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Pattaya Sports Club
Bowling League
200 Bowlers: Ralph, Sue, La & Antero.
Brother D took all four points from Green Tree and are
now only 6.5 points behind Snow Bowler with three weeks remaining in the
league. Brother D were led by Ralph who bowled a 209 game, 569 series and La
Montgomery who had a 208 game and 562 series.
Snow Bowler remain in first place but they lost three
points to Canada. No one bowled very good on the difficult eleven and twelve
lanes although Tue Pettae managed to knock down 511 pins which is below her
average
Sue Murphy bowled a 215 first game and went on to bowl a
569 series and Joe Ferral had a 510 series to lead the U.S. Marine Corps
team to a three point win over VFW Post 9876. Ooy Pluemkamon bowled a 532
series for VFW.
Bavaria and Cafe Kronborg halved their match with each
team getting two points. Kran Nielsen had a 544 series for Kronborg and
Antero Ronkainen had a 207 game for Bavaria.
Shenanigans Tuesday Quiz
This week’s winners.
Quiz Teams Total Points
Knuckleheads 62
7 Chinese Brothers 58
The Non Tinkers 48
Old Lasters 31
Peninsula Raiders 28
Tough going at Khao Kheow again
PSC golf from The Outback Golf Bar
Monday, August 8, Khao
Kheow - Stableford
A good field of 23 Outbackers played the B & C loops on
our first Monday at Khao Kheow. The car park was empty, as of course was the
course, allowing us to tee off early on what looked as though was going to
be a very wet day. In fact it wasn’t bad at all, apart from a severe squall
that came through as our middle groups reached the par 3 third, turning the
hole, which already had the tee well back, into a 200yard plus monster; only
one of that group scored a point. The next group had the sense to wait until
the weather passed through, which didn’t take long and the round was able to
continue in pleasant enough conditions.
Apart from the greens which were great, albeit slow, the
course appears to be going through troubled times as they try to deal with
the infestation of the ‘cow’ grass, leaving large patches of dying grass all
over the place. Round the greens is not too clever either and it’s quite
possible the Outback will consider ‘pick, clean and place’ on their visit
there next Monday, regardless of the weather.
Clearly these conditions contributed greatly to the
course playing 3 shots tougher than par as the best score in came from Bill
Mercer, who won Div B with 37 points from Brain Maddox on 34 and John
Fitzgerald, who headed a three-way count-back on 30, to take third. Div A
went to Jim Peachey (34pts), having his first game with the Outback for a
while, as General Jack scrambled his way to 33 points for second place ahead
of Steve Grant on 32.
There were only two ‘2’s from Paul O’Mahoney on hole 8
(B8) and Suzi Lawton on hole 17 (C8).
Div A (0-16)
1st Jim Peachey (15/Hi13.8) 34pts
2nd Jack Moseley (16/Hi15) 33pts
3rd Steve Grant (9/Hi8.7) 32pts
4th Paul O’Mahoney (9/Hi8.7) 31pts
Div B (17+)
1st William Mercer (18/Hi17.4)
37pts
2nd Brian Maddox (19/Hi17.8) 34pts
3rd John Fitzgerald (17/Hi16.2)
30pts
4th Alan Ansell (23/Hi21.8) 30pts
Tuesday, August 9, Pattaya
C.C. - Stableford
Billy Fitzgerald scored an amazing 26 points (level par)
on the front nine but it wasn’t enough to beat the ‘in form’ Turnip, aka
Dennis Persson, who collared him on count-back on the back nine. Both scored
40 points on an excellent day for golf and generally the scores were on the
high side as the course played one shot easier than par.
Div B went to another who is playing well at the moment,
Dave Earthrowl, who had 39 points beating Nigel Cannon with 36; Nigel is
also on a hot streak, he shot 40 points here yesterday. Laong returned to
some better golf to take third ahead of the returning Kurt Eric Persson (no
relation])
For the record, 21 Outbackers played and there was just
one ‘2’ from Tony McDonough on hole No. 7.
Div A (0-17)
1st Dennis Persson (16) 40pts
2nd Billy Fitzgerald i15.9) 40pts
3rd John Cogan (16/Hi15.9) 36pts
4th Barry Chadbourn (17) 35pts
Div B (18+)
1st David Earthrowl (18/Hi18.2)
39pts
2nd Nigel Cannon (18) 36pts
3rd Laong Gatepratum (29/Hi26)
35pts
4th Kurt Eric Persson (30/Hi29.5)
32pts
Wednesday,
August 10,
Burapha - Stableford
20 Outbackers travelled to Burapha for the first time on
a Wednesday to be greeted by black clouds and the likelihood of rain but
were lucky as the showers lasted for less than one hole and we finished the
round in sunshine. Unusually we did not have the course to ourselves,
resulting in our teeing off 10 minutes late instead of half an hour early as
was often the case on Mondays but even though the pace of playe appeared
slow, we still completed our round in 4 hours and 15 minutes.
The C course was again in great condition but the D
course greens have still not fully recovered from their recent scarifying
and sanding; carts were not allowed on the course because of recent rains
but the course was reasonably dry and very playable.
After the results were processed, the computer calculated
that with the lower than average scoring, the course had played one shot
harder than par, as Keith Gilfether (37pts), winner of Div A, was the only
player to better his handicap. Burapha member, John O’Keefe (35pts) took
second ahead of Kissy in third with 34.
Div B fared less well, and with the exception of the Div
B winner, Tommy Jensen (33pts), the first ten places overall, all came from
Div A.
There was just one ‘2’ again today from John O’Keefe on
hole No. D2
Div A (0-17)
1st Keith Gilfether (10) 37pts
2nd John O’Keefe (17/Hi16.2) 35pts
3rd Keith Buchanan (16) 34pts
4th John Fitzgerald (17/Hi16.2)
33pts
Div B (18+)
1st Tommy Jensen (18/Hi17.6) 33pts
2nd Bill Conway (31/Hi29.7) 30pts
3rd Greg Hill (20/Hi19.4) 30pts
4th Matt Blevins (20/Hi19.2) 30pts
Friday, August 12, Green
Valley - Stableford
A full field of 40 Outbackers, less a one “Kissy”, who
couldn’t find the course for this “Mother’s Day” holiday here at Green
Valley. It was always likely to be a slow round as the Thai Mother’s Day is
also the Queen’s Birthday, when most golf courses give ladies a free green
fee for this special day. However, ‘hats off’ to all those who played, as we
all got round in an amazing 41/4 hours in what was a very pleasant day out
on a course which was in excellent condition albeit the greens a little
slow.
There was seemingly little excuse for at least 40 points
to win the day but surprisingly, nobody got near that sort of score with the
36 points from General Jack, which won Div B, being the top score of the day
with the computer calculating that the course played one shot harder than
par. Second was Bill Broschart (35) and third was Gez Lees with 34.
Jan Eriksen followed up his win here last week,with
another win today, this time with 35 points to take Div A, ahead of two
players playing with the Outback for the first time, Dale Shier with 34 and
Mike Prideaux with 33, who headed a three way count-back of 19, 18, 15, from
Paul Bourke and Paul Greenaway.
