Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol plans to turn his season around and challenge for the inaugural Queen's Cup at the Santiburi Samui Country Club from August 13 to 16.
The US$300,000 Asian Tour tournament, presented by Bangkok Airways and Sports Authority of Thailand, is held in honour of her Majesty Queen Sirikit's 77th Birthday Anniversary.
The sweet-swinging Chawalit will lead a stellar Thai cast which includes world record holder for 72 holes Chapchai Nirat, former Asian Tour number one Thaworn Wiratchant, Thammanoon Srirot, Prom Meesawat, Chinarat Phadungsil and veteran Boonchu Ruangkit.
Other top stars who will tee off in the Queen's Cup on the holiday isle of Samui are South Africa's James Kamte, Filipino Juvic Pagunsan, Australia's Adam Blyth, Singapore's Mardan Mamat and Korea's Lee Sung.
It will be a walk down memory lane for Chawalit who claimed his second Asian Tour victory at Santibury Samui course at the 2006 Bangkok Airways Open where he defeated Canada's Rick Gibson in a play-off.
Last season, the 35-year-old posted five top-10 finishes on the Asian Tour but he has surprisingly yet to attain a top finish this year.
The big-hitting Chapchai, in contrast, has been in the limelight since winning the SAIL Open in India earlier this year where he set new scoring records on the Asian Tour for 36, 54 and 72 holes. His impressive winning score of 32-under-par 256 was also the lowest among the six major international tours.
Chapchai, a three-time Asian Tour winner, will be looking to maintain his rich vein of form which has helped him to two top-10 finishes on the Asian Tour and in Europe as well recently.
Thaworn, Asia's number one in 2005 and a 10-time winner, will also be in the fray as he aims to add to his impressive list of victories. The 43-year-old is showing no sign of slowing down as he prepares to improve on his two 14th place finishes at the SAIL Open and at the Indonesia President Invitational.
Lee, winner of 2007 Bangkok Airways Open in Samui, will also be another strong contender after shaking off a back injury which curtailed his front half of the season.
Mardan, a two-time Asian Tour winner, will also be expected to challenge for the title in Samui where he has been in contention previously. He currently lies in 11th position on the Order of Merit. The Singaporean ace has already registered two top-10 finishes at the Ballantine's Championship in Korea and at the Singha Thailand Open so far this year.
Thavatvon Thanasumitra, Executive Vice President of Bangkok Airways, lauded the move to organize a tournament to honour Queen Siritkit. "We are particularly proud to be a part of the team that initiated the first international golf tournament in Thailand in honour of our beloved Queen Sirikit."
M.L. Nandhika Varavarn, Vice President of Bangkok Airways – Corporate Communications and chairman of the Tournament Committee, said that the tournament will also benefit the local amateur players.
The Queen's Cup is supported by Airbus, Santiburi Samui Country Club, Tourism Authority of Thailand, Samui Island Municipal, PTT, Siam City Asset Management and Bangkok Hospital.
(Asian Tour July 30, 2009)
