THAILAND'S CHAPCHAI CLAIMS
MAIDEN TITLE AT TCL CLASSIC
Chapchai Nirat completed a dominant start-to-finish victory at the TCL Classic today, becoming the third Thai to win a tournament co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.
The 23-year-old, who led the US$1 million event from the opening day after smashing the course record with a 61, signed off with a one-under-par 71 at Ya Long Bay Golf Club, Sanya on an island off the coast of Southern China. Nirat finished three shots clear of Argentinean Rafael Echenique, who closed with a 68.
Chapchai totalled 22-under-par 266 for the week and later dedicated his breakthrough triumph in Asia to his parents, who have backed his career so diligently since he turned professional at a tender age of 15.
Prayad Marksaeng made it a memorable day for Thailand by finishing third after a 67 .
Englishman James Heath was the leading GB&I player in joint fourth place after a closing round of 69 for 16-under-par 272.
Marc Warren from East Kilbride achieved a top-10 finish with a closing round of 67 for 274 and a share of ninth place.
CLASSY VICTORY
Chapchai's classy victory was the third straight win by an Asian Tour member in a co-sanctioned event following recent triumphs by South Africa's Anton Haig and China's Liang Wen-chong in the Johnnie Walker Classic and Clariden Leu Singapore Masters over the past two weeks.
"There was pressure today. I was nervous but I talked to my caddie (Manop Santhiap) and we stuck to our game plan just as we have done so for the past three days," said Chapchai.
The big-hitting Chapchai led by five strokes going into the final round and was never really threatened by the chasing pack. Echenique, a graduate from the European Challenge Tour, was Chapchai's chief rival, closing to within three strokes after turning in 33.
The Argentinian could have piled on more pressure on the young Thai going down the stretch but missed birdie chances from inside eight feet on the 13th and 14th holes.
Chapchai steered a steady ship all day, holing a two-putt birdie on the par-5 ninth hole before giving the shot back at the next. However, a 20ft birdie coversion at the par-3 240 yard 15th hole proved to be decisive as it gave him a four-shot cushion playing the last three holes which he parred home comfortably.
EUROPEAN TOUR EXEMPTION
The burly Thai will take up membership with the European Tour where he will be exempted until the end of 2009. "Absolutely, I will join the European Tour. This victory means a lot to me. I would like to gain more experience playing on both the Asian Tour and European Tour. And I will certainly head to Europe and play there as well," said Chapchai.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
(Players from GB&I unless stated)
266 Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 61 66 68 71.
269 Rafael Echenique (Arg) 64 69 68 68.
271 Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 71 68 65 67.
272 James Heath 72 63 68 69, Simon Nash (Aus) 67 66 71 68.
273 Taichi Teshima (Jap) 69 65 66 73, Wen-chong Liang (Chi) 69 68 66 70, David Bransdon (Aus) 67 66 74 66
274 Marc Warren 70 67 70 67, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 71 64 69 70, Lee Westwood 66 70 68 70, Peter Fowler (Aus) 69 68 68 69.
275 Nick Dougherty 69 66 69 71, Miles Tunnicliff 70 65 65 75, Oliver Fisher 67 69 67 72, Kane Webber (USA) 67 71 66 71
276 Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 73 62 70 71, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 69 68 68 71, Adam Blyth (Aus) 67 66 70 73.
Ashley Hall (Aus) 67 69 69 71
277 Scott Barr (Aus) 69 68 71 69, Scott Strange (Aus) 69 69 70 69, Brad Kennedy (Aus) 67 67 69 74, Chawalit Plaphol (Tha) 68 69 70 70
278 Richard Lee (NZ) 65 70 70 73, Gary Rusnak (US) 67 70 67 74, Gaurav Ghei (Ind) 70 69 68 71, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 69 69 69 71, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice) 68 70 72 68, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 68 70 72 68, Carl Suneson (Spa) 66 68 72 72, Stephen Scahill (Nzl) 71 68 71 68, Iain Steel (Myn) 71 68 67 72.
279 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 67 66 73 73, Wei Chih Lu (Tha) 72 66 71 70, Mark Pilkington 68 70 71 70, James Kingston (Rsa) 66 70 74 69, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 66 71 70 72, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 68 70 71 70, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 69 69 72 69, Paul McGinley 72 67 72 68, Wen Teh Lu (Tpe) 65 69 68 77.
280 Steve Alker (Nzl) 67 71 70 72, Gareth Paddison (NZ) 69 69 72 70, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 67 70 70 73
281 Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 68 68 69 76, Keith Horne (SAf) 65 72 70 74, Unho Park (Aus) 68 71 74 68, Simon Griffiths 68 70 72 71, Francois Calmels (Fra) 69 68 74 70, Barry Lane 68 71 70 72
282 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 67 70 73 72, Neven Basic (Aus) 71 67 71 73, Sam Little 68 67 74 73
283 Ter-Chang Wang (Tpe) 73 66 72 72, Julien Foret (Por) 69 70 72 72, Luis Claverie (Spa) 68 70 73 72, Matthew Zions (Aus) 69 68 72 74, Lian-Wei Zhang (Chn) 73 65 72 73, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 68 66 73 76, Adam Groom (Aus) 69 70 72 72.
284 Scott Hend (Aus) 66 73 74 71, Danny Chia (Myn) 68 70 74 72, Simon Hurd 71 67 74 72.
285 Sung-Man Lee (Kor) 71 68 70 76.
287 Matthew Richardson 71 67 74 75
MAIDEN TITLE AT TCL CLASSIC
Chapchai Nirat completed a dominant start-to-finish victory at the TCL Classic today, becoming the third Thai to win a tournament co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.
