MALAYSIA’S CHIA LEADS QUARTET INTO OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
R&A Press Release
26 March 2008, Sentosa, Singapore: Malaysia’s Danny Chia earned his second appearance at The Open Championship after winning International Final Qualifying – Asia with a second successive round of three-under-par 69 on Wednesday.
Chia will be joined at Royal Birkdale by Australian Adam Blyth, who shot 66 at Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course, Lam Chih Bing of Singapore and Filipino Angelo Que. Lam and Que earned the last two places after a play-off with Japan’s Tomohiro Kondo.
Chia, who played in the 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews, produced birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to finish on six-under-par 138, one shot ahead of Blyth, who carded the day’s best round.
A jubilant Chia said: “I feel proud to be the only Malaysian at The Open. It always feels good to be in the same event with the world’s best golfers and it’ll be my goal to play well at Royal Birkdale.”
After a disappointing 73 on Tuesday, Blyth produced six-birdies to secure his first appearance at The Open. “The putts just went in today,” said the 26-year-old Australian, who had his father Steve caddying for him.
“I played scrappy yesterday but managed to get myself into position this morning. I’m stoked to get into my first Major.”
Lam, Que and Kondo ended the 36-hole qualifier tied on 140 after second rounds of 68, 71 and 70 respectively, ensuring that extra holes were needed to decide the final two Open Championship berths. Local hope Lam, who played in his first Open at Carnoustie last year, was the first to seal his place at Royal Birkdale with a birdie on the second extra hole.
“It feels awesome,” said Lam. “I was so nervous and standing over the putt, my hands were just shaking. Thank God it’s over. I can’t wait to get back to the Open. It’s unbelievable to play in a Major championship. Last year was the best experience in my life and I’m looking forward to getting back there.”
Que will be the first Filipino since Frankie Minoza in 1998 to qualify for The Open Championship. He earned his Major appearance in style after holing a 40-foot birdie putt at the fourth extra hole to win his place at Royal Birkdale.
“I’ve been putting well and holed a few of those today”, he said. “I had a similar putt during regulation but just needed to hit it harder. Luckily I holed a long one at the last.
“It feels great as I haven’t been playing well the past two years. Finally, I’ve got a chance to play in The Open. It’s an honour for me to represent the Philippines. It’s a dream come true.”
Second round scores
138: Danny Chia (Mas) 69-69
139: Adam Blyth (Aus) 73-66
140: Lam Chih Bing (Sin) 72-68, Angelo Que (Phi) 69-71, Tomohiro Kondo (Jpn) 70-70
(Lam and Que qualify for The Open after winning in the play-off against Kondo)
141: Lloyd Saltman (Sco) 71-70, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 74-67, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 71-70
142: David Gleeson (Aus) 75-67, Will Yanagisawa (USA) 71-71, Ben Leong (Mas) 70-72, Yasin Ali (Eng) 69-73, Han Lee (USA) 72-70, Brad Kennedy (Aus) 71-71
143: Anthony Kang (USA) 73-70, Brett Bingham (Can) 72-71, Gavin Flint (Aus) 71-72, Noh Seung-yol (Kor) 77-66
144: Prom Meesawat (Tha) 71-73, Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 77-67, Adam Groom (Aus) 75-69
145: Mars Pucay (Jpn) 72-73, Lee Sung (Kor) 73-72, David Bransdon (Aus) 73-72, Ahmad Bateman (Can) 75-70, Yoshinobu Tsukada (Jpn) 71-74
146: Chung Joon (Kor) 72-74, Unho Park (Aus) 75-71, Jason King (Jpn) 71-75, Scott Barr (Aus) 72-74
147: Tatsuhiko Ichihara (Jpn) 73-74, Rhys Davies (Wal) 78-69, Shinichi Yokoto (Jpn) 76-71, Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 72-75, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 75-72, Takuya Taniguchi (Jpn) 73-74
148: Craig Smith (Wal) 76-72, Park Jun-won (Kor) 74-74, Sushi Ishigaki (Jpn) 74-74, Masaya Tomida (Jpn) 79-69, Ross Bain (Sco) 76-72
149: Keiichiro Fukabori (Jpn) 70-79, Akinori Tani (Jpn) 76-73, Clay Devers (USA) 82-67, Jun Kikuchi (Jpn) 74-75
150: Richard Moir (Aus) 75-75, Simon Dunn (Sco) 78-72, Bryan Saltus (USA) 74-76
151: Naoya Takemoto (Jpn) 78-73
152: Airil Rizman (Mas) 72-80
153: Zaw Moe (Myn) 75-78, Tadahiro Takayama (Jpn) 76-77, Amandeep Johl (Ind) 74-79, Olle Nordberg (Swe) 75-78
155: Soushi Tajima (Jpn) 78-77
157: Marcus Both (Aus) 77-80, S. Sivachandran (Mas) 80-77
158: Young Nam (USA) 72-86
WD: Jyoti Randhawa (Ind), Gurbaz Maan (Ind), Digvijay Singh (Ind), Tony Carolan (Aus), Antonio Lascuna (Phi)
26 March 2008, Sentosa, Singapore: Malaysia’s Danny Chia earned his second appearance at The Open Championship after winning International Final Qualifying – Asia with a second successive round of three-under-par 69 on Wednesday.
