HUA HIN : Thai players will be trying to win the prestigious King's Cup at the Asian Tour's 2013 season-ending tournament which tees off today at the Black Mountain Golf Club.
Arnond Vongvanij.
The Thais are led by Prayad Marksaeng, Thaworn Wiratchant, Prom Meesawat and defending champion Arnond Vongvanij in the 144-player King's Cup Golf Hua Hin.
Seven-time Asian Tour winner Prayad said he was well-prepared for the US$1 million tournament with the winner taking home $180,000.
"I am ready to start my year," said the Hua Hin native who is 16th on the money list.
Apart from the strong winds, the greens are also fast and players need good approach shots, he said.
"It will be good if I begin the year with a top-five finish here."
In the first two rounds, Prayad is grouped with Swedes Johan Edfors and Fredrik Andersson. The group is scheduled to tee off at 11.35am today.
Prom Meesawat, another Hua Hin native, said he felt relaxed to play in his hometown.
"The conditions are tough but I will do my best to try to win it as a New Year gift," he said.
Holder Arnond said he was happy to come back to defend the title.
"I'm very excited to come back and defend the title. This is one of the premier tournaments in Thailand and it will be an honour to win it again. I've learnt a lot and I'm ready for the tournament," said the 25-year-old who won his Asian Tour maiden title in 2012 by beating Mardan Mamat of Singapore and Thaworn in a play-off.
The Thais will face challenges from a number of fine international players including Edfors, who owns a villa at the course, and Australia's Scott Hend.
Ranked second on the money list, Hend is looking forward to winning another tournament on Thai soil.
He won three times last year including the Chiangmai Classic.
"It'll be nice to finish the 2013 season well and secure my second place on the Order of Merit," said Hend.
He cannot overtake money leader Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand who will play in Abu Dhabi on the European Tour this week.
Hend added: "Winning three times and playing solid all the way was definitely a year to remember for me. I want to do that again or even better that in the new season."
Sweden's Rikard Karlberg is determined to get back to the winning trail and will have a slight advantage of doing so as he will be playing at his home course at the Black Mountain Golf Club.
"The greens are always great here but this week we will be playing on really fast greens with different pin locations. You'll have a little bit of advantage because you know your way around the course, having played so many rounds here," said Karlberg.
With his last victory on the Asian Tour dating back to 2010, the 27-year-old is determined to recapture his winning form as he knows another victory on the circuit is long overdue.