Thailand Facility Grand Opening

KYOCERA AVX’s new flagship facility in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, features 1.2 million square feet of state-of-the-art design, manufacturing, testing, storage, and distribution space, meets FM Global standards, and features walkable ceilings, full electrical power supply redundancy, and column-free production areas.

FOUNTAIN INN, S.C. (November 10, 2022) – KYOCERA AVX, a leading global manufacturer of advanced electronic components engineered to accelerate technological innovation and build a better future, has announced the grand opening of its $300 million advanced manufacturing facility for ceramic and tantalum capacitors in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand. The new facility features 1.2 million square feet of state-of-the-art manufacturing and warehousing space.

Deliberately designed as a safe and sustainable global facility for the production of ceramic and tantalum capacitors, the new KYOCERA AVX manufacturing facility consists of three separate buildings housing manufacturing and office spaces, break areas, a sports arena, a pavilion, and a cultural center for employees to practice Thai customs and gather for sponsored events.

The Nakhon Ratchasima facility will expand KYOCERA AVX’s global presence as a leading manufacturer of high-performance, high-reliability ceramic and tantalum capacitors designed to satisfy an extensive range of challenging electronics applications in the automotive, military, aerospace, defense, telecommunications, renewable energy, industrial, medical, consumer electronics, networking, and transportation industries. The construction process began in 2019, took more than six million man-hours to complete, resulted in zero reported injuries, and earned KYOCERA AVX both local and national recognition for its handling and prevention of COVID-19 during construction.

“We are proud to announce the completion of our new ceramic and tantalum capacitor manufacturing facility in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand,” said Jeff Schmersal, President, KYOCERA AVX. “The new facility represents an investment of more than $300 million USD and the achievement of a safe and sustainable manufacturing and distribution site that will further strengthen our commitment to supporting local economies, developing competitive, cutting-edge component solutions for an extensive range of electronic applications, and further expand the global production of our best-in-class products.”

For more information about KYOCERA AVX, please visit https://www.kyocera-avx.com/ , email inquiry@kyocera-avx.com, follow them on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, like them on Facebook, call 864-967-2150, or write to One AVX Boulevard, Fountain Inn, S.C. 29644.

Asian Tour makes $25,000 donation to Ain Hallouf Rural School of Golf

November 5, 2022 – Rabat: The Asian Tour has underlined its ongoing commitment to the communities that host its International Series events by making a $25,000 donation to the Ain Hallouf Rural School of Golf, a golf school for children held under the leadership of His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid and the Moroccan Golf Federation.

The center provides lessons in golf and important societal values to children in the Douar Ain Hallouf area near Royal Golf Dar Es Salam golf club, the venue for the International Series Morocco, the fifth event of the Asian Tour’s flagship series.

Rahul Singh, Head of the International Series, presented the cheque to Abdelkader El Hali, General Manager of the Ain Hallouf Rural School of Golf, on the sidelines of the $1.5million tournament, which runs through Sunday – and to which entry is free.

Singh said: “The Asian Tour is committed to supporting the communities at our International Series host venues through philanthropic efforts, and we are delighted to make this charitable contribution which underscores our commitment to developing the game at the grassroots level. By supporting the school we can support the growth of the game in Morocco, a golf market of real potential.”

El Hali, General Manager of the Ain Hallouf Rural School of Golf, said: “This generous contribution will benefit many youngsters in the area, by empowering them through sport and educating them in the positive values of golf, building strength of character, confidence and resilience.”

The Douar Ain Hallouf area has a strong connection with the game of golf. Many locals have found employment at the Royal Dar Es Salam course in the 50 years since it was first developed in 1971, and the locals have even built a course for their community, in the middle of the forest.

The Ain Hallouf Rural School of Golf has helped many players to develop their game and many Moroccan professionals are native to the area, such as Ahmed Marjan, who is playing in the International Series Morocco.

The Asian Tour’s philanthropic efforts are felt at each of the International Series destinations, with significant donations being made to support local communities in Thailand, England, Singapore and South Korea already this season.

The International Series Morocco takes place at the historic Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, in Rabat, from November 3-6 and admission is free to spectators. The International Series then moves on to Egypt the following week, at Madinaty Golf Club in Cairo, from November 10-13.

Lee in a class of his own at the International Series Morocco

November 4, 2022 – Rabat: Canadian Richard T. Lee fired a classy eight-under-par 65 to take the halfway lead in the International Series Morocco today at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

The famous venue’s Red Course once again provided a stern test, but Lee impressively rose to the challenge making an eagle and six birdies to move to nine under par for the US$1.5 million event. He was one of only five players to break 70.

Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong returned a 72 and is in second place two back, while Australian Scott Hend and Spaniard David Puig are a stroke further behind after carding 69 and 70 respectively.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond (70) and Rattanon Wannasrichan (71), Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent (71) and Englishman Steve Lewton (73) are another stroke adrift.

Local hero Ayoub Lguirati is still in the mix for the weekend after returning a level par 73 for a one-over aggregate score.

Lee eagled the par-five fifth, made three birdies in a row from the 10th, birdied 18 and missed numerous chances, including nearly holing out for an eagle on the sixth, to go even lower.

“I think definitely the fifth hole when I made the eagle that kind of made me pumped up a little bit,” said Lee.

“You just need to hit the fairways out there and that’s key on this course. I didn’t really like hit my drivers high, I tried to hit my low Stinger drivers just to make the fairways and from there it’s easy.”

He spent four days in Dubai before this week to acclimatize and adjust to the time zone and it has clearly paid dividends.

He said: “Oh, definitely. I mean, I know a few people that just came in from Korea and from the US as well, and definitely the jetlag is hitting them pretty hard. Yeah, I went to Dubai for three, four days, just practiced with a few friends of mine at the Emirates Club and the Els Club. Yeah, it was good practice.”

The 32-year-old is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour but has not tasted victory since claiming the Shinhan Donghae Open in 2017. But the signs have been there this year that his A game is coming back, particularly when he finished joint second in the International Series Singapore in August.

Nitithorn, whose nickname is “Fever”, has already won twice this year and is clearly hot for more success although he wasn’t satisfied with his performance today.

“I had a frustrating day,” he said, who started the day in a share of the lead with Lewton.

“I started not so good with a bogey on the eighth, my first hole. I don’t know, I didn’t play so good today but made a lot of up and downs. But I missed a lot of birdie opportunities also.

“I’m still happy with the result today, I mean I was really focused on my game.”

