Maleeva takes Volvo title

Magdalena Maleeva from Bulgaria, once ranked as high as 4th in the world, may have signaled her return to prominence last week by winning the Volvo Women’s Open at the Dusit Resort, Pattaya. On Sunday, November 21st, Maleeva upset 4th seed Anne Kremer of Luxembourg in the finals 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

Magdalena Maleeva excitedly displays her trophy after winning the Volvo Women’s Open last week at the Dusit Resort Pattaya.

The Volvo Women’s Open marked Maleeva’s return to competitive tennis after a 15-month layoff to recover from a career threatening shoulder injury. The win was Maleeva’s first since 1995.

Maleeva, tired from her long layoff, lost the first set but came back strong to win the final two sets in convincing style. “I just concentrated on winning each point,” she said after admitting she was nearly exhausted from the tournament. “I can’t believe I won... because when I arrived I had no confidence.”

Maleeva took home the winner’s share of US$16,000 out of the total purse of US$115,000, the largest purse for a tennis competition ever in Thailand. Kremer earned US$8,000 for her fine performance.

Emilie Loit from France and Kristie Carlsson from Sweden defeated Austrian Patricia Wartusch and Russian Evgenia Koulikovskaya 6-1, 6-4 in the doubles final.

Paul Ovens wins inaugural Diana Gold Charity Golf Championship

The first annual Diana Gold Charity Golf Championship, sponsored by Carlsberg and Chivas Regal, was held on Friday, November 19 at Phoenix Golf and Country Club. With the Shotgun start beginning at 10:00 a.m. the large field of 128 golfers, including many Thai players and hole sponsors, could be likened to a group of prospectors waiting for the rush to begin. “Thar’s gold in them thar hills”! Indeed there was gold in those hills. Eighteen one baht gold necklaces or bracelets, one for each of the eighteen holes on the Mountain and Ocean courses at Phoenix, were up for grabs.

Paul Ovens (center), Champion of the first Diana Gold Charity Golf Championship, receives congratulations from Chonburi Juvenile and Family Court Judge Sopin Thappajug (right) and PSC Golf Chairman Mike Franklin (left).

Also up for grabs was the title of Champion of the Diana Gold inaugural tournament. By the end of the day a lot of people had “struck it rich”, and none more so than Paul Ovens. He didn’t win a gold chain, but he certainly hit paydirt, shooting an 85 off his nineteen handicap to take home the winning trophy and the title he so richly deserved.

Organized by Kuhn Sopin Thappajug (Kuhn Noi), with Kuhn Winnai Kawichai and John Cole of the Diana Group, in association with PSC Golf, the basic idea behind this tournament seems so obvious and so brilliant that one can only shake their head in admiration. Give a one baht gold chain as a prize on every hole. Long drives, near pins, long putts, closest to the line, whatever. On every hole the golfer/prospector was panning for gold. The tournament format was stroke play, but the name of the game was “Show me the Gold”. This was so much fun it ought to be done every month. Chris Olsen would certainly agree. Chris led the herd in the Great Gold Rush of ’99. He won two near pins and a straight drive to take home three beautiful gold necklaces.

How is it that seventeen businesses and organizations in Pattaya donated the gold chains for the technical prizes? They knew the ultimate beneficiary from these donations would be the children who depend on the Chonburi Observation and Protection Center. This center, located in Rayong, provides for the over 900 children that have passed through the Chonburi Juvenile and Family Court. They needed help and a certain Judge in the Court knew that Pattaya Sports Club golf tournaments have been known to raise a lot of money for charity. Because of the generosity of the aforementioned businesses, the organizational skills of Judge Thappajug, Kuhn Winnai and Mike Franklin of Pattaya Sports Club Golf, and the participation of the 128 men and women who played, the Diana Gold Charity Golf Tournament raised B.172,300 for the Chonburi Observation and Protection Center. This was presented later to guest of honor Kuhn Rawat Sakulkloy, Chief Judge of the Chonburi Province Juvenile and Family Court.

Nipon Chuachoochart was the only golfer in the First Division to have a net score under par. He won the Division Trophy shooting a gross 84, off 15, for a net 69. George Jackson, Murray Kerr and Niels Villadsen, who all finished with an even par 72 net, followed him.

The Second Division (Handicaps 16-20) was won by Stephen Beard who shot an 87 off his 19 handicap for a net 68. Yongwit Kewcharoen who had a net 69 and Tana who had a net 70 followed Stephen. The Third Division, with a net 68, was won by Sandy McKee. Sandy was followed by Jim Marshall and Lyle Flemming who had a net 69 and 70 respectively.

Mam Trayling, who edged out Anni Andersen in a count back, won the Ladies Division and her first ever golf trophy. Both finished with net 75.

