Puig lands first win as a professional at International Series Singapore after dominant wire-to-wire victory

           

 

David Puig strolled to a majestic five-shot win in the US$2 million International Series Singapore today – to register his maiden victory in the professional game. He completed a stunning wire-to-wire triumph after firing a final round one-over-par 73 to finish the Asian Tour event on 19-under, with Jaewoong Eom from Korea finishing in second place, after carding a 69. American Andy Ogletree took another step closer to securing both the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits by closing with a 69, which featured a hole-in-one on the par-three fourth, to finish in a tie for third with Thailand’s Poom Saksansin, in with a 68.

Puig had a nine-shot lead at the start of the day thanks to rounds of 64, 66 and 66 and was never challenged. Playing conservatively, he made the turn in one under with a birdie on eight, before a minor wobble with bogeys on 11 and 14. The 21-year-old had a six-shot lead playing 18, which playing partner Eom birdied. “It's awesome,” said Puig, who won US$360,000. “You know, this is my first year as a professional, but I think I deserved a win probably two or three months before this day. But, yeah, it's awesome, it's the best feeling in the world. That's why I practice so hard and yeah, very happy.” His success comes as no surprise, as since turning professional in September last year he has been close to winning on numerous occasions, including in his first event the International Series Morocco, where he was third, and the International Series England in August, when he tied for fourth.

This was only his ninth start on the Asian Tour and moved him into second position on the International Series Order of Merit and fourth place on the Asian Tour merit list. His success comes off the back of an outstanding season on the LIV Golf League, where he has been playing for Torque GC – the dominant team this year, having won four times. He added: “It has been an awesome journey. I had a good opportunity to join LIV right after college and I think I took advantage of that and played pretty good this year. Also, I want to say thanks to my team, the Torque team, they have always been very helpful to me, and I learned a lot from them. And yeah, playing against these guys, it's a dream come true. But I think I should be here and then today I showed that.” Today’s victory is the perfect preparation for next week’s LIV Golf Jeddah – the final regular-season event of 2023. He’ll be hoping to improve on his best individual finish on LIV Golf, which is joint fourth place at LIV Golf Greenbrier in August.

Eom’s strong finish allowed him to match his best performance on the Asian Tour, as he tied for second in the New Zealand Open in March. “I’m very pleased with the way I played this week,” said Eom. “Nice to finish with a birdie on the last. I actually had a lot of chances out there, but it was just too hot outside. I was feeling dizzy out there, that’s why I made a bogey on the 15th. But I managed to hang in there and finish well to claim second. It feels good to finish runner-up in a big tournament like this. It’s also going to help me keep my card for next year.” The Korean injured his left wrist a couple of years ago, underwent surgery and spent a year and a half recuperating before making a comeback last year.

Ogletree’s ace was the result of a magnificent five iron from 230 yards that flew straight into the cup. He said: “Yeah, it was crazy. I didn’t see it. I just had a really bad hole on three and was trying to decide between a four and a five. I said let’s hit the five and give it a chance, and it flew in. Crazy. We heard it hit the pin, but we didn’t know where it went. We got up there, and there it was in the hole.” It was his ninth hole in one and he also chipped in on the next hole for a birdie. Remarkably, moment earlier, Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma won a brand new BYD SEAL EV thanks to a superb ace on the par-three 16th. He fired in a perfect nine-iron and claimed the keys to the electric vehicle. Singapore amateur Ryan Ang also finished in a blaze of glory holing his second shot on the par-four ninth, his final hole, for an eagle two and a 68. His six-under total meant he finished as the leading local player in a tie for 23rd. The SJM Macao Open is the next stop on the Asian Tour and tees-off on Thursday at Macau Golf and Country Club. It is the first time the event has been played since 2017, when India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar won the event for the second time. For more information about International Series Singapore please follow the link here to the Asian Tour website.

Asian Tour: El español David Puig, tercero en las Series Internacionales de Marruecos

                                         

Jazz Janewattananond, de Thailandia. ganó hoy tras una sequía de casi tres años, las  Series Internacionales de Marruecos, dotados de premios  por  US $ 1,5 millones , incluidas en el Asian Tour Golf  2022. Y lo hizo  después de un brillante final con eagle  y birdie en el complicado campo del Royal Golf Dar Es Salam( Rabat ) .

El número uno del Asian Tour 2019 cerró con un excelente 67, seis bajo par, para terminar con 12 bajo par y vencer al canadiense Richard T. Lee por un golpe.

Lee, que falló un putt para birdie de 16 pies en el último para forzar un desempate, hizo 70 mientras que el español David Puig firmó un 73 para terminar tercero, un golpe más atrás. Puig salió líder en solitario en la jornada del domingo, manteniendo ese nivel hasta el año 9. Ahí notó la presión de los rivales, especialmente de  Jazz quee jugaba en el antepenúltimo grupo después de haber comenzado el día cuatro golpes por detrás del líder, Puig, El thailandés logró la victoria gracias a un impresionante cinco bajo par en los últimos nueve hoyos.

Hizo birdie en el 11 y el 15, pero fue el 17, par cuatro, corto y manejable, el que resultó ser fundamental. Lee, que jugaba en el grupo final, parecía tener el control y estar en camino de ganar durante gran parte de los últimos nueve hoyos, pero todo cambió cuando Jazz encontró el green con su golpe de salida en el 17 y embocó un putt de águila de 20 pies. El golfista tailandés luego se puso al mismo nivel que Lee después de embocar un birdie de cinco pies en el hoyo 18 par cinco. Para sorpresa de todos, Lee dejó caer un golpe en el 17, el hoyo más fácil del campo, después de encontrar árboles en el tee antes de no poder empatar con Jazz en el último.

“Me siento increíble. Ha sido un largo viaje y estoy muy feliz de terminar el año con una nota alta”, dijo Jazz, cuya novia y colega golfista profesional Sarina Schmidt fue su caddie esta semana.

Su  última victoria fue en diciembre de 2019 en el Masters de Tailandia, una de sus cuatro victorias ese año.

 “Esta fue mi primera vez en Marruecos y la ciudad de Rabat ha sido increíble: la cultura, la comida, la gente, todo. Escuché mucho sobre este campo de golf de personas con las que juego y sabía que iba a ser difícil, pero superó todas mis expectativas. He estado fuera nueve semanas seguidas y ahora estoy cansado y me duele la espalda, pero entré con la mente abierta para explorar Marruecos y Rabat, y creo que eso me ayudó a ganar, porque no entré. con altas expectativas.”

El otro español presente en Marruecos,  Gonzalo Fernández Castaños, terminó  en el puesto 65, con 302 golpes( +10 ). Se les esperaba más en Rabat.

El Tour Asiático visita Egipto la próxima semana por primera vez para la Serie Internacional Egipto de US$1,5 millones en Madinaty Golf Club, del 10 al 13 de noviembre.

**Fotos del Asian Tour Golf.-