ISSUE
248
JULY 2021
Since the advent of the pandemic, the tournament schedule of the Asian Tour, the Continent’s pre-eminent professional golf tour, has come to a grinding halt since March of 2019. There has been nothing happening on the Asian Tour calendar and what its members have been doing to be productive and gainfully employed in the professional game of golf, has been up in the air. But suddenly, there seems to be some hope and light at the end of the tunnel.
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ASIAN GOLF has come into possession of a communique from the Asian Tour’s Commissioner, Cho Minn Thant to its members in which he set out to apprise the members of his “continuing dialogue with potential Middle Eastern investors and various other Tour related business”. He spoke in a positive tone and said that the Asian Tour is in a unique situation, unlike any other faced before in its history. According to him, the number one priority is to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the Asian Tour, along with the best interests of the members.
EQUIPMENT FOCUS
50
34 SEXY FIREPOWER FROM PXG!
PXG, the global golf research and development powerhouse, has debuted its latest high-performance putters – the PXG Battle Ready BlackbirdTM and Battle Ready Gunboat® which is part of PXG’s iconic Battle ReadyTM Putter lineup.
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PUTTERS – RE-ENGINEERED AND RE-IMAGINED!
TaylorMade Golf has launched the all-new TP Hydro Blast Putter collection – providing golfers a selection of seven traditionally shaped putters that feature a renewed dedication to performance and aesthetics.
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A TOUCHING ODE TO GOLF
a very touching tribute to the game of golf by a golfer who could no longer enjoy the joys of playing the game.
6
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ASIA’S NEWEST WUNDERKIND!
20 Introducing RAPSODO! What in the blazes is RAPSODO you may ask and that is a fair question? In a nutshell RAPSODO is a personal launch monitor. For what it does and for the price it does it for, it just cannot be beat. In fact, ASIAN GOLF was the first to test out the prototype of this incredible little reliever of frustrations back in 2014. We put it for test at the 2014 ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT in Singapore and even at its very early stage of evolution, XREAD MORE it came through with flying colours.
She is 19 years old and she created history by becoming the first Filipino to win a major title – the 76th US Women’s Open. Meet a star on the rise – Yuka Saso!
SPECIAL FEATURE
72
POWER OF THE PERSONAL BRAND – IT’S BIG BUSINESS!
ASIA WILL BE GOING FOR GOLD!
Duff & Phelps, one of the world’s leading risk valuation advisors has released the second edition of its Professional Golfers’ Future Career Value Study which is a ranking of male professional golfers by their expected future earnings. Asia is home to an increasing number of up-and-coming players, with nine players making it to the list this year. Asia has witnessed the rising rankings in most of these players as their respective careers continue to mature in the future.
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The Asian Continent will be represented by 27 men and women golfers at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Included in the line-up will be the 2016 gold and bronze medallists, South Korea’s Inbee Park and China’s Shanshan Feng respectively. There will be a total of nine countries from Asia at the Games.
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Mike Sebastian
INTERNATIONAL ROVING EDITOR
Alan Campbell (China/Middle East)
Editor/Chief Executive Officer [mike@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Correspondent
GLOBAL EDITORIAL ADVISORY PANEL
Angela Raymond
President [angela@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Gregg Patterson
President, Tribal Magic Inc.
Andrew Wood Founder/President, Legendary Marketing
James Cronk
Raquel Arcega
Executive Creative Art Director [raquel@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
President, Cronk Group
IT Consultant Tech-Know Integrators
Alice Ho
INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES
Business Manager [alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com]
Alice Ho
Email: alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com
ASIAN GOLF www.asiapacificgolfgroup.com Tel: +65 6323 2800 Company Registration No.: 201405689G
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of Asian Golf may be reproduced in any other publications, printed or published without the written permission of the publisher. Opinions in Asian Golf are the writers’ and are not necessarily endorsed by Asian Golf. Asian Golf accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, transparencies or other materials. Manuscripts, photographs and artwork will not be returned unless accompanied by appropriate postage.
ASIAN GOLF, the longest running pan-Asian golf magazine has been awarded the citation as the Best Asia Pacific Golf News Publication for 2021. This prestigious award has been bestowed upon the magazine by the Londonbased APAC Insider. This sought-after award recognises all-round excellence, commitment and dedication of the publication to its industry. “This is really a humbling experience to be recognised as the best in the Asia Pacific region,” said Mike Sebastian, CEO and Publisher of ASIAN GOLF. “This is the second time we have been recognised and it comes as validation of the good work that the team does day in and day out!” ASIAN GOLF is an international golf magazine produced in English and enjoys a worldwide circulation. Its social media following, especially on Facebook is in excess of 103,000 followers.
SHARED THOUGHTS FROM THE PUBLISHER EQUIPMENT FOCUS | WHOOP
As I was preparing to write the monthly oped piece for ASIAN GOLF, a close friend shot me an e-mail with an attachment. He urged me to read it and I did so without any hesitation. What I read was a very touching tribute to the game of golf by a golfer who could no longer enjoy the joys of playing the game. This was something that I could relate to because I can no longer play the game that I once loved and still love. So, instead of writing my monthly column, it gives me great pride to share this article simply entitled “The Privilege of Playing Golf!” I don’t know who the author is but thank you nevertheless for sharing.
