Cameron Smith has one hand on maiden LIV Golf trophy
On a day when the conditions were so tough that former world number one and overnight leader Dustin Johnson from the United States failed to break par for the first time in 14 rounds in his LIV Golf career, Australia’s Cameron Smith took advantage, banked on his trusted short game and opened a two-shot lead on top of the leaderboard at the LIV Golf Invitational Series Chicago, reports Joy Chakravarty, from Chicago.
At the end of the second round at Rich Harvest Farms, the reigning Open champion added a four-under -par 68 to his first-round 66 and moved to 10-under par 134. Johnson could only manage a 73 after his brilliant 63 on Friday, and slipped to second place at 136.
American Peter Uihlein shot the best round of the day – a 66 – and jumped up to solo third place. LIV Golf Invitational London champion Charl Schwartzel from South Africa (69) and England’s Laurie Canter (68) moved to tied fourth place at six-under par 138.
In the Team Championship, the top three are separated by just one shot, although the all-American 4Aces side continued to lead at 15-under par as they look for a fourth straight title on Sunday. The round also marked the first time that Johnson’s score did not count toward the team scores.
Smith’s all-Australian Punch team, which includes three-time Asian Tour winner Wade Ormsby, were second at 14-under, while Uihlein and compatriot Jason Kokrak (68) combined for a 10 under par contribution for the Smash team that took them to third place at 13-under par.
Dustin Johnson (picture by Joe Scarnici/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (71) was the best placed among the Asian Tour players, tied for 13th position at three-under par, while India’s Anirban Lahiri (71) – the Asian Tour’s top ranked player in 2015 who tied second in his LIV Golf debut in Boston – was joint 21st at one-under par.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai added a second straight 72 in the tournament and was tied 28th, while a double bogey on his closing hole (the 17th) saw his compatriot Sadon Kaewkanjana (76) slip to joint 36th place at two-over. American Sihwan Kim (76) was tied 43rd.
The day belonged to the highest-ranked player in the field, world number three Smith. He started the day three shots behind Johnson, and with the wind picking up, he had to fall back on his short game from the very beginning.
He kept battling with the turning point coming towards the end of the round, starting from back-to-back brilliant par saves on the 15th hole, where he made a 20-footer for par, and the tricky par-three 16th hole, where Johnson made a bogey to lose solo possession of the lead for the first time. With the wind dying down towards the end of the round, Smith closed with back-to-back birdies on the 17th and 18th, and Johnson could only manage pars.
Smith insisted that nothing had changed in his approach to golf.
“I am just keeping everything the same, to be honest. Still doing the work at home and trying to come out here and win golf tournaments. My mentality hasn’t changed one bit. I think that’s why I’ve played so well the last couple weeks,” said Smith, who has made just one bogey in the 36 holes so far.
“We kind of had a bit of a gusty, windy start and then it laid off a little bit and got up a little bit towards the end. It was quite tricky through the middle at guessing clubs, and that’s where I made my bogey.”
Vincent, who is leading the Asian Tour’s International Series Order of Merit, has been playing consistent golf, but in his previous four LIV Golf starts, has not managed to translate it into a top-20 finish. It could all change on Sunday.
After a solid round that saw him battle the conditions and make two birdies and a bogey, Vincent said: “It was a very solid round given the conditions. It was very windy early in the round and the course was playing very tough today. Club selection was difficult and I just tried to stay in the present and not get too far ahead of myself. I thought I did a pretty good job of that.
“I don’t get too bothered by the results, so we will see what happens tomorrow. I am going to go out and pretty much do the same things again. If that gives me a top-five or a top-10 finish, then that is great. Otherwise, we will try again.”
Lahiri said he felt much better on the golf course, compared to the first round where he suffered from the after-effects of the flu.
Scott Vincent (picture by Chris Trotman/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
“The energy was much better and I played much better. But I am a little frustrated right now because I still made a number of silly mistakes. I could have saved at least three or four shots today, which, on a day like this, could have been crucial,” said Lahiri, who made four birdies.
“As things stand, I am too far behind Cam and he is playing excellent golf. But if I can get off to a good start, I can definitely aim for a top-five finish.”
