The situation was do-or-die for Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
If he hoped to get in the year-end world top 50 and earn an invite to the 2018 Masters, he had to finish inside the top five at the 2017 Indonesian Masters on the Asian Tour. Coming into the 72nd hole, the Thai star had to make an eagle 3 at Royale Jakarta Golf Club to hop into solo fifth.
He did, getting to a 17-under total and finishing in solo fifth. He moved into 51st in the Official World Golf Ranking, and he'll move to 49th when the year ends, securing a Masters invitation. Aphibarnrat finished tied for 15th in 2016, his first Augusta National appearance.
Ahead of Aphibarnrat, Yusaku Miyazato finished fourth in the event and is projected to jump from to No. 50 in the world in two weeks.
Brandt Snedeker and Dylan Frittelli tried to move into the top 50 through Indonesia, but they couldn't pull it off. Snedeker, No. 51 entering the week, withdrew during his second round because of heat exhaustion. Frittelli, ranked 55th at the start of the week after his win in the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, finished T-20.
With Aphibarnrat and Miyazato moving into the top 50, Peter Uihlein and Satoshi Kodaira are projected to drop out of the top 50. Neither are currently exempt into the 2018 Masters. They can finish inside the top 50 as of March 25 or win a PGA Tour event and still earn an invite.
