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Chiang Mai Golf Classic to feature top Asian stars
Asian Tour Tournament at Alpine Golf Resort
The Chiang Mai Golf Classic will be held at
Alpine Golf Resort from March 28-31, 2013 where top Asian golfers will come
to compete in front of a worldwide audience.
Nopniwat Krailerg
History-maker Y.E. Yang of South Korea and Asian Tour legend Thongchai
Jaidee of Thailand were unveiled as the first star players for the inaugural
US$750,000 Chiangmai Golf Classic next month, officials announced on
February 5, 2013.
The PTT Group Company Limited, one of the largest corporations in Thailand,
was also announced as the presenting sponsor of the full-field Asian Tour
tournament which makes its debut at the magnificent Alpine Golf
Resort-Chiangmai from March 28-31, 2013.
Thailand’s newest golf event has also drawn the support of other premier
sponsors including PTT Public Company Ltd, Electricity Generating Authority
of Thailand, Advanced Info Service Plc, Siam Commercial Bank PCL, Tourism
Authority of Thailand, Provincial Government of Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai
Provincial Administrative Organisation, CAT Telecom Public Company Ltd, TOT
Public Company Ltd, Thai Airways International Public Company Ltd, Thai
Beverage Public Company Limited, Samart I-mobile PCL, Loxley Wireless Co
Ltd, Forth Corporation Public Company Ltd, J.R.W Utility Plc, Standard Tour
Co Ltd, Advanced Information Technology Public Company Ltd and Fenix Apparel
and Accessories Co Ltd.
The Chiang Mai Golf Classic will promote Chiang Mai as a top golfing and
tourist destination through the four days of live broadcasts on the Asian
Tour’s global television platform, which reaches over 200 countries and 650
million homes.
Yang, who entered golf’s annals in 2009 when he became the first Asian male
golfer to win a Major championship, will help launch Chiang Mai’s first
international golf event on the Asian Tour, which is the region’s elite
professional golf circuit.
Charoenrit Sanguansat, Deputy Chiang Mai Governor, said: “We are delighted
to announce the confirmation of Y.E. Yang and Thongchai Jaidee as the first
two star players for the inaugural Chiang Mai Golf Classic. They are amongst
the finest Asian golfers who have emerged from the Asian Tour and we look
forward to seeing them challenge for the title in Chiang Mai.
“Their presence will be a wonderful addition to the Chiangmai Golf Classic,
which will showcase the city to the world through the live television
broadcasts. The people of Chiang Mai are looking forward to welcoming the
stars from the Asian Tour and we will ensure the tournament is a roaring
success so that our country will stand tall in the eyes of the golfing
world.”
The powerfully-built Yang made a name for himself by toppling Tiger Woods in
a head-to-head showdown to win the U.S. PGA Championship four years ago. An
honorary member of the Asian Tour, Yang cut his professional teeth in Asia
before finding fame abroad.
“I am looking forward to competing in the Chiang Mai Golf Classic. I have
heard many wonderful things about the city of Chiang Mai and the Alpine Golf
Resort-Chiang Mai and I can’t wait to get there,” said Yang, who has 11
professional victories including two on the Asian Tour.
“It will be fun to compete in a full-field Asian Tour event as this was the
Tour where I started my golf career. I am happy to see that the Asian Tour
is growing immensely with the addition of new tournaments such as the Chiang
Mai Golf Classic and I will always support the Tour for what it has done in
my career.”
Thongchai, the only man to win three Asian Tour Order of Merit titles, will
spearhead an expected 30-man strong local contingent along with reigning
number one Thaworn Wiratchant.
“The launch of the Chiang Mai Golf Classic is another positive development
for professional golf in Thailand and Asia. By playing in big tournaments,
Thai golfers will have the opportunity to compete at the highest level on
the Asian Tour and this will shape their golf careers,” said Thongchai.
The Chiang Mai Golf Classic will be a 72-hole strokeplay tournament
showcasing 144 players with the leading 99 Asian Tour players featuring in
the elite field alongside 10 players from the top-200 of the Official World
Golf Ranking, 20 players from Thailand and 15 sponsor’s invitations.
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Chiang Mai win first
match of the season
FC: Chiang Mai FC win their first game of the
season over Sukhothai FC. (Photo courtesy of Chiang Mai Football Club).
Nopniwat Krailerg
The first match of AIS League Division 2, Northern Zone saw the Chiang Mai
FC Lanna Tigers visit Sukhothai FC at the Boonsom Martin Stadium in
Sukhothai.
Sukothai started the game with the ball but the Tigers quickly took control
and in the 13th minute, Anggello Machuca took the first attempt at the goal
but missed. A free kick by Pichet Howkongkeaw also missed the goal but Arnon
Nutpha hit the ball with a header to give Chiang Ma FC the first goal.
The second half saw neither side with an advantage and the Tigers ended the
game with a 1-0 win; their first victory of the season.
Busy days for Lamphun junior cricket
Lamphun cricketers show off their new jerseys.
By Chris Dodd
Lamphun junior cricketers enjoyed two consecutive days of Sawasdee cricket
competitions with a total of just over 100 children playing during the two
days. Sponsorship for the two tournaments was yet again provided by Alex
Schaap from Driessen-Zodiac Aerospace in Lamphun. Besides the sponsored
winning trophies, there are 30 children in Lamphun who are now proud owners
of Lamphun cricket T-shirts and another 20 more wearing Lamphun crickets’
distinguishable Red cap. Our appreciation and thanks go to our sponsors for
funding these two fantastic events.
