The wins for the UCLA alumna came at Donald Ross Classic, Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic and Sioux Falls GreatLIFE Challenge. In total, Patty has cashed $116,340.

“It’s just crazy and haven’t had the opportunity to reflect on what I’ve done,” Patty or Paphangkorn said.

“Lately it has been boom, boom, boom and now we’re here at the last tournament. I knew I was capable, but it is unexpected which helped me get to this point. My spring at UCLA left me in a spot where I couldn’t even imagine playing this well. Not at all. It took some time for me to realize how important golf is to me and everything is so much clearer.”

Professionals, sponsors and amateurs came together on Tuesday night for the “Road to the LPGA” Final Lap VIP event at Daytona International Speedway in celebration of the Symetra Tour Championship at LPGA International from Oct. 3-6. While the Player of the Year honor is still to be decided, the Symetra Rising Star Award and the Gaelle Truet Rookie of the Year have both been determined.

Ssu-Chia Cheng (Taipei, Chinese Taipei) collected the Symetra Rising Star Award, which is presented to the player making the biggest jump in the Volvik Race for the Card from the previous year. In addition to receiving a $1,500 check, Cheng will donate $1,000 to a charity of her choice.

Last season, the 21-year-old played the weekend 12 times in 19 starts and earned $23,588 to finish No. 46 on the money list. Entering the Symetra Tour Championship, Cheng owns seven top-10s including her first professional win at the FireKeepers Casino Hotel Championship to amass $97,325 and sit at No. 3.

“It is really good to have this award, all the hard work pays off,” said Cheng. “There’s a huge difference between last year and this year. Standing here, I know my game improved a lot and mentally got better. It definitely proves how much work I put in and is satisfying to see such a large jump in confidence at all levels.”

At 52, the Thai veteran holds the distinction of having the most number of Asian Tour victories with a total of 18 wins.

“My good friend Lu Wen-teh was asking me to come back here and play. And I thought to myself, why not? It has been some time since I last played an Asian Tour event and it’ll be nice to come back and show all my friends, both young and old that I still got the game to compete and even win,” said the 52-year-old who holds the record for the most number of Asian Tour victories with a 18 total wins.

While he plays predominately on the Senior Tour in Japan and Europe nowadays, Thaworn knows he can still give his younger rivals a run for their money especially with his vast experience and mental toughness.

“Never write off an old man. I enjoy playing on this golf course and I feel it suits my playing style as it’s also not that long, which obviously gives me a chance. I’ve been away playing mostly on the Senior Tour in Japan and Europe. Golf is my life and it’s something which I enjoy. I’ll not give it up for anything else,” added the Thai veteran whose last win on the Asian Tour came in 2014 when he won the King’s Cup on home soil.

Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih, who has won the Mercuries Taiwan Masters three times in 2015, 2011 and 2016, is confident of emerging victorious again at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club.

Lu showed glimpses of his best form when he finished tied-eighth in Japan earlier this year and is pleased to have his career back on track again after undergoing a brain surgery in 2012.

American Berry Henson is also back and hoping to make up for the disappointment of last year when he finished just one shot back of eventual champion Adilson Da Silva of Brazil.

He finished tied-second together with Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang, one shot back of Adilson Da Silva at last year’s Mercuries Taiwan Masters.

After touching the sky on Tuesday and before touchdown in Buriram on Thursday, Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) had chance to see a few more sights in Bangkok on Wednesday – and got to ride their machinery through some of the streets of the Thai capital.

The day began for Lorenzo at Wat Pho – the temple of the reclining Buddha – where the five-time World Champion was able to wander around the incredible complex, taking in some history and even posing for a few selfies with fans. Crutchlow, meanwhile, began at Tha Tian Market nearby, where the Brit headed into the maze of incredible sights and smells of the place. They both came across a famous local face too, as Chantra visited the temple and the market before the trio regrouped.

To bring the event to a close, it was showtime. After displaying the Repsol Honda and LCR Honda Castrol machines at the MahaNakhon on Tuesday evening, now it was time for engines on and a real ride on the streets of the city…

The Chao Phraya River snakes its way around Bangkok, and there are a few different ways to cross – ferries, different boats…a few bridges. Or, you can leave some awestruck faces in your wake as you ride across one of the city’s best landmarks, Memorial Bridge, and that’s exactly what Lorenzo and Crutchlow got to do.