Div C went to Adam Oyston (35pts) from “Nifty Nev”
(34pts) with an amazing 23 points on the back nine, as David Davies,
complete with moon-boot, took third with the same 34 but obviously
comprehensively beaten on count-back.
There were just two ‘2’s from Joe Mooneyham on hole 4 and
Dale Shier on hole 16.
Div A (0-13)
1st Jan Eriksen (13/Hi13.7) 35pts
2nd Dale Shier (12/Hi13) 34pts
3rd Mike Prideaux (11/Hi11.5) 33pts
4th Paul Bourke (11/Hi11.5) 33pts
Div B (14-17)
1st Jack Moseley (15/Hi15.1) 36
2nd Bill Broschart (14/Hi14.4)
35pts
3rd Jez Lees (15/Hi15.5) 34pts
4th John Fitzgerald (16/Hi16.2)
33pts
Div C (18+)
1st Adam Oyston (18/Hi18.4) 35pts
2nd Nev Steward (22/Hi21.5) 34pts
3rd David Davies (25/Hi24.3) 34pts
4th Roger Koehler (26/Hi25.4) 33pts
Note: The Outback Golf Bar is situated about 6km
from Sukhumvit Road along Soi Siam Country. All are welcome to come and join
us for a beer and a hit. Just call in and put your name down on the list or
give Bob a call on 087 941 2474.
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Clive gets going at Khao Kheow
PSC Golf from Mulligans Lakeside
Khao Kheow B9, with regular
Bob in the foreground.
Tuesday, August 9, Khao
Kheow - Skins
Tuesday saw us travel up Hwy 7 to test ourselves against
one of the local best examinations, Khao Kheow, with B & C being our
allotted combination. The format was to be Skins again, from the yellow
tees.
Allan got away to a fast start picking up 2 of the first
5, while Ray, Clive & Jeff had also broken their duck. Clive picked up 4
skins on B9 courtesy of a nice par, on a hole where anybody (yes, Jeff too)
would take a par from the tee.
The C loop was shared around early, before Jeff strung a
couple of shots together to redeem his round after a poor early start. In
the end Jeff (6) & Clive (34) had each picked up 6 skins, Allan (12) 4 & Ray
(17) 2 (playing injured).
Thursday, August 11, Khao
Kheow - Skins
Pattaya C.C. was the venue for Thursday’s round, the
course still in decent condition following recent rain, with a competitive
pricing structure currently in place, especially for those cart users.
Rob Gandley (20) played some good golf on the front 9 to
be leading the way, while Allan & Jeff were battling for the scraps. The
back 9 was harder to get a skin as several were halved, Jeff making a timely
birdie to score the major share.
With several of our regular players returning over the
upcoming weeks, it is expected we will be resuming our regular competitions
over the next few weeks.
Note: Mulligans Lakeside plays golf on Tuesday &
Thursday, with presentation at the course Tuesday & ML hosting on Thursdays.
Call 089 094 1841 for scheduling or enquiries.
Hope to see you there, cheers & good golfing.
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Ken & Hugh sparkle at Crystal Bay
Ken Bernek, The Admiral & Hugh O’Donnell.
Peter Blackburn
Monday, August 8, Crystal
Bay A & B - Stableford
The sky was a touch overcast early on but as usual we
were confident of fine weather as fifteen of us headed off down Sukhumvit
Road en route to the lovely Crystal Bay Golf Course.
Monday morning traffic was not too bad and we arrived at
the course 48 minutes later and as the car park was fairly empty we
correctly anticipated an earlier than scheduled tee off. Having to wait for
just one group to hit off our first group, a threesome again, got away at
0935 hrs with dark skies overhead.
The course was in beautiful condition as usual and the
greens in great shape and a credit to the course management. We had a bit of
a scare half way through the front nine (A) as there was a five minute
shower but that was the end of it for the day and a brief use of the
brollies was all that was required. Even with a drink stop we breezed
through the nine in just on two hours and similarly on the back nine (B).
With another stop for refreshments, our round was completed in exactly four
hours.
We had 2 Flights with A Flight for handicaps 0 to 17 and
B Flight for handicaps of 18 & over. There were also rewards for longest
first putts on A9 and B9.
The Admiral & Stu (BUPA)
Rifkin.
There was a distinct contrast between the scores in the
two flights and if you had less than 38 pts in A Flight you didn’t get a
mention, whereas in B Flight no-one was able to play to their handicap or
better. Maybe A Flight players should have used the Blue Tees!
With an excellent score of 43 pts Ken Bernek won the A
Flight, three pts clear of Mike Gosden (2nd) and Andre Van Dyk (3rd) who
were separated by a count back. Doug Maiko completed the podium in fourth
place with 38 pts.
There was another count back to decide the winner of B
Flight with 81 year old (it’s true Stu!) Hugh O’Donnell shading out Dave
Richardson, both on 35 pts. 1 point further back was Daryl Evans in third
place with Peter Fagerlund on 32 pts finishing in fourth place.
Results for Crystal Bay:
A Flight
1st Ken Bernek (17) 43 pts
2nd Mike Gosden (11) 40 pts
3rd Andre Van Dyk (14) 40 pts
4th Doug Maiko (13) 38 pts
B Flight
1st - Hugh O’Donnell (23) 35 pts
2nd - Dave Richardson (24) 35 pts
3rd - Daryl Evans (18) 34 pts
4th - Peter Fagerlund (22) 32 pts
Longest First Putts
A9 - Ken Bernek
B9 - Doug Maiko
Andrew Krawiec from Sydney took out the Compass Cap and
Hunter Gosden took Deefa for a walk to collect various fines and donations
to charity from our generous Kronny Crew. Yours truly was very lucky to
escape a fine when reminded in the bus by one of the waitresses that he had
not paid his restaurant bill!
Thursday, August 11,
Greenwood B & C – Stableford
Rifkin pips Todd for a win at soggy Greenwood
Once again there were rain clouds threatening as fifteen
of us assembled at Cafe Kronborg in readiness for the journey to Greenwood.
We welcomed back Jerry Dobbs from Brisbane for a very short R & R and Scott
& Mick from Gove, N.T., Australia.
Departing the Kronny just a smidgen before 0815 hrs we
arrived at the course after the 53 minute journey & several lengthy traffic
light stops on 331. As usual the car park was practically empty and our
first group, once more a threesome, got away 25 minutes early at 0935 hrs.
It wasn’t too long before the brollies were out but were
just necessary for about 5 minutes, although the feeling was that they would
be required again before too long.
The course was looking good, although wet in parts, and
the greens were in fine shape. It was humid so a couple of drink stops were
taken and our first nine (C) was completed in two hours & fifteen minutes.
