Historic Stateside Seniors Success for Thai Veteran

Wisconsin, United States: Thongchai Jaidee wrote a slice of golf history by becoming the first Thai golfer to win on PGA Tour Champions with a one-stroke victory over Tom Pernice Jnr at the American Family Insurance Championship.

Tied for the overnight lead, the 52-year-old Thongchai signed off with a four-under 68 for a winning total of 14-under 202 at University Ridge – The University of Wisconsin Golf Course to earn his maiden victory on US soil in what was his 19th career start on PGA Tour Champions.

American Jerry Kelly and 36-hole co-leader Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain were among four players who finished tied third.

“I’m really very happy with the tournament here. Sometimes everything has to be perfect,” said Thongchai, who earned a place in this week’s tournament after finishing tied 10th in Iowa last weekend.

With his lowest 54-hole score on PGA Tour Champions, Thongchai became the first international winner of the American Family Insurance Championship, which dates back to 2016, and rose to 12th place on the Charles Schwab Cup standing.

He is now exempt on the over-50 circuit through the end of 2023 and also earned a spot in the 2023 Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hualalai.

Thongchai bounced back from a bogey on the par-five 16th hole with a birdie on the par-three 17th and then closed out for victory with a par on 18. It turned out to be a gutsy bogey on 16 as he rolled in a long putt from just off the green for his six.

Thongchai, who regained his PGA Tour Champions card last December by finishing runner-up in Qualifying School, said: “I played solid. I made a mistake on 16, hit the tree and lost the ball. It was a good bogey. I had 215 yards (for his approach) and hit a five-iron to the back of green and made a good putt for bogey. I was confident in my putting and that helped me a lot (this week).”

Rated as one of Asia’s greatest golfers, Thongchai, who was in the Thai army and trained as a paratrooper before turning professional at the age of 30, holds multiple wins in Asia and has won eight times on the DP World Tour. He was the first Thai golfer to play in the Presidents Cup in 2015 but did not earn a PGA Tour card during his heyday.

“I would like to say thank you to my family, sponsors and all the support of all the people in Thailand,” he said