Chon Buri: Thongchai Jaidee hopes to become the first Thai — and first Asian — to win the Thailand Golf Championship.
From left, Bubba Watson, Thongchai Jaidee, Sergio Garcia and Martin Kaymer with the trophy.
The fourth edition of the US$1 million Asian Tour event tees off today at Amata Spring Country Club.
England's Lee Westwood won the inaugural tournament in 2011 while Charl Schwartzel of South Africa triumphed in 2012 and Spaniard Sergio Garcia was crowned champion last year.
World No.12 Thongchai has been enjoying one of the best seasons of his career since turning professional in 1999, winning his sixth European Tour title in Sweden.
The 45-year-old Thai is brimming with confidence that this could be his year in the Asian Tour's flagship event.
"I have played a lot of golf in one of the best seasons of my career,'' said Thongchai. "I hopes to bring success to my fans here."
It will be Thongchai's first tournament on home soil this year. The 13-time Asian Tour winner's best result in the event was joint 10th last year.
"I'm glad to be back. I have spent a lot of time outside the country. I am looking forward to this big tournament,'' Thongchai said.
Thongchai will tee off in today's first round at 11.50am along with double Masters champion Bubba Watson and Koumei Oda of Japan.
Holder Garcia believes Thongchai and other Asian players have a chance to lift the trophy on Sunday.
"The level of golf in Asia is growing very rapidly and you can see many Asian players coming out to play in Europe and on the PGA Tour,'' he said.
"We saw that with Thongchai and Kiradech [Aphibarnrat] doing so well [in South Africa] last week. There's always a group of Asian guys who can come out and perform well and they all have a chance of winning this week.''
While Garcia has cast one eye on a successful title defence, the Spaniard will also be looking to shake off a flu bug.
"The flu's a little bit better. I had a nice Jacuzzi and steam bath and I think that helped and I'm going to try to do it again today," said Garcia.
Reigning Masters champion Watson, the highest-ranked player in the field at No.4, is chasing another victory in Asia having won the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai last month for his first win outside the US.
"We're here to try and win a great golf tournament,'' said the American. "We will be trying to hit some good shots for the galleries here.''
The star-studded tournament also features former world No.1 Westwood, US Open champion Martin Kaymer and Frenchman Victor Dubuisson.
Germany's Kaymer hopes to lift the title in his Thailand Golf Championship debut.
"I think that's the main goal for all of us. We come to every tournament and we all want to win. We don't just come to show up, that's not our nature," said the two-time major champion.
The other Thais at Amata Spring include reigning Asian Tour No.1 Kiradech , Prom Meesawat, Thanyakorn Khrongpha and Thitiphan Chuayprakrong.
Prom still has a slim chance of winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit. The 'Big Dolphin' is third on the money list behind leader David Lipski of the US and India's Anirban Lahiri with two tournaments left.
Thanyakorn has been one of the hottest Thais in recent weeks, finishing third at the Casio Open in Japan and second at the Indonesia Open.
The Thailand Golf Championship is also a qualifying round for the 2015 British Open with four St Andrews spots up for grabs.
"Winning an Open berth is one of my targets this week,'' said Prom.
Prom will tee off at 7.30am alongside Kaymer and Garcia.