Chia will be joined at Royal Birkdale by Australian Adam Blyth, who shot 66 at Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course, Lam Chih Bing of Singapore and Filipino Angelo Que. Lam and Que earned the last two places after a play-off with Japan’s Tomohiro Kondo.
Chia, who played in the 2005 Open Championship at St Andrews, produced birdies at the 16th and 17th holes to finish on six-under-par 138, one shot ahead of Blyth, who carded the day’s best round.
A jubilant Chia said: “I feel proud to be the only Malaysian at The Open. It always feels good to be in the same event with the world’s best golfers and it’ll be my goal to play well at Royal Birkdale.”
After a disappointing 73 on Tuesday, Blyth produced six-birdies to secure his first appearance at The Open. “The putts just went in today,” said the 26-year-old Australian, who had his father Steve caddying for him.
“I played scrappy yesterday but managed to get myself into position this morning. I’m stoked to get into my first Major.”
Lam, Que and Kondo ended the 36-hole qualifier tied on 140 after second rounds of 68, 71 and 70 respectively, ensuring that extra holes were needed to decide the final two Open Championship berths. Local hope Lam, who played in his first Open at Carnoustie last year, was the first to seal his place at Royal Birkdale with a birdie on the second extra hole.
“It feels awesome,” said Lam. “I was so nervous and standing over the putt, my hands were just shaking. Thank God it’s over. I can’t wait to get back to the Open. It’s unbelievable to play in a Major championship. Last year was the best experience in my life and I’m looking forward to getting back there.”
Que will be the first Filipino since Frankie Minoza in 1998 to qualify for The Open Championship. He earned his Major appearance in style after holing a 40-foot birdie putt at the fourth extra hole to win his place at Royal Birkdale.
“I’ve been putting well and holed a few of those today”, he said. “I had a similar putt during regulation but just needed to hit it harder. Luckily I holed a long one at the last.
“It feels great as I haven’t been playing well the past two years. Finally, I’ve got a chance to play in The Open. It’s an honour for me to represent the Philippines. It’s a dream come true.”
Second round scores
138: Danny Chia (Mas) 69-69
139: Adam Blyth (Aus) 73-66
140: Lam Chih Bing (Sin) 72-68, Angelo Que (Phi) 69-71, Tomohiro Kondo (Jpn) 70-70
(Lam and Que qualify for The Open after winning in the play-off against Kondo)
141: Lloyd Saltman (Sco) 71-70, Mardan Mamat (Sin) 74-67, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Tha) 71-70
142: David Gleeson (Aus) 75-67, Will Yanagisawa (USA) 71-71, Ben Leong (Mas) 70-72, Yasin Ali (Eng) 69-73, Han Lee (USA) 72-70, Brad Kennedy (Aus) 71-71
143: Anthony Kang (USA) 73-70, Brett Bingham (Can) 72-71, Gavin Flint (Aus) 71-72, Noh Seung-yol (Kor) 77-66
144: Prom Meesawat (Tha) 71-73, Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 77-67, Adam Groom (Aus) 75-69
145: Mars Pucay (Jpn) 72-73, Lee Sung (Kor) 73-72, David Bransdon (Aus) 73-72, Ahmad Bateman (Can) 75-70, Yoshinobu Tsukada (Jpn) 71-74
146: Chung Joon (Kor) 72-74, Unho Park (Aus) 75-71, Jason King (Jpn) 71-75, Scott Barr (Aus) 72-74
147: Tatsuhiko Ichihara (Jpn) 73-74, Rhys Davies (Wal) 78-69, Shinichi Yokoto (Jpn) 76-71, Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 72-75, Shiv Kapur (Ind) 75-72, Takuya Taniguchi (Jpn) 73-74
148: Craig Smith (Wal) 76-72, Park Jun-won (Kor) 74-74, Sushi Ishigaki (Jpn) 74-74, Masaya Tomida (Jpn) 79-69, Ross Bain (Sco) 76-72
149: Keiichiro Fukabori (Jpn) 70-79, Akinori Tani (Jpn) 76-73, Clay Devers (USA) 82-67, Jun Kikuchi (Jpn) 74-75
150: Richard Moir (Aus) 75-75, Simon Dunn (Sco) 78-72, Bryan Saltus (USA) 74-76
151: Naoya Takemoto (Jpn) 78-73
152: Airil Rizman (Mas) 72-80
153: Zaw Moe (Myn) 75-78, Tadahiro Takayama (Jpn) 76-77, Amandeep Johl (Ind) 74-79, Olle Nordberg (Swe) 75-78
155: Soushi Tajima (Jpn) 78-77
157: Marcus Both (Aus) 77-80, S. Sivachandran (Mas) 80-77
158: Young Nam (USA) 72-86
WD: Jyoti Randhawa (Ind), Gurbaz Maan (Ind), Digvijay Singh (Ind), Tony Carolan (Aus), Antonio Lascuna (Phi)
Labels: Pro Men, R and A NEWS
posted by Gillian |
See story on its own page | Wednesday, March 26, 2008
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