A Spanish fiesta for Garcia

It was third time lucky for Sergio Garcia yesterday as the Spaniard beat man of the hour Henrik Stenson by four strokes to win the US$1 million Thailand Golf Championship at the Amata Spring Country Club.

“It’s an amazing week for everything, the last tournament of the year and Katharina caddying for me. I can’t wait to go home to Switzerland and catch some sleep,” said Garcia, who gave the golf course’s flag to his girlfriend and caddie Katharina Bohem.

The former world’s No 2, despite bogeys on the ninth and 16th holes, finished with a fine 68 for a 22-under 266 total to bag his first trophy of the year. His last victory was the Iskandar Johor Open in December. 

He has collected four Asian Tour titles so far, including the 2002 Korean Open and 2008 HSBC Champions.

 “I knew Henrik was going to make it difficult for me,” Garcia said.

“I started well but he also did. He hit good shots after good shots. Then when I bogeyed on the seventh and he missed shots on eighth and ninth, I was down a bit. I didn’t hit bad shots but I didn’t get good places on the seventh, eighth and ninth fairways. 

“But I was able to hit three birdies at the start of the back nine to give myself some space,” said the 33-year-old, who emerged as the Thailand Champion after coming close in the last three years. He was fourth 12 months ago. 

Garcia, with a four shot lead at the start, was barely caught by the Swede. The only time the Spaniard opened the door was when he bogeyed the fifth and allowed Stenson to narrow the gap to two strokes. He will take home a cheque for $180,000 for his share of the prize money while Stenson receives $110,000 as runner-up.

“I needed something really, really good to happen here,” Stenson said. 

“I had a couple of chances to get a little bit close around holes 8 and 9 but I didn’t make those two birdie putts. Sergio was hanging in there, made one or two good saves and then he made three birdies in a row, and then he pulled away. I needed something spectacular to happen the last four or five holes. 

“Then I slipped on my second shot on 15. The tournament was done and dusted pretty much after that one. It would have taken something bad from his part to get close in the end. I was pushing for my birdie on 17 to try to get within two and one to play. You can make a birdie at the last hole and he can potentially make a bogey. But I missed the one coming back,” said world’s No 3.

Four shots behind at lone third was Frenchman Alexander Levy with a 69 for a 274 total. Defending champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa shot back-to-back 67s to finish at 13-under 275, which was good for fourth alongside Japan’s Yuki Kono, US Open champion Justin Rose and India’s Anirban Lahiri.

Chapchai Nirat signed off the with a 69 and a four-day total of 11-under 277 to take eight, which was the best among Thai players. He shared that spot with American Rickie Fowler, who played an uneven round before finishing with a 70.

Three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Thongchai Jaidee, with a closing 68, was tied at 10th with 10-under 278 with Australia’s Marcus Fraser and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar.

At 13th were Chinnarat Phadungsil and American Hunter Mahan, each with 279.

Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa shot a 70 for a total 280 to take the 15th slot with American Berry Henson and South Korean Kim Gi-whan joining him.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat had bogeys on holes 16 and 18 and a double bogey on 17th to finish at 281. However, he will finish the year as the No 1 player in Asia regardless of the result of the King’s Cup, the tour’s last event, which has been moved to January. His 18th place was also shared by Prayad Marksaeng, Panuphol Pittayarat and first-round leader Alex Cejka of Germany.