The riders got suited and booted before the two Hondas roared across in unison and did a couple of runs, with the city traffic stopped in its tracks for the special event. And then it was back to Wat Pho and the rendezvous point to cool off and get ready to ride at full speed on Friday in front of an even bigger crowd.

MotoGP™ now heads north to Buriram to really get in gear for the PTT Thailand Grand Prix, with the race set for 14:00 (GMT+7) on Sunday 6th October.

Top photo: Lorenzo and Crutchlow (R) on Memorial Bridge

Pit stop time: Crutchlow (L) and Chantra cool offCrutchlow on his way to the marketCrutchlow and Chantra (R) in the marketThe five-time Champion face to face with the golden reclining BuddhaChantra (R) made for a good tour guideThe hometown heroLorenzo in the stunning interior of the templeJorge Lorenzo: “It’s always nice to be in Bangkok, I love the city and I love the people, they are always smiling. It’s been nice to discover parts of the city I didn’t know, and to do a run on the MotoGP bikes here, it’s been a good pre-event!

“Here I was very unlucky last year because I got injured after the gear problem and I missed the race, so hopefully this time I can finish all the practices and race for the first time in Thailand.”

Cal Crutchlow: “It’s been a good couple of days! We got here yesterday and it’s a privilege to be welcomed to Thailand as we are, we got to go to the tallest building in Bangkok yesterday and have a look around, and then today we got to ride over the bridge in the centre of the city as well. It’s been good fun compared to other events, and it’s great to be able to share it with the people of Thailand.

“Hopefully this weekend I’ll do better that last year, I was seventh, but I’d like to finish in the top five or six this year. But the aim is the same, to try and be near the podium and be able to fight, and I think we can this weekend. I’m looking forward to going to Buriram later today, we have another event tonight and then I’ll make my way there and prepare the weekend.”

Somkiat Chantra: “I’m very happy, today walking around with Jorge Lorenzo and Cal Crutchlow…but here in Thailand it’s very hot! It’s a special race weekend. This year I want to improve, last year in Moto3 I finished in ninth but this year I’ve been training more, in Moto2 I’m really happy and I’m happy to do my home race. I’ll try my hardest and push!”

Both lanes open: Lorenzo (R) and CrutchlowMake sure to look both ways……before crossing the bridgeRollin’: the two blast over the bridge

The Himalayas may be the rooftop of the world, but head a little further east and the mountains become skyscrapers. In Bangkok, the skyline is a forest of man made mountains; a city of incredible beauty, colour and contrast – so where better to kick the PTT Thailand Grand Prix into gear on the road to Buriram?

On Tuesday, Jorge Lorenzo (Repsol Honda Team), Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda Castrol) and home hero Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia) headed up, up and away to the 76th floor of the King Power MahaNakhon in the nation’s bustling capital for a media date with a difference – 314 metres above the city floor. A place to be seen, but also a place to see…with unparalleled 360 degree views of the skyline and even the streets below on the SkyWalk, where you can walk on the glass floor nearly a third of a kilometer above terra firma.

The three riders got a taste of Thai culture with music and dance before meeting the media, and then they posed for a unique photoshoot and did some filming with the Repsol Honda and LCR Honda Castrol machines on the roof. To top it off, they finished the evening settling down to dinner overlooking the incredible views.

Stay tuned for more on Wednesday as MotoGP™ heads for some other stunning landmarks in the city!

Top photo: Crutchlow (L) and Lorenzo on top of Bangkok

The riders meet some littler locals in a celebration of Thai music and danceDignitaries and key figures from title sponsor PTT, Chang International Circuit and AP Honda join the ridersHow’s that for a view? More than 300m up, it’s a sight to beholdThe media, bikes and riders on the rooftopThe gallery full of photographers and the press

The 23-year-old picked up a cheque of US$64,227 to take his season’s earnings to US$833,524 from 13 events, increasing his lead to more than US$300,000 over second-placed Scott Hend of Australia, who missed the halfway cut at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club.

Jazz, who has already claimed two victories and six top-10 finishes, made his season even sweeter by winning the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing series following his commendable performance at the ¥150,000,000 (approx. US$1,338,067) event.

Starting the week in third place on the rankings, Jazz needed at least a tied-fourth place result to top the Panasonic Swing after compatriots Poom Saksansin and Panuphol Pittayarat, previously ranked first and second respectively, failed to make the weekend rounds.