Upon arrival at the first tee on our second nine (B) we
discovered that the course starter had put a 5 ball in front of us which was
thoughtless to say the least. We caught the eye of a nearby marshal and
complained so he promptly went ahead and split them up into a two and a
three. As there was a four ball in front of them it made little difference
and it was apparent that the going would be slow, and when the heavens
opened after a couple of holes we were caught in the open and sheltered
under trees & brollies for about 15 minutes. We managed to complete the
round in four hours and thirty minutes which was reasonable in the
circumstances.
We decided to have nearest the pins on 2 of the par
threes and longest first putts on B9 & C9 which left just one flight and
five placegetters.
Playing after a week off and with hired clubs (he let his
mate from Gove use his) Stu (BUPA) Rifkin edged out another Aussie, Martin
Todd on a count back to win with a very good score of 40 pts.
Paul Cardwell finally hit some form and finished third
with 38 pts, 1 point ahead of fellow American Ken Bernek and two more
Aussies fought it out for fifth place with Paul Avery beating Jerry Dobbs on
a count back, both on 36 pts.
Results for Greenwood:
1st Stu Rifkin (15) 40 pts
2nd Martin Todd (8) 40 pts
3rd Paul Cardwell (12) 38 pts
4th Ken Bernek (17) 37 pts
5th Paul Avery (8) 36 pts
Nearest the pins:
B5 Stu Rifkin
C6 Martin Todd
Dave Richardson (The Admiral) won the Compass Cap and once again Deefa
the Dog collected lots of donations for charity from all present.
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Paul Ovens “gully washes” his way to victory
PSC Golf from the Three Sisters Bar
Paul Ovens on the left with
Dale Murphy on the right.
Obviously several players forgot their prayers to the
weather gods this 10th of August at the Pattaya Country Club. One smart
group jumped off at 0600 and got all the way to 18 before the rains began.
The remainder of the field found out what is meant as “a
gully washer”. The skies didn’t just open, they parted and dropped tons of
water on the course and players. Only eight players of the 16 starters
managed to finish the course.
Back at Caddy Shack II the cards were tallied and Paul
Ovens came in with a whopping 41 points, followed by Dale Murphy with 38
points. Chasing Dale with 37 points was Bill Thompson. Herbie Ishinaga made
a showing as a visitor. Snacks and hot dogs were the fare of the day.
Markku Tynell breaks through
IPGC Golf from The Haven
Markku
Tynell.
Monday, August 8, Century
Chonburi - Stableford
CSS 72
1st Phil Stevenson (22) 37
2nd Bill Bertram (10) 35
3rd Trevor Schirmer (15) 33 cb 18
4th Paul Hartley (19) 33 cb 17
5th Markku Tynell (27) 30
Today the group from Soi 13 was back at what must surely
be the most inexpensive golf in Thailand at least and possibly the world
with a day’s golf including a caddy and sharing a golf cart costing just 500
baht. Certainly there is much that could be improved on the course and in
the clubhouse but the course is a good design and plays as well as many that
are costing more than double and with the application of a couple of
sensible local rules for the day it was definitely worth the trip up the
331.
It certainly suited Phil Stevenson who was seeing the
course for the first time and played under his handicap for the first time
as well to secure his maiden win in Thailand by a comfortable margin over
second placed Bill Bertram who followed him in another two points behind.
Paul Hartley 2.
Trevor Schirmer came back to some semblance of form
winning a count back for third place by 18 to 17 over Paul Hartley with
Markku Tynell rounding out the honourable mentions in fifth spot.
There were no 2’s in either division.
Before presenting the prizes The Doc welcomed new member
Gary Warren and welcomed back Bill Bertram and Paul Hartley.
Wednesday, August 10, Khao
Kheow - Stableford
CSS 72
1st Paul Hartley (19) 35 cb 20
2nd Norman Cheetham (15) 35 cb 18 b6 12
3rd Phil Stevenson (22) 35 cb 18 b6 11
4th Chris Williams (20) 31
5th Trevor Schirmer (15) 30
Khao Kheow off the yellow tees is always a tough
proposition and following the overnight rain the course was playing very
tough with little or no run off the tees and heavy conditions in the rough.
But balancing those conditions, were the greens that were found to be in
excellent condition, running fast and true when the players eventually
arrived on them.
Paul Hartley having missed out on the previous outing in
a count back, this time secured the top spot by winning one against two
other hopefuls with a better 20 on the inward half.
Phil Stevenson.
Norman Cheetham took second place after he beat Phil
Stevenson over the last six by 12 to 11 after they had both returned 18 for
the back nine.
Chris Williams who was on a short leave from his ship
docked in Laem Chabang port together with two other golfers who were equally
as keen, had played every day for the last three days without much success,
so even though the score was not quite as good as he would have liked, he
was well pleased to figure in the final reckoning in fourth place, bearing
out the ships motto of “Fortune Favors the Brave”. Though the spelling is
slightly different from the that usually used in The Haven, it is a truism.
Trevor Schirmer once again figured in the final count up
as he slipped into fifth spot another shot back.
Once again there were no 2’s in the second division but
Norman Cheetham cleared out the first division roll over pool with the lone
one.
Prior to the presentations there were welcomes for new
members visiting off the USS John S. McCain, namely Chris Williams, Fred
Devino and George Sait together with the farewells, as theirs was just a
fleeting visit, whilst there was a welcome back for Norman Cheetham.
Friday, August 12, Rayong
Country Club - Stableford
CSS 72
1st Markku Tynell (27) 35
2nd Norman Cheetham (15) 33
3rd Stephen Beard (22) 32
4th Rod Howett (22) 30 cb 15
5th Rodney Hayes (11) 30 cb 14
After the day out on Monday the group had yet another
very inexpensive day, especially considering that the day was at holiday
rates, with a total cost of just a 1,000 which included the golf, caddy and
single use of a golf cart.
With the greens still recovering from a very liberal
sanding, scoring was at a premium with the conditions favouring the higher
handicappers. It was very soon apparent, after covering the first few holes,
that the winning score for the day would not be very high.
So it proved as Markku Tynell applied himself very well
to take his very first win in Thailand, with a score of one over handicap to
win by two from Norman Cheetham who took his second runner up prize in
succession.
Coming back to single player golf, Stephen Beard did well
to take third place but could have been much better if any of the first
putts could have made it up to the hole.
Rod Howett took fourth spot away from Rodney Hayes with a
better count back of 15 to 14 after they had both struggled for most of the
day.
For the second time running Norman Cheetham walked away
with the only 2 in the first division and once again there were none in the
second division as the pot continues to grow.
Back at The Haven there was a welcome back for Stephen
Beard together with farewells for Tom McCarthy and Markku Tynell.
As from the 1st of July the Haven group will depart Soi
13 at the earlier time of 9 a.m. until further notice.
Note. If you would like to play with The Haven group you
can contact mobile 082 219 0965 or call in to the hotel at 185 Soi 13
between Beach Road and 2nd Road. All transportation to the course is
arranged and you do not need to sign up prior to the day, but you should be
there by 8.30 on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and 9 a.m. on Sundays on the
days you wish to play. A schedule of courses to be played can be found on
our web site at www.thehaven-hotel.com.
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A Family Affair at Emerald
IPGC Pattaya Golf Society at Rabbi’s Elephant Bar
Brian & Ning Neal.
