Thongchai Jaidee

Thongchai Jaidee (Thai: ธงชัย ใจดี; RTGS: Thongchai Chaidi, born 8 November 1969) is a Thai professional golfer who plays on the Asian Tour and the European Tour. On the Asian Tour, he holds the record for the most career earnings and is second in victories having won 13 times. He has won the Order of Merit on the Asian Tour three times during his career. Jaidee was the first man to win US$2 million, US$3 million, US$4 million, and US$5 million on the Asian Tour in prize money.

Thongchai Jaidee ธงชัย ใจดี
Personal information
Full name	Thongchai Jaidee
Born	(1969-11-08) 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	Titituch, Kittituch
Career
Turned professional	1999
Current tour(s)	Asian Tour PGA Tour Champions
Former tour(s)	European Tour
Professional wins	20
Highest ranking	27 (3 January 2016)[1] (as of 21 June 2020)
Number of wins by tour
European Tour	8
Asian Tour	13 (2nd all time)
Other	3
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament	T37: 2014
PGA Championship	T36: 2009
U.S. Open	T47: 2010
The Open Championship	T13: 2009
Achievements and awards
Asian Tour Order of Merit 2001, 2004, 2009

Jaidee did not start playing golf until he was sixteen, and he later went into the Royal Thai Army where he was a paratrooper in special forces. Jaidee did not turn professional until he was thirty years old, but he soon achieved success on the Asian Tour, topping the tour's order of merit in 2001 and 2004. He first played in a major championship in the 2001 U.S. Open and finished tied 74th.[2] In February 2004 he became the first Thai to win a tournament on the European Tour by winning the Carlsberg Malaysian Open, an event which was co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour. In 2005 he successfully defended his Malaysian Open title.

In 2006 he received a special invitation to play in the Masters Tournament. He was the second Thai to play in the Masters after Sukree Onsham, who did so in 1970 and 1971, and by doing so, he became the first Thai to play in all four major championships.

After his victory in the Volvo Masters of Asia in 2006 he reached 75 in the Official World Golf Rankings. His best year-end ranking on the European Order of Merit has been 9th in 2013. He topped the Asian Tour order of merit for a third time in 2009.

Jaidee won for the fifth time on the European Tour in June 2012 at the ISPS Handa Wales Open. This was the first occasion that Jaidee had won on the European Tour outside Asia. He shot a final round one over 72, but won by a single stroke from four other players.[3]

Jaidee qualified for the 2015 Presidents Cup squad for the first time and in doing so became the first player from Thailand to earn the honor.

In September 2015, Jaidee won his seventh European Tour title at the Porsche European Open in Germany by a single stroke over Englishman Graeme Storm. Jaidee held the 54 hole lead by a stroke and shot a 67 in the final round to claim victory.

Jaidee claimed his eighth European Tour victory in July 2016, with a four stroke victory at the Open de France. He shot weekend rounds of 68-68, which included a run of 39 holes without a bogey and moved him clear of the chasing pack. Jaidee became the oldest winner of the tournament, at the age of 46, since it became part of the European Tour in 1972.