The tournament offers US$20 million for the individual competition and the top-three teams share US$5 million in the team championship.
Dustin Johnson was unstoppable in the LIV Golf Invitational Chicago at Rich Harvest Farms as he opened with a bogey-free nine-under-par 63 to pull himself far away from the field, reports Joy Chakravarty, from Chicago.
It took the full might and the short-game genius of the reigning Open champion Cameron Smith to ensure Johnson’s lead was only three shots. The Australian was also bogey-free and made three birdies on either nines to finish with a 66.
American Matthew Wolff, who started from the second tee, eagled the par-five 18th, his penultimate hole, to move into third place with a 67, one ahead of Bedminster champion Henrik Stenson, Matt Jones, Lee Westwood and Charles Howell III.
Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana and Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent were the best-placed among the Asian Tour players, tied 11th after returning 70s.
India’s Anirban Lahiri fought off the lingering after-effects of a bout of flu and made three birdies in his last four holes to put him in a good mood for the second round after carding 72. He was tied for the 28th place alongside Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmei, Australian Wade Ormsby and American Sihwan Kim.
Dustin Johnson (picture by Charles Laberge/LIV Golf via Getty Images ).
In the Team Championship, Johnson’s round gave the advantage to his team 4Aces as they once again claimed the lead at 11 under. That lead was trimmed by the fact that American Talor Gooch made closing bogeys in his round of 70. The all-Australian Team Punch, led by Smith’s 66 and bolstered by Jones’ 68, were at 10 under.
As his playing partner Lahiri said after the round, American Johnson “made it look like he was playing the course in a video game”. The only hole the 2020 Masters champion looked in any discomfort was the par-five 18th, where he had to fight for a birdie before settling for a par. Otherwise, in almost every other hole during the round, he was staring at birdie putts.
Having made a difficult course look easy, Johnson said: “I played really nicely, hit the ball really well. Hit it close to the hole a lot of times, all day long, so obviously put together a nice score.”
Johnson has finished in the top-10 in each of his previous four LIV events and when asked if this was one of the best stretches of golf he has played in some time, the two-time Major champion said: “Yeah, the game is in really good form. It’s been solid day-in and day-out, so seeing a lot of the same shots and being very consistent. That’s always what I’m looking for, just consistency in the flights and in what I’m trying to do. Obviously, right now, it’s going pretty well.”
Sadom, who missed a chance to possibly finish inside the top-five in Boston after an unfortunate double bogey against the run of play, made another bright start and was solid in his round of four birdies and two bogeys.
“I have been playing well, so I was looking forward to this tournament after Boston. As I said there, the key was going to be a good opening round, and I am glad I have managed to be in the red numbers,” said Sadom, winner of the SMBC Singapore Open this year.
“This is a difficult golf course. So, I have to make sure that I keep my focus throughout the next 36 holes and give myself and my team a better chance.”
Lahiri, the 2015 Asian Tour number one who turned heads with his gutsy debut in Boston where he finished tied second, caught flu on his way to Chicago and said he was still feeling the effects of anti-histamines he took on Wednesday.
“I just wasn’t mentally sharp, and hence I could not think clearly on the golf course. I was dull and I did not even have a good warm-up at the range. On the third, I hit it about 30 yards right of the target with a six iron and I was wondering what was going on. It was a struggle throughout the day,” said the 35-year-old, who was two over after the first four holes.
“I did manage to pull it back to even-par, and hit a couple of really good wedge shots coming in. But it did not help that while I was struggling, one of the best players in the world was literally playing ridiculous, lights-out golf next to me and making it all look so easy. He shot nine under, and it could have easily been 12-13-under par round.
Cameron Smith (picture by Alex Goodlett/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
“So, hope this congestion is behind me by tomorrow and I can do my normal stuff like find a few fairways and make a few birdies and close the gap a bit.”
With all Asian Tour players inside the top-30 on the opening day, it was the best round collectively for the Tour, in the four LIV Golf tournaments held so far.
Yikeun Chang is hoping a return to the scene of his sole Asian Tour triumph will provide the spark to reignite his career, writes Spencer Robinson, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour.
It was in 2019 that Chang wrote his name into the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) record books when he became the first Korean to lift the title.