The Pattaya Golf Society travelled to Emerald on
Monday, August 8, to play a Stableford qualifying round for the
Society’s “Player of the Month” award and found the course in a state of
repair with a heavily cored and sanded set of greens on the front nine.
Scores were destined to be poor to start as putting was a lottery and
many golfers finished with a better back nine set of returns than on the
front.
Sharing third place with 34 points were Masanori
Takano, making his final appearance this trip, and Rob Lamond who shot
the day’s best gross score of 80.
In second was lady golfer Wan Meeraka whose
improvement continued with a fine 37 point score, one behind partner
Evan Millar who produced a sound display after a run of less impressive
scores.
The only birdie two of the day was recorded by Wichai
Tananusorn on the fifteenth and the Booby Bevy went to Paul Bartlett for
his split scores which defied the logic of the day and were better on
the lottery which was the front nine. It may be some time before the
course at Emerald is back up to standard but when it is, a good golf day
is always in store in Ban Chang.
Debut win
for Hansen
On Wednesday, August 10, the Pattaya Golf Society
made the trip to Greenwood to play a Stableford competition on the B and
C nines and found the course empty and in excellent condition. As usual
in low season the white tees were well back and the heavy atmosphere and
continued threat of a storm meant the course would play long. The greens
were as good as any the group have played recently.
Starting on the easier B nine the group made good
progress and at the turn the pre-round favourite Peter Masters found
himself at the back of the pack with some fairly miserable putting. This
would change as he progressed from 11 points to a more credible return
with a gross back nine of only 38 shots, only twelve of which were
putts! The result was to place him in third with 32 points.
In second place, making a welcome return to the
group, was Tony Thorne on 36 points and he just failed to usurp the
eventual winner Benny Hansen, chalking up his debut win with the PGS.
Benny’s round of 37 points found no real problems as he recorded the
day’s only sub-par round.
There were no birdie twos and the Booby Bevy followed
the well-worn track to Mr Len after a promising start was again wasted
with some ineffective iron play.
Pattaya golfers still harbour some misgivings about
Greenwood but a 50 minute drive to an empty course in fine condition
cannot be overlooked in the schedules.
New swing works
for Larry
On Friday, August 12, the Pattaya Golf Society
visited Rayong CC to play a Stableford competition. The course had
offered a very attractive rate for the day and three other Pattaya golf
groups were also in attendance. However, the Starter managed his job
efficiently and PGS got away on time and completed the round with no
delays.
Old stalwart Tony Thorne had rejoined the group for
the day and his game showed some improvement with 33 points giving him
third place, only one behind the second placed man Nile Sheehan.
The winner was American golfer Larry Bland who
earlier had threatened “eighty or a hundred” with the untried
improvements to his swing occupying his thoughts. His projection was
correct as he posted gross eighty for an excellent forty point return on
the tough track.
As a bonus he also recorded a birdie two on the
sixteenth and joined Paul Bartlett in a share of the twos pot, the
latter having set the target with an excellent effort on number seven.
The day brought to an end another golf week at
Rabbi’s Elephant Bar in Soi Buakaow.
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It’s all down to timing
PSC golf from Lewiinski’s
Sunday’s winners Jez, Bob and
Jan.
Sunday, August 7, Green
Valley - Stableford
A Flight
1st Bob Newell (8) 41 pts
2nd Jan Eriksen (13) 40 pts
3rd Jez Lees (16) 39 pts
Near pins: No 4 Yui Bietry, No 9 Colin Davis, No
12 Colin Davis, No 16 Brian Wilkinson
Who was it that said “timing is everything”? Well whoever
it was, Bob ‘Seamless’ Newell was clearly not listening, as it takes a
cleaver fellow to blow the wheels of his handicap with a blistering 41
points a week before the monthly medal. Of course there was no sign of it
coming. His good play can be controlled no better than his bad play. The
fact that he hadn’t won in a long time was reinforced by the fact that most
people, except second placed Jan ‘The Quiet One’ Eriksen were actually happy
for him.
Playing alongside Bob were Jez ‘The Principal’ Lees and
Brian ‘the unbalanced’ Wilkinson. Brian thought the bronze was his! That was
until Jez was informed his handicap was 16 and not the 15 he had played off.
This led to a count back decision that left Brian out in the cold. Brian’s
ranting and ravings are unprintable.
Back at Lewiinski’s Bob made it a night to remember as he
collected the Lewiinski’s snowball.
Tuesday, August 9, Emerald
- Stableford
A Flight
1st Gerry Power (17) 45 pts
2nd Ed Wyckoff (10) 38 pts
3rd Leo Ruuskanen (18) 38 pts
Irishman Gerry Power had one of those days you remember
for a long time again! As he went nine under his handicap, an event for a
mid handicapper calculated to happen 1 in every 1138 rounds. Gerry does not
have 1138 rounds on record with the society but it is certainly in excess of
500, and that made it easy for the lads to tip their hat to the man of the
match. Gerry was seven clear of a tandem of Ed Wyckoff and Leo Ruuskanen.
The scales tipping in Ed’s favour.
The Ladies Flight was just as dramatic as Sim ‘Card’
Davis with a more than useful 41 points was nine strokes clear of the red
hot Yui.
Ian Halfpenny and the consistent Mike Jeffreys split the
2’s pot.
Wednesday,
August 10,
Bangpra - Stableford
A Flight
1st Peter Henshaw (16) 36 pts
2nd Jim Dundon (17) 32 pts
3rd Mike Jeffreys (16) 30 pts
The field is always a bit more modest on the second day
of the society’s weekly back-to-back fixtures and this Wednesday was no
exception. Peter ‘Don O’corleone’ Henshaw, arguably playing some of his best
golf ever, carried on the good work as he was the only player to match his
handicap. All this on a day when leaving your ball on the green above the
hole was at best a disaster.
Peter’s excellent round was four shots ahead of second
placed Jim Dundon and a further six ahead of Mike ‘The Welsh Wizard’
Jeffreys and Bob ‘the timing chains broken’ Newell. The resident monkeys
were not to be outdone as they helped themselves to Bill Brochard’s pack up.
Peter made sure it was his day as he claimed the only 2
of the day and graciously rang the bell.
Friday, August 12, Rayong
Country Club - Stableford
A Flight
1st Peter Henshaw (16) 40 pts
2nd John Feehan (16) 31 pts
3rd Mike Jeffreys (16) 31 pts
A case could be had that Gerry the ‘Irish Rovers’ mammoth
45 points on Tuesday and Peter Henshaw’s double victory in two days should
put them in the title race, but the scribe hasn’t the bottle to change it
seeing as to who I have already awarded it.
Peter Henshaw led a small but dedicated bunch home with a
40 point haul that will see his handicap dip even further. Peter was a
massive nine strokes clear of John Feehan and Mike the welsh Wizard
Jeffreys. The resulting count back dictated that they finish in that order.
John Feehan posted the day’s only 2.
