The Drômois resident in Texas has just won a right to play on the Asian Tour via Access Cards. He intends to articulate his season between the Asian circuit and the 2nd US division, the Korn Ferry Tour, notably through the Monday Qualifiers. A very… physical program!
He finally returned home, to Dallas . Joined this Tuesday by phone, Jérémy Gandon had just come out of a very significant jet lag. And a grueling aerial journey. Three different flights from Bangkok to Texas. With a first stopover in Tokyo , then a second in Chicago . In all, more than twenty hours spent in the air. But this sacrifice was clearly worth it: the native of Charpey (Drôme) has indeed returned from Thailand with a right to play on the Asian Tour 2023.
Leaving for Southeast Asia at the beginning of January, he first overcame a first pitfall in the suburbs of Bangkok by taking 9th place at the Thana City Country Club , before continuing brilliantly at the end of last week. on the side of Cha-Am for the final with, on arrival, a saving 25th place thanks to a last lap of fire: 65 (-6). The first 35 obtained access to the Asian circuit.
Open as many doors as possible
“ What motivated me to go play these cards? asks the 26-year-old Frenchman. I only had guaranteed playing rights on the PGA Tour Latinoamérica (the 3rd US division). It didn’t go well for me last November during the Korn Ferry Tour Map Finals . So the idea was to open as many doors as possible for me. That’s why I tried the experience on the Asian Tour. »
A test transformed with talent, therefore, but which now announces some headaches in terms of stewardship and other aircraft reservations. Jérémy Gandon lives year-round in Dallas, and he doesn’t seem to want to change his environment. How will he go about it then? ” I live with my girlfriend ,” he explains. My things are here. My base camp will always be Dallas and my home will be my suitcase (laughs). JI am therefore preparing myself for quite a lot of travel. It could be physically demanding. I’ll try to handle this as best I can. When I’m in Asia, I think I’ll stay there for two or three weeks and then I’ll come back to Dallas for a week. Recover well, manage travel fatigue well, this will be one of the keys to my year. I’m young, it’s now that I can afford to do this. Not in ten years. »
An Asian program still very vague
The Asian Tour season kicks off on February 2 in Jeddah , Saudi Arabia. The PIF Saudi International , with an endowment of 5 million dollars, welcomes a very strong line-up, with most of the golfers having joined the LIV Golf created in 2022 with the unlimited support of the Public Investment Fund (PIF). ) of the Saudi state. Jérémy Gandon will not be: his category does not allow it. Barring a miracle, he shouldn’t be at the start of the next two tournaments on the 2023 calendar either. Two Internationals Series ($2 million in prize money ) planned for Oman and Qatar. ” I’m going to have to seriously look into it this week., warns the Frenchman, because I still haven’t received anything official from the Asian Tour. I don’t know yet when I will be able to enter a tournament. It’s still pretty vague at the moment. I hope it clears up soon… ”
His big debut on the Asian Tour could take place in March. A series of six tournaments between March 9 and April 16 are indeed on the program. It should thus be initially in Thailand (March 9-12) then in India (March 16-19), would skip Hong Kong (March 23-26) before continuing the “adventure” with two new appointments. you in Thailand (March 30-April 9) and another in Vietnam (April 13-16).
I prefer to go on the Asian Tour where there is ten times more money in terms of endowment… I really want now to earn a decent living.
Also aim for a re-ranking on the Korn Ferry Tour
With the PGA Tour still in sight, where he dreams of one day playing, the former Kansas State University student who turned pro in 2019 also intends not to give up on the track leading him to the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023 . having no guarantee on the Korn Ferry Tour , he points out, the idea is to qualify via a Monday Qualifier and perform in the first eight tournaments of the season, because it is after these tournaments that a first re-ranking is applied. Every week there are Monday Qualifiers, and that’s what I’m basing my season on the Korn Ferry on. I will give myself a chance to qualify and then have the opportunity to stay on the Korn Ferry if things go well.»
Puerto Rico on the PGA Tour…
He already has his sights set on the Monday Qualifier counting for the stopover in Chile (March 30-April 2). This will take place on… February 28th. In Florida. The day before, he will also try his luck at the Monday Qualifier dedicated to the Puerto Rico Open , an alternate tournament of the… PGA Tour. Are you still following? ” With my conditional category, I can enter all the PGA Tour Monday Qualifiers ,” he says.A week when I have nothing planned, I can try to qualify for a PGA Tour tournament. One thing is certain, I will not return to the PGA Tour Latinoamérica. Or for one or two tournaments. This is plan C today. No, I prefer to go on the Asian Tour where there is ten times more money in terms of endowment… I really want now to earn a decent living. »
The LIV Golf, another alternative?
On February 1, 2022, LIV Golf Investments , the investment company financed by Saudi Arabia and of which Greg Norman is the director, thus injected 300 million dollars into the Asian Tour, creating a de facto bridge with LIV Golf and its gargantuan means. ” I’m open to everything , concludes Jérémy Gandon, decidedly insatiable. The top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit may switch to the LIV at the end of the season. And I heard there might be a few more places in the near future. Anyway, I’m interested too! »
Source : FF Golf
