Labuan, Malaysia, August 18: Malaysia’s Shahriffudin Ariffin staged a late comeback by powering home with a final round three-under-par 69 to win his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) title by two shots at the PGM Labuan Championship on Saturday.

Shahriffudin started the day two shots back of overnight leader Rizal Amin in third position at the Labuan International Golf Club but stormed with home with an eagle and two birdies in his last five holes to win the RM225,000 (approximately US$58,000) ADT event with his four-day total of seven-under-par 281.

Nicholas Fung, a one-time Asian Tour winner, signed off with a 69 to take second place while Rizal had a day to forget when he mixed his card with four bogeys and two birdies to end the week in third place.

“This is a very special win for me as it’s my first ADT victory and it means a lot to me. This is not an easy course and my iron play has been very solid all week. That really helped,” said Shahriffudin.

The 18-year-old did not think much of his chances after he dropped a shot on the fifth hole and could not get any birdies in his outward nine.

However, his round came alive starting with his eagle-three on 14 before he gained another advantage with a birdie on 15.

A closing birdie on 18  would eventually confirm his entry into the winner’s circle.

“I tried not to think too much about whether I can win at the start of the day but as the round progressed, I felt my confidence growing and told myself maybe this could be it and I can win. I’m happy I did it,” said Shariffudin.

The PGM Labuan Championship took place concurrently with the Taifong Open which is currently ongoing at the Taifong Golf Course in Chinese Taipei this week.

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.

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Jakarta, Indonesia, August 21: Young Thai talent Nitithorn Thippong hopes to stretch his lead on the current Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit by putting on a good showing at the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament presented by Panasonic which starts on Wednesday.

A victory at the BSD Course by Damai Indah Golf this week will move him closer towards his goal of becoming the third player from Thailand, following Pavit Tangkamolprasert (2014) and Pannakorn Uthaipas (2017), to top the Merit rankings on the region’s secondary circuit.

Should he achieve the feat, the 21-year-old Nitithorn will also become the youngest Order of Merit champion on the ADT, which has proven to be a great stepping stone for aspiring players to get onto the Asian Tour since it was inaugurated in 2010.

Nitithorn, who has been plying his trade on the ADT since he turned professional in 2015, is enjoying the best season yet in his career. In just eight starts on the ADT this season, Nitithorn has claimed one victory and six top-10s to take his place atop the Order of Merit.

He will be vying for honours alongside countryman Pannakorn as well as Singapore’s Johnson Poh, Japan’s Shohei Hasegawa and Miguel Carballo of Argentina, placed third, fourth and fifth respectively on the current money list, in the US$110,000 event.

“I have been playing great this season. I don’t feel stressed when I play golf now, not like how it was for me the past few years. I have been telling myself to just have fun on the course and play to my best ability and the results have been good so far!

“I have been practicing very hard. I am going to the gym more often as well. I am glad the efforts are paying off. The aim is to win three times on the ADT this year and I should be in a good position to win the Order of Merit,” said Nitithorn, who leads the money list with a current haul of US$23,603.

“This week’s course is pretty wide so it won’t be too difficult for everyone. The scores were pretty low the last two years so hopefully my putter will be hot this week. I am aiming for a top-five finish this week and I will try to have fun out there as that’s the most important,” he added.

Nitithorn, whose younger brother Pisitchai also plays on the ADT, reckoned that the discipline instilled by their common coach Kittipong Sritongkul has played an important role in his improvement this season.

“I have been working with my coach since I was 12. He had to go back to his hometown when I was 15 but we kept in touch when he was away and he will come to Bangkok once in a while too. It was only last October that we started working together full time again.

“He didn’t really change much about my swing and my game. But he made me feel more disciplined to practice hard. He changed the way I practice and my lifestyle changed as well. I think that was what helped me a lot,” Nitithorn said.

The Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, which is celebrating its fifth consecutive edition on the ADT this week, is the 15th leg of the 2018 season and the second to be played in Indonesia this year.

As one of the richest events on the ADT schedule this season, the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament will play a pivotal role in determining the Order of Merit rankings, where the top seven players on the final 2018 Order of Merit will earn a coveted Asian Tour card for 2019.

By featuring on the ADT schedule, the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament will also offer Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. The winner will receive six OWGR points while the top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

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

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About Panasonic 

Panasonic Corporation is a worldwide leader in the development of diverse electronics technologies and solutions for customers in the consumer electronics, housing, automotive, and B2B businesses. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, the company has expanded globally and now operates 495 subsidiaries and 91 associated companies worldwide, recording consolidated net sales of 7.343 trillion yen for the year ended March 31, 2017. Committed to pursuing new value through innovation across divisional lines, the company uses its technologies to create a better life and a better world for its customers. To learn more about Panasonic: http://www.panasonic.com/global

About Damai Indah Golf, BSD Course

Recognized as one of the finest courses which Jack Nicklaus ever designed, Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) Course. This award-winning course features the “Spirit of the Hills” with lush tropical landscaping, green rolling hills and many enormous and yet challenging bunkers.

Operated since 1992, The BSD Course was designed to offer an enjoyable mental challenge within a visually appearing setting with every hole positioned within beautifully landscape settings and it’s playable for every type of golfers, whether a high or low handicapper. As Jack Nicklaus’ maiden project in Indonesia, he ensured this remarkable 6,545 meter, par 72 course incorporated many of his personal favorite features from some of the world’s top courses. The BSD Course is undisputable one of the best the world has to offer.

Found alongside the Cisadane River and within the Serpong Valley, the course is located in the outskirt of Jakarta, around 32 km or 45 minutes from the SCBD part of down-town, and can be accessed from Jakarta–Meraktoll road and outer ring road.

Damai Indah Golf, Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) Course is the home of many international tournament, such as Indonesia President Invitational 2007 and 2009, Indonesia PGA Championship 2014.

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 seven 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.