Thai rising stars eye more Tour glory
Thailand’s Natipong Srithong and Danthai Boonma will be trying to win their second Asian Tour title at the Ho Tram Open in Vietnam which tees off on Thursday.
The duo are the champions in the tour’s previous two events with Danthai winning the World Classic Championship in Singapore earlier this month and Natipong victorious at the Manila Masters the following week.
The 19-year-old Natipong, who is tipped to lead a new generation of golf stars from Thailand, is brimming with confidence ahead of the Vietnam tournament as he capped a stunning victory in the Philippines last week.
“I just turned professional two months ago and I’ve been playing on a sponsor’s invite. I was really motivated to play well in the Philippines because I have no playing status on the Asian Tour and now I’m a winner which is a great feeling. I really hope to continue my good form,” said Natipong.
Danthai turned professional last year after helping the Thai men’s team win bronze at the 2014 Asian Games.
However, he had had unconvincing results before his breakthrough win in Singapore.
Danthai and Natipong are good friends and have been on similar paths since their amateur days.
Danthai won both men’s individual and team titles at the 2013 SEA Games, and Natipong did the same at the 2015 tournament.
Both were members of the bronze medal winning team at the 2014 Asiad.
However, it could be tough for them to become successful at the Ho Tram Open which features a starstudded field consisting of six former Asian Tour No.1s and 42 Asian Tour winners in total.
Reigning Order of Merit champion David Lipsky of the US will lead the elite cast alongside Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand and Jeev Milkha Singh of India, who have won a combined four Merit crowns.
Filipino Juvic Pagunsan and Indian duo Jyoti Randhawa and Arjun Atwal, winners of the prestigious Order of Merit in 2011, 2002 and 2003 respectively, will also headline the US$1.5 million event, which is the richest fullfield Asian Tour tournament in 2015.
They will be joined by major winners Darren Clarke of Northern Ireland and YE Yang of South Korea, and Ryder Cup stars Sergio Garcia of Spain and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark at The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip, located at a twohour drive from Ho Chi Minh City.
New Asian Tour winners Shaun Norris of South Africa, Chiragh Kumar of India will also be in the event alongside Scott Hend of Australia, SSP Chawrasia of India, Danny Chia of Malaysia and Richard T Lee of Canada.
Players at the top of the Order of Merit will also jostle for places in the EurAsia Cup in Malaysia in January.
Chia currently occupies the fourth and final spot from the Order of Merit category to qualify for Team Asia but Thai veteran Prayad Marksaeng and Kumar are hot on his heels.