Six of the best as Pavit bounces back from injury with record win
2014 Order of Merit winner Pavit Tangkamolprasert set a record of six Asian Development Tour titles winning the Betagro Championship in Nakhon Pathom on Sunday.
The 29-year-old, who shot a season’s best 62 on Saturday, signed off with a 69 and a total of 19 under-par-269, beating fellow Thais Sattaya Supupramai and Thitiphun Chuayprakrong by two strokes at the par-72 Suwan Golf & Country Club course.
It represented a fine comeback for the one-time Asian Tour winner [in Macau 2016], who had been on the sidelines for a month with a wrist injury.
“I’m so happy to be back in the winner’s circle again. I didn’t expect to win this tournament as I just wanted to have some practice,” said Pavit after collecting his winner’s cheque for Bt450,000.
“But it turned out I played better than I expected perhaps because I came out with a pressure-free mindset.”
Pavit was chased by several players and Thitipun actually caught up with him at 20 under after 15 holes before losing his chance with two bogeys on the 16th and 18th holes.
“Thitiphun was on fire in the group ahead and breathing down my neck but he made two bogeys at the end. Lucky for me,” said Pavit, whose five previous ADT titles came at the 2013 Jakarta Invitational, 2014 Terengganu and Championships in Malaysia, 2014 Chang Hwa Open in Taiwan and 2016 Yeangder ADT, Taiwan.
Four Thais have won on the ADT since January: Kiradech Aphibarnrat won the Brunei Championships in March and earlier this month Nitithorn Thippong triumphed in the Penang Championship and Varunyu Rattanaphiboonkij at the Phuket Open.
Pavit and amateur winner Sadom Kaewkanjana
Kiradech leads Thai charge
Meanwhile, there has been more good news from overseas, where several Thai players have been doing their country proud in prestigious tournaments.
Thai No 1 Kiradech Aphibarnrat fired a third-round 71 to be tied for seventh, five shots off the lead on eight-under 208 at the PGA Championships in Wentworth, England.
Former Thai No 1 Thongchai Jaidee, now ranked 10, is having one of his finest weeks in a long time – he carded a three-under 69 to be just two strokes further back.
Northern Irish golf star Rory McIlroy admitted he struggled in his third round but was proud he battled through to share the lead with Francesco Molinari going into the final round climax.
The 29-year-old quadruple major champion came in one-under par to join last year’s runner-up Francesco Molinari on 13 under par.
The Jutanugarn sisters are again among the leaders, this time at the LPGA Volvik Championship in Michigan.
Ariya carded a two-under 70 in her third round to be four shotys behind leader Minjee lee of Australia, while older sister Moriya’s 71 left her one stroke further back.
