The 27-year-old Matsuyama rode a hot putter, making 165’8” feet of putts including birdie putts of 23’5” and 30’2” on the 17th and 18th holes respectively to snatch a one-shot lead in the second of three FedExCup Playoffs event on the PGA TOUR.

It was the third time in his impressive career that the highly talented Japanese, who is bogey-free through 36 holes, has taken the halfway lead on the PGA TOUR as he chases a sixth career win and his first title in over two years.

Americans Patrick Cantlay and Tony Finau share second place with 2017 FedExCup champion Justin Thomas lying a further shot  back.

Korea’s Si Woo Kim carded a 67 to move up to T15 as he bids to keep his Playoffs hopes alive. The 2017 PLAYERS champion needs to finish fourth this weekend to have any hope of  progressing into next week’s TOUR Championship, which will reward the FedExCup winner with a bumper US$15 million payday.

It was another day to remember for Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan, who carded a bogey free 67 to outscore playing partner and idol Tiger Woods by four shots as he moved up to T21. Pan needs a projected 12^th place finish to advance to Atlanta while he is also fighting to maintain or improve his eighth place position on the International Team standings for the Presidents Cup when the top-8 qualifying race concludes on Sunday.

Matsuyama, Japans’s most successful golfer on the PGA TOUR, was delighted to speed his way to the top of the BMW Championship leaderboard heading into the weekend rounds. A good week here will move him into next week’s Playoffs Finale, exclusive to the top-30 players, where he is currently ranked 33^rd.

“I did make a lot of long putts and that was the difference,” said Matsuyama. “It started yesterday during my (first) round … I was able to halfway through kind of see what I was doing wrong on the greens and it carried over today. I was able to fix it and it carried over.”

I’m really happy with my position. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in contention. Hopefully I can play well. I’ve been struggling for a while this year. Hopefully that can turn around and I’ll have a good weekend.”

Pan free-wheeled his way to five birdies against no bogeys to eclipse Woods. After a jittery start on Thursday, Pan’s five birdies at Medinah for a two-day score of 6-under 138 gives him a fighting chance to qualify for his first FedExCup Playoffs Finale, the TOUR Championship next week and also secure a maiden appearance in the Presidents Cup in December.

“It was a good day. Five-under and I was definitely more normal, you know, playing with Tiger compared to the first round. I wasn’t as nervous. I played really good, played solid, just hit a couple bad shots but I was able to bounce back right away and make some birdies,” said Pan, who trails leader Hideki Matsuyama of Japan by six shots in T21.

If not for a cold putter early on, Pan could have been an even better day as he missed several makeable birdie chances early in his round which attracted large galleries at Medinah’s Course No. 3.

“Yeah, first four holes, I had chances from within 15 feet. Hit a lot of good putts. Just misread a couple times,” he lamented.

Pan needs a projected 12^th place finish to advance into the Playoffs Finale which the FedExCup champion will bag a cool US$15 million. He also needs to ensure he stays within the top-8 of the International Team standings for the Presidents Cup when qualifying ends on Sunday.

“I feel good about my game. There are a couple things I think I can do better which I will improve. I just want to play good golf and hopefully that will take care of everything,” said Pan.

The turnament comprised of compelling match-ups and thrilling finishes. In the main event, Ilias Ennahachi of the Netherlands stopped local favorite Petchdam Petchyindee Academy of Thailand to capture the ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship.

In the main event, Ilias Ennahachi of the Netherlands left the Thai crowd stunned after dethroning Petchdam Petchyindee Academy by third-round knockout to become the new ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion. Following a tempered opening round, Ennahachi picked up the pace in the second with some crisp boxing, tagging Petchdam with solid combinations. Although Petchdam was game all throughout the contest, Ennahachi finished the job in the third round, overwhelming the Thai star with even more punches to earn the knockout victory. Ennahachi, in his debut, became the first man to stop Petchdam on the ONE Super Series stage.

Kickboxing icon Giorgio “The Doctor” Petrosyan of Italy stormed into the Finals of the ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix with a fantastic first-round knockout win over “Smokin” Jo Nattawut of Thailand. In the highly-anticipated rematch, Petrosyan and Nattawut stood toe-to-toe in the opening moments of the bout, with both strikers trading blows. With just seconds left in the round however, it was Petrosyan who was the last man standing, after connecting on a stiff left straight that separated Nattawut from his senses.