Jazz battled with a cold putter on the final day but a crucial birdie on the 17th hole saw him close with a one-under-par 71 to take fourth place, eight shots back of winner Toshinori Muto of Japan on 13-under-par 271 total.

The young Thai took home a top bonus prize of US$70,000 after winning the second edition of the Panasonic Swing series with a total of 3,021 points from four of the five selected events, where he had all finished inside top-10.

“It’s an honor to win the Panasonic Swing. I didn’t even know I had a chance to win until the last minute. I think it’s a nice to see sponsors like Panasonic so committed to grow the game of golf. Their support has such a big impact on the Asian golf community,” said Jazz.

“The game is almost back on track. I wanted to finish better but I just couldn’t get the ball in the hole. You can’t really force the win if you are not putting well but overall, I’m happy with my result. A couple of big events coming up for me so this result will definitely help,” added the four-time Asian Tour winner.

Thai duo Poom Saksansin and Panuphol Pittayarat would secure second and third places on the final Panasonic Swing rankings, earning US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively from the reward scheme.

The Panasonic Swing is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at the following five tournaments – 2018 Thailand Open, 2018 Panasonic Open India, 2018 Indonesian Masters, 2019 Maybank Championship (Malaysia) and 2019 Panasonic Open Golf Championship (Japan).

The Asian Tour returns to Chinese Taipei this week for the storied Mercuries Taiwan Masters, which will be held once again at the Taiwan Golf and Country Club from October 3 to 6. The prestigious tournament will offer an increased prize money of US$900,000 this year.

Ends.

Top-20 players on the Habitat for Humanity Standings

Pos       Player   Order of Merit (US$)

1. Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) $833,524.71

2. Scott HEND (AUS) $528,160.94

3. Yosuke ASAJI (JPN) $300,957.19

4. Taehee LEE (KOR) $284,661.95

5. Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) $260,100.96

6. Jbe KRUGER (RSA) $257,289.40

7. Scott VINCENT (ZIM) $242,216.34

8. Zach MURRAY (AUS) $221,011.92

9. Yikeun CHANG (KOR) $187,563.01

10. Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) $187,218.98

11. Johannes VEERMAN (USA) $177,288.30

12. Sanghyun PARK (KOR) $167,502.45

13. David LIPSKY (USA) $137,309.79

14. Miguel CARBALLO (ARG) $125,615.96

15. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) $123,386.86

16. Sadom KAEWKANJANA (THA) $118,336.53

17. Janne KASKE (FIN) $114,708.67

18. Berry HENSON (USA) $106,792.21

19. Dongkyu JANG (KOR) $104,405.57

20. Richard T. LEE (CAN) $98,972.88

The first time MotoGP™ visited Buriram, the race was a duel to remember. To add a little more to the history books at the PTT Thailand Grand Prix second time around, this year the Championship hangs in the balance as Marc Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) has the chance to win title number eight. So what are the chances? Fairly high. The reigning Champion won here last year and he’s 98 points clear with only four races remaining. To boil the maths down to its simplest form, Marquez has to score two or more points more than Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) and be 100 points or more clear when the flag falls on Sunday. He already has too many wins to be caught on that count.

Winning races and Championships is far more than a numbers game, however. It’s no mean feat beating Dovizioso, and Marquez knows that better than anyone. Buriram 2018 is the one last corner duel against the Italian Marquez has won, so if we’re on for a repeat performance, the number 93 will have to pull it off again and upend the last corner statistics once more…

Grands Prix aren’t just about the title fight though. Last year Yamaha weren’t far behind the leading duo and Maverick Viñales and Valentino Rossi will be gunning to put Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP back on the podium, and Danilo Petrucci, Dovizioso’s teammate, needs a result. After a tougher run of form in the last few races, Buriram could be a good track for the Ducati man to bounce back, and he’ll want to – quickly.

Why? His fight for third with Alex Rins (Team Suzuki Ecstar). After Rins’ stunning win at Silverstone, the Spaniard has floundered on race day and he’s another who needs a good haul of points, although it could be tougher going for the Hamamatsu factory machines at the venue. He’ll want to at least try and take the fight to Petrucci though, with the two close in the standings fighting for third overall – just a point apart.

Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) is another who will want to maximise the Ducati’s potential at Buriram and take some good points. An impressive third podium of the year at MotorLand saw him deny Viñales the chance to finish on the podium three times in a row for the first time in the premier class, and crucially Miller also finished two places ahead of Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT). The ever impressive Quartararo is well on top in the fight for Rookie of the Year, but he’s also fighting for top Independent Team rider and Miller is his key rival as it stands. The Frenchman is only six points clear of the Australian as we head into the flyaways…

Meanwhile, KTM will want to use Buriram to hopefully see Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) back on track – but also to gain some more daylight over Aprilia in the manufacturers’ Championship. With Pol Espargaro sidelined through injury in Aragon and Aleix Espargaro and Andrea Iannone putting on an impressive show for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini, the Noale factory closed in a little – and it will be interesting to see how Mika Kallio, replacing Johann Zarco, can go in Thailand as he aims to score for KTM as well.

The PTT Thailand Grand Prix seems likely to see Marquez steal the headlines in the Championship, but the raucous and packed out Chang International Circuit will put on an amazing show throughout the field regardless. Tune in on Sunday 6th October as lights go out for the MotoGP™ race at  14:00 local time (GMT +7).

1 – Marc Marquez (SPA – Honda) – 300

2 – Andrea Dovizioso (ITA – Ducati) – 202

3 – Alex Rins (SPA – Suzuki) – 156

4 – Danilo Petrucci (ITA – Ducati) – 155

5 – Maverick Viñales (SPA – Yamaha) – 147

Marquez vs Moto2™: is Buriram the start of the home straight?

The number 73 remains in control after a crash for Fernandez at Aragon. But there are still five weekends to go…Two wins on the bounce had given Augusto Fernandez (Flexbox HP 40) some serious momentum in Moto2™, but a mistake at MotorLand Aragon has seen the Spaniard slip to third overall and over 40 points off the top – now leapfrogged by Jorge Navarro (Beta Tools Speed Up). Is time running out for those on the chase to catch Marquez? Mathematically, it isn’t, but it would likely need some serious drama to intervene in the rest of the races to really derail the story of the season so far.

That story, ultimately, is one of consistency. Marquez has lost out once through a mistake of his own,  and he’s reaping the rewards of the combination of speed and settling when it’s necessary. Navarro just behind him has been a fairly consistent presence each race weekend too, although he’s yet to stand on the top step. That means that if Marquez does start to feel the pressure, Navarro could end up challenging for the crown from the rare position of not being a race winner…yet.

Others have seared their way to glory, however, and there’s something to be said for reeling in the wins – that’s what put Fernandez where he is. And Brad Binder’s (Red Bull KTM Ajo) two wins in the latter half of the season have helped put him just 53 points down, in fifth. Given an incredibly tough start to the season for Austrian factory KTM, that’s something to really write home about – and the tracks coming next get the South African grinning.

Tom Lüthi (Dynavolt Intact GP), meanwhile, is still looking for a bit more of his early season form. The Swiss rider has kept reeling in the points, but he’s not been on the charge like we’ve seen. Can he bounce back as we head into the flyaways? Will teammate Marcel Schrötter mix it up with the frontrunners again once he’s back from injury? And what of Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46), the only man on the grid who’s previously been on the podium at the track?

Home hero Somkiat Chantra (Idemitsu Honda Team Asia), though, will likely have most of the crowd on his side. There may be a title fight happening at the top, but the intermediate class rookie will be the true hero of the hour for the Thai crowd. Last year he took an impressive top ten in Moto3™, what can he do in 2019? Tune in for the PTT Thailand Grand Prix from the 4th to 6th October to find out as Moto2™ take on Buriram – with the final twists and turns in the Championship awaiting on the flyaways.

Championship standings

1 – Alex Marquez (SPA – Kalex) – 213

2 – Jorge Navarro (SPA – Speed Up) – 175

3 – Augusto Fernandez (SPA – Kalex) – 171

4 – Tom Lüthi (SWI – Kalex) – 169

5 – Brad Binder (RSA – KTM) – 160

As you were: the Moto3™ duel reignites on the road to Buriram

The gap is back to almost nothing as the lightweight class head for ThailandAt MotorLand Aragon, Aron Canet (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) was on fire and key rival Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Leopard Racing) had a difficult day at the office. In short, 25 points for Canet vs an eleventh place for the Championship leader mean it’s almost as you were in the tightest title fight of the season, with just two points separating them on the way to Thailand. The see-saw rivalry of the summer is back and Buriram could be an interesting place to head next.

