Pornanong wins fourth title

Pornanong wins fourth title

Pornanong Phatlum stormed to win her fourth Hitachi Ladies Classic title in Taiwan on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Thai shot an even-par 72 in the third and final round at Orient Golf and Country Club.

Pornanong Phatlum.

Pornanong, who made three birdies and three bogeys, won the title on 214 ahead of Taiwanese Teresa Lu (70) and Chen Meng-chu (69) who finished on 217.

It was the Chaiyaphum player's third straight crown at the tournament and fourth in all. She also triumphed in 2011.

"It is great to start the season with a victory," said Pornanong.

She said the win boosted her confidence in putting.

"I practised putting in Belgium late last year and I am happy with the way I am putting now,'' she said.

Pornanong will start her LPGA Tour season at the Coates Golf Championship in Florida from Jan 28-31.

Thailand Classic complaint

Thailand's leading golfers led by Kiradech Aphibarnrat have complained that local players were treated unfairly by the Thailand Classic organisers.

The US$2 million tournament, the richest golf event in Thailand, is co-sanctioned by the Asian and European tours and will be held at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin from Feb 12-15.

But a large number of Thai golfers are not happy with the way the Professional Golf Association of Thailand (Thai PGA) allocated berths for Thai players.

The organisation was allowed to choose 14 players for the tournament.

But instead of giving the places to the highest-ranked players on the All Thailand Golf Tour and Thai PGA Tour, the Thai PGA gave the places to its players, according to Kiradech.

Kiradech claimed the Thai PGA gave eight berths to the top-eight players on its money list.

The other six are four qualifiers, who were successful in a 18-hole qualifying event, and two invites, Kiradech said.

"Players on the All Thailand Golf Tour should get chances to play in a big tournament,'' he said.

"The Thai PGA's selection did not meet international standards."

Former Thai PGA president Boonchu Ruangkit said that the selection process was unfair.

"You should give chances to players on the money lists of both domestic tours,'' he said.

Two-time Asian Tour No.1 Thaworn Wiratchant said that good players were denied chances to play against world-class players because of the Thai PGA's poor management.

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