By Joy Chakravarty, Contributing Editor – Asian Tour

Now that he is hale and hearty, Shiv Kapur can afford to crack a joke or two about the injuries that ravaged his 2022 season.

“I made plantar fasciitis famous. Tiger just copied me!” quipped the 41-year-old Indian as he prepared to start his 19^th season as a professional golfer with this week’s US$5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.

That was the first injury of the season. Kapur suddenly developed pain in his right foot, and by the time he played the International Series England in Newcastle in June, he was finding it hard to just walk the fairways. It was the same condition that forced Tiger Woods to withdraw from his Hero World Challenge in December.

 It resulted in a two-month layoff. When he came back and played for a few weeks, still with a slight pain, he reckons his body tried to compensate for the discomfort and that led to a cracked rib that kept him out of the game for three months.

 “When you are young, you don’t realise what a toll golf takes on your body all these years. I’ve never had to worry about major injuries or small niggles. I don’t know if it’s something about the magic number 40, but the minute I hit it, all kinds of issues seem to crop up,” said Kapur, winner of four titles on the Asian Tour.

Shiv Kapur of India pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday January 31, 2023, ahead of the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The two injury layoffs were more frustrating than painful. Throughout his career, Kapur has ramped up his performances in the latter half of the year. Even his first Asian Tour win, the 2005 Volvo Masters of Asia, was in November.

“I guess I’m a bit of a diesel engine that takes time to warm up and get into the groove of things,” said Kapur. “But seriously, I think it’s more the courses we play towards the end of the year. I have historically had a good track record in places like Indonesia, Thailand and Hong Kong. So, I think it has more to do with my performance on courses rather than the time of the year.

“At the same time, I look at it from a broader perspective. When your career spans over a period of time, you’re going to have good and bad and some injuries. I think the thing that I’m very proud of is that for 19 straight seasons, I managed to finish in the top 60 in the Asian Tour and held my card and I managed to do it again despite the tournaments I missed.

“I give myself another couple of years and I want to give it everything that I have in this game. After that, who knows? But the goal, for now, is to be fully fit.”

As with everything else, you can trust Kapur to find a silver lining in the darkest of clouds.

“It’s not all bad. It also gave me time to assess some of the business opportunities that I’m looking to explore and the things that I’m doing. It gave me time to set those things up. I spent a lot of time with my daughter. It’s given me new perspectives,” he added.

“It’s made me work on different things in my game. Like, all I could do for two months was putting, so that’s all I did. I remember Martin Kaymer when he had his go-karting accident, he said, he came back with a goal of being the best putter in the world. And he went on to become number one in the world. I managed to do a lot of short game work than I normally would, and I feel like my short game is in the best shape it has ever been. Sometimes these things are a blessing in disguise.”

Kapur has shifted his family and has been living in Dubai for the past few years, and it’s one of the reasons he is excited about his chances this week in the Saudi International. He had started brilliantly with a 65 on the opening day of this tournament last year, before he slipped to tied 68^th place over the weekend.

L-R- Rashid Khan and Shiv Kapur practised together at Royal Greens. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I think moving to Dubai has really helped me play in the Middle East conditions and desert courses. Initially, when I used to come out to play desert courses, it was a bit of a shock to the system. It wasn’t a style of golf I was used to,” explained Kapur.

“I grew up on a tree-lined golf course with bushes all around. You come to the desert, and the greens are different in the way the ball reacts, and the breeze is different. You think you have the widest fairways in the world, and you just hit it as hard as you can. I would be out of my natural rhythm.

“But you got to have good control over your ball flight. And now, I just try and hit sections of the fairways, rather than looking at it as one big expanse. I wasn’t used to desert courses visually. I am also more used to playing in the wind now. I have worked on some shots, like hitting a nine-iron from 120 yards or a five-iron to 160 yard, which you don’t normally practice.

“I think I’ve been able to get some good work in and I think from a preparation point of view, with three weeks in Saudi, Oman and Qatar, I feel as ready as I ever have starting a season. Obviously, my body is still healing, but I’m excited about the challenge, and the new season.”

