Published on May 7, 2023

Korean Chanmin Jung completed a shock wire-to-wire victory in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open today, establishing him as one of his country’s stars of the future.

He shot a final round five-under-par 66 for a tournament total of 16 under par and a commanding six-shot victory at Namseoul Country Club, in Seoul.

Korea’s Minhyuk Song, an amateur, and Junghwan Lee tied for second following rounds of 64 and 70 respectively, in an event reduced to 54 holes after Saturday’s third round was cancelled because of poor weather and a waterlogged course.

Their compatriots Jaekyeong Lee (66) and Eunshin Park (67) tied for fourth, one shot back, while defending champion Bio Kim, also from Korea, finished in a tie for sixth, an additional stroke behind, following a 70.

Chanmin Jung. Picture courtesy of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.

Until this week, Jung was best known as one of the biggest hitters in Korea – he topped the driving distance stats on the Korean PGA Tour last year – and had only finished in the top 10 twice in domestic events since turning professional three years ago.

That all changed this week with an inspired and unexpected victory, that has helped him live up to his nickname the ‘Korean Hulk’.

He led after the opening day with a 63 and had a two-shot advantage after his second round 68, which he started today’s round with after yesterday was washed out.

A brilliant front nine of five-under-par 31, with an eagle – the result of holing his bunker shot on the par-five fourth – and three birdies, put him six ahead at the turn, before he stylishly closed out the event with nine straight pars on the second half.

“I won a big tournament wire to wire, so I feel good,” said the 23 year old, who won US$222,222.

“I sensed the victory with an eagle on the fourth hole. After that, I felt at ease. I used my driver on nine holes today, I used it often because I was confident.

“My putting has changed a lot, I had a lot of worries before, but it’s solved, the anxiety is gone.”

Chanmin Jung. Picture courtesy of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.

Said Song, also the low amateur here last year: “I played very well today; both my putting and shots were so good that I quickly forgot any disappointment after I made a mistake.

“As an amateur I’m thrilled to finish in second place. Last year I was tied for the lead after two rounds, but it’s great to finish second in the final round.”

He said he plans to turn professional this year and is hoping to play in the Asian Tour Qualifying School soon.

Junghwan Lee was equally content with his week, and conscious that the runaway winner was just too good.

He said: “I missed getting the trophy, but Chanmin Jung played very good golf! Personally, I’m satisfied, I consistently made birdies this week. My game is very good now, I wonder if my shots have ever been this good after I spent the winter training in Thailand.”

The next event on the Asian Tour will also be staged in the Land of Morning Calm, with the Kolon Korea Open to be played at Woo Jeong Hills Country Club, from June 22-25.

Published on May 6, 2023

The GS Caltex Maekyung Open has been reduced to 54 holes after today’s third round was washed out early on following another rainy day at Namseoul Country Club, located in south-east Seoul.

The third and now final round will re-start tomorrow at 7.50am local time.

Only a handful of groups teed off this morning when play eventually started at 11.30am local time, before the round was cancelled just 40 minutes later.

Said Chokchai Boonprasert, Tournament Director, Asian Tour: “Because we have had rain since last night, the bunkers and the fairways are full of water, so after discussing the situation with the Korean Golf Association we decided the course is unplayable. We will start round three on Sunday and we will complete the tournament in 54 holes.”

Chanmin Jung. Picture courtesy of GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.

Unheralded Korean Chanmin Jung currently leads the tournament after two rounds. He is 11 under, two ahead of Korea’s Junghwan Lee and four ahead of his compatriots Yubin Jang, an amateur, Taeyang Jung, and Bio Kim – the defending champion.

This is only the second time in its history that the event – first played in 1982 – has been reduced to three rounds. The other occasion was in 1998 when Hong Kong’s Scott Rowe triumphed at Lakeview.

Just six weeks ago Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, who surprisingly missed the cut this week, won the World City Championship at the Hong Kong Golf Club after the tournament was reduced to 54 holes due to inclement weather.

Published on May 5, 2023

Korean Chanmin Jung said yesterday his aim was to win this week at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open after taking the first-round lead with an eight-under-par 63.