The 26-year-old won The DGC Open presented by Mastercard in March for his maiden success on the Asian Tour and in August triumphed in the International Series Singapore. He sits in third position on the Tour’s Order of Merit.

Like all the competitors this week he is treating the Red Course with a lot of respect.

He said: “Oh, for me it’s a little tough. It’s got a lot of bunkers on the side of the fairway, and you have to drive it really straight in the fairway. You’ve got to keep the ball in the fairway to make the next shot easy, because the rough is really thick and it’s like a sponge. I don’t really know how to hit it from the rough.”

He made three birdies and two bogeys to help put him in strong position heading into the weekend.

Vincent is first on the International Series Order of Merit and fifth on the Merit list, having won the International Series England in June, and will no doubt be a threat at the weekend.

“It has been a good two days, I did a lot of things very well,” he said.

“Just trying to stay present and engage each and every shot. I had a really good group to play with today. Kiradech (Aphibarnrat) is someone I have looked up to for a very long time. That was a lot of fun and we really enjoyed ourselves out there.

“Weekend approach is the same, same approach, same as what we have been doing, I am just out here each week to get a little bit better. Learn and grow is what we call it. That’s the goal.”

Lguirati had an eventful round, posting five birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey.

He credited his pre-event preparation as the reason behind his strong showing, saying: “I started the game well today with one goal in mind, the second round. The good preparation work carried out with the whole team has given its results, despite the difficult playing conditions today.

"I was able to make a lot of birdies which allowed me to play under par, despite a few mistakes, which I will try to avoid making again during the rest of the competition.

"There are two days of competition left, I remain confident for the future, especially on such a technical course."

Simply Red for Madey and Nitithorn at International Series Morocco

November 3, 2022 – Rabat: Not much is known about American Cole Madey on the Asian Tour – this week’s inaugural US$1.5 million International Series Morocco is only his third event on Tour – but based on today’s opening round of six-under-par 67, which gave him a share of the clubhouse lead with Thailand’s Nitithorn Thippong, it looks like he could be a player to look out for in the future.

An eagle and four birdies put Madey in control at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam with Nitithorn, ahead of Englishman Steve Lewton who carded a 68 – helped by a brilliant eagle on the par-four 13th where he holed a 127-yard wedge shot from a fairway bunker.

Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, American Trevor Simsby and Danny Masrin from Indonesia, shot 69s while Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Zimbabwean Scott Vincent, and Spanish rookie David Puig were in a group of nine players in with 70s.

On a national level, several of the ten Moroccan players competing look set to be in a good position to make the cut and play over the tournament’s two closing days.

Amateur Mohammed Nizar Bourehim proved he is a talent worth watching, shooting one-over-par –a score shared with his professional compatriots Ahmed Marjan and Ayoub Lguirati.

Eleven players will complete their first-round tomorrow morning as fading evening light stopped play for the day.

Madey is 25 years old and after graduating from UCLA he turned professional in 2019 with high hopes of travelling the globe and playing golf but the COVID-19 pandemic immediately scuppered those plans.

However, he was able to get back on track last year and play the PGA Tour Latin America before also getting a couple of starts on the Asian Tour in March this year in Thailand.

“With things shut down for a couple of years I didn’t really get my feet wet in professional golf,” said the American.

“But now I am starting to travel and play pro golf, learning how to manage my time and so on. I have been learning a lot and the events I played on the Asian Tour in Thailand were great and now I am here, I love to travel, and the Asian Tour is an incredible organization.”

A six under round with no dropped shots is an impressive performance on the testing Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. Madey felt he was helped by the fact that the course reminds him of a favourite layout in the US.

He said: “I love the course, it reminds me of a course I played in the States, called Saticoy Golf Club, where the greens are extremely undulating, and unforgiving on some approach shots meaning the ball can spin off the green. I really like it, I am from the North-West where there are also a lot of trees, it suits my eye.”

He made his first birdie on seven, eagled the par-five eighth, and birdied 13 before closing with birdies on 17 and 18.

“I putted pretty solid,” he said. “My driver was a little shaky in the beginning. I made all my four footers which was important. There are some huge slopes so it’s important not to try and leave yourself too much work with 30 or 40 footers.”

Nitithorn has been victorious twice this season – in The DGC Open presented by Mastercard and the International Series Singapore – and joined Madey on top of the leaderboard late in the day with an eagle on the driveable par-four 17th and a birdie on the par-five 18th.

“I feel good. I didn’t know my score until I made eagle on 17, when I then realised I was five under,” said the Thai golfer, who made six birdies in total and two bogeys.

“I was really in the zone today so wasn’t keeping track. I drove the ball so well and that’s key for me around this course. I played good golf today.”

On the penultimate hole he hit a miraculous tee shot to two feet to set up the eagle.

Lewton last played Royal Golf Dar Es Salam 13 years ago, when he says it was a very different layout.

“It’s changed a lot. I don’t remember the greens being this sloppy. They have made some changes, which have been brilliant,” he said. “It is a tricky golf course this week, rough is kind of up, it is playing kind of long and the greens are tricky. You have got to control your golf ball. I didn’t have a great lie in the bunker on 13, I was trying to hit it as good as I could, and it came out well and I thought it would be close but with a bit of luck it went in.”

Puig’s good start caught the attention of many as this is only his second event as a professional having joined the play for pay game in September.

“I didn’t play a tournament since September, which was the LIV Golf event in Chicago, so it’s been a month and a half of complete grind on the driving range,” said the 20-year-old former amateur star at Arizona State University.

“I played pretty good. I think I am swinging the club better. I worked pretty hard, you know I usually struggle a little off the tee, but I hit it pretty good off the tee which helped, so I am pretty happy with the round overall.”

Puig played the back nine first and struggled with his game making the turn in one over but was a different player on his second nine carding birdies on one, three, five and eight shooting a four-under-par 32.

He has spent his time off in the States working with golf coach Dave Philips and Sean Drake, an athlete chiropractor.

He added: “I think we did a really good job the last month and a half. I am excited to keep going this week and next week. They (Philips and Drake) are both very good, they know each other, they are connected, so what I needed to improve on the course I practiced it with the chiropractor, with helped with technique and everything.”

International Series Morocco a ‘special opportunity’ for golf in the country, says local hero Lguirati

       - Six professionals and four amateurs will be representing Morocco in a star-studded field

November 2, 2022 – Rabat: Moroccan star Ayoub Lguirati is “honoured” to be among the ten local players representing their home country and gaining invaluable experience alongside the best in the game as they battle it out for glory at the International Series Morocco on the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course in Rabat this week.