The crème de la crème of the Asian Tour are competing in the Tour’s season-opening PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club.

Reigning Asian Tour number one Sihwan Kim from the United States, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, winner of last year’s International Series Order of Merit (OOM), and the top 30 players from the 2022 Asian Tour OOM have all entered along with invites, such as amateur star Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat.

Twelve Major winners and eight current Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) top-50 players are competing as well as.

The US$5 million tournament tees-off on Thursday.

Harold Varner III defends his PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers this week and as expected needs no reminding about the outrageous 92-foot eagle putt on 18 that won him the title.

“I don’t think I’ve walked on this side of this golf course without anyone telling me about it,” said the American.

“I don’t think I’ve forgotten about it either. I have great memories. I like this place. It’s in unbelievable shape.

“I just want to play well. I don’t care where we play. We can play in the desert out there if we had to. You want to win. You want to compete. And that’s why you play.”

The US$5 million event is once again the season-opener on the Asian Tour and features the strongest field in the history of the circuit.

World number four Australian Cameron Smith, two-time winner Dustin Johnson from the United States, his countrymen Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka, Bryson DeChambeau, and Bubba Watson, South African Louis Oosthuizen, England’s Lee Westwood and Spain’s Sergio Garcia are just some of the big names playing.

Harold Varner III pictured during the Pro Am event round on Wednesday February 1, 2023, ahead of the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Twelve Major winners and eight current Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) top-50 players are competing as well as reigning Asian Tour number one Sihwan Kim from the United States, Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent, winner of last year’s International Series Order of Merit (OOM), and the top 30 players from the 2022 Asian Tour OOM have all entered.

Last year third-round leader Varner saw his hopes of the biggest pay-day of his career seemingly dissipate when he followed a double-bogey at 14 here at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club with another dropped stroke at 16.

Meanwhile, three groups ahead of him, two-time Masters champion and close friend Watson rolled home a 15-foot eagle putt on the par-five last to post what appeared to be a winning aggregate of 12-under-par 276.

But Varner, whose only previous victory had come at the Australian PGA Championship in 2016, was not done.

He picked up a shot at 17, meaning he needed another birdie at the final hole to tie Watson and force extra time.

Although he reached the green in two, left facing a devilish 92-foot putt, the consensus was that a three-putt par was on the cards.

Astonishingly, however, Varner defied all odds, judging the putt to perfection. As his ball disappeared below ground to match Watson’s eagle and record a one-stroke triumph, amazement and unconfined joy poured out. It was a shot heard and seen around the world.

Varner III. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I played the best [last year]. Like I think all around I was the best player. I was very in control. It was super windy like today. Opposite direction, but I just was in control,” said Varner.

“The only thing that got me, I guess, was 14 and 16. It rattled me a little bit. And then everyone talks about the putt. The best shot was the drive on 17, in my opinion, because it gave me a chance on 18 to not have to make eagle.

“When it’s blowing like that, it’s almost hard to swing because the wind is moving the club. Only good thing is I can only take it to my knee because my swing’s so short. So, I can only move so much.”

Having played in the LIV Golf Invitationals last year this week marks the first time he as played in a four-round tournament since the Open Championship last July.

“Yeah, super thrilled to get going. I just want to compete. I know I’m a little rusty. So, I just want to get in the fire. It’s the best feeling in the world,” he said.

“I am not playing that often. Not tournament golf. I guess last year [before winning] I played two or three tournaments before. I missed both of those cuts, so I guess I wasn’t playing great according to the scores.  But I’m fairly cocky. I think I’m playing well.”

He has been paired in the first two rounds with Watson and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond.

Sarit Suwannarut competes in the biggest tournament of his life this week, the US$5 million PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers, and the timing could not be better for the rising star as he says his game is “nearly 100%”.

The young Thai golfer received a huge boost of confidence when he won last year’s season-ending BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE in emphatic fashion for his maiden Asian Tour title, and he is now hungry for even more success, including winning the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merit crowns.

“The win in Indonesia gave me confidence and I also felt relief. I don’t think it has put more pressure on me, I just want to win more and more now,” said the 24 year old.

