Kosuke on course to retain Phuket title
The Aramco Invitational Tournament, the showstopper event on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) last year, will return to the schedule this year, and be played at Rolling Hills Golf Club, in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia from November 27-30.
With a total purse of US$250,000, which matches last year’s prize fund, it will be one of the most lucrative events on the ADT – playing a decisive role in determining who finishes in the top-10 on the Order of Merit, which will reward players with Asian Tour cards for the 2025 season.
Today’s news follows the exciting announcement last year of Aramco’s title sponsorship of the event for three years, starting in 2023, making it the biggest and most significant partnership in the history of the ADT. Headquartered in Dhahran, Aramco is one of the world’s leading integrated energy and chemicals companies.
Nabil Al-Nuaim, Chairman of the Saudi Aramco Golf Association (SAGA) and Aramco’s Senior Vice President of Digital and Information Technology, said: “Aramco is proud to continue to support golf through partnerships with key national and international partners. We aim to support the Asian Development Tour and encourage young and aspiring Saudi nationals to become professional golfers.”
Rolling Hills Country Club.
The field size will be 120 players, including 70 from the ADT, 40 from Aramco, and 10 invitees.
Last year, in one of the most thrilling finishes witnessed on the ADT and Asian Tour, Thailand’s Denwit Boriboonsub (main picture) won the Aramco Invitational Tournament by beating England’s William Harrold in a sudden-death play-off at Rolling Hills Golf Club.
The win for Denwit was also enough to clinch victory in the season-long Order of Merit, as it was the final event of the season. Remarkably, the following week, he triumphed in the Thailand Open on the All Thailand Golf Tour, and the week after that, he won the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund, the last stop of the year on the Asian Tour.
Ken Kudo, General Manager of the Asian Development Tour, said: “We all saw the incredible impact the Aramco Invitational Tournament made on the Asian Development Tour last year, in terms of how it dramatically transformed Denwit Boriboonsub’s season and the opportunities it offered him, and also the overall level of excitement it contributed to the circuit.
“The ADT is on the rise, and it is because of partners like Aramco. We thank them for their ongoing support and commitment to the development of our Tour, its members and golf in our regions as a whole.”
Minhaj Khan, Vice Chairman of the Saudi Aramco Golf Association, said: “Aramco aims to expand, enhance and enrich the Asian Development Tour, and players will have an opportunity to compete in the event while experiencing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the fullest.”
Thailand’s Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij was victorious in the inaugural event in 2022, when it was also played at the Rolling Hills Golf Course.
The Aramco Invitational Tournament announcement is the sixth ADT event to be unveiled so far this season, with many more to come.
Last year, the schedule featured 12 events, offering lucrative overall prize money of US$1.38million.
Located in Dhahran, Rolling Hills is a private course for employees of Aramco.
Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong recovered well from a difficult start in the wind-affected first round of the Lexus Challenge in Vietnam today, bouncing back to end the day with a one shot lead at five under par.
His compatriot Itthipat Buranatanyarat sits at four under par, with Japan’s Leo Oyo in solo third on three under par. Thailand’s Sangchai Kaewcharoen and Pakistan’s Ahmad Baig are one shot further back in the opening tournament of the Asian Development Tour season.
The US$85,00O event, held at The Bluffs Grand Ho Tram, was beset by high winds in the morning, and players had to adjust their games accordingly.
“I feel good because it is my first time here and there was a lot of wind today,” said Itthipat after his round. “I practiced yesterday and I still didn’t know how to play in these conditions but this morning on the range I worked out how to get the ball under the wind,” he explained.
Itthipat Buranatanyarat
Leader Runchanapong was able to overcome an early wobble and used the recovery momentum to build his round.
“I didn’t start off very well,” he said. “I doubled my fourth hole of the day but on the next par fives I was able to capitalise, I had a birdie and an eagle so I was able to get my round going.
“Off the tee was my strength today, plus I made a couple of putts. You have to keep it on the fairway here, and keep the ball pretty low because the wind is blowing out there,” he added.
In sixth place, on one under par, are Thailand’s Natipong Srithong and Ekpharit Wu, Paul San of Malaysia, French amateur Jean Francois Peron, Peter Wilson of Australia and Korea’s Lion Park.
Chiu Han-ting of Chinese Taipei leads a group in 12th place on even par, together with Tanapat Pichaikool and Jakraphan Premsirigorn of Thailand, Malaysia’s Amir Nazrin and Akinori Tani of Japan.
Some of the afternoon wave were still out on the course when play was stopped at 6.10pm due to poor light. A total of 16 players are yet to complete their first round and play will resume for them at 6.50am. Round Two will start as expected at 6.45am.
The Lexus Challenge, which is now in its fourth year, is jointly sanctioned by the ADT and the Vietnam Golf Association and is the opening event in what is expected to be one of the strongest schedules in the history of the ADT.