Note: Lewiinski’s is situated on Pattaya Land Soi
1, Beach Road Soi 13/3 near to Walking Street. Any one wishing to play with
us just pop in, and add your name to the list. Otherwise, give Colin a ring
on 0898260764. Transport is provided.
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Duncan’s Day
PSC Phoenix Tuesday /Friday Group
The week’s winners pose with
staff at the Relax Bar.
Mike Gerrard
Tuesday, August 9
A smaller field than of late prepared to tackle the Lake
and newly opened Ocean course to fight it out for the KPK Food Services
voucher today.
The weather was set fair with cloud cover and a nice
breeze. The course was very quiet again. It’s great for the members who
enjoy what can only be described as millionaire golf. It took only three and
a half hour’s to get a three ball round.
So much so the first group out were back at the Relax Bar
just after 4 p.m. when they had only just opened.
Back at the Relax Bar, we gathered to discuss the day’s
events and sip a few beers.
Today’s winner, and receiver of the KPK Food Services
voucher was Duncan McGee, scoring a fine 41 points. A not so close second
was Graham Richmond with 37 points and third was Shaun Merriman (who we say
goodbye to for a few months whilst he goes away to earn a few pennies). We
also say goodbye to Graham Richmond who returns to the U.K.
This may help one or two others to get into the winners
enclosure.
Duncan’s score was no fluke, as he has been playing quite
well for a couple of weeks. I am sure that when his new handicap comes out
he will return to the lower levels experienced by the rest of us.
Near pins went to the two victors as well. Graham
Richmond and Duncan McGee.
Lucky draw prizes donated by the Relax Bar were awarded
to Shaun Merriman, John Stafford, and newcomer David Davies.
Next week we play a normal Stableford and then the last Tuesday of the
month we play for the prodigious Trattoria Italiana voucher.
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PSC Golf from Tropical Bert’s Beach Bar
The winner and second in each
flight: Derek Brook, Mike Gaussa,
Ray White and Barry Oates.
Derek Brook
Tuesday, August 9, Pattana
- Stableford
This booking of courses is a real case of ‘What To Do’.
This is supposed to be the Low Season and last Tuesday we were scraping the
barrel to get into double figures, then I booked Pattana for this week and
lo and behold on Monday evening we had nine groups. Fortunately, this is the
Low Season and Pattana was quite pleased to take the extra players.
Pattana is a magnificent set up, and for those who have
not played, it’s well worth a visit. So on this day after the normal rush
for breakfast at Bert’s, we were soon away. The drive up there is not a long
one these days, past Laem Chabang, turn left and soon there.
With the vouchers supplied by PSC, and the Low Season
deal, it was soon booked in and onto the first tee. The test for the day was
to be the B & C nines with the A nine under renovation, and with the white
tees being 6700 yards we played the yellow, which at 6300 was quite enough
with the wind blowing. So with the tee empty it was soon underway.
The imposing 1st as seen from
the restaurant.
The first hole on the B Course is a real problem. With
water on both sides and across the front of the green, then a rise to the
green, it is difficult on a reasonable day. With the wind blowing in your
face it’s really nasty. Then onwards.
One thing we found on the green of B1 was that the greens
were slippery and fast; however, as we went on we were to find the greens
were as different as rain can make them. Some were slippery and some hairy
and slow. Still, we did not care it, was just a pleasure to play the course.
The rest of the course was in very good condition, with the rough as one
would expect, rough, and the fairways well grassed.
One thing you are sure of here is a fine changing room,
and a hot shower. So it was into the hot shower then up into the really
first class restaurant that has to be the best in any golf course. Mind it
leaves a guilty feeling as after being charged 10% for the first + for
service, the staff suffer with very little tip.
Back at Bert’s after the Golfers Special, it was time for
the results and with a goodly number of players we could run two flights.
In the A Flight, 0 to 18, we had a very good result as
the scribe, Derek Brook, won with 37 points ahead of Mike Gaussa in second
with 36 points and Brian Parrish in third with 35 points.
In the B Flight, 19 up, the winner was Ray White with 37
points ahead of Barry Oates in second with 34 points and in third was Mick
O’Meara with 32 points. Then it was time for a couple of ‘Cold Uns’.
Near Pins: Mike Gaussa, Dick Warberg and Ray
White.
Long Putts: Brian Parrish and Don Carmody.
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The Little and Large Show
Sea Fishing with the KPK Club
The best catch of the day went
to Papa (Paul) Hayes with this beautiful sunfish.
Mike (Captain Chaos)
Gerrard
Saturday, August 6
This trip was organised at short notice for the Hayes
family, who are here on holiday from Zambia.
The weather was set fair after the recent storms and a
slight breeze made the day a little cooler than normal, but also made the
water just a little choppy, but very acceptable. This was proved by the fact
that no one was seasick all day.
As usual the whole day proved very successful with
varying catches. The best catch of the day went to Papa (Paul) Hayes with a
beautiful sunfish (a new species to our group’s history) weighing in at
about 16 kilos. In comparison to that was the tiddler caught by the Baby
(Sean) Hayes. The photos are just to prove the variation of catches we get.
Little Sean as well as Mom (Brenda) Hayes, also went on
to catch many different species, including a nice queen fish (landed by Bob
Jepson), all of which were greedily packed at the end of the day to take
home for supper.
In
comparison to that was the tiddler caught by the Baby (Sean) Hayes.
Wednesday,
August 10 -
Danny’s Day?
I move on quickly to Wednesday, August 10 (Danny’s Day?),
which was a very special day organised for a few members of the crew of the
USS George Washington aircraft carrier, which was anchored in Laem Chabang
for a few days.
With the numbers exceeding the normal amount of
passengers we carry, we took out the biggest boat that was available for
charter on the day. How I wish we could book this boat every trip. It far
exceeds the size and quality of the normal boats we charter, but it also
exceeds the budget we normally work under as well.
This was another hugely successful day. In fact one of
the best days fishing we have had this year, especially in the warmer summer
months. 6 sizeable queen fish, 3 small sharks, 2 huge grouper, a fair sized
barracuda and one 3 kilo snapper (my favourites). All in addition to scores
of smaller varieties. Everything went back to the mother ship for supper.
I have to say, for a group of American sailors on shore
leave they were a pretty decent bunch of guys. Pure gentlemen, except for
when we were repeatedly informed not to eat barracuda. This is a funny
statement aimed at nice guy Danny who repeatedly informed us all that you
cannot eat barracuda, and then grabbed the dead fish and hauled it back into
the ocean. He was in such a state that he nearly went in with it. It was not
long before Danny was sleeping. Great fun and laughter continued for the
rest of the trip as we all continued to remind each other: do not mention
the barracuda.
My sincere thanks go to Ben Hogstrom (whose birthday it
was) and brother, who donated the use of their two mini buses to transport
the passengers of the day.
Bob
Jepson is awarded the 500 baht KPK Food Services Ltd. voucher.
Saturday, August 13
As David Jason would have said in an episode of “The
Darling Buds Of May”, the day was “perfic”. Calm waters and cloud cover with
a fresh breeze, and above all nice people.