Two-sport World Champion Stamp Fairtex of Thailand made a successful return to mixed martial arts with a third-round submission win over India’s Asha “The Knockout Queen” Roka. After already showcasing her striking prowess by capturing the ONE Atomweight Muay Thai and Kickboxing World Championships, Stamp displayed her improving ground game by taking Roka down and controlling her on the mat. In the third and final round, Stamp sent the Thai crowd into a frenzy by locking in a rear naked choke and forcing Roka to tap out.

France’s Samy “AK47” Sana punched his ticket to the ONE  Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Finals with a dominant decision victory over Russia’s Dzhabar “Genghis Khan” Askerov. It was all Sana throughout the three-round contest, as the towering Frenchman controlled the center of the ONE Circle and picked Askerov apart with punishing combinations. A knockdown in the opening round set the tone for Sana, as he never looked back and secured the biggest win of his ONE Super Series career so far.

Former ONE Strawweight World Champion Alex “Little Rock” Silva of Brazil returned to the winner’s circle with a second-round submission win over Indonesian star Stefer “The Lion” Rahardian. The submission specialist Silva brought the action to the ground early and wasted little time in looking for a submission. A high-level grappler in his own right, Rahardian managed to survive the Brazilian’s attempts. With just seconds left in the second round, Silva’s grappling pedigree became evident as he locked in an armbar to force Rahardian to tap out just before the bell.

Three-time Muay Thai world champion Muangthai “Elbow Zombie” PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym put on a show in front of his home country of Thailand with a unanimous decision win over WBC Japan Muay Thai Champion Kenta Yamada. Muangthai was the aggressor as he battered Yamada with his signature elbow strikes throughout the three-round contest. Yamada had his moments and kept the bout competitive but in the end, it wasn’t enough as Muangthai pulled out the decision victory.

Vietnamese-American knockout artist Thanh Le remained undefeated in his ONE Championship campaign after knocking out former ONE Lightweight World Champion Kotetsu “No Face” Boku in the first round. The hard-charging featherweight capped off a three-strike combination with a right hook that landed flush on Boku’s chin, sending the former champion to the mat. Le followed up with one more hammerfist on the ground before the referee called a stop to the bout, giving Le his second-straight knockout victory.

Lerdsila Phuket Top Team of Thailand was victorious by technical knockout after an arm injury rendered Cyprus’ Savvas “The Babyface Killer” Michael unable to continue in the second round of their ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai bout.

Russian top bantamweight contender Yusup Saadulaev was undeniable in his domination of former ONE World Title challenger “Ottogi” Dae Hwan Kim en route to a unanimous decision win. Saadulaev was in the driver’s seat for the better part of the three-round bout, taking Kim down and attacking him with strikes to coast to a crucial bounce-back win.

In an exciting flyweight contest, Cambodia’s Chan Rothana edged out Cuban fan favorite Gustavo “El Gladiador” Balart via unanimous decision. Rothana put his height and reach advantage to good use as he outstruck Balart, but the Cuban was nothing short of aggressive in using his superior wrestling to get the action to the ground. After three action-packed rounds, it was Rothana who was awarded the decision victory.

Muay Thai star Bangpleenoi Petchyindee Academy of Thailand thrilled the Bangkok crowd with a majority decision win over England’s Liam Nolan. The two world-class strikers put on a Muay Thai clinic for three exciting rounds, much to the delight of the fans in attendance at the Impact Arena. In the end, it was Bangpleenoi who walked away with the massive win in front of his home country.

Japanese strawweight Ryuto “Dragon Boy” Sawada continued to impress on the ONE Championship stage by picking up a first-round submission win over Filipino-Indonesian athlete Aziz “The Krauser” Calim. Sawada overcame a size and reach advantage as he muscled Calim to the ground in the opening round. The ONE Warrior Series contract winner put on a grappling masterclass as he swiftly got to mount and transitioned to Calim’s back before locking in a rear naked choke for the quick submission victory.

Russian striking sensation Alaverdi “Babyface Killer” Ramazanov made quick work of Serbian-American Ognjen Topic, winning via technical knockout in just the first round. Ramazanov picked Topic apart with a storm of punches and kicks en route to a trio of knockdowns in just the opening round for the flawless finish.

