Jazz seals Masters berth with victory at the BNI Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, December 15: Thai rising star Jazz Janewattananond made his remarkable season even more memorable when he secured his fifth Asian Tour victory and a third one this season at the BNI Indonesian Masters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Jazz, who sealed the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit crown last week, signed for a closing seven-under-par 65 and a four-day total of 23-under-par 265 to win by five shots over countryman Gunn Charoenkul at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

With a total of 20 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points on offer at the BNI Indonesian Masters, which is the flagship event of the Asian Tour, Jazz is set to break into the world’s top-50 following his victory and secure a coveted berth at The Masters next April.

Starting the day with a one-shot lead, Jazz reeled in five straight pars before sinking three birdies to turn in 33. He would pull four shots clear after striking a brilliant approach shot to three feet en route to a second straight eagle on the 574-yard par-five 12^th hole.

Jazz would seal the deal with three birdies against one bogey in his closing five holes to become the second Thai following Poom Saksansin to triumph in the US$750,000 event, which forms the third leg of the 2019/20 Panasonic Swing.

At the age of 24, Jazz is also the youngest player to achieve five victories on the Asian Tour. He will be the third Thai, following Thongchai Jaidee in 2009 and Kiradech Aphibarnrat in 2015, to break into the world’s top-50.

Jazz will take home a winner’s prize purse of US$135,000 and bring his season’s haul to US$968,524 and break the US$2million mark in his career earnings on the Asian Tour, where he started playing as a full member in 2012.

He has also secured a coveted berth at the World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational in 2020, thanks to his victory at the Indonesian showpiece, which celebrated its ninth consecutive edition on the Asian Tour this week.

Gunn posted a 69 to finish second while Korea’s Taewoo Kim and Australian Josh Younger carded respective rounds of 65 and 66 to share third place on 271. Kim and Young would break into top-60 on the Merit rankings, giving themselves a chance to secure their cards for the 2020 season.

Danny Masrin wrote a slice of history by becoming the best local finisher in the tournament. He ended his campaign in style with an eagle on the 18 to sign for a 66 and grab a share of fifth place on 273. The record was last held by Rory Hie when he finished tied-ninth in 2011.

Did you know?

• Jazz Janewattananond will be the third Thai after Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat to break into the world’s top-50. Thongchai and Kiradech achieved the feat in 2009 and 2015 respectively.
• This victory will also saw Jazz break the US$2million mark in career earnings on the Asian Tour where he started plying his trade in 2012.
• Jazz will be the 11^th player in history, third one in consecutive years after Shiv Kapur (2017) and John Catlin (2018), to win three titles in a single season on the Asian Tour.
• Jazz started the day with a one-shot lead. He had propelled to the top of the leaderboard after signing for a sensational third-round 62.
• He played the par-fives in 16-under for the week, making a total of three eagles. He hit 10 fairways and 12 greens and needed only 24 putts in his commendable closing round of 65.
• Jazz closed with an eagle on the 18th to finish second at the 2018 BNI Indonesian Masters.
• Jazz 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.
• Jazz is the fourth Thai after Thongchai Jaidee, Thaworn Wiratchant and Kiradech Aphibarnrat to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
• Jazz claimed his third Asian Tour title at the season-opening Singapore Open in January to break into the world’s top-100 for the first time in his career. He went on to claim his fourth win in Korea in June before sealing his fifth victory and third one this year at the BNI Indonesian Masters this week to break into top-50.
• Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand secured his 2019 Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School last December where he came in runner-up. He quickly posted a top-10 finish at the SMBC Singapore Open, the first event of the season.
• By finishing tied-seventh at this event, Gunn missed qualifying for The Open by the narrowest of margins, only one shot. He would redeem himself a few months later when a tied-third place finish at the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open on the Japan Golf Tour secured his place at Royal Portrush, his first appearance in a Major.
• Gunn has spent most of this season playing on the Japan Golf Tour where he has racked up 10 top-10 finishes, including a tied-fourth at last week’s season ending Golf Nippon Series JT Cup, finishing 21st in the Money Rankings for the year.
• Gunn would match his career best result on the Asian Tour with his runner-up finish at the BNI Indonesian Masters. He last came in runner-up at the 2016 Queen’s Cup, where he finished one shot back of winner Scott Hend of Australia.
• Taewoo Kim secured his Asian Tour card for the first time when he finished tied-seventh at the 2019 Qualifying School last December.
• He turned professional in 2016 and enjoyed a joint runner-up finish in his Asian Tour debut at the Shinhan Donghae Open that same year. He would match his record with another tied-second place finish this week. It remains his best outing on the region’s premier Tour since.
• The 26-year-old Korean is playing in his first Indonesian Masters this week. He started the week in 129^th place on the Order of Merit but a tied-third result in the Indonesian showpiece would propel him to 58^th on the money list.
• By finishing inside top-five at the 2019 BNI Indonesian Masters, Taewoo Kim also earns a spot in the season-ending Thailand Masters next week.