“After Indonesia I took a few weeks off until end of December, and at the beginning of January I just started working. I usually play at Siam Country Club, their new one in Bangkok.

“I am feeling confident, feel my game is almost 100%. Just need to work on putting and chipping a bit.”

Sarit Suwannarut of Thailand pictured during an official practice round on Tuesday January 31, 2023, ahead of the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers. a. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Sarit brought the 2022 season to a memorable conclusion after a commanding four-stroke victory in Indonesia, made even more impressive by having to endure the toughest of seasons.

Earlier in the year he contracted COVID-19 and as late as September he was in 64th place on the Order of Merit and on the cusp of retaining his playing privileges. He tied for third in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters that month to ease the pressure, but it wasn’t until the Indonesian Masters that he truly overcame any concerns about his future.

Added Sarit: “I am aiming high now and will try and win the Asian Tour and International Series Order of Merits this year.”

He finished 10^th on last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit, with more than healthy earnings of US$415,499 from 11 starts.

“The condition of this course is pure, it is mint. The big factor is going to be the wind, it started to pick up today,” said Sarit.

“My coach is also here this week, so we are working on a lot of things. He has been my coach for 13 years.

“Funny story here, I was on the driving range with my mum when I was 12, and my mum saw him and asked if he could work with me, and we have been together since.”

Sarit Suwannarat of Thailand pictured with the winner’s trophy on Sunday, December 4, 2022, during Round Four of the BNI Indonesia Masters, presented by Tunas Niaga Energi. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

While he eventually recorded a comfortable win in Indonesia he impressed after a stressful finish.

The weather, which had caused numerous delays since Thursday, had a final say when lightning stopped play on Sunday at 1.09pm with Sarit having two holes remaining and with a comfortable five-shot lead. Play resumed at 2.30pm with the rising Thai star able to par his way home.

“I think I almost cried coming down the 18th,” said Sarit at the time.

Australian Jack Thompson graduated with first class honours today at the Asian Tour Qualifying School after winning the Final Stage by two shots from countryman John Lyras and China’s Bai Zhengkai.

Thompson, a professional for just two years, marked himself down as one to keep an eye out for as he closed with a five-under-par 66 for a five-round total of 22 under.

Bai returned a 65 while Lyras, who started the day sharing the lead with Thompson, shot a 68 on a tension-filled day at Lake View Resort and Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand.

American Michael Maguire (65) and Ye Wocheng (69) from China shared fourth, four back from the winner.

 Jack Thompson. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

A total of 35 players out of 77 starters today secured right of passage onto the Asian Tour this year – which promises to be the most lucrative in its history.

Nine players, tied on eight under, competed in a sudden-death play-off for the last two cards which eventually went to Thomas Power Horan from Australia and England’s Ben Jones, after they both birdied the first.

Remarkably, 24-year-old Thompson made it into this week’s event by claiming the final qualifying berth at the First Stage Qualifying Section C tournament at Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket, Thailand, at the start of the month.

And prior to that he had not been able to practice for three weeks because of a wrist injury.

Said Thompson: “This is great, I guess it hasn’t really sunk in yet. It has been a long week, I have been here for a fair few days now, it’s a relief and it’s just nice to win. There is always concern coming into an event if you can do it or not.

John Lyras. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I hadn’t really had the best prep coming in. I had hurt my wrist playing a shot in the Vic PGA last year so I could only hit a bucket of balls in three weeks. It slowly got better and better. Swinging the first qualifier I had no idea, then the next round I worked it out and it carried on from there. I am just super stoked.”

Thompson’s promise first revealed itself when he won the Gippsland Super 6 Match Play in just his fifth start on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 2021 and today’s success suggests more great things are to come from the young Australian.

“I have tried a few Q Schools before and missed out so it’s really nice to have somewhere to play overseas now. I had a great group of Aussie guys here this week and that really helped,” added the Australian, who reached number 31 in the world on the amateur rankings.

It was a two-horse race between Thompson and Lyras on the last day and they were tied on 22 under with three to play. Thompson then moved one ahead with a birdie on 17 before the pressure of a marathon week finally seemed to hit them when Thompson made a bogey on the last and Lyras a double.

