Lee breaks long spell with dominant win; Quiban ties for 25th

MANILA, Philippines — Richard Lee showcased superb form and relentless focus as he clinched a wire-to-wire victory at the Indonesian Masters, closing with a steady 70 to claim a four-stroke win over Chang Wei-lun and Phachara Khongwatmai.

Lee’s exceptional shotmaking and putting throughout the tournament at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club kept him firmly in control, even a double-bogey on the 16th hole barely denting his momentum. His 23-under 265 total, spread over four rounds, marked his first title since the 2017 Shinhan Donghae Open in Korea and put an end to a frustrating seven-year quest for a championship.

After a runner-up finish in the previous week’s International Series Thailand, Lee carried his momentum to Jakarta. He set the pace early, firing a 62 then staying in control despite adverse weather conditions in the middle rounds.

On Sunday, he shot four birdies on the front nine, building a lead that left little room for his competitors to close the gap. Chang and Khongwatmai rallied with impressive rounds of 64s to finish tied for second at 269, but they couldn’t quite challenge Lee’s commanding lead.

Despite a late miscue, Lee’s earlier birdie blitz had created a comfortable cushion, enabling him to cruise to victory in the $2-million International Series leg. The triumph also redeemed him from previous near-misses, including a sudden-death loss in the 2019 Sarawak Championship.

Meanwhile, Kieran Vincent took solo fourth at 270 after a 67, while Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond placed fifth with a 68 for a 271.

Two-time US Masters champion Bubba Watson showed flashes of brilliance early in his final round, coming through with a run of four birdies over six holes from No. 6. However, he stumbled with bogeys on four back-nine holes, finishing with a 72 and slipping to a share of 13th place at 274.

Justin Quiban, on the other hand, put together a solid rally, posting a 68 on a five-birdie, one-bogey performance to gain a share of 25th at 277.

Starting the day tied for 31st, Quiban found momentum with consecutive birdies on the front nine, and despite a bogey on the 10th, he made up ground with birdies on the 12th and 14th. He wrapped up his round with a strong showing on the closing 616-yard hole.

Though his long game was stellar, missing only one fairway and green, Quiban struggled on the greens, needing 32 putts to complete his round.

Miguel Tabuena, whose campaign is supported by ICTSI, also had a promising finish, with two birdies over his last three holes for a closing 71, ending in a tie for 32nd at 279. Despite some solid play off the tee and on approach, Tabuena’s putting woes persisted, holding him back from a higher finish.

Angelo Que, who had shown strong form early in the tournament, couldn’t recover from a tough third-round 76, closing with a two-birdie, two-bogey 72 to end up tied for 51st with a 283 total. He hit only six fairways and managed to reach regulation on 11 greens, an uncharacteristic performance for the three-time Asian Tour winner.