Khon Kaen, Thailand, February 17 - Veteran Thai Prayad Marksaeng drew on his long years of experience as a professional to seal victory in the US$100,000 Singha Esan Open at the fifth playoff hole on Sunday.
The 47 year old saw off challenges from countrymen Thanyakon Khrongpha, a two-time winner on the ASEAN PGA Tour, and Sattaya Supupramai and Thailand-based Korean Baek Seuk-hyun after the quartet finished regulation play tied on 14-under 274 at Singha Park Golf Club.
Prayad, co-overnight leader with Antonio Lascuna of the Philippines, endured a difficult day but his even-par 72 proved good enough to get him into sudden death after Sattaya blew his chances of outright victory by bogeying the final two holes. Lascuna slumped to a 74 and finished joint sixth.
Prayad birdied the fifth hole of the playoff - the par-five 578-yard 18th - to edge Thanyakon after Sattaya and Baek were eliminated at the first and third playoff holes respectively.
“I am exhausted but happy,” said Prayad, who has won six events on the Asian Tour and three in Japan.
“My chipping was bad all day and I suffered a bit of bad luck - I hit it into the water at the sixth when a swarm of insects distracted me.
“Even though Sattaya was two ahead going into the closing stretch, I never lost hope.”
Prayad, who beat fellow veteran Boonchu Raungkit in a playoff to win the 2007 Singha Esan Open, added that he should have won at the first hole of sudden death.
“I missed a four-foot putt at the first playoff hole,” said Prayad, after picking up the winner’s cheque for US$14,570. “It was a straight putt but the face opened at impact.
“At the end of the day I think my experience told.”
Thanyakon, who closed the gap on Prayad with a closing round of 69 including a birdie at the 18th, said that he had learned a lot from playing with the seasoned campaigner.
“I am not that disappointed - I gained a lot of experience playing with Prayad which will help me in the future,” he said.
There was gripping drama at the 18th hole in regulation with Sattaya, Prayad and Baek all missing opportunities to win outright.
Sattaya, who dropped a shot at the 17th after hitting his tee shot through the green to see his advantage reduced to a single shot, found a watery grave with his approach to the 18th and bogeyed for a round of 69.
“There was mud on the ball (on the last hole),” said the 29 year old. “I aimed left but it was not enough. I am disappointed although I don’t want to think too many negative thoughts as there is a lot of golf to play this year.”
His bogey left Prayad needing a birdie to win in 72 holes but he hit his approach putt off the green and his return effort from 20 feet shaved the hole.
Earlier, Baek, who had three birdies on the trot from the 15th, missed a five-foot birdie putt at the last that would have taken him to 15 under. He closed with a 67.
The expected shoot-out between golden oldies Prayad and Lascuna failed to materialise with the Filipino making a nightmare start with bogeys at the opening two holes.
Prayad opened up a three-stroke advantage over Lascuna after just two holes when he birdied the second and his rival dropped shots at the first and second.
He extended his lead with a birdie at the fifth hole but gave the stroke back with a bogey at the next.
At the turn, Prayad was two strokes ahead of Sattaya who had back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh holes to go out in 34.
Sattaya, a journeyman pro who won back his Asian Tour card at qualifying school last month, birdied the 11th to draw level with his countryman and found himself in a share of the lead when Prayad dropped a stroke at the 233-yard par-three 13th.
Back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th saw Sattaya, playing in the group ahead of Prayad, take a two-shot lead over his more experienced countryman to set up a dramatic final few holes.
A final round of 71 meant that Indonesia's top player Rory Hie finished in the top 25, a remarkable turnaround after being in 97th place after the first round. His total of 284 put him in a 4-way tie for 23rd, earning him THB 31,725 (about USD 1,050).
The next event on the ASEAN PGA Tour will be the Singha Pattaya Open at Burapha Golf Club from April 18-21. It will be co-sanctioned by the All Thailand Golf Tour.
Leading scores after the final round of the Singha Esan Open on Sunday (Thai unless stated)
274 - Prayad Marksaeng 66-70-66-72 (won at fifth play-off hole), Baek Seuk-hyun (KOR) 68-73-66-67, Sattaya Supupramai 69-66-70-69, Thanyakon Khrongpha 71-65-69-69
275 - Wisut Artjanawat 72-69-68-66
276 - Thammanoon Sriroj 66-72-71-67, Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 66-66-70-74
277 - Charles Hong (PHI) 70-70-69-68, Mars Pucay (PHI) 65-70-71-71
278 -Pawin Ingkhapradit 68-70-71-69, Kittiroj Chantharothai 65-72-71-70, Panuphol Pittayarat 66-72-69-71, Pipatpong Naewsuk 71-69-66-72
Selected
284 - Rory Hie (INA) 75-68-70-71
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