Thailand’s very popular Thongchai Jaidee captured his sixth European Tour win and his second on European soil with a play-off victory in the Nordea Masters in Sweden.
The 44-year old Thai golfer and triple Asian Tour Order of Merit winner defeated Scotland’s Stephen Gallacher and Frenchman Victor Dubuisson on the PGA National Sweden course in Malmo.
All three players had ended regulation play locked at 16-under par in glorious cloudless warm conditions.
Jaidee had birdied his opening three holes in regulation play and then had an eagle at the 11th in a blistering round of 65.
Thongchai Jaidee proudly holds the Nordea Masters trophy and his second victory on European soil. (Picture: Eoin Clarke www.golffile.ie)
He then put his third shot to around four feet at the first extra play-off hole and sank the birdie putt to deny his two rivals.
Four years ago Jaidee had broken through on European soil to capture the 2012 Handa Wales Open while he’s had 11 others wins around the globe.
“The golf course is wide open, you have to hit good golf shots and the weather helped a little bit.”
Dubuisson would have won with a birdie on 18 in regulation play, but three-putted from just off the green.
Gallacher’s chance looked to have gone when he bogeyed the 17th from a greenside bunker, but he bravely converted from 20 feet at the next.
Stenson, playing in the final group with Eddie Pepperell, needed an eagle to win his national title for the first time, but pushed his second into trouble right of the green and eventually bogeyed.
“It was a disappointing last day,” the Swede, who lost a play-off for this event in 2005, said of his 71. “Apart from the first hole I got off to a good start and made a couple of birdies, but the bogey on the sixth was a momentum killer.
“It was one of those days when I didn’t quite get it going and missed a few chances and a couple of bogeys slipped onto the card too easily. You can’t afford that if you are going to win the tournament.
“I was still fighting and in with a chance on the last, but I just missed it in the wrong place. It left me in a bad spot.
“It would have been nice to win in front of home fans, but there will be more chances and there will be more chances to win other golf tournaments, so you can’t be too disappointed.”
Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen matched Jaidee’s 65 to take fourth on 15 under, with Stenson alone in fifth and Pepperell sharing sixth with Spain’s Alvaro Quiros and another local favourite in Robert Karlsson – whose 63 was the best round of the week.
Earlier Jaidee had followed his opening hat-trick of gains with a birdie form close range at the sixth.
His only dropped shot of the day came at the seventh, but a lengthy eagle putt on the 11th was followed by birdies on the 14th and 15th – not that the former paratrooper felt he had done enough coming down the stretch.
“I thought 16 under would be second or third with the last hole being a par five,” he added.
“Then you never know in a play-off. A play-off was good for me as I finished early so I was very lucky.”
Asked about his tactics in the play-off, he continued: “I had a good drive, then I knew I couldn’t get reach the green. I played a great shot as I knew the pin was very tough, so I played the hole really well.”
Gallacher, whose missed birdie putt in the play-off was similar to the one he had made at the same hole 30 minutes earlier, was still pleased with his week’s work despite failing to add to his win in Dubai earlier this year.
“I had a good week and I was delighted to get into the play-off,” he said.
“I holed a lovely putt on the last after lipping out on both 16 and 17. Jaidee just hit a lovely shot there, or lovely three shots, on the last, which was playing really tough.
“I was hoping to peak for a couple of weeks. I knew I was playing well, so to finish fifth and then second is not bad. I’m delighted with that.
“Play-offs are fine margins. My ball got up to four foot from the hole and then spun back. If the wind drops a bit instead of gusting and I’m stone dead. Play-off golf, you need that bit of luck, but the putt to get into the play-off was great.”