“It’s been a goal of mine to get a card overseas for a few years now, and to finally get that done there’s a bit of relief there for sure. It’s very exciting,” said Lyras.

“I probably looked better than I felt, you know, I was trying to win the golf tournament. I did everything I could, and the putts just didn’t go in and it was one of those days, but I feel like those days are character building. We learn so much from them, where you pressed a few decisions here and there. A few little processes that could have maybe changed here or there.

Bai Zhengka.  Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“But ultimately for someone like myself, who hasn’t really been in contention that much at any golf tournament, days like these are the ones that will hopefully spur me on to keep gaining more experience and get more comfortable in that environment.”

The 26 year old from Sydney is something of a late starter. A self-taught golfer, he said he mainly played cricket throughout his teenage years and did not play any real competitive golf until he left school.

Said Bai: “This is great. I played Korn Ferry Tour 2020 to 2021, DP World Tour and Challenge Tour last year, and this year I’ll be trying the Asian Tour.

“Feels nice. I played well the last few days, feeling good and getting more familiar with the course and attacking more pins, and I think I had a pretty good week.”

In the US he bases himself in Orlando and said he went back to China once in 2021, had to do 28 days quarantine in a hotel, and so last year stayed on the road most of the time.

The players who unfortunately missed out in the play-off where Chinese-Taipei’s Ho Yu-cheng, American Matthew Negri, Jakraphan Premsirigorn from Thailand, England’s Jack Harrison, Korean Jonghark Kim, Japan’s Ren Yonezawa, and Justin De Los Santos from the Philippines, who birdied his last hole to get into the play-off.

Thomas Power Horan of Australia, left and Ben Jones of England congratulate each other after securing their 2023 Tour cards following a nine-man play-off. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

In a first at the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School, two Hong Kong players, Matthew Cheung and Taichi Kho made it through, for full results visit here.

Australians Jack Thompson and John Lyras put themselves in prime position to secure their Asian Tour cards at the Final Stage of Qualifying School with one round to go after they took the lead today with two fine rounds of seven-under-par 64 and 66 respectively.

They are out in front on 17 under par at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Ye Wocheng from China, the leader after each of the first three days, shot a 72, and is one behind, while his compatriot Zhengkai Bai and Korean Cho Mingyu are tied for fourth two adrift.

Bai returned a 66 and Cho a 71.

Two courses are being used this week to accommodate the impressive starting field of 234 players, with all the leaders playing the CD course today.

John Lyras. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour

“I just played really solid. Hit the ball well, putted really well. Yeah, just almost a perfect day,” said Thompson, a winner on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 2021 at the Gippsland Super 6 Match Play.

“No bogeys, it was good, felt nice. I bogeyed the last hole yesterday, so I made sure I didn’t do that. My putting has been a big thing. Everyone sort of hits good shots and stuff, but I think you still got to get the ball in the hole, and I putted really well. After the first nine holes I sort of changed things up, so I think just putting really. Just got to keep going. Keep trying to get as low as I can get and keep going.”

His unblemished scorecard showed seven birdies and no dropped shots.

Lyras took the more adventurous route making an eagle, six birdies, one double bogey and a bogey.

He said: “Yes a bit of everything, a bit of frustration, plenty of frustration. It was pretty tricky with the wind and just had to keep hitting good shots out there. Just trying to drive the ball as well as I can out there this week, and it’s helping a lot so far.

“Just need to go out and do more of the same. I really would like to finish this tournament off in a really good fashion and try and get the most out of my round tomorrow would be the goal. I feel like I haven’t really got much out of my rounds all week, so it would be nice to finish with a really strong one. But at the end of the day we’re all here for a reason, and first and foremost is to get the job done.”

The Australian has the distinction of making an eagle in all four rounds so far and will be looking for more of the same to see him through on Sunday.

Ye Wocheng. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

After opening with rounds of 64, 65 and 67, Ye carded his first over par round today mixing five birdies with six bogeys.