As well as propelling him into the top-200 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), that success helped Chang to finish ninth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit standings.
Then the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Since then, it’s proved to be tough going for Chang, who has struggled to recapture the form that secured him that victory at Linkou International Golf and Country Club.
Entering the 2022 edition of the Yeangder TPC, which starts next Thursday, Chang has plummeted to 892nd in the OWGR. On the Asian Tour Merit list he’s currently languishing in 92nd spot having made the cut in just five of the 10 events in which he’s competed this campaign, with a best of 20th at the Trust Asian Mixed Stableford.
Particularly frustrating for Chang is that among the inconsistency there were bright spots last year with top-20 finishes in the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and a joint sixth in the Tenerife Open, all on the DP World Tour.
Chang is one of four former Yeangder TPC winners in the starting line-up at the event which is boasting a 40 per cent rise in purse to US$700,000.
Prom Meesawat. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Like the 28-year-old Korean, Lu Wei-chih (2011), Thai Prom Meesawat (2014) and Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu (2017) will all be seeking to draw on past happy memories at the venue.
Lu remains the only local player to have savoured success in the event in which he’s also posted two other top-five finishes. As is the case with Chang, the 43-year-old home hope will need to arrest a slide in fortunes that has seen him make just one cut in 10 outings this season.
Chinese Taipei fans will also be cheering for Chan Shih-chang and former Asian Tour stalwart Yeh Wei-tze.
A six-time winner on the Asian Development Tour, Chan triumphed in the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship in late 2021, the first event on the Asian Tour following a 20-month Covid-enforced hiatus.
As well as being the leading Chinese Taipei player on the Asian Tour Merit standings in 21st place, Chan has a decent track record at the Linkou layout, having finished fourth in 2013 and third in 2019.
There is sure to be a warm welcome, too, for Yeh, who turns 50 next year.
With his victory in the Malaysian Open in 2000, he became only the second player from his country to win on what was then the European Tour, following the great ‘Mr Lu’ Liang-huan.
Other players in the starting line-up who will also be under the spotlight include Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines and Thais Nitithorn Thippong and Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat.
Tabuena is a two-time runner-up in the Yeangder TPC, having been edged out by Prom in a play-off in 2014 before ending two strokes behind South African Shaun Norris in 2015.
For Nitithorn, the tournament offers a golden opportunity for him to close the gap on the two players ahead of him in the Order of Merit.
In the absence of Korean Bio Kim and American Sihwan Kim, Nitithorn will be setting his sights on a third Asian Tour triumph this season to go alongside wins in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard in India in March and the International Series Singapore in August.
Ajeetesh Sandhu. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Meanwhile, 15-year-old amateur sensation ‘TK’ is raring to return to Asian Tour action after a three-month break.
Winner of the Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup in April, a strong performance for TK at Linkou International would be a timely confidence-booster ahead of his appearance in next month’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, where the winner will receive starting spots in next year’s Masters Tournament and Open Championship.
“I have definitely missed the Asian Tour and I’m very excited to go to Chinese-Taipei next week,” said TK.
At the LIV Golf Invitational event in Boston, Kevin Na’s Ironheads – comprising Asian Tour members Sadom Kaewkanjana, Phachara Khongwatmai and Sihwan Kim – were close to creating golf’s equivalent of a Great Heist, but a manic finish saw them lose out on a podium finish by one shot. Joy Chakravarty reports from Chicago.
After nine holes in Sunday’s final round at The International, the Ironheads were putting together a masterclass, racing five shots ahead of the mighty 4Aces, the Dustin Johnson-led, all-American team that has now won the last three Team Championships.
As it happened, Ironheads leaked shots coming in. Phachara hit a perfect-looking approach into his third last hole, but the ball smashed straight into his playing partner’s golf ball on the 5th green and ricocheted way back into the fairway for him to make a bogey. The Thai star proceeded to close with further back-to-back bogeys after that.
Sadom was six-under par through nine holes, before his third shot on the 11th hole hit a sprinkler head and disappeared into the bushes for him to make a double bogey against the run of play. He finished with another double bogey on the toughest hole of the golf course – the first – and that pushed the team outside the top-three that would have given them a podium place.