Today, he showed he has every intention of doing just that after recovering from double bogey on the first hole to card a 68 to keep the lead – on a gloomy and rainy day at Namseoul Country Club, on the south-east side Seoul.

He’s 11 under for the Asian Tour event, two ahead of Korea’s Junghwan Lee, who carded a 66, and four ahead of his compatriots Yubin Jang (64), an amateur, Taeyang Jung (65), and Bio Kim (68), the defending champion and expert navigator of Namseoul.

Unheralded Chanmin Jung, aged 23, has only been a professional for three years and in that time has recorded two top 10s on the Korean PGA Tour.

However, his unrivalled power off the tee – he was ranked first in driving distance in Korea last year and is known as the ‘Korean Hulk’, also because he is a big unit – has made him a potential star of the future and he is starting to show that this week.

Junghwan Lee. Picture courtesy of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.

He dropped one more shot after his poor opening hole but made six birdies, including on the infamous par-four 18^th, where the tee shot is tight, and the green requires maximum concentration.

Said the Korean: “I hooked my tee shot badly to the left on the first hole, so I started with a double bogey and tried to settle my mind. Fortunately, I had birdies on the fourth and seventh hole and it led to a good result.

“The secret to finishing three under par today was not to use the driver as much as possible; I hit fairway woods and irons off the tee, when I could. I’m trying to play smart golf now, not only hit the ball a long distance.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the gallery on the weekend; I actually like to get the attention and I’ll have a good time with the golf fans on the weekend. My strategy this weekend is to persevere and wait for an opportunity.”

Bio Kim (right). Picture courtesy of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.

Lee’s round was very much a tale of two halves: he began on the 10^th and went out in one over, but toured the next nine in six under, thanks to six birdies in his last seven.

“The beginning didn’t go well,” he said.

“But I was able to relax later and get the putter going.”

The prospect of more bad weather at the weekend does not concern him.

He added: “It’s not just one person who’s struggling, it’s hard for every player. I think I can play calmly without losing my concentration. I like difficult conditions more than easy ones. I’m not used to it, but I just like it. I think it’s good to be in the lead under those conditions.”

Bio Kim, despite not being at his best this season, is once again in contention here in an event he also won in 2012 and has been close to winning on many other occasions – including in 2007 when, in his in debut on the Asian Tour, he tied for fourth as an amateur.

“You know it is a good result and I did shoot a good number,” said the 32 year old, who finished second on last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“However, I was playing very well going into number four, which is my 13th hole, but from there I was just missing all my good opportunities. I just really couldn’t get something going on my back nine, but I finished with a birdie on the last, so hopefully that good momentum still going for the weekend.”

Yubin Jang. Picture courtesy of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.

Unlike Lee, he is not looking forward to the bad weather.

He said: “I’m not very comfortable, you know, because it’s already a tough golf course. And wind, chilly conditions and rain doesn’t really help the players, but you know, it is what it is and just got to get through it. Hopefully, I stay warm and drain some putts.”

Jang, winner of five amateur events including last year’s World University Golf Championships in Italy, impressively made nine birdies today for the joint lowest round of the day, with Australian Kevin Yuan.

“This is my third GS Caltex Maekyung Open appearance, and I’m glad I did well,” said the amateur star.

“I started well in 2021, but I collapsed in the third and final rounds. I want to show a different side of me this time.”

Published on May 4, 2023

Chanmin Jung, a strapping big hitter appropriately known as the “Korean Hulk”, came close to matching the 22-year-old course record at Namseoul Country Club in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open today after taking the lead with a stunning eight-under-par 63.

The eye-catching performance gave him the first-round lead in the Asian Tour’s first visit of the year to Korea and was just two shy of the record set by Chinese-Taipei’s Chung Chun-hsing in 2001.

His countryman Kyongjun Moon, the winner here in 2015, ended the day in second after a 65 while Argentina’s Miguel Carballo also made relatively light work of the famous Namseoul track shooting a 66.

Defending champion Bio Kim from Korea was in a group of seven players tied for fourth after 67s.

