitely going to expose all aspects of your game, and this is a new experience for me. It’s a Major championship. There’s going to be a lot of different things that happen this week.

“I’m trying to get myself as prepared as I can. I’ve asked so many questions. I got to play with Phil two days in a row, which was amazing. He was amazing. Gave me so many nuggets. I’m just trying to get comfortable.

“I think being humble, getting comfortable, enjoying the experience, and letting my game talk, and hopefully it does this week, and I can only take away positives from this week. It’s just going to be a win-win all the way around. My team is so excited to be here. I’m excited to be here. The USGA has been amazing to me.”

Both of his two wins in Asia came in his first year here in 2011: first in the Clearwater Masters on the ADT, where he triumphed by seven, and then two weeks later at the prestigious Philippine Open.

Although he has not tasted victory in Asia since then he has been one of the Tour’s most consistent performers, a quality that lends itself perfectly to the demands of US Open courses.

“I’m a grinder,” he says.

“I’ve been doing this for 20 something years. I feel like I have that type of mentality. I make a lot of pars. I can get up-and-down from the trash can. I don’t get down on myself and just enjoy what the course gives me.”

Published on May 28, 2023

Indonesia’s Naraajie Ramadhanputra was crowned champion at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open today, the overnight leader being confirmed as the winner after the event was cut to 54 holes due to inclement weather.

Naraajie, winner of two ADT events in 2022, started the day well and was already extending his lead when the tournament organizers suspended play at 11.32am local time due to rain and a lightning storm.

“Unfortunately we have had to cancel play for today due to the threat of lightning,” said Tournament Director Phutthisarn Sricharuviphat. “We stopped play at 11.32 and although we waited to see if the weather would improve, by the time we reached 3.15pm the committee judged there would not be enough time remaining for players to prepare and resume play so the tournament was cut to 54 holes.”

Second place was secured by Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, who was three shots back at -12, followed by his compatriot Poom Saksansin in third on -11. Wocheng Ye of China, Australia’s Jack Murdoch and Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong, Itthipat Buranatanyarat and Nopparat Panichphol finished in a group in fourth place on -10.

Ekpharit Wu and Atiruj Winaicharoenchai of Thailand shared ninth spot on -9, one stroke ahead of compatriots Kosuke Yamamoto and Sirapob Yapala in a tie for 11th.

Weerawish Narkprachar had the most to regret about the poor weather. The Thai player made a scorching start to the final round, reeling off a string of seven birdies on the back nine, making the turn in 30 and added two more birdies without dropping any shots before play was suspended.

Naraajie had a chance to reflect on his improved form as he waited to see if play would resume.

“It’s a shame play was stopped early but the weather was not good. I started the day pretty well, birdied the first hole and the fourth, so I had good momentum but there was a lot of rain and wind out there,” he said.

“It’s nice to finally get my game together this week. I’ve been playing on the Asian Tour since January but I haven’t made any cuts so it’s good to have my A game back.

“I haven’t really made any changes to my game, but I’ve been doing a lot of meditation lately. Stepping up to the Asian Tour, which is the biggest in Asia, is quite a jump. There are a lot of really good players so I needed to upgrade and grow myself to be a better player.

“I feel I’ve got some momentum going after this week so I’m just looking to keep going and keep improving on and off the course. I have a couple of local tournaments coming up and then the next ADT tournament in July so I’m really looking forward to it.

The Singha Laguna Phuket Open, which is jointly sanctioned with the All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT), offered prize money of THB4 million (approximately US$117,000). The next tournament on the ADT schedule is the inaugural ADT – All Thailand Partnership Trophy at Phoenix Gold Golf & Country Club, Chonburi, from July 6-9.

The Singha Pattaya Open will be played from July 13-16, the week after the Partnership Trophy and the first time this event is included on the ADT schedule. One of the most established events on the ATGT, the event has been won a record four times by Thailand’s Prom Meesawat.

Naraajie Ramadhanputra (Photo courtesy All Thailand Golf Tour)

Published on May 18, 2023

The BRG Da Nang Golf Resort, which broke new ground last year by hosting an Asian Development Tour event in Vietnam for the first time, has become a member of Asian Tour Destinations (ATD) – the exclusive network of world-class golfing venues in the region with direct ties to the Asian Tour.

The impressive Da Nang City venue, which boasts two 18-hole courses, one designed by Jack Nicklaus and the other by Greg Norman, becomes only the second golf club in Vietnam to join ATD, which now boasts a total of 13 members.

“This is another important step in our evolving relationship with the BRG Da Nang Golf Resort,” said Ken Kudo, Associate Director, Partnerships, Asian Tour.

