Thailand Classic 2015: Daily Leaderboard Analysis, Highlights and More
Australian Andrew Dodt picked up his first European Tour title since 2010, winning the 2015 Thailand Classic on Sunday. A five-under round of 67 gave him a one-shot victory over home favourite Thongchai Jaidee.
Dodt started the day in a tie for fifth on 11 under, but five birdies and no bogies took him to the winning 16 under. It clearly meant a lot to the Aussie, who broke down in tears upon being confirmed as the champion—per the European Tour’s video:
Here’s a look at the final leaderboard from another show-stopping tournament in Asia:
| Position | Golfer | To Par | Round 4 Score |
| 1 | Andrew Dodt | -16 | 67 |
| T2 | Scott Hend | -15 | 72 |
| T2 | Thongchai Jaidee | -15 | 71 |
| T4 | Kiradech Aphibarnrat | -14 | 70 |
| T4 | Jason Knutzon | -14 | 67 |
| T4 | Richard Lee | -14 | 66 |
| T7 | Johan Carlsson | -13 | 69 |
| T7 | Miguel Angel Jimenez | -13 | 73 |
| T7 | Wade Ormsby | -13 | 70 |
| T7 | Carlos Pigem | -13 | 66 |
Day 4 Recap
Dodt needed something special to catch Round 3 leader and countryman Scott Hend at the top of the leaderboard, but he got his mission started early.
Three consecutive birdies on the opening holes put the 29-year-old right into contention, although Hend’s birdies on holes 2 and 4 extended his lead at the top.
Jaidee was also sniffing around the winner’s post, and when he chalked up a birdie on the par-four 12th, the Thai moved up into the driving seat, as European Tour revealed:
The very next hole, though, Jaidee chalked up an ugly double-bogey after an errant tee shot and presented the chance to Dodt or Hend to strike.
It was the former that took the chance with both hands, as birdies on the 12th and 15th moved him into the lead at 16 under.
Jaidee was hot on the Aussie’s tail, though, producing some stunning golf as he mounted a charge for the finish line, including a beautifully played birdie on the 15th (per European Tour):
After the Thai rattled that short putt in, it was all square at the top at 16 under, with Hend a further shot back and not quite finding his feet.
However, a bogey for Jaidee on the 16th saw Dodt take the outright lead. The Aussie parred in from the 15th to take the clubhouse lead, but the home favourite still had a chance to catch him up on the par-five 18th.
He fired two impressive shots into the hole and presented himself with a long eagle putt to win the tournament.
All he could muster was a clumsy three-putt, though, to hand the victory to Dodt via a one-under 71.
The victory was nothing more that Dodt deserved after a gutsy final round, though, and he was clearly emotional speaking with the European Tour official website after picking up the trophy.
“I’m speechless—it’s just come out of nowhere," he said. "I played really well yesterday and today but I just didn’t think I’d come out on top. I knew I was playing well but to come out and win is just a dream come true.”
Dodt, who lost his European Tour card just two years ago, will now face no such worries with his new exemption after the heart-in-mouth triumph.
Next week, the European Tour touches down in Delhi for the Indian Open, where Dodt will once again be battling it out for the crown. If he shows this kind of courage, determination and panache, he could well be in contention again.
Day 3 Recap
Scott Hend surged to the top of the leaderboard on moving day at the True Thailand Classic, shooting a fine six-under par round of 66.
The Australian’s overall score of 15-under par means that he takes a one-shot lead into what should be enthralling final day, with Thongchai Jaidee and Miguel Angel Jimenez poised to strike on 14-under par.
Here's a look at the top of the leaderboard (check the full rankings on the European Tour's website):
| 1 | Scott Hend | -15 | 67 | 68 | 66 |
| T2 | Thongchai Jaidee | -14 | 69 | 66 | 67 |
| T2 | Miguel Angel Jimenez | -14 | 67 | 66 | 69 |
| 4 | Kiradech Aphibarnrat | -12 | 67 | 67 | 70 |
| T5 | Andrew Dodt | -11 | 71 | 67 | 67 |
| T5 | Richard Green | -11 | 71 | 67 | 67 |
| T5 | Alex Noren | -11 | 67 | 70 | 68 |
| T5 | Wade Ormsby | -11 | 72 | 65 | 68 |
Hend capitalised on a mediocre round from overnight leader Jimenez to move to the top of the shop and it could have been even better for the Australian, who will be looking to sample the second European Tour triumph of his career come Sunday evening in Thailand.
He was immaculate throughout the day, bagging five birdies and an eagle through 17 holes. But he spurned the chance to further increase his lead at the par-five 18th; instead it was cut down, as he shot a bogey to add a late blemish to what was an otherwise wholly encouraging round of golf.
As we can see here courtesy of the European Tour Twitter account, Hend was in magnificent form with the driver in hand:
He’ll be supremely confident going into the final knockings of the competition after some superb play on Day 3, but in Jaidee and Jimenez he has two quality players not far back. The latter in particular could be very dangerous on the final day as he looks to become the oldest winner ever on the European Tour.
The Spaniard could only shoot a three-under par round of 69 after earlier scores of 67 and 66, but considering he’s wrangling with a virus, Jimenez will be delighted with his performance levels at the Black Mountain golf course.
It was a bad day for Peter Uihlein, who was also suffering with illness. After a solid opening two days of the tournament he will have been hoping to make his move in the penultimate round, but as the American revealed on his Twitter account, he was forced to withdraw:
We’re set for an enthralling final day and it’ll be intriguing to see whether or not Hend can fend off what’ll surely be a charge from those below him. The experience of Jimenez will surely be a crucial factor, but if Jaidee replicates his Day 3 round of 67, he too could be in with a shot at victory.
