FINAL ROUND OF 67 WINS BY ONE STROKE

                      Lee Westwood, winner in Thailand for second time in four years, with the trophy

LEE WESTWOOD REGAINS THAILAND 

CHAMPIONSHIP IN TIGHT FINISH

ASIAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE

Chonburi, Thailand:  Lee Westwood claimed a unique Thailand Golf Championship double when he staged a fabulous fight back with a final round five-under-par 67 to win the US$1 million Asian Tour event by one stroke today.

The former world number one from Workshop, now 41, won the inaugural edition in 2011 and made it another victory to remember by signing off with a four-day total of eight-under-par 280 at the Amata Spring Country Club.

Overnight leader Marcus Fraser of Australia and Germany’s Martin Kaymer had their chances to force extra-time with Westwood but fell just short on the 72^nd hole and settled for a share of second place on 281 total.

India’s Anirban Lahiri did not get the win he wanted as he signed off with a 73 to share sixth place with Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and American Jonathan Moore at the Thai showpiece.

The 27-year-old, however earned a well-deserved place at the 144^th Open at St. Andrews in 2015 as one of the top four players who are not otherwise exempted from the world’s oldest Major.

Westwood took delight with his Thailand Golf Championship win in 2014 as he had to overcome intense pressure to lift the prestigious title again.

“When I won the Thailand Golf Championship in 2011, I had a pretty big lead. But this win is obviously very special as it was a very tight day out there and I didn’t get off to the best of starts and I had lots of work to do,” said Westwood.

Starting the round two shots back of Fraser, Westwood seemed to have fallen out of the equation when he opened with two successive bogeys.

But the Englishman showed his mettle with a stunning comeback where he fired four straight birdies starting from the par-four sixth hole.

He continued his amazing birdie blitz by marking his card with more red numbers on holes 11, 14 and 15 to seal his second Thailand Golf Championship win.

“My caddy, Billy told me there were opportunities to pick some shots up in the middle of the round after I made those two bogeys. I did that and didn’t drop anymore shots and gave myself lots of chances,” said Westwood.

“This is my last event of the year and it’s nice to finish with a win and go into Christmas and start the New Year with confidence. I know what I’ve got to work on and I’ll be doing that over the next six weeks before the season starts again,” added the Englishman.

Fraser was left to rue another missed opportunity of a grandstand finish.

The Australian started off promisingly with birdies on four, six and seven. He dropped a shot on nine but responded well with another two birdies on 10 and 11.

However, a bogey 5 on 12 followed by another costly bogey putt made under pressure on the closing 18 resigned Fraser to tied-second place.

“I gave it a good fight and I’m happy with how I’ve played considering how I just got back to playing competitive golf recently,” said Fraser, who missed eight months of action due to a wrist injury.

Lahiri also responded positively to a disappointing day by declaring his intentions to be back to challenge for top honours again.

“I’m obviously very disappointed with how I played today. There were lot of positives out there for me and I was struggling on my game today.

“At least for my consolation I earned a spot at The Open next year. That would put some balm on my wounds. I’ve had a great year and I have a lot to look forward to,” said Lahiri.
Tommy Fleetwood finish fourth and Spain's Sergio Garcia ninth.

 David Lipsky of the United States was crowned the 2014 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion as his closest challenger Anirban Lahiri failed to narrow the gap at the Thailand Golf Championship

The South Korean-American waited anxiously at the clubhouse after he stumbled to a final round three-over-par 75 to finish in tied 38^th position as Lahiri contended at the US $1 million Asian Tour event.

The talented Indian needed at least a top-four result at the Thailand Golf Championship to extend the Order of Merit race to next week’s Dubai Open but fell short of his target when he settled for tied sixth following a 73.

Lipsky was delighted to end a successful year on a high note in a season where he became the first Asian Tour member to win at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland in September. He also enjoyed four other top-10 results including a second place finish at The Championship in Singapore in May.

He sits atop the summit with earnings US $713,901 while Lahiri is currently in second place with earnings of US $602,833. Prom Meesawat of Thailand is placed third with winnings of US $527,921.

