Melbourne, November 21: Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Prom Meesawat will bring their friendship up another notch as they live up to their childhood promise of bringing more glory for Thailand at the ISPS HANDA Melbourne World Cup of Golf which starts on Thursday.

Kiradech, who claimed his third Asian Tour victory in Perth earlier in February, is relishing his return to Australia for the prestigious event, where he will be making his fourth appearance alongside debutant Prom at The Metropolitan Golf Club.

The 29-year-old Kiradech has enjoyed a solid year and some of his successful exploits include breaking into the world’s top-30 for the first time in his career and becoming the first ever Thai player to earn a full card on the PGA Tour for the 2018/19 season.

Coming off the back of a top-10 result on the European Tour in Dubai last week, Kiradech hopes to continue his fine form when he tees up alongside his best friend Prom, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, in the US$7 million event.

Nicknamed ‘Big Dolphin’ due to his physique and the fact that he hails from a coastal town, Prom, a two-time Asian Tour winner, is eager to make a splash in his debut appearance at the World Cup of Golf, where his father represented Thailand some 36 years ago.

The Thai duo will be up against 27 other countries, which include Malaysia, India, Japan, Korea and China, in the 59th staging of the event. The first and third days of competition are four-ball (best ball) format and the second and final days are foursomes (alternate shot) play.

Did you know?

• Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Asia’s number one in 2013, became the first ever Thai player to earn a PGA Tour card earlier in June.
• Kiradech is a three-time winner on the Asian Tour and a four-time champion on the European Tour.
• He’s making his fourth appearance in the World Cup of Golf this week and is currently ranked 36th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
• Kiradech is back in Australia for the second time this year. He won his third Asian Tour title in Perth earlier in February.
• Kiradech has also enjoyed three top-five finishes in the World Golf Championships in 2018.
• Kiradech enjoyed a tied-ninth place finish at the European Tour’s DP World Tour Championship in Dubai last week. He came in 19th with Thongchai Jaidee at the World Cup of Golf two years ago and was fifth with his own ball under a different format in 2013.
• Prom Meesawat is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour. He is making his World Cup debut this week.
• Prom’s father Suthep, now 70, was the first local golfer to win the Thailand Open in 1991 and he represented the Kingdom at the World Cup of Golf in 1982.
• Prom welcomed his baby son Teva on Saturday, just two days before flying to Melbourne for the World Cup of Golf.
• Prom has enjoyed a steady season on the Asian Tour with three top-10s and eight other top-25s. He sits in 19th place on the latest Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings.
• Both Prom and Kiradech grew up together under the tutelage of late coach Natpasit Chokthanasart, better known as Pro Jew in the local golfing fraternity, during their junior days.
• The Thai duo remembers the first time they went head-to-head in a junior event. Trailing by one heading into the final hole, Kiradech asked Prom to give him the win as he had won the event twice already. After Kiradech left himself a 50-footer for birdie to force a playoff, Prom said to him:” If you can make that putt, I will give you the victory.” Kiradech laughed knowing that he wouldn’t hole that putt and Prom told him later that they have to team up and not play against each other next time.

Players’ quotes:

Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Tha)

I am really excited to be back in Melbourne. It feels good to come back to Australia especially after winning in Perth earlier this season. I have had some good results here so I’m looking forward to this week.

Obviously, I have to choose him because I am taking 50% of his prize money this week! (laughs) Just kidding. We grew up together actually. We used to train under the same coach, we spent a lot of time on the golf course and he’s a very good friend of mine.

We know each other’s games very well so it’s an advantage for us to play in this team event. The course is in a fantastic shape. The sandbelt courses here in Melbourne have got good characters. It’s pretty narrow with firm greens and a lot of bunkers. Overall, we just have to play our own game out there.

Prom Meesawat (Tha)

This is my first World Cup and also my first trip to Melbourne. I’m very excited to play with Kiradech this week. Many thanks to him for picking me as his partner. We knew each other since we were kids. I think we can do well this week, especially with this format and on this golf course.

You need some chemistry out there. I think we have that so we’ll just go out there and enjoy ourselves. My game is pretty steady. I tend to play more conservatively while Kiradech is more aggressive out there. We will be a good combination.

But having said that, it depends on what happens on course. You never know, our roles may switch. I could be the most aggressive player out there. It’s a good format and it helps when you know your partner well.

You can talk and you can have fun. That’s the key when you play in a team event. I guess the key for us is to try and stay clear of the bunkers. Looks like we are going to get some rain according to the weather forecast. The greens are going to get softer.

We just want to go out there and enjoy ourselves. That’s why we are here this week! Obviously, we want to win the tournament but the ultimate goal is to enjoy ourselves out there this week.

We have got great support back home. My wife would love to be here but she just gave birth to our new baby boy last week.