SHARED THOUGHTS | FROM THE PUBLISHER
Dear Younger Me: I can’t play golf anymore. I tried to swing the club the other day, but my body wouldn’t cooperate. The best I can do now is sometimes take walks on the course, but my eyes aren’t as good as they used to be so I don’t see much. I have a lot of time to sit and think now, and I often think about the game. It was my favourite game. I played most of my adult life. Thousands of rounds, thousands of hours practicing. As I look back, I guess I had a pretty good time at it. But now that I can’t do it anymore, I wish I had done it differently! It’s funny, but with all the time I spent playing golf, I never thought I was a real golfer. I never felt good enough to really belong out there. It doesn’t make much sense, since I scored better than average and a lot of people envied my game, but I always felt that if I was just a little better or a little more consistent, then I’d feel really good. I’d be satisfied with my game. But I never was. It was always “One of these days I’ll get it” or “One day I’ll get there” and now here I am. I can’t play anymore, and I never got there. I met a whole lot of different people out on the course. That was one of the best things about the game. But aside from my regular partners and a few others, I don’t feel like I got to know many of those people very well. I know they didn’t really get to know me. At times they probably didn’t want to. I was pretty occupied with my own game most of the time and didn’t have much time for anyone else, especially if I wasn’t playing well. So, why am I writing you this letter anyway, just to complain? Not really. Like I said, my golfing experience wasn’t that bad. But it could have been so much better, and I see that so clearly now. I want to tell you, so you can learn from it. I don’t want you getting to my age and feeling the same regrets I’m feeling now. I wish, I wish. Sad words, I suppose, but necessary. I wish I could have played the game with more joy, more freedom. I was always so concerned with “doing it right” that I never seemed to be able to enjoy just doing it at all. I was so hard on myself, never satisfied, always expecting more. Who was I trying to please? Certainly not myself, because I never did. If there were people whose opinions were important enough to justify all that self-criticism, I never met them. I wish I could have been a better playing partner. I wasn’t a bad person to be with, really, but I wish I had been friendlier and gotten to know people better. I wish I could have laughed and joked more and given people more encouragement. I probably would have gotten more from them, and I would have loved that. There were a
few bad apples over the years, but most of the people I played with were friendly, polite, and sincere. They really just wanted to make friends and have a good time. I wish I could have made more friends and had a better time.! I’m inside a lot now and I miss the beauty of the outdoors. For years when I was golfing I walked through some of the most beautiful places on earth, and yet I don’t feel I really saw them. Beautiful landscapes, trees, flowers, animals, the sky, and the ocean - how could I have missed so much? What was I thinking of that was so important – my grip, my back swing, my stance? Sure, I needed to think about those - sometimes, but so often as to be oblivious to so much beauty? And all the green – the wonderful, deep, lush colour of green! My eyes are starting to fail. I wish I had used them better so I would have more vivid memories now. So what is it that I’m trying to say? I played the type of game that I thought I should play, to please the type of people that I thought I should please. But it didn’t work. My game was mine to play, but I gave it away. It’s a wonderful game. Please, don’t lose yours. Play a game that you want to play. Play a game that gives you joy and satisfaction and makes you a better person to your family and friends. Play with enthusiasm, play with freedom. Appreciate the beauty of nature and the people around you. Realize how lucky you are to be able to do it. All too soon your time will be up, and you won’t be able to play anymore. Play a game that enriches your life. Best wishes,
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COVER STORY
THE RENAISSANCE
COVER STORY | THE RENAISSANCE
This is a special report that has been prepared and written based on some facts, some speculations, some assumptions and a mixture of personal opinions held by a cross-sectional sampling of interested parties. The topic in focus is the professional game of golf in Asia - ex-Japan and ex-Korea. With these two regions taken out of the equation, it only leaves the geography that is covered by the Asian Tour. This Tour, formed in 1994 has gone through a few structural changes since then – it was born as the Asian PGA but went through several iterations before it emerged as the Asian Tour. It has been around for quite a while and in that time, it has been the subject of internal strife and power politics, but it managed to maintain a game face and deliver a schedule of tournaments for its members. Based on what is known, there are reportedly some 300 valid card-holding members of the Asian Tour who are qualified to play as professionals. To these men, being a member of the tour is their main means of income and those who have been successful, have been able to eke out a good life. However, all of this came to a grinding halt in March of 2019 when the current raging pandemic slammed the brakes on all tournaments. Since then, there has been nothing happening on the Asian Tour calendar and what its members have been doing to be productive and gainfully employed in the professional game of golf, has been up in the air.
COVER STORY | THE RENAISSANCE
JUST IMAGINE WHAT A FORMIDA IF VIRTUALLY THE BULK OF THE GETHER
– NOT ONLY WILL THERE BE A
BUT IT WILL OPEN AN EXTREMELY D
WITH AN INCREDIBLE TALENT BA
ING, THIS CAN RAPIDLY G
BLE AND CHALLENGING
PGA TOUR AND PEAN TOUR. RICH
D
uring this sustained 15-month lockdown, the Asian Tour has maintained a very low profile, and no one has quite bothered to find out what the Tour was up to or what its plans to restart, if any, was like. For the last full season, the Tour had a schedule which featured 24 tournaments of which 15 were co-sanctioned
by one of the following Tours – the European Tour, the Japan Tour, The Korean Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India. For the uninitiated, this would mean that there were only nine tournaments that were put together by the Asian Tour. Put simply, without the co-sanctioned tournaments, the financial viability of the Asian Tour would have been questionable. One of the challenges faced by the Asian Tour has been to line up enough tournaments with decent budgets to not only offer good prize monies for the players but to also generate a strong revenue stream for the Asian Tour. This has been a perennial problem for the Tour and what is needed to ensure the sustainable viability of its existence is access to good funding. Speaking about funding and the future of the Asian Tour, there has been some very encouraging talk of late about a serious lifeline being thrown out to the struggling Tour. ASIAN GOLF has come into possession of a communique from the Asian Tour’s Commissioner, Cho Minn Thant to its members in which he set out to apprise the members of his “continuing dialogue with potential Middle Eastern investors and various other Tour related business”. ASIAN GOLF now presents a quote from this document that is relevant to these on-going talks, and it reads as follows: “Our discussions with investors from the Middle East have, in fact, been ongoing for at least six months, with the aim of signing a long-term partnership. This would see our partners become a key sponsor, while also adding numerous new full-field tournaments for our members. In addition, there would also be the potential of some highly lucrative limited field events in our region which would attract top players from across the world. It has been an engaging and exciting period of dialogue which involves the kind of partnership that would be monumental for the Asian Tour. While these have been going on, our discussions have also caught the attention of other organizations in the golf industry, who have also demonstrated interest
ABLE GROUP THIS WILL BE WORLD IS BROUGHT TO-
A VAST MARKET COVERED
DIVERSE FIELD OF PLAYERS
ASE.
WITH
PROPER FUND-
in aligning with the Asian Tour via alternative route.” Cho went on to add, “We are, indeed, in a unique situation, unlike any other faced before in the history of our Tour. Our position right now is to do our due diligence and gather as much information as we can. Rest assured that our number one priority is to ensure the long-term sustainability and growth of the Asian Tour, along with the best interests of the members.” While these talks were going on, the golf industry was deluged with fast
GROW INTO A VERY CREDI-
breaking news reports of two Middle Eastern initiatives to start up ambitious
G FORCE TO TAKE ON THE
tives was the sustained bid by a London-based group backed by Saudi Arabian
D ITS PARTNER, THE
EURO-
new tours funded by the oil rich kingdom of Saudi Arabia. One of the initiainterests called the Premier Golf League (PGL) and the other, the more recent upstart that goes by the name Super League Golf. Whether these two groups are one and the same, we do not know but their objective seems to be along the
COVER STORY | THE RENAISSANCE
same lines which is to challenge the giant PGA TOUR and
the renegade tour’s attempt to seek some sort of under-
the European Tour and to place their events and tourna-
standing and collaboration to work together.
ments on the same global schedule as the two predominant tours of the world. In a nutshell, the Premier Golf League is looking at an 18-tournament schedule from January to August with 48 players in 54-hole tournaments that would begin in 2023. This initiative has been rebuffed by the PGA Tour and its
Anyway, against this hostile affront, the PGL has already declared that they are going to be flying with their programme come 2023 regardless. Against this backdrop of high-powered battles, there has been talk that the PGL is planning to make a multi-million dollar bid to take control of the Asian Tour. One source
strategic partner the European Tour and the players’ council
has put the value of the bid at US$300 million! Add to this
led by Irishman Rory McIlroy. The PGA Tour has unequivo-
reports about the Saudis being willing to fund the renegade
cally told all its members that they would face suspension
group to buy up the other “smaller” Tours around the world,
and bans if they supported these breakaway competitors.
including the Sunshine Tour, the Australasia Tour, the Japan
As it now stands, there is no likelihood of the two big tours
Tour and the Korea Tour.
budging from their stubborn stance of not giving an inch to
This sounds very interesting because suddenly, the
WE
ARE, INDEED, IN A UNIQUE SITUATION, UNLIKE ANY OTHER
FACED BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF OUR
TOUR. OUR
POSITION
RIGHT NOW IS TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE AND GATHER AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN.
