BALI, Indonesia (AP) Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee won the Indonesia Open on Sunday for his record 11th Asian Tour title and first European tour win in four years, closing with a 3-under 69 for a two-stroke victory.
Thongchai broke a tie with compatriot Thaworn Wiratchant for the Asian Tour's victory record, finishing at 12-under 276 on the New Kuta Golf Club course.
"It's my first time in Bali and I've been enjoying myself. I'm very happy to win here," said the 39-year-old Thongchai, ranked 88th in the world.
The former Thai army paratrooper, though accustomed to playing in the heat and humidity of his homeland, still struggled with the punishing conditions in Bali.
"It was very hot and my face is sunburned," said Thongchai, who earned $208,330. "I've never seen my face like this before. I'm used to playing under the heat back home, but this week it was extremely hot."
Englishmen Steve Webster (68) and Simon Dyson (69) and Sweden's Alexander Noren (70) tied for second.SINGAPORE (AP) Fresh from winning her opening tournament of the season, No. 1-ranked Lorena Ochoa will defend her crown this week in Asia's richest women's golf tournament, the $2 million HSBC Women's Champions in Singapore.
Ochoa, who won here last year by 11 strokes, will take on 34 of the 40 top-ranked players in the 78-woman field, including Americans Paula Creamer, Angela Stanford, Cristie Kerr, and Natalie Gulbis at the par-72, 6,547-yard Tanah Merah Country Club course.
Ochoa is also eyeing a group of young Asian stars, including world No. 2 Yani Tseng of Taiwan, after winning her 25th career title at last week's Honda LPGA Thailand.
"It's great that now there's a whole new generation of players to challenge me," said Ochoa, a 27-year-old from Mexico. "All of them are very young, and they're not afraid."
Ochoa started moderately last week in Thailand but improved to record a three-stroke victory over South Korea's Hee Young Park. Creamer led by three strokes entering the final round, but shot a 73 to finish third, four strokes back.
Tseng, who at 19 years old last year was the youngest player to win the LPGA Championship, said she plans to get off to a fast start in Thursday's opening round in her bid to knock Ochoa from her perch atop the rankings.
"My goal this year is to be world No. 1 ," Tseng said. "I will be looking for a great start with a lot of birdies."
Tseng joins a slew of young Korean stars - 17 of the top 50 players are from South Korea - who have begun to make a name for themselves in a women's golf scene in transition after the retirement of Sweden's Annika Sorenstam and the fading of other experienced stars.
"Until recently things were being dominated by a few more experienced players," said fourth-ranked Suzann Pettersen of Norway. "Suddenly these girls have come in and shaken up the mix at the top of women's golf."
Local fans will be cheering on 15-year-old Joey Poh, who qualified by winning an amateur tournament last month.
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