Thongchai Jaidee wrote a slice of golf history by becoming the first Thai golfer to win on PGA TOUR Champions following a one-stroke victory over Tom Pernice Jr. at the American Family Insurance Championship on Sunday.
Tied for the overnight lead, the 52-year-old Thongchai signed off with a 4-under 68 for a winning total of 14-under 202 at University Ridge – The University of Wisconsin Golf Course to earn his maiden victory on U.S. soil in what was his 19th career start on PGA TOUR ChamJerry Kelly and 36-hole co-leader Miguel Angel Jimenez were amongst four players who finished tied third.
“I’m really very happy with the tournament here. Sometimes everything has to be perfect, you can’t expect you can win … I’m very happy,” said a jubilant Thongchai, who had earned a place in this week’s tournament after finishing T10 in Iowa last weekend.
With his lowest 54-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions, Thongchai became the first international winner of the American Family Insurance Championship which dates back to 2016 and rose to 12th place on the Charles Schwab Cup standing. He is now exempt on the over-50 circuit through the end of 2023 and also earned a spot in the 2023 Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hualalai.
Thongchai bounced back from a bogey on the par-5, 16th hole with a birdie on the par-3, 17th and then closed out for victory with a closing par. It turned out to be a gutsy bogey on 16 as he rolled in a long putt from just off the green for his six.
“Great tournament here,” said Thongchai, who regained his PGA TOUR Champions card last December by finishing runner-up in Qualifying School.
“I played solid, solid, solid. I took one mistake on 16, hit the tree and lost the ball. We make good bogey and try to get my plan. We have 215 yards for my fourth shot, I hit 5-iron to the back of green. I think good putt from there to make bogey. Holed a good putt on 17 and the game changed. 17 was unbelievable. I think my confidence was in the putting, that’s what helped me a lot.”
Rated as one of Asia’s greatest golfers, Thongchai, who was in the Thai army and trained as a paratrooper before turning professional at the age of 30, holds multiple wins in Asia and has won eight times on the DP World Tour. He also became the first Thai golfer to play in the 2015 Presidents Cup but did not earn a PGA TOUR card during his heyday, the honour going to Kiradech Aphibarnrat instead.
“I would like to say thank you to my family, sponsors and all the people’s support in Thailand. I think it’s very difficult to be on tour,” he said
Final-Round Notes – Sunday, June 12, 2022
University Ridge – The University of Wisconsin Golf Course | Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
Things to Know
Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee captured his first victory on PGA TOUR Champions by one stroke over Tom Pernice Jr., who matched the round of the day with 6-under 66. Two-time defending champion Jerry Kelly and 36-hole co-leader Miguel Angel Jimenez were among the four players to finish T3.
Thongchai Jaidee, 69-65-68 – 202 (-14) – 52-year-old earned his first win on PGA TOUR Champions (19th start). Snapped a winless streak of 5 years, 11 months, 9 days (or 2,170 days) in an official individual tournament, dating back to the 2016 Open de France (DP World Tour)
Note: Jaidee teamed up with Phachara Khongwatmai to win the 2019 GolfSixes Cascais (unofficial event on the DP World Tour). Posted his lowest 54-hole score on PGA TOUR Champions (202). Became the first player from Thailand to win on PGA TOUR Champions. Became the first international player to win the American Family Insurance Championship, which dates back to 2016.
Earned an exemption on PGA TOUR Champions through the end of the 2023 season, and a spot in the 2023 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. Moved up to No. 12 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings after achieving status on PGA TOUR Champions this season by finishing runner-up at Q-School (Final Stage) in December. Became the first first-time winner this season on PGA TOUR Champions.
Note: This was the 12th tournament of the 2022 season
Other Notes
Tom Pernice Jr., who carded a bogey-free 6-under 66, finished runner-up at 13-under. This was his best finish on PGA TOUR Champions since taking runner-up honors at the 2019 Boeing Classic.
Seeking his third win of the season, 36-hole co-leader Miguel Angel Jimenez posted 2-under 70 to finish T3 at 12-under. Jimenez, who remains No. 2 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings, fell to 6-for-16 when holding a lead/co-lead entering the final round on PGA TOUR Champions.
Seeking back-to-back wins on PGA TOUR Champions and a three-peat at the American Family Insurance Championship, Jerry Kelly closed with a bogey-free 5-under 67 to finish T3 at 12-under. The Madison, Wisconsin native moves up to No. 5 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings.
2016 champion Kirk Triplett notched his second consecutive top-3 finish on PGA TOUR Champions with a T3 finish at 12-under.
Marco Dawson, who closed with 11-under 133 over the final 36 holes, finished T3 for his best result of the season on PGA TOUR Champions.
Playing in the final group on Sunday, Paul Broadhurst carded 2-under 70 to finish seventh at 11-under.
Tournament host Steve Stricker closed with a bogey-free 5-under 67 to finish T11 at 9-under.
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