Phachara Khongwatmai (Picture by Jonathan Ferrey/LIV Golf via Getty Images).
More than a week removed from the event, captain Na still gets unhappy about the finish, especially when they had the chance to make a statement against the strongest team in the tournament.
“Sometimes, when you have an opportunity, you have to take it. You can’t let that slip away. It’s just like with winning a golf tournament. You get a chance to put the hammer down, you put it,” said the American, who turned 39 on Thursday.
“I was really frustrated how we finished in the end. I know those boys gave it their best. But I think, had they been slightly more aware of where the team was looking at the leaderboard, it could have been a different story.
“I played a practice round with Phachara on Tuesday and we played yesterday as a team, and the only thing I told the boys was to be more aware about the team position when on the golf course.
“Sadom played well that whole week and Phachara played decent. He was playing really good on Sunday, before the bogeys on the last three holes. I told him I wasn’t too happy about that.
“I know he was unlucky with the first bogey, but there was no excuse for the other two. And Sadom too…he was unfortunate to get the first hole, which is the hardest on the course, as his last. Once he was in trouble, he needed to take his medicine, and limit the damage to a bogey. That really cost us.
“It is what it is. A fourth-place finish, with how strong the other teams are on paper going by their world ranking, is a great result. So, we are doing good. I am proud of my boys.”
Na said he had great respect for Kim, who had opened his tournament in Boston with an 87, and then engineered a 24-shot swing the next day with a seven-under par 63.
“Can’t complain about Sihwan in Boston. He had COVID the week before and he was not fully recovered. He had not quite adjusted and he was struggling,” said Na.
“But in the second round, he came back and shot 24 shots better. That’s never been done before. That was quite remarkable and he gave us a chance in the team championship by making his round count. Unfortunately, he didn’t play well on Sunday.”
A modest Na said he was not sure if he was able to impart any lessons to his teammates as their captain, but believes the company of some of the all-time great players on LIV Golf would be a huge learning experience for them.
Sadom Kaewkanjana (Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour).
“I don’t know if I’ve done enough, but I think just playing with some of the best players in the world, some of these big names out here, I think it’s cool for them to compete and get paired with. It’s a good experience and it will help,” said Na, winner of five PGA Tour titles.
“I think they’re doing well. Phachara had a couple of decent finish. Sadom didn’t play well before, but he finally came good in Boston. Sihwan played well in Portland. They’re showing signs of breaking through and just need to be a little bit more consistent.”
Na said he had 100 percent faith in his team.
“I’m enjoying being a team captain. It’s fun. I’m trying to get more involved with the guys and trying to push my team,” said Na.
“In the beginning, I wasn’t sure who were going to be in my team (three Asian Tour spots are up for grabs through the International Series Order of Merit). So, there wasn’t so much of me playing a Captain’s role. But it’s different now as I know for a fact that we’re set for the rest of the year. I am trying to get these guys a little pumped up and excited.
“I honestly believe that we can still win. If not here in Chicago, then we will try in Bangkok. I told Phachara to go home after the tournament and make sure he gets plenty of practice at Stonehill (a brand-new golf course that opened earlier this year).
“And yes. I love Thai food, so I am also looking forward to both Phachara and Sadom taking us for out to some nice Thai restaurant for dinner.”
LIV Invitational Chicago begins at Rich Harvest Farms course from Friday, September 16.
A big cricket fan, Wade Ormsby knows the values and virtues of a good captain when he sees one. So, after all that’s recently happened with his all-Australian team in the LIV Golf Invitational Series, let’s say he is pleased as “Punch” where things are right now – writes Joy Chakravarty, from Chicago.
The 42 year old, playing the LIV Golf Invitational Series by virtue of his Order of Merit finish in the combined 2020-21-22 Order of Merit on the Asian Tour, greatly enjoyed the company of world number three and the reigning Open champion Cameron Smith as captain of Team Punch in LIV Invitational Boston.
Having experienced the camaraderie that came easily to the all-Australian members, Ormsby is in no doubt that the foursome is going to be a force to watch this week at the stunning Rich Harvest Farm in the outskirts of the Windy City.
