Sabah, Malaysia, August 7: A well-rested Ben Leong hopes to claim a home victory at the PGM Sabah Championship which gets underway on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Malaysian believes his game is trending in the right direction and he is ready to contend at the RM225,000 (approximately US$58,000) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

He will feature alongside a talented cast of players including Thai duo Nitithorn Thippong and Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij, Singapore’s Johnson Poh, American Brett Munson, Australia’s Martin Dive and Sweden’s Oscar Zetterwall who are all winners on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).

Leong believes he can do better in what he described as a ‘mediocre’ season despite finishing third at the PGM Johor Championship in April followed by a top-10 finish on the Asian Tour in Japan, which was also the week his son, Zac was born.

Leong is delighted to have to rare opportunity to play at home while spending time with his family.

“I chose to play in this event and be at home so that I can be with Zac. I have been sick since Royal Cup and down with the flu. Last week was a much-needed opportunity to rest and be back home to spend time with my family,” said Leong.

The Sabah native has triumphed on home soil where he claimed his maiden Asian Tour victory at the 2008 Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters in Malaysia and ended a title drought nine years later at the 2017 PGM Northport Glenmarie Championship on the ADT.

After taking a two-week break to reflect on his game, Leong hopes to kick-start his season ahead of a busy stretch of Asian Tour events.

“I am pretty excited about this week since I played well at Royal Cup (Asian Tour) but I just didn’t have a strong weekend. The goal going into that week was to make the cut and I accomplished that. So, coming back to compete at home will be good for me to keep up the momentum.

“It has been raining the past couple of days so the course will be wet. I’m expecting scores to be a lot lower because of the softer conditions,” added Leong.

Other notable names expected to mount a strong local challenge are Asian Tour winner Nicholas Fung, Shahriffuddin Ariffin who is the reigning Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Order of Merit winner and Sukree Othman who is currently fourth on the PGM Order of Merit.

The PGM Sabah Championship is the 12th leg on the ADT’s 2018 schedule. All ADT events are afforded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status. The winner of each tournament receives a minimum of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale.

The leading seven players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2019 season.

Ends.

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.

Sabah, Malaysia, August 8: Home hero Ben Leong seized the opening round lead with a three-under-par 69 at the PGM Sabah Championship on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Malaysian stood firm in the wet and blustery conditions to lead by one shot over compatriot Nicholas Fung who carded a 70 at the RM225,000 (approximately US$58,000) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

Thai duo Thepbodin Amaranan and Chonlatit Chuenboonngam carded matching 71s to tie in third place with Japan’s Shinichi Mizuno (71), while a group of 10 players share sixth place on 72 at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

Starting on the 10th tee, Leong turned in 34 before adding two more birdies against one bogey on his homeward nine to seize the opening round lead.

“My only mistake was probably misjudging the wind on holes five and 17 and ended up missing the greens on my approach shots on both holes. But I putted well today and made a lot of good saves,” added Leong.

Leong, a winner on the Asian Tour, credited his mental strength and knowledge of the course that helped him navigate through the tricky conditions.

“It wasn’t easy out there. I just knew where to miss my shots and told myself par is actually a good score. Especially on the back nine when the wind started picking up, I just had to keep reminding myself to take par and move on,” said Leong.

Compatriot Fung, who also hails from Sabah, was disappointed with his poor finish after bogeying holes seven and nine.  

“I didn’t finish too well because I rushed my swing when the wind picked up and didn’t stick to my tempo. But I am still happy with the round since I did well by making birdies on all the par fives,” said Fung.

The PGM Sabah Championship is the 12th leg on the ADT’s 2018 schedule. All ADT events are afforded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status. The winner of each tournament receives a minimum of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale.

The leading seven players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2019 season.

Ends.

Leading round one scores:

69 – Ben LEONG (MAS)

70 – Nicholas FUNG (MAS)

71 – Thepbodin AMARANAN (THA) , Chonlatit CHUENBOONNGAM (THA) , Shinichi MIZUNO (JPN)

72 – Greg MOSS (USA) , Marc ONG (SGP) , Poom PATTAROPONG (THA) , Brandon LAU Ka Kin (MAS) , Oscar ZETTERWALL (SWE) , LAM Yu Shuen (MAS) , Martin DIVE (AUS) , Jeremy WENDELKEN (USA) , Sam GILLIS (USA) , Annop TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA)

73 – Donlaphatchai NIYOMCHON (THA) , Brett MUNSON (USA) , Woosung CHO (KOR) , Varanyu RATTANAPHIBOONKIJ (THA) , Justin DE LOS SANTOS (USA) , Cody O’TOOLE (USA) , Kenneth TOBUSE (MAS) , Janne KASKE (FIN) , Sukree OTHMAN (MAS) , Shaifubari MUDA (MAS)

74 – Shariffuddin ARIFFIN (MAS) , Naoki SEKITO (JPN) , Sajawat SRIPRASIT (THA) , Daeng Abdul Rahman (MAS) , Johnson POH (SGP) , Jesse SCHUTTE (USA)

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.