The 23-year-old, who led the US$1 million event from the opening day after smashing the course record with a 61, signed off with a one-under-par 71 at Ya Long Bay Golf Club, Sanya on an island off the coast of Southern China. Nirat finished three shots clear of Argentinean Rafael Echenique, who closed with a 68.
Chapchai totalled 22-under-par 266 for the week and later dedicated his breakthrough triumph in Asia to his parents, who have backed his career so diligently since he turned professional at a tender age of 15.
Prayad Marksaeng made it a memorable day for Thailand by finishing third after a 67 .
Englishman James Heath was the leading GB&I player in joint fourth place after a closing round of 69 for 16-under-par 272.
Marc Warren from East Kilbride achieved a top-10 finish with a closing round of 67 for 274 and a share of ninth place.
CLASSY VICTORY
Chapchai's classy victory was the third straight win by an Asian Tour member in a co-sanctioned event following recent triumphs by South Africa's Anton Haig and China's Liang Wen-chong in the Johnnie Walker Classic and Clariden Leu Singapore Masters over the past two weeks.
"There was pressure today. I was nervous but I talked to my caddie (Manop Santhiap) and we stuck to our game plan just as we have done so for the past three days," said Chapchai.
The big-hitting Chapchai led by five strokes going into the final round and was never really threatened by the chasing pack. Echenique, a graduate from the European Challenge Tour, was Chapchai's chief rival, closing to within three strokes after turning in 33.
The Argentinian could have piled on more pressure on the young Thai going down the stretch but missed birdie chances from inside eight feet on the 13th and 14th holes.
Chapchai steered a steady ship all day, holing a two-putt birdie on the par-5 ninth hole before giving the shot back at the next. However, a 20ft birdie coversion at the par-3 240 yard 15th hole proved to be decisive as it gave him a four-shot cushion playing the last three holes which he parred home comfortably.
EUROPEAN TOUR EXEMPTION
The burly Thai will take up membership with the European Tour where he will be exempted until the end of 2009. "Absolutely, I will join the European Tour. This victory means a lot to me. I would like to gain more experience playing on both the Asian Tour and European Tour. And I will certainly head to Europe and play there as well," said Chapchai.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
(Players from GB&I unless stated)
266 Chapchai Nirat (Tha) 61 66 68 71.
269 Rafael Echenique (Arg) 64 69 68 68.
271 Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 71 68 65 67.
272 James Heath 72 63 68 69, Simon Nash (Aus) 67 66 71 68.
273 Taichi Teshima (Jap) 69 65 66 73, Wen-chong Liang (Chi) 69 68 66 70, David Bransdon (Aus) 67 66 74 66
274 Marc Warren 70 67 70 67, Pelle Edberg (Swe) 71 64 69 70, Lee Westwood 66 70 68 70, Peter Fowler (Aus) 69 68 68 69.
275 Nick Dougherty 69 66 69 71, Miles Tunnicliff 70 65 65 75, Oliver Fisher 67 69 67 72, Kane Webber (USA) 67 71 66 71
276 Francois Delamontagne (Fra) 73 62 70 71, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 69 68 68 71, Adam Blyth (Aus) 67 66 70 73.
Ashley Hall (Aus) 67 69 69 71
277 Scott Barr (Aus) 69 68 71 69, Scott Strange (Aus) 69 69 70 69, Brad Kennedy (Aus) 67 67 69 74, Chawalit Plaphol (Tha) 68 69 70 70
278 Richard Lee (NZ) 65 70 70 73, Gary Rusnak (US) 67 70 67 74, Gaurav Ghei (Ind) 70 69 68 71, Patrik Sjoland (Swe) 69 69 69 71, Birgir Hafthorsson (Ice) 68 70 72 68, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 68 70 72 68, Carl Suneson (Spa) 66 68 72 72, Stephen Scahill (Nzl) 71 68 71 68, Iain Steel (Myn) 71 68 67 72.
279 Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (Fra) 67 66 73 73, Wei Chih Lu (Tha) 72 66 71 70, Mark Pilkington 68 70 71 70, James Kingston (Rsa) 66 70 74 69, Wade Ormsby (Aus) 66 71 70 72, Rafael Cabrera Bello (Spa) 68 70 71 70, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 69 69 72 69, Paul McGinley 72 67 72 68, Wen Teh Lu (Tpe) 65 69 68 77.
280 Steve Alker (Nzl) 67 71 70 72, Gareth Paddison (NZ) 69 69 72 70, Mads Vibe-Hastrup (Den) 67 70 70 73
281 Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 68 68 69 76, Keith Horne (SAf) 65 72 70 74, Unho Park (Aus) 68 71 74 68, Simon Griffiths 68 70 72 71, Francois Calmels (Fra) 69 68 74 70, Barry Lane 68 71 70 72
282 Alexandre Rocha (Bra) 67 70 73 72, Neven Basic (Aus) 71 67 71 73, Sam Little 68 67 74 73
283 Ter-Chang Wang (Tpe) 73 66 72 72, Julien Foret (Por) 69 70 72 72, Luis Claverie (Spa) 68 70 73 72, Matthew Zions (Aus) 69 68 72 74, Lian-Wei Zhang (Chn) 73 65 72 73, Carlos Rodiles (Spa) 68 66 73 76, Adam Groom (Aus) 69 70 72 72.
284 Scott Hend (Aus) 66 73 74 71, Danny Chia (Myn) 68 70 74 72, Simon Hurd 71 67 74 72.
285 Sung-Man Lee (Kor) 71 68 70 76.
287 Matthew Richardson 71 67 74 75
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Sunday, March 18, 2007
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