Seventh in the inaugural event in London, where Ormsby captained the team, Punch finished in last place in Portland and 11th in Bedminster, before a much-improved showing at Boston a couple of weeks ago. The addition of Smith and Marc Leishman helped the team finish in tied sixth place, and the three-time winner on the Asian Tour is certain they are now trending in the right direction.
“It was great for Team Punch to have a nice boost with a couple of superstar players. They have a huge pedigree. Cam comes in fantastic form and Leish is a fantastic player. So, along with Matt Jones, who is playing good golf, I have three really strong guys as part of my team,” said Ormsby, a two-time winner of the Hong Kong Open.
Wade Ormsby. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“Straightaway, you can see Cam is a world-class player. He is right there at the peak of his powers. That just gave us a huge boost. I would have personally liked to play a fraction better than I did. But the game is coming back around now. So hopefully, I can be of more help.”
Ormsby has known Smith for a long time, but even he was left impressed at how he knuckled down and shut off all the noise going around him with his decision to quit the PGA Tour and join the Greg Norman-fronted LIV Golf Series.
“Obviously, he is a few years younger than me, but your paths keep crossing in international golf. We have a lot of similar interests and I have spent a bit of time with him,” said Ormsby, who plays mostly on the Asian and DP World Tour.
“There’s a lot going on around Cam. He is such a huge signing for LIV. So, there is that pressure as well, apart from whatever else good or bad is being said about him. But, I think once he gets inside the ropes and plays golf, he’s still playing tournament golf.
“I wasn’t surprised at all that he showed up and performed straightaway. He is obviously got a lot of good stuff in there. He is a great ball striker, he has got fantastic mental processes going on, and then there is his short game and putting… he is the best in the game there is.
“It’s nice being in the team box when someone’s playing as well as Cam is. It’s always nice to be around such people. There’s a lot of good stuff happening, a lot of good energy coming off them. As a team, we will try to feed off Cam. It’s only good when you’re around guys like that.”
Wade Ormsby. Picture by Thananuwat Srirasant/ Asian Tour.
Smith may be the motivator-in-chief for Team Punch, but Ormsby insists Leishman and Jones are adding tons of value to the team.
“Mattie is the same age as myself and we came through Australian golf at the same time and turned pro. Marc has had an amazing career, and he’s just a really good guy overall. I think all three of them are so down-to-earth, which makes it easy. There are no massive egos in the team, which is fantastic,” explained Ormsby, winner of the 2013 Panasonic Open India – his maiden Asian Tour title.
“It just makes it easy for anyone just to rock up and get along, even though I spend most of my career in Europe and Asia. It’s nice to click straightaway as a team.”
Ormsby played his first tournament on the DP World Tour way back in 2003, and while he is disappointed at the attempts being made to stop LIV Golf players from playing on it, he said he was looking forward to getting back full-time on the Asian Tour and play events back home in Australia.
“We’ve got an amazing new partner in Golf Saudi, and we all know how much they have supported the Asian Tour. I think it’s the most exciting time the Tour has ever seen. I’m just happy to be part of it. I’m happy to be over there a lot more,” said Ormsby.
“And it’s close to home. That’s fantastic for me. Any combination between LIV Golf and the International Series, and the fact that individual events on the Asian Tour continue to become stronger, is a very exciting schedule for me going forward.
“The Asian Tour is going to be high on the priority list for a lot of players around the world to come and play as it continues to evolve into a new, stronger Tour. The International Series is such an exciting addition to the existing Asian Tour. I know it’s going to be an enviable Tour worldwide.
“It’s been nearly 20-odd years I’ve played in Europe, so that’s kind of sad in a way that you’re not gonna go that way, but nothing is forever. There’s always got to be an end. I guess I am lucky that I have got these new opportunities and I’m really excited about it.
“We’re all in different phases of our life. I’ve got a young daughter and I want to be closer to her and see her grow up, but I still want to play world golf. I’m trying to compete at the highest stage I possibly can. I feel like the balance is back in my favour.”
At an important signing ceremony today at the Shinhan Donghae Open officials proudly announced that the prestigious tournament, one of Korea’s flagship tournaments, will be sanctioned with the Asian Tour, Japan Golf Tour Organisation and Korean PGA Tour for an additional three years, from 2023 to 2025.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa won the event after a thrilling final round, which was played in Japan for the first time in its history, at Koma Country Club, and is the only tournament tri-sanctioned by the three Tours.
