Play-off duel ends in win for Rattanon
Rattanon Wannasrichan birdied the third sudden-death play-off hole to win the season-opening Singha E-san Open in Khon Kaen yesterday.
Looking for his third win on All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT), Rattanon beat Pavit Tangkamolprasert with a four-foot birdie putt at the par-five 18th hole after finishing tied on 15-under 273 at the Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club.
The 22-year-old Rattanon, whose first two ATGT wins came in 2015, received 450,000 baht, while Pavit got 277,500 baht at the three-million-baht tournament.
Rattanon (69) carded a birdie on the last hole to force the play-off. The two players birdied and parred the 18th hole the first two times before Rattanon finally got the better of his opponent, sinking a birdie from just four feet to capture the title.
“The long birdie putt on the first playoff hole really gave me confidence,” said overnight leader Rattanon. “Pavit birdied the hole and I had no other choice but to try and make that putt and I did!”
“I’m so happy I won today. My short game wasn’t that great at the start of the tournament so I decided to change my putter before the third round and that helped a lot,” he added.
Defending champion Danthai Boonma (69) was tied third with Naras Luangphetcharaporn (68) on 13-under 275, while veteran Prayad Marksaeng (69), Prom Meesawat (67) and Kasidit Lepkurte (72) finished joint fifth on 276.
Korean Lee Jeong-Eun won the women’s event on Saturday.
The second ATGT event will be the 5.3-million-baht Singha Masters at Santiburi Country Club in Chiang Rai on March 22-25.