Asian Tour: Sihwan Kim claims order of merit, as Sarit Suwannarut cruises to emphatic 4-shot win at Indonesian Masters

It was hard to tell whose smile was the brightest at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club on Sunday – Sihwan Kim who wrapped up the Asian Tour Order of Merit title, or Sarit Suwannarut after an emphatic four-shot win in the Indonesian Masters.

Sarit’s closing round four-under-par 68 left him 20-under overall in the final International Series event of the year, with India’s Anirban Lahiri second on 16-under, while Taiwan’s Chan Shih-chang and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell finished in a tie for third a shot further back.

Kim’s two-under 70 left him in a tie for 28th, which was enough to seal the finest season of his 11-year professional career.

The American finished the year with US$627,458.33 in earnings, with Bio Kim from Korea ending in second place, having earned US$599,609.49, while Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent was third on US$517,845.

Vincent finished in a group tied for 10th, which also included Scott Hend, and that was enough to secure him the International Series Order of Merit title. Hend had begun the week outside the top 60 and in danger of losing his card, but the US$24,720 he took lifted him to 56.

The weather, which caused numerous delays all week, had a final say on Sunday when lightning stopped play with Sarit having two holes left to play and with a comfortable five-shot lead. Play resumed after about an hour with the rising Thai star able to par his way home.