The finals of the Thailand round of the inaugural World Corporate Golf Challenge were held recently at Thana City Golf and Sports Club in Bangkok – and Phuket came out the winners.
Team Inzentive – Swede Kenth Fredin and American Michael Weinstein – were event champions, and won an all-expenses-paid trip to the world finals in Simola, South Africa, on May 3-8, where they will represent Thailand and have the crack at the world championship.
Suphida Onbanchong won the prize for the women’s best net score, while Mr Fredin also won the men’s best net score. Prizes for men’s and women’s best gross score went to Sahaphan Lertbuntam, and Ms Suphida, respectively.
The World Corporate Golf Challenge brings the Thai business world together, with top CEOs and senior managers from both the public and private sectors participating in Thursday’s event.
The championship-standard, Greg Norman- designed course proved challenging, with its numerous sand traps, streams, and lakes. At par 72 (6,400 yards), the course is long and challenging with island greens on holes 4 and 5.
Diethelm Travel offered a B1,000,000 cash prize for a hole-in-one at the eight hole. All competitors were eligible, but even after 126 attempts, the prize remained unclaimed.
The golf and events divisions of Diethelm Travel organised the finals, with 126 business people in 63 corporate teams taking part.
Tournament director and director of Golf Diethelm Travel, David Pettigrew, outlined the rules and programme for the day. Boardrooms and balance sheets were replaced with talk of golf tactics, as the teams headed off to their respective tees for a 10am shotgun start.
“The turnout for the Thailand finals has been fantastic and the standard of golf has been very high. The World Corporate Golf Challenge provides a unique opportunity for executives to meet and network, while engaging in sporting competition,” Mr Pettigrew said.
The picture shows, left and second from right, Kenth Fredin and Michael Weinstein of Team Inzentive with Nounwaruji Silaparat of Jet Airways (second from left); and David Pettigrew, Director of Golf, Diethelm Travel.