The popular Shinhan Donghae Open first became part of the Asian Tour in 2016, when Indian star Gaganjeet Bhullar was triumphant, and since then it has become an integral part of its schedule.
“The Shinhan Donghae Open is one of the solid, standout pillars of our schedule,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO, of the Asian Tour.
“We are truly honoured that the Shinhan Financial Group have chosen to collaborate with us for many more years, which allows us to continue to grow the tournament into a regional property, attract even bigger audiences and further help facilitate the growth of the game in Asia.”
Held annually in Korea since 1981, the Shinhan Donghae Open was jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korean PGA Tour in 2016 before becoming the first event to be tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan circuits in 2019.
“This week we heard former champion Gaganjeet Bhullar explain that just by being here and seeing the Shinhan Donghae branding on the course inspired him and made him realise just how much the tournament is close to his heart. This speaks volumes about the significance of the tournament, and its partners and organisers.”
It was hosted in Japan this week as Koma was overseen by Shinhan Financial Group’s founder Heuikeon Lee in the 1980s and the impressive venue is a special place for the Group.
Chairman and CEO of Shinhan Financial Group, Yongbyoung Cho said he hopes the tri-sanction agreement will continue the tradition of allowing each Tour player the chance to compete beyond the barriers of their country; in line with the Shinhan Donghae Open’s slogan: “To Continue The Tradition and Open The Future”.
Travel restrictions caused by the global pandemic meant it could only be played as a domestic event in 2020 and 2021, but the tournament, which this week saw some remarkable golf and low scoring, has returned to the international arena with a vengeance.
Tirawat Kaewsiribandit carded his second successive seven-under-par 64, helped by two eagles, to take the clubhouse lead in The 38th Shinhan Donghae Open today at Koma Country Club in Nara, Japan, upstaging an exceptional line-up of players from the Asian, Japan and Korean Tours.
The Thai golfer has won once before on the Asian Tour – in the 2018 UMA CNS Open Golf Championship in Pakistan – but is now in uncharted territory in one of the region’s biggest and most prestigious events, moving to 14 under par at the halfway mark.
A 90-minute weather delay at the start of the day meant 32 players were unable to complete round two. Play will resume at 6.50am local time tomorrow.
Japan’s Kazuki Higa, currently ranked number one in Japan, came in with a 63 and is one back, while PGA Tour star Siwoo Kim from Korea, shot a 65 to sit a further stroke behind.
Japan’s Riki Kawamoto also fired a 65 and is 11 under.
First-round leader Richard T. Lee from Canada, who carded a course record 62 yesterday, is 11 under with five holes left.
Siwoo Kim. Picture courtesy Korean PGA.
“I am very excited to maybe play leading group at the weekend,” said Tirawat, also a winner on the Asian Development Tour.
“It is my first time playing this course, it’s great because I like the big greens, which helps me get more confidence. I am enjoying this new experience in the big time.”
He began on tee 10 and quickly raised the bar with eagles on 13 and 17, both par fives. He made four birdies and one bogey in total.
Higa has triumphed twice on the Japan Golf Tour Organisation this year and his fine form was once again on display when he put together a flawless round of eight birdies.
He said: “I am bogey free for two days now, that’s great. The greens are so soft which helps but you must stay out of the rough. I am pleased I finished before it got dark.”
In April he won the Kansai Open Golf Championship, and in June the BMW Japan Golf Tour Championship Mori Building Cup.
The event’s star attraction Siwoo Kim, a three-time PGA Tour winner, is lurking ominously going into the weekend.
“I just want to concentrate on myself without thinking about the others. I’d like to play the final two days like today and yesterday.”
Defending champion Yoseop Seo from Korea returned a 68 and is five under for the tournament, while his countryman Bio Kim, the current leader of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, shot 67 and is four under.
Day one of The 38th Shinhan Donghae Open witnessed some remarkably low scoring today with Canadian Richard T. Lee taking the lead with a sensational nine-under-par 62, which is a course-record at Koma Country Club in Nara near Osaka, while Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong returned a 63.
