BANGKOK, August 12 - Englishman Chris Wood scored the first win of his professional career on Sunday with a two-shot victory in a rain-interrupted U.S. $1 million Thailand Open, breaking the hearts of home fans seeking a first Thai champion in eight years.
The 24-year-old European Tour regular - competing in a OneAsia Tour event for the first time - fired rounds of 67, 64, 67 and 67 for a 23-under par total of 265, although preferred lies were allowed because of soggy conditions at the 6,471 meter (7,077 yard) Suwan Golf & Country Club.
Hard-charging Thais Arnond Vongvanij (65) and Wisut Artjanawat (67) battled to catch the strapping 1.96-metre (6 ft 5 inch) Wood, but had to settle for a share of third place with Korean Lee Dong-hwan (67).
Alone in second was Jang Dong-kyu, also of Korea, who completed the first nine holes in just 29 shots en-route to a closing 63 and the best result of his career.
"It is brilliant – I am really, really pleased," Wood said, after what appeared to be a victory march from the 17th was interrupted by a rain delay of over an hour.
"It is hard winning. I always felt that once I got one win it would give me the confidence to go on and win more, so hopefully I can take this confidence back to the remainder of the tournaments I have got for the season."
At four under, the cut was the lowest in OneAsia's history - reflecting the strength of a field that was also bolstered by the presence of 20 Japan Tour players as part of a growing relationship between the circuits.
OneAsia has provided two maiden victories this year, after Australian Nick Cullen won the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open.
Thailand Open defending champion Andre Stolz of Australia, who went on the win the OneAsia Order of Merit title last year, finished at eleven under after closing with a 67, his best round of the week.
Indonesia's Rory Hie, who with rounds of 71-68-67 was just 8 shots behind the leader after round 3, slipped back on the last day. Even though he had 3 birdies, with 3 bogeys and 2 double bogeys his round of 76 meant he dropped to a joint 65 position with a total score of 282.
The day belonged to Wood, however, who plans a break with his family to celebrate the win.
"I am going home for a week, a bit of rest, share it with my family and then onto Gleneagles in Scotland for a tournament," he said.
Leading score:
265 - Chris Wood 67-64-67-67 (ENG)
267 - Dong-kyu Jang 68-69-67-63 (KOR)
268 - Arnond Vongvanij (THA) 67-67-69-65, Wisur Artjanawat (THA) 66-64-71-67, Dong-hwan Lee (KOR) 67-67-67-67
270 - Mark Brown 70-65-70-65
271 - Yasunori Yoshida (JAP) 64-72-70-65
Selected scores:
282 - Rory Hie (INA) 71-68-67-76
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