Asian Tour Yearbook: 2023

Ogletree, who posted earlier rounds of 71, 71 and 66, said: “I don’t think anyone wants it more than me. I want to keep giving myself more opportunities and this is the route that I can do that. So, I’m really focused, and trying to win the Order of Merit out here is my number one goal this year. Gunn Charoenkul with caddie/coach Sam Cyr [FAR RIGHT], Suradit Yongcharoenchai [FAR LEFT], and Phacara Khongwatmai [LEFT] made it a Thai second, third, fourth finish respectively. CONFIDENCE-WISE, I DON’T KNOW HOW I COULD GET A LOT HIGHER. I’M PLAYING REALLY GOOD GOLF. I’M EXECUTING MY GAME PLAN REALLY WELL. - ANDY OGLETREE week it was really good tee-to-green.” So challenging were conditions that the cut fell at six-over 150. No fewer than 11 players were unable to break 80 on day one and 16 on day two. Three shots off the pace in joint fourth at the half-way stage, it was on day three that Ogletree took the tournament by the scruff of its neck. Defying the blustery winds, he fired a six-under 66. It was the best score of the week and one of only two sub-70 returns on Saturday. For his part, runner-up Gunn was in bullish mood after his best finish on the Asian Tour since placing third in the Hong Kong Open at the beginning of 2020. Gunn, who had been struggling with injuries over the past few seasons and was playing on a medical exemption, praised the support of his coach, Sam Cyr. He said: “We’ve been working really hard for the past six months. We really did grind it out during the practice days, and he put me in the present moment throughout the weekend, encouraged me throughout the whole day. “This is my biggest cheque so far (US$275,000). I mentioned that to Sam and we’re looking up. He wants me to look forward – top-10, maybe number one in the world. It’s a little crazy right now, but hopefully we get there.” That’s all I’m really focused on. And you’ve got to win to do that, so this feels great.” With the US$450,000 he earned for his Qatar win, Ogletree duly soared to the summit of the nascent Order of Merits for both the Asian Tour and International Series – positions from which he would not be dislodged. What made Ogletree’s win even more commendable was that it was achieved in the face of strong winds that buffeted the Doha Golf Club course on all four days – conditions with which the Mississippi native is unfamiliar. He said: “What a great test we had this week. It was really hard. The course got really firmand fast, there was somuch wind. I grew up playing in no wind, so I’m super proud to win a golf tournament in wind like this. “Confidence-wise, I don’t know how I could get a lot higher. My last five starts internationally, four top-10s and two wins. I’m playing really good golf. I’m executing my game plan really well and eliminating some of the silly mistakes. I had a couple (in the final round), but throughout this 44 I N T ER NAT IONA L SER I E S QATA R D O H A GO L F C L U B | F E B R UA RY 1 6 - 1 9 , 2 0 2 3 | P R I Z E MON E Y U S $ 2 . 5 M I L L I ON