Trip to northern Thailand pays off for Catlin

Trip to northern Thailand pays off for Catlin

By Lerpong Amsa-ngiam 
The Nation

John Catlin poses with the trophy.

In-form American John Catlin carded a final-round 68 to pip local hope Udorn Duangdecha to the Bt2 million Singha Chiang Mai Open in Chiang Mai on Sunday.

The two-time Asian Tour winner and world No 151 finished on 25 under-par (259), seven shots ahead of Udorn, to grab the winner’s cheque for Bt300,000.

“I have played a few co-sanctioned ADT events in Thailand and I knew the All-Thailand Tour was a good one,” said Catlin, who won two Asian Tour this year – the Asia-Pacific in China in May and the Sarawak Championship in Malaysia in July. “As I didn’t have any other events this week, it suited my schedule.”

Despite having a five-shot advantage heading into the final round, Catlin never underestimated the challenged posed by Udorn, an Order of Merit winner on the All-Thailand Tour in 2016.

“I definitely got nervous as I knew it was not going to be easy. Udorn is a good player who would put up a fight. I had to do my best and I’m glad I made it,” added the American, the first foreigner to win an All-Thailand Tour title since South Korean Baek Seuk-Hyun at the Singha Championship in 2013.

Udorn took home prizemoney of Bt185,000, while rising star Atiruj Winaicharoenchai and Pannakorn Uthaipas shared third place three strokes further back on 269.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/sports/30353540

 

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