Asian Tour stars Anirban Lahiri, Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat will end the year in the top-50 of the official world golf rankings which comes with coveted invitations to the Masters tourn
Asian Tour stars Anirban Lahiri, Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat will end the year in the top-50 of the official world golf rankings which comes with coveted invitations to the Masters tournament in April, 2016.
The 46-year-old Thongchai, who won once in Europe and posted eight other top-10s this season, jumped to a career high 28th position in the world to cement his reputation as one of the best Asian golfers in the game.
Kiradech will earn a dream Masters tournament debut after moving up to the 38th position on the rankings, up by nearly 100 places from where he had started the season. The big-hitting Thai brilliantly won twice on the European Tour in addition to nine other top-10s around the world.
Two places below Kiradech is newly crowned Asian Tour number one Lahiri, who triumphed in Malaysia and India this year and also finished tied fifth at the PGA Championship to reinforce his stature as one of the global game’s rising young stars.
The tenacious Indian will return to the Augusta National Golf Club, venue of the year’s opening Major, for the second straight season after making his debut last April.
The 28-year-old Lahiri said, “Starting out the year, finishing in the world’s top-50 was one of my main goals and I’m delighted to achieve this target. It also means a lot to me as I will have the opportunity to play in my second Masters Tournament.
“Playing in all four rounds at the Augusta National was certainly one of the main highlights of my 2015 season and I am looking forward to heading back there again for another crack at this great tournament,” said Lahiri, who also earned his 2016 PGA Tour card through the Web.com finals.
Thailand’s Thongchai, the only man to win three Asian Tour Order of Merit titles, said: “I am very proud of my achievements. Finishing so high up in the world rankings makes me very happy. I want to keep improving and keep playing good golf next year. I’m also very excited to play in my fifth Masters next April.”
Said Kiradech: “I also cannot wait to play in the Masters as I have heard so much great things about this event.”
