Thailand stayed 10th in the opening round of the 13-team Queen Sirikit Cup event in Malaysia yesterday.
Featuring Supamas Sangchan, Budsabakorn Sukapan and Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, Thailand scored a total of 153 in the three-day tournament with only the best two scores counted.
Coached by Virada Nirapathpongporn, Thailand set their sights on winning their maiden team title in the amateur event.
South Korea and the Philippines shared the lead on 143 while Japan and China were third and fourth respectively.
Hosts Malaysia, who target a top-five finish, were last on 157 at the par-72 Saujana Golf and Country Club.
Defending champions Australia, who are without top-ranked amateur Minjee Lee, were sixth on 149.
In the individual event, Clare Amelia Legaspi of the Philippines scored a three-under 69 to take a one-shot lead while Shi Yuting of China was second on 70.
Supamas, who last year became the first Thai to win the individual title, posted a 76 while Budsabakorn shared 26th place on 77 and Sherman struggled with a 80.
Meanwhile, Thaworn Wiratchant and Prayad Marksaeng will lead Thailand’s challenge at the Singha Pattaya Open which tees off today at Burapha Golf Club.
Apart from Thongchai Jaidee who is at this week’s Masters tournament at Augusta National and Kiradech Aphibarnrat who is taking a break, all other leading Thai golfers will be vying for glory at the Pattaya event, co-sanctioned by the All Thailand Golf Tour and the Asean PGA Tour.
Prayad and Thaworn hope that the tournament is a good warm-up venue for next week’s Malaysia Open on the European Tour.
Kwanchai Tannin is the defending champion in Pattaya after winning by six shots last year.
He hopes to be the second straight Thai to win on the Asean PGA Tour after Gunn Charoenkul won at last month’s Singha E-san Open.