Supreme Sarit secures first Asian Tour title in Indonesia
published : 4 Dec 2022 at 18:31
writer: AFP
Thailand's Sarit Suwannarut secured his first Asian Tour golf title with a sweeping four-shot win at a weather-delayed BNI Indonesian Masters on Sunday.
The 24-year-old rising star bagged $1.5 million in prize money after a last-round 68 at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club left him 20 under par and well clear of his rivals.
"I think I almost cried coming down the 18th," said Sarit.
"I just can't put into words how I feel. I am just happy. I didn't feel the pressure that much, I was just enjoying my game. I have just enjoyed the whole week."
The tournament, which has become the flagship event of the Asian Tour, was delayed several times because of bad weather.
"It's been a really tough year. I had Covid at the start of the year, later I couldn't get a visa for Korea, and I was battling to keep my card at one point," said Sarit.
India's Anirban Lahiri, who won the tournament in 2014, finished second with a last-round 66 while Taiwan's Chan Shih-chang and Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell both finished five back of Sarit to tie for third.
England's three-time champion Lee Westwood finished ninth after a round of 71 to close out his week.
Defending champion Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand finished joint 6th.
Despite missing out on a second title in Jakarta, Lahiri was satisfied regardless of the result.
"It was a really good week. I think I finally got into some rhythm you know, just coming off not playing much golf," he said.
"I was really happy with the way I started swinging it, much better, more like what I like to see from my game."
The tournament has been part of the Asian tour since 2011 but was not held in the past two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
