Chapchai looking for back-to-back wins

Thai young gun Chapchai Nirat will be hoping for lady luck to steer him to back-to-back triumphs when he tees off at the inaugural Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open on Thursday.

Although feeling the strain of playing in his eighth tournament over the last nine weeks, the 24-year-old Chapchai is determined to emulate his winning run at the Hana Bank Vietnam Masters last weekend and close the gap on Asian Tour’s UBS Order of Merit leader Liang Wen-chong.

“I was a bit lucky in Vietnam as some of my putts last week could have gone either way in the final round. Looking back, it was a great round and I hope that it will be the same here.

“There are a lot of birdie opportunities out there and I hope to take advantage, especially the par fives. My strategy is to find fairways and make the greens for birdies. If I can stick to that plan, I should be in for a chance,” said Chapchai, who won the TCL Classic in March.

The other title contenders at this week’s US$300,000 Asian Tour event include compatriot Prom Meesawat, who has chalked up four top-10 finishes this season, India’s Rahil Gangjee, Iain Steel of Malaysia, Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, a nine-time winner on the Asian Tour and Australia’s Unho Park.

Chapchai claimed his second win in Hanoi on Sunday and with a course that suits his style this week, the big-hitting Thai is relishing the prospect of a repeat performance at the Phokeethra Country Club.

“I came here to win. The course suits my game as it is a very long course so accurate shots off the tee will be important. This is also a crucial week for me to chase UBS Order of Merit leader Liang so I will try my best. Despite all this pressure on me to deliver, I’ve been able to stay calm by focusing on my game and taking it a step at a time. I hope to do that this week and enjoy myself out there,” added Chapchai.

Prom, who won the SK Telecom Open last year, plans to challenge Chapchai for the title as he is eager for a charge at the 7,226 yards par-72 Phokeethra Course, which is located near the famous Angkor Wat temple.

“I have been hitting it good this year and that has been the main reason why I’ve been really steady. I have the game to win it this week and with the right mental approach I hope to do just that. I’ve been pushing myself day in and day out and I think it’s taking a toll on me now. I just hope to take it easy this week and produce a solid run.

“History has always been one of my favourite subjects so off the course, I will be visiting the Angkor Wat temple today. I would like to know more about the history of Cambodia and get a first hand view. This is one of the great advantages playing on the Asian Tour, you get to see these kind of places,” said Prom.

Sitting right on the bubble on the UBS Order of Merit is Young Nam of Korea who pulled out of his Japan Final Stage Qualifying School to compete in Siem Reap and cement his position in the top-60 on the rankings. Players who finish in the top-60 on the UBS Order of Merit will secure their full playing rights for the 2008 season.

“I just want to play well here. I cancelled the final stage of the Japan Qualifying School to compete here. I want to secure my position on the UBS Order of Merit.

“I’ve been playing well the last month of so. I love the Asian Tour and if I make the cut, it would be really good. My first goal is to make the cut and once I’ve achieved that, the next target would be to produce my best game. I consider this week as a chance for me to secure for card for next year and I will strive to do just that,” said Young Nam, who is currently ranked 60th on the money list.

The Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open is the penultimate event on the 2007 Asian Tour Schedule.

November 28, 2007

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