Asian Tour Yearbook - 2022

With five holes remaining, his lead was still two when a weather delay interrupted proceedings. The enforced 80-minute break worked in the American’s favour, three birdies in a row after the restart giving him a seven-point lead over Stark after 17. “On 18, all I needed to do was get it into play but I fanned it right,” said Kim, who immediately regretted opting to go with a three-wood rather I love this points system. I like it better than strokes because it gets you in a positive mindset. -RORY HIE Although, by his own admission, his tee-to-green game was less than stellar, Kim’s mastery of the putting surfaces was exemplified by an incredible first-round finish that saw him cover the back nine in seven-under. “It was one of those rounds where you just look at a putt and it goes in,” said Kim, who hit only two fairways on the inward nine. The innovative US$750,000 Stableford Challenge brought to an end a ground-breaking fortnight of mixed events at Siam Country Club, jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and LET. Players said the Modified Stableford system, which saw points awarded based on the number of strokes taken at each hole – albatross (eight points), eagle (five), birdie (two), par (zero), bogey (minus one), double-bogey or worse (minus three) – was a breath of fresh air. Korean Joohyung Kim, who finished in a share of sixth place with 39 points, said: “It’s interesting playing Stableford. It’s very different from playing normally. You have to make a lot of birdies in this format.” Rory Hie, the first Indonesian to win on the Asian Tour, added: “I love this points system. I like it better than strokes because it gets you in a positive mindset, you’re getting after the birdies. A birdie then a bogey is better than going par-par. It’s almost like you’re freewheeling it.” One player who was conspicuous by his absence from the weekend was Thai teenager Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat, winner of the previous week’s Trust Golf Asian Mixed Cup. Reflecting on his first missed cut in eight Asian Tour appearances, he said: “I’m just tired. I wanted to be in the zone, I wanted world ranking points. I just didn’t switch back into the zone I was in last week.” Memorable scenes followed Sihwan Kim’s victory (FAR LEFT). Joohyung Kim (ABOVE LEFT) was once again in contention. LET star Maja Stark (ABOVE) pushed Sihwan Kim all the way. than driver. Although his ball was found, Kim returned to the tee to replay the drive and ran up a double-bogey seven. That meant he signed for a closing 70 and seven points. With an eagle-three, worth five points, Stark, a two-time winner in her rookie LET season in 2021, could have overhauled Kim. In the event, she was able only to make a two-point birdie, leaving her two points shy of matching Kim. T R U S T G O L F A S I A N M I X E D S TA B L E F O R D C H A L L E N G E S IAM COUNTRY C LUB , WATE R S I DE COU R S E | AP R I L 13 -1 6 | P R IZE MON E Y US$750,0 0 0 55