Jung, just 23 years old and playing in what is one the nation’s most prestigious events for the first time as a professional, finished in a blaze of glory by eagling the par-five ninth, having started his round on 10. He hit a seven iron over 200 yards to seven feet to make a three, having earlier carded seven birdies and a bogey.

 

Kyongjun Moon. Picture courtesy of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.

“It’s a good day! It ended unexpectedly well, I am surprised,” said the Korean, a professional for three years, having been part of Korea’s national amateur team.

“The green speed certainly wasn’t slow, I was nervous over the putts and had to be careful. Fortunately, the putter and shot making were working well today.”

He is looking for his first good result on Tour.

He added: “The goal is to win. When I was an amateur, I felt that it was more about how you played and not just the result. After turning professional, I learned it is more about the result.”

Moon birdied four of the last five holes to make a fine start to an event that means so much to him.

Said Moon: “I have amazing memories of my win here in 2015, and always enjoy coming back to Namseoul. It was nice to finish well.”

Veteran Carballo, aged 44, is relishing being among the frontrunners, having missed five out of eight cuts this season, although he played well in the International Series Qatar in February when he tied for eighth.

“I played solid, very, very good today. The putter was working on the back nine. I hit it close all day, so just had short putts,” said the Argentinian, who is no stranger to success on the Asian Tour having won the Indonesian Open in 2019, the year he also claimed the second of his Asian Development Tour titles.

Miguel Carballo. Picture courtesy of the GS Caltex Maekyung Open committee.

“It’s my first time here. It’s a long course for walking. You have to find the fairway with your driver here, it’s the most important thing. And the greens are difficult, they are fast,” he added.

He made five birdies and impressively was bogey free.

Published on May 3, 2023

When Bio Kim tees it up at the GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship at Namseoul Country Club tomorrow he will be doing so at a course where he’s had so much success throughout his career: he won the event last year, and in 2012, while he also claimed the prestigious Korean Amateur Golf Championship here in 2008.

Remarkably, he also tied for fourth in 2007 – when he made his debut on the Asian Tour as a teenager – and was equal third the following season, on both occasions as an amateur.

“It’s good, I mean it’s always nice to be defending champion, so hopefully I can defend the title”, said the 32-year-old Korean, who conveniently lives not far from the course, located in Seoul.

“It felt great [last year], I just have a lot of good memories at the Namseoul golf course. I’ve had two wins at the Maekyung, and I’ve won the Korean Amateur Championship here when I was 18 years old. So, I do have some good memories, but it’s a tough golf course!”.

Bio Kim, fourth from left, at today’s photo shoot. Picture courtesy of Korea Golf Association.

To the surprise of many Kim has not won since lifting the trophy here last year. That victory was supposed to be a catalyst for more success during what was his first full season playing on the Asian Tour. He eventually finished second on the Tour’s Order of Merit and was the Rookie of the Year, but he only came close to winning again at the International Series Korea, where he was runner up.

Coming into last year’s event he was playing some of the best golf of his career and had notched seven top-10 finishes. However, this time around he just has the one: a tied-fourth finish at the recent World City Championship presented by Hong Kong Golf Club, which was a giant result as it earned him a place in this year’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July, as the tournament was part of the Open Qualifying Series. It will mark the first time he has played in The Open and will be only his third appearance in a Major.

With that on the horizon and a strong desire to improve on his current Order of Merit position, which is 26^th, he is hoping to get back on track this season by reviving the memories of his magical Maekyung win a year ago.

Says Kim: “I felt confident that week. I had some success over the last few years on this course, and then heading toward the tournament, especially last year, I was going into it in pretty good form. I was having a lot of top 10s going into that week, so I was looking forward to it. I didn’t know I was going to actually win, but you know, I like that golf course, so I had some good positive vibes.”

The Namseoul layout is known on Tour as a stern test because of the demanding greens and elevation changes, add windy conditions and difficult pin positions on the weekend, and the mere idea of winning a tournament here is inconceivable to many.