We’ve only raced once at the Thai track and last year’s first contact makes good reading for Dalla Porta. He came second, only a tenth down, and Canet? He didn’t race. The Spaniard arrives with no former knowledge of the venue after he missed the event last year due to injury, so it could prove more of an uphill struggle for him. With the rest of the grid, minus the rookies, joining Dalla Porta in having more experience, that only adds to Canet’s challenge.

Tony Arbolino (VNE Snipers), especially, is not yet out of reach of a charge for the top, although the Italian had a more difficult first race at Chang International Circuit last season. John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing) did too, but the likes of Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) and Marcos Ramirez (Leopard Racing) showed some good form – as did Dennis Foggia (Sky Racing Team VR46), who took his first podium. Will the rest of the field avoid the attrition of 2019?

The PTT Thailand Grand Prix will see Canet gunning to get up to speed from the 4th of October, before race day on Sunday the 6th. Can the Spaniard take the fight to last year’s runner up, Dalla Porta? Or is there another twist around the corner? Find out this weekend!

Championship standings

1 – Lorenzo Dalla Porta (ITA – Honda) – 184

2 – Aron Canet (SPA – KTM) – 182

3 – Tony Arbolino (ITA – Honda) – 155

4 – John McPhee (GBR – Honda) – 126

5 – Marcos Ramirez (SPA – Honda) – 123

Their victory was a solace for Thai fans after badminton star Ratchanok Intanon blew away four championship points and lost to China’s He Bing Jiao 21-18 22-24 17-21 in the women’s singles final.

The third-ranked Dechapol and Sapsiree entered the final showdown with a poor record of just one win against seven defeats to the world No 1 mixed doubles team. However, they refused to be intimidated or concede the psychological edge to their rivals, pursuing a clear plan to to destroy the momentum of the Chinese duo.

The Thais were solid in defence and unsettled their rivals with attacks down the middle of the court to wrap up the fight in just 34 minutes. They became the first Thais to emerge winners in this tournament.

“Whoever remain in better control will win. We just have to take charge and stay patient which really rewarded us today,” said Sapsiree, after winning her second World Tour Super 500 title with Dechapol this year.

“We feel more confident in our game after this win. We tried not to think of the previous results and went on the court sticking to our game plan,” she added.

It was also the second victory of the season for the Thai pair following their triumph in the Singapore Open where they had upset Zheng and Huang in the semi-finals.

Earlier, Ratchanok was just four points from clinching the title, leading her seventh-ranked rival 20-16 in the decisive game. But a flurry of unforced errors by the Thai, and He’s determination to retrieve from all corners of the court turned the match around.

Luck too did not side with Ratchanok, whose smash at 22-23 was called out. The Thai could not challenge the decision as she had run out of her challenge quota. However, a hawk’s-eye view later confirmed that the shot was in.

In the third game, the Thai lost steam and concentration as the Chinese finally prevailed in 75 minutes 21-18 22-24 17-21.

Ratchanok, the former world No 1, has been in five World Tour finals this year and won two titles — the Malaysia Masters and India Open.

The 41-year-old Muto halted a winless streak of four years after firing eight birdies against a bogey to cap a winning total of 21-under-par 263, setting a record lowest 72-hole score in the tournament that is celebrating its 10th edition this week.

Starting the day with a one-shot edge, Muto rode on his fine form to pull away from the chasing pack at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club. His four-shot triumph would also match the largest winning margin record in the tournament set earlier by Daisuke Maruyama in 2009.

“I am really glad that I played well today. It has been four years. It is a really long time. After opening with two birdies, I started to play a little less aggressive. I felt my swing was loose. So I talked to my caddy and we discussed about what to do,” said Muto who would take home a winner’s prize purse of ¥30,000,000 (approx. US$267,613), thanks to his victory at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club.

“If I continue to play like that, with a loose swing, other players will be able to spot my weakness. So starting from the sixth hole, we decided to just go for the pins and try to make birdies,” the Japanese added.

“I have been working with my caddy, Oda, for 12 years. He knows what I am thinking. He knows it when my mental game is not there or when I am losing concentration. He kept me focused and I did that on the back nine to win the tournament,” said Muto, the second Japanese, following Yosuke Asaji, to win on the Asian Tour this season.