The first competition was held at Rimping School on Friday 15th February and
included teams from 4 Lamphun schools, the hosts Rimping, Sibonyeun
Wangthong, Wat Kheelek and Anubanmuanglamphun School who provided two teams
to participate in the tournament. In this very competitive mini tournament
there were no easy games to be had as the schools found out, the experienced
team from Sibonyeun looked the likely winners as they were first up against
the hosts Rimping and just managed to pip them by 4 runs in a close
entertaining game.
Anubanmuanglamphun school didn’t play consistently well with either team but
have some really good promising players. Wat Kheelek School got better as
the tournament went on but didn’t have enough runs in their winning margins
to get into the final after their win against Sibonyeun. So again it was a
repeat of the first game, Rimping v Sibonyeun to fight it out for the
winner’s trophy, this time Rimping made sure with a convincing win by 33
runs. Congratulations to Rimping School.
The second tournament on Saturday 16th February was played at Pathan School
in Banthi, Lamphun. This should have been a 6 team tournament but
unfortunately previous winners of many recent tournaments and favourites Wat
Muangkwak didn’t turn up? The five remaining School teams were, the hosts
Wat Pathan, Wat Ban Jam, Wat Kheelek, Pathan Pittaya and the newest School
in Lamphun to play cricket, Sanpahein School.
The disappointment of Muangkwak not competing was soon forgotten as every
team went about the job of winning their games, right from the start Wat Ban
Jam stamped their authority by thrashing Wat Kheelek by 47 runs and
continued unbeaten through to the final, finally thrashing Sanpahein in a
totally one sided game by 138 runs! Wat Pathan never played consistently
enough to compete but managed to chalk up a win against newcomers Sanpahein
by 68 runs. Pathan Pittaya played well at times and just did enough to earn
a place in the final against Ban Jam but Wat Ban Jam were imperious all day
and disposed of their opponents with a comfortable 35 run win.
Congratulations to Wat Ban Jam for a convincing victory. Thanks again to
sponsors, Driessen- Zodiac Aerospace in Lamphun for two great days of
Sawasdee Junior Cricket. www.juniorcricketthailand.com.
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Argentinian wins Muay Thai match
Alan Scheinson (Argentina) from the Chay Yai
Muay Thai Boxing Camp won five straight bouts during playoffs in Thailand.
In this, his last fight, he won by a knock out with a kick to the neck of
“Chok Mongkol” in the first round at the Tha Pae Boxing Stadium. (Photo by
Chay Yai Muay Thai Boxing Camp)
Chiang Mai Senior League
goes to the wire
By Richard Lockwood
The Chiang Mai Senior League was established this season with two
senior men’s teams and two teams packed with promising Thai youngsters
playing against each other with the prime aim of giving the juniors plenty
of experience playing against senior teams.
With just two matches left the boys from CPP are still in contention to win
the league title along with Chiang Mai Lanna and Floggers & Robbers, while
the fourth team Gymkhana Juniors finished their campaign with a fine batting
performance that included the first century partnership seen in the league
between Anim and Choo.
The last three matches played at Gymkhana Club have seen the three leading
teams all show their credentials as potential league champions. First Chiang
Mai Lanna convincingly defeated Floggers and Robbers by seven wickets after
dismissing them for 167 thanks to Tom Salusbury’s remarkable figures of 4
for 3 and Lanna’s impressive top four batsmen all made runs to extend their
lead at the top of the table with four wins in five matches.
All was not lost for Floggers & Robbers who returned to Gymkhana with a much
stronger team to face Gymkhana Juniors. The young Gymkhana side gave a very
composed performance with the bat, as Anim reached his fifty in 60 balls and
Choo made an unbeaten 40 in a total of 171 for 5. But the Floggers powerful
hitting was too much for the Juniors as they raced to victory on 173 for 7
with more than 10 overs to spare as the ball disappeared to all parts of the
Gymkhana Club ground.
Floggers now looked the most destructive batting side in the competition but
all was to change once more as they came across an inspired CPP team. The
side which arrived at Gymkhana had just represented Chiang Mai Province in
the Cricket Association of Thailand’s National Youth Championships and had
won the tournament, so full of confidence the youngsters gave their best
league performance of the season.
CPP were put in to bat and were reduced to 13 for 3 but John and Nikom
played well in the face of some testing bowling and then Frame hit a rapid
unbeaten fifty when the lesser bowlers were introduced. Tail-enders Night
and Song also hit out lustily to take CPP to 232 for 6 in 30 overs, the
highest total made in the league so far.
Floggers have a reputation for fast scoring but even they couldn’t chase
down this stiff target, although Chris Coombes took his tally of runs to 158
in four matches and Ant Jackson reached fifty in only 27 balls. Eddy
finished the innings off quickly with figures of 5 for 15, as he became the
first bowler to take five wickets in a match in the league. Floggers were
bowled out for 150 as CPP gained victory by 82 runs to keep their league
hopes alive.
The two sides meet again at Gymkhana Club on Sunday 3rd March for a
winner-takes-all contest with the league title very much at stake.
Spectators are guaranteed an exciting afternoon of cricket.
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