Bio (left) with Taichi Kho, Travis Smyth and Michael Hendry after they secured berths in The Open at the World City Championship presented by the Hong Kong Golf Club in March. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Having started the final round four shots ahead of the chasing pack, Kim arrived at the 72^nd hole with a two-shot advantage. He says: “The tough par-four 18^th, I was two shots ahead and my driver went right into the woods and my contender was in the fairway. I thought that he was gonna make a birdie, and then somehow, I had to imagine myself making par or at the worst-case bogey. I did that [made a bogey], and that was probably one of the hardest shots to hit out of the woods, that was probably the shot of the day.”

He ended up defeating compatriot Mingyu Cho by two shots.

Asked about his key to winning at Namseoul, Kim says: “To be honest, I don’t know. Just that us Korean golfers grew up on this golf course, we play Korean amateur events here and play several rounds on the Namseoul golf course, so I think that helps. And you know, it’s a tough golf course, you have to be dialed in with everything, you need to putt well, irons and putting and everything. So yeah, I mean hopefully I can keep doing what I’ve been doing at Namseoul. I just have to put myself in good positions and I’ll be pretty aggressive off the tee, but you know, we’ll see how it goes.”

He has been paired in the first two rounds with Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and one of the country’s amateur stars Wooyoung Cho.

It’s the first trip of the year to Korea for the Asian Tour, with two more to come later in the year, the Korea Open and the Shinhan Donghae Open.

Total prizemoney this week is KRW1,300,000,000 (approximately US$970,700).

Published on May 2, 2023

The Shinhan Donghae Open, one of the region’s longest-running golf championships, will return to Korean shores this year.

After its history-making visit to Japan in 2022, the 39th edition of the KRW1.4 billion (about US$1 million) event will be staged over the Ocean Course at Club72 (formerly Sky72) in Yeongjongdo, Incheon from September 7-10.

Sponsored by the Shinhan Financial Group, the event will continue to be tri-sanctioned between the Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour, and Korean Tour for the third time.

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO of the Asian Tour, said: “Since its launch in 1981, the Shinhan Donghae Open has been a standout championship in our region, always looking to innovate and break new ground. Shinhan has always looked to evolve with the times and has never been shy about making bold decisions for the betterment of the event. After a highly successful visit to Japan last year, we are looking forward to the tournament returning to its traditional home this season.”

“I am delighted that the Shinhan Donghae Open is returning to Korea this year,” said Jin Ok-dong, Chairman of Shinhan Financial Group.

2019 winner Jbe Kruger.

“It is one of the country’s premier golf events and a highlight every season for Korean golf fans.

“The Shinhan Donghae Open boasts an impressive list of past champions and I am looking forward to handing the trophy to another worthy champion this year. The competition will no doubt be fierce at a new and challenging venue for the tournament.”

It was in 2019 it became the first tournament to be sanctioned by the Asian, Japan and Korean circuits.

And in a deeply symbolic move last year, the event was held at the Koma Country Club in Japan, the first time, since its inauguration 41 years earlier, that it had been staged outside of Korea.

“This year marks the 39th edition of a long-lasting relationship between the Shinhan Financial Group and the KPGA,” said J.C. Koo, Chairman, KPGA.

“The return to the city of Incheon, which has hosted eleven of the last twelve editions of the Shinhan Donghae Open, with 2022 being the lone exception during the period, is spectacular news for Korean golf fans in the area.

“I have no doubt this event will live up to the proud legacy of great champions such as Jongduk Kim, KJ Choi, Sangmoon Bae, Paul Casey and Byeonghun An, Yoseop Seo, to name a few.”

This year will mark the first time that Club72 has hosted the Shinhan Donghae Open. From 2015 to 2021, the event made its home at Bear’s Best Cheongna. For four years prior to that (2011-2014), the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea was the venue.

As was the case last year, a strong field is guaranteed to assemble at Club72 in September, comprising the leading lights from all three sanctioning Tours.

Among the favourites is likely to be Kazuki Higa, who birdied the final two holes at Koma Country Club last year to triumph. He went on to top the standings in the Japan Golf Tour’s Order of Merit for 2022.

