Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng received his early birthday present when he eclipsed his younger rivals with a final round four-under-par 67 to lift his 10th Asian Tour title at the SMBC Singapore Open on Sunday.
Prayad’s closing birdie on 18 proved decisive as it gave him a one-shot advantage and also the clubhouse lead while the rest of the field were still out at the Sentosa Golf Club trying to pip him to the title.
Prayad, who turns 51 on January 30, was eventually crowned the newest SMBC Singapore Open champion after a two-hour wait as no one in the chasing pack was able to surmount their challenge and better his four-day total of nine-under-par 275.
Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai, South Africa’s Jbe Kruger, Philippines Juvic Pagunsan and defending champion Younghan Song of Korea all had their chances to pip or at least force a play-off with Prayad but that crucial putt in their closing holes simply eluded all of them.
The quartet all finished one shot back of Prayad and shared second place with their 276 total. World number seven Adam Scott had a round to forget as he signed off with a 74 to finish tied for ninth while Singapore’s Quincy Quek emerged as the best placed Singaporean in tied-26th place.