REST
ASSURED THAT OUR NUMBER ONE
PRIORITY IS TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH
ASIAN TOUR, ALONG MEMBERS. – CHO MINN THANT OF THE
WITH THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE
PGL’s proposition begins to look very good. Just imagine
Grand Indo-Pacific Tour encompassing all of Asia, Australia
what a formidable group this will be if virtually the bulk of
and New Zealand, South Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
the world is brought together – not only will there be a vast
As explained earlier, this would make terrific business
market covered but it will open an extremely diverse field of
sense as it will help create a massive television spectator
players with an incredible talent base. With proper funding,
footprint coupled with the best talent that the large geog-
this can rapidly grow into a very credible and challeng-
raphy has to offer. Whatever way one looks at it, it will be a
ing force to take on the rich PGA Tour and its partner, the
winner and the Asian Tour can play that very vital catalytic
European Tour.
role of helping to seal the deal for the PGL.
Perhaps this is what the Asian Tour’s Commissioner
Now, all that we can do is to sit back and watch devel-
Cho meant when he described the talks presenting a “unique
opments unravel. Hence, we are all waiting to witness the
situation”. ASIAN GOLF sees this unique situation as an op-
renaissance of the Asian Tour and a birth of a global profes-
portunity where the PGL can use the Asian Tour’s platform
sional tour that will be diverse in every sense of the word.
to build a powerful, muscular and well-funded “global tour”. Perhaps we can even look ahead to the formation of the
The days ahead are indeed exciting days for professional golf!
COVER STORY | THE RENAISSANCE
Saudi International powered by TheSoftBank Investment Advisers was
CHO MINN THANT
started as a European Tour golf tournament held at Royal Greens Golf and Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City, Saudi Arabia. It was established in 2019, it is the first European Tour event to be played in Saudi Arabia. Is this multi-million dollar tournament destined to become the flagship of a re-jigged Asian Tour?
COVER STORY
RAPSODO
COVER STORY | RAPSODO
COVER STORY | RAPSODO
If you are a golfer, you most likely have had a very intimate and painful experience with this syndrome. It is the syndrome that drains you dry out of all your confidence while you try and beat the game and the challenges that it poses. We have all been at the first tee-box all pumped and ready to send the first drive hurtling down the fairway hopefully in a straight line. Only to be disappointed to see it go in any direction but the one that you had hoped for. A slice! A hook! A shank! Or you simply topped the ball. All these mishaps are part and parcel of golf. Is there a way to correct this emotional downer? You bet! It is called practice, practice and more practice. To get better at the game and to at least gain an upper hand over the frustrations, a lot of blood, sweat and tears must be shed at the driving range. It is the only way to get better at the game! Heck, there must be another way to get on top of this! Come to think of it, there is. Abracadabra RAPSODO – show me the way!
RAPSODO.COM/SHOP/PRODUCT/MOBILE-LAUNCH-MONITOR/
W
ell, the way is RAPSODO! What in the blazes is RAPSODO
you may ask and that is a fair question? Well, while it may sound like a name of a newly minted MARVEL
COMICS hero, that is certainly not it. But, in many ways,
RAPSODO CHURNED OUT A LITTLE DEVICE TO PROVIDE DATA
it is a hero-name alright because the product is a super-
THAT IS BOTH EXTREMELY SIMILAR AND
hero product.
EXTREMELY ACCURATE WHEN STACKED
and it has a bucket-load of rave reviews making it argu-
UP AGAINST THE BIG, EXPENSIVE MA-
ably the best of breed. For what it does and for the price
CHINES AT JUST A FRACTION OF THE
In a nutshell RAPSODO is a personal launch monitor
it does it for, it just cannot be beat. This comes across like a solid paid-for endorsement and let us be categorically firm about it – RAPSODO is not an advertiser and not a penny has changed hands. In fact, ASIAN GOLF was the first to test out the prototype of this incredible little reliever of frustrations back in 2014. We put it for test at the 2014 ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT in Singapore and even at its very early stage of evolution, it came through with flying colours.
PRICE. IT IS THE ONLY LAUNCH MONITOR THAT USES THE POWER OF YOUR
IPHONE OR IPAD TO PROVIDE IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK ON LAUNCH DATA,
INSTANT VIDEO REPLAY AND ACTIVE SHOT TRACE.
COVER STORY | RAPSODO
ASIAN GOLF WAS THE FIRST TO TEST OUT THE PROTOTYPE OF THIS INCREDIBLE LITTLE RELIEVER OF FRUSTRATIONS
2014. WE PUT IT FOR TEST AT THE 2014 ASIA PACIFIC GOLF SUMMIT IN SINGAPORE BACK IN
AND EVEN AT ITS VERY
EARLY STAGE OF EVOLU-
TION, IT CAME THROUGH WITH FLYING COLOURS.
Fast forward to today and we are proud to declare that RAPSODO is the undisputed world beater in affordable personal launch monitors! Headquartered in Singapore, the company behind the product set out on a mission to make professional-grade data, technology and analytics available to golfers of all skill levels - from beginners to professionals, which was a high-quality product that was affordably priced. Using the big-boys of the launch monitor game (like Trackman and Flightscope) as benchmarks, RAPSODO churned out a little device to provide data that is both extremely similar and extremely accurate when stacked up against the big, expensive machines at just a fraction of the price. It is the only launch monitor that uses the power of your iPhone or iPad to provide immediate feedback on launch data, instant video replay and active shot trace. With a super attractive price tag and incredible data to boot, the little launch monitor has gone on to become the most sought after in the business. After establishing an envious track record in the United States, RAPSODO is circling back to Asia with a mission to help the Continent’s millions of golfers with an elixir to eliminate their frustrations!
WATCH VIDEO
COVER STORY | RAPSODO
Known as the MLM (mobile launch monitor) its features include the following measurement parameters: 1.
Club head speed: the speed of the club head at
2.
Ball speed: the speed of the ball immediately after
3.
Carry distance: the distance from impact to first
4.
Launch angle: of the ball relative to the ground.
5.
Smash factor: ball speed divided by club head speed.
6.
