Bangkok: Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat are ready to put up a performance befitting of their status as the kingdom’s best golfers when they return home for the Thailand Golf Championship which starts in a fortnight.
Played at the award-winning Amata Spring Country Club from December 10 to 13, the fifth edition of the Thailand Golf Championship will offer a lucrative prize purse of US$1 million to the region’s best players.
Several of the world’s leading players including defending champion Lee Westwood, Major winners Bubba Watson, Martin Kaymer and EurAsia Cup Team Europe caption Darren Clarke have also confirmed their participation at the Thai showpiece.
All eyes will be on Thongchai and Kiradech who are expected to spearhead the local charge and become the first Thai to lift the prestigious Thailand Golf Championship since it was inaugurated in 2011.
Having enjoyed enormous success in Europe this year, Thongchai (29) and Kiradech (39) are also the highest ranked Thai players on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) among the stellar field.
“I’m always happy when I get the chance to play in Thailand. This is my home and it gives me the chance to play well in front of my fans, friends and family too.
“The Thailand Golf Championship has a very good field and it should be a good week for the fans at Amata Springs Country Club,” said Thongchai.
Away from the comforts of home, Thongchai, who is the only man to lift three Asian Tour Order of Merit titles, made his mark on the world stage with an impressive runner-up finish at the BMW PGA Championship, the flagship event in Europe.
He lifted his third title on European soil by winning the Porsche European Open in Germany in September and also made his debut in the following month at the Presidents Cup for the International Team.
Like Thongchai, Kiradech is also having a season to remember. The 26-year-old has won twice in China and Scotland this year and broke into the world’s top 50 for the first time in his career.
A resounding result on home soil at the Thailand Golf Championship will give Kiradech more reasons to cheer as the year draws to a close.
“I’ve always enjoyed playing at the Thailand Golf Championship. It’s in my country and I want to bring the performances I had abroad back home and show them to my fans.
“We are good enough to win anywhere around the world. I’ve proven it and it’ll now be fantastic if I can win again at home,” said Kiradech.
Other Asian Tour stars expected to put up a strong challenge at the penultimate event on the Tour Schedule include reigning merit champion David Lipsky of the United States, Malaysia’s Danny Chia and Australia’s Scott Hend, who is second on the Order of Merit.
