Published July 17, 2008 on December 7, 2019

Thailand’s Thongchai Earns Full Exempt Status on PGA Tour Champions

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Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee shot a brilliant final round 9-under 62 to earn full exempt status for the 2020 PGA Tour Champions after he finished second in the Qualifying Tournament Final Stage.

The three-time Asian Tour No. 1 and eight-time European Tour winner entered the last day outside the top-five which rewards players with full playing rights on the Champions and Thongchai, the first Thai player to play in the Presidents Cup in 2015,  made the biggest final-round jump as he improved from T11 overnight to second with a 16-under total. He carded five birdies and two eagles on the ninth and 17^th holes in his final 18 holes. He had carded earlier scores of 67, 71 and 68.

Shane Bertsch made a six-foot par putt on the 18th hole to complete a final-round 65 and pip Thongchai by one stroke with a 17-under total. Apart from Bertsch and Thongchai, the next three players on the leaderboard are Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, Robin Byrd and Australia’s Stephen Leaney.

Karlsson was the 54-hole leader and earned one of the five cards after a final-round 69 gave him a third-place finish at 14-under. An 11-time winner on the European Tour, Karlsson was selected by Padraig Harrington to be a vice-captain at the 2020 Ryder Cup.

Thongchai, the leading career money earner on the Asian Tour, won First Stage in California by three shots with a four-day score of 13-under. He turned in rounds of 61-73-71-66, making eight birdies and an eagle to turn in the opening round 61. He has been a staple on the Asian Tour for a long time, collecting 13 wins, second most all-time behind countryman Thaworn Wiratchant. He also has eight career wins on the European Tour. The Thai legend turned 50 in November.