Message from Cho Minn Thant – Commissioner and CEO, Asian Tour
Dear fans, players, and partners of the Asian Tour,
As the curtain comes down on 2024, I look back on the season with a great sense of satisfaction.
In a year that has taken us through Asia to the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and back, we were able to complete 21 events on the Asian Tour along with 12 on the Asian Development Tour (ADT).
We handled sandstorms, thunderstorms, typhoons, thick fog, strong winds, and extreme heat. There were also countless weather delays, as well as last minute shotgun starts to complete events. It was very challenging to say the least, but as a collective we took it all in our stride and I would like to thank all of you for playing your part in the 20th season on the Asian Tour.
Of course, it was a frenetic second half of the year that came down to an incredibly entertaining and enthralling conclusion.
Special congratulations go to John Catlin for winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and The Kyi Hla Han Award for Player of the Year; Itthipat Buranantanyarat for clinching the ADT OOM with an emphatic victory at the Aramco Invitational; and Max Lee for his breakthrough year, highlighted by his stoic performance at the LIV Golf Promotions event to grab a LIV Golf League spot for 2025.
LIV Golf Promotions winner Lee Chieh-po. Picture by Montana Pritchard/LIV Golf.
The competition was intense throughout the year with Ben Campbell and Richard T. Lee making late charges plus Peter Uihlein and Suteepat Prateeptienchai claiming multiple titles, along with some fine results by MJ Maguire.
On the ADT we also saw some standout performances from Ahmad Baig and Rahil Gangjee, and a host of exciting new talent who gained promotion to the Asian Tour.
I would also like to take this opportunity to welcome our new members who qualified for the 2025 Asian Tour season at the recently completed Qualifying School in Hua Hin. It is always nice to see new faces work their way onto the Tour as well as some familiar ones making a return.
Big shout outs must also go to Stefano Mazzoli, who graduated from the school’s class of 2024, and won this season’s Rookie of the Year Award; the Black Mountain Championship, for being voted Tournament of the Year; the Link Hong Kong Open, winner of The International Series Tournament of the Year; and Al Mouj Golf, venue for the International Series Oman, for retaining the Player’s Course of the Year accolade.
Our Tour is becoming more recognisable and our wealth of nationalities, personalities and destinations is unlike any other Tour in the world. It is important for our Tour to continue to capitalise on the momentum from the last two seasons and showcase our immense depth of talent and diversity to new audiences.
Rookie of the Year Stefano Mazzoli. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
2024 saw the launch of the Tour’s “Time to Rise” campaign where we have made good progress across the website, app, social media and events. Many of our members embraced the opportunity to cross promote with their own social media channels. It is incredibly important that we continue to work hand in hand with our fans, players, sponsors and promoters in order to expand our community outreach and develop initiatives to increase our audience.
There is no doubt that 2024 was our season of transition and 2025 will be our year of growth. In addition to focusing on continued digital development, the main focus will be the generation of new business and the expansion of our commercial side.
The 2025 season will soon be upon us with a return to the Philippines for the Philippine Open at Manila Southwoods, then the following week the International Series India presented by DLF will make its debut on the Asian Tour at a venue that has the reputation of being one of the toughest tests of golf in the region. One of our favourite events– the New Zealand Open presented by Sky Sports and the second edition of the International Series Macau presented by Wynn round out the early months of the new year.
We are working on confirmations for several events in Q2 before we move into a packed second half of the year from August through to December as usual. We will see some rotation in The International Series venues this year with more of an Asian focus which leads us to the Middle East for what has become the traditional culmination of the season. We are projected to see growth in the number of events from this year on both the Asian Tour and ADT with some exciting new partnerships in the works – especially for the ADT.
Wishing everyone all the best for the holidays and a Happy New Year, and we look forward to starting our Asian Tour and ADT seasons in Manila and Selangor.
Cho
The International Series Rankings champion Joaquin Niemann is the latest big name to be confirmed for the International Series India presented by DLF – the US$2 million tournament taking place at DLF Golf and Country Club next month.
The Chilean star, who captains Torque GC on the LIV Golf League, will join reigning US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau from the United States and Indian ace Anirban Lahiri for the inaugural event, which will be staged from January 30 – February 2 on the iconic course in Gurugram.
Niemann won the US$5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers earlier this month to claim the rankings title in what was the last event of the season. He triumphed in a thrilling play-off at Riyadh Golf Club, edging out Australian Cam Smith and American Caleb Surratt,
It completed a stellar season for the 26 year old as he was also runner-up in the LIV Golf League individual standings, having claimed two of the first three tournaments of the season.
