Thongchai Jaidee claims a narrow one-shot win at the European Open
Sunday 27 September 2015 19:03, UK
Thongchai Jaidee fired a bogey-free 67 to claim his seventh European Tour title with a one-shot victory at the European Open in Germany.
The overnight leader posted four birdies during another impressive round at Golf Resort Bad Griesbach to hold off the challenge of Graeme Storm and secure a first win since last year's Nordea Masters.
Resuming one-shot clear of Storm, Ross Fisher and Pelle Edberg, Jaidee briefly doubled his advantage with a 10-footer at the eighth, only for Storm to move alongside him with back-to-back gains around the turn.
The Englishman added further birdies at the 12th and 15th to move into the outright lead, only to lose his advantage when he sprayed his tee shot at the penultimate hole into the hazard.
Despite holing a 10-foot par-save at the last, Storm had to settle for the runner-up spot for a second year running as Jaidee pitched to six feet and nudged in the par putt for victory.
"It's a very special week for me," Jaidee said. "It is the third time I have won outside of Asia, so I'm very excited about
that and I'm happy to win this tournament.
"I'm feeling very confident at the moment. I didn't make many mistakes this week. I played very nicely and 17 under is some score for me.
"Graeme Storm played very well too. It was very exciting on the last three holes. The 18th is tough and you can't miss the fairway. I had to go left and then it was a good chip and a good putt at the last to win."
Edberg's hopes were all-but ended when the Swede bogeyed his opening two holes, but three gains in a row to start the back nine helped him to a two-under 68 to end the week third.
A round-of-the-day 65 from Scott Hend moved the Australian into outright fourth, while Fisher's dropped shot at the last saw him fall into the group a further stroke adrift including Jamie Donaldson.
First round joint-leader Benjamin Hebert picked up three shots in a four-hole stretch along the back nine to end the week 10 under, while Bernhard Langer closed eight under for the week despite a bogey-five at the 18th.
"I think I played pretty good this week," Langer said. "I had a really good back nine on the first day and played very steady golf the next two days.
"Today I played world-class golf. I hit some of the best shots I have ever hit. I just couldn't make the putts. I couldn't convert. Otherwise the 69 would have been 63 or 64. Putting is a big part of the game, but my putter was ice cold this week."
