Khon Kaen, Thailand: Gunn Charoenkul claimed the Singha Esan Open for the second time in three years after a brilliant final round six-under-par 66.

Gunn beat fellow-Thai Teerawat Poipong and England’s Grant Jackson by two strokes at Singha Park Golf Club.

Prom Meesawat finished fourth.

Jackson closed with a 67 and Teerawat a 68 in the first event of the season on the ASEAN PGA Tour. Thai star Prom Meesawat carded a 67 and was three behind the winner.

Gunn, aged 22, first won the Singha Esan Open in 2012 when he beat Malaysian Nicholas Fung in a play-off.

On this occasion extra time was not required as he birdied the final two holes to record the second win of his short professional career. He made seven birdies in total and dropped one shot.

He finished with a four-round total of 14-under-par 274, earning a cheque for US$13,434 and heading to the top of the ASEAN PGA Order of Merit.

Defending champion Prayad Marksaeng from Thailand returned a 74 to finish the event one-over.

The Singha Esan Open, promoted by SMG, is joint sanctioned with the All Thailand Golf Tour.

This season’s ASEAN PGA Tour will boast at least 11 tournaments offering nearly US$1 million in overall prize money and the Singha Esan Open is the first stop on the newly launched ‘Road to the Sabah Masters’.

The Sabah event is the season-ending Tour Championship only eligible for the leading players from the Order of Merit.