Luang Prabang, Laos, April 27 - Explosive young Thai player Namchok Tantipokhakul completed an impressive wire-to-wire victory in the Luang Prabang Laos Open today.The 25-year-old held off his more senior compatriot Udorn Duangdecha and Ratchapol Juntavara to win by four shots at Luang Prabang Golf Club.
Namchok closed with a two-under-par 70, Udorn carded a 73, while Ratchapol returned 69.
The US$100,000 tournament is the third leg of the 2013 ASEAN PGA Tour.
Thailand’s Kwanchai Tannin, winner of last week’s Singha Pattaya Open, finished in fourth place five shots off the lead following a 68.
Namchok ended with a four-round total of nine under, some way short of Thai star Thaworn Wiratchant who won last year’s inaugural Luang Prabang Laos Open by eight shots on 21 under.
However, Namchok was a picture of patience as he focused on his golf and blinkered himself from the imposing Mekong River that runs by the course, the beauty of nearby Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the glare of Udorn’s psychedelic Loudmouth golf pants.
Powerfully built Namchok was one shot ahead of Udorn at start of day. However, he bogeyed his first two holes to lose the lead but by the turn, helped by four birdies in five holes, he was three ahead of Udorn.
A birdie at 15 saw him go four ahead and give him a nice cushion to close out the tournament.
“It means a lot to me to win a tournament from start to finish. It is not easy, it’s very hard work. Four days of tension and concentration,” said Namchok, who won US$16,260.
Namchok burst onto the professional in 2009 when he won twice on the ASEAN PGA Tour and claimed the Order of Merit title.
In attempt to improve his game, in particular the mental part of it, the following year he was among a group of Thai players who immersed themselves in Buddhism during a visit to an institute in India.
He entered the monkhood for eight days at The Bodhigaya Vijjalaya Institute 980 in the area where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment.
The spiritual sojourn appeared to work as that year he came narrowly close to recording big victories after finishing joint second in the Thailand Open on OneAsia and losing in play-off at the Black Mountain Masters. He also lost in a play-off at the Mercedes-Benz Masters Indonesia, another ASEAN PGA event.
However, more success has been hard to come by since then but conquering Laos could mark another trail of trophies.
Udorn, aged 42, was also chasing his third ASEAN PGA victory but had a poor day making two bogeys and just one birdie.
Ratchapol birdied 17 and 18 to catch him.
“I could not find my timing today. Nothing went right but it was important to be in contention. Namchok is always hard to beat,” said Udorn.
Udorn is something of a late developer in the game as it wasn’t until 2010, 10 years after he turned professional, that he started to find his feet in the paid ranks.
That year he won the Singha Pattaya Open on the ASEAN PGA Tour and the King’s Cup on the Asian Tour.
The following season he claimed another ASEAN PGA title at the Singha Esan Open.
Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat, who has won a record four ASEAN PGA trophies, claimed sole possession of fifth after firing 74.
A final round 75 for Indonesian Adi Bramantyo saw him finish at a share of 38th place overall and second best amateur in the field. With this result it is almost certain we will hear a lot more from him in the future.
The next tournament on the ASEAN PGA Tour is the PGM-ASEAN A’Famosa Masters in Malaysia. The US$60,000 event will be played from May 8 to 11 at the A’Famosa Golf Resort.
A record 12 tournaments are being staged this year worth US$1,095,000, providing an abundance of lucrative playing opportunities.
Leading final round scores (Par 72, Thai unless stated):
279 - Namchok Tantipokhakul 68 71 70 70
283 - Ratchapol Juntavara 72 72 70 69, Udorn Duangdecha 69 71 70 73
284 - Kwanchai Tannin 73 72 71 68
288 - Wisut Artjanawat 73 69 72 74
289 - Varut Chomchalam 73 71 71 74
290 - Sutijet Kooratanapisan 68 76 73 73
291 - Pavit Tangkamolprasert 71 78 72 70
292 - Khor Kheng Hwai (MAS) 71 70 74 77
Selected:
305 - Adi Barmantyo (INA) 76 81 73 75
No comments:
Post a Comment