Chinese-Taipei’s Lee Chieh-po finally claimed his maiden title on the Asian Tour today at International Series Thailand – after sensationally overtaking hot-favourite Peter Uihlein at the very end.
Related: Peter Uihlein on the cusp of second International Series win
Lee birdied the final two holes at Thai Country Club to beat Uihlein, after the American had led the whole day – in fact he had been in front since Day Two.
The champion, playing in the penultimate group, fired a seven-under-par 63 to finish on 21-under, while Uihlein closed with a 67 to tie for second place with Canadian Richard T. Lee, who carded a 62.
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Lee, whose English name is Max, birdied the par-five 17th to move to within one of Uihlein, who still looked to be heading for victory. However, Lee drained a 12-foot birdie putt on the last, shortly before his American opponent found a greenside bunker there and missed his par putt from a similar distance.
“It’s been a simply amazing week,” said Lee, who had finished runner-up on two occasions before and had five other top-five finishes, including third place in last week’s Black Mountain Championship.
“I have come close to winning many times before. Even my first year on Tour in 2015, I nearly won. I think my tee shots and my putting are getting better and better, that’s why I can do even better this week.
“After last season, I changed my swing a little bit, but I knew I was on the right path, so I just kept doing it, kept working, and now it’s feeling better than last year.”
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He had appeared to have slipped out of the running when he dropped his only shot of the day on 15 before his heroics on the final holes.
The 29-year-old grew up playing golf with Kevin Yu, a winner on the PGA Tour this year, and sees him as an inspiration.
Uihlein led by three at the start of the day, from a group of players that included Lee and was attempting to win his second title on The International Series in the space of three months, having claimed International Series England in August.
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Despite the disappointment he was rational about the defeat, saying: “Fine. I mean I didn’t putt well enough to win this. So that’s just kind of the point blank. I felt like I was pretty good for four days to the green, and my approach play was really good, but I just putted terrible.
“I mean, yesterday was awful on the greens, and that kind of put everyone in a position where, if they go out and shoot 63, 62 they’d have a chance. And, so, it was kind of yesterday that I shot myself in the foot a little bit. But today I made a bogey on the last and I missed a couple of easy putts. It is what it is.”
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For Richard T. Lee it was yet another near miss. Since the Tour resumed after the global pandemic, he finished second twice, third on three occasions and has been in the running numerous times.
He missed a birdie putt on the last, which proved costly, and he birdied six in a row from the 12th – which was kind of the plan.
“It was funny,” said the Canadian, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, pre-covid.
“I was talking to my caddie after I made a bogey on nine, told him I’m going to shoot six under on the back nine. And he’s like, okay, let’s do it. And unfortunately, I made bogey on 10, and I was like, oh no.
“So yeah, I went on a birdie streak of six birdies, and I was just sticking everything and making putts. Just unfortunately, on the last hole, I missed the putt.”
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Last week’s winner of the Black Mountain Championship Michael ‘MJ’ Maguire closed with a 62 to tie for fourth, three behind the winner, along with fellow-Americans Paul Peterson, in with a 63, and Christian Banke, who fired a 64.
American John Catlin, the top-ranked player on the Asian Tour and The International Series, returned a 68 and tied for 12th. His opponents have a lot to do if they are to catch him.
