Thongchai increases lead in Asia Tour

Thongchai increases lead in Asia Tour

BANGKOK, Thailand: Thailand's golf veteran Thongchai Jaidee, who finished third in last weekend's Myanmar Open, has increased his lead as the top moneymaker on the Asian Tour, organizers said on Tuesday.

The Thai, last year's Asian no. 1, has accumulated US$212,860 (euro160,564) from three tournaments this season with Japan's Kiyoshi Miyazato lying in second place on US$193,423 (euro145,902) following his win in last December's Okinawa Open.

India's Jyoti Randhawa is third on US$140,545 (euro106,015), thanks largely to his second place outing at the Carlsberg Malaysian Open two weeks ago. Thongchai won the Malaysian title and subsequently finished well up on the leaderboard in Yangon on Sunday to pick up US$11,200 (euro8,448).

The result also saw Thongchai move up a notch to 57th place on the Official World Golf Ranking as he continues his push for a U.S. Masters slot in April, which requires him to be inside the top-50 a week prior to the Masters. --AP