Pattaya, Thailand, June 30: Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond clung on to his lead after draining a 17-foot birdie putt on the last to share the spoils with Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, who posted a second straight six-under-par 65, at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Saturday.

The 22-year-old Jazz, who held a share of the overnight three-shot lead, birdied the par-five second hole and reeled in 12 straight pars before sinking back-to-back birdies from 15. He dropped a shot on 17 but recovered with the birdie on the last for a round of 68.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha)

Jazz, chasing for a second Asian Tour win, sits atop the leaderboard with Bhullar on 15-under-par 198 total while Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand trails the leading duo by one in third place on his own following a 65 at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe returned with the day’s best score of a 63 to sit two shots off the pace in tied-fourth position alongside local amateur Sadom Kaewkanjana and overnight co-leader Sihwan Kim of the United States, who carded rounds of 66 and 70 respectively.

The US$300,000 Queen’s Cup, held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the Asian Tour with a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this week.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind)

Did you know?

• Jane Janewattananond has dropped only two shots so far this week.
• Jazz will be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the season-opening SMBC Singapore Open, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.
• Jazz missed only one cut in 10 starts on Tour to sit in a current 16th place on the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• He came in runner-up at the Queen’s Cup last year, finishing just one shot back of winner Nicholas Fung of Malaysia.
• Jazz won his first Asian Tour title at the 2017 Bangladesh Open by four shots. The victory was especially sweet for him as he finished outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School. He went on to notch five other top-10s to finish a career-high 13th place on the Order of Merit.
• Gaganjeet Bhullar is an eight-time winner on the Asian Tour. He claimed his eighth victory at the Macao Open last year and became the youngest player to win eight titles on the region’s premier Tour.
• The 30-year-old Bhullar came in second runner-up when he last played the Royal Cup at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club six months ago.
• Pavit Tangakamolprasert fired one birdie and one eagle to turn in 33. Dropped a shot on 13 but stormed home with four birdies in his closing five holes to cap his best round so far this week.
• Pavit battled against a wrist injury to claim a record sixth ADT victory on home soil last month.
• Pavit was crowned the 2014 ADT Order of Merit champion, after winning three titles on the secondary circuit that year.
• Pavit won his first Asian Tour title at the 2016 Venetian Macao Open in sensational style by defeating Anirban Lahiri of India on the first play-off hole.
• Pavit won the 2014 Singha Open on his local circuit at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The tournament was also played on the Mountain and Ocean courses, same as the Queen’s Cup this week.
• Pavit sits in 46th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. His best result this season is a tied-13th place finish at the Thailand Open earlier this month.
• Scott Vincent is the only Zimbabwean member on the Asian Tour. He came through the Qualifying School in 2016 and did not miss a single cut in six starts on the Asian Tour that year.
• Vincent claimed four top-10s in 2017 to finish in 17th place on the Order of Merit, retaining his Asian Tour card for the 2018 season.
• He has capped three top-10 finishes this season to sit in a current ninth place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Players’ quotes:

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) –Third round 66 (-8), Total 198 (-15)

It was a slow round for me today. Made only one birdie and then a lot of pars, didn’t birdie again until later in the round. It was a pretty good finish with three birdies and one bogey. It was quite tough out there with the wind.

I wasn’t able to play my ‘A’ game today but I tried my best to get the job done. I just wanted to shoot an under-par round with this windy condition. I hit a good shot out of the bunker on 15 was good and that birdie kind of got my momentum going.

I just want to go out there and play my best gold tomorrow. If things go my way, I will win. But if it doesn’t, I still have a lot of opportunities with the remaining tournaments I have to play. It’s been good since I won in Bangladesh last year.

That victory turned my career around completely. I feel like my game has been moving towards the right direction since that win. I am happy to put myself in contention week in week out. I just need to get the job done. I guess it’s just live and learn, we’ll just go out and have fun tomorrow.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) – Third round 65 (-6), Total 198 (-15)

I kept the ball in play today. I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. I just kept on giving myself a lot of birdie opportunities. I got my first birdie on the fourth and made a good par save on the sixth. I drove into the water hazard and had to take a drop there. Hit my second shot onto the green and two-putted for par.

I made a really good birdie on the ninth. I hit my driver off the tee and had about 142 yards to the stick and I hit it to about six inches for birdie there. I made three straight birdies after the turn which was great. The only bogey I had was on the 17th hole and that was a total misread off my club.

