By Rahul Banerji
Genial Thai golfer Nitithorn Thippong picked up his biggest paycheque to date with a play-off win over India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu at the DGC Open on Sunday.
In a battle that saw the lead change hands twice before the 72nd hole of the championship, it was the 25-year-old from Pathum Thani near Bangkok who prevailed over his experienced opponent on the first playoff hole
The win earned Nitithorn $90,000 and a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour after the current season.
“I can’t describe my feeling right now,” Nitithorn said later. “It is amazing to win on the Asian Tour.
“I have been waiting for this for a long time, can’t describe my feelings. It’s incredible, amazing.”
The Thai, who turned professional at age 17 in 2015 added, “In the playoffs, I didn’t get nervous. I was free and comfortable.
Going for broke
“After I saw Ajeetesh drive into the bushes, I stayed with my driving iron. On my second shot the idea was to lay up with a 3-wood but my caddie said to just go for it and I made the shot.
“Was not sure where it landed but then I saw the ball was on the green.
“I did not putt so good today so the idea was to just make the par. I had only one birdie on hole 3, and then the last one on 18.”
At the par-3 17th, Sandhu was sitting on a two-shot swing after Nittithorn bogeyed 16, but the Indian sliced his shot into the bushes to concede a double-bogey.
That brought them back on level terms and both birdied the 72nd and final hole to set up the playoff.
For Sandhu, it was a rare defeat in a shootout as he has three wins out of four on the domestic tour.
Missed chance
It was also a chance to end a five-year Asian Tour title drought after the Yeagnder Championship in Chinese Taipei back in 2017.
Overall, it was the Chandigarh golfer’s fifth runner-up finish on the Asian Tour, a record he would surely want to set right.
Helping deal with the disappointment no doubt will be the $55,000 runners-up cheque for his efforts this week.
Sandhu was also sanguine about the outcome, “It was a good week. Looking back, I’ll definitely take a lot from it.
“It was disappointing how it finished but that’s golf. You always have to keep coming back from disasters. No regrets because while competing you’re always trying your best.
“I was struggling with my ball-striking recently but managed to turn it around this week.
“I was very comfortable with my hitting this week, especially on a course like this and with all the pressure of the last two days.
Tough pins
“I hit it well today even though the pin positions were quite tough. Now I just need to sharpen my putting.”
It was a satisfying day overall for the large Thai contingent at The DGC Open,
Besides the winner’s prize, Settee Prakongvech finished in sole possession of third place and Danthai Boonma took away the course record at the reworked Lodhi Course with an eight-under round of 64 on the day for a share of 10th place overall.
“It was incredible. I’m shocked with my score, 8-under today. That too when I started with a bogey,” the 25-year-old from Bangkok said.
“I just focused on my first shot because this course is bit narrow. And I hit it very good. Hit my approach shots close to the hole and got many chances to make birdies.”
Further down the order, Gaganjeet Bhullar was fourth, Justin Quiban of the Philippines fifth and Yuvraj Singh Sandhu sixth.
Beast of a course
“I don’t think I’ve seen DGC like this, it’s playing a beast right now,” Yuvraj said.
“The conditions are phenomenal, the greens are rolling pure. I personally haven’t seen these flags, these greens.
“Playing on this golf course is a task itself and with these greens in that wind that we’ve had through the week, it’s been a phenomenal golf course.
Shiv Kapur made a late recovery to share sixth place with countrymen Yuvraj Sandhu and Veer Ahlawat, and Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera to round off the top nine at the event.
Also read: After three days, it’s a Thailand-India battle for honours at DGC Open
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