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Order of merit battle set to resume at Bangkok Airways Open

Thai stars Thaworn Wiratchant and Thongchai Jaidee will renew their battle for the Asian Tour Order of Merit supremacy on home soil this week.

The leading duo will headline the US$200,000 Bangkok Airway Open at Santiburi Samui Country Club on Samui resort island, along with several other local stars and this season's Asian Tour winners.

Thaworn, who failed in his bid to gain a World Cup ticket with compatriot Prayad Marksaeng in Malaysia last weekend, currently leads the race to become Asia's number one by over US$50,000 from Thongchai, last year's top player.

Thaworn has already earned US$397,759 which is already a new record for earnings in a single season. He won the Standard Chartered Indonesia Open in March and Taiwan Open last month.

The Bangkok Airways Open, which is making its debut on the Asian Tour after being a Thai Tour event last year, will also see Thongchai back in the fray after his last appearance in Asia, which was a third place finish at the Singapore Open in early September.

Former paratrooper Thongchai will have to battle jetlag as he played in the World Golf Championships American Express Championship in San Francisco which concluded on Sunday. He finished 60th in the 71-man elite field.

Chinese Taipei's Lu Wei-chih is amongst this year's winners who will aim to spoil the Thai party this week. Lu broke through for his maiden Asian Tour title last month at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and will be hoping to extend his rich vein of form.

The smooth-swinging Prayad will also be looking to please the home crowd after securing the Crowne Plaza Open, Beijing title two weeks ago which ended his five year winless run.

Chinese Taipei's Chang Tse-peng and Singapore's Lam Chih Bing will be looking to translate last week's good form in the World Cup Qualifier where they earned places in the World Cup.

Chang partnered Wang Ter-chang while Lam teamed up with Mardan Mamat as Singapore and Chinese Taipei finished as joint winners in Kuala Lumpur, one stroke ahead of Thailand.

Lam is presently ranked a lowly 149th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and needs to produce some strong performances if he hopes to earn his full card for the 2006 season, while Chang is ranked 113th.

Thailand's overseas stars, Chawalit Plaphol and Thammanoon Srirot, who both play most of the golf in Japan, will also be back looking for glory at the Bangkok Airways Open.

October 10, 2005