Thongchai wins sixth European Tour title in play-off
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee kept his nerve to win the Scandinavian Masters after beating Stephen Gallacher and Victor Dubuisson on the first play-off hole in Malmo, Sweden, on Sunday.
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee kept his nerve to win the Scandinavian Masters after beating Stephen Gallacher and Victor Dubuisson on the first play-off hole in Malmo, Sweden, on Sunday.
The 44-year-old three-time Asian Tour champion clinched his sixth European Tour title, and his second in a play-off, when he birdied the par-five 18th to beat his opponents by a shot on the first hole of the shootout.
We were nervous the last few holes – 16, 17 and 18 are tough
Thongchai, who won the Ballantine’s Championship in similar fashion in 2009, carded a final-round 65 to finish with a 16-under 272, only to see his total matched by Dubuisson and Gallacher shortly afterwards.
He held his nerve after both his opponents missed long birdie putts in the play-off to seal his first tour win in two years with a three-foot putt.
“I worked hard today,” Thongchai said. “I started with three birdies in a row, had another one on six, then a good comeback on 11 [where he made an eagle three].
“We were nervous the last few holes – 16, 17 and 18 are tough holes – but 16 under was good enough for a play-off. The golf course is wide open, you have to hit good golf shots and the weather helped a little bit.”