Sabah, Malaysia, August 9: Malaysia’s Ben Leong produced a solid three-under-par 69 to extend his lead by three shots at the halfway stage at the PGM Sabah Championship on Thursday.

The 32-year-old Leong leads on a six-under-par 138 total over Japan’s Shinichi Mizuno who posted a 70 at the RM225,000 (approximately US$58,000) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

American Jeremy Wendelken (70) and Singapore’s Johnson Poh (68) shared third-place while Thailand’s Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij (70), Finland’s Janne Kaske (70) and American Sam Gillis (71) were tied in fifth place at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

Leong fired birdies on holes one and four before dropping a shot on the ninth hole after making a wrong club selection. He recovered quickly on the 10th hole after making a fantastic approach shot into the wind before holing a 12-foot birdie putt. He birdied the last hole to hold on to his lead.

 “It was a tough and long day. I’m just glad to finally be done. I made putts and made some good ones to stay up there, like the 15-footer on my first hole and the 12-footer on the 10th  hole to bounce back.

“I used the wrong club off the tee on hole nine and was blocked by a tree so I had to hit a low shot out into the fairway. I then had a bad angle on the third shot but I managed to hit it to 15-feet but I missed my putt to save par,” said Leong.

Leong, the 2017 PGM Northport Glenmarie champion, will stay patient as he continues his search for a second ADT title.

My alignment feels slightly better now and I am slowly building on this momentum. I’ll be focusing on my process and staying patient the next two rounds,” added Leong.

Mizuno, currently 14th on the Order of Merit, was rewarded for his aggressive approach where he only missed four greens in his bogey-free round.

 “I made a lot of fairways and greens today which was key. We have been pretty lucky the past two weeks to be playing on good greens and this week was no different. It’s playing a little wet which makes it easier to hit into.

“I started on the 10th hole and was just making pars and couldn’t get my putts to drop. Then I finally made a 15-footer on the sixth hole and chipped in from off the fringe on the seventh,” added Mizuno.

The halfway cut was set at eight-over-par 152 with 52 players advancing into the final two rounds.

The PGM Sabah Championship is the 12th leg on the ADT’s 2018 schedule. All ADT events are afforded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status. The winner of each tournament receives a minimum of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale.

The leading seven players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2019 season.

Ends.

Leading second round scores:

138 – Ben LEONG (MAS) 69 69

141 – Shinichi MIZUNO (JPN) 71 70

142 – Jeremy WENDELKEN (USA) 72 70, Johnson POH (SGP) 74 68

143 – Janne KASKE (FIN) 73 70, Sam GILLIS (USA) 72 71, Varanyu RATTANAPHIBOONKIJ (THA) 73 70

144 – LAM Yu Shuen (MAS) 72 72, Annop TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 72 72, Greg MOSS (USA) 72 72

145 – Shaifubari MUDA (MAS) 73 72, Poom PATTAROPONG (THA) 72 73

146 – Cody O’TOOLE (USA) 73 73, M. Sasidaran (MAS) 75 71, Daeng Abdul Rahman (MAS) 74 72, Jesse SCHUTTE (USA) 74 72, Brett MUNSON (USA) 73 73, Oskar ARVIDSSON (SWE) 78 68

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.

Sabah, Malaysia, August 10: Malaysia’s Ben Leong continued his consistent form by carding a two-under-par 70 to retain his lead after the third round of the PGM Sabah Championship on Friday.

Leong remains the man to beat with his eight-under-par 208 total, where he leads by two shots over American Sam Gillis who fired a 67 to take second place and Japan’s Shinichi Mizuno in third place following a 70 at the RM225,000 (approximately US$58,000) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

Sweden’s Oskar Arvidsson and American Jeremy Wendelken took a share of fourth place after posting 69 and 73 respectively at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

The 32-year-old Malaysian had a slow start, dropping a shot on hole five after missing a short putt to save par. He shrugged off his frustration and bounced back with birdies on holes nine, 16 and 18 thanks to his solid ball-striking.