Chinese bantamweight contender Zhao Zhi Kang kicked things off in spectacular fashion with a second-round submission win over Indonesian Paul “The Great King” Lumihi. Zhao was dominant from the opening bell as he was able to neutralize Lumihi with his high-level grappling. In the second round, Zhao took Lumihi down with ease and locked in a rear-naked choke, forcing a tap within moments.

Official results for ONE: DREAMS OF GOLD

ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Championship bout: Ilias Ennahachi defeats Petchdam Petchyindee Academy by Knockout (KO) at 0:59 minutes of round 3

ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Semi-Final bout: Giorgio Petrosyan defeats Jo Nattawut by Knockout (KO) at 2:50 minutes of round 1

Mixed Martial Arts Women’s Atomweight bout: Stamp Fairtex defeats Asha Roka by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:29 minutes of round 3

ONE Featherweight Kickboxing World Grand Prix Semi-Final bout: Samy Sana defeats Dzhabar Askerov by Majority Decision (MD) after 3 rounds

Mixed Martial Arts Strawweight bout: Alex Silva defeats Stefer Rahardian by Submission (Armbar) at 4:55 minutes of round 2

Muay Thai Bantamweight bout: Muangthai PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym defeats Kenta Yamada by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Mixed Martial Arts Featherweight bout: Thanh Le defeats Kotetsu Boku by Knockout (KO) at 1:28 minutes of round 1

Muay Thai Flyweight bout: Lerdsila Phuket Top Team defeats Savvas Michael by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 0:29 minutes of round 2

Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight bout: Yusup Saadulaev defeats Dae Hwan Kim by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Mixed Martial Arts Flyweight bout: Chan Rothana defeats Gustavo Balart by Unanimous Decision (UD) after 3 rounds

Muay Thai Catchweight bout: Bangpleenoi Petchyindee Academy defeats Liam Nolan by Majority Decision (MD) after 3 rounds

Mixed Martial Arts Strawweight bout: Ryuto Sawada defeats Aziz Calim by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 1:09 minutes of round 1

Muay Thai Bantamweight bout: Alaverdi Ramazanov defeats Ognjen Topic by Technical Knockout (TKO) at 2:25 minutes of round 1

Mixed Martial Arts Bantamweight bout: Zhao Zhi Kang defeats Paul Lumihi by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:08 minutes of round 2

The 23-year-old Jazz, who has already won twice this season, sparkled with a flawless round highlighted by eight birdies to sit atop the leaderboard with a 15-under-par 129 total at the Damai Golf and Country Club.

“It was a pretty solid round. I holed a lot of putts, missed some as well but overall it was good. You just had to go out there and try your best. Every part of the game was pretty solid. The driver wasn’t as great but I kind of got away with it,” said Jazz, whose two-day total of 15-under-par 129 is one shot better than the 36-hole score recorded in the inaugural edition of the Sarawak Championship last year.

“All the birdies today were pretty similar. Nothing stood out really. The greens are better this year and we were able to roll in more putts out there. It was nice playing alongside Scott Hend and Miguel Tabuena as well,” added the Thai No 1, who is bidding for a fifth Asian Tour title and his third this season to give himself a chance to automatically qualify for the International Team, led by captain Ernie Els, for the Presidents Cup.

“Scott made a good comeback with two closing birdies as well. It was fun to watch him fight back. It’s going to be the same tomorrow, just focus on hitting fairways and greens and we’ll see how it goes,” Jazz added.

Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines, who played alongside Jazz, also kept the blemishes off his card as he signed for a second straight 65 to share second place with Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao (66) and Australian Andrew Dodt (64) in the US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

Dodt, a two-time Asian Tour winner, got off to a sizzling start with an eagle on the 10th hole followed by four successive birdies from 11 before turning in 30. The 33-year-old Australian is playing in his first event since a two-month layoff following an injury in April.

Thai trio Pavit Tangkamolprasert, Danthai Boonma and Sadom Kaewkanjana shared fifth place on matching 133s following respective rounds of 65, 66 and 67 at the full-field event, which is celebrating its second edition on the Asian Tour this week.

The halfway cut was set at four-under-par 140 with a total of 72 players progressing into the weekend rounds.

