OneAsia underway again in Thailand
BY OneAsia | OneAsia Tour | 2012 Thailand Open | Preview | 06 Aug 2012
BANGKOK, August 6 – Defending champion Andre Stolz (right) is bracing himself for concerted challenges from “fired-up” home players at the U.S. $1 million Thailand Open on OneAsia.
The Australian veteran edged local hero Prayad Marksaeng for the title last year and long years of experience tell him to expect a similar fight at Suwan Golf & Country Club from August 9-12.
“It doesn’t matter which country you go to in the world, the local guys always play good,” he said.
“Everyone is comfortable at home — food, climate and the turf you are playing off are all contributing factors. Thailand has many great pros and they’ll be fired up for their National Open.”
Although aged 46, Prayad has not lost his competitive verve and played in his ninth Major at The Open Championship last month.
Short-game wizard Thaworn Wiratchant was one of the hottest players in the world game over the summer with four wins and two second-place finishes and the 45-year-old wants to put the icing on a stellar career with victory in the Thailand Open.
For Prom Meesawat, who rejoices in the nickname “Big Dolphin”, a win would give him equal bragging rights with his father Suthep, the first Thai to claim the title in 1991.
Kiradech Aphibarnrat is another Thai with the credentials to follow in the footsteps of Suthep and the celebrated Boonchu Ruangkit and become the third local winner of the country’s most prestigious tournament, which is in its third year on the schedule of fast-growing OneAsia.
The former world junior champion, known as “Asia’s John Daly” for his grip-it-and-rip-it style, has a good record at Suwan Golf & Country Club having finished joint 10th with Prom in last year’s Thailand Open and fourth in the 2010 Asian Tour International.
Stolz, the reigning OneAsia number one, will also face an international cast of champions from OneAsia, Europe and Japan as he bids for his third title on the burgeoning circuit.
Countrymen Nick Cullen, Kim Felton and Scott Strange are all OneAsia winners while Ireland’s Paul McGinley and Englishmen David Howell (joint fourth in the French Open recently), David Horsey and Richard Finch have won a dozen European Tour titles between them.
There will also be a 20-strong posse from the Japan Golf Tour Organisation.
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