“I hit a good shot off the tee on hole five but I just misjudged the wind so it ended up being short of the green, then I missed a short three-footer for par. I was pretty frustrated but I kept telling myself to hang in there.

“I gave it a 100% on every shot today. Didn’t matter if it was for birdie or par or bogey. I was narrowing down on my targets and stayed focused over each shot,” said Leong.

The one-time Asian Tour winner has had two top-10 finishes this season, and stays on track to taking home his second ADT title since his last win at the PGM Northport Glenmarie Championship in 2017.

“The pressure isn’t there because my target is to build up momentum before I play in Korea (Asian Tour) in September. Heading into the final round, I’m going to stick to the same thought process and just stay in the moment,” said Leong.

Gillis, who is in contention for the first time since he started plying his trade on the ADT at the start of 2018, fired a bogey-free round highlighted by five birdies to give himself a shot at claiming his maiden ADT title.

“I just hit it well today and was giving myself a lot of opportunities. Especially on the front nine I felt like it would have been a lower score if I didn’t miss some of the short putts. But I made a couple of good saves like on hole 17 I chipped in for par. I’m excited to be in the final group tomorrow and will give it my best.” said Gillis who only missed two greens in his third round.

The PGM Sabah Championship is the 12th leg on the ADT’s 2018 schedule. All ADT events are afforded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status. The winner of each tournament receives a minimum of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale.

The leading seven players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2019 season.

Ends.

Leading third round scores:

208 – Ben LEONG (MAS) 69 69 70

210 – Sam GILLIS (USA) 72 71 67

211 – Shinichi MIZUNO (JPN) 71 70 70

215 – Oskar ARVIDSSON (SWE) 78 68 69, Jeremy WENDELKEN (USA) 72 70 73

216 – Brett MUNSON (USA) 73 73 70, Greg MOSS (USA) 72 72 72, Johnson POH (SGP) 74 68 74

217 – Cody O’TOOLE (USA) 73 73 71, Jesse SCHUTTE (USA) 74 72 71, Varanyu RATTANAPHIBOONKIJ (THA) 73 70 74

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.

Changhwa, Chinese Taipei, August 10: Japan’s Shohei Hasegawa will lead a host of Asian Development Tour (ADT) winners in the fifth edition of the Taifong Open that will get underway from August 16 to 19 at Taifong Golf Course.

The 25-year-old Japanese currently lies in third place behind Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong and Singapore’s Johnson Poh, but a victory at the US$160,000 event would put him in good stead in the ADT Order of Merit race.

Hasegawa will feature alongside defending champion and reigning ADT number one Pannakorn Uthaipas of Thailand, American Josh Salah, Japan’s Kazuki Higa and Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand, who are all winners on the ADT.

Hailing from Hiroshima, the Japanese claimed his maiden ADT victory at the OB Golf Invitational in March followed by a top-10 finish in China on the premier Tour two months later. Since then, the former National Team player has struggled with form.

“My season was good up till last month I felt like I wasn’t playing very well mainly because I was not hitting my driver well. But right now, after a couple of changes in my swing, I feel more comfortable off the tee and I am more confident,” said Hasegawa.

The 25-year-old Hasegawa has enjoyed travelling to new countries since coming through Asian Tour Qualifying School in January where he finished tied-11th. With one goal in mind, he heads to Chinese Taipei for the first time next week with hopes of displaying the same form he did at the start of the year.

“I don’t know what to expect since I’ve never been there but I am just excited to take up the challenge and play some good golf. I like playing on the Asian tour and have been enjoying travelling around and playing in new countries like India (Asian Tour) this week and then Taiwan next week. It is all a new experience for me.

I think the courses in Japan are narrower but the greens in Asia are more undulating and tougher to hit into. I only have one goal, to win the ADT Order of Merit, and a good finish in this event will help me achieve that,” said Hasegawa.

A host of Asian Tour winners will also add to the strength of the field including local talents Chan Shih-Chang and Lu Wei-Chih, Australian duo David Gleeson and Marcus Both, Thailand’s Chinnarat Phadungsil and Chapchai Nirat.

Since its inception as the richest event on the ADT in 2014, the Taifong open has been regarded as an important event for the region’s bidding golfers to boost their rankings on the Order of Merit. 

