Kiradech Aphibarnrat

Kiradech Aphibarnrat
July 2014
Personal information
Born (1989-07-23) 23 July 1989
Bangkok, Thailand
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight 104 kg (229 lb; 16.4 st)
Nationality  Thailand
Residence Bangkok, Thailand
Career
Turned professional 2008
Current tour(s) European Tour
Asian Tour
PGA Tour
Former tour(s) Japan Golf Tour
Professional wins 11
Number of wins by tour
European Tour 4
Asian Tour 3
PGA Tour of Australasia 1
Other 6
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament T15: 2016
U.S. Open 15th: 2018
The Open Championship T75: 2018
PGA Championship T25: 2013
Achievements and awards
Asian Tour
Order of Merit		 2013

Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thai: กิรเดช อภิบาลรัตน์; born Anujit Hirunratanakorn,[1] 23 July 1989) is a Thai professional golfer who plays on the Asian and European Tours.

In both 2003 and 2004, Aphibarnrat won his age group at the Junior World Golf Championships. In 2007, he was on the gold medal team at the 2007 Summer Universiade and took a silver in the individual event at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games.

Aphibarnrat turned professional in 2008 and began playing on the Asian Tour and the Japan Golf Tour in 2009. HIs first professional victory came in 2009 at the Mercedes-Benz Tour's Singha Pattaya Open, which he won by 11 strokes, earning US$50,000. Aphibarnrat's first Asian Tour win was at the 2011 SAIL Open.[2]

Aphibarnrat's first victory on the European Tour was at the Maybank Malaysian Open in March 2013. The event was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, thus giving him a second win on that tour. In the event, which shortened to 54 holes due to thunderstorms, Aphibarnrat defeated Edoardo Molinari by one stroke.

He won his second European Tour title at the Shenzhen International in a sudden death playoff over Li Haotong. Having led the tournament at the 54 hole stage, he trailed late in the back nine, but eagled the 17th hole and then missed a birdie putt on the 18th for the outright victory. He would go on to birdie the first extra hole to claim victory. Aphibarnrat became only the second player from Thailand, after Thongchai Jaidee, to record multiple European Tour wins.

Aphibarnrat is sometimes referred to as "Asia's John Daly", a comparison of his "unathletic" physique to the similarly large body type of two-time major championship winner John Daly.[3]

In 2018, Aphibarnrat earned Special Temporary Member status on the PGA Tour. He is the first Thai PGA Tour member.

Amateur wins

Professional wins (11)

European Tour wins (4)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 24 Mar 2013 Maybank Malaysian Open1 −13 (65-68-70=203)* 1 stroke Italy Edoardo Molinari
2 19 Apr 2015 Shenzhen International −12 (67-69-68-72=276) Playoff China Li Haotong
3 2 Aug 2015 Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay 1 up Sweden Robert Karlsson
4 11 Feb 2018 ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth2 2 & 1 Australia James Nitties

* Note: The 2013 Maybank Malaysian Open was shortened to 54 holes due to bad weather.
1 Co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour
2 Co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia

European Tour playoff record (1–0)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 2015 Shenzhen International China Li Haotong Won with birdie on first extra hole

Asian Tour wins (3)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 25 Mar 2011 SAIL Open −16 (68-67-69-68=272) 1 stroke Bangladesh Siddikur Rahman
2 24 Mar 2013 Maybank Malaysian Open1 −13 (65-68-70=203)* 1 stroke Italy Edoardo Molinari
3 11 Feb 2018 ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth2 2 & 1 Australia James Nitties

* Note: The 2013 Maybank Malaysian Open was shortened to 54 holes due to bad weather.
1 Co-sanctioned with the European Tour
2 Co-sanctioned with the European Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (1)

1 Co-sanctioned with the European Tour and the Asian Tour

Asian Development Tour wins (3)

  • 2015 Thongchai Jaidee Foundation^
  • 2017 Thongchai Jaidee Foundation^
  • 2018 Richard Mille Brunei Championships

All Thailand Golf Tour wins (5)

No. Date Tournament Winning score Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 5 Apr 2009 Singha Pattaya Open −23 (68-65-61-67=261) 11 strokes Philippines Antonio Lascuña
2 22 Jul 2012 Singha All Thailand Championship
3 3 Feb 2013 Singha Masters
4 13 Sep 2015 Thongchai Jaidee Foundation^ −24 (67-61-68-68=264) 3 strokes Thailand Prayad Marksaeng
5 10 Dec 2017 Thongchai Jaidee Foundation^ −14 (65-71-68-70=274) 3 strokes England William Harrold

^ – Co-sanctioned event: Asian Development Tour and All Thailand Golf Tour

Results in major championships

Tournament 201320142015201620172018
Masters Tournament T15 T44
U.S. Open CUT 15
The Open Championship CUT CUT CUT CUT T75
PGA Championship T25 WD T68 T66 CUT
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
WD = Withdrew
"T" = tied

Summary

TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament00000122
U.S. Open00000121
The Open Championship00000051
PGA Championship00000153
Totals000003147
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 4 (2016 PGA – 2018 Open)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 0

Results in World Golf Championships

Results not in chronological order prior to 2015.

Tournament201020112012201320142015201620172018
Mexico Championship 67 T49 T5
Match Play R64 T18 QF
Bridgestone Invitational T40 53 T31
HSBC Champions 74 T66 T55 T30 T24
  Top 10
  Did not play

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

References

  1. ↑ Ballengee, Ryan (2013-08-10). "Kiradech Aphibarnrat: Why did he change his name from Anujit Hirunratanakorn?". Golf News Net. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
  2. ↑ Kiradech seals maiden Asian Tour victory at the SAIL Open
  3. ↑ "Asia's 'John Daly' denies Ryder Cup winner to triumph in Malaysia". CNN. 24 March 2013.
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