Isao Aoki, Chairman, Japan Golf Tour Organization said: “We are greatly honored and happy that the tournament will be held again this year under the tri-sanctioned arrangement with the Asian Tour, and the KPGA.

“Hosting international tournaments like this helps to promote golf tournaments in Asia, and most importantly, it fosters the development of players. We are truly grateful to Shinhan Financial Group for their strong support.

“The Shinhan Donghae Open is one of the leading tournaments in Asia. I strongly hope that the participating players will use this opportunity as a stepping stone to expand their careers onto the global stage.”

The Shinhan Donghae Open will be the Asian Tour’s third visit to Korea in 2023 following the 42nd GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship, which starts on Thursday, and The 65th Korea Open Golf Championship (June 22-25).

Published on April 30, 2023

By Joy Chakravarty

Talor Gooch became the first player in the short history of LIV Golf to win in back-to-back weeks, defeating Sergio Garcia in a playoff at Sentosa Golf Club on Sunday.

The 31-year-old from Midwest City, Oklahoma, shot a four-under par 67 in the final round, but that could not separate him from Garcia, who bounced back from two bogeys on the back nine with immediate birdies in his 67 as both finished on 17-under par 199 in regulation 54 holes.

In the playoff on the 18th hole, Gooch hit his tee shot that flirted with water on the left side, but landed in dry place and left him with 277 yards. Garcia hit a solid tee shot before pushing his second slightly into the right greenside bunker, from where he could not make his up-and-down.

Gooch hit his second to the heart of the green and two-putted for a birdie to follow up his win in LIV Golf Adelaide.

Brooks Koepka matched his partners in the leading group with a four-under par 67, but that left him where he started the day – one shot adrift of the leaders. The American four-time major champion finished solo third at 16-under par.

Asian Tour member Scott Vincent (67) put up a valiant fight, before an hour-long weather suspension led to a bogey from a difficult lie in the bunker on the 16th hole, but a birdie on the 18th helped him finish solo fourth at 15-under par.

The Team Championship closely followed the fate of the individual title, with Gooch’s Range Goats managing to steer clear by three shots in the end at 37 points. Harold Verner III, the 2022 Saudi Invitational champion, played a key role in that win with a six-under par 66 effort on Sunday.

Garcia’s Fireballs, with Eugenio Lopez Chaccara contributing seven-under par 65, were second at 34-under, while a crucial birdie putt on his last hole by India’s Anirban Lahiri (67) ensured Crushers zoomed to the podium with a 20-under final-round effort that was set up by fantastic rounds of eight-under par 63 by Paul Casey and Charles Howell III.

Speaking about his incredible individual battle with Garcia through the day, Gooch said: “Back in Mayakoba, I had a lead going into the final round and I really didn’t play that bad. I played fine and it was just one of those days that the golf gods didn’t want it to be my time. Today was one of those days where the golf gods wanted it to be my time. I played well and I made a few putts that probably normally don’t go in when you don’t win.

“Sergio is playing so good right now. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to go down that last hole and have a chance of winning by making par. I knew that I needed to birdie the last. So, I stood on the tee – and I don’t like that tee shot at all – and I just decided I’m going to hit driver, I’m just going to step up and do it. If it doesn’t go well, then we’ll deal with it.

“But it was just a perfect way to end the day of the regulation golf. Just, we were going back and forth all day. Even yesterday going back and forth all day. It was fun, it was special. I grew up watching Sergio. He’s one of the greatest golfers of this generation. To go and battle with him and come out on top is something I will never forget.”

Vincent said there was just one shot he’d like to have back – the second shot on the 16th hole that he pushed slightly into the right greenside bunker from where it would have been tough to save par.

“It was great. It was a lot of fun. I’ve got a lot to learn and no better way to do that than to be in those situations and watch how players like Cameron Smith do that.

“At the end of the day, in the simplest form, golf is about just moving the ball from one place to the next and you try and make it as simple as possible. That’s all I was really trying to do out there. Trying to stay patient. I think there is a lot to be proud of this week.