The leading seven players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2019 season. Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points are offered on all ADT events with the winner earning a total of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale.

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.

Penang, Malaysia, May 3: Panuwat Muenlek of Thailand has put himself in a good position to clinch his fifth victory on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) after carding a four-under-par 68 on the weather-disrupted first round of the PGM Penang Championship.

The 33-year-old enjoyed a bogey-free opening round and carded four birdies to grab a share of fourth place. He is three shots behind the leader, Miguel Carballo of Argentina, at the RM225,000 (approximately US$58,000) event.

Malaysian Khor Kheng Wai and American Justin De Los Santos returned with matching 67s to share second place at the Bukit Jawi Golf Resort in Penang, Malaysia. 

Panuwat will match the record for the number of victories on the ADT if he tops the leaderboard at the end of the PGM Penang Championship. History is in his favour, as he won all four of his ADT titles in Malaysia.

Carballo, a two-time winner on the Web.com Tour, turned in a 31 before play was suspended on Wednesday due to bad weather and darkness. The Argentinean maintained his steady play on Thursday morning, carding two more birdies before signing for a bogey-free 65.

 "Yes, it was a great round for me. I played very well for my first nine holes yesterday and today, I was two-under-par for my remaining nine holes. I felt that all aspects of my game were solid, in particular, my chipping and putting," said Carballo.

"It is my first time here in Penang. The course set up is beautiful and I’m looking forward to playing in the rest of the rounds," he added.

De Los Santos, who turned professional in August last year after the U.S. Amateur Championship, shot an eagle and five birdies against two bogeys to card a 67, two shots behind Carballo.

“I was driving the ball pretty well and that helped me take advantage of the par-five holes. I’ve also putted pretty well, which was rewarding as I was working on my short game over the past few weeks,” said De Los Santos.  

“The Hill course at Bukit Jawi Golf Resort is longer compared to other courses on the ADT. I feel comfortable with my driver, and I took advantage of it,” he added.

All ADT events are afforded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status. The winner of each tournament receives a minimum of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale.

The leading five players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2019 season.

Leading first round scores

65 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 

67- Justin DE LOS SANTOS (USA) 67, KHOR Kheng Hwai (MAS) 67

68 – Panuwat MUENLEK (THA), Adam BLYTH (AUS), Ratchapol JANTAVARA (THA), Sam GILLIS (USA)

69 – Kiishaan THARMALINGAM (MAS), Donlaphatchai NIYOMCHON (THA), Lee SONG (KOR), CHOO Tze Huang (SGP), Mohammad WAFIYUDDIN (MAS), Sukree OTHMAN (MAS), Mathiam KEYSER (RSA), Andrew PARK (USA), Shohei HASEGAWA (JPN)

70 – Nirun SAE-UENG (THA), Hyukchul SHIN (KOR), Airil Rizman ZAHARI (MAS), Kwanchai TANNIN (THA), KOH Deng Shan (SGP), Brandon LAU Ka Kin (MAS), Lownaphum NAVISTHRIRA (THA), Martin DIVE (AUS), Nitithorn THIPPONG (THA), Shariffuddin ARIFFIN (MAS), Oscar ZETTERWALL (SWE), Malcolm KOKOCINSKI (SWE), Wilson CHOO (MAS), Phanuvich ONCHU (THA), Jeff BURTON (USA), Marc ONG (SGP)

71 – Sajawat SRIPRASIT (THA), Samarth DWIVEDI (IND), John Michael O’TOOLE (USA), Taewon SHIN (KOR), Naoki SEKITO (JPN), Shinichi MIZUNO (JPN), Amir NAZRIN (MAS), Yutaka ARAKI (JPN), M. Sasidaran (MAS)

72 – Tawan PHONGPHUN (THA), Kieran PRATT (AUS), R. Nachimuthu (MAS), Janne KASKE (FIN), Poom PATTAROPONG (THA), Sydney CHUNG (USA)

Ends.

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.

Penang, Malaysia, May 3: Miguel Carballo of Argentina carded a second round four-under-par 68 to take the halfway lead at the PGM Penang Championship on Thursday.

First-round leader Carballo is currently ahead of the field by one shot on an 11-under-par 133 total. American Sam Gillis is in second place after returning a brilliant 66 at the Bukit Jawi Golf Resort.

Yutaka Araki of Japan shot the day’s lowest score of 65 to finish in lone third place. Thais Ratchapol Jantavara (69) and Nitithorn Thippong (67), as well as Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski (67) share fourth place at the RM225,000 (approximately US$58,000) event.

