Pattaya, Thailand: Jazz Janewattananond signed off his 2019 Asian Tour season in the same manner in which he started as he cruised to a five-shot victory at the Thailand Masters promoted by the Jaidee Foundation.
Completing a memorable year, the 24-year-old Thai triumphed for the second time in two weeks after closing with a six-under-par 65 at the Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.
Jazz got his 2019 campaign off to a flying start when he won the Asian Tour’s season-opener in Singapore in January. Some 12 months later, he has ended the year by capturing his sixth Asian Tour title and fourth this season.
Jazz’s winning total of 23-under-par 261 means he will break into the top-40 on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), a target he had set out to achieve at the start of the week.
In the wake of his latest success, Jazz said: “It’s a huge honour to win on home soil and especially at an event promoted by the Jaidee Foundation.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect to win last week as I was not feeling too well as it was really cold in Japan and I had to adjust myself back to the weather conditions in Indonesia. I was struggling at the start of the week. It was the same this week as I was really tired.
“But I guess it was about survival as I was in the zone and didn’t want to think too much about my score. It is a very good year. I had four wins and I ended the year the way I started.
“I don’t think I was actually cruising towards another win as I was really tired and made some silly mistakes. But I managed to recover well and it was really nice to close the round with that birdie putt from 15 feet. I set myself small realistic goals so that I can achieve them and I’m glad I managed to achieve that this week.”
Compatriot Suradit Yongcharoenchai tried to mount a late challenge by firing seven birdies and one eagle for a 62 but it was not enough to catch the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion on a day where he was simply unstoppable.
Surdait ended his last event of the year by sharing second place with fellow-Thai Phachara Khongwatmai and Belgium’s Thomas Detry while American Berry Henson enjoyed his second top-10 of 2019 with a tied-seventh finish.