The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Asian Order of Merit title up for grabs at season-ender
- Thailand golf boosted by fourth Tour event
- Perry and O’Hair win shootout in Florida
| Asian Order of Merit title up for grabs at season-ender Posted: 10 Dec 2012 06:58 PM PST KUALA LUMPUR: The battle to be Asia's best is on the cards in the season-ending Iskandar Johor Open when it gets under way at the Horizon Hills Golf and Country Club in Johor Baru on Thursday. Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant and Marcus Fraser of Australia will face off as the tussle for the Asian Tour's Order of Merit title reaches its climax. But the fight could easily be a six-man affair as four others are also in with a shout if the top two falter in their challenge. Thaworn is the man to beat as he sits atop the Merit list with earnings of US$677,606. Fraser trails by about US$25,000 despite playing in nine tournaments compared to Thaworn's 24. The duo will have everything to play for as the Iskandar Johor Open offers a lucrative prize money of US$2mil and a winner's cheque of US$317,000. It is enough to give Fraser the encouragement needed to make the best use of the tournament to win the Merit title. Jbe Kruger of South Africa and Indian sensation Gaganjeet Bhullar, who are third and fourth with US$462,588 and US$430,845 respectively, are also in the hunt for the Merit crown. Japan's Masanori Kobayashi (fifth) and Prom Meesawat of Thailand (sixth) also have a mathematical chance if they win here and the other results go their way. Besides the thrilling fight for the Merit title, fans will also get to see two world stars in action. South African Ernie Els, the reigning British Open champion, and European Ryder Cup star Sergio Garcia of Spain are also in the fray. All eyes, however, will be on Thaworn. He is brimming with confidence, having won three events this season for a record collection of 15 Asian Tour titles. Thaworn, who turns 46 later this month, is on a mission to become the oldest Merit champion. He was disappointed to finish tied 36th at the just-concluded US$1mil Thailand Golf Championship following a disappointing closing round of 77. "It is still an open race (for the Merit crown). It is going to be interesting. I struggled with my driver in the final round (in Thailand) so I hope it will work for me in Johor," said Thaworn. "Winning the Order of Merit again is definitely going to be a big achievement as it shows that age is not a barrier to success," he added. Fraser is also on a mission. He wants to end the season with a victory and breaking into the world's top 50, which will earn him a spot in next year's US Masters tournament. He is now ranked 59th. Kruger, winner of the Avantha Masters in India in February, is determined to put up a fight for the overall crown. "It's a big week ahead. To win (the Order of Merit), you have to win in Johor. I'm expecting an interesting tournament," said the South African. But it is just not at the top half that there is a battle brewing. Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol now sits on the bubble in 60th place after missing the halfway cut in the Thailand Golf Championship. The top 60 players will earn full playing rights next season. He will have three other players on his heel as they try to break into the top-60 bracket. They are Adam Groom of Australia (61st), Taiwan's Lin Wen-tang (62nd) and Peter Karmis of South Africa (63rd). The 59th-ranked Adam Blyth of Australia will also be a looking over his shoulders to see if the four players are gaining ground on him. |
| Thailand golf boosted by fourth Tour event Posted: 10 Dec 2012 03:11 PM PST BANGKOK: Thailand's reputation as a hub for golf was burnished yesterday after Asian Tour organisers said they will add the new Chiang Mai Golf Classic to the schedule next year, a fourth event for the kingdom. The inaugural tournament will star some of Asia's best players including Thai heroes Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant – the Tour's current Order of Merit leader – the Asian Tour said in a statement. Thongchai, the only player to win three Order of Merit crowns, hailed the Chiang Mai event as "a wonderful development for the game" showing "the growing strength of the Asian Tour". Thailand's players have enjoyed a strong season this year with Thaworn topping the Tour money list with one event to play, Prom Meesawat in sixth and Chapchai Nirat in ninth. There was more good news on Sunday after 20-year-old Thitiphun Chuayprakong came joint-second in the Thailand Golf Championship behind 2011 US Masters winner Charl Schwartzel and tied with this year's Augusta champion Bubba Watson. The young golfer is the rising star of Thai golf. "The launch of a new event is fantastic and exciting for the Asian Tour and our players. "It will have a positive effect on the game here and inject new impetus for many more great players to emerge from the Kingdom," Tour executive chairman Kyi Hla Han said. The event, which will have a US$750,000 purse, will be held between March 28-31 at the Alpine Golf Resort-Chiang Mai, joining the Queen's Cup, King's Cup and Thailand Golf Championship on the Asian Tour calendar. — AFP |
| Perry and O’Hair win shootout in Florida Posted: 10 Dec 2012 03:11 PM PST NAPLES (Florida): Kenny Perry (pic) and Sean O'Hair birdied five of the last six holes in the final-round scramble on Sunday to win the Franklin Templeton post-season golf event by one stroke. The duo combined for a 12-under 60 to finish at 31-under 185. O'Hair won this event for the first time, while Perry won for the third time with his third different partner and at 52 became the oldest winner in the event. He won with John Huston in 2005 and Scott Hoch in 2008. "All three were different players," Perry said of his Shootout victories. "John and I were pretty even partners, and then the year Scott and I won, I played fantastic that week. ... This year, my roles have been reversed, and I was complementing Sean." O'Hair added: "I think that was kind of the best thing about this was just we had a ton of fun, just like being a kid enjoying what you're doing." Hosted by Aussie great Greg Norman, the tournament features 24 golfers playing in two-man teams in a mixed-format of modified alternate shot, better ball, and scramble. Perry and O'Hair, who led by two strokes going into the final round, will share US$750,000 of the US$3mil total purse. South Africa's Rory Sabbatini and American Charles Howell threatened with a back-nine surge that included an eagle on a par-four, but even combining for a final-round 57 they came up short on 186. "We played really well and gave ourselves a lot of opportunities," Sabbatini said. "We put a good number up there and that's all we can really do. We had a lot of fun and Charles hit the ball fantastically." Jason Dufner and Fiji's Vijay Singh finished third at 28 under.— AFP |
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