Colourful American John Daly has tipped 13-time Asian Tour winner Thongchai Jaidee to defy his ranking outside the world's top 100 by claiming his first major.
Thongchai Jaidee
Daly, who won two majors in the 1990s but has struggled with off-course problems and injuries, hailed Thongchai, 43, as ''one of the greatest guys I have ever met'' ahead of next month's Thailand Golf Championship.
''I think Thongchai Jaidee is probably the most consistent and best Asian player,'' Daly said. ''For an Asian Tour player, he is the most consistent guy. He is just a great ambassador for Asia. I just feel like he will soon pick up a major.''
Thongchai is a three-time winner of the Asian Tour's order of merit and in June, the world No.117 claimed his first victory on European soil at the ISPS Handa Wales Open.
''I want to play well there, not only for the fans but also because of the world ranking points,'' Thongchai said of the tournament, to be played Dec 6-9 at Amata Spring in Chon Buri. ''My goal is to break into the world's top-50 and playing well at Amata Spring will help a lot.''
YE Yang is Asia's only major winner to date after he stunned Tiger Woods to clinch the 2009 PGA Championship.
Daly, Masters champion Bubba Watson and fellow major winners Darren Clarke, Charl Schwartzel and Louis Oosthuizen are among the big names at Amata Spring, along with former world No.1 Lee Westwood.
Meanwhile, Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum failed to finish in the top 50 on the LPGA's money list after sharing 43th at the CME Group Titleholders in Florida.
In her second year on the tour, Pornanong finished 55th on the money list with US$212,412 after 25 tournaments.
Before the start of the season, Pornanong set her sights on a top-30 finish on the money list and her hopes looked like being fulfilled midway through the season. She won the HSBC LPGA Brasil Cup but the tournament was not counted toward the money rankings. However, after a one-month break, her form fell apart because of poor putting.
Her manager Supika Mapuengpong said that it was disapppointing because if her player had finished in the top 50 she would have earned a place at many big tournaments including majors.
She will be joined on the tour by compatriot Thidapa Suwannapura, who earned a card through the Symetra Tour.AFP/BANGKOK POST