The Sarawak Championship is supported by the Sarawak State government. It is also the Tour’s second stop in Malaysia this season.

Organisers of the Bt4-million tourney said the field will include 120 golfers from the Thai LPGA Tour (35 players), Australian LPGA Tour (20 players) and the China LPGA Tour (44 players). Another 21 players will be playing on an invitational basis.

Among the familiar names in the field are Thailand’s Prinda Pothikan, Chollada Chayanan, Treechat Jinklub, Apicaya Yubon, Pachajutha Kongkraphan, Chompatch Pongthanarak and Mookarin Ladkratok.

The tri-sanctioned event will offer world ranking points. China’s Du Mohan and Liu Wenbo have confirmed, along with Tahnia Ravnjak and Kristalle Blum from Down Under.

Leong, who was down with a fever on Tuesday night, recovered just in time to post a commendable round highlighted by one eagle and six birdies, matching the day’s efforts of Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao and Justin Quiban of the Philippines at the Damai Golf and Country Club.

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand reeled in six birdies in-a-row en route to his opening 65, which placed him in fourth place alongside Japan’s Daisuke Kataoka and Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines.

“I started off pretty slow but got hot in the middle and slowed down again. I hit it really good in the middle of the round. Didn’t really maintain it but I will try and get it back tomorrow. It was nice to shoot six birdies in a row,” said Jazz, the world No 56, the highest ranked player in the field.

“I was just trying to hit it close and give myself a lot of opportunities. I managed to take advantage of it. I remember playing good on the first day yesterday. I don’t really have a number to shoot in mind. I will just play hole by hole,” added the Thai No 1 player.

Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng produced the shot of the day when his five-iron tee shot found the bottom of the cup on the par-three 14th hole from 202 yards. It was the 14th ace he has recorded in his illustrious career.

The 53-year-old Prayad signed for an eventual 68 to tie in 30th position alongside a host of players including Australian Scott Hend, who turns 46 years old today, at the full-field event, which is celebrating its second edition on the Asian Tour this week.

The Sarawak Championship is supported by the Sarawak State government. It is also the Tour’s second stop in Malaysia this season.

Scores after round 1 of the Sarawak Championship being played at the par 72, 6970 Yards Damai GC course (am – denotes amateur):

64 – Ben Leong (MAS), Hung Chien-yao (TPE), Justin Quiban (PHI).

65 – Daisuke Kataoka (JPN), Jazz Janewattananond (THA), Miguel Tabuena (PHI).

66 – Settee Prakongvech (THA), Sadom Kaewkanjana (THA), Terry Pilkadaris (AUS), Trevor Simsby (USA), Nicholas Latimer (USA), Andrew Dodt (AUS), Richard T. Lee (CAN), Suradit Yongcharoenchai (THA), Shinichi Mizuno (JPN), Naras Luangphetcharaporn (THA).

67 – Danny Masrin (INA), Ajeetesh Sandhu (IND), Danthai Boonma (THA), Kemarol Baharin (MAS), Nitithorn Thippong (THA), K.P. Lin (TPE), Tomoharu Otsuki (JPN), Aadil Bedi (IND), Liu Yanwei (CHN), Xiao Bowen (CHN), Jack Harrison (ENG), Natipong Srithong (THA), Jesse Yap (SIN).

The 625 hp lead car is based on the BMW M8 Competition (combined fuel consumption: 10.6 – 10.5 l/100 km*; combined CO2 emissions: 242 – 238 g/km*), which made its world debut at the BMW Group #NextGen at BMW Welt in Munich at the end of June. The new BMW M8 MotoGP Safety Car made its first appearance at the Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.

Innovative high-performance automobiles for the safety of the top tier of motorcycles is the principle that has guided BMW M GmbH for more than 20 years as partner of MotoGP™ organiser Dorna Sports and ‘Official Car of MotoGP’. The Munich-based company has provided the official MotoGP™ Safety Car fleet since 1999 and the BMW M8 MotoGP Safety Car is the latest highlight in a long line of high-powered lead cars.

Markus Flasch, President of BMW M GmbH: “The BMW M8 and the BMW M8 GTE were developed in parallel, and these racing genes distinguish the BMW M8 models in all areas. That’s why it was a logical step for us to choose the BMW M8 Competition as a basis for our new MotoGP safety car. Even in its production version, this high-performance automobile is suited to the racetrack. With its innovative technical features, it is yet another example of our quest to keep pushing the limit upwards. With the BMW M8 MotoGP Safety Car, we are really excited to present a new, powerful lead car for the top tier of motorcycle racing.”

