Prayad tied for 9th at Panasonic OPEN

BY N ON April Sun, 2017 21:53

 Prayad tied for 9th at Panasonic OPEN

Veteran Prayad Marksaeng suffered a final-hole bogey to share 9th at the Panasonic OPEN on Saturday.

With a shot behind the leader after three rounds at the par-71 Umesato course, Chiba Country Club, in Noda City, six-time Japan tour winner Prayad closed with a 72 for an eight-under-276. He shared 9th with Siddur Rahman of Bangladesh (65), Wonjoon Lee of Australia (67) and local Yoshinori Fujimoto (70).

The title went to local hopeful Kenichi Kuboya who defeated compatriot Katsumasa Miyamoto in the first play-off hole. The duo finished the 72-hole regulation on 11-under-par 273.  It was Kuboya’s 7th title on Japan tour and the first one since the Japan Open 2012.

Overnight leader Junggon Hwang of South Korea (71) tied for third on 274 with Seunghyuk Kim (69) and Mikumu horikawa of Japan (70).

The Panasonic OPEN is co-sanctioned by both JGTO and Asian Tour.

The 51-year-old Prayad, who won at the Singapore Open in January, made a turn at 36 with bogeys at 4th and 8th and birdie at 6th. He stood a chance to vie for the title after getting birdies 10th and 11th. Unfortunately, he suffered a bogey at 14t and 18th, both being par-five holes.

Prayad, who took home 3.78 million yen (about 1.2 million baht), is now ranked

third on the Japan tour money list. He will next play at the Crown on April 27-30 at the Nagoya Golf Club, Wago course in Aichi.

Meanwhile, Udorn Duangdecha, eligible for the tournament following his second finish at the Singha Panasonic All Thailand Championship last year, was tied for 52 entering the final round when he enjoyed his bogey-free round 65 for a 278. He moved up from 52nd to tie for 14th.

Panuphol Pittayarat had a poor start with three consecutive bogeys from third but regrouped with four birdies for a 70.  He finished tied for 15th on 279.

Jazz Janewattananond (71) posted a 68 to finish joint 24th on 280 with Prom Meesawat (71) being four shots behind. Poom Saksansin closed with a 71 for 285.a