Donaldson wins Thailand Championship and
heads qualiifers for 2016 Open
RandA NEWS RELEASE
Chonburi, Thailand: Welshman Jamie Donaldson led the qualifiers for The 145TH Open at Royal Troon by winning the Thailand Golf Championship today and was joined by England’s Lee Westwood, Clement Sordet of France and young Thai player Phachara Khongwatmai.
The final qualifying place was taken by home hope Khongwatmai, who dropped just one shot on his way to a final round six-under-par 66 to finish on 13-under-par for the Championship. The 16-year-old came through the Monday pre-qualifying event for the Thailand Golf Championship to finish in sixth place.
Sergio Garcia and Byeong-Hun An, who finished in a tie for fourth place on 14-under-par, are already exempt for The Open.
Key quotes:
Jamie Donaldson:
“It was important to come here and try and play well and contend and I did that and ended up winning. That’s what I came here to do. It’s awesome when it all comes off your way.
“Importantly this has enabled me to get into The Open. I needed to win to get into the top 50 so there was a lot to play for and hopefully it all comes to fruition next year.”
Lee Westwood:
“It’s great to get into The Open. It’s my favourite championship of the year. I have played in every one since 1995 so it’s nice to keep that run going.
“I’ve played at Royal Troon quite a few times and I finished fourth there one year. I like the golf course as it’s a traditional links, straight out, straight back. It’s got everything you want from a links course.”
Clement Sordet:
“I really didn’t expect to get into The Open. I was very lucky to get an invite to this tournament and I was really fortunate to play well enough to win this spot. I am really looking forward to playing at The Open.
“I’m going to enjoy it. I’m going to see all the best players in the world. Hopefully I will play well and make the cut but I’m just going to try and have fun.”
Phacara Khongwatmai:
“I am overwhelmed with happiness that I can be able to be included in The Open next year. I played with no expectations so I guess that was the key to playing well today.
heads qualiifers for 2016 Open
RandA NEWS RELEASE
Chonburi, Thailand: Welshman Jamie Donaldson led the qualifiers for The 145TH Open at Royal Troon by winning the Thailand Golf Championship today and was joined by England’s Lee Westwood, Clement Sordet of France and young Thai player Phachara Khongwatmai.
The
championship at Amata Spring Country Club was the second event in The
Open Qualifying Series with four places available in The Open at Royal
Troon from 14-17 July 2016.
Donaldson,
who has three wins on the European Tour and won the decisive match in
the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, sealed a three-shot victory in
Thailand with a seven-under-par closing round of 65 to finish on
21-under-par for the championship. The 40-year-old opened with three
consecutive birdies and, despite bogeys at the 9th and 16th holes,
picked up six further shots to secure the win and his sixth appearance
in The Open.
Westwood,
the former world number one and defending champion, posted a
five-under-par 67 to finish on 18-under-par for the championship.
The 42-year-old notched up five birdies without dropping a shot and will now make his 22nd consecutive appearance in golf’s oldest championship, where his best finish has been as runner-up to Louis Oosthuizen at St Andrews in 2010.
Sordet
closed with a two-under-par round of 70 to finish tied with Westwood on
18-under-par. The 23-year-old former Palmer Cup player mixed five
birdies and three bogeys on his way to securing his debut appearance in a
Major Championship. It caps a fine season for the Frenchman, who
secured his maiden victory as a professional in only his fourth attempt
at the Northern Ireland Open on the European Challenge Tour in August.The 42-year-old notched up five birdies without dropping a shot and will now make his 22nd consecutive appearance in golf’s oldest championship, where his best finish has been as runner-up to Louis Oosthuizen at St Andrews in 2010.
The final qualifying place was taken by home hope Khongwatmai, who dropped just one shot on his way to a final round six-under-par 66 to finish on 13-under-par for the Championship. The 16-year-old came through the Monday pre-qualifying event for the Thailand Golf Championship to finish in sixth place.
Sergio Garcia and Byeong-Hun An, who finished in a tie for fourth place on 14-under-par, are already exempt for The Open.
Key quotes:
Jamie Donaldson:
“It was important to come here and try and play well and contend and I did that and ended up winning. That’s what I came here to do. It’s awesome when it all comes off your way.
“Importantly this has enabled me to get into The Open. I needed to win to get into the top 50 so there was a lot to play for and hopefully it all comes to fruition next year.”
Lee Westwood:
“It’s great to get into The Open. It’s my favourite championship of the year. I have played in every one since 1995 so it’s nice to keep that run going.
