Men dominate Thailand Mixed as Newport seals season ender
Newport Laparojkit clinched his second career trophy with a breathtaking final round of 67 in the 5-million-baht Thailand Mixed hosted by TrustGolf at Petchaburi’s Lakeview Resort and Golf Club on Sunday.
Starting the day trailing overnight leader Matt Killen by a single stroke, Newport displayed unwavering focus in the face of rain interruptions on the back nine.
His bogey-free round featured four spectacular birdies, propelling him to a resounding victory with a total score of 18-under-par 276 in this season-ending instalment of the Thailand Mixed series.
The 26-year-old triumphed in a nail-biter, securing a one-stroke victory over rising star Dechawat Phetprayoon.
Dechawat also carded an eventful 67 on the challenging par-71 course, stretching 6,897 yards from the men’s tee and 6,115 yards from the women's tee.
Newport's win solidified the men's dominance in this year's Thailand Mixed events, making it a clean sweep for male competitors.
Winners of the previous events were Dewit Boriboonsub, Jakraphan Premsirigorn, Changthai Sudsom, and Suteepat Prateeptienchai.
“I had a solid front nine and positioned myself well on many holes. Fortunately, I managed to capitalise on some putts and secure birdies. Towards the end of the round, I made some crucial putts to save par and ultimately win,” said Newport, who secured his previous career victory at the Chiangmai Championship on the Thailand PGA Tour last year.
“I'm incredibly grateful for this win. It was a tough battle over all four days, and I want to express my thanks to everyone who supported me,” added Newport, who earned the winner's prize of 750,000 baht.
Dechawat, 20, from Bangkok, briefly shared the top spot on the leaderboard. However, he fell away to finish with 17-under-par-277, which earned him a cheque for 500,000 baht.
Panuphol Pittayarat, a two-time Asian Tour winner, secured third place on 16-under-par 278, after carding four birdies against two bogeys for a round of 69.
Amarin Kraivixien, who starred with a low round of 64, finished three shots behind the champion, tied for fourth with Kammalas Namuangruk on 279.
Killen had a disappointing round of 72, giving him a share of sixth on 280. He was joined by Suttinon Panyo, Panuwat Muenlek, and Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, who achieved the highest finish among the female players.
The title of Best Amateur was awarded to Namo Luangnitikul, who concluded her tournament with an impressive 11-under-par total of 273.
