Jaidee clinches Wills Indian Open

By Ritesh Gupta

GURGAON, MARCH 18. Thongchai Jaidee held onto his overnight one- stroke lead and held off Scot Ross Bain to clinch the top prize of $ 50,010 in the $ 3,00,000 Wills Indian Open at the Classic Golf Resort here on Sunday. His winning aggregate of 17-under 271 was a record for the Open.

The genial Thai captivated a large holiday crowd at this well- laid out course, with his stupendous effort. As Jaidee rolled in his four-foot birdie putt to signal victory, the first by a foreigner since 1998, there was a touch of disappointment among those who had hoped for an Indian revival on this final day.

The defending champion, Jyoti Randhawa, having slipped disastrously the previous day, all Indian eyes were on Arjun Atwal, who after a routine 71 each on the first two days had climbed back into contention with a 68 on Saturday. Atwal did make a determined charge this day, but his splendid six-under 66, that matched Jaidee and Bain's final day efforts, was good enough to give him only a share of the third place and $ 16,800. Randhawa, having hit another bad patch, returned a 74 and finished 15th.

That the title contest stretched right up to the final hole provided the large gallery with ample excitement, no matter that an Indian was not there in contention. The end, however, proved anti-climactic as Bain was bunkered on the 18th. The top prize could have gone only one way after that. Of course, barring a miracle. ``My swing was good throughout and I am very happy to have shot a six-under. Ross played very well for his 66. After we were level till the 17th, I knew I had an advantage on the par-5 18th hole due to my driving. When he had a poor second shot for the fairway and third in the bunker, I thought I am almost through, '' said a relieved Jaidee, who also moved to the top of the APGA Order of Merit with this victory..

Jaidee benefited from his ability to hit his drive way of ahead of Ross and expectedly reached the last green in two strokes. He then two-putted from the edge of the green to mark his second win on the Asian PGA Tour. Bain, who finished with a par on the crucial hole, collected $ 33,000. Jaidee's 217 bettered the previous Indian Open record by a stroke. That mark was set by England's Edward Fryatt at Calcutta in 1997. As Jaidee and Bain were involved in a nerve-wracking battle, all eyes were set on the duo through the course of the final day. To Bain's credit, he even took the lead at the 11th hole with a birdie, which was his third out of four successive ones. At this stage, he looked poised to get past Jaidee before he lost the tempo on the par-5 14th.

In what proved to be the turning point in the keen tussle, Bain's drive landed in the bunker. The 25-year Scot's attempt to get out did not succeed since he was obstructed by the edge of the bunker. ``I was unfortunate to hit the edge. Though, I managed a par, Thongchai hit a great second shot and eventually ended with a birdie to draw level at 16-under, '' said Bain. The Scot took just 22 putts on the final day.

Bain was gulping air and chewing his nails as he started off on the 18th. He choked, ending up in the bunkers on his first and third shots while Jaidee was safely placed. Jaidee's birdie was a certainty, while Bain was lucky to save par.

Even as there was a buzz about James Kingston's 65 and Atwal's 66, it was the duo of Jaidee and Bain, which attracted all the attention once they started. Both managed three birdies apiece on the same holes in the front nine and Jaidee was a stroke ahead at 14-under at the turn.

Thereafter, Bain enthralled the crowd with his amazing approach shots. With his strokes placed close to the pin, Bain threatened to nudge past Jaidee. It all looked possible when Bain had three short birdie putts from the 10th to the 12th holes.

But Jaidee did well to keep his cool with a birdie on the par-4 12th and did not let his rival run away. ``That time he (Bain) was really playing well. It was a crucial phase and I just waited for my turn, '' said Jaidee.

Delhi youngster Ashok Kumar, the lone amateur who made the `cut', finished with a two-over 290. he had scores of 74, 69, 75, 72.

The scores: Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) (67, 69, 69, 66) 271; Ross Bain (Sco) (71, 67, 68, 66) 272; Chris Williams (RSA) (68, 68, 72, 68), Arjun Atwal (Ind) (71, 71, 68, 66) 276; James Kingston (RSA) (70, 69, 73, 65) David Gleeson (Aus) (68, 74, 69, 66) 277; Adam Spring (US) (71, 67, 72, 68), Craig Kamps (RSA) (72, 71, 67, 68) 278; Greg Hanrahan (US) (74, 68, 70, 67); Arjun Singh (Ind) (69, 71, 71, 68), Andrew Pitts (US) (68, 76, 68, 67) 279; Gerald Rosales (Phi) (69, 69, 70, 72), Hong Chia-Yuh (Tpe) (71, 73, 68, 68) 280; Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) (68, 73, 69, 71) 281; Brad Kennedy (Aus) (70, 69, 74, 69); Jeff Burns (US) (67, 69, 73, 73); Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) (67, 69, 72, 74) ; Simon Yates (Sco) (74, 70, 67, 71); Nico Van Rensburg (RSA) (68, 71, 69, 74), Robert Huxtable (US) (69, 72, 72, 69) 282; Chawalit Plaphol (Tha) (70, 71, 74, 68); Vivek Bhandari (Ind) (67, 71, 74, 71), Taimur Hussain (Pak) (70, 71, 70, 72) 283; Felix Casas (Phi) (73, 68, 74, 69), Mike Cunning (US) (70, 74, 71, 69), Thammanoon Siriroj (Tha) (76, 69, 70, 69), Shinichi Akiba (Jap) (71, 71, 72, 70), Stephen Lindskog (Swe) (70, 74, 70, 70), Chung Joon (Kor) (70, 74, 69, 71), Chen Yuan Chi (Tpe) (71, 70, 71, 72), Zaw Moe (Myn) (68, 70, 71, 76) 285.

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