Evergreen Thaworn has eyes on Thailand Open title
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Thai veteran Thaworn Wiratchant is all geared up to put a seal on his glittering career by winning the Thailand Open in Pattaya next week.
The in-form Thai has won 11 titles on the Asian circuit and was crowned the region's number one in 2005. A win on his home Open, however, has so far eluded him.
But Thaworn will feel very much at home at Burapha Golf Club, the scene of the US$1 million Thailand Open on OneAsia from August 26-29.
He has a strong history there having won back-to-back Singha Pattaya Opens there in 2003 and 2004, and personally regards it as a happy hunting ground.
"I would love to win my home Open," said the 43-year-old Thaworn. "It is the tournament every Thai player wants to win as we are playing for the King's Trophy."
"I have won before at Burapha Golf Club but from what I hear they are using a different layout this time. Still, I have good memories of the course."
Thaworn, whose peerless short game compensates for his lack of length off the tee, finished fifth at the last tournament on OneAsia, the Indonesia Open presented by Enjoy Jakarta. He followed that up with victory at the Singha E-San Open on the Mercedes-Benz Tour.
"I surprised myself with the win at the E-San Open as it is a very long course and I was yards behind the young guys off the tee," said Thaworn. "But I played well around the greens and that saw me through."
Thaworn will be up against a strong field at the Thailand Open with 53 of his countrymen, including Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Udorn Duangdecha, who have also tasted victory at Burapha Golf Club.
Hua Hin-based Scotsman Simon Yates has also done well on this course and will tee off at Burapha with them next week.
Liang Wenchong, currently second on OneAsia's Order of Merit, will want his say in the final outcome.
The Chinese number one will be in a confident mood after a career-best eighth place finish at the PGA Championship on Sunday, the final Major of the year. He made headlines worldwide on day three by setting a new course record of eight-under-par 64 at Whistling Straits on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Victory in the season-opening Luxehills Chengdu Open and a runner-up finish at the Indonesia Open presented by Enjoy Jakarta have taken Liang to within US$100,000 of Y. E. Yang at the top of the Order of Merit.
A win for Liang at the Thailand Open would see him leapfrog the Korean winner of the Volvo China Open into first place with five tournaments remaining on the 2010 schedule.
Highly popular Shingo Katayama, Japan's number one on five occasions and the winner of 26 events on the lucrative circuit during a brilliant career, will also tee it up at Burapha Golf Club along with New Zealand's Michael Hendry, the runaway winner of the Indonesia Open presented by Enjoy Jakarta.
This year's Thailand Open is being co-sponsored by Singha Corporation, PTT Public Company Limited, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Emirates, and CAT Telecom Public Company Limited.
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