Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee was in a class of his own as he cruised to an unprecedented 13th Asian Tour title at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open yesterday.
The untouchable three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner posted a final-round seven--under-par 65 to win the US$300,000 event in Siem Reap by four shots with a four-day total of 267.
Japan’s Kenichi Kuboya, who had held the lead for three rounds, had to settle for a disappointing second place after signing off with a 70 for a 271 total at the Phokeethra Country Club.
There was little to choose between him and Kuboya until the Japanese made a costly mess at the par-three 14th with a double bogey, giving Thongchai a three-shot lead.
Thongchai stormed home convincingly with three birdies in his last three holes to secure his first win this season and a record 13th career title on the Asian Tour.
“If I continue my good form, there is a good chance of winning again next week,” said Thongchai of his title aspirations at this week’s Black Mountain Masters in Hua Hin in his homeland, the Asian Tour’s season finale.
South Korea’s Kim Hyung-sung returned with a 72 to take third place on 273, while India’s Anirban Lahiri and Guido Van der Valk of the Netherlands took a share of fourth place on matching 274s.
Australia’s Marcus Both, together with Malaysia’s Iain Steel and Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng, took equal sixth on 275.
DUNHILL CHAMPIONSHIP
REUTERS, MALELANE, SOUTH AFRICA
Self-confessed wild man Pablo Martin treated the crowd to a spectacular exhibition of golf to surge within a stroke of the lead after the Alfred Dunhill Championship third round on Saturday.
The title holder from Spain picked up two eagle threes, but was lucky to avoid the water at the par-five 18th as he carded a four-under-par 68 for a nine-under total of 207, one stroke behind overnight leader Anthony Michael (71) of South Africa.
Also on 207 at Leopard Creek Country Club was South African Dawie Van der Walt (70), while lurking menacingly three shots off the pace was home favorite Charl Schwartzel (69), who won two European Tour events last season.
Martin eagled the long 13th and 15th before reaching the final hole one shot off the lead.
He again tried to reach the green in two, but his three-wood effort bounced off the putting surface and rolled down a bank to finish perilously close to the water.
Martin then played a delicate chip shot and secured his par with two putts.
“I’m wild, I wasn’t raised properly, but if I can pull it off why not try the shot?” the Spaniard said.
Michael, 25, bogeyed two of the first three holes, but showed great composure to hang on to his lead.
Schwartzel again looks likely to feature in the final-round scramble for honors after winning the title in 2005 and finishing as runner-up three times.
Alex Haindl (72) was sharing fourth place with fellow South African Schwartzel on 209.
Michael, who has led since the first round in only his third European Tour event, said he was getting used to the heat.
AUSTRALIAN PGA
AP, COOLUM, AUSTRALIA
Heavy rain forced a suspension in play during the final round of the Australian PGA Championship yesterday, with Peter Senior holding a one-stroke lead after nine holes.
The course was hit by 50mm of rain overnight, and players were allowed to lift, clean and place their golf balls on the fairways.
Officials finally called off play after the greens became flooded and the fairways unplayable.
American Bobby Gates, the third-round leader by a stroke, bogeyed two holes in a row to fall out of the lead and was level in second with Australian Peter Fowler after nine holes.
Shohei Ohtani and his wife arrived in South Korea with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates yesterday ahead of their season-opening games with the San Diego Padres next week. Ohtani, wearing a black training suit and a cap backwards, was the first Dodgers player who showed up at the arrival gate of Incheon International Airport, west of Seoul. His wife, Mamiko Tanaka, walked several steps behind him. As a crowd of fans, many wearing Dodgers jerseys, shouted his name and cheered slogans, Ohtani briefly waved his hand, but did not say anything before he entered a limousine bus with his wife. Fans held placards
Taiwan’s Tai Tzu-ying yesterday advanced to the quarter-finals at the All England Open, beating Kim Ga-eun of South Korea 21-17, 21-15. With the win, Tai earned a semi-final against China’s He Bingjiao, who beat Michelle Li of Canada 21-9, 21-9. Defending champion An Se-young defeated India’s P.V. Sindhu 21-19, 21-11. An on Wednesday cruised into the second round, unlike last year’s men’s winner, Li Shifeng, who suffered a shock defeat. South Korea’s An, the world No. 1, overcame Taiwan’s Hsu Wen-chi 21-17, 21-16 to set up the match against Sindhu. In other women’s singles matches, Taiwan’s Sung Shuo-yun lost 21-18, 24-22 against Carolina Marin of
EYEING TOP SPOT: A victory in today’s final against Storm Hunter and Katerina Siniakova would return 38-year-old Hsieh Su-wei to the world No. 1 ranking Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Mertens on Thursday secured a spot in the women’s doubles finals at the BNP Paribas Open after dispatching Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez 6-2, 7-6 (7/5) at Indian Wells. Hsieh and her Belgian partner Mertens, who won the Australian Open in late January, coasted through the first set after breaking their opponents’ serve twice, but found the going tougher in the second. Both pairs could only muster one break point over 12 games, neither of which were converted, leaving the set to be decided by a tiebreaker. Hsieh and Mertens took a 6-3 lead,
DOUBLES PAYBACK: Hsieh Su-wei and Elise Martens avenged their defeat in the quarters at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open against Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei on Wednesday advanced to the semi-finals of the women’s doubles at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California. Hsieh and partner Elise Mertens of Belgium dispatched Demi Schuurs and Luisa Stefani 6-1, 6-4 to set up a clash against Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the US and Australia’s Ellen Perez for a spot in the final of the WTA 1000 tournament. Hsieh and Martens made a blistering start to their rematch after they lost to Schuurs and Stefani in the quarter-finals at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open last month, winning three games without reply at the start of the first set