Scotland's Colin Montgomerie fired a final-round five-under-par 67 to overhaul Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee to claim the inaugural TCL Classic title today.
Monty hailed Jaidee as the best golfer he has played with in Asia after winning a fascinating tussle with the former paratrooper, who had gone into the last day with a two-stroke lead.
"I was driving the ball well and I was confident but I under-estimated Mr. Jaidee. He can play the game very well and it's good that Asian players can compete at that level," said Montgomerie, who recorded the third back-to-back win of his career after sharing last week's Volvo Masters in Spain with Germany's Bernhard Langer.
The last time was in 1994 when he won the English Open and German Open in successive weeks.
"I didn't drop a shot in the last 41 holes. Over the weekend, 10 birdies and no bogeys, that is why I won. It was nice not to drop a shot," said the Scot.
Jaidee, 33, had to be content with second place after firing a closing one-under-par 71 to finish two shots adrift. China's Liang Wen-chong shot 69, his third consecutive sub-70 round, to finish third on 10 under par, one stroke ahead of American Bob May and Michael Campbell.
After suffering a torrid time with his putter in the third round, Monty found his touch in time to hole a winding 25-foot putt on the eighth hole for birdie to seize the lead for the first time.
On the picturesque final hole, Montgomerie opted for the safety of the middle of the green while Jaidee chose to attack the pin, tucked behind a bunker on the right hand side of the green - but found sand.
And when the Thai failed to get up and down from the bunker, the title belonged to Montgomerie.
Ireland's Paul McGinley closed with a level par 72 to finish 11 shots behind Montgomerie on five-under. AFP