FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

IN-FORM JAZZ AIMS TO FIND WINNING FORMULA AT THE SMBC SINGAPORE OPEN

IN-FORM JAZZ AIMS TO FIND WINNING FORMULA AT THE SMBC SINGAPORE OPEN

 Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond is ready to capitalise on his good form and become the third Thai to lift the prestigious SMBC Singapore Open trophy when the US$1 million event starts on Thursday.

The 23-year-old arrived in the Lion City on the back of a rich vein of form, having started the year with a fifth-place finish on home soil. He also finished second at the Asian Tour season-ending event in Jakarta barely a month ago.

"I love coming back to Singapore. I played really well at the Sentosa Golf Club the last two years. The course is in great shape and my game is quite good. I had two weeks off before playing last week. It’s a good feeling to have at the start of the year," said Jazz, a two-time Tour winner.

"The 2018 season only ended like two weeks ago for me. I didn’t get a lot of rest but it’s ok. Sometimes it’s not good to take a long break. You need a lot of time to find back your form. Two to three weeks will be perfect. My aim is to get multiple wins on the Asian Tour this year. I have been wanting to achieve that for a few years now. I planned to play more in Europe as well," Jazz added.

Jazz is hoping to follow the footsteps of Thaworn Wiratchant and Prayad Marksaeng who inked their names into the illustrious roll of honour when they won the Singapore Open in 2001 and 2017 respectively.

Jazz’s strong performance at the Serapong Course, Sentosa Golf Club where he finished tied-fourth last year, earning himself a dream ticket to The Open has fuelled his belief that he can do well again this week.

South Africa’s Justin Harding, who announced his arrival in Asia by winning his maiden Asian Tour title in what was only his first start in Indonesia last year, is feeling refreshed and ready for the brand new season ahead.

Following his breakthrough in Indonesia, Harding went on to clinch another back-to-back title in Thailand in his next event before going on to enjoy four other top-10s to finish third on the Order of Merit.

Korea’s Sanghyun Park is also chasing his third but first Asian Tour victory outside his native country. Park enjoyed one of his best results in Singapore when he finished tied for sixth at the SMBC Singapore Open in 2017.

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