Joaquin Niemann. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The International Series India presented by DLF is the first tournament of 2025 on The International Series – 10 events on the Asian Tour that offer the world a pathway onto the LIV Golf League.
The Asian Tour membership have cast their vote, and some incredibly worthy winners have been rewarded for contributing to an outstanding 2024.
John Catlin’s unparalleled season has seen him win The Kyi Hla Han Award for the Player of the Year on the Asian Tour – after final counting of votes was completed this week.
In addition, the Black Mountain Championship has been confirmed as The Tournament of the Year; the Link Hong Kong Open as The International Series Tournament of the Year; and Al Mouj Golf, venue for the International Series Oman, the Players’ Choice Course of the Year.
Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “The Asian Tour congratulates this year’s award winners, who have been chosen by our members – the ultimate mark of respect.
Black Mountain Championship. Picture by Kaikungwon Duanjumroon/Asian Tour.
“John Catlin’s astonishing performances and the remarkable professionalism shown by everyone involved with the Black Mountain Championship, the Link Hong Kong Open and Al Mouj Golf made 2024 another exceptional season.
“We thank all of you, as we do all our tournaments, partners, and venues, and we wish you continued success for 2025.”
It is the second time that Catlin has won the award, after first being honoured in 2018, and it means he joins an elite group of players who have received the award multiple times. Thai legend Thongchai Jaidee is a three-time winner, while his compatriot Thaworn Wiratchant and India’s Jeev Milkha Singh have both received it twice.
This latest accolade is the icing on the cake for the American. He enjoyed arguably the finest season of his career, winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) title for the first time, and in doing so beat Singh’s 16-year-old single season earnings record. His total earnings of US$1,456,800 took him US$4,098.31 past the Indian’s 2008 winning.
Link Hong Kong Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Catlin won back-to-back titles earlier in the season, at the Saudi Open presented by PIF followed by the International Series Macau presented by Wynn, where he defeated Spaniard David Puig in a play-off. A 59 on day three in Macau also saw him become the first player on the Asian Tour to break 60.
The 34-year-old also lost in two play-offs, at International Series Morocco and the Black Mountain Championship, finished second in the Yeangder TPC, third in the Malaysian Open, and tied for fourth in the SJM Macao Open.
It is the second year that the award has been named after the late and great Kyi Hla Han – the Asian Tour’s former OOM champion who later became the regional circuit’s Executive Chairman.
Catlin, who has played on the Asian Tour since 2015, finished sixth on the Merit list in 2018 but was named Player’s Player of the Year thanks to three victories.
He lost in a sudden-death play-off against countryman MJ Maguire at the Black Mountain Championship – in a brilliant finish that no doubt helped the event being named tournament of the year. Played at Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, the US$2million event was also part of The International Series and made a huge impact on the season.
The same level of contribution applied to the Link Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club – where American Patrick Reed charged to victory, helped by a third-round 59 – and the stunning golf course at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat, where Mexican Carlos Ortiz won the first event of the year on The International Series. Impressively, Al Mouj Golf was also voted best course last year along with the Hong Kong Golf Club.
Al Mouj Golf. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.
Huge crowds were once again a feature in Hong Kong, where the club was celebrating its 135th anniversary.
Thirty-five thrilled and relieved players secured their Asian Tour cards for next year after the five-round Final Stage of the Asian Tour School came to a conclusion today.
Japan’s Takumi Murakami took top spot and along with the other graduates soon faces the exciting prospect of competing on a 2025 schedule of significant scale, which at the moment boasts a total of 22 events offering prize money of over US$30 million – with more tournaments to be added.
Murakami, the leader at the start of the day, fired a one-under-par 70 to finish on 20-under and beat Korean Kyungnam Kang by one.
Kang shot a 69, while his compatriot Doyeob Mun claimed third, another shot back following a 68. Australian Jack Thompson (68) tied for fourth with China’s Bai Zhengkai (67).
Kyungnam Kang and Takumi Murakami. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It’s absolutely the best feeling,” said 25-year-old Murakami.
“I was very nervous. Unlike yesterday I couldn’t get my putter to work very well, so it was a pretty tough day. I’m very happy I managed to win now.”
With limited appearances on the Japan Tour and its feeder circuit he has now hit the jackpot with a season that will bring many opportunities.
He added: “Well, I’ve always wanted to compete against athletes from around the world, so I’m really looking forward to finally being on that stage next year.”