Nothing special tomorrow. I will just continue to do my own thing and try and repeat what I did in the last 54 holes. The game’s feeling good. I will focus on hitting as many fairways and greens as I can tomorrow and hopefully hole some putts.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert (Tha)

Pavit Tangkamolprasert (Tha) – Third round 65 (-6), Total 199 (-14)

I played the same today, still pretty solid. I hit good drives out there. Didn’t make any putts on the front nine but I managed to hit it close for birdie on the fifth and then make the eagle on the seventh. I hit a good drive with a three-wood and then a solid five-iron over the trees which took a bounce on the green and rolled to about half a foot for eagle. 

I struggled to read the greens today. I just couldn’t get it right, especially for the first 10 to 11 holes. But I managed to find back the touch after that. The birdie on 14 gave me a lot of confidence. I sank a long putt from about 20-feet for birdie on 17. It was a great finish.

The wind was swirling out there today. It was difficult to get the directions right. The pin positions were pretty tough on the back nine as well. I will try my best tomorrow. It has been two years since I first won on the Asian Tour. Anything can happen tomorrow.

I played with the local amateur Sadom today. He seems shaky at the start and he told me he hasn’t played with me before. He got comfortable heading into the round and he played really good today. I am happy to see that we have such a strong amateur around.

Scott Vincent (Zim)

Scott Vincent (Zim) -Third round 63 (-8), Total 200 (-13)

I got off to a great start. Managed to make a few putts and get to five-under on the front nine. Started the back nine with three birdies in a row and looking like I could put a really low score out today but I kind of just hung in there in the last six holes.

Six pars coming back and some were really good par saves. All in all, it was a good day. I hit the driver very well today. I hit 11 fairways. It gave me some opportunities to attack the pins. I made quite a lot of putts as well. It was just a solid round.

I hit a good tee shot on the first straight down the fairway, wedged to about six feet and had a downhill left to right putt and made that. That just got my momentum going. I just kept telling myself to keep it going. If I can do the same tomorrow, I should be in a pretty good shape.

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 29: Korean-American Sihwan Kim closed with four straight birdies to grab a three-shot lead alongside playing partner Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand at the halfway stage of the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Friday.

The blazing finish saw Kim, the highest-ranked Asian Tour player in the field, sign for a bogey-free seven-under-par 64 and a 12-under-par 130 total to match the efforts of Jazz, who posted a 66, at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

Starting the round with a three-shot deficit, Kim nailed three birdies to turn in 32 before sinking four consecutive birdies from the sixth to grab a share of the lead at the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the Asian Tour.

Jazz, who trailed by one following an opening 64, extended his bogey-free run to 29 holes before dropping a lone bogey on the par-four third hole. He eventually gained it back with a birdie on his closing ninth hole.

Overnight leader Poom Saksansin of Thailand battled to a 70 to share third place with countryman Sattaya Supupramai (66), Filipino hotshot Miguel Tabuena (66) and Indian talent Gaganjeet Bhullar (65) on matching 133s.

The halfway cut was set at two-under-par 140 with a total of 76 players, including two local amateurs, progressing to the weekend rounds.

The Queen’s Cup, held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season.

Did you know?

• Sihwan Kim is the highest-ranked player in the field this week. He sits in seventh position on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to a current haul of US$231,694.
• Kim needed only 23 putts in his solid round of 64. He signed for a bogey-free round highlighted by seven birdies, including four straight ones to close his round.
• The 29-year-old Kim turned professional in 2011 and is currently ranked 247th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
• Kim was born in Seoul. His family moved to the United States in October 2000 when he was 11. Also a former standout from the Stanfort University who won the U.S. Junior Amateur in 2004.
• Kim came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2017 and kept his card for the 2018 season after notching three top-10s to finish in 55th place on the final Order of Merit.
• Playing in only his second season on the Asian Tour, Kim claimed his first top-three result when he came in second runner-up at the Hero Indian Open earlier in March. He took home a prize money of US$109,550 to mark his career’s biggest pay cheque ever. He went on to finish tied-fourth at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan the following month.
• Jazz will be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the season-opening SMBC Singapore Open, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.
• Jazz missed only one cut in 10 starts on Tour to sit in a current 16th place on the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• He came in runner-up at the Queen’s Cup last year, finishing just one shot back of winner Nicholas Fung of Malaysia.
• Jazz won his first Asian Tour title at the 2017 Bangladesh Open by four shots. The victory was especially sweet for him as he finished outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School. He went on to notch five other top-10s to finish a career-high 13th place on the Order of Merit.

Players’ quotes:

Sihwan Kim (Usa) – Second round 64 (-7), Total 130 (-12)

Putting was the key difference, really. I putted a lot better yesterday and today than what I have been. I kept the ball close to the hole and made some putts out there.

I was able to put the ball in the right spots too. I made some good up and downs. My short game was quite good so I guess that was why I was able to go bogey-free.

Jazz and I were just feeding off the good vibes from each other. He was four shots ahead of me at one point so I just wanted to catch up with him.

