European and US ToursThongchai Jaidee became the first Thai to win on the European Tour yesterday, and he did it in style by including a hole-in-one in his run to the title and two-shot victory in the Malaysian Open.
The 34-year-old aced the 16th hole and then birdied the last in a final round 68 for a winning total of 14-under-par 274 for the tournament, two strokes better than Australian Brad Kennedy.
Best of the Irish throughout the weekend was Paul McGinley, who finished in a tie for 12th place on six-under-par 282 after a closing 70. That was worth €15,000 to the Dubliner.
Padraig Harrington finished on two-under after a 72, earning $6,500, while Damien McGrane was tied for 51st place on one-over-par 289, worth €3,800.
The victory at the co-sanctioned event was the second in a row on the Asian Tour for Thongchai, who won the Myanmar Open last week.
Kennedy, who also finished second at this event last year, had the chance to force a play-off but sent his second shot at the last into trees from where he eventually recorded a bogey for a closing round 67 and a 12-under total of 276.
It was a good day for Thailand with Thongchai's compatriots Prayad Markseang and Chawalit Plaphol sharing third place. The highest-placed European was Frenchman Thomas Levet, on 10-under.
Miguel Angel Jimenez shot a fourth-round 71 to share sixth place, with Britain's Andrew Marshall on eight-under. That was enough to send the Spaniard to the top of the European Tour's Order of Merit ahead of South African Ernie Els.
Thongchai, who earned a two-year European Tour exemption after taking out affiliate membership earlier this season, became the seventh Asian to win on the European Tour. The former paratrooper collected a first prize of $201,700 to move to fourth place on the European Order of Merit.
"This week has been very big and very exciting, especially as the event has been live on TV in Thailand," he said. "I am very, very happy to win as it was my dream for some time to win on the European Tour. But now I will have to adjust to playing in Europe."
He began the final round on 10-under-par, three behind third-round leader Lee Sung-man of South Korea, after completing his third round in 64 early yesterday because of torrential rain on Saturday.
But the 2001 Asian number one then proceeded to drop two strokes over the outward nine before recovering to grab birdies at the 10th, 13th and 15th holes.
Then came his six-iron shot at the par-three 16th, which took a couple of bounces on the green and disappeared into the cup to lift Thongchai to 13-under and three strokes clear.
With a birdie at the final hole, his 30 on the back nine gave him a lead that proved big enough to hold off Kennedy's challenge.
The Australian looked set to force a play-off, but a wayward fairway shot into trees at the last virtually ended the contest.
He recovered well, superbly finding the back of the green with his third, but his birdie attempt from 30 feet missed the hole right and Kennedy then failed to hole his par putt and was forced to settle for bogey and a round of 67.
"My tee-shot stopped on a downhill lie, and though I thought I hit it perfect, the shot just faded a little into the trees," he said. "But I am really pleased with the way I played this week. I was second in this event last year but too far back even though I shot a 64."