 ALL THE FINAL TOTALS, PRIZEMONEY

Par 288 (4x72) Yardage 7,448 prize money in US dollars

Lee WESTWOOD	ENG	70	71	72	67	280	180000
Martin KAYMER	GER	71	72	70	68	281	86500
Marcus FRASER	AUS	69	72	70	70	281	86500
Tommy FLEETWOOD	ENG	71	69	73	70	283	50000
Scott HEND	AUS	70	74	71	69	284	41000
Thongchai JAIDEE	THA	72	71	74	68	285	28766.67
Jonathan MOORE	USA	71	71	72	71	285	28766.67
Anirban LAHIRI	IND	71	73	68	73	285	28766.67
Sergio GARCIA	ESP	71	75	71	69	286	21400
Kiradech APHIBARNRAT	THA	76	72	71	68	287	17600
Paul PETERSON	USA	71	72	75	69	287	17600
Terry PILKADARIS	AUS	77	69	72	69	287	17600
Thanyakon KHRONGPHA	THA	69	77	73	69	288	14483.33
Bernd WIESBERGER	AUT	76	74	68	70	288	14483.33
Charlie WI	KOR	74	72	71	71	288	14483.33
Kodai ICHIHARA	JPN	78	68	72	71	289	12950
Daisuke KATAOKA	JPN	74	73	71	71	289	12950
Danny CHIA	MAS	77	74	72	67	290	11412.5
Berry HENSON	USA	73	72	74	71	290	11412.5
WANG Jeung-hun	KOR	73	72	73	72	290	11412.5
Unho PARK	AUS	76	74	68	72	290	11412.5
WU Ashun	CHN	71	75	75	70	291	10300
Masahiro KAWAMURA	JPN	72	74	74	71	291	10300
Hiroshi IWATA	JPN	72	78	69	72	291	10300
Sebastien GROS	FRA	75	75	72	70	292	9250
Bubba WATSON	USA	76	70	77	69	292	9250
HU Mu	CHN	72	74	74	72	292	9250
LU Wei-chih	TPE	69	77	73	73	292	9250
Anthony KANG	USA	72	73	77	71	293	7725
Shingo KATAYAMA	JPN	75	75	73	70	293	7725
Lionel WEBER	FRA	75	69	79	70	293	7725
Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL	THA	73	73	78	69	293	7725
KANG Sung-hoon	KOR	75	70	74	74	293	7725
GUAN Tian-lang [A]	CHN	74	76	69	74	293
Andrew DODT	AUS	76	72	70	75	293	7725
Matthew STIEGER	AUS	76	72	68	77	293	7725
Simon GRIFFITHS	ENG	73	76	66	78	293	7725
Nathan HOLMAN	AUS	71	73	78	72	294	6316
Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT	THA	76	72	73	73	294	6316
Richard T. LEE	CAN	69	76	75	74	294	6316
Kieran PRATT	AUS	71	76	73	74	294	6316
David LIPSKY	USA	71	74	74	75	294	6316
Marcus BOTH	AUS	77	74	74	69	294	6316
HUNG Chien-yao	TPE	73	72	77	73	295	5650
Javi COLOMO	ESP	72	77	75	72	296	5220
Thaworn WIRATCHANT	THA	72	74	78	72	296	5220
Gaganjeet BHULLAR	IND	76	75	73	72	296	5220
Jazz JANEWATTANANOND	THA	73	78	74	71	296	5220
LI Hao-tong	CHN	73	75	71	77	296	5220
Prayad MARKSAENG	THA	72	74	77	74	297	4300
Darren CLARKE	NIR	75	75	73	74	297	4300
Chris RODGERS	ENG	75	76	69	77	297	4300
Koumei ODA	JPN	74	70	79	74	297	4300
Scott BARR	AUS	77	73	74	73	297	4300
S.S.P CHOWRASIA	IND	77	74	72	75	298	3650
Chiragh KUMAR	IND	72	77	76	73	298	3650
Chapchai NIRAT	THA	78	72	76	72	298	3650
Jakraphan PREMSIRIGORN	THA	77	74	75	72	298	3650
Mithun PERERA	SRI	72	78	70	79	299	3150
LIN Wen-tang	TPE	72	74	74	79	299	3150
Sam CYR	USA	77	74	73	75	299	3150
Carlos PIGEM	ESP	75	76	74	74	299	3150
Bryce EASTON	RSA	74	74	78	73	299	3150
Joonas GRANBERG	FIN	74	77	75	73	299	3150
Arjun ATWAL	IND	79	71	72	78	300	2650
Mardan MAMAT	SIN	74	74	74	78	300	2650
Yoshinobu TSUKADA	JPN	75	72	79	74	300	2650
Pawin INGKHAPRADIT	THA	78	73	75	74	300	2650
Kalem RICHARDSON	AUS	75	74	76	76	301	2350
Sutijet KOORATANAPISAN	THA	77	73	77	74	301	2350
Wolmer MURILLO	VEN	77	74	74	77	302	2100
Chris GAUNT	AUS	71	78	70	83	302	2100
Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT	THA	70	72	83	77	302	2100
Martin ROMINGER	SUI	72	76	83	72	303	1900
Antonio MURDACA [A]	AUS	77	73	77	77	304
Prom MEESAWAT	THA	72	78	80	74	304	1750
Boonchu RUANGKIT	THA	73	78	80	73	304	1750
Quincy QUEK	SIN	74	75	80	76	305	1600
MO Joong-kyung	KOR	73	75	85	76	309	1500