By BGB Staff Writer
BANGKOK, Thailand: Young Thai talent Jazz Janewattananond took advantage of a hot streak to close with a four-under-par 67, sealing a solid four-shot victory for his second Asian Tour title and first on home soil at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak on Sunday.
After trading one birdie against two bogeys to turn in 37, Jazz fired five straight birdies from the 10th to pull away from the pack before reeling in four closing pars for a winning total of 19-under-par 265 at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.
I got off to a slow start today. I was a bit shaky, made some bogeys there. The turning point came after I chipped it in on the 10th hole. I felt like my game just came back after that. It wasn’t easy out there today. I am just happy to come out on top.
JAZZ JANEWATTANANOND
Jazz, who was trailing by one shot at the turn, sparked his hot run with a chip-in birdie from 11 yards on the 10th. The 22-year-old Thai bounced back from a wayward tee shot on the next with a brilliant approach from the trees which left him a one-footer for birdie.
He went on to make a seven-footer on the 12th, drain a long 24-feet uphill putt on 13th and nail an eight-footer on 14th to cap five birdies in-a-row en route to winning the US$300,000 event, which celebrated its 10th straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.
Jazz made up for the disappointment of finishing runner-up last year with this victory which saw him take home a winner’s prize purse of US$54,000 and receive a total of 14 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points.
India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar battled to a 71 to take second place while American Sihwan Kim and Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand shared third place on 270 following respective rounds of 70 and 71.
Did you know?
– Jane Janewattananond dropped only four shots this week. He needed only 25 putts in his final round of 67.
– Jazz will be making his Major debut at The Open at Carnoustie later this month. He earned the coveted spot after finishing tied-fourth at the season-opening SMBC Singapore Open in January, which was part of The Open Qualifying Series.
– Jazz has missed only one cut in 11 starts on Tour so far this season. He moved from 16th to ninth place on the Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings following this victory at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak.
– 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.
– Jazz started working with his caddy Nick Pugh at the Queen’s Cup last year. Nick will be on his bag when he makes his Major debut at The Open later this month.
– 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 endured another missed opportunity for his ninth Asian Tour win. He came close at the Maekyung Open in Korea in May but settled for a share of second place after he was defeated in the play-off.
– Pavit Tangkamolprasert 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 marked his best result on the Asian Tour this season following his tied-third place finish at the Queen’s Cup.
– Sihwan 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.
– The 29-year-old Kim notched his third top-three result on the Asian Tour this season at the Queen’s Cup presented by Bangchak. He had earlier came in third at the Hero Indian Open and tied-forth at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan.
