BALLANTINE'S TAIWAN CHAMPIONSHIP

Asian Tour

Taipei, August 23: Korea’s Park Il-kook posted an opening two-under-par 70 to take first round lead at the US$110,000 Ballantine’s Taiwan Championship

A host of Chinese Taipei players that included Chan Ting-li, Lien Lu-sen, Yeh Wei-tze and Lin Wen-tang kept the local hopes alive after they returned with a 71 to stay one shot back of Park in equal second place.

Canada’s Lindsay Renolds and England’s Grant Jackson are among the nine players bunched in tied-sixth place after they signed for a 72 at the National Garden Golf Course in Taipei.

The Ballantine’s Taiwan Championship is set to showcase the region’s aspiring professionals on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), which recently received a massive boost when it was awarded Official World Golf Ranking status from 2013 onwards.

 

With golf returning to the Olympics in 2016, the ADT will become a platform for emerging players from across Asia to have the opportunity to play their way to Rio De Janeiro.

 

From next season, all winners of ADT events will receive a minimum of six World Ranking points while the top-six players and ties will earn points based on a sliding scale.

 

Launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia, a record total of 12 events will be played this season with the top three finishers on the Order of Merit earning Asian Tour cards for 2013.

 

For more information on the ADT, please visit www.asiandevelopmenttour.com.

 

Leading first round scores

70 PARK Il-kook (KOR)

71 CHAN Ting-li (TPE), LIEN Lu-sen (TPE), LIN Wen-tang (TPE), YEH Wei-Tze (TPE)

72 Tommy MANSUWAN (THA), HSU Mong-nan (TPE), Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN), Grant JACKSON (ENG), LIN Chie Hsiang (TPE), HSIEH Chi-hsien (TPE), Greg MOSS (USA), SUNG Mao-chang (TPE)

 

 

Calvin Koh Communications Manager