Ganjee prepares for Panasonic Swing Race at Thailand Open
Bangkok - Indian star Rahil Gangjee will take aim at the US$300,000 Thailand Open next week, which will mark the start of the 2018/2019 Panasonic Swing race on the Asian Tour.
Gangjee finished second on the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing rankings after sensationally winning his long-awaited second Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open Championship in Japan in April.
The bubbly Indian, who is currently ranked third on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, hopes to get off to a fast start in the latest Panasonic Swing race when he tees it up at the Thailand Open which will be played at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10.
Gangjee will be joined at the Thailand Open by nine-time Asian Tour winner Scott Hend of Australia and defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan, who finished a notable third on the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing ranking.
Newly-crowned Asian Tour winners John Catlin of the United States and Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski will also feature in the prestigious event alongside local hopes Pavit Tangkamolprasert, who won his sixth Asian Development Tour (ADT) title last week, and the talented Jazz Janewattananond.
Gangjee ended a 14-year title drought on the Asian Tour at the Panasonic Open Championship in April which also concluded the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing and was won by his close friend Shiv Kapur.
The victory last month was a huge relief for Gangjee, who prior to the win had uncharacteristically missed several cuts. He also had to fight tooth-and-nail in the 2017 season to narrowly retain his Asian Tour card by finishing 60th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
“It has been 14 years. I’ve been in such situations a few times but obviously have not been able to convert my chances. It has been a very hard 14 years and the thing that surprises even myself is my will to keep going,” said a delighted Gangjee after his win in Japan.
Gangjee earned a x1.5 multiplier of Panasonic Swing points at the Panasonic Open Championship and his second place finish came with a bonus of US$50,000 while the winner Kapur took home US$70,000. Rattanon earned US$30,000 after he finished third on the Panasonic Swing.
The Panasonic Swing, which was launched in 2017, is based on an aggregate points ranking earned by players at selected tournaments across Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking, which ends at the 2019 Panasonic Open Japan, will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.
