THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Kiradech to finish the year in top 50

Kiradech to finish the year in top 50

Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat will end the year in 49th place based on projected rankings released by the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) on Monday.

The Thai was in 56th place before the start of the Indonesian Masters. But he moved five spots up the rankings following his outright fifth place finish at the Asian Tour season-ending flagship event for 2017.

The two-time Asian Tour winner, who was also Asia’s number one on 2013, will be further rewarded as he is likely to break into the world’s top-50 provided he is not being overtaken by any player from the final OWGR counting tournament of 2017 - the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship 2017 on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).

Kiradech started 2017 with two top-10s in Abu Dhabi and Qatar on the European Tour. He secured another top-10 at the Thailand Open followed by another tied-ninth finish in the Netherlands.

The Thai then stormed into the last three months of 2017 with a tied-second finish in Italy, tied-sixth in Turkey and another tied-second finish in Dubai.

“I’ve been playing fantastic golf throughout the year. I worked hard all year and I’m pleased with how it has turned out,” said Kiradech, who started the year in 82nd place.

A place at the Masters Tournament awaits Kiradech in April 2018 and it is a Major that the Thai is determined to excel.

“I played in the Masters in 2016 and finished tied 15th. It’ll be my second time in Augusta if I get in again and I’m going to try my best to do better. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I do as I want to show the world an Asian player can surprise and contend for a Major,” said Kiradech.

Kiradech played through the pain barrier on the final day at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club and it finally took an eagle-three on the final hole to lift him into fifth place, cementing his place among the world’s elite players on the rankings.

“I hit the ball right into the middle of the fairway and was about 220 yards away from the flag. I then used my four-iron and hit it perfectly to within 15 feet from the hole. It was an uphill putt but I hit it perfectly on the line and it went in. that eagle means a lot to me as I knew I had to finish fifth on my own (to break into top-50) and my last putt of the year did the job for me,” said Kiradech.

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