ECCO Staff Player Thongchai Jaidee Captures Indonesia Open - Sets All-Time Asian Tour Wins Record at Co-Sanctioned Event

Renowned Danish shoemaker ECCO announces that staff player Thongchai Jaidee won the Indonesia Open – a co-sanctioned PGA European and Asian Tour event – at New Kuta GC in Bali this past weekend.

Competing in luxurious World Class GTX golf shoes, Jaidee set the all-time Asian Tour win record with his 11th career title and raised his European Tour record to three wins. His four-round total of 12-under-par 276, two strokes ahead of Sweden’s Alexander Noren and Englishmen Steve Webster and Simon Dyson.

“My key target this year is to finish in the top 60 in The Race to Dubai,” said Jaidee. “The second goal is to get into the top 50 in the World Ranking. I’ve been trying to do that for a long time and I have not been able to make it but now I think that I have a very good chance.”

The victory added to a resume that has established Jaidee as the greatest Thai golfer of all time. Picking up the game at age 16 by hitting with the discarded head of a five iron tied to a bamboo stick, Jaidee turned professional at age 30 after serving in the Royal Thai Army. He claimed his first Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 2001.

In 2004, Jaidee became the first Thai to win a European Tour event at the Malaysian Open, a title he defended in 2005. Jaidee is also the only Thai golfer to play in all four Majors and the first in Asian Tour history to surpass $2 million in career earnings.  

“Thongchai has truly returned to form, capturing two Asian Tour titles to go along with this week’s win,” says Jesper Thuen, Sponsor and Event Manager, ECCO Golf. “He’s very well positioned for a tremendous 2009 campaign which will hopefully see him add to an already impressive resume.”