“It is an outstanding resort, one of the finest in Vietnam, and is truly a valued partner for the Asian Tour in everything we do in Vietnam, and we are delighted to be able to help them achieve their goals through their association with our brand.

“We welcome the BRG Da Nang Golf Resort to the ATD fold.”

Through their association with ATD, golf clubs are able to enjoy a wide range of branding and marketing benefits, as well as benefit from greater dialogue and networking with each member.

In addition, each member is certified Tour calibre and is therefore able to operate a comprehensive range of facilities and services to their members and guests under tournament-ready conditions all-year round.

Asian Tour golfers are also able to play and practice at each venue allowing for members at each club to enjoy direct engagement with the region’s best golfers.

“It’s a great honour to be selected as an Asian Tour Destination. We are proud to join a list of outstanding international venues that have successfully hosted professional golf tournaments and been voted by players and Tour officials as top golfing destinations,” said Madam Nguyen Thi Nga, Chairman of BRG Group and owner of BRG Da Nang Golf Resort.

“BRG Da Nang Golf Resort is a world class facility with 36 holes designed by Nicklaus Design and Greg Norman. This is the venue where we play host and title sponsor to the BRG Open Golf Championship, an Asian Development Tour event, and we are now committed to working closely Asian Tour Destinations.”

Chinese teenager Chen Guxin won the BRG Open Golf Championship last September, after beating Lloyd Jefferson Go of the Philippines in a sudden-death play-off, while the Asian Tour made its first visit to Vietnam in seven years last month when it staged the International Series Vietnam, won by Kieran Vincent from Zimbabwe.

Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore was the first to join ATD and was later joined by Black Mountain Golf Club, Laguna Golf Phuket, and Aquella Golf & Country Club, all in Thailand; Classic Golf & Country Club in New Delhi, India; Kota Permai Golf & Country Club and Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club, both in Malaysia; Laguna Golf Lăng Cô, Vietnam; Japan’s Sapporo Country Club and The North Country Golf Club; Parahyangan Golf, in Indonesia; and Angkor Golf Resort, Cambodia.

Ends.

Published on May 15, 2023

On a day filled with record-tying scores, a nearly two-hour weather delay, a drama-filled afternoon, a triple bogey by the eventual winner and a three-man individual playoff in front of the best-attended LIV Golf event held in the United States, two familiar names returned to the top of the podium at LIV Golf Tulsa. Report courtesy of LIV Golf.

4Aces GC Captain Dustin Johnson won the individual trophy for the second time in his LIV Golf career with a birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Branden Grace and Cameron Smith. Grace’s Stinger GC also won for the second time, by one stroke over the 4Aces in a victory sealed by Grace’s par putt on the final hole of regulation.

In becoming last year’s season-long Individual Champion, Johnson won a three-man playoff in Boston, making eagle on the first playoff hole. With his win Sunday at Cedar Ridge Country Club, he becomes the third two-time winner in LIV Golf, joining Brooks Koepka and Talor Gooch, and he moves to sixth in the individual points standings after a slow start to his season.

“Next time I’d like to win without going into a playoff,” Johnson said. “Would be a lot less stressful.”

For the all-South African Stingers, it was a long time between wins, nearly a year since they won the inaugural LIV Golf Invitational tournament in London last June. They wore blue ribbons all week in memory of legendary South African golfer John Bland, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 77.

“It’s amazing how these things happen,” said captain Louis Oosthuizen. “Blandy was an inspiration to all of us growing up watching him play … It was just nice to sort of know in the back of our minds that he was there with us this week.”

Sunday was a day of low scores, with Smith and RangeGoats GC’s Harold Varner III tying the LIV record-low score of 61 (nine under) set by Grace in Friday’s first round. Yet when play was suspended two hours into the final round, Johnson and his 4Aces appeared in control. Johnson was a bogey-free three under on his day and led Grace by three strokes, while the 4Aces led the Stingers, also by three shots.

But then play resumed, and the leaderboards tightened.

At the par-four 10th, the most difficult hole this week, Johnson’s tee shot landed left of the cart path, and his second shot got away from him, finding the water on the left side of the green. After a penalty stroke, his fourth shot found the greenside rough. He found the green on his fifth shot, then two-putted for triple bogey. That left Grace as the leader, with Johnson a stroke back.

“I wish I could blame it on the rain delay,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t the rain delay’s fault, though. No. 10 was really the only hole where I had a little bit of a hiccup. Everything that could go wrong went wrong on that hole.”

Johnson steadied himself with a birdie on the next hole to tie Grace atop the leaderboard, but now the hopes were raised for several chasers in the pack – primarily Ripper GC Captain Smith, who was reeling off four consecutive birdies at the time. When Smith birdied his final hole for his 61, he had the solo lead at 17 under.

