2006 SK Telecom Open - Round 4: Prom lifts maiden tour title by three

Thailand's rising star Prom Meesawat lifted his maiden Asian Tour title at the weather-shortened US$600,000 SK Telecom Open on Sunday, and then dedicated his victory to his late mother.

The burly Thai claimed his career breakthrough with a three-day total of 15-under-par 201, three strokes clear of India’s Jeev Milkha Singh who fired a 70 and Korean Lee Seung-ho at the Sky 72 Golf Club.

Teenage golf sensation Michelle Wie, who made her first ever cut against the men on Friday, stumbled to a 74 as she finished joint 35th in the Asian Tour event.

Title holder Choi Kyung-ju of Korea, better known as KJ, blasted his way up the leaderboard with an impressive 65 and finished four shots behind a worthy new champion.

“My dream has come true. Over the past couple of months, I was close. This is a present to my mom (Somsri Meesawat) as she passed away three years ago. Her birthday is on the 22nd of this month,” said Prom.

The other Thai boys who climbed up the leaderboard in Korea were Chapchai Nirat who claimed tied fifth place while Chinarat Phadungsil, who won the Double A International Open last year as an amateur, finished in tied ninth place.

Prom, who was the joint halfway leader with Malaysia's Iain Steel, got off the blocks early with an eagle at the par five 541 yard third hole. He then struck a birdie at the fifth hole before firing birdies at the 10th, 11th holes and 13th holes. The 23-year-old stumbled with two bogeys on the 16th and 18th hole but it didn't matter in the end.

“The highlight was the eagle at the third hole. I was on the tee and it was down wind. If I used a driver I might end up of the water on the right. So I decided to use a three wood and it was a good shot. I had 230 yards to the pin, hit a good two iron which landed three feet from the pin," said Meesawat.

“It’s good playing in my group as there were no pressure with all the attention on Michelle Wie’s group and Choi’s group. There was not too much noise where I played. Chapchai also played well and had a good chance to win today. I wanted to play my own game today.

Wie, meanwhile, was pleased with her overall performance as she concluded her memorable week albeit in slight disappointment with an over par round. “I’m a bit disappointed that I did not play too well. However, I think the most important thing is my effort to the game and I did put in all my effort,” said Wie, who is only 16.

“I was really happy to make the cut. I passed my first goal and I want to keep going on. “I’m happy to make the cut in Korea, my parents' hometown, I did my best and I would like to make the cut on the US PGA Tour and get into the top 10,” she said.

Leading final round scores

201 - Prom Meesawat (THA) 69-64-68
204 - Lee Seong-ho (KOR) 67-67-70, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 68-66-70
205 - K J Choi (KOR) 68-72-65
206 - Hong Soon-sang (KOR) 71-66-69, Chapchai Nirat (THA) 68-67-71
207 - Kang Kyung-nam (KOR) 69-68-70, Iain Steel (MAS) 67-66-74
209 - Jang Ik-jae (KOR) 70-71-68, Moon Ji-wook (KOR) 70-71-68, Angelo Que (PHI) 71-69-69, Hwang In-choon (KOR) 69-70-70, Chinarat Phadungsil (THA) 71-68-70, Choi Ho-sung (KOR) 70-68-71, Lu Wei-lan (TPE) 72-66-71, Lee Won-jun [A] (KOR) 69-67-73
210 - Ari Savolainen (FIN) 69-72-69, Michael Wright (AUS) 73-67-70, Kim Chang-min (KOR) 72-72-66
211 - Mang Dong-sub [A] (KOR) 68-73-70, Hur In-hoi [A] (KOR) 68-73-70, Adam Blyth (AUS) 69-72-70, Eiji Mizoguchi (JPN) 71-72-68, Chris Rodgers (ENG) 71-72-68, Park Boo-won (KOR) 71-68-72, Choi Jin-ho (KOR) 70-68-73, 212 - Kim Hong-Sik (KOR) 70-71-71, Simon Nash (AUS) 70-71-71, Kim Chang-yoon (KOR) 76-66-70, Kim Dae-sub (KOR) 71-71-70, Charlie Wi (KOR) 70-73-69, Anthony Kang (USA) 70-68-74, Adam Le Vesconte (AUS) 65-71-76, Brad Kennedy (AUS) 67-68-77

May 7, 2006

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