The two-week South East Asia swing concludes with the Thailand Classic as the DP World Tour returns to the country for the first time since 2016. Here are your five things to know.
The DP World Tour is back in Thailand
The DP World Tour is back in Thailand after a seven year absence for the Thailand Classic at Amata Spring Country Club. Australian Scott Hend was the last DP World Tour winner on Thai soil at The True Thailand Classic presented by Chang in 2016 as he claimed the second of his three Tour titles at Black Mountain GC, a year after his compatriot Andrew Dodt won at the same venue. This time it’s the turn of Amata Spring to showcase golf in Thailand, after hosting last year’s prestigious Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. In the week 15-time Major Champion Tiger Woods – a two-time Johnnie Walker Classic winner in Thailand – returns to competitive action on the PGA TOUR, who will be celebrating success come Sunday?
Home heroes to delight fans
For two players, the eagerly anticipated return to Thailand will carry extra significance. Home favourites Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Thongchai Jaidee will be relishing the opportunity to play on home soil. Aphibarnrat is making his second appearance of the 2023 DP World Tour season as he goes in search of a fifth Tour title, having secured his playing privileges at Qualifying School in November. His first two wins on Tour came in Asia and he will hope playing in his homeland can inspire him to mount a title challenge. Fellow home favourite Jaidee is set for his first Tour appearance since last year’s BMW PGA Championship. He made history as the first Thai golfer to win on Tour in 2004 and now largely plies his trade on the PGA TOUR Champions, the American over-50s circuit. There will also be great interest in how Ratchanon Chantananuwat performs on home soil. Better known as ‘TK’, the 15-year-old amateur is part a strong crop of young rising stars from Asia and made his Tour debut in Singapore last week.
Amata Spring’s floating green
Situated on the outskirts of Bangkok, Amata Spring Country Club boasts one of the most spectacular holes in world golf. The spectacular par three 17th is the only floating green in Asia and it can be lengthened and shortened using underwater pulleys. The putting surface is reached by a short boat trip beneath the spectacular Amata Castle. Despite the hole potentially playing as short as 130 yards, it can be an intimidating target, making club selection very important with varying wind directions. The hole could well prove pivotal down the stretch in the final round if the leaderboard is tightly packed and is sure to provide great intrigue for fans both on site and those watching at home.
Inside the field
The Tour’s second consecutive stop in the Far East features several Ryder Cup hopefuls seeking valuable European qualifying points. Robert MacIntyre, Ewen Ferguson, Jordan Smith, Guido Migliozzi, Antoine Rozner and Nicolai Højgaard arrive in Thailand with 12 DP World Tour titles between them – each having won at least once on Tour last year - and after playing in last month’s inaugural Hero Cup. This week's venue is no stranger to match play team golf, having staged the Royal Trophy on four occasions between 2006 and 2010. Continuing the theme around the Ryder Cup, former Captains Thomas Bjørn and Pádraig Harrington are also in the field as are 2023 Vice Captain Nicholas Colsaerts 2016 team member Rafa Cabrera Bello and 2018 winner Thorbjørn Olesen.
Local schools and junior sport groups in on-site visits
Students from Thailand will swap the classroom for the golf course this week, with visits to the host venue arranged by the Ministry of Tourism and Sport Authority. The tournament’s government partner is providing opportunities for people to experience a golf tournament in person, potentially for the first time. The initiative will see guests from local schools, universities and junior sport groups attend throughout the week, including across the four tournament days, with some of the world’s top players in action on their home turf. Members of the Thai Junior Golf Association will take part in two player-led clinics, scheduled to take place on Tuesday and Thursday.
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