Ayoub joins fellow professionals Karim El Hal, Yassine Touhami, Othman Raouzi, Ahmed Marjan and Ayoub Id-Omar along with the amateur quartet of Adam Bresnu, Mohammed Nizar Bourehim, Hugo Mazen Trommetter and El Mehdi Fakori for the US$1.5 million event from November 3-6, the fifth of the Asian Tour’s new flagship series of elevated tournaments.

The Moroccan players will be gaining invaluable experience on the course in a strong field that includes current Order of Merit leader Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe and nearest challengers Sihwan Kim and Phachara Khongwatmai. All three are returning to Asian Tour duties after competing in the season-ending LIV Golf Team Championship on the Trump National Doral in Miami.

Lguirati said: “You cannot imagine the honour for me to be playing this event and representing my country. I am so delighted to play – especially on this course - the ‘Red Monster’ is a wonderful course, and it is important for Morocco to host tournaments like this.

“It is a special opportunity for the Moroccan players to test themselves against the best players in the world, and it is a wonderful opportunity to grow the game of golf and raise awareness of the sport in the country.

“We have some really great players here – His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid and the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation are doing a great job developing the players over the years, and developing golf for everyone, and now you can see we have a really good field of local players this week in a big international tournament.”

With just four events remaining, including this week’s International Series Morocco, Zimbabwe’s Vincent is ranked first on the International Series Order of Merit (OOM) and fifth on the Asian Tour OOM. With lucrative purses still to play for, finishing top of both is a realistic possibility.

But despite the stakes being high, Vincent is staying typically grounded and not looking beyond the job at hand this week at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

“I try not to think about it,” he said.

“Obviously, it is there, and people talk about it. For me it’s not a priority, I am just trying to work on being present, being here. This is one of the steps in my career, this is where I am now.

“I am focusing on the very next thing I have to do. And, of course, any opportunity I have to come back and play in Africa it is a great thing.”

The International Series Morocco takes place at the historic Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, in Rabat, from November 3-6 and admission is free to spectators. The International Series then moves on to Egypt the following week, at Madinaty Golf Club in Cairo, from November 10-13.

Golfing giants touch down in Rabat ahead of International Series Morocco

November 1st, 2022 – Morocco Some of the biggest names in the world of golf took time away from the course to see the spectacular sights of historic Rabat ahead of this week’s International Series Morocco, the Asian Tour event taking place at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam from November 3-6.

Thai legend Kiradech Aphibarnrat, compatriot and International Series Singapore champion Nitithorn Thippong, Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Bio Kim of Korea and Moroccan star Ayoub Lguirati enjoyed a sightseeing trip to the historic Mausoleum of Mohammed V in central Rabat, as part of a whistle-stop tour of some of the city’s many cultural sites ahead of tournament week.

Aphibarnrat, a multiple winner on the Asian and European Tour, said: “It is my first time here in Morocco. When I heard the event was coming here it was something I really started looking forward to - it is my first time here in Morocco, I’m really excited to be here, it is a beautiful country and I can’t wait to see the golf course and get playing.”

Thippong, currently third in the Asian Tour OOM, added: “It is great to be here in Morocco playing an International Series event. The golf course is really nice. My form has been good this year, and I won in Thailand last month, so for me form-wise, it is so far so good!

“The International Series events are good for both the Asian Tour and players. The series gives us more big events to perform in over the course of the season and more opportunities than ever. My International Series win in Singapore has given me good confidence, but this is a new week and a new competition, and I just need to focus on doing what I have to do.”

Korean Kim, who lost out to compatriot Taehoon Ok by a single stroke last time out at the International Series Korea at the Lotte Skyhill Country Club on Jeju Island in August, added: “I’m very excited to be playing in the International Series Morocco. It is the very first time I have visited here but I already like it and I am looking forward to a good week.

“The venues are always great for the International Series events and the players see these events as big tournaments that they all want to win. For me, it is all about trying to lift up a trophy I have never won this week. I haven’t played too much of late, with a few events in Asia and the United States, but my game is getting there, I’m putting a little better and I’m shaping the ball better with my new driver, so I feel good. I’m leading on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit and I’m certainly aiming to try and extend that this week, so let’s go out and make some birdies.”

For Lguirati, it is an honour to represent his country at such an illustrious tournament on home soil. He said: “I am excited to play, it is an honour to play in this momentous event in Morocco - I will try to enjoy every moment and every shot. It is very good for the players and for the visiting golfers to experience our country, and it is also a great opportunity for Morocco to welcome such high caliber golfing talent.”

The Morocco event is the fifth in the International Series calendar and the first of two back-to-back tournaments, with the International Series Egypt taking place next week on the Madinaty Golf Course in Cairo from November 10-13. Both events offer US$1.5m in prize money.

TAT is simultaneously organizing workshops for the “Super Host" project, NEW CHAPTERS, nationwide. More than 2,500 participants are headed for next normal tourism, preparing to welcome high-season visitors to Thailand.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is organizing "Super Host " NEW CHAPTERS training workshops on 1 – 2 November 2022 in 5 regions nationwide. The opening ceremonies will be held on 1 November 2022 at Berkeley Hotel Pratunam, Bangkok. The event will be honored by Mr. Phiphat Ratchakijprakarn, Minister of Tourism and Sports, who will preside over the opening ceremony for the training workshops, along with Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mr. Apichai Chatchalermkit, Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business of Tourism Authority of Thailand, and Miss Thapanee Kiatphaibool, Deputy Governor for Domestic Marketing of Tourism Authority of Thailand, who will welcome participants and broadcast live streams to event venues in 4 other regions in order to prepare the tourism industry and local communities for NEXT NORMAL tourism.

Mr. Yuthasak Supasorn, TAT Governor, disclosed that the event’s main objective is to prepare the tourism industry, including public and private sector agencies, and local communities, as well as those involved in the tourism industry, and to increase knowledge, understanding and the ability to be “Super Hosts”, ready to support tourists during the forthcoming high season and adapt to the changing global and tourism situation. To create meaningful travel experiences for tourists while simultaneously enhancing the Thai tourism industry and propelling it towards high value and sustainability, TAT is organizing the "Super Host " NEW CHAPTERS workshops in 5 regions nationwide for 2 days and 1 night between 1-2 November 2022.

