Thongchai’s blog: Masters, here I come

April 9: As the world gets ready to welcome the year’s first Major at the Augusta National Golf Club this week, Black Mountain sponsored player Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand is also preparing for one of his career’s biggest tests when he tees up at the Masters.

This will be Thongchai’s third appearance at the Masters, having played in the storied event in 2006 and 2010 where he did not feature in the weekend rounds. He hopes he can be third time lucky and is riding high on confidence after leading Asia to a stunning fightback with Europe at the EurAsia Cup in Malaysia a fortnight ago.

Thongchai opens up about his expectations and his strategy for the important week ahead.

“I have played in all four rounds of the other three Major championships but not at the Masters Tournament. It would be my goal to make the halfway cut this time so that I get to complete my own Grand Slam of made cuts in the Majors.

I had an amazing week at the EurAsia Cup, which prepared me well for the Masters Tournament. It will be great to return to Augusta National after missing it for several years. It is a very special tournament and it is good to be amongst the top players in the world. The venue is also one of the best on Tour and I will be hoping to play well.”

We all know that the greens at Augusta National are very tricky, very hard to putt on. I have been working hard on my putting and hope to spend as much time as possible on the greens at Augusta National to know them better.

If I can putt well, then I know I will have a chance to compete well during the week. When I played at Augusta National twice previously, I found it a real challenge to putt well on the greens.”