“The bunker shot was a really tough shot. It wasn’t a great lie and with the pin really close, not many players could have stopped it short of that pin. I was just trying to give myself a look.”

Laurie Canter scored the third hole-in-one in LIV Golf history, and the second in as many weeks, following Asian Tour member Chase Koepka’s unforgettable one at the Watering Hole in Adelaide.

The Englishman said he “was gutted” when he felt he thinned his tee shot on the 185-yard 17th hole, only to hear the roar to realise that it had rolled into the cup.

“It was cool to get my first hole-in-one in a competitive round. Honestly, I was in between clubs and I thought it was going to be too much,” said Canter.

The next LIV Golf event will be played in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the Cedar Ridge Country Club from May 12 – 14.

Published on April 29, 2023

The unstoppable force called Talor Gooch added a six-under par 65 to remain on top of the LIV Golf Singapore leaderboard – a remarkable fifth straight round he has done that – but his lead this time was zero shots as Sergio Garcia caught up with him with a second successive bogey-free round on Saturday. Report by Joy Chakravarty, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour, at LIV Golf Singapore.

At Sentosa Golf Club, the American and the Spaniard were tied on top at 13-under par 129, one ahead of the in-form Brooks Koepka (65).

In Adelaide last week, Gooch had opened with two successive rounds of 10-under par 62s and was 10 ahead of his closest rival going into the final round.

Asian Tour star Scott Vincent shot the best round of the day – a nine-under par 62 which matched the course record, but does not count as official because of the preferred lies in play – and moved to tied third place at 11-under par 131. He was joined on the same score by American Cameron Tringale and Australia’s Cameron Smith, both of whom produced bogey-free rounds of 66 each.

In the team championship, Tringale and captain Phil Mickelson (66) helped lift Hy Flyers to tie the lead with the Bubba Watson-led Range Goats at 25-under par. Both teams have never tasted success in the unique team championship of LIV Golf.

The all-Australian Rippers were in third place at 22-under par, but Iron Heads (-21), Fireballs (-21) and Torque (-20) were within a shot of each other.

The 43-year-old Garcia, SMBC Singapore Open champion at the same venue in 2018, continued his brilliant ball-striking form. The only mistake he made was when he tried to lay up for his second shot on the par-five 18^th hole and pulled it into the bunker. From there, he failed to make a birdie that would have given him sole possession of the lead. Gooch, on the other hand, closed with birdies on the 17^th and 18^th to ensure himself first-tee privilege on the final day.

From his previous experiences, Garcia knows how difficult the Serapong course can play, but had an explanation for the low scores this week.

“Obviously, the calibre of players here, it just shows. On a day like today, where there wasn’t much wind, the course was gettable. We were able to pick the ball up on the fairway, so that probably makes it one or two shots easier,” said the 2017 Masters champion.

“Some of the memories (from past) help. But at the end of the day, I think that every tournament is a different story. The course is playing may be a little bit longer than when we played it here on the Singapore Open. It definitely makes a little bit of a difference, but obviously you know that if you want to contend on a LIV tournament, you have to raise your level as much as possible because all of these guys can really play the game.”

Gooch said he’d rather have a 10-shot lead than none against his closest rival going into a final round, but added that leading tournaments can help him add valuable experience.

“Nothing can replace experience. So, the more that I can put myself in this position, the more comfortable I’m going to get. The more you play with these guys and the more you feel like you can compete and beat these guys, the more comfortable you’re going to get,” said Gooch, who received his invitation to play the PGA Championship on Friday.

“I’ve been fortunate to play some good golf here over the last year and hopefully we can continue getting more and more comfortable and getting more experience.”

Vincent, who earned the right to play LIV Golf this season by winning the International Series Order of Merit on the Asian Tour last year, started with birdies on his first two holes, and never took his foot off the accelerator until making a 15-footer putt for his ninth birdie on his final hole. The round also included a monster birdie putt from 60 feet on the 13^th hole.

“The putter was working really well. That putt there on the 13th was just one that you’re trying to cozy up as close as possible, and the next thing it goes in. Yeah, it was one of those days today where a lot of putts went in, and it’s a lot of fun when that happens,” said Vincent.

