In-form Mamat heads to Thailand Open
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Singapore's Mardan Mamat, who recorded a memorable victory at the weekend - and on the back of a strong finish at the Indonesia Open presented by Enjoy Jakarta - will once again tee off at this week's Thailand Open on OneAsia.
The tournament is the tour's sixth event for the 2010 season.
Mamat won the Mercedes-Benz Masters Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur on Saturday to mark the first time in his 16-year career as a professional he has won a tournament while fasting during the month of Ramadhan.
In a remarkable performance he beat Thailand's Pariya Junhasavasdikul on the first extra hole despite not being able to have a drop of water during the day.
Pariya, one of the rising stars of golf in Thailand, will also compete in the Thailand Open which is being played at Burapha Golf Club from Aug. 26 to 29.
The tournament's purse has been doubled so that for the time in its history it has reached US$1million on the OneAsia platform.
"I have won in a couple of World Cup qualifiers during Ramadhan but that was a team event. This is the first time I have won in a normal Tour event by myself," said Mardan.
He shot round of 66, 75, 65 and 69 to finish tied on 13 under.
"The second round was obviously when fasting really affected me the most. It was a really difficult week. I need to get some rest before Thailand and the week after I will be heading to Switzerland to play in the European Masters," added Mamat.
Ramadhan finishes in two weeks time so he will have to muster all his strength to challenge for honours again.
The 42-year-old's participation in the Thailand Open will mark his second appearance of the year on OneAsia. He competed in the Indonesia Open presented by Enjoy Jakarta last month and finished joint fifth, taking home a grand total of US$36,000.
Victory in Malaysia was his second success on the Mercedes-Benz Tour. He is best known for winning the 2006 Singapore Masters and the Indian Open in 2004.
A stellar field will compete in this week's Thailand Open including Thailand' s Thaworn Wiratchant and Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Shingo Katayama from Japan and China's No. 1 Liang Wenchong.
New Zealand's Michael Hendry, who won the Indonesia Open presented by Enjoy Jakarta, is also competing.
This year's Thailand Open is being co-sponsored by Singha Corporation, PTT Public Company Limited, Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Emirates, and CAT Telecom Public Company Limited.
