Richard T. Lee lastly ended his lengthy and irritating seven-year look forward to a 3rd victory on the Asian Tour immediately when he recorded a wonderful four-shot wire-to-wire win on the BNI Indonesian Masters.
After dozens of alternatives to win once more following his success on the 2017 Shinhan Donghae Open he was relieved to prevail right here at Royale Jakarta Golf Membership after firing a closing two-under-par 70 for a four-round complete of 23-under.
Chinese language-Taipei’s Chang Wei-lun and Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand secured second place, after each carding 64s.
Zimbabwean Kieran Vincent completed fourth, a shot additional again, following a 67.
Richard T. Lee. Image by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Lee was six in entrance initially of day and in cruise management after mendacity seven forward on the flip. A one-and-a-half-hour climate delay, which started when he was on gap 10 didn’t unsettle him, earlier than an sudden double-bogey on the sixteenth, the place he took two to get out of a greenside bunker and missed a six-foot bogey putt, led momentarily to some uncertainty. It meant his lead was reduce to 4 over Chang, who was within the clubhouse, however he steadied the ship with a courageous five-foot putt for par on the subsequent gap adopted by a par on the final.
“It’s been some time,” stated an elated Lee, who turned 33 final Tuesday.
“The final one was 2017 and it was at one of many programs that I prefer to play on. This is without doubt one of the programs that I actually prefer to play as effectively. I had end right here final 12 months and had likelihood to win it. I feel I do know the course fairly effectively, and I really feel like I can defend my trophy subsequent 12 months.
“I simply switched putters, I feel, three weeks in the past and it’s actually working. I imply, it’s constructed my confidence up lots, and I feel if I simply keep that placing, I feel I’ll play fairly effectively within the subsequent few occasions.”
The victory continued an excellent run of kind as he tied for second in final week’s Worldwide Collection Thailand, completed joint ninth within the Black Mountain Championship, and got here residence in equal tenth on the Yeangder TPC.
Richard T. Lee. Image by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He was additionally third within the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in Could and has eight prime 15 finishes in 11 begins this season.
He added: “I did really feel stress. I haven’t been in final group for some time and taking part in with two-time US Masters Bubba Watson additionally added to it. Once I doubled 16 I instructed myself to tug issues collectively and end effectively.”
It’s Lee’s first victory on The Worldwide Collection, as this week’s occasion is the seventh of tenth stops on the Collection – the multi-million-dollar tournaments that earns The Worldwide Collection Rankings winner a spot on the following season’s LIV Golf League.
Lee is now very a lot in rivalry to realize that after shifting to second place on each The Worldwide Collection Rankings and the Asian Tour Order of Benefit.
American John Catlin, who closed with a 69 right here and tied for sixth, leads each rankings.
For Lee it’s all a lifetime away for a participant who performed within the 2007 US Open as a 16-year-old, shot a gap spherical 79, was compelled to withdraw as a result of a wrist harm, and turned skilled straight after that week. It wasn’t till 2013 that he surfaced on the Asian Tour, ending second at Qualifying College, earlier than successful for the primary time on the following 12 months’s Solaire Open within the Philippines.
Chang Wei-lun. Image by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He turns into the fourth participant to win from begin to end this season. Catlin was the primary on the Saudi Open introduced by PIF, earlier than Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai did so on the Yeangder TPC and his countryman Rattanon Wannasrichan on the SJM Macao Open, later within the 12 months.
For Lee’s Malaysian caddie Eddy the victory meant a double celebration as his brother Agus was on the bag for Chinese language-Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po when he claimed final weekend’s Worldwide Collection Thailand.
Chang and Phachara each loved far-off their greatest performances of the season. For Chang it’s notably vital as he was 97th on the Asian Tour Benefit listing.
“I did higher than I anticipated,” stated Chang, who moved up into twenty seventh on the Benefit listing.
“My purpose was to complete inside top-10, top-five could be a bonus however now I must be inside top-three! Wasn’t even pondering of catching Richard as I do know he has sport and is main by a lot. Very pleased with the way in which I performed. To be trustworthy, the stress of protecting my card coming into this week was fairly large as I don’t have many occasions left to play. However I instructed myself to remain centered and preserve working laborious. I’m glad it paid off. Seeing Lee Chieh-po win final week was an enormous motivation as effectively.”
Stated Phachara: “You realize, beginning on 11 below immediately after which I simply went to play, made loads of birdies, and made loads of lengthy putts. Now my golf is coming again to fundamentals.”
The Asian Tour heads to the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open the week after subsequent, the place Suteepat will try to defend his title. The US$400,000 occasion tees off at Taifong Golf Membership on November 17.
4 extra occasions stay on the Asian Tour this season, and three on The Worldwide Collection. The PIF Saudi Worldwide powered by SoftBank Funding Advisers is the ultimate occasion of the 12 months.