“You take them when they happen. Very happy about how the day went. It was a lot of really good putting, but the other game was not too shabby too.

“The whole group actually started really well. We were all under par within the first two or three holes. And we were all kind of feeding off each other after that.”

Among other Asian Tour stars, Anirban Lahiri improved to tied 26^th place at three-under par after a round of 67, while American Sihwan Kim shot a 71 to remain on one-under par total.

On Sunday, the final round has been advanced to 8:05am (00:05 GMT), due to forecasted thunderstorms in the afternoons. Live broadcast starts at 8:00am (00:00 GMT).

 

Published on

There shouldn’t be an iota of doubt that Scott Vincent loves the Asian Tour. He just loves The International Series a bit more, writes Joy Chakravarty, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour, on site at LIV Golf Singapore this week.

In 2022, the Zimbabwean star won the International Series in England – his first on the Asian Tour after several runner-up finishes – and he went on to win The International Series Order of Merit at the end of the season to secure full playing rights on this year’s LIV Golf League.

And even though Vincent has played only one of the four International Series events held so far in 2023, it hasn’t diminished any of his love for the exciting series of upper-tier events on the Asian Tour. And the fact his younger brother Kieran won the International Series Vietnam earlier this month means it’s also become a family affair now.

The 25-year-old Kieran, who rose to No50 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking before turning professional last year, is a matter of pride for Scott.

“It’s amazing to see his progress and how it has happened. It doesn’t surprise me at all. I think he is a very talented golfer,” said the world No125, whose flowing mane is as much a trademark as his super-smooth swing.

“Obviously, I get to watch it from a closer perspective than most other people. It’s a really cool achievement what he has been able to do already so quickly in his pro career.

“We will wait and see what the rest of the year holds for him.”

Vincent was flying to Adelaide for the LIV event there on Sunday as Kieran was battling down the stretch and trying to get ahead of the clubhouse marker set by India’s Anirban Lahiri at KN Links. It was a tense moment and the flight could not have happened at a worse time. Thankfully, modern-day jets have WiFi.

“We were flying from Melbourne to Adelaide. Our flight took off right as he was teeing off on the 18^th, which was annoying. Fortunately, it had WiFi and my caddy was sending me videos of each shot that he hit. We didn’t get to see it live, but I think it was as good as we could have,” added Vincent.

“We found out pretty much right after everyone else knew, so that was amazing. And as soon as we landed, we gave him a call. And as you know, when these things happen, there’s so much that you have to do, so we only got to speak for a little bit, but it was an amazing feeling.”

With the history that Vincent family has with The International Series, his views on one of the latest initiatives of Asian Tour, with the financial backing of LIV Golf, would probably be biased, but Scott speaks from his heart.

“I would say The International Series has opened many doors for a lot of people. And it has changed the Asian Tour and made it an amazing Tour to play on,” explained Scott.

“Not that it wasn’t before. But it is even more so now. It now attracts a lot of high-class players that come and play. This helps all of us to continue to learn and see how these really good players do it and obviously compete with them.

“So that’s amazing and I’m very thankful to the Asian Tour. The Tour, and The International Series, has been really good to me. And yeah, it’s been really good for other Asian Tour members as well.”

Sentosa Golf Club, the headquarters of the Asian Tour, is hosting this week’s LIV Golf Singapore and being on ‘home ground’ has clearly helped inspire the Zimbabwean. A first round 69 on Sentosa’s Serapong course was followed up today with a brilliant course record equaling 62 that gives him a shot at the individual title tomorrow.

“I’m very excited to be back in Singapore and to have the opportunity to play on a golf course that the Asian Tour has always started the season with. It’s nice to kind of play it at a different time of year and to see what kind of changes that makes to the golf course,” said Vincent.

“I believe they had closed the course for four weeks before we got there. And you can see that with how pristine the fairways and the greens are looking in the bunkers and everything. So, a huge congratulations to Sentosa Golf Club for all the effort that they are putting in. As a player, we really appreciate it.”