Our captain certainly knows where to find the fish. With
the tides slightly against us at the beginning we started differently this
trip and stopped at an area where we caught many pladang and snapper for the
first hour. This wetted the appetite for better things to come.
Only minutes after had we dropped anchor and baited up
the big rods, the first one started to run. Not the biggest fish in the
world but enough for a good meal for 4. It was a jackfish about 3 kilos in
weight.
Soon after another rod went and we landed a similar sized
queen fish.
And so the next hour or so continued with some nice fish.
6 larger varieties including a couple of new ones not seen before, such as
leather jackets.
As usual about mid day the fishing goes a little quiet,
so it’s then time to have a bite to eat and a little rest for an hour.
During the afternoon we decided to try for smaller fish again and fill our
goody bags for the freezer.
We stayed out a little later than normal and duly docked
at about 7 p.m. whence we headed straight for the nearest bar for that first
amber nectar of the day.
Bob Jepson was awarded the 500 baht KPK Food Services
Ltd. voucher for catching what was just about the biggest fish of the day
and the KPK Foods hat went to Paul Hayes for the next best.
The next scheduled trip is on Saturday September 10, or
of course if any one wants to book privately, any day of the week. Monthly
prizes are donated by Keith Keohane of KPK Food Services Ltd.
In all cases if anyone wishes to come along for a great
day on the ocean, give me a call on 087 091 7565 to book your place. We
usually only like to take 6 passengers out to avoid overcrowding whilst
fishing. Other spectators can come along at a reduced price. Please note
these days are not big game fishing, rather what you have read about above.
A nice day out on the ocean catching the unknown and relaxing in good
company. Times are usually from 7 to 8 a.m. start and return about 5 p.m.
Happy hooking and light lines.
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Jon Lays into the field
PSC Golf from the Fairways Golf Society
Tues, August 9, Greenwood
- Stableford
Only one outing this week due to all our players
participating in Kilkennys 4 man better ball on Thursday.
Tuesday’s winner Jon Lay.
We had a much smaller field than usual for our journey
here today with quite a few dropping out at the last minute. But this did
not make the competition any less fierce.
With the course in its usual good condition, Jon Lay’s
37pts came out on top but only after a back nine count back from Yasu.
Near pins went to Jon Lay, Scott Dobbins (2) &
Tony Duthie.
1st Jon Lay (7) 37 pts
2nd Yasu (14) 37 pts
3rd Scott Dobbins (0) 36 pts
Note: The Fairways is situated at the top of
Pattaya Klang on Sukhumvit Road. Anyone wishing to play with our group can
call into the clubhouse and put their names down on the lists provided or
call Scott on 084 389 2379. Breakfast and Transport provided if required.
JJ wins narrowly
at Emerald Golf Course
The Backyard Golf Society
JJ revels in his victory
outside Kisses Bar.
As slight change to our weekly game this week as due
to another public holiday on Friday we moved the game to Thursday.
Surprisingly we arrived at a busy golf course and with our two groups we
got off at 9:20 a.m.
Slightly slower than a Friday but we all finished in
just over four hours. JJ and Neville were neck and neck all the way
around the course with JJ finally coming in 1 point ahead on 38 points.
JJ also took the nearest the pin prize with the skin
results as follows: Andy Oz (10), A.N.other (4), Broken Wing (2), and
Dan M (2). Special mention to Andy Oz for the shot on the 13th which was
the nearest anyone in the Backyard Golf Society has come to a
hole-in-one since being formed last year.
Needless to say, part of the decision to play on
Thursday was partially due to bars being shut on Friday so it was down
the road for a few to finish the day off.
“The Donald” does a déjà vu…again!
PSC Golf from the Golf Club Sports Bar
Jack Spencer.
Monday, August 8, Rayong
Green Valley - Stableford
1st Don Bland (4) 41 pts
2nd Dan Avon (12) 40 pts
3rd Mark Reid (10) 39 pts
Yogi Berra was a famous American baseball player and
later manager for the New York Yankees back in the 50’s & 60’s who is quoted
on numerous occasions for his misquotes. Simultaneously denying and
confirming his reputation for malapropism, Berra once stated, “I really
didn’t say everything I said.”
So in the words of Yogi, “it was like d้jเ vu all over
again.” Another Monday, another Green Valley, another Don Bland 41 pt.
victory! The Donald is in top form right now, just like the course we played
on, and he cruised to victory once again for the second week in a row. Mr.
Bland is just back from another win at the beautiful Nick Faldo designed
Angkor Golf Resort up in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Destroying 64 other
competitors, he is in his purple patch, as they say. Well played Don!
We had 18 golfers on this Monday outing, so for being in
the low season was quite respectable. Lots of visitors as well as the usual
Green Valley members make this a good day out so why not try to join us next
time? RGV is one of the best courses in the area.
Wednesday,
August 10,
Burapha -Stableford
1st Jack Spencer (9) 39 pts
2nd David Shelton (7) 37 pts
3rd Bob McPhail (16) 34 pts
Driving through a downpour to get to the course, the
ominous black clouds that surrounded us seemed impossible to escape. As we
waited on the first tee, we stood and watched a curtain of rain 300 yards
ahead of us that came across the pond on the right and was headed our way.
The wall of water lasted for 42 seconds while we sheltered under the canopy
of the cart, and that was all the wet we saw for the rest of the day.
Weather is so unpredictable here it is not worth the bother to try to figure
it out so just get out there and play!
Burapha C and D was the host for today’s competition and
what a beautiful track it was. This is the preferred double of the 36 hole
complex that has been the recent host to several Asian Tour events. To be
honest, it has been awhile since we ventured out to Burapha and we kept
asking ourselves “why has it been so long?” as the course proved to be an
awesome test of golf with spectacular views. The greens were rolling quick
and true and the fairways were perfect. No wonder the pros play here!
Three groups of golfers took to the challenge but Capt.
Jack Spencer rose to the top with a very solid 39 Stableford points and
consistent play all day. Jack had his short game right where he wanted it
and his tour-quality chips were saving him 3 strokes a side. I guess
practice really does pay off! Well played to Jack and his collection of
nifty little wedges.
The rest of us mere mortals had a great day of quality
golf and David Shelton was the only guy even close, but he was playing with
Jack so it must be true that good play rubs off on you. Thanks to Mike and
the staff at Burapha for a great day out at a great price.
Thursday, August 11,
Greenwood - Stableford
1st Larry Maxey (19) 34 pts
2nd Steve Grant (9) 33 pts (cb)
3rd David Stafford (14) 33 pts
We were attempting to hold a 27 hole tournament on this
day but as it turned out, 18 was enough for most of the lads anyway. Dougie
Watkins was kind enough to take the reins for this outing and it turned out
to be a pleasant day on a pleasant course. The big guy, Larry Maxey took it
to the max on this tricky track that proved the better of most of us. Lefty
Steve Grant has had a good run the last few weeks but is shortly getting on
a plane back to Oz to get back to work and give the clubs a rest. Thanks for
joining us mate! And hey, thanks again Dougie.
