Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert has reached the summit of professional golf in the region by winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) today.

He secured the prestigious title for the first time after finishing joint 44th in the season-ending Philippine Open presented by Philippine Sports Commission – while Australian Travis Smyth, second on the OOM and the only player left in the field who could catch him, tied for 12th.

As well as the honour of finishing the year first and joining many of the region’s greatest players – including four from Thailand – who have achieved the feat, he can also look forward to an incredible 2027 with a number of pathways opened for him.

For the first time the OOM champion will receive a DP World Tour card – the result of the exciting new multi-year partnership forged with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour in July.

In addition, he will earn exemptions into The Open and PGA Championship through the International Federation list in 2027 – particularly rewarding, as he has never played in a major before.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

His performance is the culmination of a 21-year playing career on the Asian Tour, having made his debut appearance in 2007 at the Singapore Open at the age of 18. It also means he becomes the first player to win both the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour OOMs, having claimed the latter in 2014.

“Feels like a dream comes true, you know,” he said.

“It’s not easy when I first came here in 2007, 2008. Took me almost nine years to win my first Asian Tour event in Macau, and yeah, today I won the Order of Merit after 20 years. It’s not easy in this game, and I think this year, this is my best season so far.

“Gotta work harder now because big tournaments are coming up next year, and Asian Tour is getting stronger. The standard is very high now. When I first came here, the cut was still over par, but now every week it’s under par. That’s good. This is good for everyone.”

He becomes the fifth Thai to be crowned the OOM champion – joining an illustrious quartet: three-time champion Thongchai Jaidee, Thaworn Wiratchant, a two-time winner, Jazz Janewattananond and Kiradech Aphibarnrat.

Pavit finished the year with 1,373.67 points, 147.99 more than Smyth in second. The Australian needed to finish in the top two this week to have any chance of catching the Thai frontrunner. Song Minhyuk from Korea, today’s winner in the Philippines, ended in third place on the OOM.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

Playing the most consistent golf of his career, Pavit did not miss a cut this season in 14 starts, finished runner-up twice, and had three other top-10s.

It all contributed to him earning a total of US$571,044.63 across the season.

Those two second placed finishes came at the start of the season, in the season-opening Philippine Golf Championship, and the International Series Japan. The middle part of season was comparatively quiet before he caught fire in September by winning the Yeangder TPC, followed by equal seventh placed results in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters and the SJM Macao Open.

The OOM trophy will now sit alongside three Asian Tour wins and eight trophies from the ADT – the most by any player on that circuit.

Main picture: Pavit with Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.