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Volvo drives Prayad to world no. 80

Thai sensation Prayad Marksaeng enjoyed a sensational end to the year when he won the Volvo Masters of Asia and rose to 80th place on the Official World Golf Ranking this week.

The 41-year-old Prayad produced a thrilling finish at the Thai Country Club for his first win this season and his sixth career victory in Asia as he was a spot below 79th ranked player Jeev Milkha Singh of India.

Prayad enjoyed a steady season chalking up six top-10 finishes before his season-ending triumph on Sunday. Among his strongest outings this year include the TCL Classic when he claimed tied third spot and his runner-up result at the Bangkok Airways Open in June.

India’s Jyoti Randhawa, who won the Hero Honda Indian Open in October, was in 88th position while China’s Liang Wen-chong, who was the newly crowned Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit winner, was in 89th place.

Korea’s Yang Yong-eun, who lifted the 2006 HSBC Champions title, was ranked 95th in the world with Thai sensation Thongchai Jaidee in 102nd position. The other Asian Tour players in the top-200 are Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wen-teh (141st), Simon Yates of Scotland (144th), Thai young guns Chapchai Nirat (151st) and Prom Meesawat (157th) and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang (167th).

Filipino veteran and recipient of the UBS Special Achievement Award Frankie Minoza was in (170th) place while Charlie Wi, the 2006 Maybank Malaysian Open winner, was in (183rd) followed by Filipino Juvic Pagunsan in 184th spot after his tied second place finish in Thailand on Sunday.

Korean star Choi Kyung-ju was the highest ranked Asian player in ninth place with Tiger Woods firmly on top as the world number one.

December 11, 2007