After birdieing the first three holes he was in complete control, but the birdies dried up and he dropped shots on 12 and 14 to give Kang a glimmer of hope.
Despite making birdie on 15 to draw one closer Kang just fell short but was also thrilled to earn the second card.
Doyeob Mun. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Said the 11-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour: “I am 41, it means so much to do this at my age. I have had a great year by not practicing so much, just focusing on fine tuning technique. Also, the Korean Tour is doing so well. I wanted the younger players to enjoy that and by me deciding to play overseas more that gives them more opportunities. It’s an exciting time for me. My goal is to win an event next year.”
For Thompson it was also a phenomenal result. He won the school at this venue two years ago and only just missed out on keeping his card on the Asian Tour Order of Merit this year by a few places.
“To get back is great. I would have liked to have finished today off a bit better, but at the end of the day I got my card back,” he said.
“Everything’s just been really good. I’ve sort of ended the year playing decently, and I had eight days off just to relax before here because I just played so much. But I mean, it never really disappears like that, so yeah, I’m happy with that.”
In a dramatic finish to secure the 35th card, Thailand’s Charng-Tai Sudsom birdied his final two holes to fire a brave 65 to finish on 10 under and hence avoid an 11-man sudden-death play-off for the final place. He’d started on 10 and made a 15-footer on eight and a six-footer on nine to complete one of the most important rounds of his career.
China’s Wu Ashun, a four-time winner in Europe, was one of the players on nine under to miss out. Tragically he bogeyed his last three holes to end a season of great disappointment as he also failed to keep his card on the DP World Tour by the narrowest of margins. He finished 115th on the Order of Merit, just nine points behind Ross Fisher from England who made it through in 114th place.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The Asian Tour’s new season starts with the Philippine Open at Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, from January 23-26, and is followed the week after by the International Series India presented by DLF – where American superstar Bryson DeChambeau confirmed just yesterday he will play.
LIV Golf star and defending US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau will tee it up at International Series India presented by DLF from 30 January to 02 February .
The Crushers GC captain will be joined by his team-mate Anirban Lahiri from India for the first of 10 elevated events on the 2025 Asian Tour calendar, with more marquee names to be unveiled for the US$2 million tournament taking place at DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurugram.
The 31-year-old won the US Open at Pinehurst in June, adding to the same title he won at Winged Foot in 2020. His appearance will mark the first time a defending major champion has competed in an official tour event on the Indian subcontinent.
With two wins on the LIV Golf League and seven PGA Tour titles, as well as his two Majors, DeChambeau is one of the most dynamic figures in modern-day sport, well known all over the world thanks to his unorthodox approach to the game.
Bryson DeChambeau and Anirban Lahiri. Picture by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images.
From gaining weight for increased driving distance, to designing his own clubs, he is famed for the analytical approach and unique vision that has brought marginal gains and reaped rewards over the years.
With an online following of 1.6 million on YouTube and 2.1 million on Instagram, the American is also blazing a trail in content creation, introducing a new and important online audience to the sport.
India will mark the third time he has played on the Asian Tour, as he competed in two PIF Saudi International, in 2022 and 2023.
International Series India presented by DLF is the first tournament on the LIV Golf-backed series to be played on the subcontinent. It is the first of 10 events that will be held in a broad range of markets including Macau, Morocco, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, with other destinations soon to be announced.
The series offers players from all over the world a pathway onto the LIV Golf League, with the end-of-season rankings champion guaranteed a place on the roster for the following season. The International Series Rankings also offers players a second chance to claim a place on the LIV Golf League, through the innovative LIV Golf Promotions event.
After four days of pressure-packed golf, 73 players have made it through to tomorrow’s final round of the Asian Tour Qualifying School – where the ultimate prize lies await: 35 Tour Cards for 2025.
Players from North Asia have a stranglehold on the leaderboard, with Japan’s Takumi Murakami in front by two from Korean Kyungnam Kang.
Murakami carded a six-under-par 65 to move to 19-under here at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand, while Kang, the leader by three at the start of the day, shot a 70.
Japan’s Yosuke Asaji (67) and Taiki Yoshida (69) plus Korean Doyeob Mun (67) are joint third, four behind the leader.
Takumi Murakami. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Australian Jack Thompson (69), the winner here two years ago, is one shot further back along with countryman Lawry Flynn 68. They all played the C and D nines today but move back to playing A and B tomorrow.
Murakami is 25 years old and has played the main tour and challenge tour in Japan the past few seasons.