At the "Super Host " NEW CHAPTERS workshops, TAT will focus on shaping the supply chain by inviting expert speakers to educate and update regarding key tourism trends in the NEXT NORMAL era, as well as organizing up-skill workshops centered around new digital marketing skills to develop Thai tourism personnel in recognizing the importance of developing tourism potential, particularly in terms of raising awareness about the role and importance of being a Super Host and triggering consciousness about maintaining tourist attractions along with caring for tourists. These are vital areas which are likely to lead to a successful recovery and reflect the highest level of preparation in order to become Super Hosts. The NEW CHAPTERS to Tourism NEXT NORMAL with Sustainability event is being held in five regions nationwide: at The Berkeley Hotel, Pratunam, Bangkok, in the central region; at The Heritage Hotel Chiang Rai Hotel & Convention, Chiang Rai Province, in the northern region; at Alvarez Hotel, Rayong Province, in the eastern region, at Golden City Hotel, Buriram Province, in the northeastern region and at The Twin Lotus Hotel, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, in the southern region.

Participants in the events are required to be personnel or entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, government officials involved in the provision of tourist services, as well as tourism and service-related agencies from all over the country, with 500 individuals per region, totaling 2.,500 participants. This event will be key in helping develop and promote the image of Thai tourism and ensuring the highest level of preparation for a tourism industry which is rapidly returning to normal, and it should be instrumental in creating increased income and further economic growth within the country.

Aside from the "Super Host " NEW CHAPTERS project, TAT continues to organize activities to promote tourism in Thailand, as well as reinforcing the "Amazing Thailand Trip" campaign with projects such as AMAZING THAILAND WORLD MOUNTAIN & TRAIL RUNNING CHAMPIONSHIPS 2021, AMAZING THAILAND MARATHON BANGKOK 2022, WATERCOLOR EVENT, Loy Krathong Expo 2022 and "Vivid Chao Phraya" illumination event to welcome APEC leaders, as well as the Amazing Thailand Countdown 2023.

These activities are staged under the project "365 Days of Wonder Thailand, Travel Every Day", which aims to accelerate the recovery of Thai tourism and achieve 80% of the numbers achieved in 2019 by the year 2023, and they are driven by the vision, "TAT is the driver of Thai tourism strategy to create valuable experiences towards sustainability," in accordance with the TAT Corporate Plan 2023 – 2027.

Asian Tour aces embrace North African adventure as big names confirm for debut International Series Morocco

     - International Series Morocco tees off at illustrious Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, November 3-6
     - Eight of the Asian Tour’s top 10 players confirmed, plus a number of LIV Golf stars
     - Free admission to all fans keen to attend

October 25, 2022 – Rabat: A fascinating North African adventure awaits the Asian Tour’s leading lights at next week’s inaugural International Series Morocco (November 3-6).

With the finishing post to the 2022 season in sight, eight of the top-10 in the Order of Merit standings have confirmed their participation at the historic Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, for what is the 17th event on this year’s Asian Tour.

Also acting as the fifth leg of the ground-breaking International Series, this is the first occasion the Asian Tour has visited North Africa.

“We’re excited to be heading to Morocco, which has an illustrious golfing heritage. The International Series Morocco is a spectacular addition to our schedule that will provide our members with a unique opportunity to compete somewhere new while allowing the Tour to broaden its reach,” said Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Commissioner and CEO.

Fully sanctioned by the Asian Tour and forming part of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, the high-profile International Series was launched this year by LIV Golf in order to strengthen and develop golf in Asia and the Middle East.

An extra layer of spice has been sprinkled into the Moroccan mix with a handful of LIV Golf regulars joining the starting line-up.

While the likes of James Piot, Chase Koepka, Andy Ogletree, Turk Pettit and David Puig will be seeking strong performances to boost their Official World Golf Ranking status, the US$1.5 million tournament offers huge incentives to Korean Bio Kim and his pursuers in the race to be crowned Asian Tour Order of Merit champion this year.

And that’s not all that’s at stake. As well as wanting to cement his position atop the Asian Tour merit standings, the tournament also represents an opportunity for Kim to make up ground in the International Series’ Money List in which he is currently seventh.

With just the International Series Egypt (November 10-13) and the Indonesian Masters (December 1-4) to follow, Kim trails current number one Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe by more than US$200,000.

With the promise of rich rewards awaiting the overall International Series winner, no fewer than nine from the current top-10 have signed up to compete in Morocco, the exception being South African Justin Harding.

All four International Series winners this year – American Sihwan Kim (Thailand), Vincent (England), Thai Ntithorn Thippong (Singapore) and Korean Taehoon Ok (Korea) – are primed for action along with Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, the Asian Tour’s number one in 2003, Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, the former Singapore Open champion, and Australian Brett Rumford, a two-time Asian Tour winner.

Among other LIV Golf players in the field are Japan’s Jinichiro Kozuma, South African Hennie du Plessis, Jordan’s Shergo Al Kurdi and Thai Itthipat Buranatanyarat.

Big hitting South African Wilco Nienaber will also compete, making his Asian Tour debut.

Welcoming their participation, Cho said: “There are eight LIV Golf Invitationals this year and the LIV Golf League will be 14 next year. Outside of these, professional golfers need to play to fill out their schedule and hopefully the International Series is an option for them to come and play outside the LIV Golf events, to keep sharp and come and play competitively.”

As far as the race for 2022 Asian Tour Order of Merit honours is concerned only Joohyung Kim (fourth) and Minkyu Kim (seventh) from the top-10 are unable to make the trip to Morocco.

But two past Asian Tour Order of Merit champions are taking part – Thai Jazz Janewattananond and Indian Jyoti Randhawa.

Also on show will be a handful of the game’s brightest amateurs, led by Laird Shepherd from England, winner of the Amateur Championship in 2021, and Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho, runner-up in last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

Greg Norman, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner, said: “LIV Golf’s investment in the Asian Tour through the International Series is already delivering new opportunities for golfers from all over the world. These events are enhancing the player experience, creating pathways for career development and reinforcing golf’s growth on a global scale.

“This series of events has received tremendous feedback and it continues to build exciting momentum for our sport’s future.”

LIV TO GIVE ENHANCES EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND THAILAND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AT LIV GOLF INVITATIONAL BANGKOK

        *****Players Also Host Clinics for Young Thai Golfers at the All-New Stonehill Course*****

Bangkok, Thailand (October 9, 2022): LIV Golf’s debut event in Thailand’s capital is helping empower local communities and inspiring the next generation of golfers.