Launch direction: the distance from your landing
7.
The MLM can also estimate total distance.
impact. impact. landing.
zone to the intended target line.
All exciting game improvement data and guess what? It is all captured using the RAPSODO MLM App on the users’ iPhones and iPads which transform into dynamic video monitors to help golfers analyse their form while viewing where and how far their shots went. This is precisely what golfers need and their prayers have been answered!
RAPSODO HAS ADDED COACH CONNECT™ A UNIQUE FEATURE, IN PARTNERSHIP UNIQ WITH GOLF DIGEST, WHICH ALLOWS USERS TO RECEIVE GOLF
LESSONS ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. LESSO COA OACH CONNECT ALLOWS
COACHES TO SEE THEIR STUDENT’S COAC DATA AND VIDEO PLAYBACKS TO
PROVIDE REAL-TIME INSTRUCTION PROV
– THI THIS TYPE OF VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY WAS JUST A DREAM A DECADE AGO.
And that is not all – RAPSODO has added Coach Connect™ a unique feature, in partnership with Golf Digest, which allows users to receive golf lessons anytime, anywhere. Coach Connect allows coaches to see their student’s data and video playbacks to provide real-time instruction – this type of virtual technology was just a dream a decade ago. Besides awesome to-die-for-features, the RAPSODO MLM is extremely portable and ultrauser-friendly – it is lightweight and super easy to set up – it is up and ready to rock in 30-second flat! And it can be used indoors (set up a net in your living room) and outdoors. This is versatility being taken to the extremes! Practice whenever and wherever you like and sharpen your game like never before! We can go on with plaudits for the RAPSODO MLM, but we wanted to get a little insight to what the company plans for the product’s entry into Asia. For this, we reached out to the Founder and driving force behind the product, Batuhan Okur. The following are excerpts from a chat with ASIAN GOLF:
WATCH VIDEO
COVER STORY | RAPSODO
AVID GOLFERS ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE THEIR GAME AND THE
MLM
IS A TOOL THAT PROVIDES
PRECISE, DATA-DRIVEN FEEDBACK TO HELP THEM MASTER THEIR SHOT TENDENCIES AND OTHER KEY FACETS OF THEIR GAME.
– BATUHAN OKUR
ASIAN GOLF: Let us start by a quick brief on when you got into the launch monitor business?
golfers are constantly looking for ways to improve their
BATUHAN OKUR: Our journey began with the develop-
en feedback to help them master their shot tendencies and
ment of the first affordable personal golf launch monitor,
other key facets of their game. Our focus on helping players
distributed in the USA under SkyTrak. Since then, we have
get better and continually driving product innovation has
continued to transform into a leading sports data and
helped us successfully carve out our place in the market.
technology company of our own, RAPSODO, with the mission
ASIAN GOLF: I notice that your primary focus was the North American market. Why so?
of helping athletes reach their full potential. We launched the RAPSODO Mobile Launch Monitor (MLM) in July of 2019 after seeing success in the baseball space with similar machine learning technology. We were excited to get back into the golf market under our own name and allow players to analyze their swings in real-time to improve their golf game.
game and the MLM is a tool that provides precise, data-driv-
OKUR: RAPSODO has built a leading brand in the USA baseball market with all 30 MLB teams and more than 1,000 collegiate programmes utilizing our training tools. We saw an opportunity to bring our camera-radar tech-
ASIAN GOLF: How did you manage to carve out a market niche for your product?
nology that had been
OKUR: We kept hearing from the market about the need
baseball, to golf. The
for a pro-level launch monitor at an affordable price. Avid
USA market is the
so well accepted in
BESIDES AWESOME TO-DIE-FOR-FEATURES, THE RAPSODO MLM IS EXTREMELY PORTABLE AND ULTRA-USER-FRIENDLY – IT IS LIGHTWEIGHT AND SUPER EASY TO SET UP – IT IS UP AND READY TO ROCK IN 30-SECOND FLAT! AND IT CAN BE USED INDOORS (SET UP A NET IN YOUR LIVING ROOM) AND OUTDOORS. THIS IS VERSATILITY BEING TAKEN TO THE EXTREMES! PRACTICE WHENEVER AND WHEREVER YOU LIKE AND SHARPEN YOUR GAME LIKE NEVER BEFORE!
COVER STORY | RAPSODO
OKUR: Technology has advanced tremendously, which is precisely how we have been able to produce such a phenomlargest golf market in the world and avid golfers are looking
enal product like the MLM at a very reasonable price. The
for an accurate, feature-rich and affordable launch monitor
technology advancements have allowed the market to
to help improve their golf game – our mission is to help
open up more and become accessible to a much broader
athletes reach their full potential – so it all just made sense.
audience. In addition to technology prices decreasing, the
ASIAN GOLF: Did you promote and market your product in North America under your brand name or was it through a distributor/dealership arrangement?
functionality is also increasing.
OKUR: The first golf product I designed was a launch monitor distributed through SkyTrak. When their team approached me about this product, my team and I licensed the distribution rights. The Sky Golf team writes their software but we own the intellectual property, so if you open up the device the parts inside will say RAPSODO. Since then, we started working under our own brand name and developed our Mobile Launch Monitor in 2019.
ASIAN GOLF: What are your price points? OKUR: The MLM is available for US$499.99.
ASIAN GOLF: Your product performance stacks up very well against the high-end machines. Would you say that you have got them, beat on a priceperformance ratio? OKUR: Our price-point is very competitive – you are receiving advanced and accurate data metrics straight on your iOS device for a fraction of the price of other launch monitors. As I mentioned above, we test our product against these high-end machines to ensure we are providing accurate
ASIAN GOLF: I had the opportunity of seeing and experiencing your prototype some ten years ago. How far have you come in terms of technology and performance in that time?
datapoints which is very important to improving performance. So, considering the level of accuracy and functionality we provide while being significantly cheaper, I would say we have them beat on a price-performance ratio.
TECHNOLOGY HAS AD-
VANCED TREMENDOUSLY,
WHICH IS PRECISELY HOW WE HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO PRODUCE SUCH A PHE-
ASIAN GOLF: What message do you want to send to golfers who have not experienced your product? OKUR: The MLM is great for golfers at any level who wish to improve their golf game. The MLM will give you the tools to improve your swing by
MLM AT A VERY REASONABLE PRICE. THE
monitoring distance, ball speed and launch angle,
TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENTS HAVE
reliable – making it truly a remarkable device
NOMENAL PRODUCT LIKE THE
ALLOWED THE MARKET TO OPEN UP MORE AND BECOME ACCESSIBLE TO A
providing this data right on your iOS device. The product itself is very user-friendly, portable and that helps golfers of all abilities. Not to mention, it is fun! With the Premium cloud subscription, you can track your progress from when you first
MUCH BROADER AUDIENCE. IN
bought the launch monitor and watch your num-
ADDITION TO TECHNOLOGY PRICES
can share these metrics and videos with friends
DECREASING, THE FUNCTIONALITY IS ALSO INCREASING.
bers change and your skills progress. Plus, you for a little friendly competition.