He started on 10 today and was in trouble after making the turn in one-over-par but found some inspiration on the second half making an eagle and five birdies – four of those in a row – for a 28.
‘Well, my putting was really good,” he said.
“The first half didn’t flow very well but the second half was amazing. On the first hole of the back nine I got a birdie, and the flow of my putting kept getting better and better, and in the end, I got a big score.”
He failed to earn a card in his only other attempt at Qualifying School in 2020 but is making up for that this week.
Kyungnam Kang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He said: “I don’t know what it is, but I’m interested in overseas tours and it’s amazing. I also like watching overseas tours. I’ve always wanted to try something like this because I think it would be a good learning experience.”
After an impressive week, Kang, also the joint first-round leader, wasn’t quite on point today but the experienced veteran, with 11 wins in Korea to his name, will be one of the favourites tomorrow.
He said: “Today my putting wasn’t very good, but also, I played the CD course today and I think the AB course suits my game better. The final round is on AB, so I will try as hard as I can tomorrow.
“I’m 17 under at the moment, and I want to be more than 20 under for my total. In practice I’ve shot much lower scores on the AB course, so my target is more than 20 under total and I want to try to win.”
Yosuke Asaji. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
The cut was made at four under. Singapore’s Koh Deng Shan was one of those to make it through at the last minute by birdieing his final hole for a 67.
Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, son of Ryder Cup star Jose-Maria Canizares, agonisingly missed by one after a bogey on the last.
Kyungnam Kang’s 20 years of experience in the professional game are starting to show in the punishing Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School.
The 41-year-old Korean drained a 40-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole soon after an eagle on 15, on the A and B course, at Lake View Resort and Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand, to open up a three-shot lead after the third round.
He fired a six-under-par 65 to sit at 16-under with two rounds remaining in the school – which after Saturday’s final round will see the top 35 earn Tour cards for 2025.
American Christopher Hickman (65) plus Japan’s Takumi Murakami (66) and Taiki Yoshida (67) are tied for second, with India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu (68) and second-round leader Australian Jack Thompson (70) a shot further back.
Takumi Murakami. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
They will play the more difficult C and D nines tomorrow, when the top 70 and ties will make the second and final cut of the week.
Kang is a serial winner in Korea, with 11 domestic titles – the most recent coming in 2021 – and has opted to play on home soil for most of his career.
However, the lure of the Asian Tour and its blossoming International Series has brought him to the Tour’s school for only the second time in his career.
He said: “International Series can get you onto LIV Golf – I feel now is my best chance.”
With three top 15s in the Asian Tour events played in Korea this season, including equal third in the Kolon Korea Open, and an eighth-place finish on the money list in Korea, you can understand why he has made the trip south.
In fact, the last time he played an Asian Tour event outside of Korea was the Malaysian Open in 2020.
Taiki Yoshida. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thompson, winner of the school two years ago on the same course and a firm favourite to make it through this week, said: “Not as good today, just one under, but in good shape.”
Lying in a tie for seventh five off top spot are Australia’s Lawry Flynn (65), Yosuke Asaji (67) from Japan, and Korean Doyeob Mun (70).
Australian Jordan Zunic helped his chances of making it through the week with a card in hand by acing the par-three 14th using a five iron. He’s six under in a tie for 30th following a 67.
Notable players with work to do tomorrow in order be around for Saturday are Scotland’s Marc Warren, American Berry Henson, England’s Sam Broadhurst – son of former Ryder Cup star Paul Broadhurst – Spain’s Alejandro Canizares, son of another Ryder Cup hero, Jose-Maria Canizares, and American Jason Knutzon, who are all two under and in a tie for 76th.
For the final round on Saturday the A and B nines will be used; the easier track but with the pressure reaching its peak.
Jack Thompson added a second-round five-under-par 66 to his opening 65 to take the lead in the Final Stage of the 2025 Asian Tour Qualifying School today, here at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, Hua Hin, Thailand.
The Australian won this event two years ago at the same venue, finishing 22 under for five rounds, and looks like being the man to beat once more.
He played on the C and D layout today, considered to be slightly harder, and made seven birdies and two bogies to lead the pressure-packed event on 11-under by one from Koreans Kyungnam Kang and Doyeob Mun.
Joint first-round leader Kang returned 69 and Mun 67, on the same C and D layout.
India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu, who shared the lead with Kang, Manav Shah from the United States and Japan’s Taiki Yoshida are another shot back. Sandhu fired 71, while Shah and Yoshida 67s – also on C and D. They all play the A and B nines tomorrow.