Pau Serracanta, Managing Director of Dorna Sports: “We’re delighted to welcome the new BMW M8 Safety Car to MotoGP and see it on track for the first time. Our relationship with BMW goes back many years and we’re very proud to have such an esteemed brand as the Official Car of MotoGP.”

The M power under the bonnet comes from the most powerful engine ever developed for a BMW M GmbH car. The high-revving V8 unit with M TwinPower Turbo technology develops 460 kW/625 hp. The high-performance power unit teams up with an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with Drivelogic, and the engine’s power is channelled to the road via the M xDrive all-wheeldrive system. One of the features that stands out in particular is a newly developed integrated braking system, an M-specific version of which presents the driver with two different brake pedal feel settings.

The precise interaction between powertrain, chassis technology and aerodynamics has been carefully honed over the course of intensive testing at the BMW Group’s test track near Miramas in southern France, the winter testing centre in Arjeplog, Sweden and the Nürburgring’s Nordschleife circuit, along with other race circuits. Experience collected from the development of the BMW M8 GTE racing car also played a role in the configuration process. The performance-focused character of the engine, transmission and chassis allows the new BMW M8 Competition to power from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.2 seconds.

Painstaking manual work at the BMW M Manufaktur in Garching converted the high-performance base car into the BMW M8 MotoGP Safety Car, preparing it to appear as the course car in the world’s fastest motorcycle racing series. This process included the addition of numerous BMW M Performance Parts, many of which are available as retrofit parts for the BMW M8 production model. These emphasise the sporty appearance of the Safety Car and meet all the functional requirements for aerodynamics, cooling and lightweight construction. The transformation of the BMW M8 Competition to a MotoGP™ Safety Car was completed by the inclusion of special racing features and the necessary safety equipment.

Modifications for the BMW M8 MotoGP™ Safety Car:

BMW M Performance titanium sport exhaust system*

BMW M Performance carbon tail pipe finisher*

BMW M Performance floor mats

BMW M Performance carbon engine cover

BMW M Performance carbon rear diffusor

BMW M Performance steering wheel pro (with M Performance carbon cover and M Performance shift paddles)

BMW M Performance carbon air breather side grill

BMW M Performance carbon side skirts

BMW M Performance logo decals

Bonnet with ‘motorsport lock’

Fuel suction pump

Battery master switch

Flashing corona headlight rings

LED lights on the roof with bracket

Front grille LED flasher

RECARO racing seats with Schroth belts

Roll cage

Fire extinguisher with bracket

Michelin Cup tyres

Red foiled kidney grille

Front spoiler with frozen black paint finish

BMW floating hub cap

BMW valve caps with M logo

BMW M8 GTE rear wing

Side skirts foiled black

MotoGP livery

Customised carbon flaps

Light control panel

*not available in Europe

The BMW M8 MotoGP™ Safety Car

The Safety Car fleet

Live from Ho Chi Minh City is ONE: IMMORTAL TRIUMPH, featuring the absolute best in world-class martial arts talent. The greatest strikers from all corners of the globe are set to converge at the Phu Tho Indoor Stadium for an action-packed evening. ONE: IMMORTAL TRIUMPH is also the first event to feature all ONE Super Series bouts.

In the main event, reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao of Thailand will defend his title against Brice Delval of France.

Considered one of the greatest strikers of all time, Nong-O has captured nearly every accolade in Muay Thai. He made his first appearance at the famed Rajadamnern Stadium when he was just a teenager and won. That set off an incredible run of success.

The icon has competed in over 300 professional bouts. During that time, he claimed two Thailand National Muay Thai Championships, four Lumpinee Stadium Muay Thai World Championships in different divisions, and a Rajadamnern Stadium Muay Thai World Championship.

Since joining the world’s best strikers in ONE Super Series, Nong-O has dominated the competition. In February, he captured the inaugural ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title with a unanimous decision victory over Han Zi Hao. He then successfully defended the belt in his next bout against Hiroaki Suzuki.

Nong-O’s opponent, striking sensation Brice Delval, is a natural talent who trains at the famed Mahmoudi Gym in France.