ASIAN GOLF: What are your plans for Asia which effectively is now the second largest golf market in the world after the US? OKUR: We are trying to build up an Asia business as we speak. We are building out our distribution and marketing presence in Southeast Asia and then will look to expand to Korea and the rest of Asia. We recently opened an office in Yokohama Japan and our team there will be leading these efforts.
ASIAN GOLF: What do you envisage the market acceptance to be like? OKUR: We have had a lot of success in the USA, Europe, and Japan markets, so we expect a similar response to the MLM in the Asia market.
ASIAN GOLF: Is your product a totally Singapore designed and manufactured product for the world market? OKUR: Our product is designed in Singapore and manufactured in Malaysia. Well, there you have it! Make a commitment to once and for all improve your game and start having fun playing golf with the RAPSODO MLM!
CONTACT US
EQUIPMENT FOCUS
PXG
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | PXG
What do you get when you mix sex appeal with firepower? Something explosive! And that’s precisely what Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) has rolled out of its desert facility in Arizona. When this bold company launches something new, better be prepared to expect a product that truly pushes the envelope!
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | PXG
THE SCIENCE OF SEXY IS ON FULL DISPLAY WITH OUR NEW BATTLE READY BLACKBIRD AND GUNBOAT PUTTERS. TOP TO BOTTOM, OUR NEW MALLETS ARE PACKED WITH STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL MAKE YOU WALK A LITTLE TALLER OFF THE GREEN – HOPEFULLY WITH A LITTLE MORE CASH IN YOUR POCKET TOO. FROM MOI AND CG TO BALANCE AND STABILITY, THESE BAD BOYS ARE HERE TO HELP YOU SEAL THE DEAL. – BOB PARSONS
L
ed by the legendary self-made billionaire
“From MOI and CG to balance and stability, these bad boys
entrepreneur and philanthropist Bob Parsons,
are here to help you seal the deal,” is Parson’s pledge.
the global golf research and development
Named for the long-range, strategic reconnaissance
powerhouse, has debuted its latest high-
aircraft, the Battle Ready Blackbird Putter is a brand-new
performance putters – the PXG Battle Ready
addition to PXG’s celebrated Battle Ready series. A high
BlackbirdTM and Battle Ready Gunboat® which is part of
moment-of-inertia (MOI) mallet-style putter, the Black-
PXG’s iconic Battle ReadyTM Putter lineup.
bird features a bi-material construction that integrates
“The Science of Sexy is on full display with our new Bat-
an aerospace-grade aluminum body with high-density
tle Ready Blackbird and Gunboat Putters. Top to bottom, our
tungsten. This putter features the deepest center-of-
new mallets are packed with state-of-the-art technologies
gravity (CG) location, approximately 0.200” further back
that will make you walk a little taller off the green – hope-
than in the similar-sized Blackjack, One & Done, and
fully with a little more cash in your pocket too,” said Parsons.
Gunboat Putters, for unmatched stability on every stroke.
WATCH VIDEO
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | PXG
Bold alignment features, including arrow-like and symmetrical geometries, work to promote killer accuracy and precision at any distance. A PXG classic and the most forgiving putter in the Battle Ready Putter lineup, the Battle Ready Gunboat has been re-engineered and fully optimized to boost MOI and build confidence on the green. This mallet-style putter presents an updated bi-material body construction and refined face pattern to create an ideal CG position for outstanding stability. A bold, extra-wide sightline helps golfers lock in on the cup and drain more putts. Both models feature PXG’s innovative patented Pyramid Face Pattern. This game-changing design has been optimized to help improve mishit performance and ensure consistency in significant factors that affect ball speed, launch, spin, and roll for exceptional distance control. With four different hosel configurations to select from – Plumber’s Neck, Double Bend, Heel Shafted, and Armlock – each of the new Battle Ready Putters takes personalized performance to the extreme. Precision Weighting Technology supports further fine-tuning, and in conjunction with the chosen hosel configuration, influences the overall clubhead mass. With the release of the Blackbird and Gunboat Putters, the Battle Ready Putter lineup is now available with options to help any golfer finish strong. The full lineup includes: ✔ Battle Ready mallet-style putters: BlackbirdTM, Gunboat®, Bat Attack®, One & Done®, Blackjack® ✔ Battle Ready blade-style putters: Brandon®, Spitfire®, Closer®, Mustang®
WATCH VIDEO
SPECIAL FEATURE
BRANDING
SPECIAL FEATURE | BRANDING
It is a commonly known fact that highly successful sportsmen and sportswomen are worth a lot of money in this brand-crazy world that we live in. The moment a star creates headlines for a win or some historic achievement, agents hit the queue with offers of endorsements bulging with stacks of cash. It is nothing out of the ordinary to see a new star strike it rich overnight and depending on the star’s appeal, the new riches often can be extremely overwhelming. Take the recent case of Japanese superstar Hideki Matsuyama’s historic victory at the US Masters – some analysts reported that it could be worth US$20 million annually in endorsements. Another marketing expert reckoned that the 29-year-old Matsuyama, the first Japanese player to win a men’s golf Major, could earn US$600 million in endorsements, in total, over the rest of his life. The figures quoted are projections and could be possible in an ideal world, but we do not live in one and a myriad of developments can affect and impact the earning capacity of a sports star.
SPECIAL FEATURE | BRANDING
W
ith the sort of money flying about in the lives of top professional golfers, this has attracted the attention of businesses that make it their business to know what is
happening in this world of high finance. One such organization that is keeping track of this phenomenon is Duff & Phelps, one of the world’s leading risk valuation advisors. It has released the second edition of its Professional Golfers’ Future Career Value Study which is a ranking of male professional golfers by their expected future earnings. The study was conducted by the firm’s Valuation Advisory Services practice, and it evaluated over 1,000 professional golfers and ranked the top 60 current players based on their Future Career Value (FCV), which reflects the present value of golfers’ projected tour winnings, endorsement income and estimated earnings from the PGA Tour’s newly formed incentive plan, the Player Impact Programme (PIP). Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy topped the lead-
ASIA IS HOME TO AN INCREASING NUMBER OF
UP-AND-COMING PLAYERS, WITH NINE PLAYERS MAKING IT TO THE LIST THIS YEAR.
ASIA HAS WITNESSED THE
RISING RANKINGS IN MOST OF THESE PLAYERS AS THEIR RESPECTIVE CA-
REERS CONTINUE TO MATURE IN THE FUTURE.
million. The study also shows that Li Haotong from China ranked No. 41, is up 11 spots from last year with a career value of US$39 million. According to the study, Asia is home to an increasing number of up-and-coming players, with nine players making it to the list this year. Asia has witnessed the rising rankings in most of these players as their respective careers continue to mature in the future. Besides Li, ASIAN GOLF managed to obtain the FCV’s for three other Asian professional stars: ✔ Hideki Matsuyama with a career value of US$77 million. ✔ Im Sung-jae with a career value of US$132 million.
erboard for the second year in a row with a projected FCV
✔ Kim Si-woo with a career value of US$50 million.
of US$401 million, about a third more than current world no.2 Justin Thomas, the next-ranked golfer who once again claimed the second spot.
