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Asian Tour star Prom Meesawat will lead an exciting Thai onslaught at the Brunei Open from August 21 to 24. The talented Prom is relishing a return to one of his favourite Asian Tour events and hopes to turn his game around at the highly-acclaimed Empire Hotel and Country Club for a title assault.
The burly Thai, who has finished seventh and third on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit in the past two seasons, will be joined by compatriots Chinnarat Phadungsil and seasoned campaigner Chawalit Plaphol, who will both make their Brunei Open debuts.
Former Asian Tour number one Thaworn Wiratchant will also feature in the popular US$300,000 event alongside defending champion Lin Wen-tang of Chinese Taipei, compatriot Lu Wen-teh, 2005 champion Terry Pilkadaris of Australia, Filipino duo Angelo Que and Artemio Murakami, Korea’s Noh Seung-yul, Gaurav Ghei of India and Malaysia’s Airil Rizman.
Prom plans to get his game into momentum at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course, which has yet to herald a winner from Thailand since the Brunei Open’s inauguration in 2005.
“I’m looking forward to playing in Brunei. I like the conditions at Empire Hotel and Country Club and I hope to enjoy my time out on the golf course again and produce a good finish,” said the 24-year-old Hua Hin-based player.
“I’ve been playing in Japan during the mid-season break but have not been able to find my rhythm. When my driving is good, my putting is off and when I am solid on the greens, I have trouble on the tee.
“It’s been like that recently, so I hope it will fall into place in Brunei,” added Prom, who won the 2006 SK Telecom Open after beating a top field that included K.J. Choi and Jeev Milkha Singh.
With many big money events lined up in the second half of the Asian Tour season, Prom knows he must shift his game into high gear in his search for a second career victory.
Thai teenage phenom Chinnarat is only 19 but he already has two Asian Tour victories under his belt. The former world junior amateur champion hopes to add the Brunei Open title onto his impressive resume in what will be his first visit to the sultantate.
“I will try to win in my first appearance in Brunei. I missed last year’s event as I was playing in Europe while two years ago, I was injured and couldn’t play,” said Chinnarat.
The power-packed Thai is however lamenting poor putting and hopes to improve on the greens in hope of launching a title charge in Brunei. “I am not too confident with my putting at the moment. I am working hard on it as I hear the greens at the Empire Hotel and Country Club are excellent,” said Chinnarat.
Two-time winner Chawalit hopes that the hard work that he has put into his game over the past month will reap its rewards when he makes his Brunei Open debut.
“I am not pleased with my performance this season. My driving and long iron shots have been off target but I’ve spent an average of three hours a day in the past few weeks to fix the problem and I hope it will show at the Brunei Open,” said Chawalit.
“I’m not happy with my position on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit. I want to make a serious charge up the rankings and I will be fully focused in Brunei,” added the Thai, who is currently ranked 74th on the Order of Merit.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
