Donaldson Rekindles Magic in Bangkok

The Welshman, who clinched the crucial point at Gleneagles in 2014, finds red-hot form at the Thailand Golf Championship to earn Open spot and climb back inside the world's top-50

Darren Clarke, Sergio Garcia, Thongchai Jaidee, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Martin Kaymer, Bubba Watson and Lee Westwood at Vimanmek Mansion in Bangkok

The victory – the eighth of Donaldson’s career – also secured him one of four places that were up for grabs at The 145th Open Championship, to be played next July at Royal Troon.

He’ll now be joined there by the impressive Sordet, Westwood and 16-year-old Thai sensation Phachara Khongwatmai, who finished Sunday alone in sixth-place at 13-under, one place behind world number 12 Sergio Garcia and European Tour Rookie of the Year An Byeong-hun who both finished on 14-under and who were already exempt for The Open.

World number four Bubba Watson, the top-ranked player in the field, produced a magic moment when acing the fifth – and the American said it would be a memory he would always cherish as he fired home a five-under 67 to finish the tournament on eight-under-par.

“It made the week pretty special,” said the American two-time Masters champion. “It was my fifth hole-in-one but the first time in competition so obviously it was nice. It got the round going. I just wish I could have held it together for a top-10 finish. But all in all it was a good day.”

Watson celebrates his first competitive hole-in-one at the fifth during the final round

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Written by Alex Jenkins

Photography by Thailand Golf Championship

Click here to see the published article.

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