Thongchai Jaidee continued his excellent form to overcome Thomas Aiken and set up a Volvo World Match Play Championship final against Graeme McDowell in Bulgaria.
Having recorded top-ten finishes in four of his eight European Tour starts this year and yet to miss a cut, the Thai golfer entered the event in fine form and goes into this afternoon’s final having won all five games at the idyllic Thracian Cliffs Golf & Beach Resort.
The five-time European Tour winner birdied the first, and was immediately two up as Aiken bogeyed the short next.
The South African never managed to reduce that deficit, and Jaidee eventually saw out the contest 3 and 2 after missing two good birdie chances on the previous holes.
After exchanging birdies on the front nine’s two par fives, the fourth and fifth, Jaidee won the sixth with a birdie and almost holed his tee shot at the short seventh to move four up.
Aiken responded by sticking his tee shot to the signature eighth within five feet to turn three down and both players headed for home with back-to-back birdies.
The gap was back to two when Aiken recovered par at the long 12th despite driving over the cliff and taking a drop and Jaidee missed from eight feet, but the 43 year old made a ten footer at the 13th to win the hole and closed the contest out with three straight pars.
“I’m very happy with that,” said Jaidee. “I played a solid game today and had a lot of good shots.
“I started very well on the first couple holes, and then stuck in a couple holes and then to come back on the back nine.
“You have to relax, like this week, I’m really relaxed. I really like my golfing right now, really consistent and also putting getting better, which is most important.
“McDowell is a nice guy. I played with him a couple times and I know what he does very well.
“He’s done very well at The Ryder Cup and I know he's a star player for The Ryder Cup.”