In the end, this tournament was well run and it was a lot of fun. It aslo raised B 172,300 for some needy children. That alone was enough to make it a Golden Day.

Yodsanan 3K Battery set to defend his title

WBA Junior Featherweight (130 pounds) champion Yodsanan 3K Battery says he’s ready to defend his title against PABA Super Featherweight Interim Champion Kanat Sikhimbaev from Kazakstan on Sunday, November 28 near Pattaya City Hall on North Pattaya Road.

Boxing promoters Songchai Ratanasuban, Yodthong from the world famous Yodthong-Phayakarun Boxing Camp in Pattaya, and Mr. Sifu from I.S.S. Construction are guaranteeing an impressive event for everyone in Pattaya.

On the under card, boxers from the Yodthong Camp will go against world boxing contenders from other countries, including Yokthai Sith Oar vs. Kid Hamzah from Indonesia, Yoddumrong Sidyodthong vs. Ch. Tseveenpurev from Mongolia, Maphichit Sidyodthong vs. Bobby Rabanos from the Philippines, and former world boxing champion from Thailand San Sor Ploenjit vs. Jose Sarabia from Mexico. The first bout is scheduled to get underway at around 5:00 p.m.

Proceeds will go to underprivileged children in Pattaya public schools. Persons interested in donating funds to the Pattaya public schools can contact any one of the 10 schools in Pattaya or call (038) 428910 or 428929.

Charity bowling tournament deemed a success

Nearly 100,000 baht was rasied for charity at the Pattaya Mass Media Association Charity Bowling Tournament at Pattaya O.D. Bowl on Sunday 14 November.

Chanyut Hengtrakul, Chairman of the Pattaya Mass Media Association, played a leading role in organizing the tournament, held to raise funds for a number of charities.

Winners and dignitaries at the Charity Bowling Tournament joined in a group picture at the end of the competition.

Minister of Communications Sonthaya Khunpleum presented prizes for the winners. A large number of dignitaries participated in the tournament including Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Tourism of the House of Representatives Santsak Ngamphiches, Member of the Parliament (Chonburi) Chansak Chavalit-Nititham, and Manager of Alcazar Sombat Phetrakul.

Minister Sonthaya opened the tournament by thanking the news media for arranging the charity bowling tournament and acknowledging the Banglamung and Sattahip news community on their sincere efforts in presenting the news in a straightforward manner and helping the development of the area.

A total of 60 teams entered the tournament and non-bowlers purchased many more entries. Before it was over, almost 100,000 baht was rasied for charitable donations.

The Pattaya news media thanks everyone for their excellent support. Additional thanks goes to Khun Nual La-Ong Heranroch, the Managing Owner of N.S. Eastern Supplies Company Ltd. for providing 30 cases of Mineral Drinks and Khun Phaithun Sithang, owner of the M.P. Car Clean for their gift certificates for bowlers with scores over 170.

The winner of the H.E. Sonthaya Khunpleum Trophy was the “Rung Ruang 3” team with a team score of 2,253 pins. La Traifuen from the Pattaya Sports Club took the Individual Women’s 3 game hi-score with a score of 718 pins. La received the Saensukh Municpality Mayor Somchai Khunpleum trophy.

Viv and Ken Lill have a field day

PSC Pattaya Gold Society from the Bunker

Pattaya Country Club - Tuesday 16 November (Stableford)

The husband and wife duo of Viv and Ken Lill had another fine day, with the “Lovely Viv” from the Philippines leading the B flight with a massive 43 Stableford points.

Viv was 4 points ahead of 2nd place Arthur Blackly, who had 39 points. The steadily improving Keith Fortt placed third with 37 points, reversing the tables from last week on Colin Morgan, 4th with 36 points.

“Lovely Viv” loves her golf and turns out 3 times a week. She and her husband, the long hitting Ken are a formidable pair on any golf course. Viv has now won 4 competitions from the Bunker and is due for a handicap revision.

Weeks back from the UK and having played just two games, Arthur Blackly recorded 39 points for second position and the second highest score of the two flights. Golf in the B flight is hotting up and Keith Fortt’s 37 points is an indication of the improvements.

Plenty of “Oohs” and “Aahs” with Bill Jones and his partner Colin Morgan both recording 20 points on the back nine, but the easier front nine was their undoing.

The A flight’s competition proved one of the closest finishes with just 5 points separating 8 players. Keith Simpson, a pro-golfer from East Kent, dropped just 3 shots in his entertaining round and was pure delight for his partners who witnessed this fine score. The other 4 players were Peter Renggi, Arthur Busch, Paul Butler and Brian Bradley.

