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Thongchai has sights on Barclays Singapore Open

Former Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee will not be fazed by the presence of big guns Adam Scott, the defending champion, and Ernie Els as he tries to nab the biggest win of his outstanding career at the US$3 million Barclays Singapore Open.

The talented Thai has been honing his game on the competitive European Tour over the past two seasons and believes he is now ready to take on and beat the best players in the world.

“I know the big names are coming to the Barclays Singapore Open but I am not scared - it is no problem taking them on,” said Thongchai, who finished fifth in last year’s tournament. “You have to enjoy the experience (of playing with the world’s leading players). If you are scared you will lose everything, your swing will go.

“Of course, if I beat them and win the tournament it will be good for Asia. I can play against everybody, no problem. Asian players showed at the Royal Trophy (Asia/Japan versus Europe team match in January) that we can beat the top Europeans.”

Although Thongchai has been focusing on the European Tour this season he has not lost sight of the Asian Tour money race and knows that a high finish at Sentosa Golf Club from September 7-10 will put him right back in the running. Thongchai took compatriot Thaworn Wiratchant right to the wire in the merit list tussle last season before settling for second spot with winnings of US$454,335 from only 13 events - half the number played by Thaworn.

The former paratrooper is currently sixth on the UBS Order of Merit, more than US$200,000 behind leader Jeev Milkha Singh of India, but with a top prize of US$475,500 on offer at the Barclays Singapore Open the gap can be closed in a flash.

“Right now I am quite far behind in the Order of Merit but there is still time (to make up ground),” said Thongchai, who was Asia’s number one in 2001 and 2004 and has won seven times on the circuit. “It will be very difficult but I will keep trying. There are some big tournaments to come, especially Singapore which has huge prize money.

“I came very close last year and I will try again (to be number one) this year.”

Thongchai had a rollercoaster ride at Sentosa Golf Club last year with an excellent opening round of 67 and a third day 68 being negated by a 73 and closing 74. That experience has made him wise to the problems posed by the demanding par-71 Serapong course at Sentosa Golf Club.

“The course is very tough. If you go into the rough, you have no chance - you just have to chip out. But overall I like the course and last year I played well,” added Thongchai. The 36-year-old Thai believes that if his putting stroke clicks, he will be in contention for the Barclays Singapore Open title.

“My putting has not been that good for six months now. The pace of the greens, everything, is different in Europe,” said Thongchai, who came within one shot of recording a hat-trick of wins in the Malaysian Open earlier in the season and is currently ranked 40th on the European Tour.

“My drives, my iron play have been good but my putting has let me down. One round recently I hit 15 greens in regulation but had 33 putts. “I practice putting every day - I need to get that feel back.”

There would be no better place to do it than at the Barclays Singapore Open, which is being recognised throughout the world of golf as the ‘Major of Asia’.

The status of the tournament has been reinforced by the five-year sponsorship deal signed with Barclays, one of the world’s largest financial institutions with a big presence in Asia, and the huge increase of prize money from US$2 million to US$3 million.

Australian Scott, joint third in last week’s US PGA Championship the last Major of the season, will defend his title against a strong field which includes South Africa’s Els, currently world ranked seventh, a resurgent Lee Westwood of England who was runner up in 2005, Japanese number one Shingo Katayama and the region's finest led Thongchai, Singh and Thaworn.

August 29, 2006