ON THE ASIAN TO UR
THONGCHAI CONTINUES TO GIVE BACK WITH
THONGCHAI JAIDEE FOUNDATION 2019
he Thongchai Jaidee Foundation 2019
will return to the Asian Development
Tour (ADT) for its fourth edition
from February 14 to 17 at the 13th Military
Circle Golf Course. Thai legend Thongchai
Jaidee will assume responsibility of being
a tournament host at the B4,000,000
(approximately US$123,000) event staged
in his hometown of Lopburi where he grew
up playing golf on the Military Circle Golf
Course. Jointly sanctioned by the ADT
and the All Thailand Golf Tour, the event
was ¿ rst inaugurated by Thongchai in
2015 with the intention of providing more
playing opportunities for the region’s rising
stars as well as to draw attention to his
charitable foundation. Countryman Kiradech
Aphibarnrat, currently ranked 38th in the
world, ¿ rst lifted the prestigious trophy in
2015. Compatriot Chapchai Nirat, a four-
time Asian Tour winner, staged a sensational
comeback the following year, where he
overcame a four-shot de¿ cit to win by six
shots. Thongchai, a three-time Asian Tour
number one and an eight-time winner on the
European Tour, expressed his excitement
for the return of the event which he hopes
will continue to unearth new talents from
Thailand. “I formed the Thongchai Jaidee
Foundation in 2009 to give access to the
game of golf to the underprivileged. I have
achieved so much in my career and I just want to give back to the gol¿ ng community
that shaped my career. Mr. Methee Sudasna
Na Ayudhaya, President of the Thailand
Professional Golf Association, also showed
his full support for the event: “I am glad
to have the return of the Thongchai Jaidee
Foundation 2019 on the ADT that will
provide more playing opportunities for Thai
and international golfers.” Asian Tour Chief
Operating Of¿ cer Cho Minn Thant said: “We
look forward to stage another successful
edition of the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation
2019 with the support of Thongchai and
his foundation, to provide a platform for
aspiring professionals to compete against the
best. “On behalf of the ADT and our players,
we would like to thank the All Thailand Golf
Tour and the Jaidee Foundation for their
unwavering support towards developing the
game across the region,” added Cho.
A total of 156 players will feature in the
popular showpiece with 36 invites and the
remaining ¿ eld split between the ADT and
the All Thailand Golf Tour.
The leading seven players on the ADT
Order of Merit at the end of the season will
earn playing rights on the premier Asian
Tour for the 2020 season. All ADT events
offer Of¿ cial World Golf Ranking (OWGR)
points. The winner will receive six OWGR
points while the top six players and ties will
also earn points based on a sliding scale.
24 G o l f P l u s 2019
FEBRUARY
ITTHIPAT BACK TO WINNING
WAYS AT THE BOONCHU
RUANGKIT CHAMPIONSHIP
hailand’s
Itthipat
Burantanyarat
rediscovered his winning form when
he fired a seven-under-par 64 to win
by two shots in the final round of
the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship on
27th January. The 25-year-old Thai broke
his three-year title drought on the Asian
Development Tour (ADT) by staying focused
on a pressure-filled final day to clinch the
B4 million (approximately US$121,700)
event with his winning total of 26-under-
par 258. Itthipat will take home a winner’s
prize purse of US$21,862.98 and receive 10
Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points
following his victory at the fifth edition of
the event hosted by Thai legend Boonchu
Ruangkit. American Johannes Veerman
made a final charge with a 63, to share
second place on a 260 total with England’s
Steve Lewton, who ended his campaign
with a 66 at the Rancho Charnvee Resort
and Country Club. “On hole 11 I hit it in the
water and made bogey which made me a
little nervous with everyone catching up.
But I was still able to control my
emotions and rely on my short game. The
Thai, who successfully made the mark at
the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January,
is thrilled to find his groove so early on in
the season and hopes that it will provide a
timely boost as he aims to win his maiden
victory on region’s premier Tour. “I am very
happy to be finally back to winning on the
ADT. Winning on home course and in a
tournament under Boonchu’s name. I have
wanted to win this tournament so bad and
I finally did it.
“My game wasn’t that good and I was
struggling for a bit the last couple of years.
But now I am just confident in my game and
it gives me confidence to win on the Asian
Tour,” added Itthipat. Veerman, the 2016
ADT Order of Merit winner, took pride in
his performance at the ADT season-opener
where he marked his card with one eagle,
seven birdies and a bogey.
“It was a great day today. I knew I had
to put pressure on those guys, they’re great
players and the course is scorable, so to
come out strong was great. “It’s nice that
my last tournament of the year last season
on the Asian Tour ended well, and I was
able to carry that form into this year. I’m
not putting any expectations on myself
but it encourages me because my game is
where I want it to be,” said the 26-year-old
American. The leading seven players on the
ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season
will earn playing rights on the premier Asian
Tour for the 2020 season.