I’m happy with where I stand right now. It’s always good to be leading. Hopefully I can continue to do the same over the weekend. I will do the same things, play hole by hole and make some putts.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – Second round 66 (-5), Total 130 (-12)

I started from the 10th today and I had a good run with no bogeys at all until the third but I managed to recover with a birdie on the last hole ninth. My game was pretty similar to yesterday. I just missed some putts and made a few mistakes out there today. But overall, it’s still a good score and I am happy with that.

I guess I will be playing with Sihwan Kim again tomorrow. He played really good today. It was great out there. We were just feeding off each other and trying to make birdies whenever we can. It was great playing with him.

I just focused on playing my own game. I missed a couple of putts on my opening three holes. I should have make birdies there. I will keep things the same and just go out and have fun tomorrow.

Poom Saksansin (Tha) – Second round 70 (-1), Total 133 (-9)

My tee shots were not that good today but my iron-play was still alright. I wasn’t thinking much out there. I was just trying to hit good shots. The conditions were pretty similar to yesterday.

Coming down the stretch, I was playing with no expectations already so it was great to make a good birdie putt from about 20 feet uphill on my last hole ninth.

Miguel Tabuena (Phi) – Second round 66 (-5), Total 133 (-9)

I am striking the ball really well. I just need to make more putts. I left about four to five putts out there today. I didn’t really hit my wedges well too but I’m happy to return with another bogey-free round today.

My birdie putts were all pretty makeable today. My short game was good. I made some good up and downs for pars as well. This course actually reminds me of my home course back home in the Philippines.

The grass is pretty similar and the greens are quite alike. I have been playing well for the last few weeks so I am just riding on my good form this week.

Gaganjeet Bhullar (Ind) – Second round 65 (-6), Total 133 (-9)

My front nine, which is the back nine of the golf course, was very good today. I made seven birdies there to turn in 29. It’s the first time I shot a 29 in any nine holes. I hit pretty much every fairway today. I probably missed just one fairway and two greens. 

I just couldn’t go low on my back nine today. Even though I shot a 65, I felt like I only shot one-under or two-under. I gave myself a lot of good looks on the greens but wasn’t able to take advantage of it.

We still have 36 more holes to go so I’m looking forward. It was relatively easy today, to be honest. There are not too many tough pin positions today and you can actually make birdie on every hole.

I have been placing my tee shots very good. The key is putting this week. The course is not that long so it’s not that demanding in terms of ball striking. I think it’s going to be a putting competition this week.

I putted well on my front nine. All my birdies were made from inside 10 feet. Once you’re out there on the golf course, you really don’t think so much. You just try to execute every single shot that you have in your mind. That was what I was trying to do.  

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Kuching, Malaysia, June 29: A strong cast of international stars comprising of more than 30 Asian Tour champions from 20 different countries will headline the inaugural US$300,000 Sarawak Championship next week.

Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, who holds eight Asian Tour titles, will feature in the event alongside 2017 Rookie of the Year Micah Lauren Shin of the United States, Xiao Bowen of China and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond at the Damai Golf and Country Club from July 4 to 7 (Wednesday to Saturday).

Also in the elite field are former Asian Tour number ones Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa of India while the local challenge will be spearheaded by Nicholas Fung and Ben Leong, both winners on the Asian Tour.

Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert will return to the Malaysian state on Borneo with happy memories as he tasted victory in Sarawak on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2014.

With six ADT titles under his belt, the 29-year-old Pavit holds the most number of victories on the region’s secondary circuit but his goal next week is to claim his second Asian Tour title at the Sarawak Championship.

“I won in Sarawak before, although it’s a different golf course. It’s been four years since I won in Sarawak but I am looking forward to going back to Malaysia next week. It always feels like home in Malaysia. I used to go there a lot when I play on the ADT so I am very happy to go back to Malaysia,” said Pavit.

He sensationally won his first Asian Tour title at the 2016 Venetian Macao Open by defeating Anirban Lahiri on the first play-off hole. The win was a huge boost in his career and he hopes to repeat the feat in Sarawak.

“I have a lot of good memories in Malaysia. I won two of my ADT titles in the country. Everything is good for me right now. My wrist is okay and my game’s feeling strong. I am driving the ball good. I feel very confident. We got a stretch of events coming up so hopefully I can get some good results.

“At this point, my aim is to finish the year in the top-60 and keep my card. I have been playing well this season. It has been almost two years since I won in Macao. I want to win again,” said Pavit, who ranks 46th on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Malaysia’s Fung, who hails from Sabah, was delighted with the new addition of the Sarawak Championship in Malaysia. The bespectacled Fung will lead the local challenge with the goal of winning his second Asian Tour title.