“I’ve played at Royal Troon quite a few times and I finished fourth there one year. I like the golf course as it’s a traditional links, straight out, straight back. It’s got everything you want from a links course.”
Clement Sordet:
“I really didn’t expect to get into The Open. I was very lucky to get an invite to this tournament and I was really fortunate to play well enough to win this spot. I am really looking forward to playing at The Open.
“I’m going to enjoy it. I’m going to see all the best players in the world. Hopefully I will play well and make the cut but I’m just going to try and have fun.”
Phacara Khongwatmai:
“I am overwhelmed with happiness that I can be able to be included in The Open next year. I played with no expectations so I guess that was the key to playing well today.
“I
came through the Qualifier on Monday and I was already very happy to
get a chance to play with the top stars this week. I didn’t think so
much and I surprised even myself to finish so well.”
The Open Qualifying Series continues at the Joburg Open in South Africa from January 14 to 17, 2016.
DONALDSON WRAPS UP SEASON WITH WIN AT THAILAND GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
ASIAN TOUR NEWS RELEASE
Chonburi,
Thailand : Wales’ Jamie Donaldson wrapped up his season in
perfect style by closing with a seven-under-par 65 to win the Thailand
Golf Championship on Sunday.
Donaldson,
who has not tasted victory prior to his triumph at the Amata Spring
Country Club this year, ensured he would not end the year on a winless
note when he compiled a winning total of 21-under-par 267
to take home the Thailand Golf Championship trophy.
Clement
Sordet’s magical run at the Amata Spring Country Club ended with a
tied-second finish after the overnight French leader carded a 70 to
share the spoils with former world number one Lee Westwood of
England.
Korea’s
Byeonghun An, who will be making his debut at next month’s EurAsia Cup
in Malaysia, signed off with a 70 to take fourth place alongside Spain’s
Sergio Garcia on 274 total.
Donaldson
showed his resolve in regaining the lead he lost to Sordet on the third
day when he came out strongly with three straight birdies.
Playing
alongside Westwood and Sordet, the Welshman continued his charge with
further birdies on seven and eight before dropping a shot on nine to
turn in 32.
After
making another three birdies on 10, 12 and 15, Donaldson appeared to be
cruising towards the title until a bogey on 16 saw his three-shot lead
reduced to just one with both his playing partners
making birdies on the same hole.
“I
had a great birdie on 15 after hitting two very good shots before
sinking a 20-footer putt. I pushed my tee shot a little bit on the 16
and it went to the back left pin.
“The
two of them played some great shots and both of them birdied. My
comfortable three-shot lead was reduced to one after 16 and with 17 and
18 coming up, I just had to remain calm and keep hitting
good shots,” said Donaldson.
Donaldson
recovered brilliantly with another birdie on 17 and with Westwood and
Sordet making a par and bogey respectively on the closing 18, it was
left to the 40-year-old to drain an easy par
putt for victory.
“This
is certainly one of my best victories. There are a lot of good players
playing in the tournament this week. The field is very strong and to
beat these guys is great,” said Donaldson.
While
it was not the fairy tale ending that Sordet had hoped for, the
23-year-old was still elated with his finish at the Thailand Golf
Championship.
“I
really didn’t expect such a result this week. I was really fortunate to
get an invite as I was not supposed to play here and it’s great to
finish tied-second.
“My
caddie told me not to think too much about the score and just go and
enjoy my golf today. You could see lots of our smiling faces on the
course today,” said Sordet.
Meanwhile
Westwood is delighted to be heading back to the world’s oldest Major
next year courtesy of his tied-second finish at the Thai showpiece.
“It’s
great to be have made it into The Open. I’ve played every one since
1995 so it’s great to keep that run going. It’s been 21 years now and
I’ve not missed one, so I’m happy,” said Westwood.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72) Yardage 7,498
267 - Jamie DONALDSON (WAL) 63-68-71-65.
270 - Lee WESTWOOD (ENG) 71-68-64-67, Clement SORDET (FRA) 71-66-63-70.
274 - Sergio GARCIA (ESP) 66-69-70-69, Byeonghun AN (SKOR) 69-67-68-70.
275 - Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA) 68-71-70-66.
276 - S.S.P CHAWRASIA (IND) 72-69-68-67, Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 69-72-67-68, Martin KAYMER (GER) 68-65-72-71.
277 - Sunghoon KANG (SKOR) 70-68-70-69.
Selected scores
280 - Bubba WATSON (USA) 71-70-72-67
284 - Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 73-67-72-72
Labels: ASIAN TOUR
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