As part of LIV Golf’s ongoing ‘LIV to Give’ initiative, the tournament is supporting Connext ED, a Thai leadership program for sustainable education, and the Population and Community Development Association (PDA), a longstanding, independent non-profit organization dedicated to reducing poverty in Thailand.

“LIV Golf is committed to supporting communities around the globe. We are proud to give back through organizations that provide critical resources to Thailand’s education systems and underprivileged citizens,” said Atul Khosla, President and COO of LIV Golf. “Our LIV to Give platform will continue to uplift those in need of support and make a difference in the lives of children and families throughout the world.”

Initiated by 12 leading Thai organizations, Connext ED’s Education Administration Programs provide leadership training for schoolteachers across STEM, English and project-based learning curriculums. LIV Golf is funding annual training programs and remote learning initiatives through Connext ED’s Learning Center, which promotes career enhancement through higher education and delivers learning materials to schools throughout the region.

For nearly five decades, the Population and Community Development Association has made a positive impact in the lives of underprivileged citizens along with its subsidiary, the Mechai Bamboo School. The innovative secondary school has created a hub for social and economic development, lifelong learning and assistance for small rural schools.

“All of us are most grateful for this generous contribution to rural societies,” said Mechai Viravaidya, Chairman of the PDA and the Mechai Bamboo School. “This gift from LIV Golf will provide a more promising life for elderly villagers near schools through the cooperation with students from the Mechai Bamboo School. I’d like to thank LIV Golf for inviting me and my colleagues to the LIV Golf event.”

Further aligning with LIV to Give’s efforts supporting golf development programs, sustainability, and the well-being of host communities around the world, LIV Golf also carried out two impactful golf clinics this week for Thai youngsters at Stonehill.

On Tuesday, former world No. 1 Lee Westwood and local golf hero Sadom Kaewkanjana welcomed dozens of children from the Thailand Golf Association and the Thai Junior Golf Association for a special session on ball striking techniques and drills aimed at helping the youngsters improve their skills.

“The LIV Golf series is a wonderful opportunity for us to get out there, meet the next generation and encourage them to take their next steps in the sport,” said Westwood. “Taking these tournaments to places like Bangkok and offering lessons for the youngsters is just one area where we can help to strengthen the love of golf, and the golfing infrastructure, around the world.”

Added Kaewkanjana: “It was a real pleasure to see all these promising young Thai players in action, and many of them were very talented. In my younger days, I would have jumped at the chance to get a lesson from a player such as Lee Westwood, and opportunities like this really help to bring more people into the world of golf.”

On Wednesday, Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai and 15-year-old Thai golfing sensation Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat welcomed youngsters from the Sports Authority of Thailand, offering golf tips and drills while emphasizing the importance of working hard and having fun.
Through LIV to Give, LIV Golf has pledged $100 million to support a broad range of initiatives targeting education, environmental sustainability, golf development programs, and the well-being of communities around the world. LIV Golf Invitational Series is owned and operated by LIV Golf Investments whose vision and mission is centered around making holistic and sustainable investments to enhance the global golf ecosystem and unlock the sport’s untapped worldwide potential.

CHACARRA LEADS BY 5; FIREBALLS IN COMMAND

BANGKOK, Thailand – Eugenio Chacarra admits he didn’t have much fun in his first four LIV Golf events since turning pro. He was nervous. Everything was new. Facing the world-class level of competition for the first time, he adjusted his approach to the game, straying from what made him one of the world’s top amateurs at Oklahoma State.

It wasn’t working. So coming into this week’s LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok, the 22-year-old from Spain returned to his college mindset of simply having fun and avoiding bogeys.

Through two rounds at Stonehill, he’s been extremely successful on both counts. Tying a LIV Golf record with a 9-under 63, Chacarra opened up a five-stroke lead at 16 under and has yet to make a bogey through 36 holes. The field’s youngest golfer, Chacarra is just 18 holes away from a spectacular breakthrough victory.

“Just try to have fun and then play to not make bogeys,” said Chacarra, who tied Dustin Johnson for the lowest LIV Golf round in relation to par. “Kind of play smart on the course – and that’s what I’ve started doing this week.”

The closest pursuers to Chacarra are a group of four players at 11 under: Richard Bland, Sihwan Kim, Harold Varner III and Patrick Reed. The 5-stroke lead is the largest after any round in LIV Golf’s inaugural season.

Looking ahead to Sunday’s final round, Bland said, “Going to need a low one and a little bit of help. But the way he played today, it doesn’t look like he’s gonna give us any, so we’ve got to go get him.”

In addition to the healthy individual lead, Chacarra’s Fireballs GC have a substantial lead in the team competition. Adding Carlos Ortiz’s 65 and Abraham Ancer’s 68 to Chacarra’s 63, the Fireballs shot 20 under in the second round and are at 34 under, putting them 7 shots ahead of Niblicks GC. Cleeks GC is in third place, another shot back, with five other teams within six shots of a podium spot.

Fireballs GC captain Sergio Garcia has seen his team finish in the money twice this season, both times in third place. But he’d like to enjoy the champagne celebration exclusive to the winners on Sunday, even as he manages an injured left knee that has limited his effectiveness this week.

“There's not much that we need to change,” Garcia said of his team’s approach. “Obviously I think everyone is playing well. I'll give my everything tomorrow to put a good round and kind of grind my teeth a little bit through the process of getting through this left knee. But other than that, I think they're all doing amazing, and we just have to keep doing more of that.”

Garcia has 36 professional wins, including the 2017 Masters. Chacarra, of course, is looking for his first pro victory. A win on Sunday will be worth $4 million in the individual purse, more than Garcia made for any of his victories.

Asked if he had any advice for his young countryman on how to handle the overnight lead, Garcia just shook his head.

“Nothing. Just keep doing what he's doing,” Garcia said. “He's doing great. Keep believing in himself, keep being positive like he's been all week. He knows what to do. He's good to go.”

As for Chacarra, he is not only having fun but enjoying the on-site support of his mother, his aunt, a cousin, one of his good friends, and his long-time coach, who just began traveling with him. He’ll also enter the final round with a perspective appropriate for a young golfer just starting a promising career.

“Winning is always fun, but I’m not focused on winning,” Chacarra said. “Just focused on getting better.”

Due to the potential of inclement weather, the shotgun start for Sunday’s final round has been moved up to 9:01 a.m. local time (10:01 p.m. Saturday ET).