Delval grew up on the French island of Réunion, where he discovered his passion for martial arts. That ultimately led him to the sport of Muay Thai.

One of the fastest rising stars today, the 20-year-old Delval now joins ONE Super Series. In his official debut, he will challenge Nong-O for the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Title.

Rising star Saemapetch Fairtex of Thailand returns to action in a Muay Thai contest. The former MTGP Welterweight World Champion joined ONE Super Series in 2018 and has since impressed during his time inside the ring.

Prodigiously talented, Saemapetch took up Muay Thai at the age of 11, and a mere three years later, he was already competing at the famed Rajadamnern Stadium in Bangkok. Now training out of the renowned Fairtex camp in Pattaya, alongside the likes of Muay Thai World Champions Yodsanklai IWE Fairtex and Stamp Fairtex, Saemapetch is certainly a noteworthy talent to watch out for.

Saemapetch takes on French Muay Thai Kickboxer and Lumpinee Stadium World Champion Rafi Bohic.

Also on the card is Thanonchai SomawangGaiyang of Thailand who takes on WBC Muay Thai International Champion Kohei “Momotaro” Kodera of Japan in a Muay Thai contest, while Lumpinee and Rajadamnern Stadium Champion Panpayak Jitmuangnon of Thailand takes on RISE Featherweight Champion Masahide “Crazy Rabbit” Kudo of Japan in a kickboxing contest.

Vietnamese-British athlete Michael Pham and the United Kingdom’s Amber Kitchen are set to see action as they face Mohamad Fakri Bin Yusoff of Malaysia and Viktoria Lipianska of Slovakia respectively in a pair of Muay Thai bouts.

Vietnamese martial arts athletes will of course be well-represented in ONE Championship’s inaugural event in the country.

Set to see action are Nguyen Tran Duy Nhat and Nguyen Thanh Tung, who will take on Azwan Che Wil and Shahzaib Rindh respectively, in Vietnamese Super Series bouts.

Current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand has committed for the US$500,000 full field Asian Tour event which will be staged at the Pondok Indah Golf Course, located right in the heart of Jakarta for the fourth consecutive year.

The Bank BRI Indonesia Open will celebrate its 39th anniversary this year and its illustrious roll of honour include India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, who won the event twice in 2013 and 2016, as well as Ireland’s Padraig Harrington and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee.

The Indonesia Open has also been credited for being the springboard to success for many of the Asian Tour’s players including past champions such as Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat and South Africa’s Justin Harding.

Harding announced his arrival on the Asian Tour when he won the Bank BRI Indonesia Open after he receiving an invitation to the event by virtue of his brilliant form on the Sunshine Tour.

The South African would immediately go on to win his next Asian Tour in Thailand a fortnight later and end the 2018 season in third place on the Order of Merit.

Their victories at the Indonesia Open have paved the way for them to go on and achieve greater success on the international stage.

This year, four players from the Sunshine Tour- Sweden’s Philip Eriksson and the South African trio of  JC Ritchie, Daniel Van Tonder and Neil Schietekat have been extended invitations to the Bank BRI Indonesia Open and expectations will be high for them to emulate the footsteps of Harding.

Mr. Suprajarto, President Director of Bank BRI said “We are delighted to be the presenting title sponsor for one of the biggest golf tournaments in Indonesia once again. We had sponsored this event for the past couple years and based on our experience, sponsoring this event has yielded some fruitful results for Bank BRI. We expect our support will encourage the development of Indonesia’s sport industry in general, especially for Indonesia’s golf players.”

Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour said, “The Asian Tour is pleased to be back in Indonesia for the country’s most historic golf tournament as the Indonesia Open has always been one of the most popular events on our schedule.

“I am confident the 39th edition of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open will be another huge success and highlight on Asia’s sporting calendar.”

The Bank BRI Indonesia Open is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Indonesia Golf Association and is also supported by the following sponsors- Batik Air, Pertamina, Telkom Indonesia, Wika, PP Construction & Investment, BRI Life, BRI Agro and BRINS.

The 23-year-old Jazz, arguably the hottest player on the Asian Tour this season, enjoyed a joint runner-up finish last year after closing with a superb eight-under-par 64 to finish one shot shy of the winner at the Damai Golf and Country Club.

