Luang Prabang, Laos, May 6 - Thai golf’s talisman Thaworn Wiratchant romped to an eight shot victory in the inaugural Luang Prabang Laos Open today.
A final round five-under-par 67, for a 21-under tournament total, saw him secure his third title on the ASEAN PGA Tour and add yet another trophy to a collection that is helping him write his name into history.
Filipino Jay Bayron ended in second place after shooting a 65 while Thanyakon Khrongpha from Thailand was a further four strokes back.
He carded a 71 in the season-opening event on the ASEAN PGA Tour, which boasts eight events this year.
Thaworn’s performance was a thing of beauty much like Luang Prabang, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The 45-year-old led by six strokes after the halfway mark and started the final round eight ahead.
“It is a very special feeling to win in Laos. It is exciting to be here especially as the game of golf is new to this country,” said Thaworn.
Remarkably this was his ninth successive tournament. He made a long trip from Korea last Monday to get to Laos and heads back to Korea next week to play in the GS Caltex Maekyung Open on OneAsia. He plans to take a break after that.
“You don’t feel tired when you are playing well and winning,” added the Thai star.
Thaworn continues to build an unrivaled record that now also includes 12 wins on the Asian Tour, and the 2005 Asian Tour Order of Merit title. He has also triumphed once on OneAsia.
His score was just short of the lowest four round winning total on the ASEAN PGA Tour. His countryman Kiradech Aphibarnrat holds that record as he won the 2009 Singha Pattaya Open by 11 shots with a score of 23-under.
Bayron did his best to try and catch Thaworn and at one point narrowed the gap to five shots as he birdied four out of the first five holes.
“It feels great to save my best round for last. It would have been a close tournament if Thaworn had not been playing,” joked Bayron.
The Filipino is still looking for his first victory having finished second many times on the ASEAN PGA Tour, including three in a row at the start of 2010.
Indonesians Benny Kasiadi and George Gandranata were unable to move up the ladder, finishing T29 and T52 respectively.
The ASEAN PGA Tour heads to the Singha Pattaya Open next week. The tournament is being played at Burapha Golf Club from May 10 to 13.
Leading final round scores (par 72):
267 - Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 69 63 68 67
275 - Jay Bayron (PHI) 71 67 72 65
279 - Thanyakon Khrongpha (THA) 71 72 65 71
280 - Kwanchai Tannin (THA) 73 66 72 69
282 - Poosit Supupramai (THA) 73 69 68 72
284 - Pravee Visalkit (THA) 70 75 72 67, Panuphol Pittayarat (THA) 70 71 71 72
286 - Annop Tangkamolprasert (THA) 72 74 70 70, Namchok Tantipokhakul (THA) 73 72 70 71, Sattaya Supuppramai (THA) 68 71 75 72, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 74 70 70 72, Philip Matsson (THA) 71 71 70 74
287 - Rufino Bayron (PHI) 66 72 75 74, Varut Chomchalam (THA) 73 72 68 74
Selected:
293 - Benny Kasiadi (INA) 76 69 73 75
299 - George Gandranata (INA) 77 74 75 73
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