Asia Pacific Classic Golf Tips: Kiradech Aphibarnrat

Nicknamed Asia’s John Daly, Kiradech Aphibarnrat is almost worth backing for that reason alone. It shows American golf still dominates the game, certainly in terms of coverage and popularity. The reality is that when it comes to the higher echelons, golfing talent is spread much wider than it has ever been before. Only four of the world’s top ten come from the USA.

The British bookmakers seem to have fallen into the old trap. You have to go down to 15th in the betting before you find Thongchai Jaidee, the first golfer who isn’t a PGA Tour member. All the Asian Tour golfers are parked at the bottom of the betting and that simply isn’t right. Last year Mardan Mamat finished T5 and Siddikur Rahman T11, both at long odds, proving that Asian golfers are often underrated.

In only his third season on tour, the 22-year-old Thai is one of the continent’s most exciting golfers. A winner of the SAIL Open in March, he has added two further top tens to cement himself in eighth place on the Order of Merit.

A relatively big hitter, it is actually his ability to find birdies that separates him from the rest. He ranks third for birdies per round on the Asian tour and fourth for stroke average. Playing at a course where you need to post four low rounds, he has the right skills set.

Aphibarnrat has the benefit of course form, something that many in the field don’t. He finished T21 last year and would have been even higher but for a poor final round. A third round 64 was the second best of the week and included two bogeys! If he can recapture that form then he can upset the more established names on the leaderboard. Back him each way at 110/1 with Stan James for ¼ odds for a top four finish.