Grace then birdied the 17th to tie Smith at 17 under with one hole to play. Johnson, his playing partner in the final group, was at 16 under. But Johnson then rolled in a clutch birdie putt on the final hole to join the playoff. Meanwhile, Grace sealed the Stinger win with his par putt to finish with a five-under 65 to go with counting rounds from Dean Burmester (64) and Charl Schwartzel (66).

“I actually hit a great first putt that was straight on line,” said Grace. “Just nice finishing it out and then knowing that the team was successful.”

On the playoff hole, all three players saw their approach shots finish in the same general area below the hole. Grace missed his attempt, then Johnson knocked his in. Smith had the closest look but for one of the few times Sunday could not find the bottom of the cup.

“I thought it was pretty good. Just kind of didn’t come back,” Smith said of his attempt. “I holed a lot of putts today. Can’t really be angry at the greens.”

Grace, who had rallied past Johnson to win last year in Portland, said winning the team title helped make up for coming up short in the playoff. “At the end, it was not bittersweet,” Grace said. “But I know I put in a lot of hard work and it’s paid off, and the team really wanted this one.”

As for Johnson, the victory gives him plenty of momentum going into next week’s PGA Championship, the second major of the season.

“Feel like I’m doing everything really well right now,” Johnson said. “I’m really looking forward to next week.”

Published on May 11, 2023

While Bio Kim came up short in his title defense at last week’s GS Caltex Maekyung Open, finishing tied sixth, he has now set his sights firmly on the 151^st Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July – where he will be making his debut in the event, and only his third start in a Major. Story by Olle Nordberg, Asian Tour.

The 32-year-old Korean qualified for golf’s oldest Major by tying for fourth at the World City Championship presented by Hong Kong Golf Club in late March, where he shot a fine five-under-par 65 on the final day, battling stormy weather.

“I’m happy, excited, that’s probably the two words that come to my mind,” said Kim last Sunday at Namseoul Country Club – where he has a phenomenal record in the Maekyung event, including a win in 2012 and countless top 10s.

“And you know, I wasn’t really expecting to get inside the top four that week at Hong Kong Golf Club, but fortunately, my putts were going in and we had kind of horrible weather in the final round.

“Luckily, I got it done and I got a ticket to The Open, but you know, I can’t just rely on that. I want to play well at The Open, so I’m getting prepared, and luckily, I’m playing the week before at the Genesis Scottish Open. It’s going to be good preparation for The Open, so we’ll see how it goes.”

Links golf can be very challenging and an acquired taste for players that have not grown up playing that style of golf or are experiencing it for the first time.

But thanks to an exemption into the Genesis Scottish Open last year, Kim has already tried his hand at links golf. He said: “I had a little taste in that event last year about how the links golf course is going to play, but the people from Europe said The Renaissance Club is not quite a 100% links course, so I haven’t really experienced it. I mean, I was surprised how firm the ground was, how imaginative and creative I had to be from tee to green, and especially around the greens you had to be really creative.

“So, it was another good experience that I had last year. I’m probably going to experience a lot of things in those two weeks, but we’ll see how it goes. And you know, I just have to get my putter dialed in.”

Asked if he thought Royal Liverpool and links golf suits his style of play, he added: “You know, I’ve only had one taste of it, so I can’t exactly say I love it. But I really enjoyed it last year, I was actually desperate to go back there again which I am now, and I am so happy that I’m going back.

“Now that I know what to expect, it’s not going to be like a brand-new thing, I’m not going to be surprised. So, you know, I’ll be hitting a lot of low shots and be creative around the greens, and probably have to hit a lot of low draws so that the wind doesn’t really touch the ball as much as with the fades.”

The runner up on the 2022 Asian Tour Order of Merit already has two Majors on his resume, the 2013 U.S. Open and the 2022 PGA Championship, with a tied 45^th in the former and missed cut in the later.

Asked about the different between playing in Majors compared with regular Tour events he said: “For sure, I mean, I could kind of see why people like Rory, Tiger and all those guys, big name guys, are so into the Majors. Because of the atmosphere, the tournaments, and the history itself, it’s just you want to put your name on there.

“So, I will try my best to put my name on there, but you know, it’s the first time and you never know how it’s gonna go. But definitely, maybe in the future, I’m going to go for that.”

Kim was also the Asian Tour Rookie of the Year last year, which is surprising considering he has been a professional since 2009, but it was his first full season on the Tour, having successfully negotiated the 2022 Qualifying School.

It’s also surprising this is will be his first appearance in The Open, but as with the Asian Tour he is more than likely make a quick impression, despite the unfamiliar conditions.