Thongchai Jaidee emerged triumphant from a dramatic three-way playoff to capture the Ballantine’s Championship in Korea on Sunday.
The Thai ace sank a six-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole to edge out Spain’s Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño and local hero Kang Sung Hoon.
The trio had all finished on four-under-par 284 on another day of blustery conditions at Pinx Golf Club on the holiday island of Jeju.
Thongchai – who claimed the fourth European Tour title of his career – was a relieved man after the thrilling finish to the €2.1 million showpiece.
Thongchai Jaidee
Picture © Getty Images“I’m so happy for my family,” said the father-of-two, who collected a cheque for €333,330.
“I phoned home this week every day and one day my son came on the phone and said to me, ‘Daddy, I want you to bring home the trophy for me.’ Now I can do that.”
Thongchai, whose previous three European Tour victories all came in warm weather tournaments in Asia, mastered the cold and wind to prove he could win in tough conditions.
When I first played in Europe 10 years ago my hands were so cold I could barely hold the club. But I’ve practised hard and this is the result,” said the 39-year-old.
“This is going to encourage me to play more in Europe this year and then my target will be to get into the world’s top 50.”
During regulation play, Kang had the galleries roaring when he holed out with his approach shot on the par-five 16th for an eagle to grab a one-shot lead at five-under. But he three-putted on the 18th for a bogey five and a final round of 68.
Fernández-Castaño ensured there would be a playoff when he calmly parred the 18th for a 69 and Thongchai made it a three-way tie when he drained a six-foot par putt for a 70.
When the trio returned to the 18th for the playoff, Fernández-Castaño fired his approach shot to the back edge of the green and his long birdie attempt came up short.
Kang missed an eight-foot putt for birdie and Thongchai, who had set up his chance with an immaculate approach, stepped up and sank the winning putt, raising his arms in triumph.
Thongchai’s success in the Ballantine’s Championship – once again co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours and Korea PGA – thwarted a fairytale win for Kang.
The 21-year-old, born and raised in Jeju, is in just his second season on the Korean domestic tour and was playing only his third European Tour event.
“Going into this tournament I set myself a goal to be in the top 10 and I achieved that,” he said. “If there is one thing I would do differently it would be the 18th hole where I three-putted. That’s what put me in the playoff.”
It was another disappointment for the 28-year-old Fernández-Castaño who was runner-up in his third straight European Tour event. The Spaniard lost a playoff to Michael Hoey at the Open de Portugal earlier this month and was second to Scott Strange in last week’s China Open.
“I have to say, this one hurts, but that’s golf,” said Fernández-Castaño, who has four European Tour victories to his name.
“I have a feeling that I dropped a few shots out there that cost me the tournament, but I'm sure that everybody else has the same problem. Finishing second again, yes, that means I'm playing well – but of course you want to win. I'm getting closer and hopefully I'll do it soon.”
Tied for fourth at two-under 286 were three-time major winner Ernie Els (71), overnight leader Robert-Jan Derksen (76), England’s Seve Benson (69) and Spain’s Rafael Cabrera-Bello (70).
South African superstar Els birdied the first and sixth holes to move within two shots of the lead but was unable to get any closer.
Dutchman Derksen, who began the day two shots clear, was derailed by three bogeys on the front nine. Another dropped shot at the par-four 15th ended his hopes of winning.
Three players finished on one-under 287 including Ireland’s Peter Lawrie, who fired the best round of the day, 66.
Thongchai’s previous European Tour titles came with back-to-back victories in the Malaysian Open in 2004 and 2005 and the Indonesia Open almost two months ago.
The win on Sunday was also his record-extending 12th Asian Tour victory and underlined his standing as one of Asia’s greatest ever golfers.
