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Looking back: Thongchai the toast in Kuala Lumpur

The Asian Tour heads to Kuala Lumpur from February 17-20 for the staging of the US$1.21 million Carlsberg Malaysian Open at Saujana Golf and Country Club.

Last year, Thai star Thongchai Jaidee stormed to a two-stroke victory from Australian Brad Kennedy at the same venue to become the first Thai to win a joint-sanctioned event with the European Tour.

His remarkable feat was helped by an heroic hole-in-one on the 16th hole during the final round en route to a closing 68 and a four-day-total of 14-under-par 274. asiantour.com looks back at last year's championship.

An heroic hole-in-one by Thongchai Jaidee helped him win the US$1.21 million Carlsberg Malaysian Open at Saujana Golf and Country Club last year.

The 34-year-old, spurred on by an ace on the par-three 16th, became the first golfer from Thailand to win on The European Tour after beating Australian Brad Kennedy by two strokes.

Thongchai fired a four-under-par 68 for a four-round total of 14-under-par 274, in an event joint-sanctioned with Asia. Thongchai claimed the Myanmar Open in the previous week and has now won six times in Asia. He became the seventh Asian player to win on The European Tour.

Kennedy, who finished equal second in the 2003 Carlsberg Malaysian Open, closed with a 67. He had to hole 25-foot birdie putt on the par-five 18th to tie Thongchai but his putt just slipped past and he then missed the return.

Thongchai won US$201,660, for the biggest pay day of his career, while Kennedy earned US$134,440.

"It was the breakthrough result I was looking for. Finally I have won a big one ... a joint-sanctioned tournament," said Thongchai, who earned a three-year exemption to play in Europe.

Bad weather during the third round meant the whole field had to finish their rounds on Sunday morning. Thongchai shot a 64 to finish two strokes behind leader Lee Sung-man from Korea. Deaf golfer Lee led on 12 under for the tournament but fell back in the final round with a 77.

In order to ensure 72 holes could be completed the players remained in the third round pairings for the final round. It meant that Thongchai was playing well ahead of the final groups.

He struggled on the front side going out in two over before a brilliant back nine.

"I was able to change gear on the back nine," said Thongchai, who birdied 10, 13, 15, and 18. He chipped in for birdie on 13 and holed a four footer on the last for a back nine of six-under-par 30.

However his wonder shot on the 16th overshadowed everything else. He hit a six iron on the 188-yard hole for the second hole in one of his professional career.

"I hit the shot with a bit of draw. You can't see the green from the tee and I was just trying to get it on the green," said Thongchai, whose ball landed 15 feet from the pin and bounced three times before dropping into the cup.

Thongchai moved to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit that week and went into fourth place on the Volvo Order of Merit - all a far cry from the days when he served as a paratrooper in the Thai military.

"I tried to maintain my emotions. I was very nervous over the last putt," added the Thai.

Kennedy had four holes left to play when Thongchai finished his round. He'd birdied 14 to go to 13 under but was unable to hole the putts on his way into the clubhouse.

"I shot 33 on the front nine which got me going. Then birdied 11, 12 and 14 and that gave me an opportunity. I thought a couple of guys ahead of me would be pushing ahead but asked my caddie on the last what we needed to do. Knew we needed to make four. I gave it my best but came up a little short," said Kennedy.

Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol and Prayad Marksaeng and Frenchman Thomas Levet finished on 10 under. They shot rounds of 73, 70 and 70 respectively.

Ireland's Paul McGinley carded a 70 and finished on six under while Scotland's Colin Montgomerie was a stroke further back after closing with a 72.

Final round top-20:
274 - Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 71-71-64-68
276 - Brad Kennedy (AUS) 69-70-70-67
278 - Chawalit Plaphol (THA) 68-72-65-73, Prayad Marksaeng (THA) 70-69-69-70
Thomas Levet (FRA) 69-70-69-70
280 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (ESP) 70-72-67-71, Andrew Marshall (ENG)
71-69-68-72
281 - Klas Eriksson (SWE) 68-74-70-69, David Dixon (ENG) 70-73-69-69, Lee
Sung-Man (KOR) 69-68-67-77, Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 70-67-72-72
282 - Jason Knutzon (USA) 71-69-68-74, Lin Wen-Tang (TPE) 70-75-67-70
Paul Mcginley (IRE) 68-70-74-70, Mikko Ilonen (FIN) 68-68-75-71
283 - Jose-Manuel Carriles (ESP) 72-70-71-70, Yang Yong-Eun (KOR)
71-70-75-67
Richard Mcevoy (ENG) 70-73-69-71, Marcus Fraser (AUS) 69-72-67-75, Stephen
Dodd (WAL) 68-73-75-67, Martin Maritz (RSA) 66-74-72-71, John Bickerton
(ENG) 70-75-71-67
Robert Karlsson (SWE) 68-71-73-71, Colin Montgomerie (SCO) 73-66-72-72, Greg
Hanrahan (USA) 68-70-74-71
284 - Wade Ormsby (AUS) 73-70-69-72, Johan Edfors (SWE) 74-69-69-72, Martin
Erlandsson (SWE) 68-74-71-71, Jyoti Randhawa (IND) 72-71-70-71, Marcus Both
(AUS) 74-69-70-71

February 12, 2005