“The wind was quite strong today and that affected me. I didn’t hit many greens and made too many mistakes but I am in a good position heading into tomorrow.”

Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul made his move today, firing a 66, to move to 13 under and solo sixth place.

“I putted pretty solid today, made the most of my chances, but I need to work on the driver a little bit. The fairways are wide enough that I’m able to work around the course a little bit, but overall, I’m coming in to Q-School with a new mentality so I’ll stick with that and see how it goes,” said Gunn.

“I am working with a new coach and have been working with him for four or five months, and I’ve been grinding during the offseason really hard. So, you know, it’s good to see that our work pays off.”

American Davis Love IV, son of PGA Tour legend Davis Love III, came in with a 72 and is tied 10^th on 10 under.

Gunn Charoenkul. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour

A total of 77 players survived today’s cut, made at three under, and will attempt to secure one of the 35 Tour Cards on offer tomorrow for the 2023 season, which features 11 events in the first 14 weeks, starting with next month’s star-studded US$5 million Saudi International Powered by SoftBank Investments Advisers.

Young Chinese golfer Ye Wocheng maintained his lead in the Final Stage of the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School today, shooting a third-round four-under-par 67 for an impressive 17 under par total.

He leads by three from Korean Cho Mingyu, who carded a belting 62, the joint lowest round of the week so far, here at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand, where two courses are being used.

Korean Kim Dongmin (63) and John Lyras from Australia (67) are two shots further back from Cho.

American Davis Love IV, son of 21-time PGA Tour winner Davis Love III, matched Cho’s 62 and is a stroke behind along with England’s Ben Jones (67), Hanmil Jung (68) from Korea, and American Michael Maguire (70).

They all competed on the AB course, the easier of the layouts compared with the CD course.

Cho Mingyu.  Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Yeh, aged 22, led by three at the start of the day and was unchallenged as he collected five birdies before dropping his only shot of the day on 14.

He said: “I am just trying to stay at the same level mentally. I have played in a few qualifiers, so I know what to do. It helps I am putting really well. And I am not too focused on winning, just getting my card.”

His career seems to be trending in the right direction, he turned professional in 2020, won twice on the China Tour in 2021 and is now superbly positioned to win playing privileges for the 2023 season.

“I played the Canadian Tour last year, I really enjoyed it as it was my first experience playing overseas as a professional,” added Ye, who in 2013, as a 12-year-old, created history by becoming the youngest male to compete in a European Tour event when he played in the Volvo China Open.

In hot pursuit is the very experienced Cho, a two-time winner in Japan, who finished runner-up twice last year on the Asian Tour in gripping circumstances, on both occasions on home soil.

John Lyras. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

He lost the GS Caltex Maekyung Open in controversial circumstances to compatriot Bio Kim by two shots. While playing his third shot at the ninth, Cho stepped his foot on the hole’s second green, unaware that he should have taken a drop. It was an error for which he was docked two shots – a cruel and decisive blow to his chances.

And at the Kolon Korea Open he was beaten by Korean Minkyu Kim in a three-hole play-off, having missed a birdie putt on the last to win in regulation play. In the play-off he had a one-stroke advantage playing the final hole but made bogey against Kim’s birdie.

“I have learned from both those experiences. I didn’t know about the ruling at Maekyung. But I have come back a stronger player and want to win on both the Asian Tour and Korean Tour this year,” said Cho, whose most recent win in Japan was the 2016 Fujisankei Classic.

He made an eagle and seven birdies and started spectacularly going six under for the first six.

Added the 34 year old: “I think I had a birdie chance on every hole today, my approach shots were very good.”

Lyras’s round received a boost when he holed his second shot on the par-four seventh for an eagle.

“Yeah, three-wood in the left bunker and holed it from about 87 yards or something so that was lovely,” said the Australian.

“It was just the battle for the rest of the round, a bit tricky with that wind kind of gusting a bit. Putts didn’t really want to go in today but it’s alright, I’m hitting the ball well.

Davis Love IV. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“I have been playing on the Aussie Tour back home, been going to America a fair bit trying to get through on the mini tours and Korn Ferry Tour School, and missed at second stage of both Korn Ferry and DP World Tour by three. So, you know, fresh wounds but trying to make amends this week.”

