Thongchai Jaidee

Jaidee spent his childhood in a two-story wooden house that backed onto a golf course. Represented his home province in soccer and idolized Pele, but was injured when a wooden skewer was embedded in his foot. During his recuperation, Jaidee sneaked onto the Army Golf Club behind his home in Lop Buri, tied the discarded head of a 5-iron to a bamboo stick, and started playing golf. Joined the Royal Thai Army in 1989 at age 20, serving as a Ranger and a paratrooper. He became a golf professional when he was 30.
Represented Thailand at the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok.
In 2006, he opened his own golf academy with over 20 youngsters under his wing, citing a desire to "give back to the game."
He has blazed a trail for golf in Thailand with numerous records to his name. In 2004, he made history as the first Thai golfer to win an event on the European Tour with a victory at the Malaysian Open, and successfully defended the title in 2005. In 2009, he won the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open at the beginning of March and followed that with his fourth win at the Ballantine's Championship in Korea at the end of April. His first victory earned a personal audience with Thailand's former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who gave him a diplomatic passport to expedite his ease of travel between countries on the European Tour.
He was also the first player to break the $2-million barrier in career earnings on the Asian Tour. Upon making his Masters debut in 2006, he became the first Thai to compete in all four majors. Has led the Asian Tour's Order of Merit in 2001, 2004, and 2009. Member of the 2015 Presidents Cup team.
In 2011, Jaidee ranked 10th in earnings with $266,246. Best finish was 2nd at the Indonesian Masters. Since 1999, has earned $4.46 million on the Asian Tour.
2012 Notes: Jaidee enhanced his global reputation by claiming his first title on European soil at the Wales Open. Posted four top-10s on the Asian Tour, with a 3rd-place finish at the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia. Ranked 15th on the European Tour Order of Merit with earnings of $252,282.
2013 Notes: A stellar season with runner-up finishes at the Volvo World Match Play Championship and BMW Masters helped to propel him to an impressive 9th place in the European Tour's 2013 Race to Dubai. Jaidee enjoyed similar success on the Asian Tour, where he notched six top-10s. Best finish was 4th at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. He finished 11th on the Order of Merit with $280,298 in earnings.
2014 Notes: Chalked up another victory on the European Tour at the Nordea Masters, winning a playoff against Stephen Gallacher and Victor Dubuisson. Other top-10 finishes included T-5th at the Niaga Indonesian Masters, and T-6th at the WGC-Cadillac. Participated in 25 European Tour events with seven top-10s, and finished 22nd in the Race to Dubai. Went 1-1-1 in his three Presidents Cup matches.
2015 Notes: Won the Porsche European Open, his seventh title on the European Tour. Finished runner-up at the True Thailand Classic, one shot behind winner Andrew Dodt. Also finished T-2nd at the BMW PGA Championship, and the next week T-10th at Irish Open. In the Final Series playoffs, finished T-3rd at the BMW Masters and finished 10th in the Race to Dubai.
2016 Notes: Played 26 European Tour events making 19 cuts and 2, top-tens. Won the French Open by 4 shots over Francesco Molinari, it was his 8th European Tour win. Also was T-9th at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. He was 24th in the Race to Dubai with euros1,375,199 in earnings. On the Asian Tour his best finish was T-2nd at the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship, T-8th at the BNI Indonesian Masters, and T-9th at the Shinhan Donghae Open.
2017 Notes: Started the year with a T-6th at the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship, T-8th at the Shenzhen International. On the European Tour he played in 22 events making 12 cuts with two top-ten finishes. He was 90th in the Race to Dubai with earnings of euro4126,037. Best finish was T-8th at the Shenzhen International
2018 Notes: Played in 22 European Tour events making ten cuts with one top-ten finish. Was 120th on the Race to Dubai race with earnings of euro262,010. His best finish was T-8th at the BMW PGA Championship.
2019 Notes: Played in 18 European Tour events making ten cuts with one top-ten finish. Was 135th on the Race to Dubai race with earnings of euro231,173. His best finish was T-9th at the Trophee Hassan II. At the end of the year when he turned 50 he came over for PGA Tour Champions Q-School. Won the first stage and then finished 2nd in the final stage to gain his Senior card for 2020.
2020 & 2021 Notes: Because of the pandemic was limited in traveling from Thailand. Played in three PGA Tour Champions events, his best finish was T-26th at the 2021 Mitsubishi Electric Classic He played once in Europe in the 2020 Abu Dhabi Championship missing the cut. Was T-9th at the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship and T-2nd at the Singha Thailand Masters, four shots back of winner Ratchapol Jantavara.