The total FCV of the top 10 increased by 14% from US$1.89 billion last year to US$2.15 billion in 2021,
Eight of the top 10 FCV leaderboard were also in the top
primarily due to the addition of the PGA Tour’s new Player
10 last year, with rising Norwegian star, Viktor Hovland and
Impact Programme. Launched in April 2021, the PIP
2020 PGA Championship winner Collin Morikawa, being the
recognises players’ brand power for the sport and ability
only new entrants.
to create value on and off the course and splits a US$40
On the Asia Pacific front, nine golfers from the region are expected to generate FCV for up to US$521
KIM SI-WOO
IM SUNG-JAE
million bonus annually among the top 10 players with the highest ‘impact score’.
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA
SPECIAL FEATURE | BRANDING
The study found that brand power plays a critical role in FCV, as only one-third of professional golfers’ earnings will come from tournament winnings over their careers, with the rest coming from endorsement deals. This finding, paired with the bonuses handed out through the PIP, highlights a potential divergence between current top performers and the sport’s top earners. For example, Tiger Woods is unlikely to play this season due to health issues, yet still draws high fan and sponsor engagement, placing him ninth on the FCV leaderboard and a beneficiary of the PIP. Early success continues to be a strong predictor of long-term tournament winnings and lucrative and sustained endorsements. Players that ranked in the top
10 Official World Golf Ranking by age 22 outperformed those that reached the top 10 later in their careers. While US golfers claim two-thirds of the value in the FCV top 10 leaderboard, and 53% of the top 60, global representation remains strong. Golfers from the UK represent 15% of the top 60 and McIlroy claims the FCV top spot. England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tyrrell Hatton also rank in the
THE STUDY FOUND THAT
BRAND POWER PLAYS A CRITI-
FCV, AS ONLY ONETHIRD OF PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS’ CAL ROLE IN
EARNINGS WILL COME FROM TOURNA-
MENT WINNINGS OVER THEIR CAREERS, WITH THE REST COMING FROM EN-
places since last year and Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre
DORSEMENT DEALS.
dropped five places.
PAIRED WITH THE BONUSES HANDED
FCV top 20 leaderboard, while Justin Rose dropped 22
Sporting performance is, of course, still vital for any player, but it is increasingly important that golfers
OUT THROUGH THE
THIS FINDING,
PIP, HIGHLIGHTS A
court endorsements outside of competitions if they
POTENTIAL DIVERGENCE BETWEEN
want to maximise the value they generate.
CURRENT TOP PERFORMERS AND THE SPORT’S TOP EARNERS.
THREE DISTINCT DRIVERS Available in MAX (highest MOI), LST (low spin), or SFT (draw bias) models to fit your game.
OUR MOST FORGIVING DRIVER. EVER. Total MOI pushes 10,000 in the G425 MAX, a new standard in long and straight. A 26g tungsten CG shifter increases MOI an average of 14% across the Draw, Neutral and Fade settings.
At PING, we measure success in the lab and on your scorecard. Led by our most forgiving driver ever, the G425 MAX, big performance gains were achieved across the new G425 family. The proven innovations engineered into G425 clubs deliver score-lowering results off the tee, from the fairway and into and around the green so golfers of all skill levels can enjoy the game more.
©20021 PIN P G | P.O. BOX 82000 PHOOENIX, AZ 85071
EQUIPMENT FOCUS
TAYLORMADE
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | TAYLORMADE HYDRO BLAST PUTTER COLLECTION
There is a sort of romantic attachment to classics – oftentimes classics are revered and treasured for many reasons. Some are held in high regard for design concepts. Others are placed on a pedestal because of their functionality. And then there are those that become classics because aficionados simply anoint them to the lofty status. Regardless of the reasons, classics are products that have something that is special about them. Something unique. Something that sets them apart from the run-of-the-mill. Recognising this, TaylorMade Golf has decided to breathe new life into some classic putters by revitalising them from their glorious past.
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | TAYLORMADE HYDRO BLAST PUTTER COLLECTION
A
ppropriately named as the Hydro Blast Putter Collection, the make-over involves a total of seven traditionally shaped putters that have an illustrious record behind them. The focus on the make-over is on crafts-
manship. The new collection combines classic designs with a new Hydro Blast finish to deliver premium performance and aesthetics. Crafted with the purist in mind, each putter speaks to the golfing zealot that lives within all golfers. From the soft flowing curvatures of Soto and Chaska to the sharp geometric lines of Bandon, the collection offers a variety of fully milled putters to fit the vast spectrum of
THE SOTO
IS A CLASSI-
CALLY SHAPED BLADE
THAT FEATURES FLOWING, ROUNDED EDGES.
A CLEAN BUILD WITH A SINGLE SIGHTLINE ON THE BACK CAVITY, THIS TIME-HONOURED SHAPE IS MEANT TO INSPIRE CONFIDENCE AND PRODUCE EXCEPTIONAL FEEL PUTT AFTER PUTT.
EQUIPPED WITH AN L-NECK HOSEL, THE TRADITIONAL BLADE SHAPE PRODUCES 40° OF TOE HANG, RESULTING IN A PUTTER THAT BEST FITS PLAYERS WHO
CREATE MAXIMUM FACE ROTATION THROUGHOUT THE PUTTING MOTION.
golfers and putting strokes. The new Hydro Blast finish provides a rich, premium and cohesive look to the family. This durable yet beautiful surface is achieved by applying a high-pressure stream of water to
TP HYDRO BLAST S
OTO
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | TAYLORMADE HYDRO BLAST PUTTER COLLECTION
TP HYDRO BLAST DEL MONTE
303 stainless steel. As an unquestioned industry standard
With such variety, there is a TP Hydro Blast putter for every
for premium putters, 303 stainless steel was the preferred
putting style and stroke.
choice for the milling. The soft yet strong metal delivers a
The Soto is a classically shaped blade that features
superior feel and artisan aesthetics.
flowing, rounded edges. A clean build with a single sight-
The models are:
line on the back cavity, this time-honoured shape is meant
✔ Soto
to inspire confidence and produce exceptional feel putt
✔ Del Monte
after putt. Equipped with an L-Neck hosel, the traditional
✔ Bandon
blade shape produces 40° of toe hang, resulting in a putter
✔ DuPage
that best fits players who create maximum face rotation
✔ Chaska
throughout the putting motion.