“I know the Sarawak State Government and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Sarawak have been trying so hard to host an Asian Tour event and now that it is happening, it is good for Sarawak and the Malaysian golfers.

“The culture in Sarawak is different so the players can expect a very nice cultural change as compared to Kuala Lumpur where we usually have our Asian Tour events. The Sarawakians are really friendly and it is a nice course. I’ve played a lot at the Damai course when I was an amateur so I’m really looking forward to it,” said Fung.

The Sarawak Championship is the third new Asian Tour event announced this year following the Asia-Pacific Classic in China and UMA CNS Open Golf Championship which is staged in Pakistan. The Asian Tour also sanctioned the ISPS HANDA New Zealand Open for the first time earlier this year. 

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 28: Thai talent Poom Saksansin took advantage of his solid iron-play to sign for an opening eight-under-par 63, grabbing a one-shot lead over countryman Jazz Janewattananond at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Thursday.

Poom, a two-time Asian Tour winner, nailed eight birdies before dropping a shot on 17 for his only blemish of the day. The 25-year-old Thai, however, recovered swiftly with a birdie on the last to take his place atop the leaderboard at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

Jazz, who will be making his Major debut at The Open next month, returned with a bogey-free round highlighted by seven birdies to sit in second place at the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, who was flawless with six birdies, shared third place with American Paul Peterson and Danthai Boonma of Thailand on matching 65s. Peterson came home with four straight birdies while Danthai got off to a birdie-eagle start en route to their 65s.

Jbe Kruger of South Africa recorded the first hole-in-one of the week when he aced the par-three 16th hole with a gap wedge from 145 yards. He trails by three shots in tied-sixth place following a 66.

Defending champion Nicholas Fung of Malaysia posted a 72 to tie in 103rd place at the Queen’s Cup, which welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season.

Did you know?

• Poom Saksansin is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He produced a five-shot victory at the 2016 Indonesian Masters to win his first Asian Tour title and completed a convincing wire-to-wire victory at the 2017 TAKE Solutions Masters where he won by two shots.
• Poom led the 2014 Queen’s Cup into the final round before finishing second behind Thaworn Wiratchant.
• He finished in a career-high eighth position on the 2017 Merit rankings and earned a maiden appearance at the 2018 EurAsiaCup where he represented Team Asia.
• Poom, together with Sunghoon Kang, defeated Henrik Stenson and Alex Levy in the first day four-ball match 5&4. Also beat Paul Casey 1 up on the final day Singles match.
• Poom sits in 29th place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to two top-10s, which included a runner-up finish at the Thailand Open earlier this month.
• Jazz missed only two fairways and three greens in his flawless round of 64 today.
• Jazz will be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the season-opening SMBC Singapore Open, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.
• Jazz missed only one cut in 10 starts on Tour to sit in a current 16th place on the 2018 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• He came in runner-up at the Queen’s Cup last year, finishing just one shot back of winner Nicholas Fung of Malaysia.
• Jazz won his first Asian Tour title at the 2017 Bangladesh Open by four shots. The victory was especially sweet for him as he finished outside the top-60 on the 2016 Order of Merit and missed the grade at the 2017 Qualifying School. He went on to notch five other top-10s to finish a career-high 13th place on the Order of Merit.
• Siddikur Rahman is a two-time Asian Tour winner. Became the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour in 2010.
• Siddikur needed only 21 putts for his commendable round of 65.
• Siddikur has recorded five top-10 results in his last eight appearances at the Queen’s Cup, albeit on a different golf course.
• Like Jazz, Danthai will also be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie next month. He also secured his spot after finishing tied-fourth in Singapore in January.
• Danthai has enjoyed some good results at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. He finished tied-third at the King’s Cup in 2016 and came in tied-eighth at the Royal Cup last December.
• The 22-year-old Danthai secured his Asian Tour breakthrough at the World Classic Championship in Singapore in 2015.
• Paul Peterson claimed his breakthrough win on the Asian Tour at the Myanmar Open earlier in January.
• The left-handed Peterson came in tied-third at the Queen’s Cup in 2016 before going on to win his first European Tour title at the Czech Masters two months later.
• The 29-year-old Peterson sits in eighth place on the current Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Players’ quotes:

Poom Saksansin (Tha) – First Round 63 (-8)

I hit very good approach shots today. My mid-irons and short irons were very good. I got a bit of luck with my putting as well. The highlight of my round today was on the 12th hole. I almost made an eagle there but my putt lipped out.

I am very happy with the way I played today. I wasn’t thinking much. I just stuck to my game plan and kept the momentum going. The game’s feeling much better now. I am feeling more confident after finishing second at the Thailand Open earlier.