Love IV, better known as Dru, also made an eagle and seven birdies like Cho, leaping up the leaderboard with birdies on his last two.

“I haven’t been playing a lot of golf over the break and I just felt like I finally put it all together,” said the American, who has Australian Kyle ‘Roachy’ Roadley on the back, a veteran European Tour caddie.

“I’ve been three under through six the last two days as well. I had it going low every day but the last two days I’ve shot over a par on the back nine.”

The 29 year old, who turned professional in 2017, last played in Asia at the Singapore Open in 2020.

He said: “I have tried doing Monday qualifiers and Korn Ferry Q-School. After Singapore Open I had a shoulder surgery in January 2021, so I missed the last half of 2020 and I missed almost all of 2021. So I’ve been hurt, trying to find my game again and trying to have more rounds like this. I feel like I’ve been halfway there, but I haven’t gotten over the hump since my surgery.

“I’ve had some really good low rounds but nothing like today in a tournament. So, I just felt like today was the most calm my head’s been in a while, and I gotta give a lot of credit to my caddy Roachy, he was unbelievable today, kept me laser focused. Every decision we made was the right one.”

Competitors are chasing 35 Tour cards this week for the new season – which starts next month at the US$5 million Saudi International Powered by SoftBank Investments Advisers.

After tomorrow’s fourth round the top-70 players (and ties) will play Sunday’s pivotal final round.

Former golf wonderkid Ye Wocheng added a second-round six-under-par 65 to his opening day 64 to take the lead today after day two of the Final Stage of the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School.

The Chinese golfer leads on 13 under par at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand, where two layouts are being used to accommodate the 234-starting field, by three shots from American Michael Maguire, who came in with a 66.

Germany’s Dominic Foos (64), Australians Aaron Wilkin (65) and John Lyras (69), and Korean Hanmil Jung (66) are joint third on eight under.

One stroke further back are New Zealand’s Denzel Ieremia (66), Englishman Ben Jones (67), Korea’s Jaeil Song (68), South African Mj Viljoen (70) and Benjamin Follett-Smith (71) from Zimbabwe – who won the 2020 Qualifying School, also played here at Lake View.

Michael Maguire. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Ten years ago, a 12-year-old Ye created history by becoming the youngest male to compete in a European Tour event when he played in the Volvo China Open and today he showed he has lost none of that early promise.

“That performance back then gave me so much confidence and made me realise I can play at this level,” said the 22 year old, who splits his time living between China and the US, where he played college golf for the University of Florida.

“I putted pretty well these past two days so that’s been the key. My form has been okay recently, but it is still early days this week, there are three more rounds remaining, but I really want to get my Asian Tour card.”

After turning professional three years ago he has been playing on both the China and Canadian Tours, winning twice on the former in 2021.

Ye, playing the AB course today, dropped a shot on the second but that was the only mistake he made as he went on to make three birdies before the turn and then four on the back nine.

He added: “I am just taking it day by day and not getting ahead of myself.”

Hanmil Jung.  Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Maguire, on the CD layout, shot six birdies and also only dropped one shot.

Over the past few seasons, the 30 year old has been playing on the Korn Ferry Tour, Canadian Tour and the PGA Tour Latinoamérica – where he won the Shell Open in 2021 – and is hoping to add an Asian Tour card to his collection.

First-round leader Wang Wei-hsuan from Chinese-Taipei had a poor day and returned a 77, 14 shots worse than his first day effort, to slip back to two under.

Competitors are chasing 35 Tour cards this week for the new season – which starts next month at the US$5 million Saudi International Powered by SoftBank Investments Advisers.

The top 140 (and ties) survived today’s 36-hole cut, which was made at two over.

Notable casualties are Australians Brett Rumford and Sam Brazel, Swede Rikard Karlberg, Spaniard Alvaro Quiros, Malaysian Danny Chia and Indonesia’s Rory Hie.

After rounds three and four the top-70 players (and ties) will play Sunday’s pivotal final round.