Thanks to all for participating in this week’s fixtures,
and don’t forget to check us out on facebook/golfclubpattaya for updates,
musings, and scandals in general.
Note: The Golf Club is located on Soi LK Metro, off
Soi Buakhao and Soi Diana junction. We can be reached on 085 434 3377 or
pattaya4golf @gmail.com and our is www.golfclubpattaya.com. We also arrange
tailor made tours for your groups through our T.A.T. registered and bonded
company, Asiabound.
Vincenzi finishes 1-under his handicap for win at Bangpra
Jomtien Golf with the I.P.G.C.
Bangpra winner with 37 points
Harry Vincenzi.
Monday 8th August 8,
The Emerald - Stableford
As we arrive here the course is deserted and we tee off
30 minutes before our 10 a.m. schedule, there are many dark clouds all
around the course and we are all wondering what to expect today
weather-wise. The clouds disperse over the front nine holes and an enjoyable
round was enjoyed by all.
There are two divisions out today with the cut in
division 1 at 7-15 and division 2 at 16 plus. The greens here have improved
since our last visit three weeks ago and the best score of the day is 39
points winning division 1 for Paul Butler. Neville Scurrell is second one
point behind beating Peter Masters on a 21/20 back nine count back.
Rod Howett wins division 2 with 33 points and Brian
Ferringo is second on 31.
Neville is in the picture again with the only two in
division 1 with a birdie on the 15th, one rollover plus today’s go to
Bangpra on Wednesday in division 2.
Wednesday, August 10,
Bangpra - Stableford
There are a few spots of rain as we tee off but this
lasts only for the first two holes and as the first group approaches the
last tee it starts again but this is not a problem.
With numbers still diminishing each week with vacations
back to their home countries there is only one division out today. Harry
Vincenzi wins with 37 points with Chris Voller in second place with 32 and
third is (Mr Happy) Bryan Rought with 31.
Chris Voller birdies the 8th to win the division 1 prize
and there are now three rollovers in division 2 to Plutaluang next Monday.
Friday, August 12,
Eastern Star Stableford
A public holiday today and a busy course but it is still
only a four hour round for all six groups out. The cut today was 7-14 in
division 1 and 15 plus in division 2.
The course is still improving each week and with 37
points Chris Voller wins division 1. In second place Mikael Andersson is on
33 and one point behind in third place Bill Bertram.
Mr Zig Zag wins division 2 with 33 points beating Jim
Lane by three points and Harry Vincenzi is third with 29.
There are an amazing 5 two’s in division 1, one on the 6th, one on the
13th and three on the 172 yard 17th for Chris Voller, Jon Lay, Bill Bertram,
Paul Butler and Roy Thornton. In division 2 there are two rollovers now for
next Friday. There was a warm welcome return to Martin Rock.
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Bunker Boy’s first -
a dead heat
Geoff Williams (right), winner at
Crystal Bay with his mate Harvey.
Monday, August 1, Crystal Bay
G.C. (B & C) - Stableford
The start of a new month saw two Japanese golfers,
Takeshi and Mashi (Takeshi on his home turf), fighting it out right up to
the 18th hole where a count back separated them. Takeshi just nicking it to
take the runner up spot! Aussie Geoff Williams has found some form at last
and won with a very impressive 40 pts which went very nicely with a near pin
prize too.
Results:
1st Geoff Williams (17) 40 pts
2nd Takeshi Hakozaki (12) 39 pts
3rd Mashi Kaneta (12) 39 pts
Near Pin Winners: Colin Greig, Geoff Williams, Takeshi
Hakozaki, Mashi.
Wednesday, August 3, Greenwood G.C.
(B & C) - Stableford
Three new names took the prizes today, Tony Robbins
winning with the best score of the day and it was nice to see old timer Reg
Smart in the prizes after what seems like a prolonged absence. Reg took the
runner up place beating Barry Murning on a count back. Barry had to settle
for third place but two near pin prizes made up for his disappointment!
Results:
1st Tony Robbins (12) 34 pts
2nd Reg Smart (24) 32 pts
3rd Barry Murnin (15) 32 pts
Near Pin Winners: Geoff Williams, Barry Murnin (2)
Friday, August 5, Pattaya C.C. - Stableford
For the third game in a row we had another three new
names in the winner’s enclosure and for the first time ever playing with the
Bunker Boy’s we had a ‘dead heat’.
Nothing could separate Alan Sullivan and Lee Butler who
both came into the clubhouse with identical scorecards and so had to share
the spoils between them! Newcomer Martin Allard was pleased to be in the
frame taking third place with a handy 38 pts.
Results:
1st Alan Sullivan/Lee Butler (12 &
15) 39 pts
3rd Martin Allard (24) 38 pts
Near Pin Winners: Barry Murnin, Eddie Martin, Lee Butler (2)
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3,000 turn out for Queen Sirikit Hospital walk-run
More than 3,000
people turn out in Sattahip to walk and run for HM Queen Sirikit’s birthday.
Patcharapol Panrak
More than 3,000 people turned out to walk and run for HM
Queen Sirikit’s birthday and raise money for royal charities.
The Queen Sirikit Naval Medical Center held the fifth
Mother’s Day walk-run at Sattahip’s Hospital Health Park to honor HM the
Queen for lending her name to the area’s largest hospital and to raise funds
she can dispense to charities of her choice.
Adm. Suriya Na Nakhon, president of the Queen Sirikit Hospital
Foundation, noted that the Royal Thai Navy founded Queen Sirikit Hospital in
1992 to bolster the public-health system in Sattahip, which had been
primarily served by Apakorn Kiatwong Hospital. That facility, however,
wasn’t large enough to serve the growing Sattahip Naval Station area. The
hospital gained the backing of HM the Queen, who laid the cornerstone for
the main building on Aug. 18, 1992.
Koh Samui Adventure Race
set for September 17
The third edition of “The ibis Koh Samui Trophy”
adventure race is set for September 17.
Supported by ibis Hotels, the Tourism Authority of
Thailand, the Tourism Association of Koh Samui and the Thai Hotel
Association of Koh Samui, this adventure race is set to attract 100 teams
from around the world.
Scheduled on and part of the Amazing Thailand Adventure
Race Series, the race will start and finish on Bophut beach.
Adventure Racing is a highly visual and dynamic sport
genre, stretching competitors to their limits. It is a sport that is rapidly
capturing the imagination of sport people in Thailand and around the world.
“After the tremendous international success of the last
River Kwai Trophy in Kanchanaburi, we are very excited to bring quality
Adventure Racing in Samui again,” explains Serge Henkens, the race director
and managing director of Active Management Asia.
This year’s event looks even more interesting with top
Asian teams coming from China, Hong Kong and Singapore to challenge local
champions and last year’s winners Saman Gunnan and Seree Ruansiri.
Asian champions Asia Pacific Adventure team led by
Adventure Racing Star Ryan Blair will be the main contender in Samui this
year. Chiru Endurance team from Hong Kong is also looking for silverware.
