Thailand star confirms entry for Indian Open
Kiradech Aphibarnrat, seen as one of the most talented stars from Asia, has confirmed his participation for the Hero Indian Open next month. The big-built 27-year-old Thai has six professional titles, three of which came in 2013, when he was crowned Asia no. 1.
Kiradech, now ranked 76th in the world, is no stranger to India, having played a few times till 2013.
In 2011, he won his first Asian Tour title at the Sail Open.
Kiradech, who spent 2016 playing three Tours — the Asian, European and US Tours, already has two top-10 finishes in West Asia, where he was T-4 in Abu Dhabi and T-9 in Qatar.
The portly Kiradech will lead a strong contingent from Thailand.
A little over three years ago, when Kiradech was the rise, he defeated a host of stars including Major winners Charl Schwartzel and Padraig Harrington to win the 2013 Maybank Malaysian Open.
He went on to eclipse some of the PGA Tour biggest stars at the CIMB Classic in Malaysia by finishing third.
Former world junior champion Kiradech, ended the 2013 season as the Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, on the strength of one victory and five other topfive finishes.
Another rising Thai at the Indian Open will be 17-year-old prodigy Phachara Khongwatmai, who was runnerup to Brett Rumford at the ISPS Handa World Super Six in Perth last week. Phachara, who has twice finished runner-up — at Singapore and Perth — is now world ranked 149.
Another rising Thai at the Indian Open will be 17-year-old prodigy Phachara Khongwatmai