LAST HOLE IS DECISIVE AT THAILAND TOURNAMENT

Thaworn Wiratchant with the Queens Cup

THAWORN SCORES 17th ASIAN TOUR 

VICTORY IN QUEEN'S CUP

NEWS RELEASE FROM ASIAN TOUR

Samui, Thailand: Thai veteran star Thaworn Wiratchant came from five shots back to win an unprecedented 17^th Asian Tour victory with a classy one-stroke triumph at the Queen’s Cup today.

The 47-year-old Thaworn holed a 5ft birdie putt on the closing hole to pip overnight leader Poom Saksansin with a final round of five-under-par 66 at the Santiburi Samui Country Club to lift the Queen’s Cup for the second time in three years.

Thai rookie Poom, who had led since the opening day, had to be content with the runner-up spot in the US$300,000 tournament after a closing 72.  
Bangladeshi star Siddikur Rahman, who briefly held the lead on the back nine, signed off with a disappointing 72 to share third place with Thailand’s Donlapatchai Niyomchon (68).

“It is so meaningful to me, whether it’s a small or big tournament. At every tournament, I am always trying my best. There was pressure this morning as I wanted to go out there and play some good golf,” said a delighted Thaworn, whose winner’s cheque of US$54,000 lifted his career earnings on Tour to over US$4 million.

The unorthodox swinging Thaworn surged into a one-shot lead with a birdie on 14 but made life difficult for himself by dropping a bogey on 17 after missing a four-foot par attempt. 
With Poom, who was wobbly with an outward 39, fighting back with birdies on 16 and 17 to make it a three-way tie going into the final hole, Thaworn’s experience came through in the end.

The home hero found the green in two at the par five 18^th hole and with Siddikur and Poom both struggling after hitting wayward approach shots, Thaworn duly rolled in a five-foot putt, much to the delight of his adoring fans.

 LEADING FINAL TOTALS
 Par 284 (4x71) Yardage 6,823
272 Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) 71-68-67-66.

273 Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 66-67-68-72.

274 Donlaphatchai NIYOMCHON (THA) 68-68-70-68, Siddikur RAHMAN (BAN) 68-70-64-72.

276 BAEK Seuk-hyun (KOR) 69-66-71-70.

278 CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 67-72-71-68, Richard T. LEE (CAN) 69-71-69-69, WANG Jeung-hun (KOR) 72-69-68-69.

279 Pariya JUNHASAVASDIKUL (THA) 77-68-68-66, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 71-71-69-68, Rahil GANGJEE (IND) 73-70-68-68, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 69-71-70-69, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 72-67-69-71.

280 Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 71-74-71-64, Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 71-73-68-68, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 69-71-70-70.

281 Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 74-68-71-68.