Monday 16 February 2015 20:13, UK
A five-under final round of round 67 from Andrew Dodt was enough to secure a narrow one-shot win at the True Thailand Classic.
Beginning the day four shots off the lead, the Australian got off to a flying start with three consecutive birdies, following that up with further birdie efforts on the 12th and from and 20 feet at the 15th.
The 29-year-old, without a European Tour victory since 2010 and only returning to the tour after battling through November’s Qualifying School, then parred his final three holes in a blemish-free round that proved to be enough to secure a shock win at Black Mountain.
Thongchai Jaidee had a chance to snatch victory at the 18th after finding the green on the par five in two, but three-putted from 50 feet to miss out on victory. The Tournament ambassador saw his eagle-putt slow and fall 10 feet short.
He needed to sink the following putt to take the tournament into a play-off, but his attempt broke agonisingly left of the hole.
A joint-leader earlier in the day, Jaidee’s challenge looked over after a run of 10 consecutive pars was soon followed by a double-bogey at the 13th after finding the hazard, before the six-time winner on the European Tour responded with back-to-back birdies to keep his hopes alive.
Joining Jaidee on 16-under for the tournament was overnight leader Scott Hend, who initially went two shots clear in the final round with birdies at the second and fourth before three-putting the seventh and 14th in a closing 72.
“I pressed for the win on the 17th and got a bit aggressive with my bunker shot, and I finished one shot behind," Hend said. "I came here to try to win.
“I thought Dodt was going to make birdie on 18 and I was only 15-under, so I thought I had to play an aggressive bunker shot. Unfortunately, I caught it a little too clean and bogeyed the hole."
Best of the rest
A two-under 70 from Kiradech Aphibarnrat saw the Thai player share fourth on 14-under with Canada’s Richard T Lee and American Jason Knutzon.
Miguel Angel Jimenez's hopes of breaking his own record as the oldest European Tour winner got off to a flying start with back-to-back birdies, but ended in a four-way tie for seventh after three bogeys and a failure to gain another shot all day.
Anthony Wall fired a hole-in-one at the 192-yard par-three 14th on his way to a five-under final round 67, but missed out on winning the townhouse on offer after Panuphol Pittayarat claimed the prize with his ace earlier in the week.
Last week's Malaysian Open champion Anirban Lahiri carded a final round of 67 to finish 10-under, with Scotland's Marc Warren among the group a futher shot back.
David Lipsky hopes of a top ten finish collapsed on the final day, with the American firing five bogeys on his back nine in a forgettable four-over final round 76.
