Jazz chases fifth Tour title in Sarawak
KUCHING: Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Jazz Janewattananond will be seeking to go one rung better when he challenges for the title again at Sarawak Championship in Malaysia which starts today.
The 23-year-old Thai, arguably the hottest player on the Asian Tour this season, enjoyed a joint runner-up finish here last year after closing with a superb eight-under-par 64 to finish one shot shy of the winner at the Damai Golf and Country Club.
He returns to the same venue this week, bidding for a fifth Asian Tour win and a third one this season to give himself a chance to automatically qualify for the International Team, led by captain Ernie Els, for the Presidents Cup.
Jazz, who is currently placed 10th on the International Team standings, needs to move inside the top eight on the rankings when the Sarawak Championship concludes on Sunday.
A victory at the Sarawak Championship will likely seal his move there along with an automatic spot for the matchplay event against the US which will be held in Melbourne at the end of the year.
Sitting in 56th place on the world rankings, Jazz is the highest-ranked player in the field. He will headline the event alongside Australian Scott Hend, who trails him by over US$200,000 in second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
“The course is looking good, better than last year. It’s going to be exciting. The greens are better but you still need a lot of luck on these greens. It’s hotter than last year though,” Jazz said.
“I had a good break before coming here. I didn’t do much — just stayed home in Hua Hin for about two to three weeks. I feel good coming into this week especially with the way I finished last year. I will try and do the same again and see what happens.”