“I played well in round two, as I created many opportunities for birdies throughout the day. Although, my putter was a little bit cold. The three bogeys were a result of my three-putting on the green,” said Carballo, who made seven birdies in the second round.

“The weather was quite hot this afternoon, but it did not affect my play as it is similar to what I’ve experienced back in the United States during the summer months. I’m just going to practice a little bit more on the putting green before heading back for a well-earned rest,” he added.

Tour rookie Gillis had a rocky start as he dropped two shots through four holes. However, he steadied himself and went on to card seven birdies in the rest of the round before signing for a 66.

“It was a great round of golf. My iron play was sharp and my putts either saved pars or made birdies. The key to scoring here is to manage the course well and not let your emotions get in the way,” explained Gillis.

“The par I made at the par-three 14th helped set a good momentum for the rest of the round. My ball landed on the front-side of the green, about 50 feet from the hole. After hitting it 10 feet past the hole, I still managed to putt it in for par.”

All ADT events are afforded Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) status. The winner of each tournament receives a minimum of six OWGR points while the top-six players and ties earn points on a sliding scale.

The leading five players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the premier Asian Tour for the 2019 season.

For more information on the ADT, please visit www.asiandevelopmenttour.com.

Leading third round scores:

133 – Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) 65 68

134 – Sam GILLIS (USA) 68 66

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.

Phuket, Thailand, May 4: The Singha Laguna Phuket Open will celebrate its second edition on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) when it gets underway at the holiday isle of Phuket, Thailand, next week.

Laguna Phuket, who returns as the host venue as well as the new joint title sponsor this year, has set sights for the two million baht (approx. US$64,000) ADT event to eventually become as renowned and inclusive as its highly-acclaimed annual triathlon and marathon events.

Laguna Phuket’s Managing Director Ravit Chandran and Assistant Vice President Paul Wilson, have bigger long-range plans for the tournament. In particular, they want to develop the professional tournament into a week-long celebration of golf that involves amateur players of all levels and abilities.

This will mean extending the current program of a pro-am on the Wednesday before the tournament and a “play like the pros” round on the day after its conclusion to a range of individual and team golf events for amateurs, spread over a week.

“The Laguna Phuket triathlon, which this year celebrated 25 years, and the marathon, being held in June for the 13th year, are highly-recognised events that attract thousands of participants and spectators from around the world,” Ravi Chandran explains.

“They have helped make Phuket an international sporting hub, with Laguna Phuket as the centrepiece. We believe the Singha Laguna Phuket Open can become equally well-known among golfers and be the third mantle in the island’s and resort’s sporting calendar.

“Many people remember the 2009 Thailand Open held at Laguna Phuket. Last year we successfully recaptured the interest from that event and this year, as Phuket’s only professional golf tournament, we aim to build on it further. The relationship with Singha as joint title sponsor is an excellent fit and we hope this also extends long into the future.”

Paul Wilson says the golf tournament can be expanded in coming years to include individual amateur and team events, similar to those organised around the triathlon and marathon.

“There are numerous short-distance, team and other activities associated with the triathlon and marathon,” he explains. “The full distance of both events attracts elite contestants and serious competitors from all over the world. But there are other shorter and less intense variations for people of all ages and abilities and we believe the golf tournament can be extended in a similar way.”

He says last year’s tournament resulted in increased tee-time bookings among locals and golfers from Thailand and the region and he expects the 2018 event will produce a similar uplift.

“The professional tournament is definitely raising our profile,” he adds. “We believe we can capitalise on this growing interest in many ways, both around the time of the event and at other times during the year.”

The inaugural Singha Laguna Phuket Open welcomed a worthy winner in Chanachok Dejpiratanamongkol of Thailand, who emerged triumphant with a winning total of 27-under-par 253, last season.

A record first 59, lowest round ever on both the ADT and the premier Asian Tour, was also recorded by Thailand’s Sutijet Kooratanapisan in the final round of the tournament last year.

A total of 156 players, split between the ADT and the All Thailand Golf Tour, will tee up for the 2018 Singha Laguna Phuket Open from May 10 to 13.

The ADT was launched in 2010 as a gateway to the premier Asian Tour. All ADT events are afforded with Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. The winner receives a minimum of six points and the leading six players and ties earn points based on a sliding scale.

The top five players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2019.

Ends.

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.