Thaworn Wiratchant wins the Players’ Player of the Year Award and the Special Achievement Award
Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand capped his 2012 season by securing the Players’ Player of the Year Award and the Special Achievement Award at the Asian Tour’s Awards Night. The ceremony was held at the Puteri Pacific Hotel.
The veteran Thai also picked the Birdie Leader Award, as he was the leading player to score the most number of birdies (346) during the 2012 Asian Tour season.
Wiratchant was the runaway favourite to snag the Players’ Player of the Year Award, because of his heroic performances throughout the season.
The 45-year-old recorded a total of three Asian Tour victories last season – he won the Queen’s Cup in Thailand, Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters and Hero Indian Open.
Talking to the Asian Tour’s official website, he expressed his pleasure in receiving votes from his peers, which allowed him to become the Players’ Player of the Year.
“I’m really happy. I’m an old man already and the players still picked me as their Players’ Player of the Year,” he said.
After finishing tied for the fifth position at the Asian Tour’s season-ending Iskandar Johor Open, he also ended his 2012 campaign on top of the Order of Merit.
Entering the tournament, he desperately needed to finish ahead of Marcus Fraser, in a bid to become the Order of Merit winner for the second time in his career.
After two rounds, he was trailing Fraser by two strokes. Thereafter, the Thai star outshined his only rival by firing a seven-under par 65 in the third and the final round.
Fraser, in the meantime, only managed to card an even-par score to finish tied for the 21st position. As a result, Wiratchant, at the age of 45, became the oldest Order of Merit winner, in the history of the Asian Tour.
Therefore, the tour officials and the golf writers from Asia voted him for the Special Achievement Award at the Asian Tour’s Awards Night.
“It was also nice to win the Special Achievement Award which means a lot to me. Tonight feels as good as 2005,” said Thaworn, referring to the year when became the Order of Merit winner for the first time in his career. “I want to thank the Asian Tour, the
officials and all the players for their support. This is a special night”.
After winning the 2012 Order of Merit title, Wiratchant received an entry into the 2013 British Open and the 2013 World Golf Championships – Cadillac Championship. In addition to that, he also secured his Asian Tour card for the next five seasons.
The veteran star now wishes to keep the momentum going into the upcoming season, in a bid to add more titles to his resume. So far in his career, he has won a total of 15 Asian Tour events.
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