Thailand’s Tirawat Kaewsiribandit was also in rampant form carding a 64, while PGA Tour star Siwoo Kim from Korea and his compatriot Taeho Kim, Filipino Juvic Pagunsan, Japan’s Yuki Furukawa and Americans Seungsu Han and Todd Baek fired 65s.
It’s the first time the tournament, one of Korea’s most prestigious events have been played in Japan, and boasting a purse of KRW1,400,000,000 (approximately US$1,050,500) it is being tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan Tours.
Lee, aged 31, won this event in 2017 for one of two victories on the Asian Tour, and despite it being held in a different country he felt right at home from-the-get-go. Stating on the back nine he made four birdies and five on his second half.
Nitithorn Thippong. Picture courtesy of Korean PGA.
He said: “Like the fairways here, you gotta hit fairways, the rough is up, and the greens are actually playing pretty fast, but I like fast greens. It was a bogey free round and I felt I took advantage of the par fives pretty well today.”
Lee is clearly coming into good form as he tied for second in the International Series Singapore last month.
“To be honest I have not had any good results in Japan before, but I have always played well in the Shinhan Donghae Open, which has been kind of funny. I think I just like the atmosphere of this tournament and I think they run it very well,” added Lee.
The previous course record was held by Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino who carded a 63 in the final round of 2019 Kansai Open, on the Japan Tour.
Nitithorn’s undeniable talent and growing reputation as a star of future was on display again today. He is one of only two players to have tasted victory twice this year: in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard and the International Series Singapore.
“I didn’t expect to shoot a score like that, but I drove the ball very good – which is key for the course as the next shot is not very far,” said the 25 year old, who was in the first group out today at 6.50am local time.
“I am really happy, it’s awesome, the course is not that long. Every guy came here for a win, and I will certainly try my best to do that. Yes, I won in Singapore and India, but the past is the past, I want to focus on the present.
Like Lee he started on 10 and was bogey free and birdied five of the last seven holes on the back nine.
Defending champion Yoseop Seo came in with a 69 while current Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Bio Kim from Korea came in with a 71.
Siwoo Kim. Picture courtesy of Korean PGA.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, winner of this event in 2016, carded a 72.
Korean Taehoon Ok, who won the International Series Korea two weeks ago, was forced to withdraw because of a back injury.
It is the first time the tournament has been played on the Asian Tour in three years because of the pandemic.
Gaganjeet Bhullar, one of the most prolific winners on the Asian Tour, will bid to claim his 11th title this week at The 38th Shinhan Donghae Open – a tournament where he has enjoyed success before, in 2016, and which has special meaning to him.
“It was six years ago but it still seems like it was last week,” said the Indian.
“Going back to all my last 10 victories I think the Shinhan Donghae Open was definitely very close to my heart: the reason was I was coming back from a bad patch of two years, including injuries and a lot of adjustments in my golf swing back in the day, so that basically gave me another kick in my career.
“So, looking at all the Shinhan Donghae Open branding this week it brings back all the good memories.”
The Shinhan Donghae Open, is one of Korea’s most prestigious events, and when Bhullar claimed the title, it was played at Bear’s Best Cheongna – the tournament’s home for the past seven years.
However, this week the tournament is being held in Japan for the first time in its history, with Koma Country Club near Osaka playing host.
JAKARTA-INDONESIA – Gaganjeet Bhullar of India pictured after round four with the winner’s trophy on Sunday August 7, 2022 of the Mandiri Indonesia Open 2022 at the Pondok Indah Golf Course, Jakarta, Indonesia. The US$500,000 Asian Tour event is staged from August 4-7, 2022. Picture by Graham Uden / Asian Tour.
Added Gaganjeet: “I played a practise round yesterday and I would say the conditions are very favourable for my game; rough is still up, greens are still very pure. I have been playing the past few years in Korea and Japan and the goal is to stick to my routine.”
The 34-year-old from Amritser, in the Punjab, was triumphant in the Mandiri Indonesia Open for a record third time in August, for his first victory on the Asian Tour since his win at the 2018 Fiji International. Having struggled with his form over recent seasons while focusing on Europe and battling with a bad dose of Covid at that start of the year, it was a much welcomed return to the winners’ circle.