He returns to the same venue this week, bidding for a fifth Asian Tour win and a third one this season to give himself a chance to automatically qualify for the International Team, led by Captain Ernie Els, for the Presidents Cup.

Jazz, who is currently placed 10th on the International Team standings, needs to move inside the top-eight on the rankings when the Sarawak championship concludes on Sunday. A victory at the Sarawak Championship will likely seal his move there along with an automatic spot for the match-play event which will be held in Melbourne at the end of the year.

Sitting in 56th place on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Jazz is the highest-ranked player in the field. He will headline the popular event alongside Australian Scott Hend, who trails him by over US$200,000 in second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Hend is relishing his return to Malaysia for his first appearance in the Sarawak Championship. He had tasted success earlier in the country, having won his 10th Asian Tour title at the Maybank Championship in March.

India’s Shiv Kapur, who will be moving his base to Dubai next week, is determined to turn the corner after making only two cuts in seven starts so far this season.

The full-field Asian Tour event, which celebrates its second edition this week, is supported by the Sarawak State government. It is also the Tour’s second stop in Malaysia this season.

Did you know?

• Sitting in 56th position on the latest Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Jazz Janewattananond is the highest-ranked player in the 156-man field. He is also the highest-ranked Thai player in the world.
• Jazz is leading the Asian Tour Order of Merit with a current haul of US$738,093, thanks to two victories and three top-five finishes.
• Jazz came in joint runner-up at the Sarawak Championship last year after firing a birdie and an eagle in his closing three holes for a solid eight-under-par 64. Ended his campaign one shot shy of winner John Catlin of the United States.
• Jazz broke into top-100 on the OWGR after winning his third Asian Tour title in Singapore in January and marked his career-best ranking when he rose to 52nd position following his fourth victory in Korea in June.
• Jazz’s T14 finish at the 2019 PGA Championship, which was his second Major start, was the best-ever result by a Thai player in that Major tournament.
• Prior to his victory in Korea, Jazz also notched back-to-back top-five finishes on the Japan Golf Tour.
• Arguably the hottest player on the Asian Tour this season, Jazz is bidding for another win this week as it could help him to automatically qualify for the International Team for the Presidents cup.
• Scott Hend became the first Australian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2016. He is regarded as the most successful international player on the Asian Tour.
• Hend is making his debut appearance in the Sarawak Championship and will be turning 46 years old on Thursday.
• Hend trails Jazz by over US$200,000 in second place on the Order of Merit.
• He claimed his 10th Asian Tour title in Malaysia in March and took home his career’s biggest prize purse of US$500,000 to become the second highest-earning player on the Asian Tour’s Career Money List.
• Hend is one of the biggest hitters on Tour, having led the Driving Distance category in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013.
• Hend, who claimed all his 10 victories in Asia, is the fourth player after Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant (18), Thongchai (13) and Prayad Marksaeng (10) to obtain 10 wins or more on the Asian Tour.
• Shiv Kapur is making his first appearance in the Sarawak Championship this week.
• Kapur, the Asian Tour rookie of the year in 2005, ended an 11-year title drought when he won the Yeangder Heritage in Chinese Taipei in 2017. He went on to win two more titles and became the only player to win three tournaments that season.
• Kapur enjoyed four top-10 finishes in 2018, including a joint runner-up at the Royal Cup in Thailand.
• He has made only two cuts in seven starts so far this season. He sits in 81st place on the Order of Merit.
• Kapur, who hails from New Delhi, will be based in Dubai from next week.

More than Bt2 million in cash and prizes are up for grabs, including an Isuzu D-MAX Blue Power Spark 4×4 pickup truck worth Bt656,000.

The event is organised by Tripetch Isuzu Sales Co Ltd and sanctioned by the Sports Authority of Thailand and the Professional Boxing Sports Association of Thailand.

A total of eight top welterweight (140lbs) muay thai fighters will take part in the competition. They are divided into two groups, with round-robin matches determining the semi-finalists. Mahadech P.K. Sanchai Muythai Gym will clash with Taksila Chor Ha Payak in the opening Group A match.

Organisers said the eventual winner, who will take home the truck and Bt1 million cash, will represent Thailand in the Thai Fight 2020 event. Runners-up take home Bt500,000, Bt300,000 and Bt200,000 respectively.