Shugo Imahira, who entered the week as the second highest-ranked Japanese on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), came in runner-up after closing with three straight birdies for a 67. Home favourite Ryo Ishikawa carded a commendable 66 to finish one shot back in third.

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand battled to a 71 to finish in fourth place on 271. The result was enough to help him win the second edition of the Panasonic Swing series with 3,021 points and take home a top bonus prize of US$70,000.

Thai duo Poom Saksansin and Panuphol Pittayarat secured second and third places on the final Panasonic Swing rankings, earning US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively from the reward scheme.

The ¥150,000,000 (approx. US$1,338,067) event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO), is the concluding leg of the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing.

The Panasonic Swing is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at the following five tournaments – 2018 Thailand Open, 2018 Panasonic Open India, 2018 Indonesian Masters, 2019 Maybank Championship (Malaysia) and 2019 Panasonic Open Golf Championship (Japan).

Also joining Ratchanok in the final were the in-form Dechapol Puavaranukroh and Sapsiree Taerattanachai who rebounded from a first game lapse to beat Indonesian Rinov Rivaldy and Pitha Mentari 20-22 21-11 21-18.

The world No 6 from Thailand proved more solid in their semi-final clash, which marked their 26th overall, as she prevailed in just 32 minutes in the BWF World Tour Super 500 event.

Despite having her right shoulder heavily wrapped with tapes, Ratchanok still looked sharp in her game, dictating play with well-crafted shots and powerful smashes.

The 24-year-old Bangkokian is in her fifth final in 2019, having won two titles from the Malaysia Masters and India Open from four previous championship matches.

She will face He Bing Jiao of China in the gold medal match on Sunday. He beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9 21-15. The Thai just beat the Chinese 21-15 21-14 for the India Open title in March.

The 23-year-old Thai stumbled with two bogeys in his opening five holes but rolled in seven birdies in his last 10 holes to grab a share of third place with Argentina’s Miguel Carballo (66) on matching 201s in the popular tournament, which is celebrating its 10th edition this week.

“I started off really shaky today and managed to get it back again. I had some lucky shots out there. I made a couple of long putts. I probably had two long putts that I wouldn’t make usually, but they came at the right time. I would say the birdie on 10 got my round going,” said the Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Jazz after his round in the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO).

Apart from chasing for his fifth Asian Tour victory and a third win this season, Jazz is also in the running to top the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing, where he sits in third place with 2340.93 points. He needs at least a tied-fourth place finish at the Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship to have a chance to pip current leader Poom Saksansin to the title.

“I couldn’t hit anything to the green. I kept missing greens. Couldn’t give myself a chance out there. But after the front nine, I kind of figured out what I needed to do and then I kind of fixed it, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow,” added Jazz or Attiwit who has four Asian Tour titles under his belt including two this year in the Singapore Open in January and Korea Open in June.

Toshinori Muto 

Japan’s Toshinori Muto rode on a fast start to mark the day’s best score with a seven-under-par 64 and grab the outright lead by one shot following the penultimate round.

“I am glad I was able to play my ‘A’ game today. I am looking forward to the final test tomorrow. I have to try harder. I am only leading by one shot but it’s better than nothing. I will try not to think about the score and about the win. I just want to keep making birdies. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow,” Muto said.

Starting the day with a two-shot deficit, Muto got off to a strong start with three birdies in his opening four holes. He dropped a shot on the sixth but would recover brilliantly with four straight birdies from the seventh before picking up another birdie on the last.

Muto, who had held a share of the opening round lead, regained his place atop the leaderboard with a three-day total of 14-under-par 199 while countryman Shugo Imahira takes second place, thanks to a closing eagle which helped him sign for a 66 at the Higashi Hirono Golf Club.

The Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship is the concluding leg of the 2018/19 Panasonic Swing. The Panasonic Swing is based on an aggregate point ranking earned by players at the following five tournaments – 2018 Thailand Open, 2018 Panasonic Open India, 2018 Indonesian Masters, 2019 Maybank Championship (Malaysia) and 2019 Panasonic Open Golf Championship (Japan).

The top-three finishers upon the conclusion of the 2019 Panasonic OPEN Golf Championship will share a bonus pool of US$150,000 where they will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via the reward scheme.