“I have been working very hard on my swing, my pre-shot routine, and some mental stuff I have been doing on and off the golf course, and that is the result of my input,” he added.
“Winning in Indonesia also gave me a boost. Every time you go out and play well that boosts your career for the next few years and I feel I am riding high on confidence, focusing one shot at a time. I will give 100 per cent this week.”
He is currently in 11th place on the Order of Merit with earnings of US$248,910 having played 10 events. And with a wealth of big money events to come finishing in top spot is a realistic possibility.
Since first playing on the Asian Tour in 2007 his best Merit list finish was fourth in 2018, while he was fifth in both 2012 and 2013.
He has been paired in the first two rounds with Japan’s Ryosuke Kinoshita and Korean Junggon Hwang.
Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Bio Kim from Korea, and his compatriot Taehoon Ok, who won the International Series Korea two weeks ago, are just two of the big-name players competing this week.
Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong and Sihwan Kim from the United States, the only two players who have won twice this season are also competing, as well as PGA Tour star Siwoo Kim from Korea.
Defending champion Yoseop Seo from Korea is playing, he won last year when the tournament was played solely as a Korean PGA event due to travel restriction caused by COVID-19.
Ganganjeet Bhullar (picture by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images).
It is the first time the prestigious tournament has been played on the Asian Tour in three years because of the pandemic.
Tri-sanctioned by the Asian, Korean and Japan Tours it boasts prizemoney of KRW 1,400,000,000 (approximately US$1,050,500).
The Asian Tour Qualifying School will return after a break of nearly two years, giving players from all over the world the opportunity to secure much sought-after playing privileges for the Asian Tour’s 2023 season.
The Asian Tour has seen a recent resurgence with several new highly lucrative tournaments added to its tournament schedule. However, the playing membership has not seen a reshuffle since the 2020 season with members who secured playing rights from that season retaining their status through the end of the 2022 season. The Qualifying School was not staged in 2021 and 2022 because of disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last version of the Asian Tour Qualifying School, held in Thailand in 2020, saw Zimbabwean Benjamin Follett-Smith (main photo) top the class. Korea’s Bio Kim and Taehoon Ok, both winners on Tour this season, as well as South African standout Ian Snyman, also came through the Qualifying School that year.
The Final Qualifying Stage, which will see the top-35 finishers earn their coveted Tour cards, will take place at Lakeview Resort & Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, from January 18-22; while that will be preceded by five First Stage Qualifying events, including a first in the United States, which will signal the start of Qualifying School.
The United States stage will take place at Oakcreek Country Club in Arizona from November 15-18, 2022, and will mark the first time the Asian Tour has visited the country.
American Austen Truslow won the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2018. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The other four First Qualifying stages will be held on Blue Canyon Country Club’s Canyon Course, on Phuket Island, from December 7-10; Blue Canyon’s Lakes Course from January 4-7; Thana City Country Club in Bangkok from January 11-14; and Springfield Country Club in Hua Hin, also from January 11-14.
Players entering the First Qualifying Stage will be on a first come first served basis, with the top-placed finishers progressing to the Final Stage.
The Final Qualifying Stage will be played over five rounds. The top 140 (and ties) after 36 holes will progress to rounds three and four. The top 70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the pivotal final round, which will be held on January 22. At the conclusion of 90 holes, the top 35 will be ranked accordingly for the 2023 season.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO, Asian Tour: “The Asian Tour Qualifying School is the gateway to the Asian Tour and a critical component of our platform.
“The fact that we are able to hold the Qualifying School once again after a lengthy break is a strong indicator that the Asian Tour is fully back on track and well and truly in position to follow through with the most exciting period in our history.”
“The Asian Tour is committed to providing a multi-tier platform for professional golfers, with the Qualifying School being an integral part of this,” added Cho.
“So many of our most prominent golfers have been successful at the Qualifying School and have gone on to achieve great things in the game – such as Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee (1999) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (2009), Australian Scott Hend (2007), and American John Catlin (2018). I am sure the next edition of the Qualifying School will see the emergence of more Asian Tour stars of the future.”
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