The ibis Koh Samui Trophy Adventure Race will offer 4
disciplines: running, cycling, kayaking and swimming.
The competitors will hike and run through jungle, paddle
and swim on waters in the gulf of Thailand and cycle over the Samui hills.
“As we offer 2 divisions, Adventure (easier course) and
Extreme (longer course), the race is really accessible to everyone!”
concludes Henkens.
The winners of the extreme division are expected to
complete the course in approximately 4:30. The fastest team in the Adventure
division is planned to finish in around 3:30.
Teams of 2 racers will compete in categories for Men,
Women, Mixed, Masters Men (over 80 years combined) and Grand Masters Men
(over 100 years combined).
For more information: contact Active Management Asia Co.,
Ltd., email: info@ active-asia.com, website: www.kohsamuitrophy.com,
www.ama-events.com
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100 motocross racers compete
for charity at Khao Bai Sri Enduro
Riders emerge from the jungle.
Patcharapol Panrak
About 100 motocross riders jumped hills and kicked up
dirt as they raced for charity at the Khao Bai Sri Enduro track.
Plutaluang village chief Sumaethee Siriphan and the
Chonburi Amateur Sports Club sponsored the “Charity Enduro” bike race for
the Ban Khao Bai Sri School Child Development Centre and Khao Bai Sri Temple
Aug. 4. Racers completed in five brackets, including “Super Cup 2+4
Villager,” “windscreen,“ “Super Cup 2+4 Open,” age 40+, and a general
category.
Wachira Liamwiriyakul from Nikom Machine AJ won the
four-round competition, taking home 2,000 baht. In second place was racer
Polawat Komkla, who won 1,500, and Chanon Deecharoenchaikul won third and
1,000 baht. Seven others won medals for their performances as well.
In the general category, Worawit Thangbor from the Huay
Yai team took first and 2,500 baht.
Sumaethee said this was the second charity race since
February, both of which were successful.
The last jump before the home
stretch.
And they’re off!
Stolz revival rolls on with Thailand Open victory
Korean’s Choi Jin-ho plays in the
final group, but is unable to keep up. Nonetheless, he still finishes tied
for third.
OneAsia
Australian Andre Stolz secured his second victory of the
season on OneAsia when he triumphed in the US$1million Thailand Open after
an enthralling head to head battle with Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng on
Sunday.
Stolz, who won the season opening US$1million Indonesia
PGA Championship in March, fired a final round nine-under-par 63 to beat
Prayad by two shots at Suwan Golf and Country Club.
Australian Andre Stolz carded
nine birdies, including six on the front side.
The Australian had started the day three behind overnight
leader Prayad but stormed through with nine birdies including six on the
front side. He finished with a four-round aggregate of 22-under-par 266.
Prayad, bidding to become only the third Thai to win his
national Open, closed with a 68. It was also an impressive round made up of
five birdies with the only blemish being a bogey on par-five 18th, where he
found water with his third.
“I hit a lot of great shots early on and obviously Prayad
and I were battling each other - it was great fun. I knew I had to get a
fast start and he comes out making birdies as well. The heat knocked me
about and I battled the last four or five holes and hit a lot of horrible
shots,” said Stolz.
The US$180,000 winners’ cheque allowed him to overtake
Korean Kim Kyung-tae at the top of the OneAsia Order of Merit. He has now
earned US$433,125 from six events.
The two combatants were tied on 21 under par after 14
holes but a brilliant 30 foot right to left birdie putt on 15 by Stolz
proved to be crucial. Prayad just missed a shorter birdie putt.
Prayad Marksaeng has a golden opportunity to draw level
on 17, but his eight foot birdie putt just misses.
The 45-year-old Thai had a golden opportunity to draw
level on 17 but his eight foot birdie putt just missed.
“I have a motto which I tell my kids - ‘You have got to
do what is required’. And that was in my mind today. When I walked off the
first green today I knew it was going to be a shoot-out. You get days that
are crazy like that. The way I am playing at the moment I feel I can win
every event I play. I have only played badly on about five days in the last
year. I changed back to the short putter (from the long one) after the
Nanshan China Masters in June,” added Stolz.
The victory is the continuation of a remarkable comeback
story for Stolz. He came out of retirement just two and a half years ago. In
2005 a nagging wrist injury caused by wear and tear forced him to stop
playing for nearly three years. He was one of his country’s finest players
having claimed a title each on the US PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour, and Japan
Tour plus four victories on the PGA Tour of Australasia.
This week marked the second time Prayad has finished
runner-up in his national Open. The first time came in 2004 when his famous
compatriot Boonchu Ruangkit took top spot. Boonchu also won the title in
1992 while the other Thai to won was Suthep Meesawat, Prom’s father, in
1991.
“Today I was hoping to shoot five or six under to win the
trophy but Stolz is too good. If you ask me whether I feel disappointed or
not, I think I did my best. I played with him the first two days and he did
not putt so well like he did today. The turning point was hole seven where I
missed a one footer. He did everything perfectly,” said Prayad, who won
US$102,000.
Australian Brent McCullough
shoots a final round 66 to earn a tie for third.
The Thai star is a six-time winner on the Asian Tour but
perhaps his finest achievement was winning three times in Japan in 2008.
Korean’s Choi Jin-ho and Australian Brent McCullough tied
for third on 17 under par.
Choi fired a 69 and McCullough a 66.
Japan’s Tomokazu Yoshinaga took sole possession of fifth
place with a 68 to finish a stroke further back.
Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, winner of the Indonesia
Open presented by Enjoy Jakarta in July, shot a 67 to finish on 11 under.
His countryman Thongchai Jaidee returned a 73 to end on
minus seven.
The next event on OneAsia is Kolon Korea Open to be
played at Woo Jeong Hills Country Clun from October 6 to 9.
Completed final round scores:
Par 72
266 Andre Stolz (AUS) 69 70 64 63
268 Prayad Marksaeng (THA) 70 67 63 68
271 Brent McCullough (AUS) 73 65 67 66, Choi Jin-ho (KOR)
68 67 67 69
272 Tomokazu Yoshinaga (JPN) 72 67 65 68
273 Jamie Arnold (AUS) 69 69 69 66
274 Kim Meen-whee (KOR) 69 72 67 66, Kim Woo-hyun (KOR)
73 68 64 69, Wu Ashun (CHN) 69 67 67 71
275 John Huh (USA) 70 68 70 67, Kim Do-hoon (KOR) 74 66
68 67, Prom Meesawat (THA) 69 69 69 68, Kiradech Aphibarnrat (THA) 68 67 71
69, Pariya Junhasavasdikul (THA) 68 69 68 70
276 Chinnarat Phadungsil (THA) 69 73 71 63, Udorn
Duangdecha (THA) 72 68 68 68, Peter O’Malley (AUS) 71 70 65 70
277 Thaworn Wiratchant (THA) 69 68 73 67, Matthew Griffin
(AUS) 70 70 70 67, Park Eun-shin (KOR) 72 69 69 67, Panuphol Pittayarat
(THA) 68 69 70 70
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