Five players finished in a share of second place at the THB4 million ADT / All Thailand Golf tournament, including Phachara Khongwatmai (68) and Rattanon Wannasrichan (68) who shared the final group with Pavit.
Also tied for second were Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij (64), Sarut Vongchaisit (66) and Itthipat Buranatanyarat (67), all of whom were determined to try to spoil Pavit’s party.
“It was a little bit tight on the leaderboard, yeah,” said Pavit (67) after his round. “As I said before, anyone could have won it today in these kind of conditions but I had a good start.
“I made a big mistake on seven with a double bogey but the turning point for me was nine, 10 and 11. I managed to recover fast which kept me in contention.
“On 14 I had a chance to lead outright with an eagle putt but I three-putted which let the guys back into contention,” he revealed. “Even if I had birdied it might have got it done but nothing is easy in the final round.
Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Phachara Khongwatmai
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert (L) and Phachara Khongwatmai pictured in action at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open. Picture courtesy of the All Thailand Golf Tour.
“It was very tight on 14 under par, maybe five or six guys at that point. I tried to make birdie on 17, that was close, if I had made that one, maybe it’s done.
“Credit to the putt on the last though, that was the shot of the week for me. It was a long putt, up and down but I got it close so it was an easy par.
“It would have been very easy to three putt from that spot – it must have been almost 20 yards – but I was able to get it to two feet from the hole. If I had three putted and Phachara makes his, it would have been very different,” he laughed.
Billed as a Sunday shootout between three close friends, it was Pavit who made the first break after three holes, posting three straight birdies before the other two were each able to claw one back on the sixth hole.
Pavit’s two stroke lead was short-lived though, his double bogey on the seventh dropped him back to one under and tied with Phachara. Rattanon was a stroke further back after making bogey on the same hole.
Phachara and Pavit extended their lead with matching birdies on the ninth, making the turn two shots ahead of Rattanon, who could only post par.
On the back nine, Pavit tightened his grip with another two birdies, and although Phachara was initially able to keep pace, his progress stalled on the par four 13th where he dropped two shots.
Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij
Thailand’s Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij pictured in action at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open. Picture courtesy of the All Thailand Golf Tour.
They did not have the day to themselves however, with Varanyu among those making a determined attempt to catch the leaders.
Starting the day four shots off the lead, he made the turn at two under before turning up the heat with a hole-out eagle on the par four 10th. Two further birdies saw him finish the day on six under with a share of second place.
Sarut was also not sitting back and watching the show. Three front nine birdies gave him a look at the leaders although he was unable to complete his charge, a late bogey dropping him back out of contention.
In seventh place, on 13 under, China’s Yanwei Liu (66) was joined by Pawin Inghapradit (65), while in ninth spot a shot further back, honours were shared by Angelo Que (64) of the Philippines, Kenny Lem (64), Poosit Suprapramai (65), Chapchai Nirat (67), Atiruj Winaicharoenchai (67), Runchanapong Youprayong (68), Sette Prakongvech (69) and Australia’s Douglas Klein.
For champion Pavit, his next stop on the schedule is the 66th Kolon Korea Open at Woo Jeong Hills from June 20, while the ADT will be teeing it up a week prior to that on June 12 at the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters at Royal Long An.
All players from Thailand unless otherwise stated.
Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert pictured in action at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open. Picture courtesy of the All Thailand Golf Tour.