Phuket (Thailand) – May 14, 2018 (travelindex.com) – Thai golfer Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij celebrated his first professional victory on Sunday in the presence of his family, after winning the final round of the Singha Laguna Phuket Open with a par round of 70 strokes and a lead of six strokes.

The 21-year-old Thai showed excellent form throughout the week and exchanged two birdies for two bogeys on Sunday to secure his wire-to-wire victory on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) at Laguna Golf Phuket with a total of 18 under par (262 strokes).

His compatriot Pawin Ingkhapradit played an impressive 66, but couldn't catch Varanyu's lead. He finished second in the tournament, which had a prize purse of 2 million baht (approximately US$64,000) and was jointly organized by the ADT and the All Thailand Golf Tour.

South African Mathiam Keyser carded a 69 to finish third – his best result on the ADT this season. Thailand's Nitithorn Thippong, who started the final round in second place, struggled with nerves and dropped two places after a 71. Sweden's Oscar Zetterwall (67) and Thailand's Worrasorn Suwanpanang (68) are tied for fifth place with 272 strokes in this season's eighth stage of the Tour de France.

Varanyu, who was playing in the final group for the first time in his professional career, was surprised by his father and sister, who had traveled from his hometown of Phetchaburi in Thailand to watch him play.

“It feels like a dream! I’ve worked so hard all year, and to finally get a win, especially in Thailand, is just incredible. My mother accompanied me for all four days, and I didn’t even know my father would be coming too. I’m so happy they were able to witness my first victory,” said Varanyu, who also had his brother as his caddie this week.

Varanyu lost a stroke on the first hole but quickly recovered with a birdie on the third. He continued to play consistently, carding nine pars before losing another stroke on the 13th with a wayward tee shot. He finished the last five holes with a birdie on the 14th after sinking a 15-meter putt, followed by four more pars.

“After I bogeyed the first hole, my brother just told me to stay calm and not play too fast. I was nervous, but the support of my whole family helped me a lot. He took my mind off the scores, and I just stuck to my game plan and played like I had the last three days,” Varanyu added.

Pawin stuck to his game plan, from the tee to the fairway to the green, and scored four birdies in a bogey-free round, repeating his lowest score from the first round.

“The highlight of today’s round was definitely the 16th hole, when I missed the green left and holed out from 15 meters for a birdie. I hit everything well today and my rhythm was good. I’m very happy with my second place, especially since I played all four rounds under par this week. I felt like I was fully focused on my game plan today and didn’t think about the other players,” said the 26-year-old Pawin.

Following this victory, Varanyu became a member of the ADT and is currently ranked 10th. He received prize money of US$9,450 and six world ranking points, while the top six players (including those tied for second place) received points according to a tiered system.

The top five players in the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season receive eligibility to play in the 2019 season on the most important Asian tour.

The leader of the fourth round scores 262 points - Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij (Tha) 62 61 69 70 268 - Pawin Ingkhapradit (Tha) 66 69 67 66 270 - Mathiam Keyser (Rsa) 66 67 68 69 271 - Nitithorn Thippong (Tha) 64 66 70 71 272 – Oscar Zetterwall (Switzerland) 64 67 74 67, Worrasorn Suwanpanang (Tha) 68 67 69 68 273 – Tawan Phongphun (Tha) 68 69 70 66, John Michael O'toole (USA) 65 71 69 68 274 – Itthipat Buranatanyarat (Tha) 73 68 68 65

Laguna Golf Phuket is an 18-hole, par 71 golf course located in the heart of Asia's first integrated resort – Laguna Phuket. It is easily accessible via a complimentary shuttle service from surrounding hotels. Following a comprehensive redesign and reopening in 2015, the new landscaping, with a special focus on the natural environment and wildlife, offers golfers a completely new golfing experience. During your round, you'll be immersed in the local culture and experience a unique atmosphere. The Thai-villa-style clubhouse offers numerous luxurious amenities, including a well-stocked pro shop and international dining. The course is also home to Southeast Asia's first PGA Golf Academy, where you can enjoy a holistic learning experience with PGA instructors and a wide range of training packages. Extensive practice facilities are also available, including dedicated swing rooms with Trackman video analysis and a gym offering private training sessions to enhance your on-course performance.

The Asian Development Tour (ADT) was launched in 2010 with the goal of providing professional golfers in Asia with career opportunities. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the ADT creates a new playing platform for emerging talent from Asia and around the world. Players qualify for the ADT through the Asian Tour Qualifying School and are given the opportunity to further develop their game and talent on a second tournament series in Asia. The ADT is structured similarly to the Web.com Tour in America and the European Challenge Tour, serving as a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The ADT is structured to offer its members optimal opportunities. The top five players in the ADT receive coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, thus securing aspiring professionals a stable career path. All ADT tournaments award world ranking points.

For more information about golfing in Thailand, visit Top25GolfCourses.com.