Sep 7, 2016: The 2017 Asian Tour Qualifying School will return to Thailand where aspiring professionals will attempt to earn their Tour cards over a three-week run in the Kingdom.
The Qualifying School will be conducted over two stages – the First Stage and Final Stage – where the top-35 players and ties will subsequently earn playing rights on the region’s premier Tour in 2017.
The First Stage will be divided into two sections, Section A and B, and will be played at the Windsor Park and Golf Club (Course A and B) and Suvarnabhumi Golf and Country Club (West and North courses) from December 28 to 31, 2016 and January 4 to 7, 2017.
Suvarnabhumi Golf and Country Club will then host the all-important Final Stage for the first time which will be played over four rounds from January 11 to 14. After 36 holes, the field will be cut to the leading 80 players and ties who will then play a further two rounds (East and South courses).
At the conclusion of 72 holes, the leading 35 players and ties will be ranked accordingly for the 2017 Asian Tour season.
Players who wish to receive the 2016 Qualifying School Entry Form should email to Q-School2017@asiantour.com.
The Entry Form can also be downloaded from the home page of www.asiantour.com. Closing date for entries is December 9, 2016.
Players who compete in the 2017 Qualifying School will also be eligible to play on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), which is the pathway to the Asian Tour.
The ADT also offers Official World Golf Ranking points, which is regarded as a huge boost for the development of the game in Asia.
Asian Tour Commissioner Kyi Hla Han is confident the 2017 Qualifying School will be another success as hopefuls go in search of emulating the success of Korea’s Yikeun Chang, who topped the class in January this year.
“The Asian Tour received over 600 entries for our Qualifying School this year and we expect response to be overwhelming again.
“The competition for the top-35 spots and ties is going to be intense but the rewards will be massive for successful entrants,” said Han.
Over the years, the Asian Tour Qualifying School has proven to be the springboard for success for many of the region’s biggest names such as Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee who is a three-time Order of Merit champion, and Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Asia’s number one in 2013.
Korea’s Seungyul Noh, who won the Merit list in 2010, also came through the grueling test at Qualifying School in 2008.
Other graduates who have gone on to become Tour champions include Korea’s Charlie Wi, India’s Shiv Kapur and Arjun Atwal, England’s Simon Dyson, Japan’s Tetsuji Hiratsuka, Malaysia’s Ben Leong, Australian Scott Hend and Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg and Berry Henson of the United States.
Korea’s Soomin Lee and Jeunghun Wang, who have won tournaments this season, are also Qualifying School graduates.
Asian Tour Release
