Palm Beach Gardens: Kiradech Aphibarnrat will get another chance to further impress Presidents Cup International Team captain Ernie Els after being included in one of the featured groupings alongside the South African legend and Australian star Adam Scott in the first two rounds of the Honda Classic which begins today.
Fresh from a joint-third finish at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship for a career best in the WGCs on Sunday, the 29-year-old Thai is keen to maintain his momentum and strengthen his claim for a debut appearance in the Presidents Cup at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia in December.
Kiradech said Els, a former Honda Classic champion, had told him many years ago he had the game to compete on the PGA Tour.
"Everyone knows I've tried to be on the PGA Tour over the years. At the CIMB Classic [in Malaysia in 2010], I played with one player and after a few holes while waiting on the tee box, he asked where I was playing and I said I was playing on the Asian Tour," recalled Kiradech, the first golfer from Thailand to hold a PGA Tour card.
"He then said 'Listen to me, you've got to go to the US as you've got a game that suits the PGA Tour.' That guy is now captain of the International Team. His words encouraged me greatly, hearing it from him that I was good enough to play on the PGA Tour was very nice. I changed my goal then to aim for the PGA Tour."
His stellar finish in Mexico has pushed him up 16 rungs to 15th position on the latest International Team points list.
The top-eight players will earn automatic selection to face the US while Els will have four captain's picks.
Els, a 19-time PGA Tour winner, is expecting Kiradech, ranked 36th in the world, to challenge for a place in the International Team.
"Kiradech is a character, wonderful guy. He's a young player but it seems like he's been around for a long time. Feels like he's my little brother and every time I see him I want to hug him. He's such a lovable guy. He's become a steely player, winning around the world on numerous times. He's also won in Australia, he's comfortable in Australia and won at Lake Karrinyup [last year]," said Els.
"As a Thai player, he can bring so much to the team. He's got a great following in Thailand and it'll be great if he can make our team as he'll have millions of people who are going to be rooting for him."