In advance of its full schedule announcement for 2024, the Asian Development Tour (ADT) is delighted to confirm the return of the ADT–All Thailand Partnership Trophy and the Singha Laguna Phuket Open next season.
This comes in tandem with the All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT) releasing its full schedule today – that confirmed both tournaments will be jointly-sanctioned by the two prospering circuits.
The ADT–All Thailand Partnership Trophy, won by Thailand’s Kosuke Hamamoto in July, will be staged from May 2-5, and offer total prizemoney of THB3million (approximately US$86,690). The venue will be confirmed later.
The following week, from May 9-12, the Singha Laguna Phuket Open will be hosted by Laguna Golf Phuket (pictured) – an Asian Tour Destinations member – where the purse will be THB4million (approximately US$115,590). Indonesia’s rising star Naraajie Ramadhanputra raised the trophy in May.
Kosuke Hamamoto.
Ken Kudo, Associate Director, Partnerships, Asian Tour said: “As we finalise details for the 2024 season, we are thrilled to be able confirm that the ADT–All Thailand Partnership Trophy and the Singha Laguna Phuket Open will be back.
“Both events were extremely successful and popular this year and will once again be important stops for our membership in the new season. The fact that we are able to announce this so soon is a reflection of the strong relationship we have with our long-standing partner the All Thailand Golf Tour. More news on our calendar will be revealed in due course.”
Both tournaments will feature a Monday qualifier, which are open to ADT members, and will see a maximum of 12 players qualify. A total of 60 places are available for ADT players in each tournament, which will boast starting fields of 144 players. They will be broadcast live on local television.
The 2023 ADT season came to a memorable conclusion at the beginning of this month when Thailand’s Denwit Booribonsub won the Aramco Invitational.
That allowed him to top the ADT Order of Merit and secure his Asian Tour card for 2024, something that the top-10 on Merit list are all rewarded with.
Remarkably, just two weeks later Denwit went on the claim the Saudi Open presented by Public Investment Fund – the final event of the Asian Tour’s season. It is the first time that a player achieved that double and was another example of the myriad of opportunities offered by the ADT – the Asian Tour’s burgeoning feeder circuit. This year it featured 12 events offering lucrative overall prizemoney of US$1.38million.
Naraajie Ramadhanputra.
The new year is expected to see an increase in the number of events as well as greater prizemoney.
Thailand’s Denwit Boriboonsub clinched the Aramco Invitational Tournament in Saudi Arabia today, beating England’s William Harrold in a playoff at Rolling Hills Golf Club after the pair were tied for the lead after 72 holes.
The win for Denwit, who overcame a poor start to force himself back into contention in the final round, was also enough to clinch victory in the season-long Order of Merit table and be the first to claim an Asian Tour card for next season.
And the boosted prize money at the US$250,000 Asian Development Tour event meant that Harrold, who began the day in 21st place on the OOM list, was also successful in securing his card for next year, eventually finishing in fourth spot.
DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: (L-R) – William Harrold, Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, Naoki Sekito, Ervin Chang, Denwit Boriboonsub, Pattaraphol Khanthacha, Ho Yu-cheng, Charng-Tai Sudsom and Aaron Wilkin who received Asian Tour cards for the 2024 season. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
Australia’s Deyen Lawson, the OOM leader coming into the tournament, was forced to retire due to injury after the first round, but his accumulated prize money meant he hung on to second spot and will also be teeing it up on the Asian Tour next year.
Ho Yu-cheng of Chinese Taipei, winner of the PKNS Selangor Masters in early November, may have missed the cut in this event but the win in Malaysia and other results through the season were enough to to secure third place on the OOM list and lock in the prized Asian Tour card for 2024.
Australia’s Aaron Wilkin, who won the BRG Open Golf Championship in Vietnam in August, was in contention throughout the tournament but could only manage a one under par 71 today. Nonetheless, it proved good enough for fifth place in the OOM table and a place on the Asian Tour for next year. He tied for fourth spot in the tournament today with Minhyeok Yang (67) of Korea.
DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: Dewit Boriboonsub of Thailand pictured on Saturday December 2, 2023 with the ADT Order of Merit trophy and the Aramco Invitational trophy after the Aramco Invitational Tournament. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
Former ADT OOM champion Naoki Sekito of Japan clinched sixth spot in the list having played 11 of the 12 ADT events this year, and Thailand’s Charng-Tai Sudsom, who played every event, was also rewarded for his consistency with seventh place on the list and guaranteed starts on the Asian Tour for 2024.
Eighth on the OOM is India’s Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, followed by Thailand’s Pattaraphol Khanthacha, and rounding out the top ten finishers was Malaysia’s Ervin Chang, who played solidly all week and a fine third place in the tournament today was enough to secure the final sport on the OOM qualifiers list.
