Asian Tour Yearbook: 2023

ST A NDR EWS BAY CHAMP IONSH I P FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS ( TORRANCE COURSE), ST ANDREWS , SCOTLAND | AUGUST 2 4 -27 | PRIZE MONEY US$ 1 . 5 MILLI ON putted the par-five 18th from 30 feet. It all seemed an understatement when a relieved, and visibly tired Chacarra said in near darkness: “It was a long day. “Happy it came out my way, but I mean, Matt had a tremendous day as well. Tremendous 10 holes, I think we all know he’s a great player. Thank you very much it came out my way. “It was amazing, I think the Asian Tour is doing amazing things. We normally don’t get these good days in Scotland, so it was awesome. Obviously, I got the win so it would make it a little more fun.” Chacarra, who reached number two on the World Amateur Golf Ranking while playing for Oklahoma State University, turned pro in 2022 when he joined LIV Golf and made an immediate impact by winning the LIV Golf Thailand that year. The St Andrews Bay Championship was his first 72-hole victory as a professional and helped him improve from1,952nd in the Official World Golf Ranking to number 487. Even though the fairways at Fairmont St Andrews are quite generous, they are fraught with danger if missed. The Spaniard’s long game was brilliant all week, missing only six greens in the 72 holes of regulation play. He also did not have a single three-putt on the large greens. Andrew Dodt [RIGHT] missed the play-off by one, while Turk Pettit [BELOW] took the third-round lead following a 62. Matt Jones [FAR RIGHT] sees another putt slide by the target. A two-time Australian Open champion and a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, Jones said: “I threw away a golf tournament with the way I putted during the tournament, and in the play-off. I putted awful all week and missed a lot of short ones. My speed was terrible, but I hit some nice shots. It is always good to get into contention, but I am done now, I am tired.” It was heartbreak for another young Spaniard, 21-year-old David Puig, who put himself in contention for a second successive week following the International Series England at Close House. However, leading by three shots after opening rounds of 66 and 64, and ahead by five after eight holes on Saturday, his game unravelled with a triple bogey on the ninth, followed by two doubles. Another young star, 24-year-old Turk Petit of the USA, had a similar story. After shooting a stunning 10-under par 62 to grab the lead in Saturday’s third round, the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Golf champion made two bogeys and a double on the par-three 17th hole in the final day to finish in tied eighth place, four shots behind Chacarra and Jones. Chile’s Mito Pereira (70) and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar (70) were tied fifth at 17-under par. 94