“Just did everything solid, carried it on from yesterday,” said Thompson, back at school having finished 69th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit – just four placed short of retaining his playing privileges.
Kyungnam Kang. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“You know, it [the course] is a little bit wider, but I think in parts, you still need to take driver up there, and that’s what I’ve been doing. Just playing free, I guess, if that makes sense. Just, you know, whatever the outcome is, just be happy with that. I think it’s showing the first two days. So, obviously I like the course and the putter, yeah, it’s feeling pretty good.”
In the two decades he has been a professional, Kang, aged 41, has only played in the Asian Tour Qualifying School once before, back in 2011. He tied for fifth then and would dearly like a similar result this week.
“The profile of the Asian Tour and The International Series is so big now. I felt it was important for me to try and play in those events, as I am getting a bit older,” said Kang – an 11-time winner on the Korean PGA Tour.
Sandhu is one of the name players here this week having played on the Asian Tour for over a decade, with one win to his name at the 2017 Yeangder TPC.
He is here at Qualifying School having finished 82nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit but buoyed by a win on the Professional Golf Tour of India last week, at the Vishwa Samudra Open.
Ajeetesh Sandhu. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
“It was a little bit tougher today, I thought,” said Sandhu, who began on 10, birdied three in a row from 13, dropped shots on 16 and 18, and parred every hole on his second half.
“I think the CD course anyway is a little bit tougher, the flags were quite tight I thought. Obviously, I also didn’t make so many putts and I didn’t play as well as yesterday, but it wasn’t too bad overall.”
A persistent back injury has hampered his form over the past few seasons.
“It’s absolutely fine now but it kind of played up again this year, and I played through that.”
Shah, from California, took the 21st card at this year’s school but is back here having finished 128th on the merit list.
He explained: “My rookie year on the Asian Tour has not been good. I have had to make a lot of adjustments coming from the USA. There’s a lot of travel, a lot of different golf courses. I think I learned what I needed to learn. Hopefully, I can keep doing what I am doing and get back here next year.
“I turned pro 2015, played all over Latin America, Canada, Korn Ferry last two years. Just decided to come to Asia, it’s been great, have a lot of family over here. I love the culture.”
Manav Shah. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Australian Will Florimo carded 64 and is one back with Takumi Murakami from Japan, who carded 65, and Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman, in with 66.
A cut was made today, at two over, with the top 140 and ties making it through to the next two rounds. The top 70 and ties on day four make it into the final round on Saturday, where the leading 35 will earn cards for next year.
Veteran Korean Kyungnam Kang and Indian Ajeetesh Sandhu’s bids to secure coveted Asian Tour cards for next year started perfectly today when they took a share of the first-round lead in the Final Stage of the Qualifying School.
They fired outstanding eight-under-par 63s on the A and B nines at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, ahead of Filipino Sean Ramos, who returned a 64.
Argentina’s Miguel Carballo, Korean Doyeob Mun, Niklas Regner from Austria, Flint Bekkers from the United States and Australian Jack Thompson, are next best following 65s. Regner, who has spent the last three years on Europe’s Challenge Tour, was the only one to record his 65 on the C & D nines.
Four more rounds remain before the top 35 win their tour cards, with a cut made after tomorrow’s round and also after the fourth round on Friday.
Ajeetesh Sandhu. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Kang is in pole position thanks to an eagle on the par-four 18th, where he sensationally holed his second, and six birdies – including one on 17 and three in succession from the fifth.
“Everything felt good,” he said. “All parts of my game worked together. And I got a bit lucky on the last.”
The 41-year-old has been a professional for 20 years and spent most of that time playing on his home tour, where he won on 11 occasions, while he also had a spell on the Japan Golf Tour from 2016 to 2019.
He added: “The Asian Tour is doing so well; I thought it was time to get my card.”
That decision is partly due to the fact he has been in fine form in 2024. He was in contention in all three of the Asian Tour events staged in Korea this year: the GS Caltex Maekyung Open, where tied for ninth, the Kolon Korea Open, where he was joint third, and the Shinhan Donghae Open – where he finished joint 13th. A second-place finish in the Kolon Korea Open last year remains his best finish on the Asian Tour.
Sandhu comes into the week hot having won the Vishwa Samudra Open 2024 presented by Kapil Dev last week on India’s professional circuit – his fifth win on that Tour.
Sean Ramos with his girlfriend, who is caddying for him this week. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He had a disappointing year finishing 82nd on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, with the top 65 retaining playing rights.
