Jaidee clinches sand golf title

Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee came up with a classy birdie putt in a play-off with South Africa's Charl Schwartzel to win the Second Abu Dhabi World Sand Golf Championship here at the Al Ghazal Golf Club yesterday.

Both Jaidee and Schwartzel were the only two pros here who had already won a title in 2005 and reproduced that form to finish with similar rounds of 65 on the 71-par sand course.

In the play-off, the 21-year-old South African as well as the 35-year-old Thai parred the 10th hole and then carried their battle to the 18th hole in front of a large crowd.

Jaidee came up with a birdie when it mattered most, making no mistake from about 18 feet to pile the pressure on the young Schwartzel.

Schwartzel failed in his attempt from about 15 feet and the Thai had thwarted a 'South African Double' in the UAE.

South African Ernie Els had won the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday with an awesome display on the final hole and yesterday it was the Thai's turn against another young but promising South African.

Jaidee had earlier completed a superb round of 65 on the par 71 course. Starting off with a bogey, the Thai champion regained his control on the sand to reel off four successive birdies from the third hole to finish with a total of seven birdies.

Jaidee had last month won the Malaysian Open while Schwartzel had won the Dunhill Championship to start 2005 on a victorious note.

Schwartzel, who is one of the many young South African golfers following in the footsteps of Ernie Els, said he enjoyed the experience of playing on the sand course.

"I have had a feel of sand back home in Vereeniging though this is my first experience on a full-fledged sand course," said Schwartzel.

Austrian pro Markus Brier finished with an individual score of 70 and along with his amateur teammates Colum Boyce, Wilna Foulkes and Jonathan Jeffrey Jr helped the Abu Dhabi Duty Free 4 to win the Pro-Am title.

The foursome finished under 11 with Professional Sports Events led by Michael Campbell (74) and Rivoli led by Frenchman Jean-Francois Remesy (69) finished second and third respectively.

Earlier in the morning a total of 23 pros lined up along with their amateur teammates in this second edition of the World Sand Golf Championship along with the pro-am event.

The main stars, Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain and Scotland's Colin Montgomerie both playing in their first Sand Golf Championship parred the course while Paul McGinley finished with a three over.

Sweden's Patrik Sjoland scored the only hole-in-one recorded yesterday when he was on target with a 9-iron on the 11th hole.

Dr Shaikh Ahmad Bin Saif Al Nahyan, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Department of Civil Aviation and Chairman Etihad Airways, awarded the winner's trophy to Jaidee.

Mohammad Mounib, Managing Director of Abu Dhabi Duty Free along with other officials was present.

Later in the night Abu Dhabi Duty Free and Adnoc Distribution organised a grand dinner gala for all players and officials at the Hiltonia Beach.

Mounib said he was delighted with the interest in the event by the pros. "Once again we had some of the world's top golfers in action here.

"A few were coming back for the second time but many were here, keen to experience it for the first time after hearing about it from their tour mates," he said.

The championship was organised by Abu Dhabi Duty Free in partnership with Adnoc the main sponsor of the event. Most of the pro's leave today for the Qatar Open.

Scores
65- Thongchai Jaidee -Thailand, Charl Schwartzel-South Africa (Play-off win for Jaidee)

66- Robert-Jan Derksen-Holland; Barrry Lane-England; 67-John Bickerton-England

69- David Carter -England; Jean-Francois Remesy-France; Ricardo Gonzalez-Argentina

70- Markus Brier-Austria; Arjun Atwal-India

71- Mikko IIonen-Finland; Miguel Angel Jimenez-Spain;Colin Montgomerie-Scotland.

Pro-Am event
1. ADDF 4 (Markus Brier-Austria, Colum Boyce, Wilna Foulkes & Jonathan Jeffrey Jr.) -11

2. Professional Sports Events (Michael Campbell-New Zealand, Hani Abdulnoor, Shaun Whyte & Pat Gordon) -7

3. Rivoli (Jean-Francois Remesy-France, Ramesh Prabhakar, Iswar Jodha & Farbord Daowlatshahi) -7.