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Loar finishes joint runner-up at Dunhill Links

Asian Tour member Edward Loar enjoyed a spectacular tied second finish after firing a closing two-under-par 70 in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at the Old Course in Scotland on Sunday.

Loar, 28, blasted five birdies against three bogeys and finished alongside Englishman Anthony Wall and Bradley Dredge of Wales with a four-day total of 11-under-par 276. He finished one stroke ahead of Major champion Ernie Els of South Africa who shot a matching 70.

Irishman Padraig Harrington carded a 68 and clinched the title as he finished five strokes ahead Loar.

Loar, the left-hander from United States, picked up a career best cheque of 282,128 euros. He scorched the front nine with birdies on the fifth and sixth holes followed by two more consecutive birdies at the eighth and ninth holes. He chased down Harrington and was tied for the lead after his fifth birdie at the 10th hole but slipped off the pace in the closing stages with bogeys on the 11th, 15th and 17th holes.

With two more events remaining on the European Tour this year, South African James Kingston virtually sealed his card for next season when he fired a 69 and finished in joint eighth place. As a result, Kingston moved up to 103rd on the European Tour Order of Merit where only the top-115 will book their card for 2007.

Englishman Simon Dyson, who has won four Asian Tour titles, finished alongside Kingston after a 70. Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee shot a 71 and ended in joint 38th position while Australia’s Marcus Both scored a 73 and claimed tied 55th spot. Anton Haig of South Africa, the Pulai Springs Malaysian Masters winner, carded a 74 and ended in joint 57th place.

On the US PGA Tour, former Asian Tour regular Daniel Chopra of Sweden shot a three-under-par 69 as he finished in tied sixth spot at the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro.

In a bid to secure his card for next season, India’s Arjun Atwal improved on the final day when he scored five birdies against a lone bogey for a 68 and claimed joint 22nd place. He is now ranked 138th on the US money list, with the top-125 earning playing full rights for 2007. American Ted Purdy shot a 69 and finished in tied 31st place while Korea’s Choi Kyung-ju, last year's champion, was even-par for the second straight day as he ended in tied 43rd spot.

American Davis Love III took the title after a 66.

On the Nationwide Tour, Korea’s Kevin Na enjoyed a wire-to-wire success at the Mark Christopher Charity Classic when he shot a two-under-par 69 on Sunday.

The 23-year-old fired five birdies against a bogey and a double bogey as he finished with a winning total of 16-under-par 268. Na ended his campaign three strokes ahead of American duo of Chris Tidland and Jeff Quinney who claimed joint second spot.

Australia’s Andrew Buckle shot a 73 and finished in lone 59th place. He remains in 17th position on the Nationwide Tour money list and is well poised to earn a US PGA Tour card with a top-20 finish at the end of the season.

October 9, 2006