Prayad claims first Japan Senior Tour win
Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng landed the Maruhancup Taiheiyo Club Senior title on the Japan Senior Tour yesterday.
In the two-day event, Prayad closed with a superb nine-under-par 63 to win his maiden tour title with a 13-under total.
Four shots behind leader Toru Suzuki after the opening round, the 50-year-old Thai yesterday made seven birdies and one eagle at the par-72 Taiheiyo Club, Rokko course in Hyogo.
Prayad finished two shots ahead of runner-up Maita Kiyoshi.
Another Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit finished tied for 23rd place following a 70 in the final round.
“It was tough out there with a long course and narrow fairways,” said Prayad, who carded seven birdies and three bogeys in the first round.
“I wasn’t expecting to win after the first round, but my putter was really sharp today.
“In fact, I had a better chance of winning in the first two tournaments but didn’t.
“Maybe, I always get lucky when I play in Hyogo.”
Currently, Prayad is also playing on the main Japan Tour where he has won five times with two of those victories coming in Hyogo.
With his win yesterday, Prayad has received an exemption to play on the Japan Senior Tour for one more year.
His goal is to be in the top four on the money list by the end of the year so that he can automatically get a place on the final stage qualifying for the Champion Tour and play at the British Senior Open and the US PGA Senior Open.
If he can manage to finish in the top two, he will become eligible to participate in the US Senior Open.
Prayad was scheduled to play in the King’s Cup which concluded in Pattaya yesterday but withdrew to play in Hyogo and meet the required number of minimum events on the Japan Senior Tour.
Prayad will next play at this week’s Singha Chiang Mai Open on All Thailand Golf Tour and then the Singha-SAT Championship on the Thai PGA Tour the following week.