Atthaya Thitikul
The event had to be reduced to 54 holes due to Covid-19 restrictions announced by the government on Saturday.
Prom and Chapchai, along with wonder girl Atthaya Thitikul, were neck-and-neck at 15-under coming to the final hole with twilight looming at the Alpine Golf Resort in Lamphun province. While the 18-year-old Atthaya missed the greens and ended up saving par, the two experienced men managed birdies to share the lead.
However play had to be stopped due to bad light, as a result the organisers declared Prom and Chapchai joint winners. The two signed off with a 16-under-par 210 and received prize money of Bt281,250 each.
Round three was behind schedule, as some of the previous day's round-two action was postponed to Saturday morning due to tropical showers.
Tournament director Wanchai Meechai also had to shorten the competition to only three rounds to follow the new policies announced by the National Community Communicable Disease Committee on the pandemic.
Chapchai Nirat
For Chapchai, it was the end of a long wait for a title since winning the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation in Hua Hin five years ago.
“This is beyond my expectation,” said the 37-year-old from Phitsanulok province.
“I came here out of shape, to be honest, because I haven’t played a lot of tournaments these days,” said Chapchai, who hit a final-round 66.
“Winning again really gives me a lot of confidence. This is the first time that I have shared a title with another player, who happens to be my best friend Prom. We go way back,” said Chapchai, a four-time Asian Tour winner.
Of the three 53-hole leaders (including Atthaya), Prom was the only one who enjoyed a bogey-free day after shooting a 66.
“I couldn’t be happier to share this win with my close friend,” said Prom, who has secured at least one victory every year since 2019.
Atthaya missed another chance to win a Golf Trust Tour title after losing to Arpichaya Yubol in the Thailand Mixed I in February. The teenager, however, has been in formidable form winning four out of her last six events.
Prom Meesawat