I guess my mental game has improved a lot and that’s why I am playing good again. This is a course that I practise a lot on so I am very familiar with it. It’s a very short course. You need to drive the ball well and hit good iron shots to play well here. This is the lowest score that I have ever shot on this course.

Jazz Janewattananond (Tha) – First Round 64 (-7)

I got off to a good start. Everything was pretty smooth for me out there. I was just hitting a lot of fairways and a lot of greens, made some putts and missed some. It was overall a pretty good round. 

I was playing with no pressure. I guess that helps. It’s still early in the week. I am not thinking much. It’s going to be a hot week here. I was just trying to save my energy. It was pretty windy when we start so it was a little tough.

Siddikur Rahman (Ban) – First Round 65 (-6)

I haven’t had a bogey-free round for a long time. I had an excellent day out there. My putting was really good and that’s the reason why I can put up such a low score today. Everything went well today except for the 18th hole where I hit a bad drive.

But I made a great up and down from the bunker for birdie there. It was about 25 yards from the bunker but I made that. My back was really sore yesterday. I went for treatment at the physio yesterday after my practice round and also this morning before my round.

It was much better today. It felt totally different out there. I was able to swing my best today and it was great. I made most of my birdies from within 10 to 15 feet today. I started from the 10th hole today and got off to a great start with two straight birdies. 

It feels good coming to play at the Queen’s Cup, although it’s being held at a different venue this year. I have had some good results at the Queen’s Cup before so I just feel a lot of positive vibes coming to play this tournament.

This course suits my game too as it’s not too long. I like this golf course. I am feeling very excited now and I am looking forward to the rest of the season. The season hasn’t been that good so far. It’s been on and off.

My game is there but I just can’t show in my results. But having said that, there are still many more tournaments to go so I am not too worried about my performance. This is a really short course. You need to putt well. Everyone is going to hit it close out there.

Danthai Boonma (Tha) – First Round 65 (-6)

I had a really good start today. I made the birdie putt from about seven feet on the first and that got my momentum going. I think I was a bit lucky with my eagle on the second hole. I hit the green in two and sank the eagle putt from about 20 feet!

I felt good after the strong start. I played really well after that. I putted very well. My tee shots were good too. I like this golf course. I finished inside top-10 the last two times we played here. Although we’re playing a different back nine this week, I still feel very comfortable out there.

Paul Peterson (Usa) – First Round 65 (-6)

It was nice not to drop a shot today. I switched back to my old driver and I am really happy with it. It was the same one I used when I won Myanmar earlier. It just got me into a very good rhythm out there and to finish six-under.

I made a nice up and down on the 12th hole and hit some quality shots and made some putts coming in. I had the wind a little bit wrong on the 12th. I was trying to be short on that hole and picked a club that I thought was very short but it just flew the green. 

I chipped it to about three feet and made the putt. It was a very good par save there and it just got my momentum going. My groupmates were hitting some good shots coming down the stretch so we were just feeding off each other.

I hit a really good three-wood in on the seventh hole to about eight feet. It was awesome. I didn’t convert the eagle putt unfortunately but it was good to hit it about 250 yards. I felt like the birdie on ninth kind of jumpstarted the round and I was able to finish off strong.

Scores after round 1 of the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak being played at the par 71, 6951 Yards Phoenix GC course (am – denotes amateur):

63 – Poom SAKSANSIN (THA).

64 – Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA).

65 – Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN), Danthai BOONMA (THA), Paul PETERSON (USA).

66 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG), Dino A. GIACOMAZZI (USA), Sihwan KIM (USA), Jbe KRUGER (RSA), Scott VINCENT (ZIM), Natipong SRITHONG (THA).

67 – Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Wongsakorn PIKUNSAWAT (THA), Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA), Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA), Kittiporn JAVANAPONG (THA), Wolmer MURILLO (VEN), Ronnachai JAMNONG (THA), Ben CAMPBELL (NZL), Miguel TABUENA (PHI), Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA), Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA), William HARROLD (ENG), Pasavee LERTVILAI (THA).

68 – Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA), Hamza AMIN (PAK), Kammalas NAMUANGRUK (THA), Thepbodin AMARANAN (THA), Javier GALLEGOS (ESP), Naras LUANGPHETCHARAPORN (THA), Raththee SIRITHANAKUNSAK (THA), Paul HARRIS (USA), Sarit SUWANNARUT (THA), Settee PRAKONGVECH (THA), WANG Wei-lun (TPE), Nirun SAE-UENG (THA), Jarin TODD (USA), Gareth PADDISON (NZL), Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND), Casey O’TOOLE (USA), Josh YOUNGER (AUS), Kevin LEE (KOR), Sung LEE (KOR), Tanapat PICHAIKOOL (am, THA).