GRACE FORCED TO WD DUE TO INJURY Branden Grace entered Saturday with a share of the lead and a chance to catch Dustin Johnson atop the season-long individual points race.

Three holes into his round, he was forced to withdraw with an acute muscle strain on his left side, leaving his status in doubt for next week’s event in Jeddah, where the Individual Champion will be decided and its $30 million purse distributed to the top three players.

It was a cruel blow for the 34-year-old South African, the winner in Portland and one of the most consistent performers this inaugural season. It’s also a tough blow for his all-South African Stinger GC team, which loses its top performer and will finish the Bangkok event by counting the scores of each of its remaining three players. The Stingers are last on the team leaderboard after two rounds.

“He’s been playing such great golf,” said teammate Shaun Norris. “Hitting the ball well. Been playing practice rounds with him and really impressed with the way he’s playing. Hopefully he gets back to it and healthy as soon as possible.”

Grace managed to birdie the first hole but felt something wrong with his tee shot on the second hole. He parred the hole but was in obvious pain. He played the par-3 third but was attended to by his physiotherapist Cornel Driessen and a local medical crew after putting out. He was then taken off property to a medical facility for an MRI.

“It’s very likely a strained intercostal muscle or oblique muscle,” Driessen said. “If he keeps on swinging, it makes it worse. We don’t want to risk long-time injury or damage.”

TEAM LEADERBOARD In addition to the individual stroke-play competition, players are also competing as four-man teams during LIV Golf events. Starting with LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok, the best three scores in Round 1, the best three scores in Round 2, and the best three scores in Round 3 will combine to produce the team score. The previous counting-score format was 2-2-3.

The total team prize money for each event is $5 million, with the winning team dividing $3 million, second place dividing $1.5 million and third place dividing $500,000 among its four team members.

In addition, teams are vying for seeds going into the Team Championship in Miami, the final event of the inaugural season with a $50 million purse. Teams have received points for their finishes in each event, and the top four teams in the points standings after next week’s event in Jeddah receive day one byes in Miami.

Here is the leaderboard and Saturday’s counting scores in the second round at Stonehill:
  1. Fireballs GC, 34 under (Eugenio Chacarra 63, Carlos Ortiz 65, Abraham Ancer 68)
  2. Niblicks GC, 27 under (James Piot 65, Harold Varner III 66, Turk Pettit 68)
  3. Cleeks GC, 26 under (Laurie Canter 66, Richard Bland 68, Martin Kaymer 69)
  4. Iron Heads GC, 24 under (Sihwan Kim 66, Kevin Na 68, Sadom Kaewkanjana 69)
  5. Crushers GC, 23 under (Paul Casey 65, Charles Howell III 67. Bryson DeChambeau 68)
 T-6. 4 Aces GC, 22 under (Patrick Reed 65, Talor Gooch 67, Dustin Johnson 70)
 T-6. Smash GC, 22 under (Brooks Koepka 67, Peter Uihlein 68, Chase Koepka 69)
  8. Majesticks GC, 20 under (Lee Westwood 66, Ian Poulter 70, Sam Horsfield 70)
  9. Punch GC, 18 under (Wade Ormsby 68, Marc Leishman 69, Matt Jones 70)
 10. Hy Flyers GC, 17 under (Matthew Wolff 66, Cameron Tringale 68, Bernd Wiesberger 69)
 11. Torque GC, 13 under (Jediah Morgan 69. Joaquin Niemann 71, Hideto Tanihara 72)
 12. Stinger GC, 12 under (Shaun Norris 69, Louis Oosthuizen 72, Charl Schwartzel 73)

PLAYER QUOTEBOARD
   - Eugenio Chacarra (on being teammates with his hero Sergio Garcia): “I'm still dreaming. I feel like it was yesterday when I went to Madrid to watch the Spanish Open and watch him play golf and just seeing him as an idol. He's [been] a Spanish idol a long time. He's been on tour 21 years, so I'm just trying to learn as much as I can from him, and I think I'm in a good spot, and I love him, and I love all of our team. We're in a good spot.”
   - Richard Bland (on playing alongside Chacarra): “He played great today. Hardly missed a shot. Very impressive. Considering he’s only 22, he just turned pro, he’s playing like he’s been a pro for 20 years. The course is kind of set up for him. He’s wide off the tee so he can use his length, but you still got to get it done after that. Got to hole the putts, got to hit the shots. It was fun to watch him today. He dragged me along. Hopefully I can drag him along tomorrow.”
   - Sergio Garcia (on being blocked for OWGR points): “If they keep blocking us, it’s because they see us as a threat. So that’s a good thing to have. But if it keeps happening, I’m sure that there will be a way for everybody to come along, I guess.”

PERFORMANCE STATS
    - Driving accuracy – Laurie Canter, Kevin Na, James Piot, Abraham Ancer, Cameron Tringale, Matt Jones, Henrik Stenson, Hideto Tanihara, 100% (14 of 14 fairways)
    - Driving distance – Bryson DeChambeau, 360.0-yard average
    - Greens in regulation – James Piot, Paul Casey, Talor Gooch, Cameron Tringale, 94% (17 of 18 greens)
    - Fewest putts – Sam Horsfield, 24 putts
    - Most birdies – Carlos Ortiz, 8
    - Bogey-free through 36 holes – Eugenio Chacarra, James Piot, Sihwan Kim

HOLE STATS
   - Easiest hole – 584-yard par-5 6th, which played to a stroke average of 4.340.
   - Hardest hole – 495-yard par-4 4th, which played to a stroke average of 4.255.
   - Course stroke average: Rd. 1 (69.625). Rd. 2 (68.638). Par is 72.

GRACE, BLAND AND CHACARRA SHOOT -7; FIREBALLS HOLD ONE-SHOT LEAD

BANGKOK, Thailand – Branden Grace, the closest pursuer to Dustin Johnson in LIV Golf’s season-long Individual Champion race, realizes he has plenty of ground to make up in the final two weeks of the regular season.

He took the first big step Friday at LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok.

The South African, the winner in Portland earlier this season, shot a 7-under 65 at Stonehill to grab a share of the first-round lead with England’s Richard Bland and Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra. Meanwhile, Johnson is in a tie for 21st after shooting a 70, prompting him to head to the range post-round.

The 4 Aces GC captain, who has a 39-point lead over Grace in the individual standings, can wrap up the title and the $18 million prize by winning in Bangkok. But Grace would rather take care of business this week and make things interesting in the final regular-season event in Jeddah. With 40 points to the winner, Grace could theoretically move ahead of Johnson with a victory this week, provided Johnson does not finish in the top 24.