For Chang, his elevation to the top tier of Asian Golf for next year is testament to his determination and desire to improve.
Having turned professional in 2021 after winning an individual gold medal at the SEA Games, he has repaid the faith of the officials who picked him this year as the first recipient of the inaugural Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award.
DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: William Harrold of England pictured on Saturday December 2, 2023 during Round Four of the Aramco Invitational Tournament. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
Vietnam’s Chi Quan Truong made his best finish on the ADT this year, his final round score of 70 was enough to secure him solo sixth spot and while it may have been his best single payout of the season, it was not enough to move him far enough up the table.
Thailand’s Sarun Sirithon shot a bogey-free seven under par round of 65 to lift himself up the leaderboard, overcoming a poor start to the tournament to force himself into contention on the final day. He finished in a tie for seventh place alongside Japan’s Shinichi Mizuno (68) and fellow Thais Charng-Tai (67) and Pattaraphol (69).
Also tied for the low score of the day with 65 were Thai compatriots Amarin Kraivixien, who finished on nine under par in 11th spot, and Puwit Anupansuebsai on eight under par in a tie for 18th.
Joining Amarin in 11th place were India’s Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (67), Berry Henson (69) of the USA, early tournament leader Harley Smith (70) of England, Sweden’s Calle Strandberg (70), Naoki Sekito (72) of Japan and Thailand’s Nopparat Panichphol (68).
DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: (L-R) Caddie John Paul Scallon of Ireland celebrates an eagle shot made by William Harrold of England on Saturday December 2, 2023 during Round Four of the Aramco Invitational Tournament. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
Thailand’s Denwit Boriboonsub took advantage of a late slip up by Malaysia’s Ervin Chang to seize the initiative in today’s Aramco Invitational Tournament, posting a six under par 66 to grab a share of the lead.
Chang (68), who started the day leading alongside English amateur Harley Smith, had been enjoying a comfortable advantage over the field until the 16th hole, where an unfortunate double bogey slowed his charge.
“Overall I was pretty happy with the ball striking today,“ said Chang after his round, “but I definitely need to work on the putting a little bit more.
“I made a double on 16 and that kind of set me back a little bit. That was very frustrating and I wasn’t able to birdie the par five 17 but then I had a good birdie on 18 which gives me a little bit more confidence and some momentum going into the final round.”.
DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: Ervin Chang of Malaysia pictured on Friday December 1, 2023 during Round Three of the Aramco Invitational Tournament. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
Australia’s Aaron Wilkin (68), who won the BRG Open Golf Championship in Vietnam in August, is another of the year’s tournament winners eyeing up the chance to win an Asian Tour card for next year.
“Today wasn’t too bad,” he said after turning in his card. “A little bit of a shaky start but mostly positive. I’m optimistic I can have a good round tomorrow.
“There’s a lot on the line,” he added, “but I’m just going to go out there, try to freewheel it and hopefully get it done.”
Following the conclusion of the US$250,000 season-ending Asian Development Tour (ADT) tournament, the top ten finishers in the ADT Order of Merit will earn the right to tee it up on the lucrative Asian Tour circuit in 2024.
Deyen Lawson of Australia, the current OOM leader with season-long winnings of US$50,381, was forced to withdraw through injury after the first round this week, and with first prize being worth US$45,000, the field is wide open for anyone who posts a good finish.
DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: Aaron Wilkin of Australia pictured on Friday December 1, 2023 during Round Three of the Aramco Invitational Tournament. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
As Denwit explained after his round, everyone will have their eyes on the prize tomorrow.
“A win for me could be a life-changing experience, being on the Asian Tour next year, and (hopefully) as the Order of Merit winner.”
England’s William Harrold posted the low score of the day with an eight under par 66 to grab third place, only a single dropped shott marred an otherwise perfect round.
Chi Quan Truong (67) of Vietnam joined Japan’s Naoki Sekito (67) in fifth spot on nine under par, with the Japanese golfer rescuing an otherwise difficult finish to his round with an eagle on the par four 18th.
DHAHRAN, SAUDI ARABIA: William Harrold of England pictured on Friday December 1, 2023 during Round Three of the Aramco Invitational Tournament. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
Teenage Essex golfer Smith, who set the early pace to the tournament with a blistering seven under par in Round One, was unable to sustain his momentum and slipped to seventh place with a disappointing 73.
He ended the day sharing the place on seven under par with Sweden’s Calle Strandberg (67), Minhyeok Yang (68) of Korea, England’s Luke Joy (65) and Pattaraphol Khanthacha (71) of Thailand.
Asian Tour stalwart Berry Henson (69) of the USA, India’s Khalin Joshi (66) and Shinichi Mizuno of Japan round out the top 15 on six under par.
Play for the fourth and final round begins tomorrow at 8am local time, with the final group teeing off at 9.39am.
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