69 – Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA), LIU Yanwei (CHN), Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA), Javi COLOMO (ESP), Rashid KHAN (IND), Viraj MADAPPA (IND), Atiruj WINAICHAROENCHAI (THA), John Michael O’TOOLE (USA), Tawan PHONGPHUN (THA), Hein SITHU (MYN), Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA), Malcolm KOKOCINSKI (SWE), Arnond VONGVANIJ (THA), Khalin JOSHI (IND), Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA), Piya SWANGARUNPORN (THA), Chaiphat KOONMARK (THA).

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 28: Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh renewed his love affair with the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak when he opened with a bogey-free six-under-par 65 to grab the clubhouse lead by one shot on Thursday.

The 33-year-old Siddikur, who has recorded five top-10 results in his last eight appearances albeit on a different venue at the Queen’s Cup, overcame a nagging back pain by firing six birdies to take his place atop the leaderboard.

Asian Tour rookies Miguel Carballo of Argentina and American Dino A. Giacomazzi carded matching 66s to share second place in the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

Thitiphun Chuayprakong, who has well-recovered from a career-threatening wrist injury, is amongst the local prospects bunched in fifth place following identical rounds of 67s at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.

“I haven’t had a bogey-free round for a long time. I had an excellent day out there. My putting was really good and that’s the reason why I can put up such a low score today. Everything went well today except for the 18th hole where I hit a bad drive.

“But I made a great up and down from the bunker for birdie there. It was about 25 yards from the bunker but I made that. My back was really sore yesterday. I went for treatment at the physio and it’s much better today,” said Siddikur, a two-time Asian Tour winner.

“I made most of my birdies from within 10 to 15 feet today. I started from the 10th hole today and got off to a great start with two straight birdies. This course suits my game too as it’s not too long. I am feeling very excited now and I am looking forward to the next few rounds,” Siddikur added.

Karachi, Pakistan, June 28: Pakistan’s leading shipping agency United Marine Agencies (UMA) will be the title sponsor of the CNS Open Golf Championship when it debuts on the Asian Tour at the Karachi Golf Club from October 11 to 14.

The tournament, re-christened the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship, has been staged on the local circuit since 1995. With its entry into Asia’s premier golf circuit this year, the US$300,000 event will receive Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.

UMA, one of Pakistan’s top five shipping agencies, provides shipping, cargo and marine-related services in the country as well as the region. The company has always been deeply involved in sports. It was the main sponsor of the 49th CISM World Military Sailing Championship and a major contributor for the infrastructural enhancements at the Abdul Sattar Edhi Hockey Stadium, to name a few.

UMA Chief Executive Officer Sohail Shams said: “It gives us great honour and pleasure to be the title sponsor of the CNS Open Golf Championship. We aim to sensitise the society, especially the business community, about the benefits of sports and we are thrilled to be able to do it via one of Pakistan’s most important golf tournaments.”

Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer Josh Burack said: “On behalf of the Asian Tour, I’d like to thank Mr Shams and the UMA for their support and commitment to the UMA CNS Open Golf Championship. Their title sponsorship is a very positive step towards the development of golf in Pakistan, as well as the region.”

Ends.

About United Marine Agencies

Founded in 1998, United Marine Agencies is one of Pakistan’s top five shipping agents, having partnerships with some of the best-known brands of the world. Known of providing efficient and economical shipping, cargo and related marine services in Pakistan and beyond, UMA primarily acts as a shipping agent for liners, containers, bulk cargo, passenger cruise carriers, tankers and conventional vessels calling at the ports of Pakistan. UMA strikes to be leading provider of shipping and logistics solutions, creating lasting value for its clients, principals and shareholders, employees and the communities in which it operates. Currently, the company is representing a number of renowned shipping lines such as Hyundai Merchant Marine Company Ltd, HAMBURG SUD, R.C.L., Swire & CEEKAY calling at Pakistani ports.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Pattaya, Thailand, June 27: Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung believes he can conjure another magical winning act when the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak gets underway at the highly-rated Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club on Thursday. 

Fung, the 2013 Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit champion, hopes to become the first Malaysian to successfully defend his title on the Asian Tour at the US$300,000 event, which is celebrating its 10th straight edition on the region’s premier Tour this week.

The 28-year-old Fung will spearhead the talented 150-man field alongside 38 other Tour champions, including in-form Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand, who is also a proud graduate of the ADT after topping the Merit rankings in 2014.

Nicholas Fung of Malaysia

Pavit, who secured a record sixth ADT victory on home soil last month, hopes to ride on his good form at the prestigious event, which will be held for the first time at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club, a venue where he had previously won on his local circuit four years ago.

