KUALA LUMPUR, 21 February 2005 — Thai defending champion Thongchai Jaidee yesterday held off India’s Jyoti Randhawa and Swede Henrik Stenson to retain his Malaysian Open title by three strokes.
The Asian Tour number one, who took a six-shot lead into the final round, carded a two-under-par 70 to secure his seventh career title and match Kang Wook-soon for the highest number of victories in the region.
It was also the first time that the former paratrooper had won back-to-back triumphs.
Randhawa birdied the last hole en route to a 67 to finish runner-up and make it a memorable one-two sweep for the Asian Tour at the $1.21 million championship, jointly sanctioned with the European Tour.
Swede Stenson, who got to within two strokes of Thongchai, also closed with a 67 to finish a further stroke back in third place. Irishman Paul McGinley and another Swede, Niclas Fasth, shared fourth position.
“It feels fantastic. This win is better than last year,” said Thongchai, who compiled a winning total of 21-under-par 267.
“As the defending champion, winning again feels very good. This is the first time I’ve regained a title and this is also my second European Tour triumph. I like this Saujana course.”
Thongchai’s success marked another chapter in his impressive career, which started as a 13-year-old playing with a makeshift three iron.
Victory was worth $201,660 and hauled him back to his familiar place at the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
Bowditch Wins at Royal Adelaide by Five Shots
In Adelaide, Australian Steven Bowditch led throughout to win the US $780,000 Jacob’s Creek Golf Open by five shots at Royal Adelaide on Sunday.
The big-hitting 21-year-old defied all attempts to run him down to display a steely temperament and shoot a one-under-par final round of 71, to finish on 11 under 277.
Bowditch turned a three-shot lead at the start of the final round into a five-shot victory.
Heavy Rains Wipe Out Day Three at Nissan Open
In Los Angeles, play was washed out at the Nissan Open on Saturday after a second consecutive day of heavy rain, virtually guaranteeing the $4.8 million tournament will carry over into Monday.
Saturday’s start at the Riviera Country Club had been scheduled for 7:30 a.m PST (1530 GMT) but tee-off times were pushed back to 11:30 a.m. before the second round was eventually suspended.
Weather-permitting, play would resume 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, officials said.
Some players, including first-day leader Brian Davis of Britain, have not yet begun their second rounds and there is little hope of finishing the tournament on schedule with more rain forecast for Sunday.
The backlog was created when torrential rains swept across the Pacific Palisades on Friday, pushing back start times by four hours.
With half the field still to complete their second round, American Chad Campbell holds the clubhouse lead at nine-under-par 133 after carding a bogey-free six-under 65.
The 30-year-old American is three shots clear of Davis, Australia’s Robert Allenby and compatriot Kevin Sutherland.
World number two Tiger Woods, who can reclaim top spot in the rankings from Fiji’s Vijay Singh if he can finish outright fourth here or better, completed just four holes and is among a group one shot further adrift at five under.
