Thongchai Jaidee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thongchai Jaideeธงชัย ใจดี |
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| Personal information | |
| Born | 8 November 1969 Lopburi, Thailand |
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 63 kg (139 lb; 9.9 st) |
| Nationality |  Thailand |
| Residence | Lopburi, Thailand |
| Spouse |
Namfon Latkrathok
(m. 1998) |
| Children | 2 |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1999 |
| Current tour(s) | Asian Tour PGA Tour Champions European Senior Tour |
| Former tour(s) | European Tour |
| Professional wins | 22 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| European Tour | 8 |
| Asian Tour | 13 (2nd all-time) |
| Champions Tour | 2 |
| Other | 3 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | T37: 2014 |
| U.S. Open | T47: 2010 |
| The Open Championship | T13: 2009 |
| PGA Championship | T36: 2009 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Asian Tour Order of Merit winner |
2001, 2004, 2009 |
| Asian Tour Players' Player of the Year |
2001, 2004, 2009 |
Thongchai Jaidee (Thai: ธงชัย ใจดี; born November 8, 1969) is a famous professional golfer from Thailand. He currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions, which is a golf tour for players aged 50 and over. Before that, he played on the Asian Tour and the European Tour.
Thongchai is a very successful golfer. He holds the record for the most money earned on the Asian Tour. He is also second in the number of wins on that tour, with 13 victories. He won the Asian Tour's top award, the Order of Merit, three times. He was the first golfer to earn over US$2 million, US$3 million, US$4 million, and US$5 million in prize money on the Asian Tour.
Contents
Early Life and Military Service
Thongchai Jaidee started playing golf a bit later than many other pros. He was sixteen years old when he first picked up a golf club. Later, he joined the Royal Thai Army. He served as a paratrooper in the special forces.
Becoming a Professional Golfer
Thongchai did not become a professional golfer until he was thirty years old. However, he quickly found success.
Success on the Asian Tour
He won the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 2001 and again in 2004. This award goes to the player who earns the most money on the tour that year. He won it a third time in 2009.
Breaking Records in Major Championships
In 2001, Thongchai played in his first major championship, the U.S. Open. He finished tied for 74th place. In February 2004, he made history by becoming the first Thai golfer to win a tournament on the European Tour. He won the Carlsberg Malaysian Open. He even won the Malaysian Open again in 2005.
In 2006, he received a special invitation to play in the Masters Tournament. He was only the second Thai golfer to play in the Masters. By playing in this event, he became the first Thai golfer to compete in all four major golf championships. These are the Masters, U.S. Open, The Open Championship, and PGA Championship.
European Tour Victories
Thongchai continued to achieve great things on the European Tour.
- In June 2012, he won the ISPS Handa Wales Open. This was his fifth European Tour win. It was also his first win on the European Tour outside of Asia.
- In September 2015, he won his seventh European Tour title at the Porsche European Open in Germany. He won by just one shot.
- In July 2016, Thongchai won his eighth European Tour event, the Open de France. He won by four shots. At 46 years old, he became the oldest winner of this tournament since it became part of the European Tour in 1972.
Playing for His Country
Thongchai Jaidee was chosen for the 2015 Presidents Cup team. This was a big honor, as he was the first player from Thailand to be part of this international team. He earned 1.5 points for his team in three matches.
Amateur Wins
Before turning professional, Thongchai had a successful amateur career:
- 1995: Pakistan Open Amateur Championship
- 1997: Putra Cup
- 1998: Putra Cup, Singapore Open Amateur Championship, Thailand Open Amateur Championship
Professional Wins
Thongchai Jaidee has won 22 professional tournaments in his career.
European Tour Wins (8)
He has won 8 tournaments on the European Tour, including:
- 2004: Carlsberg Malaysian Open
- 2005: Carlsberg Malaysian Open
- 2009: Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open
- 2009: Ballantine's Championship
- 2012: ISPS Handa Wales Open
- 2014: Nordea Masters
- 2015: Porsche European Open
- 2016: Open de France
Asian Tour Wins (13)
He has won 13 tournaments on the Asian Tour, including:
- 2000: Kolon Cup Korea Open
- 2001: Wills Indian Open
- 2002: London Myanmar Open
- 2003: Volvo Masters of Asia
- 2004: Myanmar Open
- 2004: Carlsberg Malaysian Open
- 2005: Carlsberg Malaysian Open
- 2006: Volvo Masters of Asia
- 2008: Hana Bank Vietnam Masters
- 2008: Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open
- 2009: Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open
- 2009: Ballantine's Championship
- 2010: Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open
Other Wins (3)
- 2000: Singha Bangkok Open (Thailand)
- 2001: Singha Bangkok Open (Thailand)
- 2019: GolfSixes Cascais (with Phachara Khongwatmai)
PGA Tour Champions Wins (2)
- 2022: American Family Insurance Championship
- 2023: PURE Insurance Championship
Major Championship Results
Thongchai has played in many major championships. Here's a quick look at his best finishes:
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 8 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| Totals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 32 | 16 |
- His best finish at The Open Championship was tied for 13th in 2009.
- His best finish at the Masters Tournament was tied for 37th in 2014.
Senior Major Championship Results
After turning 50, Thongchai started playing in senior major championships.
- He finished tied for 4th at the U.S. Senior Open in 2022 and tied for 5th in 2024.
- He finished tied for 3rd at The Senior Open Championship in 2022.
Team Appearances
Thongchai Jaidee has represented Asia and Thailand in many team golf events:
- Dynasty Cup (representing Asia): 2003 (winners), 2005 (winners)
- Royal Trophy (representing Asia): 2006, 2007, 2009 (winners), 2010, 2011, 2013
- World Cup (representing Thailand): 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2016
- EurAsia Cup (representing Asia): 2014 (playing captain), 2016
- Presidents Cup (representing the International team): 2015
- Amata Friendship Cup (representing Thailand): 2018 (winners)
See also
- List of golfers with most Asian Tour wins
- List of golfers with most European Tour wins
