VOLVO MASTERS OF ASIA IN THAILAND

BARRY HUME COLLECTS
$7,278 FOR JOINT
22nd PLACE FINISH

Barry Hume from Glasgow finished joint 22nd in a field of 62 for the Volvo Masters of Asia, the final event of the 2006 Asian Tour.
Hume, pictured right, had a final round of 74 for a two-over-par total of 290 at Thai Country Club, Bangkok in Thailand.
Barry's financial reward was US $7,278.
Top Scot was Simon Yates, a long-time Glasgow exile, who finished joint 19th on 289 and received $8,176.
Iain Steel, the Malaysian Scot who was in contention with one round to go, "blew up" for a closing round of 80 and finished joint 16th on 287.
Winner of the title and the first cash prize of $104,000 was Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee. He survived a nervy double-bogey finish to end a frustrating 22-month winless run.
The two-time Asian Tour number one, the first double winner of the Volvo Masters of Asia after his triumph in 2003, carded a final round 72 for a one-stroke victory over Filipino legend Frankie Minoza.
Minoza tied for the lead briefly at the halfway stage of an enthralling final day shoot-out before settling for a 70.
Thongchai's popular home triumph extended his impressive streak of winning a title every year since 2000. But he did it the hard way. With a three-shot cushion going into the last hole, the former paratrooper made a jittery finish, driving into thick rough on 18, finding a bunker before getting to the green side in four.
Two putts later, however, Thongchai, who totalled 11-under-par 277 for the week, was able to celebrate a first title of 2006.
"I feel very happy, I was very lucky this week," said Thongchai, whose victory moved him to second place on the final UBS Order of Merit with earnings of US$ 444,736.
Taking a two-shot lead into the final round, Thongchai, whose last victory in Asia was at the 2005 Malaysian Open, started superbly with three birdies over his opening four holes before making uncharacteristic errors by dropping three shots on the fifth and sixth holes.
He was caught by Thaworn and Minoza at the turn where the trio were tied on 11-under-par but Thongchai stepped up a gear by rattling home a 20ft birdie putt at the 11th to regain the lead. Another 8ft birdie conversion on the 14th established a three-shot advantage as his rivals stumbled down the stretch.
He pushed his drive at the 18th into deep rough. His recovery ended in a bunker. His third shot went back into the rough and it took him four strokes to reach the putting surface.
He two-putted for a double bogey 6 and a one-shot victory.
India's Jeev Milkha Singh wrapped up a marathon season by ending his 40th tournament of the year in tied sixth place on 282 after signing for a 72. With four titles around the globe in what has been a dream year in which he was crowned the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit champion, the Indian star is now looking forward to a well deserved break.
"My holiday starts now," smiled Singh, who accumulated a record US $591,884 on the Asian Tour. "I'm happy. The way I ended up today, I didn't shoot over par. I didn't hit the ball well the whole week. It's been a long season. It's been a dream year. I hope starting next year, things will get better but it'll be tough to repeat what I did this year.
FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
Players from Thailand unless stated.
277 - Thongchai Jaidee 68-68-69-72.
278 - Frankie Minoza (Phi) 76-64-68-70.
279 - Charlie Wi (Kor) 71-69-70-69.
280 - Thaworn Wiratchant 72-65-70-73.
281 - Prom Meesawat 68-70-72-71.
282 - Chawalit Plaphol 69-70-73-70, Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) 72-66-72-72, Edward Loar (US) 71-68-71-72, David Bransdon (Aus) 76-65-69-72.
283 - Andrew Buckle (Aus) 71-70-71-71, S.S.P. Chowrasia (Ind) 70-70-71-72, Prayad Marksaeng 67-72-68-76.
285 - Anthony Kang (US) 76-64-73-72, Brad Kennedy (Aus) 71-70-69-75.
286 - Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 72-69-73-72.
287 - Liang Wen-chong (China) 74-70-73-70, Iain Steel (Mas) 69-72-66-80.
288 - Thammanoon Srirot 71-74-70-73.
289 - Chris Rodgers (Eng) 69-73-74-73, Simon Yates (Sco) 72-71-72-74, Angelo Que (Phi) 72-71-70-76
290 - Rick Gibson (Can)72-75-71-72, Barry Hume (Sco) 74-71-71-74, Lee Sung (Kor) 69-70-74-77, Gary Rusnak (US) 71-72-71-76, Lin Keng-chi (Tpe) 68-73-71-78, Terry Pilkadaris (Aus) 68-75-69-78
291 - Jarrod Lyle (Aus) 73-73-75-70, Chinarat Phadungsil 71-70-78-72, Wang Ter-chang (Tpe) 69-73-76-73, Adam Groom (Aus) 69-75-74-73, Kane Webber (Aus) 77-68-72-74, Jason Knutzon (US) 71-70-74-76, Unho Park (Aus) 70-70-74-77, Yasin Ali (Eng) 72-69-71-79.
Other total:
302 Simon Hurd (Eng) 74 73 78 77.