The 38-year-old looks like he is on a mission to bounce back from that this week. He made a brilliant start, with birdies on the first three and then later three in a row from seven to go out in six-under. He dropped his only shot of the day on 10 but collected three more birdies later.
Rookie professional Ramos, just 20 years old, had the distinction of making two eagles, on the second and 15th, both par fives. Like Sandu, the Asian Development Tour player made his only bogey on 10.
It’s no surprise to see Thompson in contention from the get go. He won the school here at Lake View two years ago shooting rounds of 68 70 65 64 66 to win on 22-under, and he looks to be dialled in once again this week. A few weeks ago he just missed keeping his playing card after finishing 69th on the Merit list.
Australian Zach Murray, who finished 126th on the Merit list, has also begun well carding a 66, along with American Manav Shah and Japan’s Taiki Yoshida.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Many of the well-known names competing this week have made strong starts: Malaysians Ervin Chang (67) and Shahriffuddin Ariffin (68), England’s Sam Broadhurst (68) – the son of former Ryder star Paul Broadhurst – American Berry Henson (68), Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman (68), Irishman Paul Dunne (68) and China’s Wu Ashun (69).
After the excitement of LIV Golf Promotions at the weekend – the LIV Golf League’s version of their Qualifying School – the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School commences tomorrow here in Hua Hin, Thailand, boasting a high-calibre field of 208 players.
Lee Chieh-po, who claimed his maiden title this year on the Asian Tour at the International Series Thailand, made history by winning LIV Golf Promotions to become the first player from Chinese-Taipei to earn a place on the incredibly lucrative LIV Golf League.
Just the winner was rewarded with playing rights for next year, whereas 35 cards are on the line this week at Lake View Resort and Golf Club – where two layouts are being used: A&B and C&D.
Of the many players who standout here this week is Jack Thompson – who won the school here at Lake View at the beginning of 2023. Remarkably, he made it into the week by claiming the final qualifying berth at the First Stage Qualifying Section C tournament at Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket. And prior to that he had not been able to practice for three weeks because of a wrist injury.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
Thompson kept his card that first season, finishing 54th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM), while this year he missed out, agonisingly by the narrowest of margins.
Just over two weeks ago at International Series Qatar, the final OOM counting event, he fired a final round 75 to tie for 49th. It meant he finished 69th on the merit list with only the top 65 retaining their cards.
“Probably 30 minutes to an hour after I finished in Qatar, I wasn’t angry or anything, just annoyed,” said the 26-year-old from Adelaide.
“It was past that point. What can you really do? I didn’t really play scared or anything, so I was proud about that. Just found it a bit difficult on the last day.
“If I was two shots better, I wouldn’t be here this week. Your outlook on the season would be pretty different but that’s the fine margins in golf.”
He was 22-under-par for five rounds when he won here two years ago and prevailed on the last day by two shots after a closing five-under-par 66. All strong memories and knowledge he can draw upon this week.
Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
He explained: “After Qatar, obviously it was disappointing to miss out. I have had eight days off, and didn’t touch a club. I was knackered and went back home but feel pretty fresh. Obviously don’t want to be back here but I am looking at it in the way that I get another chance.”
He feels he did not putt quite as well this year, while an element of complacency also resulted in his season not being as good.
In November this year he tied for fifth in the Taiwan Class Taifong Open for his best finish on the Asian Tour, but he played better in the more lucrative International Series events last year, which helped him on the OOM.
“I feel pretty relaxed, whatever happens, happens; it’s always nice coming back to a course you have played well at,” said Thompson.
Thirty nine nationalities are represented this week along with a wealth of past winners on the Asian Tour, including: Berry Henson, Trevor Simsby, Rashid Khan, Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Miguel Carballo, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Carlos Pigem, Taehoon Ok, Yikeun Chang, Siddikur Rahman, Marcus Fraser and Jason Knutzon.
Asian Tour regulars Ervin Chang, Shahriffuddin Ariffin, Jonthan Wijono, Chikkarangappa S, and David Drysdale are also here along with DP World Tour winners Wu Ashun, Alejandro Canizares, Marc Warren and Paul Dunne.
Jack Thompson pictured winning in 2023. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.
A cut will be made after the first two rounds with the leading 140 and ties making it through before a second cut is made after the fourth round. The top 70 and ties survive that cut.
The top 35, and no ties, will earn their cards on the fifth and final day, which will be played on the A&B layout.
If there is a tie for first place and 35th position then they will be decided by sudden-death play-offs.
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