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Rookie Park to take on Thais in Samui

Korea’s latest rising star Park Jun-won will be up against the Thai top guns as he competes at the US$300,000 Bangkok Airways Open on June 8-11.

The rookie 19-year-old took a big leap on the Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit after finishing runner-up at the Philippine Open on Sunday, his best result since turning professional in January.

But it will not be a walk in the park at the Santiburi Samui Country Club as the teenager will be teeing off against Thai sensations Thaworn Wiratchant, who was last season’s Order of Merit winner, and Thongchai Jaidee, the two-time Asian Tour number one.

“I attended the Qualifying School in January and finished sixth and hopefully I can build on this (Philippine Open) performance. I'm looking forward to playing at the next event at the Bangkok Airways Open in Thailand,” said Park, who is ranked 57th on the UBS Order of Merit.

Thongchai, 36, and Thaworn, who won a record four titles on the Asian Tour last season, will be in high spirits competing in front of their home fans. Their previous outing on the Asian Tour was at the BMW Asian Open in April.

Local youngster Chinarat Phadungsil will also be tipped to track alongside the front runners next week as he finished in the top-10 in his last two events on the Asian Tour. Chinarat was ninth at the SK Telecom Open and claimed seventh place in the Macau Open last month. The 17-year-old had made a career breakthrough when he lifted his maiden Asian Tour title at the Double A International Open in November last year in Thailand.

Prom Meesawat expressed his delight to compete on home soil as he lifted his first ever Asian Tour title at the SK Telecom Open last month. The burly Thai conquered the game at the amateur level when he won three consecutive titles in the Thailand Amateur Open from 2001-2003.

Besides the strong line of Thai golfers, the Bangkok Airways Open will mark the return of defending champion Lu Wen-teh who ended a seven-year winless run through his triumph last year. The Chinese Taipei veteran tackled the demanding course and inclement weather to defeat Thai talent Thammanoon Srirot in the play off. Thammanoon will also be present alongside compatriot Prayad Marksaeng who is ranked seventh on the UBS Order of Merit.

Australia’s Terry Pilkadaris, who was last year’s Brunei Open winner, together with Chinese ace Zhang Liang-wei will also step foot in Koh Samui in search for success.

The Bangkok Airways Open was a domestic event on the Thai circuit in 2004 before main sponsors, Bangkok Airways, decided to upgrade it into an Asian Tour event last year. The success of the 2005 tournament was reflected through the increase in total prize money which was raised by US$100,000 this year.

June 1, 2006