JAMES BYRNE BIRDIES THE LAST TO EARN ASIAN TOUR 2012 PLACE
Banchory's James Byrne kept his nerve over the last round of the Final Qualifying School at Cha Am, Thailand to earn playing rights on the Asian Tour this coming season.
A member of the winning GB and I team in last September's Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen, the 24-year-old Byrne shot 68, 69, 75 and 72 for a four-under-par total of 284 and joint 28th place among the 42 qualifiers at 285 or better.
Bryne, who played four years on the American college circuit as a student at Arizona State University, said the pressure started to build up after he bogeyed the 17th to put himself on the borderline. But he responded to it in the best possible way by sinking a birdie putt at the last to make the cut with a shot to spare.
“I’m happy with the way I finished. The pressure was there, no doubt about it. The cut is always on the back of your mind. You try not to think about it but it is hard to avoid the fact that you are right there,” said Byrne.
“I’m delighted to have some where to play on. I could have received some invites on the Challenge Tour but I didn’t want to go down that route where you play about seven events a year. I feel like I’m good enough to be able to win on the Asian Tour,” added Bryne, whose mother comes from Singapore.
David Lipsky of the United States won the Qualifying School Final Stage with a closing round of four-under 68 for a total of 14-under 274. Lipsky is half-South Korean.
Lipsky enjoyed a successful college career at the Northwestern University, Chicago and credited his victory to words of encouragement received from world No 1 Luke Donald on the social network Twitter. Donald spent four years at Northwestern and has retained strong links with the university.
“Luke Donald and my coach sent me some good messages this week. That really encouraged me. It was just a Tweet from Luke telling me good luck. Nothing too serious but that always helps with the confidence when you have the world number one wishing you luck,” said the 23-year-old.
Only three British players earned membership of the 2012 Asian Tour - Byrne and England's Stephen Lewton (277) and Gary Wodman (283).
ASIAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Cha Am, Thailand.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
42 players with totals of 285 or better earned players' cards.
274 David Lipsky (US) 72 65 69 68
276 Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 73 70 70 63, Adam Groom (Aus) 69 71 68 68, Arnond Vongvanij (Tha) 69 64 74 69, Dodge Kemmer (US) 66 70 69 71.
277 Sushi Ishigaki (Jap) 66 69 73 69, Stephen Lewton (Eng) 68 74 66 69
278 Yosuke Tsukada (Jap) 63 71 71 73
280 Javi Colomo (Spa) 65 72 74 69, Makoto Inoue (Jap) 70 70 70 70, Masanori Kobayashi (Jap) 70 67 68 75
281 Jesper Kennegard (Swe) 71 70 74 66, Joon H Lee (SKo) 67 71 71 72, Wade Ormsby Ormsby (Aus) 69 71 68 73, Martin Rominger (Swi) 72 63 72 74.
Selected scores:
283 Guy Woodman (Eng) 64 69 74 76.
284 James Byrne (Sco) 68 69 75 72 (T28)
MISSED THE CUT
288 Dale Marmion (Eng) 70 67 73 78, Niall Kearney (Ire) 72 72 72 72 (T56)
289 Jake Shepherd (Eng) 71 71 75 72 (T61).
290 Niall Turner (Ire) 68 73 76 73 (T68).
291 Simon Griffiths (Eng) 68 72 76 75,k Chris Rodgers (Eng) 70 74 72 75 (T73).
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
A member of the winning GB and I team in last September's Walker Cup match at Royal Aberdeen, the 24-year-old Byrne shot 68, 69, 75 and 72 for a four-under-par total of 284 and joint 28th place among the 42 qualifiers at 285 or better.
Bryne, who played four years on the American college circuit as a student at Arizona State University, said the pressure started to build up after he bogeyed the 17th to put himself on the borderline. But he responded to it in the best possible way by sinking a birdie putt at the last to make the cut with a shot to spare.
“I’m happy with the way I finished. The pressure was there, no doubt about it. The cut is always on the back of your mind. You try not to think about it but it is hard to avoid the fact that you are right there,” said Byrne.
“I’m delighted to have some where to play on. I could have received some invites on the Challenge Tour but I didn’t want to go down that route where you play about seven events a year. I feel like I’m good enough to be able to win on the Asian Tour,” added Bryne, whose mother comes from Singapore.
David Lipsky of the United States won the Qualifying School Final Stage with a closing round of four-under 68 for a total of 14-under 274. Lipsky is half-South Korean.
Lipsky enjoyed a successful college career at the Northwestern University, Chicago and credited his victory to words of encouragement received from world No 1 Luke Donald on the social network Twitter. Donald spent four years at Northwestern and has retained strong links with the university.
“Luke Donald and my coach sent me some good messages this week. That really encouraged me. It was just a Tweet from Luke telling me good luck. Nothing too serious but that always helps with the confidence when you have the world number one wishing you luck,” said the 23-year-old.
Only three British players earned membership of the 2012 Asian Tour - Byrne and England's Stephen Lewton (277) and Gary Wodman (283).
ASIAN TOUR FINAL QUALIFYING SCHOOL
Cha Am, Thailand.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
42 players with totals of 285 or better earned players' cards.
274 David Lipsky (US) 72 65 69 68
276 Rahil Gangjee (Ind) 73 70 70 63, Adam Groom (Aus) 69 71 68 68, Arnond Vongvanij (Tha) 69 64 74 69, Dodge Kemmer (US) 66 70 69 71.
277 Sushi Ishigaki (Jap) 66 69 73 69, Stephen Lewton (Eng) 68 74 66 69
278 Yosuke Tsukada (Jap) 63 71 71 73
280 Javi Colomo (Spa) 65 72 74 69, Makoto Inoue (Jap) 70 70 70 70, Masanori Kobayashi (Jap) 70 67 68 75
281 Jesper Kennegard (Swe) 71 70 74 66, Joon H Lee (SKo) 67 71 71 72, Wade Ormsby Ormsby (Aus) 69 71 68 73, Martin Rominger (Swi) 72 63 72 74.
Selected scores:
283 Guy Woodman (Eng) 64 69 74 76.
284 James Byrne (Sco) 68 69 75 72 (T28)
MISSED THE CUT
288 Dale Marmion (Eng) 70 67 73 78, Niall Kearney (Ire) 72 72 72 72 (T56)
289 Jake Shepherd (Eng) 71 71 75 72 (T61).
290 Niall Turner (Ire) 68 73 76 73 (T68).
291 Simon Griffiths (Eng) 68 72 76 75,k Chris Rodgers (Eng) 70 74 72 75 (T73).
TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES
CLICK HERE
Labels: ASIAN TOUR
posted by Colin |
See story on its own page | Saturday, January 21, 2012
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