Before his first round, Vincent spoke about how patience would be key on a difficult golf course like Serapong.

“My game is always a work in progress. It’s obviously something that we work on, but something I can’t control,” said Scott.

“I think the Serapong puts up a really good fight every time you play it. What is required here is a lot of freedom…freedom to go and hit the shots, and not get caught up in the results. I think it requires a player that can be patient, but also one that believes that they are a world-class player.”

Published on April 28, 2023

By Joy Chakravarty, Contributing Editor  – Asian Tour, onsite at LIV Golf Singapore.

Nothing bothered Talor Gooch. Neither the change of continents, nor the change of climate, nor a lengthy rain delay, and certainly not a beastly golf course.

For the fourth time in four LIV Golf rounds, the American maintained his stranglehold on top of the leaderboard, shooting a bogey-free seven-under par 64 that included a stunning eagle on the par-five 18^th hole of the Serapong course of Sentosa Golf Club.

On a day when a two-and-a-half-hour delay, caused by a passing thunderstorm, added to the energy-sapping heat and humidity, several superstars still managed to go low at LIV Golf Singapore.

One behind Gooch 65 were reigning Open champion Cameron Smith of Australia, Americans Brooks Koepka and Cameron Tringale, and Spain’s Sergio Garcia, winner of Asian Tour’s 2018 SMBC Singapore Open at the same venue.

And the leaderboard became even more decorated going down one shot. At 66 were major champions Phil Mickelson, Bryson DeChambeau and Louis Oosthuizen.

Among the Asian Tour players, Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe was best placed, recovering well after an early double bogey with four birdies in his last seven holes for a 69.

American Sihwan Kim showed signs of returning to form with a 70, while India’s Anirban Lahiri (72) was left frustrated with two double bogeys coming in.

In the team championship, Tringale, Mickelson and James Piot (70) combined to give HyFlyers the early lead at 12-under, while the all-South African Stingers were a shot behind at 11 under with contributions from Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel (67) and Dean Burmester (69). Range Goats, Koepka’s Smash and Smith’s Ripper were tied third at nine-under par.

Gooch, who received welcome news this morning before his round that the PGA of America would be honouring his finish inside the top-30 of the FedEx Cup last year and grant him a spot at the PGA Championship next month, revealed how he managed to tuck his form in cottonwool and carry it across from Adelaide, where he had started with two straights 62s before winning by three shots.

“There’s no pixie dust I’ve thrown on the clubs the last couple weeks. It’s just the game comes and goes in waves,” explained Gooch, who smashed a hybrid from 253 yards to 25 feet on the 18^th for his eagle.

“I have a buddy of mine, who has been like a mentor to me since I was 10, and he always said, ‘In golf, the penthouse and the outhouse are always right around the corner from each other’. You try not to get too high or too low when things are too good or aren’t good.

“You’ve got to earn it. These 62s and 64s don’t just happen, and just because you’re confident, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again. Hopefully, we can keep it rolling and go play some good golf and finish out a good week here.”

Garcia also had a splendid eagle, threading his second shot between two palm trees on his fourth hole (his second) to about seven feet. That was a kickstart to his round as he moved to four-under par through his first four holes.

Asked if his previous success at Sentosa played a role in his round today, the 2017 Masters champion said: “I think anytime you’ve done well at a course, it’s always a plus. It doesn’t mean that you start two or three shots better than anyone else, but obviously, it brings good memories.

“I’ve played Singapore Opens here a few times, and I’ve been able to win it once. It’s a course that I enjoy. I feel if my game is a little bit on, I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens.

“A reason why you see so many major champions on the leaderboard, is because they are all good ball strikers. And that’s what this course is asking you.”

LIV Golf announced that tee times have been brought forward over the weekend due to forecasted thunderstorms in the afternoons.

Gates will open at 7:00am local time on both days, with shotgun starts scheduled at 8:15am (00:15 GMT) on Saturday, 29 April and 8:05am (00:05 GMT) on Sunday, 30 April. Live broadcast starts at 8:00am (00:00 GMT) on both days.