Placed seventh on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, American Sihwan Kim is also looking to boost his ranking with a good showing in what will be his second appearance at the Queen’s Cup.

The 29-year-old Kim, playing in only his second season on the Asian Tour, has emerged as one of the top favourites tipped to win on Tour after coming close to his breakthrough in India and Japan earlier this season.

The Queen’s Cup, held in honour of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, welcomed a new presenting sponsor in Bangchak Corporation, one of Thailand’s leading energy companies, this season.

Did you know?

• Nicholas Fung claimed his first victory at the 2017 Queen’s Cup and dedicated his win to his father as a Father’s day gift.
• Enjoyed one of his best seasons in 2013 where he was crowned the ADT Order of Merit, thanks to one victory and three runner-up finishes. Also rose from 1,428th to 239th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) that year.
• Fung represented Team Asia in all three editions of the EurAsia Cup in 2014, 2016 and 2018.
• Fung, who sits in a current 478th place on the OWGR, is the second highest-ranked Malaysian following Gavin Green, who is placed 202nd in the world.
• Pavit Tangakamolprasert battled against a wrist injury to claim a record sixth ADT victory on home soil last month.
• Pavit was crowned the 2014 ADT Order of Merit champion, after winning three titles on the secondary circuit that year.
• Pavit won his first Asian Tour title at the 2016 Venetian Macao Open in sensational style by defeating Anirban Lahiri of India on the first play-off hole.
• Pavit won the 2014 Singha Open on his local circuit at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The tournament was also played on the Mountain and Ocean courses, same as the Queen’s Cup this week.
• Pavit sits in 46th place on the Habitat for Humanity Standings. His best result this season is a tied-13th place finish at the Thailand Open earlier this month.
• Sihwan Kim is the highest-ranked player in the 150-man field this week. He sits in seventh position on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings, thanks to a current haul of US$231,694.
• Kim came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2017 and kept his card for the 2018 season after notching three top-10s to finish in 55th place on the final Order of Merit.
• Playing in only his second season on the Asian Tour, Kim claimed his first top-three result when he came in second runner-up at the Hero Indian Open earlier in March. He followed up with a tied-fourth finish at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan.

Players’ quotes:

Nicholas Fung (Mas)

I come to Thailand very often. In the past, I always come here hoping to win my first title but this week feels different. I am defending the title for the very first time on the Asian Tour. I feel good. It feels like home here in Thailand. I have many good friends here.

Although I’m defending the title on a different course this week, I feel I still have some good chances after playing this course the last two days. They changed the back nine to the Oceans course this year and it’s a lot shorter than what we played at the Royal Cup last year.

I think that’s an advantage for me but the back nine is quite narrow. I don’t want to think much about winning yet. I have been hitting well lately, just need to work more on my putting. I am working with a new caddy this week so hopefully I can get some good tips on the greens.

Everyone’s going to hit it good on this course so the person who can putt well will win this week. Putting is key. It’s been a year since I won the Queen’s Cup. That victory gave me a lot of confidence in my game. I am trying to win more and try to get on the European Tour and PGA Tour.

Kiradech (Aphibarnrat) is a very good example. The way he advances from the Asian Tour to the PGA Tour is very inspiring and motivating for us. I would love to follow in his footsteps.

It will be an honour to represent Malaysia in the upcoming World Cup of Golf. Gavin (Green) is the highest-ranked Malaysian on the Official World Golf Ranking right now so he gets to choose who he wants to partner.

I will try my best to produce some good results over the next few months and hopefully boost my world ranking to qualify for the World Cup. It’s definitely one of my targets for this season.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand

Pavit Tangkamolprasert (Tha)

I am feeling very confident with my game right now, especially after winning on the ADT last month. It’s in good shape. Coming back to play on home soil is always good. With the prestige of the Queen’s Cup, it will be very special for me if I can win the tournament.

I won the Singha Open on this golf course back in 2014 and we played the Mountain and Ocean courses back then as well. I went to practise the Ocean course yesterday but I couldn’t recall anything (laughs). It’s been four long years.

The course is pretty short so it won’t be that tough this week. I played in Korea last week and that course was really difficult. It definitely feels easier coming back to play here.

It’s great to see many ADT players winning on the Asian Tour now. I have benefited from playing on the ADT before so I know how it can help advance your career. The playing standards on the ADT has become stronger over the years.

These players are good enough to compete against the Asian Tour professionals anytime and you can tell from the recent wins by John Catlin and Malcolm Kokocinski, who were plying their trades on the ADT previously. It’s getting more and more competitive now.

Apart from myself, the ADT has also produced other Asian Tour winners like Chan Shih-chang. With players given playing rights on the Asian Tour straight after winning three times on the ADT in a season, it’s a great motivation.

