Asia’s Favourite Thongchai Jaidee joins stellar cast at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2015
Kuala Lumpur, 22 December 2014: Maybank Malaysian Open 2015 today announced the participation of three-time Asian Tour number one Thongchai Jaidee at the 54th edition of the US$3 million showpiece which will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club from February 5th – 8th, 2015.
The two-time Malaysian Open champion and Captain of Team Asia at the inaugural EurAsia Cup; Thongchai is no stranger to Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia which he regards as his ‘second home’. One of only three players ever to win back to back Malaysian Open titles which he achieved in 2004 and 2005 – the latter including a hole-in-one in the final round – Thongchai is looking forward to once again challenge the star studded field in celebration of Maybank’s 10th year as title sponsor of the national Open.
Thongchai started his professional career at the age of 30 but after winning the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit two years later, he created history by becoming the first Thai to play in all four rounds at the US Open Championship. Although he failed to get his US PGA Tour Card in 2003, he never looked back as it was the year that saw his initiation into playing in Europe. He became the first ever Thai to complete all four rounds at The Open Championship at St Andrew’s in 2005 and became the second Thai to play at Augusta National Golf Club in 2006 although he missed the cut. 2014 saw him win the Nordea Masters in Sweden after a dramatic three-man play-off after an impressive final round of 65 over Victor Dubuisson and Stephen Gallacher.
With 15 Tour victories under his belt including two in Europe, at 45 years old, Thongchai finished 44th on the Official World Golf Ranking and 22nd in The 2014 Race to Dubai Rankings. Thongchai is highly regarded as one of Asia’s greatest players and is convinced that there are still more accolades to be won. A favorite with the Malaysian crowd, Thongchai will have many supporters urging him to become only the second player to win the Malaysian Open title three times after Terry Gale of Australia, who achieved the feat in 1983, 1985 and 1987.
The Asian Captain will join a stellar cast of 156 players including 22 Malaysians, from the Asian Tour and European Tour for the prestigious co-sanctioned national Open scheduled from February 5th – 8that the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
The first national Open in Asia to be co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours in 1999, the Maybank Malaysian Open 2015 will once again feature top professional players competing for the historical Seagram Trophy.
Prize money earned at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2015 goes towards the Asian Tour Order of Merit and will count towards The European Tour’s Race to Dubai at the end of the year.
This world class golfing event has seen the participation of former World Number Ones, Vijay Singh and Martin Kaymer as well as the current No. 1 Rory McIlroy in addition to several Major Winners including Peter Thomson, Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel, Padraig Harrington, Sir Nick Faldo, Retief Goosen, and Michael Campbell, whilst also producing young and exciting winners such as Korean sensation Noh Seung-Yul (2010) and Matteo Manassero of Italy (2012).