Each model is equipped with the same White Pure
Similarly, with a shorter blade length and a wider area
Roll™ Insert that is helped propel Spider X to more than
from front to back, the Del Monte has a squattier profile
a dozen Tour victories since 2019. It features grooves at a
that translates to a more mallet-like feel while maintaining
downward 45° angle, designed to optimize roll character-
the characteristics of a blade. It comes in two models, one
istics by producing enhanced topspin to help the ball start
with an L-Neck and the other a Single Bend hosel. With 29°
rolling end over end sooner.
of toe hang, the L-Neck best fits players who create mod-
Putters in the TP Hydro Blast collection are named in honour of iconic golfing regions and destinations around the globe. Further differentiating factors include hosel types, sightlines and toe hang.
erate face rotation throughout the swing. The Single Bend hosel delivers a more face balanced outcome (only 8° of toe hang) that better aligns with golfers who have a straight back and straight through putting motion.
SIMILARLY, WITH A SHORTER BLADE LENGTH AND A WIDER AREA FROM FRONT TO BACK, THE DEL MONTE HAS A SQUATTIER PROFILE THAT TRANSLATES TO A MORE
MALLET-LIKE FEEL WHILE MAINTAINING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A BLADE.
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | TAYLORMADE HYDRO BLAST PUTTER COLLECTION
TP HYD
WITH SHARP GEOMETRIC LINES THAT REFLECT THE TECHNICAL PRECISION
OF THIS CLASSICALLY MADE MALLET, THE
BANDON WAS THE FIRST TP HYDRO BLAST MODEL TO APPEAR ON TOUR.
Next is the Bandon - this Tour-inspired double wing design helps frame the ball at address and encourages forgiveness via optimized perimeter weighting. With sharp geometric lines that reflect the technical precision of this classically made mallet, the Bandon was the first TP Hydro Blast model to appear on Tour. The Bandon 3 is the second iteration of this model. It features a short slant hosel with increased toe hang (32°) for even more blade-like
RO BLAST BANDON
performance within a mallet design.
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | TAYLORMADE HYDRO BLAST PUTTER COLLECTION
As a modern take on the traditional mallet design, the DuPage relies on unique visual alignment cues and a dual-slot cavity to help frame the ball at address. This face balanced putter features a single bend hosel and is better suited for players with a straight back and straight through putting motion.
TP HYDRO BLAST DUPAGE
PUTTERS
TP HYDRO BLAST ARE NAMED IN HON-
IN THE
COLLECTION
OUR OF ICONIC GOLFING REGIONS AND DESTINATIONS AROUND THE GLOBE.
FUR-
THER DIFFERENTIATING FACTORS INCLUDE
HOSEL TYPES, SIGHTLINES AND TOE HANG.
WITH SUCH VARIETY, THERE IS A TP HYDRO BLAST PUTTER FOR EVERY PUTTING STYLE AND STROKE.
EQUIPMENT FOCUS | TAYLORMADE HYDRO BLAST PUTTER COLLECTION
And finally, the Tour-proven Chaska revisits the original TaylorMade Corza Ghost design with the familiar circular alignment aid in the back of the putter and three sightlines on top. With rounded contours, adjustable sole weights and three forward sightlines, the design provides exceptional stability and simple alignment features. This face balanced putter features a single bend hosel and is better suited for players with a straight back and straight through putting motion.
TP HYDRO BLAST CHASKA
CRAFTED WITH THE PURIST IN
MIND, EACH PUTTER SPEAKS TO THE GOLFING ZEALOT THAT LIVES WITHIN ALL GOLFERS.
FROM
THE SOFT FLOWING CURVATURES OF
SOTO AND CHASKA TO THE SHARP GEOMETRIC LINES OF BANDON,
THE COLLECTION OFFERS A VARIETY OF FULLY MILLED PUTTERS TO FIT THE VAST SPECTRUM OF GOLFERS AND PUTTING STROKES.
SPECIAL FEATURE
TOKYO OLYMPICS
S P E C I A L F E AT U R E | T O K Y O O LY M P I C S
The 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games is a go and will be staged from 23 July to 8 August 2021. These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The new dates, exactly one year after those originally planned for 2020 (Olympic Games: 24 July to 9 August 2020), also have the added benefit that any disruption that the postponement will cause to the international sports calendar can be kept to a minimum, in the interests of the athletes. Additionally, they will provide sufficient time to finish the qualification process.
S P E C I A L F E AT U R E | T O K Y O O LY M P I C S
LYDIA-KO
INBEE-PARK
SHANSHAN-FENG
THE ASIAN CONTINENT WILL BE REPRESENTED BY SOME OF THE BEST PROFESSIONAL MEN AND WOMEN GOLFERS AT THE TOKYO OLYMPIC GAMES. ASIA DID EXTREMELY WELL AT THE 2016 RIO OLYMPICS, WHEN GOLF RETURNED TO THE GAMES AS AN OFFICIAL SPORT.
SHANSHAN FENG (CHN)
YU LIU (CHN)
WEI-LING HSU (TAIWAN)
MIN LEE (TAIWAN)
TIFFANY C
YUKA SASO (PHI)
BIANCA PAGDANGANAN (PHI)
JIN YOUNG KO (KOR)
INBEE PARK (KOR)
SEI YOUNG
T
he Asian continent
Both Park and Feng will be back
will be represent-
at the Tokyo Games.
ed by some of the
The preliminary list of Asian
best professional
women qualifiers for the Tokyo
men and women
Olympic Games will include
golfers at the Tokyo Olympic
seventeen players represent-
Games. Asia did extremely well
ing nine Asian Countries. The
at the 2016 Rio Olympics, when
countries are China, Taiwan,
golf returned to the games as
Hong Kong, India, Japan, Ma-
an official sport. South Korea’s
laysia, Philippines, South Korea
Inbee Park won the women’s
and Thailand. The final list of
Olympic golf tournament when
confirmed qualifiers will be an-
she shot a final-round 66 to
nounced on June 28.
finish on 16-under. The bronze
Meantime, the following
medal went to China’s Shanshan
players are mostly confirmed of
Feng who shot 10-under par.
