Thongchai Jaidee and Andrew Dodt battling illness ahead of True Thailand Classic

09 March 2016 01:23

Home favourite Thongchai Jaidee and defending champion Andrew Dodt will both have to overcome illness to win the True Thailand Classic in Hua Hin this week.

Jaidee spent three days in a Bangkok hospital with a virus which forced him to withdraw from the Maybank Championship Malaysia - despite opening rounds of 66 and 69 - and miss last week's WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral.

But the 46-year-old hopes to be fit enough to go one better than last year's share of second place at Black Mountain Golf Club, where he owns a villa overlooking the ninth green.

"I want to get my feeling back," world number 37 Jaidee told a pre-tournament press conference. "Last week I rested and started to practise. Hopefully I feel better. I think I'm 70 or 80 per cent now, but I want to be 100 per cent. It's bad when you get sick.

"Last year I had a good chance to win but unfortunately I wasn't good enough with the putting. I know the field is quite strong and I'll try my best. I played nine holes on Monday and Tuesday and 18 holes on Wednesday. I'm practising well, hitting it well and putting well.

"In golf, anything can happen. Some guy can hit top form and beat the field. Every week, I play my own game and play the golf course. You have to have a perfect week to win. If someone shoots a low score, you can't do anything. Anyone can win a tournament here."

Dodt carded a closing 67 last year to beat fellow Australian Scott Hend and Jaidee by a single shot and secure his second European Tour title, but the 30-year-old has been suffering from the flu since his return to Thailand.

" Twenty-four hours ago I wasn't very good; I've improved slightly," Dodt said. "This morning was a test, to see if I could get through the pro-am.

"I'm not feeling the greatest but you know what they say about beware of the sick golfer. I hope to use that to my advantage.

"There are a lot of good memories from last year. I remember almost every shot and a lot of them were really good. It's nice to come back to somewhere that you've played well before."

The home challenge is bolstered by world number 44 Kiradech Aphibarnrat, although the three-time European Tour winner only arrived back on home soil after a 22-hour journey from Miami.

"I've got a lot of air miles," joked Aphibarnrat, who finished 49th at Doral on Sunday. " I'm a bit tired and still have jet-lag, but it's great to be back playing in your home country and in front of your fans and family, and especially my wife who will come this week.

"I think she'll come on Sunday as she knows about the prize money and she'll come to collect the money!"

Source: PA