January 07, 2016: A total of 51 players will progress to the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School next week following the conclusion of Qualifying School Section B on Saturday. Amateur golfer Arjun Prasad produced a brilliant 66 in the fifth and final round of the competition to secure a place for next week.
Arjun played spectacularly well in a rich field of prospective Asian Tour golfers. He produced three straight rounds in the 60s to end the week in T7. He was just nine off the pace at 11-under 277. Songgyu Yoo was the winner with an overall score of 20-under 268.
Arjun rises to the occasion
Arjun started the week with a 74 but raised his game substantially through the rest of the week. The young golfer got progressively better scoring 69, 68 and 66.
Arjun produced 18 birdies including seven in the final round. He also enjoyed an eagle at the par-5 13th hole in the third round. After making three bogeys and a double on Wednesday, Arjun made just four bogeys through the next three rounds.
In the final two rounds, Arjun suffered just two blemishes – at the first hole on Friday and fifth on Saturday. Overall it was a remarkable effort from the young Indian.
Feroze Singh battles in vain
Feroze Singh Garewal also played with discipline but scores of 73-69-70-70 fell just short of the qualifying mark. He ended the week in T30 at 6-under 282. Only the top 25 and ties earned a passage to the final stage.
Janne Kaske of Finland closed with three straight birdies for a flawless eight-under-par 64, topping the field by two shots alongside American Sejun Yoon (66) and Swiss amateur Michael Harradine (67) on 22-under-par 266 total at the Suvarnabhumi Golf and Country Club.
Wolmer Murillo of Venezuela signed for a 64 to take second place with overnight leader Junhyeok Park of Korea, who returned with a 70. A total of 26 players, who finished inside tied-26 and ties, will make it into the final stage of the Qualifying School from the Subarnabhumi Golf and Country Club.
At the Windsor Park and Golf Club, overnight leader Songgyu Yoo of Korea topped the class by four shots following a closing 64 and a 20-under-par 268 total.
Japan’s Kento Nakai, American Ryan McCormick and Korea’s Youngjea Byun shared second place following rounds of 67, 67 and 69 respectively. They are amongst the 25 players to progress into the final stage of the Qualifying School from the Windsor Park Golf and Country Club.
The all-important final stage will be held at Suvarnabhumi from January 11 to 14, 2017 where the top-35 and ties after four rounds will earn their Tour cards for 2017.