Day 2 Recap
Miguel Angel Jimenez built on the sturdy foundations of his Thursday outing at the Thailand Classic to shoot a 66 and take a one-shot lead at Black Mountain on Friday.
| 1 | Miguel Angel Jimenez | -11 | 67 | 66 |
| 2 | Kiradech Aphibarnrat | -10 | 67 | 67 |
| T3 | Scott Hend | -9 | 67 | 68 |
| T3 | Thongchai Jaidee | -9 | 69 | 66 |
| T3 | Richard T Lee | -9 | 68 | 67 |
| T6 | Matthew Baldwin | -8 | 69 | 67 |
| T6 | Johan Carlsson | -8 | 69 | 67 |
| T6 | Michael Hoey | -8 | 64 | 72 |
| T6 | Tom Lewis | -8 | 69 | 67 |
| T10 | Gregory Havret | -7 | 69 | 68 |
Despite suffering with illness this week, the veteran Spaniard took to the course on Day 2 without so much as a sign that he was under the weather, even thriving as he shot six-under-par for the day.
Coming into Friday's contest, Jimenez sat three shots behind leader Michael Hoey; 18 holes and seven birdies later, he sits atop the standings and spoke to the official European Tour website of his mixed emotions:
"I’m very happy. I am disappointed to make bogey on the last but overall I played very solid and made a lot of birdies. I was hitting shots right at the flags today. You need to be in the right places on the greens to put the ball on the right side of the hole, because the putts are very fast - I like it. I have a cold and I’m very bunged up and slept terribly last night, but apart from that I’m fine.
"
As Jimenez mentioned, a bogey on the last added a dampener to proceedings which, were it avoided, could have opened up a more welcome two-shot cushion over Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Another who was most certainly in high spirits, Panuphol Pittayarat, managed a hole-in-one on the 14th and won the prize of a Black Mountain townhouse, per the official Asian Tour and European Tour Twitter accounts:
Northern Irishman Hoey will be most disappointed with his fall from the summit and could only score par in Round 2 after setting a new course record of 65 on the tournament's opening day.
He drops to eighth as a result and can only hope it was Friday's performance which was the anomaly, hoping to inspire more of the form which led to Thursday's lead:
Thongchai Jaidee managed an impressive 66 of his own to rise up to fourth, currently the highest-ranked Thai competitor at Black Mountain.
However, some of the biggest plaudits of the day went to Sweden's Rikard Karlberg, Australian Wade Ormsby and Prom Meesawat of Thailand, each of whom shot seven-under on Friday to make their moves up the ranks.
Day 1 Recap
Michael Hoey opened the 2015 Thailand Classic by shooting a tournament record eight-under 64, giving himself a one-shot advantage over Hung Chien-yao, Carlos Pigem and David Lipsky, his nearest competitors.
Here's a look at the top of the leaderboard (check the full rankings on the European Tour's website):
| 1 | Michael Hoey | -8 | 64 |
| T2 | Hung Chien-yao | -7 | 65 |
| T2 | Carlos Pigem | -7 | 65 |
| T2 | David Lipsky | -7 | 65 |
| 5 | Shiv Kapur | -6 | 66 |
| T6 | Scott Hend | -5 | 67 |
| T6 | Alex Noren | -5 | 67 |
| T6 | Matt Ford | -5 | 67 |
| T6 | Pariya Junhasavasdikul | -5 | 67 |
| T6 | Kiradech Aphibarnrat | -5 | 67 |
| T6 | Miguel Angel Jimenez | -5 | 67 |
| T6 | Renato Paratore | -5 | 67 |
| T6 | Prayad Marksaeng | -5 | 67 |
Hoey's round was remarkable for its consistency, reported by the Tour's Twitter feed:
The Northern Irishman started on 10 and remained faultless throughout the day. An equal spread of birdies along the front and back nines will give him tremendous confidence heading into the rest of the competition. A nonchalant Hoey spoke after thrusting himself into the reckoning for the prize:
Hoey doesn't have room to slip up, however, with Hung, Pigem and Lipsky currently ready to pounce. Pigem's eagle on 18 was among the day's most impressive shots and highlights the opportunity for an unlikely winner to make real history in this new event.
Shiv Kapur is two off the lead after enjoying a six-under 66. As highlighted by the leaderboard, a crammed chasing pack clings onto his coattails on 67, a group featuring Miguel Angel Jimenez.
Jimenez won the 2004 Johnnie Walker Classic when he last visited Thailand in 2004. He will be pleased with a decent start of five-under 67 at this year's tournament, posting a dramatic front nine before settling on his way back to the clubhouse.
Jimenez lost a shot on five before gaining birdies on the next two holes. He sunk a memorable eagle on nine—complete with a classic celebration—per the European Tour's feed:
The veteran Spaniard rounded his day off with a birdie, pushing himself into the group that is tied sixth, three shots away from Hoey.
Thomas Bjorn remains further back in 20th after his three-under 69. The veteran Dane started coolly enough, posting four birdies from hole 10 but stuttered at the turn. Bogeys on two par-four holes—one and seven—leave the experienced favourite needing a quick turnaround on Friday.
Marc Warren is stuck alongside Bjorn after sinking consecutive bogeys on the first two holes. He regathered his consistency throughout the day, however, and nearly needed to apply for a permanent Thai passport, reported by the European Tour:
2015 Malaysian Open winner Anirban Lahiri also resides on three-under 69 after the opening round, with Alejandro Canizares struggling two shots further back in 55th.
It's Hoey who takes the opening-round plaudits, though. He will need to up his performance even further to remain leader as the weekend approaches. Plenty of talented stars are poised to make a run at the crown in a competition that will likely be decided by the most minimal of margins.
Friday's action promises to ramp up the drama on a course many golfers will still be adapting to.
