Flint on fire - four shots clear in Myanmar Masters
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIA TOUR
Yangon, January 30: Australia’s Gavin Flint moved closer to lifting the US$75,000 Air Bagan Myanmar Masters presented by IBTC title following a third-round one-under-par 71 today.
The Australian’s three-day total of 10-under-par 206 put him in a commanding four- shot lead over Myanmar ’s Aung Win who returned with a 68 to take second place on 210 at the season-opening event of the inaugural Asian Development Tour.
Malaysia ’s Akhmal Tarmizee added a 73 to his previous rounds of 69 and 69 to take a share of third place alongside Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Chia-jen who posted a 69 for a 211 total.
Brazil’s Lucas Lee is a further shot back in fifth place on 212 while Sweden’s Richard Karlberg recorded the day’s best score of 67 to take a share of sixth place with first round joint-leader Myanmar’s Thein Zaw Myint on 213.
Overnight leader Flint, who enjoyed two top-10s en route to a 49th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit last season, continued his pre-season warm-up by marking his card with birdies on holes seventh, ninth and 13th before dropping shots on the 15th and 16th.
“It’s always nice to be in the lead but there are still 18 more holes to play tomorrow and I hope to be up there on the leaderboard when it all ends,” said Flint of his final round before he heads to Bangkok next week for the start of the 2010 Asian Tour season.
Local prospect Aung who began the day in tied-seventh put in the red numbers with four birdies against one lone bogey on the sixth hole in his opening front-nine.
He recorded further birdies on the 10th and 17th after the turn but dropped another shot on the 13th to eventually sign for a 68. Looking ahead to the all-important final round, Aung hopes to reward the home crowd by taking the contest down to the wire on the final day.
“I played pretty solid today. I stuck to my same game plan for three rounds and I’ll continue to do the same for the final round tomorrow,” said Aung, who attracted the large galleries who had followed him throughout the Pun Hlaing Golf Club.
Despite moving one place down to third, Akhmal was satisfied with his performance all week and is hopeful of ending it on a high note on Sunday.
“My iron shots have been really good. I hit a lot of greens and my putts from longer distance have been really good today,” said the Malaysian, a bronze medallist at the 2007 South East Asia games.
Asian Tour hopeful Lee knows that he needs another good round on the final day before he can secure a dream start at next week’s full field Asian Tour event in Bangkok .
The leading non Asian Tour member who finishes within the top-five will receive a place at the season-opening Asian Tour International in Bangkok next week.
“I’ve always wanted to play on the Asian Tour and I know that I’ve a good chance of doing it if I play one more solid round tomorrow,” said the Brazilian-born Lee.
While a place at next week’s Asian Tour is at stake, a good result at this week’s Air Bagan Myanmar Masters is also crucial for many of the aspiring professionals as the leading three players on the Asian Development Tour will win their coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season.
“My dream is to play on the Asian Tour and I hope to gain more confidence by playing against an international field this week,” said Myanmar ’s Zaw Paing Oo who is nine shots off the lead after carding a 71 for a share of 13th place.
The Asian Development Tour is designed in the same structure as the Nationwide Tour in America and European Challenge Tour to build a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia .
The Air Bagan Myanmar Masters presented by IBTC marks the start of the inaugural Asian Development Tour. Since the announcement of the Asian Development Tour, many regional tournaments have shown a keen interest to support this new and exciting initiative by the Asian Tour.
The Tour not only allows aspiring young talent to develop their game through a secondary circuit in Asia , it also provides sponsorship opportunities to local companies hoping to maximize their exposure through the Tour.
Other legs on the Asian Development Tour are being finalised in the Philippines , Chinese Taipei, Indonesia , Thailand , Malaysia , Vietnam and India .
For more information and the latest news on the Asian Development Tour, visit the Asian Development Tour website at http://www.asiantour.com/adt_home.aspx
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIA TOUR
Yangon, January 30: Australia’s Gavin Flint moved closer to lifting the US$75,000 Air Bagan Myanmar Masters presented by IBTC title following a third-round one-under-par 71 today.
The Australian’s three-day total of 10-under-par 206 put him in a commanding four- shot lead over Myanmar ’s Aung Win who returned with a 68 to take second place on 210 at the season-opening event of the inaugural Asian Development Tour.
Malaysia ’s Akhmal Tarmizee added a 73 to his previous rounds of 69 and 69 to take a share of third place alongside Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Chia-jen who posted a 69 for a 211 total.
Brazil’s Lucas Lee is a further shot back in fifth place on 212 while Sweden’s Richard Karlberg recorded the day’s best score of 67 to take a share of sixth place with first round joint-leader Myanmar’s Thein Zaw Myint on 213.
Overnight leader Flint, who enjoyed two top-10s en route to a 49th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit last season, continued his pre-season warm-up by marking his card with birdies on holes seventh, ninth and 13th before dropping shots on the 15th and 16th.
“It’s always nice to be in the lead but there are still 18 more holes to play tomorrow and I hope to be up there on the leaderboard when it all ends,” said Flint of his final round before he heads to Bangkok next week for the start of the 2010 Asian Tour season.
Local prospect Aung who began the day in tied-seventh put in the red numbers with four birdies against one lone bogey on the sixth hole in his opening front-nine.
He recorded further birdies on the 10th and 17th after the turn but dropped another shot on the 13th to eventually sign for a 68. Looking ahead to the all-important final round, Aung hopes to reward the home crowd by taking the contest down to the wire on the final day.
“I played pretty solid today. I stuck to my same game plan for three rounds and I’ll continue to do the same for the final round tomorrow,” said Aung, who attracted the large galleries who had followed him throughout the Pun Hlaing Golf Club.
Despite moving one place down to third, Akhmal was satisfied with his performance all week and is hopeful of ending it on a high note on Sunday.
“My iron shots have been really good. I hit a lot of greens and my putts from longer distance have been really good today,” said the Malaysian, a bronze medallist at the 2007 South East Asia games.
Asian Tour hopeful Lee knows that he needs another good round on the final day before he can secure a dream start at next week’s full field Asian Tour event in Bangkok .
The leading non Asian Tour member who finishes within the top-five will receive a place at the season-opening Asian Tour International in Bangkok next week.
“I’ve always wanted to play on the Asian Tour and I know that I’ve a good chance of doing it if I play one more solid round tomorrow,” said the Brazilian-born Lee.
While a place at next week’s Asian Tour is at stake, a good result at this week’s Air Bagan Myanmar Masters is also crucial for many of the aspiring professionals as the leading three players on the Asian Development Tour will win their coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season.
“My dream is to play on the Asian Tour and I hope to gain more confidence by playing against an international field this week,” said Myanmar ’s Zaw Paing Oo who is nine shots off the lead after carding a 71 for a share of 13th place.
The Asian Development Tour is designed in the same structure as the Nationwide Tour in America and European Challenge Tour to build a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia .
The Air Bagan Myanmar Masters presented by IBTC marks the start of the inaugural Asian Development Tour. Since the announcement of the Asian Development Tour, many regional tournaments have shown a keen interest to support this new and exciting initiative by the Asian Tour.
The Tour not only allows aspiring young talent to develop their game through a secondary circuit in Asia , it also provides sponsorship opportunities to local companies hoping to maximize their exposure through the Tour.
Other legs on the Asian Development Tour are being finalised in the Philippines , Chinese Taipei, Indonesia , Thailand , Malaysia , Vietnam and India .
For more information and the latest news on the Asian Development Tour, visit the Asian Development Tour website at http://www.asiantour.com/adt_home.aspx
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE THIRD-ROUND TOTALS
Labels: ASIAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, January 30, 2010
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