Brooks Koepka defended his title at the US Open recently. He also started his career from the European Challenge Tour so it’s inspiring to see. It shows how the experiences from playing on the secondary Tours can help you to work your way up to the top, as long as you practise hard.

Sihwan Kim of United States

Sihwan Kim (Usa)

It’s my first time playing here at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club. The game’s feeling pretty good. I just need to get my putter going. My putting hasn’t been too great the past few weeks.

The season’s been pretty good for me so far. I have had a couple of good results. It’s a bit on and off but when it was on, my putting was good and that made the difference. I got to get that back and hopefully I can do the same this week.

I just want to go out there and win the tournament. Nothing else. I will just play hole by hole and hopefully that will give me the results I need to boost my rankings on the Habitat for Humanity Standings.

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Sentosa, Singapore, June 27:  The Asian Tour, official sanctioning body for men’s professional golf in the region, announced today that its Chief Executive Officer, Josh Burack, has decided to resign.

Citing family reasons for his resignation, Burack said he wants to travel less and spend more quality time with his wife and two children.

Since taking over the helm as CEO in October 2016, the Asian Tour enjoyed a period of rapid growth as events on the main circuit have increased from 24 in the 2016 season to more than 30 in 2018.

In 2017, the Asian Tour returned to China following a nine-year absence. This season, two more events in China have been added to the Tour schedule including the lucrative CN¥20,000,000 (approximately US$3,178,000) Volvo China Open. 

The Tour has also added playing opportunities in India, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa for its members. New tournaments have been recently announced for Malaysia, Pakistan and Vietnam later this season.

During Burack’s tenure, the Asian Tour recently added a host of media partnerships to increase the promotion of the Tour with the key publications in the region including Bloomberg, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Wall Street Journal, Golf Asia, Golf Digest India and Golf Journal Korea. Most significantly, in 2017, the Asian Tour became the first Tour outside Europe to become an affiliate of the R&A. 

Jimmy Masrin, Chairman of the Board of the Asian Tour said: “The Tour is very appreciative to Josh for his passion and leadership over the last two years he has led the organisation. The Tour has achieved much and wishes Josh the best of luck in his future endeavours.”  

Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer Josh Burack commented: “It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to leave the Tour when reaching the two-year mark.  My two children have been urging me to travel less and spend more time with our family, so I want to respect their wishes and not have any regrets of my own later.  With the Asian Tour in a much stronger position now than when I joined, I know our talented team will be able to continue the progress.  My sincere thanks to them and our Board of Directors for providing me with the opportunity to lead the Asian Tour.  It has been a great honour and I will always remain a huge supporter of the Asian Tour.”

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.

Sentosa, Singapore, June 27:  The Asian Tour, official sanctioning body for men’s professional golf in the region, announced today that its Chief Executive Officer, Josh Burack, has decided to resign.

Citing family reasons for his resignation, Burack said he wants to travel less and spend more quality time with his wife and two children.

Since taking over the helm as CEO in October 2016, the Asian Tour enjoyed a period of rapid growth as events on the main circuit have increased from 24 in the 2016 season to more than 30 in 2018.

In 2017, the Asian Tour returned to China following a nine-year absence. This season, two more events in China have been added to the Tour schedule including the lucrative CN¥20,000,000 (approximately US$3,178,000) Volvo China Open. 

The Tour has also added playing opportunities in India, Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa for its members. New tournaments have been recently announced for Malaysia, Pakistan and Vietnam later this season.

During Burack’s tenure, the Asian Tour recently added a host of media partnerships to increase the promotion of the Tour with the key publications in the region including Bloomberg, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Wall Street Journal, Golf Asia, Golf Digest India and Golf Journal Korea. Most significantly, in 2017, the Asian Tour became the first Tour outside Europe to become an affiliate of the R&A. 

Jimmy Masrin, Chairman of the Board of the Asian Tour said: “The Tour is very appreciative to Josh for his passion and leadership over the last two years he has led the organisation. The Tour has achieved much and wishes Josh the best of luck in his future endeavours.”  

Asian Tour Chief Executive Officer Josh Burack commented: “It is with mixed emotions that I have decided to leave the Tour when reaching the two-year mark.  My two children have been urging me to travel less and spend more time with our family, so I want to respect their wishes and not have any regrets of my own later.  With the Asian Tour in a much stronger position now than when I joined, I know our talented team will be able to continue the progress.  My sincere thanks to them and our Board of Directors for providing me with the opportunity to lead the Asian Tour.  It has been a great honour and I will always remain a huge supporter of the Asian Tour.”

Ends.

About Asian Tour

As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), ECCO (Official Footwear Sponsor), Titleist and FootJoy (Official Web Partner), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore which is the Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur.