Asian Tour Yearbook - 2022

Close friends close finish Relieved Danthai claims first win in seven years A Hollywood script writer could not have come up with a better story than the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Bangladesh Open in 2022. In an event traditionally dominated by professionals from Thailand, two players from said country and golfing powerhouse turned it into a two-horse race; two players who are best of friends, lunch and dinners pals for the week, and practice partners. Thailand’s Danthai Boonma and his amigo Kosuke Hamamoto, half Thai as his father is Japanese, were the principle characters with the former prevailing but only after an edge of your seat finish. The two players broke away from the ‘peloton’ on Sunday before Danthai won by a stroke, overwhelmingly relieved to claim his first Asian Tour title in seven years. He fired a closing three-under-par 68 for a four-round aggregate of 13-under-par 271, while Hamamoto carded a 70. Rattanon Wannasrichan made it a one, two, three finish for Thailand after returning a 67 to finish three behind the champion. And Bangladesh’s golfing idol Siddikur Rahman, despite being roared on by strong local support, closed with a 70 to finish in a group of four players tied for fourth, six back from top spot. Victory in Bangladesh was Danthai Boonma’s (RIGHT/FAR LEFT) first in seven years on the Asian Tour. 1 19 Yeah, nothing to say but I can’t believe it, because it's been tough in the past two years, I didn’t really play very good you know. I mean, I struggled with my mind and my short game, so I tried to figure out about those things. And yeah, I can’t believe it about this week. -DANTHAI BOONMA B A N G A B A N D H U C U P G O L F B A N G L A D E S H O P E N KU RM ITO L A GO LF C LUB , DHAK A | NOVEMB E R 24 -27, 2022 | P R IZE MON E Y US$ 400,000 Danthai had started the day one behind playing-partner Hamamoto but a brilliant front nine of three under, which included a hattrick of birdies on seven, eight and nine saw him make the turn one ahead. It was a lead he did not relinquish, with both players coming home in even par, and allowed him to add the national Open of Bangladesh to The World Classic Championship he claimed at Laguna National in Singapore in 2015 “I’m so excited about my second win on the Asian Tour,” said Danthai. “Yeah, nothing to say but I can’t believe it, because it's been tough in the past two years, I didn’t really play very good you know. I mean, I struggled with my mind and my short game, so I tried to figure out about those things. And yeah, I can’t believe it about this week.”