Thongchai Jaidee Interview

Your first Asian Tour victory was achieved in 2000 in Korea and you’ve got two wins in the country now. What do you recall from that first victory and how special was it?

My first win was like a jump-start in my career, especially on the Asian Tour. It gave me so much confidence that I can do well in the region. (Note: Thongchai is the only player to win three Asian Tour Order of Merit titles)

You’ve set up an academy and the Thongchai Jaidee Foundation in your hometown of Lopburi to help underprivileged golfers. Tell us more about this project and why you started it?

I started the TJ Foundation purely from my passion. I grew up through poverty and I know what it’s like. What I’d like to do is to provide an opportunity for kids in the form of schooling, lessons and accommodation. After the completion of the programme, they can go on to have career in golf or outside of golf.

You were runner-up in the Volvo Match Play in Bulgaria several years ago and captained Asia to a 10-10 draw with Europe at the inaugural EurAsia Cup in Malaysia last year. How much do you enjoy match play golf and why?

Match play is the format I like the most! Stroke play is basically you playing with the golf course but match play turns the game into a head-to-head with another player. I like the mentality aspect the match play.

As the only player to win three Asian Tour Order of Merit crowns, how has the region’s premier Tour helped in your career?

It’s given me so much of valuable experience. You know the feeling when you get into the position where you’re confident you have done something great and you feel ready for the bigger stage.

You’ve won 13 times on the Asian Tour and have also won twice on European soli in Wales and Sweden, on the European Tour. What have been the key reasons to your success?

Outside of game, it has to be behavior and discipline. It’s a big part along the line with skill.

The United States team has dominated the Presidents Cup over the years. What will be the one thing that you’ll be telling your teammates in Korea?

Anything can happen in match play. It’ll be many of the players’ first time in the Presidents Cup so all of us will give nothing less than 100%. That’s the mentality I will encourage the team.

With Hideki Matsuyama, Anirban Lahiri, An Byeong-hun and yourself in the running to make the International Team, that’s four Asians out of the top-10 of the rankings. What does this tell you about the Asian golfers?

There’s a positive trend in this and it’ll be upward from now onwards. With these great young golfers coming up, it’ll be really an exciting time for the region.