INTERNATIONAL FINAL QUALIFYING - ASIA
R&A Press Release
CHINESE NUMBER ONE HEADS FIELD AT IFQ – ASIA
30 March 2009, Sentosa, Singapore: Liang Wen-chong, China’s leading golfer and the first player ever from the country to make the cut at a Major – a feat he achieved at Birkdale last year – will start as the highest-ranked player in the field at International Final Qualifying – Asia when the event takes place at Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club on Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 1 April.
Currently 112 in the world, the 30-year-old from Zhongshan has had Tour wins in both 2007 and 2008 at the Singapore Masters and the Indian Open respectively, and he will be hotly tipped to earn one of the four qualifying places on offer.
While Liang has already had a taste of Open Championship competition, India’s rising young talent, Gaganjeet Bhullar, will be hoping to fulfil his childhood dream by securing his Major debut at Sentosa. Bhullar has been in good form lately, having posted three top-tens in the last three Asian Tour events that he has played.
“I’ve grown up watching golf on TV, especially The Open and it’s been my dream to play in this championship,” said the 20-year-old from Kapurthala.
All four of last year’s qualifiers – Danny Chia of Malaysia, Adam Blyth of Australia, Angelo Que of the Philippines and Chih-Bing Lam of Singapore – will return to Sentosa in an attempt to secure their places at consecutive Open Championships. Chia took last year’s IFQ by one shot from Blyth, yet it was Lam who was to shine at Birkdale in unfamiliar conditions.
An opening round 72 left him tied 15th after day one, a position which he consolidated, making the cut with a total of 147, the same score as former Open champions Ben Curtis and Justin Leonard.
“Playing all four rounds last year was one of the best experiences of my life,” said Lam ahead of IFQ. “Hopefully I can do it again.”
2005 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, first played in The Open in 2006 where he finished a respectable tied-31st. The 42-year-old Thai, who has 10 victories on the Asian Tour, has once again set his sights on playing with the world’s elite.
“After my experience of playing in The Open in 2006 at Royal Liverpool, I had always wanted to get back to playing in a Major. It would be an honour for me if I can manage to pull it off.”
Play will commence at 08:00 local time on both Tuesday and Wednesday with live scores and stories published on Opengolf.com throughout the days of competition.
The full IFQ – Asia entry list and draw can also be found online at Opengolf.com.
CHINESE NUMBER ONE HEADS FIELD AT IFQ – ASIA
30 March 2009, Sentosa, Singapore: Liang Wen-chong, China’s leading golfer and the first player ever from the country to make the cut at a Major – a feat he achieved at Birkdale last year – will start as the highest-ranked player in the field at International Final Qualifying – Asia when the event takes place at Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club on Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 1 April.
Currently 112 in the world, the 30-year-old from Zhongshan has had Tour wins in both 2007 and 2008 at the Singapore Masters and the Indian Open respectively, and he will be hotly tipped to earn one of the four qualifying places on offer.
While Liang has already had a taste of Open Championship competition, India’s rising young talent, Gaganjeet Bhullar, will be hoping to fulfil his childhood dream by securing his Major debut at Sentosa. Bhullar has been in good form lately, having posted three top-tens in the last three Asian Tour events that he has played.
“I’ve grown up watching golf on TV, especially The Open and it’s been my dream to play in this championship,” said the 20-year-old from Kapurthala.
All four of last year’s qualifiers – Danny Chia of Malaysia, Adam Blyth of Australia, Angelo Que of the Philippines and Chih-Bing Lam of Singapore – will return to Sentosa in an attempt to secure their places at consecutive Open Championships. Chia took last year’s IFQ by one shot from Blyth, yet it was Lam who was to shine at Birkdale in unfamiliar conditions.
An opening round 72 left him tied 15th after day one, a position which he consolidated, making the cut with a total of 147, the same score as former Open champions Ben Curtis and Justin Leonard.
“Playing all four rounds last year was one of the best experiences of my life,” said Lam ahead of IFQ. “Hopefully I can do it again.”
2005 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, first played in The Open in 2006 where he finished a respectable tied-31st. The 42-year-old Thai, who has 10 victories on the Asian Tour, has once again set his sights on playing with the world’s elite.
“After my experience of playing in The Open in 2006 at Royal Liverpool, I had always wanted to get back to playing in a Major. It would be an honour for me if I can manage to pull it off.”
Play will commence at 08:00 local time on both Tuesday and Wednesday with live scores and stories published on Opengolf.com throughout the days of competition.
The full IFQ – Asia entry list and draw can also be found online at Opengolf.com.
Labels: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, Pro Men
posted by Gillian |
See story on its own page | Monday, March 30, 2009
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