Thai ace seeks PGTA record feat

MANILA, Philippines — Four months after pulling off a stirring come-from-behind victory and humbling a slew of local aces, Thai Wisut Artjanawat returns to Taiwan in pursuit of another record feat in the Nan Pao TPGA (PGA of Taiwan) Open, which gets going Thursday in Tainan City.

The veteran regional campaigner battled back from six strokes down in the final round and edged Song Mengyu by two in the Daan TPGA Open in Taichung last May, breaking the Taiwanese domination of the annual event while earning the tag as winner of the first Philippine Golf Tour Asia event held overseas.

He sets out for another crack at the crown as spearhead of the PGTA contingent bracing for a fierce duel with the local top guns itching to redeem themselves in the 72-hole championship serving as the fifth leg of the PGTA and sixth stop of TPGA.

Though he struggled to finish joint 31st in the PGT Asia tournament at Aboitiz Invitational at Wack Wack three weeks ago after a tie for eighth effort at Manila Southwoods last July, the 33-year-old Artjanawat hopes to put it all together this week in a bid to dominate the Taiwan tournaments in the third season of the region’s emerging circuit put up by ICTSI.

As frontrunner in the PGTA Order of Merit derby, Artjanawat also heads a talent-laden roster of PGTA campaigners in the $100,000 event co-sanctioned by TPGA and Pilipinas Golf Tournaments, Inc., including No. 3 Namchok Tantipokhakul, No. 7 Teemu Putkonen of Finland, No. 8 Kammalas Namuangruk and ninth-ranked Tony Lascuña.

Like Artjanawat, Tantipokhakul is gunning for a second PGTA win this year after ruling the kickoff leg at Luisita last April with Piya Swangarunporn, Poosit Supupramai, Pasavee Lertvilai, Ratchapol Jantavara, Panuwat Muenlek, Atthaphon Sriboonkaew, Sutijet Kooratanapisan, Natthapoing Niyomchon, Peradol Panyathanasedh, Tawit Polthai, Puk Pradittan, Bouahom Thammasack, Choowong Wongsakorn and Sakulyong Pachara completing the big Thai cast in the 72-hole championship backed by PLDT Enterprise, Meralco, BDO and PGT Asia official apparel Pin High.