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Kiradech Aphibarnrat outlasts 93 holes to win World Super 6 Perth

By Mike Randleman

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 11: Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand holds the trophy after winning the final match against James Nitties of Australia during day four of the World Super 6 at Lake Karrinyup Country Club on February 11, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 11: Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand holds the trophy after winning the final match against James Nitties of Australia during day four of the World Super 6 at Lake Karrinyup Country Club on February 11, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) /
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Last to show up, last to leave was Kiradech Aphibarnrat at the World Super 6 Perth

Plenty of obstacles stood in Kiradech Aphibarnrat’s way of winning the title this week at the World Super 6 Perth, but the big Thai cleared all of them.

Aphibarnrat, 28, canceled a vacation to the Maldives to play this event. He didn’t commit until a week ago and arrived Wednesday without teeing it up for a practice round at Lake Karrinyup Country Club.

No bother.

Aphibarnrat fired a five-under 67 Thursday and followed with an even-par 72 on Friday to make the first cut down to top 65 and ties. He shot 72 again Saturday thanks to an up-and-down that got him into a nine-man playoff for eight spots into the 24-player knockout stage.

With 54 holes in tow, it took four more to determine seeding for Sunday.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat: Match play wizard

Aphibarnrat came into the week with a win at the 2015 Paul Lawrie Match Play on his resume, and he got right back into that rhythm at Perth.

In round one he drew world No. 489 and Challenge Tour player 24-year-old Aussie Ben Eccles who shot 72-69-69 in stroke play. Each time Aphibarnrat made birdie to go 1UP in their match, Eccles won with birdie the following hole. Tied going to the sixth and final hole, Eccles made bogey to Aphibarnrat’s birdie.

It only got tougher in the round of 16 against Japan’s Yusaku Miyazato. World No. 51 Miyazato, 37, posted 70-70-68 to tie for fifth in stroke play and pushed Aphibarnrat to a fifth shootout hole before Aphibarnrat prevailed. The shootout hole uses the 18th green but starts from a different tee box special to the shootout from 90 yards away.

Aphibarnrat drew up-and-comer American/Zimbabwean 21-year-old Sean Crocker. Crocker, a former USC Trojan, took second in stroke play at 10-under. It once again came down to the final hole, but no shootout holes were necessary for Aphibarnrat to win 1UP.

With the holes count up to 81, Aphibarnrat next drew 22-year-old Aussie Lucas Herbert in the semifinals.

Aphibarnrat had rarely trailed up to this point and led 1UP after winning the first hole against the world No. 230. Herbert made an eagle from six feet on the par-4 fourth to beat Aphibarnrat’s birdie and made another 12-foot birdie on the par-3 fifth to storm for the lead. Aphibarnrat made par on six against Herbert’s bogey and won the first shootout hole.

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It all came down to a meeting in the finals with Aussie James Nitties. The 35-year-old journeyman, ranked No. 1,024, was six-under in stroke play and defeated countrymen Dimitrios Papadatos and Callan O’Reilly on the final hole and took down hard-charging 21-year-old Sam Horsfield 2&1 in the semifinals.

For the first time all week, Aphibarnrat didn’t need the sixth knockout hole as he bounced back from being 1 down after one to win Nos. 3-5 for a 2&1 win.

It was Aphibarnrat’s first European Tour win since 2015. He had two runner-up finishes late in 2017.

“It’s just been an awesome week,” Aphibarnrat said in a European Tour press release. “I don’t know how to explain but I’m so happy.

“I’m working so hard. The last few months I’ve been getting really close and finally I’ve done it.”

Next: Tony Romo set to make PGA TOUR debut in March

Chip shots

  • Many of the bigger names in the field fell short of the top 24. Defending champion, Brett Rumford, and runner-up, Jason Scrivener made the 36-hole cut but did not make it to Sunday. Also making it to Saturday but not Sunday were Ryan Fox, Lee Westwood, Hideto Tanihara and Chase Koepka, among others.
  • Prom Meesawat posted 67-70-67 to reach 12-under and win the stroke play portion of the event by two shots. Nicknamed “The Big Dolphin,” the 33-year-old Meesawat was ousted by 19-year-old Australian amateur Min Woo Lee. Lee is the brother of LPGA player, Minjee Lee.
  • Five players recorded a round of 66 to match the tournament’s best 18-hole score: Adam Blyth, Lee Westwood, Dimitrios Papadatos, James Nitties and Andrea Pavan.
  • The European Tour returns to traditional 72-hole stroke play Feb. 15-18 at the NBO Oman Open at Al Mouj Golf. This event is in its first year on the European Tour. The venue has hosted the Challenge Tour Grand Final since 2015.
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