“I’m just trying to win a golf tournament,” said Grace, a member of the all-South African Stinger GC. “If I can do that, if I can keep my mind toward that, then the rest will happen. I’m just fortunate to be in a good position coming into this week, lying second and playing well and feeling good about the game. I just need to come out here and hit the shots and make the most of it.”

As for Bland and Chacarra, they are at opposite ends of the spectrum in regards to their professional experience, but they now share the same goal – build on their first-round 65s and give the top of the leaderboard some new names this weekend. That goes for both the individual and team competition, as Chacarra’s Fireballs GC leads the team standings at 14 under, followed by Bland’s Cleeks GC at 13 under.

Iron Heads GC, which includes Thai golfers Sadom Kaewkanjana and Phachara Khongwatmai, are in solo third at 11 under. Four teams are another stroke back, while 4 Aces GC – winners of four consecutive events – are in unfamiliar territory at 10th.

The 49-year-old Bland, whose first win on a major tour came in his 478th career start, is not known for his length. But on a course that measures 7,815 yards and was expected to favor the bombers, he shot a bogey-free round while finishing with three birdies in his last four holes.

“They put a few of the tees up, and a couple of the stronger par 4s played downwind, which was favorable for me because I’m not one of the long hitters,” said Bland, whose best result in his first five LIV Golf starts was 17th in London. “You couldn’t design a better course for Bryson [DeChambeau], really.

“But we’re all good players. And obviously because the fairways are so wide, once you’ve got irons in your hands and the greens are quite soft, guys are going to shoot good scores, no matter where you are.”

At 22 years old, Chacarra is the youngest player in this week’s field. He was the world’s No. 2 amateur before turning pro earlier this year to become a LIV Golf member. He’s still looking for his first top 20 finish, although his Fireballs GC has finished in the money twice since he joined captain Sergio Garcia’s team.

“I’m living the dream,” Chacarra said. “I’m playing with Sergio’s team. He’s my hero since I was little, and then I got Abraham [Ancer] and Carlo [Ortiz] that are really good friends, and they are helping me as much as they can every week.

“I didn’t play very good the first four weeks and I didn’t help much, so I like helping them and giving them the trust they put on me to be on their team.”

Marc Leishman (Punch GC) and Ian Poulter (Majesticks GC) are tied for fourth, one stroke off the lead after shooting 66. The five-way tie for sixth includes Smash GC captain Brooks Koepka, Niblicks GC’s Harold Varner III, Torque GC’s Jediah Morgan and two members of Iron Heads GC – Sihwan Kim and captain Kevin Na.

Punch GC captain Cameron Smith, the most recent LIV Golf winner, shot an even-par 72 and is tied for 41st.

TEAM LEADERBOARD In addition to the individual stroke-play competition, players are also competing as four-man teams during LIV Golf events. Starting with LIV Golf Invitational Bangkok, the best three scores in Round 1, the best three scores in Round 2, and the best three scores in Round 3 will combine to produce the team score. The previous counting-score format was 2-2-3.

“I think 3-3-3 is just better,” said Sihwan Kim, whose Iron Heads GC are in solo third after Friday. “Makes it more exciting for the teams.”

The total team prize money for each event is $5 million, with the winning team dividing $3 million, second place dividing $1.5 million and third place dividing $500,000 among its four team members.

In addition, teams are vying for seeds going into the Team Championship in Miami, the final event of the inaugural season with a $50 million purse. Teams have received points for their finishes in each event, and the top four teams in the points standings after next week’s event in Jeddah receive day one byes in Miami.

Here is the leaderboard and Friday’s counting scores in the first round at Stonehill:
  1. Fireballs GC, 14 under (Eugenio Chacarra 6, Sergio Garcia 68, Abraham Ancer 69)
  2. Cleeks GC, 13 under (Richard Bland 65, Graeme McDowell 68, Laurie Canter 70)
  3. Iron Heads GC, 11 under (Kevin Na 67, Sihwan Kim 67, Phachara Khongwatmai 71)
 T-4. Stinger GC, 10 under (Branden Grace 65, Charl Schwartzel 70, Shaun Norris, 71)
 T-4 Niblicks GC, 10 under (Harold Varner III 67, James Piot 69, Hudson Swafford 70)
 T-4. Majesticks GC, 10 under (Ian Poulter 66, Lee Westwood 69, Henrik Stenson 71)
 T-4. Smash GC, 10 under (Brooks Koepka 67, Jason Kokrak 69, Peter Uihlein 70)
 T-8. Torque GC, 9 under (Jediah Morgan 67, Scott Vincent 70, Hideto Tanihara 70)
 T-8. Punch GC, 9 under (Marc Leishman 66, Wade Ormsby 70, Matt Jones 71)
  10. 4 Aces GC, 8 under (Patrick Reed 68, Talor Gooch 70, Dustin Johnson 70)
  11. Crushers GC, 7 under (Bryson DeChambeau 69, Charles Howell III 69, Paul Casey 71)
  12. Hy Flyers GC, 4 under (Phil Mickelson 69, Cameron Tringale 70, Bernd Wiesberger 73)

PLAYER QUOTEBOARD 
Bryson DeChambeau (on Official World Golf Ranking’s latest response): “They’re delaying the inevitable. We’ve hit every mark in their criteria, so for us not to get points is kind of crazy with having the top – at least I believe we have the top players in the world. Not all of them but we certainly believe that there’s enough that are in the top 50, and we deserve to be getting world ranking points.”

Brooks Koepka (on the OWGR): “I don’t think it really was much of a response. I just hate when you sit on the fence. Just pick a side. … If it’s yes, if it’s no, it’s fine. We’ll figure it out from there.”

Branden Grace (on three counting rounds): “We struggled beating [the 4 Aces] with two rounds to count. Now with three to count, maybe we can give them a run for the money.”

PERFORMANCE STATS
Driving accuracy – Ian Poulter, Kevin Na, Graeme McDowell, James Piot, Peter Uihlein, Carlos Ortiz, 100% (14 of 14 fairways)
Driving distance – Bryson DeChambeau, 352.1-yard average
Greens in regulation – Sihwan Kim, 100% (18 of 18 greens)
Fewest putts – Branden Grace, Kevin Na, 24 putts
Most birdies – Ian Poulter, 8

HOLE STATS
Easiest hole – 584-yard par-5 6th, which played to a stroke average of 4.458.
Hardest hole – 484-yard par-4 8th, which played to a stroke average of 4.104, and the 177-yard par-3 16th, which played to a stroke average of 3.104.
Course stroke average: Rd. 1 (69.625). Par is 72.

