Poom bidding for hat-trick glory at the BNI Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, December 11: Thailand’s Poom Saksansin will set his sights on completing a hat-trick when he takes on the elite field at the BNI Indonesian Masters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi which starts on Thursday.

Poom, a two-time winner of the BNI Indonesian Masters in 2016 and 2018, returns to his happy hunting ground at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club this week, bidding to equal Lee Westwood’s record of having three victories in the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.

The 26-year-old Thai hopes to renew his affinity for the course as he takes aim at a fine showing to redeem himself from a lacklustre season where he had made only five cuts in 11 starts to sit in 59^th place on the current Asian Tour Order of Merit.

He will headline the talented 144-man field from 21 countries alongside countryman and newly minted Order of Merit champion Jazz Janewattananond, as well as American John Catlin and local hero Rory Hie, who have all won on Tour this season.

Jazz, the highest-ranked player in the field at 57^th place on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), will have the goal of breaking into the world’s top-50 at the back of his mind when he tees up for the popular event, where he came in runner-up 12 months ago.

Catlin, who claimed his fourth Asian Tour title in Thailand last month, will be looking to improve on his tied-17^th place finish last year when he resumes his chase for more glory at the event, which forms the third leg of the 2019/20 Panasonic Swing.

Hie reckoned the pressure to perform well in front of his home crowd will not get to him this week, having already won his first Asian Tour title in India three months ago. The 31-year-old, however, will have to battle with a recovering thumb injury when he spearheads the 26-man strong local charge at the Indonesian showpiece.

By being the flagship event of the Asian Tour, the BNI Indonesian Masters will award the winner with no less than 20 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, ensuring more players benefit from the points breakdown.

The 2019 BNI Indonesian Masters, which is celebrating its ninth straight edition on the Asian Tour this week, will be the penultimate event of the 2019 season.

The winner of the event will again receive a coveted spot in the World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational in 2020.

Did you know?

• Poom Saksansin will be defending his title this week and will be chasing for a hat-trick to match Lee Westwood’s winning record in the tournament.
• Poom fended off the challenges from his more illustrious rivals to win the Indonesian Masters by three shots for his third Asian Tour victory last year.
• It was a class act by Poom as he showed that he would not be cowed into submission against an elite field which included marquee players Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, who were ranked number one and 27th respectively on the OWGR then.
• Poom had won by five shots for his first Asian Tour win at the same event in 2016. He is the second player following Lee Westwood to win the event more than once.
• Jazz Janewattananond sealed the 2019 Habitat for Humanity Standings crown last week after his closest rival Scott Hend of Australia opted not to tee up at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, making his Merit lead unassailable with only two events left to play for the 2019 season.
• The 24-year-old Jazz is the fourth Thai after Thongchai Jaidee, Thaworn Wiratchant and Kiradech Aphibarnrat to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He will tee off as Asia’s newest number one golfer at the BNI Indonesian Masters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi this week.
• Jazz will be looking to break into the world’s top-50 by the end of the season to secure his place at The Masters next April. A win at the BNI Indonesian Masters will help him achieve the feat.
• Jazz closed with an eagle on the 18^th to finish second on his own at the 2018 BNI Indonesian Masters.
• Jazz was also crowned the 2019 Rookie of the Year following a commendable season on the Japan Golf Tour.
• American John Catlin, who won his fourth Asian Tour title at the Thailand Open last month, will also be making his fifth straight appearance in the BNI Indonesian Masters this week.
• Catlin claimed three victories on the Asian Tour in 2018 to finish in a career-best sixth place on the final Order of Merit. He was the only player to achieve the feat last year.
• Catlin was also named the Players’ player of the year in 2018, thanks to his breakout season. Apart from the three wins on the Asian Tour, he has also won the Singha Chiang Mai Open on the All Thailand Golf Tour last September.
• Catlin marked his best result at the Indonesian Masters with a tied-17^th place finish last year.
• The 29-year-old, who hails from Sacramento, California, started playing in Asia in 2015. Prior to his Asian Tour breakthrough in China last year, Catlin has won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), including one in Indonesia.
• Catlin has based himself in Hua Hin, Thailand since 2017.
• Rory Hie, who became the first Indonesian to win on the Asian Tour in September, will spearhead the 26-man local contingent at the BNI Indonesian Masters this week. He remains the best local finisher in the tournament with a tied-ninth place result in 2011.
• Hie is also the highest-ranked Indonesian in the field this week.
• After earning First Team All American golf honors at Cerritos High in California, Hie played college golf as a freshman and sophomore at University of Southern California 2006-2008 before turning pro in 2009. Hie was ranked as high as sixth as an amateur before he turned professional.