GolfPlus July 2018 Digital Edition (July 2018) | Page 18

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Panuphol claims special win
anuphol Pittayarat of Thailand claimed
a special victory at the Thailand Open
after closing with an even-par 70 at the
US$300,000 Asian Tour event. The
bubbly Thai became the ¿ fth local player to lift
the prestigious Thailand
Open trophy after holding
“This means
off the strong challenge
everything to me. This
from countryman Poom
is my national trophy,
Saksansin at the Thai
my home course and
Country
Club.
The
this is where I practice.
25-year-old
Panuphol
I’m very, very happy.
battled nerves heading
I felt a bit of nerves
into the ¿ nal six holes
coming down the
where he bogeyed 13 and
stretch but I kept it cool
18, and almost found the
and patient. I tried not
water hazard with his
to let the nerves affect
third shot on the par-¿ ve
my thinking, my game
17th hole. He held on to
or feeling. I think I kept
victory after signing for
things under control
a 13-under-par 267 total.
pretty well.”
The baby-faced Poom,
who represented Asia at
the EurAsia Cup earlier
this year, overtook the lead early in the round but
struggled to maintain his title charge following
bogeys on 10 and 12. He ended his campaign
on a 70 to settle for second place, one shot back
of the champion Panuphol while 20-year-old
Sarit Suwannarut enjoyed his best result on
the Asian Tour after securing third place. The
victory was especially sweet for Panuphol as
he won the revered Thailand Open trophy on
his home course. The victory also marked a
return to form for the Thai who came into the
tournament following four straight missed cuts.
The win brings Panuphol to an early lead in the
2018/2019 Panasonic Swing race.
Did you know?
Panuphol is the fifth Thai player to win his National Open since
1965. This is the second time in the tournament’s history that
the Thailand Open has welcomed back-to-back Thai champions
since 1991 (Suthep Meesawat) and 1992 (Boonchu Ruangkit).
This is Panuphol’s second Asian Tour title. He won last year’s
Indonesia Open in October. His second victory comes after
playing in 11 Asian Tour events.
He wobbled early in the round when he bogeyed the sixth
hole to relinquish his overnight lead but recovered nicely with
a pair of birdies on holes eight and nine. He said those birdies
boosted his confidence.
He earned 14 Official World Golf Ranking points with the
win and moved the 12th place on the Habitat for Humanity
Standings after earning US$54,000 for the victory.
He is also the second Thai player to win on the Asian Tour in
2018 after Kiradech Aphibarnrat’s victory at the ISPS HANDA
World Super 6 Perth in February.
24 G o l f P l u s
JULY
2018
Jason’s family
Jason with his caddie
Panuphol is playing in his eighth season on the Asian Tour. He
came close to winning many times before winning his first title
last year. He said the victory ‘helped him learn how to win a
tournament’.
Poom continued to struggle with his driver. He has changed
six drivers this year and admits that he has no confidence
when pulling out the big stick.
He enjoyed a hot putting streak after holing eight consecutive
one putts from the first hole. He ended the day with 25 putts
which matched his total putts in round one and round two.
Poom has never won an event where he trailed heading into
the last round. His last two Asian Tour victories came when he
held the lead in the penultimate round.
The hole-in-one prize of 10,000 Dragon Coins went unclaimed
as no players aced the 16th hole at the Thai Country Club.
Dragon, the world’s entertainment token which offers the
best digital payment solutions, will enter its first foray into golf
sponsorship at the Thailand Open.