Thai talent Jazz stamps class to win the Kolon Korea Open

Cheonan, Korea, June 23: Rising star Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand held his nerves to claim his fourth Asian Tour victory and a second one this season at the 62nd Kolon Korea Open Golf Championship on Sunday.

Jazz, who extended his overnight two-shot lead to five after sinking three birdies in his opening seven holes, overcame a wild triple-bogey on the par-four 11th hole and a bogey on 14th to become the first foreign winner of the prestigious event since American Rickie Fowler in 2011.

The 23-year-old Jazz signed for a closing one-over-par 72 to win by one shot over Korea’s Innchoon Hwang with a six-under-par 278 total in the KRW 1,200 million (approximately US$1,067,000) event, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Korea Golf Association (KGA).

Despite missing out on his second Asian Tour victory, Hwang took pride in his runner-up result, which not only marked his best finish in his National Open but also earned him a coveted spot at The Open next month where he will be making his Major debut.

He will be heading to Royal Portrush with compatriot Dongkyu Jang, who closed with a 72 to finish tied-fourth in the event, which offered two spots to The Open to the leading two players (not otherwise exempt) finishing in the top-eight and ties as part of The Open Qualifying Series.

American Chan Kim, who played on a sponsor’s invitation, marked his best efforts of the week with a closing 68 to settle two shots back of Jazz in third place while Korea’s Minjoon Kim matched his final round efforts to grab a share of fourth on 281.

The second qualifying spot went to Jang, thanks to his higher position in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) than Kim.

Did you know?

• Jazz Janewattananond is the first foreigner to break the Korean dominance to win the Kolon Korea Open since American Rickie Fowler in 2011.
• He is also the second Thai player, following Thongchai Jaidee in 2000, to triumph in the National Open of Korea, which is celebrating its 62^nd edition this week.
• Jazz claimed his fourth Asian Tour victory and a second one this season at the Kolon Korea Open. He won his third title at the season-opener in Singapore earlier in January.
• At the age of 23 years 6 months and 27 days, Jazz becomes the youngest ever player to achieve four wins on Tour. India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar held the record previously after he won his fourth title in 2012 at the age of 24.
• In his four victories on Tour, three were secured in National Opens – Bangladesh (2017), Singapore (2019) and Korea (2019).
• Jazz had won his last three events using three different putting styles – claw, armlock and broomstick.
• With this win, Jazz is expected to claim another career-high position on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Currently ranked 62^nd, Jazz could reach as high as 52^nd place in the world when the new standings are released on Monday.
• This victory also helped Jazz regain his lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit as he takes home a winner’s prize purse of KRW 300,000,000 (approx. US$266,800). He had held the Merit lead after winning the Singapore Open in January but slipped to second after he was overtaken by Scott Hend when the Australian won in Malaysia in March. Hend did not make the halfway cut in Korea.
• Jazz is using a long putter which he borrowed from good friend Scott Vincent in Japan two weeks ago. He used it in the tournament that week and enjoyed a tied-third place finish.
• According to Jazz, the switch to a long putter was inspired largely by Justin Harding of South Africa, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour in 2018.
• Jazz has been enjoying a great run of form since winning in Singapore. Apart from notching four other top-10s to sit in a current second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Jazz also enjoyed a tied-14th place finish at the PGA Championship last month. It was the best-ever result achieved by a Thai player at the PGA Championship.
• Enjoyed back-to-back top-5 finishes on the Japan Golf Tour in the last three weeks to move to 61st place on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) on June 10 but unfortunately failed to qualify for the U.S. Open after missing the cut-off mark by one rung.
• By virtue of his victory in Singapore, Jazz has qualified for The 148^th Open at Royal Portrush, where he will make his second straight appearance next month.
• A boost in his world ranking, thanks to his success in Korea, will also put him closer to breaking top-50 on the OWGR and qualify for the World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational next month. Jazz needs to be inside the top-50 on the OWGR on either July 15th or July 22nd for an invitation to the TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tennessee.
• It will also increase his chances of making Captain Ernie Els’ International Team at the President’s Cup in Melbourne this December.
• Innchoon Hwang is a one-time winner on the Asian Tour. He won on home soil in 2008.
• He will make his Major debut at The Open at Royal Portrush next month, thanks to his runner-up finish.
• Hwang has also won five times on the Korean Tour and the most recent win came at the K.J. Choi Invitational in 2017.
• His previous best finish at the Kolon Korea Open is tied-12th in 2016 and 2018.
• Hwang turned professional in 2002 at the age of 27.
• Chan Kim, 29, is a former member of the Asian Tour. He topped the Asian Tour Qualifying School in 2013.
• He’s playing on a sponsor’s invitation this week. Did not play last year because he was injured.
• Came in runner-up at the Gateway to The Open Mizuno Open on the Japan Golf Tour at the beginning of the month. Earned his spot at The Open next month.
• He was crowned the Order of Merit champion on the Japan Golf Tour in 2017, thanks to three wins.
• Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe secured his third top-10 finish of the season after closing with a 68 to grab a share of 10^th place on 285.
• He has not missed a single cut in seven starts on the Asian Tour so far this season.
• Vincent claimed his first international victory on the Japan Challenge Tour last week.