Thongchai’s match play credentials under spotlight

Black Mountain sponsored star Thongchai Jaidee, a three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, will have his match play credentials come under the microscope when he compete at the WGC-Cadillac Match Play this week.

The Thai has been drawn into the same group as Jim Furyk, Martin Kaymer and George Coetzee.

Under the new format, players will play three round-robin matches where the group winners will then proceed into the last 16 round, guaranteeing a minimum of three matches each for the 64-man field.

Veteran Thongchai was a quarterfinalist in the 2010 WGC Match Play, losing to eventual winner Ian Poulter, and was also runner-up in the World Match Play Championship in Bulgaria to Graeme McDowell in 2013.

He turned the tables on McDowell with a 3 and 2 win in the EurAsia Cup singles where as team captain, he rallied Asia from an opening day 0-5 whitewash to tie the match 10-10.