Dustin Johnson Press Conference

Special interview after the game with Dustin Johnson

Q. I thought we'd throw at you the World Ranking news that came out last night. What do you make of that and also sort of the way they've gone about trying to get them?
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I mean, for me, I think we deserve them. I think obviously with the quality of players we have out here, the events we're having, we should have them. I think it's fair. Obviously the way -- I think it's very smart and strategic the way they're going about it, but hopefully they make the right decision and give us World Ranking points.

Q. There's been a bit of talk from the players about trying to get the past five events, also the points reinstated on that. Is there any update on that?
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: I don't see that happening. Obviously, yeah, that would be nice. Obviously none of us are playing events where you get points so we kind of keep slowly moving down, where if the World Ranking points are supposed to be non-biased for golfers, we should. I don't see that happening, though, which is okay, but at least going forward, hopefully we'll have them, because like I said, it's supposed to be a fair and non-biased organization that is for golf, which is exactly what we're doing. Hopefully, like I said, they'll make the right decision and give us World Ranking points.

Q. A lot of people have been describing this course as pure. How would you rate it? I'd be scared to take a divot. 
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: It is really nice. It's one of the nicest conditioned courses I've played on. It's a really good golf course. It's long. I think the greens are challenging. I think it's a good test of golf, and obviously depending on the wind, especially if we get a bit of wind, it'll play difficult. But yeah, the conditions are unbelievable.

Q. And the conditions and the weather, I suppose, would that be a little bit of concern about the stamina for the players and the hydration this week? It's pretty steamy out there.
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, it is warm. I live in South Florida, so I'm kind of used to it. It's not quite this humid there, but I don't mind the heat, and the ball goes further, so it's nice.

Q. Since Cam arrived, you've won one and he's won one. I realize there's 48 players in the field, but can you envision some type of mini rivalry with you and Cam, kind of like what they had in Formula 1 the last few years?
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I'd love to battle it out every week with him on Sunday. It would be fantastic. That means I'm playing really well. But yeah, you're right, there's a lot of really good players. But I feel like same with the Tour. If I'm playing well, I'm going to compete every week.

My game has been in pretty good form the last couple months, and it felt like it's still in good form. But yeah, obviously Cam is playing great and he's a really good player. Any of the good players, if they're playing well, they're going to be at the top competing on Sunday.

Q. In London as a team you guys lost by 18 strokes, and that was obviously a catalyst for change. When you look back at it now, was that maybe a good thing for the entire season, the way it's turned out?
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, that was the first week, my first event out here. Other than a couple teams who had guys, too, and then the draft party -- even guys that had three guys on their team, they still got to pick in the first round. I didn't like that too much because I had to pick three people.

The first week was a little -- it was just different. After that week, that was when I started recruiting players to be on my team, because yeah, you're right, I didn't like it, and I wanted to compete and have a chance to win the event.

But yeah, it was still good. I thought London was great, and it was a really good start, but too, it was the first week. I didn't really know what was going on either too much, but after that I figured it out really quick.

Q. What's your impression of Thailand and also towards the Thai players on the Tour?
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: The Thai player I don't really know. Obviously he's a good player, but I haven't played with him. I'm playing with him tomorrow so I'll get to see obviously firsthand, but I haven't played with him. He's good, I get that, but I don't know anything about his game. I can't really comment on that.

Thailand, I really enjoy being in Thailand. This is my second time. First time to Bangkok, but I did a vacation in Phuket eight or nine years ago. I really enjoyed that. That was a lot of fun. Yeah, the people are really nice, the food is good, and I've enjoyed it.

Q. You're one of the early players who joined LIV Golf since the very beginning in London. Your own impression of how it's progressed, and is there anything you would like to see improve or perhaps expand upon as the years go by?
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, I think you could ask anybody. I think for me, it's gone really well. It's gone better than even I expected it to. I think it's just going to keep getting better and keep getting more recognition around the world.

I think we're already starting to a lot. I think the media and everybody is starting to finally catch on that this is not a joke, it's real golf, and we've got some of the best players in the world. Obviously we don't have all of them, but we've got enough of them.

I think it's gone great. I really enjoy it. I love being out here. I love playing. I love being a part of it and starting something new. I think the team aspect brings a whole different kind of flavor to golf, and it's something that people and fans can get behind, and obviously we're going to play in all different parts of the world.

I've never played golf in Thailand. I've never played a tournament here, so it's a new place. Some people have seen us on TV but they've never seen us play in person. Going to different places and all that which we'll have the opportunity to do on the LIV Tour is going to help grow the game, and I think they're doing a good job with that so far.

Q. The individual race and the team race is heating up, so you could secure the individual championship by winning this event this week. You would be a total lock to win. Same with the Four Aces; I don't know that anybody can dethrone you guys. Are you going into the tournament this week thinking about winning so you can lock that individual championship, or in the Four Aces do you guys have a strategy?
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: Well, the team, we're good. We're going to be in the -- I think we'll be a No. 1 seed going into Miami.

For me, though, individually, yes, I would definitely like to lock that up going into next week even though next week is another golf course that I've played very well on and liked the course and had success there.

But still, it would be nice to get the individual title before we go to next week. So yeah, something I definitely would like to secure.

Q. There's a lot of talk out here about the team play and team this, team that. What are you guys doing, you, Pat, Taylor and Pat Perez, to build a team? Are you guys going out at night together? Are you going to dinners? What's going on?
  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: I mean, obviously we all know each other, and then we've played the last four events, I think, together. Yeah, we're not doing anything we normally don't do. Maybe play more practice rounds together. That's about it. But I'm buddies with all the guys, and I think we've got a pretty good camaraderie with the team, and they all want to win just as much as I do. I think that's the difference, and we've been playing well. It's real simple with golf. Whoever shoots the low score wins, so that's what we've done.

Q. This is a question about World Ranking points. Even with the players being able to earn points on different tours, are you still hopeful that LIV will be able to earn World Ranking points eventually?

  - DUSTIN JOHNSON: Yeah, I think so. I don't see how they don't award us points. Like I said, I think it's supposed to be a non-biased organization, so we are playing golf, competing with some of the best golfers in the world, so yes, we should be awarded points. Will they do that? Hopefully. Like I said, I think we deserve them, and hopefully we'll get them.