Prayad promises power in $500,000 Omega finale
By Simon Wilson
HONG KONG (JP): Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng has promised he will not hold back when he bids for glory in the US$500,000 Omega PGA Championship that starts today at Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club.
On the eve of what could be the biggest week in his six-year professional career and facing a golf course that demands precision rather than power, the Thai player will open up with his renowned big hitting game.
The stakes are high for the 31-year-old who is chasing his third Omega Tour victory of the year and challenging for the Omega Order of Merit crown. "I will play my normal game. That is the only way I know how to win," said Prayad. "One of the reasons why I have done well this year is because I have learned to play my own game, and not try and change anything."
The diminutive powerhouse is in second place on the money list on US$123,806 and lies US$46,813 behind American Mike Cunning.
With first place worth US$80,750, in what is the final strokeplay event of the year on the Omega Tour, Prayad will attempt to race past Cunning at the Tour's finishing line.
"I took last week off and chose not to play in the Hong Kong Open. I feel relaxed and very fresh," added Prayad, who this year won the Yokohama Singapore PGA Championship and the Lexus International on home soil.
"This golf course is short and tight and if the wind blows it is very difficult to play. I'll certainly be more careful than normal but I will use my driver as much as possible particularly on the short par fours and par fives."
Prayad will start his round on the 10th at 8:13 a.m. paired with Korean Kim Jong-duck and Canadian Jim Rutledge. He is playing five groups behind Cunning who has been paired with India's Jeev Milkha Singh, who lies third on the Omega Order of Merit list on US$107,091.
"I will not be thinking about the other players. I feel I can attack the course and shoot some low rounds that is all I will be thinking about," said Prayad.
Although not in a position to win the Omega Order of Merit crown, American Fran Quinn arrived in Hong Kong as one of the favorites to win the Omega PGA Championship.
He arrived having competed in last week's US PGA Tour Qualifying School.
The American, who lies 15th on the Omega Order of Merit, missed out on what was the final stage of qualifying despite having been hot favorite to gain his card with convincing wins in stages one and two of the school.
The eight golfers in the Johnnie Walker Super Tour, meanwhile, had a day off to travel from Indonesia to Thailand.
Britain's Nick Faldo and Sweden's Jesper Parnevik lead the competition by two strokes from defending champion Ernie Els from South Africa after the first round.
The second round is in Bangkok today, after which it moves on to the Philippines on Saturday before concluding in Taiwan on Sunday.