Due to the good turnout, it was decided to make both Norman Brooks and Wilf Latham joint winners of A flight. Both recorded 35 points from their respective handicaps of 18 and 19. Prior to the presentation it was disclosed that Wilf had won, but Norman checked his handicap to find he’d been revised to 17.5.

High flyer Joe Sparey came down to earth after last week’s Bunker win, recording just 25 points. Seems Joe could not obtain a decent photograph of himself for last week’s “Mail” for his excellent win.

3rd place went to Ken Lill with 34 points.

The Annual General Meeting date will be issued soon and all suggestions and recommendations and election of officers will be on the agenda.

A “rough” week at Phoenix

PSC TAGGS... golf from the Hare House

Monday, November 15 - Sriracha International Golf Club (Stableford)

1st: Harry Riley, 39 points
2nd: Stephen Beard, 38 points
3rd: George Jackson, 37 points

The Alternative Golf Gentlemen’s Society held a special edition Stableford competition at Sriracha on Monday, 15th of November. With so many major tournaments falling on Fridays, the normal TAGGS Friday Stableford competition has taken it on the chin. The Monday edition seems to be a hit and a large international field showed up to vie for the Red Eyed Rabbit trophy that goes to the winner.

International field or not, the podium was filled with the likes of Manchester, Finchley and Leicester. Harry “a wee one” Riley did the U.K. proud and took the top spot with 39 points. Harry was followed by Stephen Foster Beard with 38 points and George “One Ball” Jackson with 37 points.

Not surprising that the U.K. did so well considering that it was Dr. F. B. G. Stableford, a doctor in the Royal Army Medical Corps, who devised the scoring system in 1898 to keep down the frustration level in golf. He felt many players, particularly in adverse weather conditions, “got very little fun since they tore up their cards after playing only a few holes.”

His idea has certainly stood the test of time, but it doesn’t seemed to have cured the habit of tearing up score cards after a few bad holes.

Wednesday, November 17 - Phoenix Golf and Country Club (Bogey)

1st: Glen Dragland, 2 Up
2nd: Stephen Beard, 1 Up
3rd: Murray Kerr, A/S
4th: George Jackson, A/S

The rumor going around the Hare House was that Phoenix was in great shape and the rough had been cut back to a more tolerable height. With the need for a recon mission in advance of the Diana Gold tournament, TAGGS played a Bogey competition at Phoenix on Wednesday, 17th of November. What they found was a reminder to the old adage “don’t believe everything that your hear.”

Taking the competition was Canadian Glen “Lassie” Dragland who won his match against the course two up. Lassie overcame a large and talented field and he overcame a course that seems to have become obsessed with impenetrable rough. We’re talking the kind of rough that pro tour golfers whine about when they play the U.S. Open. Phoenix is wide open and with plenty of parallel fairways, the rough has to be hazardous. But Phoenix has rough you can lose your ball in right next to the greens.

Second place went to Stephen Foster Beard who came out on top of his match one up. Stephen was content to let others criticize the rough. He was more concerned about the greens. “What were once some of the best greens in the area are now some of the worst,” commented the TAGGS chairman.

Both finishing their matches All Square were Murray Kerr and George Jackson, with Murray taking the third place in a count back.

TAGGS Invitational Championship

When Doctor Doom sent an email to the boys at ESPN during the World Series, it pointed the international spotlight, albeit briefly, at Pattaya. It also apparently transformed a certain flophouse on Soi Post Office, known widely between the Walking Street and Soi 8, into the WORLD FAMOUS HARE HOUSE. It must be true; it’s right on the entry form for the TAGGS Invitational Championship played at Great Lakes. “Entry Forms with Entry Fee (B.1200) should be given to Stephen Beard at the World Famous Hare House or Mike Franklin PSC Golf.”

Here is your chance to play in a golf tournament that may one day have sports celebrities all over the world clamoring to enter. Why wait until Chris Berman and Michael Jordan fill up the invitation list? Pay your B.1200 and you can say you were there in the early years before limousines replaced baht buses as the favored mode of transportation.

This will be a Stroke Play tournament organized by The Alternative Golf Gentlemen’s Society (TAGGS) and Pattaya Sports Club Golf. The entry fee pays for green fee, caddy fee, commemorative golf shirt, a special Mexican/Euro-Thai buffet, and a chance at one or more of the twenty-seven trophies up for grabs. The first tee time will be a 09:30 on Friday, the 8th of December.

Here is a tournament that is about golf and nothing but golf. Great Lake is a tough, tough course and Stroke Play is a tough format. There will be three divisions for the men and a Ladies division. The winners of this tournament will have something to brag about when they celebrate in the World Famous Hare House.

Copyright 1999 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Updated by Boonsiri Suansuk