their berths to the Tokyo Games:
✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔
Shanshan Feng (CHN) Yu Liu (CHN) Wei-Ling Hsu (Taiwan) Min Lee (Taiwan) Tiffany Chan (HK) Aditi Ashok (India) Nasa Hataoka (JPN) Mone Inami (JPN) Yuka Saso (PHI) Bianca Pagdanganan (PHI) Jin Young Ko (KOR) Inbee Park (KOR) Sei Young Kim ((KOR)) Hyo-Joo Kim (KOR) Patty Tavatanakit attanakit (THA) Ariya Jutanugarn an nugarn (THA) Kelly Tan (MAL) (M MAL)
CHAN (HK)
ADITI ASHOK (INDIA)
NASA HATAOKA (JPN)
MONE INAMI (JPN)
G KIM (KOR)
HYO-JOO KIM (KOR)
PATTY TAVATANAKIT (THA)
ARIYA JUTANUGARN (THA)
KELLY TAN (MAL)
S P E C I A L F E AT U R E | T O K Y O O LY M P I C S
RIKUYA HOSHINO (JAP)
HIDEKI MATSUYAMA (JAP)
ELEVEN ASIAN
MEN HAVE QUALI-
FIED TO COMPETE IN THE
GAMES, AND THEY WILL BE COMPETING UNDER THEIR NATIONAL FLAGS
WHEN THE MEN’S COMPE-
JULY 29 – AUGUST 1 AT KASUMIGASEKI COUNTRY CLUB IN JAPAN. TITION STARTS ON
Eleven Asian men have qualified to compete in the Games, and they will be competing under their national flags when the men’s competition starts on July 29 – August 1 at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Japan. A country is allowed up to four representatives if all were inside the top 15 in the Olympic standings. Outside of
SUNGJAE IM (KOR)
SI WOO KIM (KOR)
JAZZ JANEWATTANANOND (THA)
C.T. PAN (TPE)
JUVIC PAGUNSAN (PHI)
ANIRBAN LAHIRI (INDIA)
GUNN CHAROENKUL (THA)
GAVIN KYLE GREEN (MAS)
CARL YUAN (CHN)
that, countries are allowed a maximum of two players to fill the field of 60. Besides Japan’s two-man team of reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama and Rikuya Hoshino, the other Asian qualifiers include: ✔ Sungjae Im (KOR) ✔ Si Woo Kim (KOR) ✔ Jazz Janewattananond (THA) ✔ C.T. Pan (TPE) ✔ Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) ✔ Anirban Lahiri (INDIA) ✔ Gunn Charoenkul (THA) ✔ Gavin Kyle Green (MAS) ✔ Carl Yuan (CHN)
The Tokyo Olympic men’s golf tournament is set to produce three new medalists. All three Rio medalists - Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson and Matt Kuchar - failed to qualify outright for Tokyo. The Olympic men’s golf field of 64 is drawn from the world rankings after this weekend’s U.S. Open. Rose, Stenson and Kuchar went into the U.S. Open outside of outright qualification, and none made the cut at Torrey Pines. HENRIK STENSON
JUSTIN ROSE
MATT KUCHAR
support@golfcitizen.com
SPECIAL FEATURE
YUKA SASO
SPECIAL FEATURE | YUKA SASO
There seems to be no end in sight to exciting new talent emerging from Asia. And what is really fascinating is that they are all so young! The latest arrival on the world stage is a nineteen-year-old from the Philippines who sashayed onto the deadly Olympic Club’s course in San Francisco, venue to the 76th US Women’s Open. That teenager was a shy, tomboyish-looking Yuka Saso – her demeanour belied the fury that was ablaze inside her young body and it only became apparent when she pulled herself together to come back from a disappointing start in the final round of the major tournament to chase down the leader who was five-strokes ahead with eight holes to play and to bump her off and force a sudden death duel with another brave contender and go on to win - terrific material for a gripping and suspenseful Hollywood action movie.
SPECIAL FEATURE | YUKA SASO
SASO PUT ON DISPLAY A COCKTAIL OF
COOL, YOUNG NERVES, THE NEVER-SAY-DIE SPIRIT OF A YOUNGSTER BENT ON VICTORY AND BUCKET
LOADS OF RAW TALENT. IT
WAS THE PERFECT CONCOCTION TO PULL OFF A SPEC-
76TH US WOMEN’S OPEN! TACULAR WIN AT THE
N
o one was really prepared for Saso to grab the headlines at the Women’s Open – not
ultimately send one of the game’s true greats crashing. Saso put on display a cocktail of cool, young nerves,
with so many big-name stars around to
the never-say-die spirit of a youngster bent on victory and
parade their “A” game. But as surprises go,
bucket loads of raw talent. It was the perfect concoction to
the quiet but spunky young Filipina shocked
pull off a spectacular win at the 76th US Women’s Open!
the game’s top guns and amazed the fans by turning in solid
On a day when only five players were in red figures,
performances in the first and second rounds. Then, to the
Saso battled the brute of an Olympic Club course and like a
dismay of all who were rooting for Saso, were shocked to see
true gladiator, she beat it and her play-off opponent to win
her game go south in the third round and almost collapse in
the coveted major title and an eye-popping million-dollar
the final round as the American ace Lexi Thompson floored it
cash prize – her first big pay-out in what promises to be
and streaked ahead to take an almost unassailable lead.
only the beginning of a long and successful professional
This is when the world saw Saso pull herself together and creep up the leaderboard to break Thompson’s lead and
career! The win besides being historic also entered the record
books as Saso being the youngest player to win the major along with the South Korean legend and Hall of Famer Inbee Park. What’s Saso’s secret? She set her eyes on becoming a big star when she was eight years old and living in Japan. She was fascinated by ace Japanese golfer Ai Miyazato and wanted to emulate her idol. This required the relocation of the family to the Philippines where the cost of living was a lot cheaper. Saso’s mother is Filipina. “We are not rich. It was impossible for us to keep playing golf in Japan,” the 63-year-old Masakazu Saso said in an interview the father-daughter pair gave Kyodo News earlier this year.
SPECIAL FEATURE | YUKA SASO
YUKA SASO POSES WITH HER FATHER MASAKAZU SASO (L) AND CADDIE LIONEL MATICHUK AFTER WINNING THE U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT THE OLYMPIC CLUB ON JUNE 6, 2021, IN SAN FRANCISCO.
Masakazu stood by his daughter stoically as she trained with 5:30 a.m. runs, followed by 10 sets of 50- and 100-metre sprints wearing two-kilogram weights
MASAKAZU STOOD
and 30 minutes of repetitive side-step jumping before taking actual golf swings.
BY HIS DAUGHTER
This was followed by 30-kg barbell squats, and sometimes even included dry swing training with a baseball bat while using ankle weights or shadow boxing to add variety to her workouts. With the father at her side, Saso stayed calm, disciplined and in control regardless of the pressure and stress she was under. After her historic conquest of the U.S. Women’s, Saso credited her success to her father’s love and parental support. The other milestones that Saso created on her way to the major victory are the following: ~ She is the first major champion from the Philippines. ~ She is the second Filipino to win an LPGA Tour event. ~ She won a gold medal as an individual and as part of the Women’s Team at the 2018 Asian Games. Congratulations Yuka! Watch how your win and continued success will spur more youngsters to take up the game of golf and shoot for the stars!
STOICALLY AS SHE TRAINED
5:30 A.M. RUNS, FOLLOWED BY 10 SETS OF 50- AND 100-METRE SPRINTS WEARING TWOWITH
KILOGRAM WEIGHTS AND
30 MINUTES OF REPETITIVE SIDE-STEP JUMPING BEFORE TAKING ACTUAL GOLF SWINGS.