Thongchai wins Ballantine's Championship

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JEJU ISLAND, South Korea (AP) -- Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee won the $2.9 million Ballantine's Championship after a three-way playoff Sunday against Kang Wook-soon and Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Thongchai closed with a 2-under 70 to finish with the 4-under total 284 along with first-round leader Fernandez-Castano and Kang, who carded a 68 in the fourth round.

The two-time Asian No. 1 won the playoff when he birdied the extra hole, the par 4 18th, for his second win in a jointly sanctioned Asian and European Tour event in two months.

Fernandez-Castano, who closed with a 3-under 69, overshot the green with his second shot and had to chip back with his third.

Kang missed a birdie chance from six feet and Thongchai made no mistake with his putt from three feet.

"When we got to the playoff, I knew that I would stand a good chance as I had just finished playing that hole about 15 minutes ago. I knew the distance well and I was ready," Thongchai said. "The tournament is never finished and you never know who is going to win the tournament until the last day. I just had to believe in myself that I can do it."

Ernie Els finished in a four-way tie for fourth place, two shots off the pace at 2 under.

Fernandez-Castano was coming off back-to-back second-place finishes this month, at the Estoril Open in Portugal and at the Volvo China Open last weekend in Beijing, and was close to going one better at the Pinx Golf Club course on Jeju Island.

"This is my third play-off in the last three weeks and it really hurts," the 28-year-old Spaniard said. "It's difficult, especially when you are playing against two other players in the play-off. But, I guess that's golf."

The strong winds and rain played havoc on the playing group in the second and third rounds, with only one player breaking par in Saturday's third round.

Thonghchai was consistent throughout, earning his record 12th Asian Tour title.

The 39-year-old ex-Thai military paratrooper won the jointly-sanctioned Indonesian Open in Bali by two strokes last month, his first European tour win in four years.

Former Masters winner Fred Couples finished at 10 over.

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