John Lyras. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Chinese-Taipei’s Wang Wei-hsuan showed few nerves in the pressure-cooker environment of the Final Stage of the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School today shooting a masterful eight-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead.

Zimbabwe’s Benjamin Follett-Smith, winner of the Final Stage when it was last played in 2020, here at Lake View Resort and Golf Club, in Hua Hin, Thailand, picked up where he left off carding a 64 to sit second along with China’s Ye Wocheng.

South African MJ Viljoen and John Lyras from Australia returned 65s along with two amateurs Taichi Kho from Hong Kong and Thailand’s Runchanapong Youprayong.

Wang Wei-hsuan of Chinese Taipei. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Wang, younger brother of fellow Tour player Wang Wei-hsiang, went bogey free and brilliantly traversed the front nine, his second half, in six-under-par 30 with three birdies on the trot from the first and another three starting from five.

With a starting field of 234 players for this week’s five-round tournament two courses are being used with Wang playing the AB layout today.

“I was a bit worried at the start of the day as I had a sore hip, but the physio helped and I played really well, drove it very good,” said Wang, whose brother shot 72.

“I have been playing well since I finished third in last year’s Yeangder TPC, that gave me a lot of confidence. I just want a top-35 finish to get my card and then I want to win on the Asian Tour this year.”

Benjamin Follet-Smith of Zimbabwe. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The Wang brothers have been making waves in Chinese-Taipei with some eye-catching golf, particularly in 2020 when Wang Wei-hsuan was victorious in the Mercuries Taiwan Masters before his brother triumphed the following year. On both occasions it was held solely as a domestic event because of travel restrictions caused by COVID-19.

Follett-Smith, who lost his card last year after finishing 140th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit during his rookie season in the region, said: “It is horrible to be back here, but obviously very grateful the way I have played. I like the courses in this area, they suit my eye, I played well in 2020 and hopefully I can do the same thing.”

After winning the School three years ago he had high hopes of making an impact on the Asian Tour but when COVID hit soon after he qualified he found it difficult to adapt.

“Last year was a struggle,” he said, who was on the CD course today.

“After I got my card COVID happened. There were two blank years when we didn’t do anything. I think I was under prepared when the Tour started. I was mentally not strong enough. I had to learn a lot. I travelled a lot. There were six to seven hour time zones every week as I was trying to play on the Sunshine Tour. I was back and forth a lot and had too much on my plate. I was overwhelmed and put myself under heaps of pressure.”

Mj Viljoen of South Africa. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

The 28 year old has come back to Asia benefiting from a month off which included practicing with Scott and Kieran Vincent, who he grew up and went to school with in Harare.

“I took a two-week break, went to the sea, took some clubs with me to the beach but not anything serious. Then I had 14 days after that to prep and get ready for here back home in Harare. Scott and Kieran were there so we practiced together,” said Follett-Smith, who was full of praise for last year’s International Series Order of Merit champion Scott Vincent.

He said: “Scott manages himself very well and his routines are brilliant. He is never off routine. He wakes up at exactly the same time, he is steady in his routine. It creates a mindset that is flawless. If you do everything behind the scenes correctly then you know you have less to worry about.”

Viljoen is playing in Asia for the first time, having been a regular on the Sunshine Tour where he has won twice.

He played the AB layout and was also bogey free with five birdies in a row on the front nine.

“2019 I went to the European Qualifying School and just missed out, I went to Korn Ferry last year, just missed out, so here we are, it’s the first time I am here, I want to try it, see what it’s like. I hear good things, the Tour is going onto a good place,” said the 27 year old from Bloemfontein.

Hong Kong amateur Taichi Kho. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

“We haven’t played many Tour schools in the last three years because of COVID. I am getting into a pickle because I feel nervous playing in Q School again. Shooting 65 to start with is a good position, it gives me a few extra shots to start with.”

Competitors are chasing 35 Tour cards this week for the new season – which starts next month at the US$5 million Saudi International Powered by SoftBank Investments Advisers.

The top 140 (and ties) after 36 holes will progress to rounds three and four while the top 70 players (and ties) after 72 holes will play in the pivotal final round.