Poom bidding for hat-trick glory at the BNI Indonesian Masters

Poom Saksansin aims to equal Lee Westwood’s record of having three victories by completing a hat-trick at the BNI Indonesian Masters on Thursday.

By Latha 11 December 2019

0 264

Poom Saksansin set sights to complete hat-trick at BNI Indonesian Masters

Dec 11, 2019: Thailand’s Poom Saksansin will set his sights on completing a hat-trick when he takes on the elite field at the BNI Indonesian Masters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi which starts on Thursday.

Poom, a two-time winner of the BNI Indonesian Masters in 2016 and 2018, returns to his happy hunting ground at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club this week, bidding to equal Lee Westwood’s record of having three victories in the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.

The 26-year-old Thai hopes to renew his affinity for the course as he takes aim at a fine showing to redeem himself from a lacklustre season where he had made only five cuts in 11 starts to sit in 59^th place on the current Asian Tour Order of Merit.

He will headline the talented 144-man field from 21 countries alongside countryman and newly minted Order of Merit champion Jazz Janewattananond, as well as American John Catlin and local hero Rory Hie, who have all won on Tour this season.

Jazz, the highest-ranked player in the field at 57^th place on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), will have the goal of breaking into the world’s top-50 at the back of his mind when he tees up for the popular event, where he came in runner-up 12 months ago.

Catlin, who claimed his fourth Asian Tour title in Thailand last month, will be looking to improve on his tied-17^th place finish last year when he resumes his chase for more glory at the event, which forms the third leg of the 2019/20 Panasonic Swing.

Hie reckoned the pressure to perform well in front of his home crowd will not get to him this week, having already won his first Asian Tour title in India three months ago. The 31-year-old, however, will have to battle with a recovering thumb injury when he spearheads the 26-man strong local charge at the Indonesian showpiece.

By being the flagship event of the Asian Tour, the BNI Indonesian Masters will award the winner with no less than 20 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, ensuring more players benefit from the points breakdown.

The 2019 BNI Indonesian Masters, which is celebrating its ninth straight edition on the Asian Tour this week, will be the penultimate event of the 2019 season.

The winner of the event will again receive a coveted spot in the World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational in 2020.