Jazz the way you are

CANLUBANG – With his rainbow-colored pants and a nice, solid swing, this 18-year-old Thai easily draws the attention on the golf course.

Jazz Janewattananond is also the youngest among the 150 players, mostly foreigners, seeing action in the second Solaire Open.

But it doesn’t mean he’s just here to watch and learn.

Yesterday, Jazz fired a one-under 70 and stood tied for 21st place, four strokes off the clubhouse leader, Sam Brazel of Australia.

“I played good,” he said inside the media tent.

“I struggled a bit because of the strong winds. And I just changed all my irons to Titleist. This is only my third week using it,” Jazz added.

He hit five birdies on the windy day but had four bogeys, including one on the 425-yard, par-4 No. 16 where he had a huge 310-yard drive.

Jazz said the winds made it a lot tougher out on the course.

“I don’t usually play in this kind of wind in Thailand. It’s different to what I’m used to play,” said the golfer who turned 18 last November.

Jazz played the Solaire Open at Wack Wack last year but missed the cut, saying that of the 18 tournaments he joined in 2013 he only missed the cut twice, the other being in Thailand.

Born in Bangkok, he is the youngest player to make the cut on the Asian Tour, during the 2010 Asian Tour International in Nakhon Pathom, when he was only 14.

Jazz is hoping to do better in the coming days here.

“I prefer this course. I just have to putt better,” said the Thai national.

His real name is Atiwit, and his nickname is Jazz.

So, why Jazz?

“My father likes jazz. Me? I like rock,” he said.