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Rodgers wins playoff at AT Q-school finals
 It
was a dream start as Chris Rodgers won the play-off at the Asian
Tour Qualifying School Finals on Saturday.
The Englishman defeated Ross Bain of Scotland in extra time with
a par at the par five 18th hole at Palm Resort Golf and Country
Club’s Cempaka Course. Bain struggled in the bunker and took
five shots to be on the green as Rodgers safely two putted for his
five and the win.
“Simply delighted. I have come in second place a few times
before in Asian Tour tournaments and finishing on top here is a
fantastic start to the year for me,” said Rodgers.
“I have not dropped a shot in the past three days and I am
very happy with my overall performance, really looking forward to
the season now,” said the winner.
In regulation play, Rodgers enjoyed a blemish free round as he birdied
the 18th and seventh holes in the final round and scored a two-under-par
70.
He was in the lead in the final round as he accumulated a four-day
total of 14-under-par 274. But Bain was on the charge when he fired
a 68 to force a play-off.
Only the top 40 and ties from the Final round earned their cards
for the 2006 Asian Tour season.
Third round leader Lee Sung-man of Korea, the Qualifying School
winner in 2004, scored a 73 as he settled for third position with
a total of 275 to regain his playing privileges in Asia after finishing
outside the top-60 of the Order of Merit last season.
After firing a 69 in the final round, Iain Steel emerged the highest
ranked Malaysian golfer when he was tied fourth position to a total
of 277.
“I am pleased that I managed to get the rhythm going in the
closing stages since I had to battle the scorching heat today,”
said Steel, who has won tournaments in Canada and the United States.
Steel birdied the second hole with a massive 25 foot putt and then
bogeyed the fourth. He had two more birdies on the 10th and 11th
holes before a 20 foot putt at the 13th hole. He will join countryman
S. Murthy who was even-par for the day. Murthy made the cut when
he finished tied 33rd with a 284 total.
“There are some great players on the Asian Tour and I am eager
to get started,” said Steel.
Australian Brad Kennedy, who was in the leading fray, finished tied
seventh when he carded a 77 to a total of 279.
Pakistan’s No.2 golfer Mohamed Shabbir Iqbal carded a 74 and
finished tied ninth while rising Filipino star Juvic Pagunsan, last
year's Southeast Asian Games gold medallist, was in 14th position
when he scored a 74.
Former amateur world number one Michael Sim of Australia missed
his card by two strokes. Other prominent players who failed to earn
their cards include former Asian Tour winners Stephen Lindskog of
Sweden and Nico Van Rensburg of South Africa and former European
Tour regular Jarrod Moseley of Australia.
Leading Final round scores
274 – Chris Rodgers (ENG) 72-68-64-70, Ross Bain (SCO) 67-69-70-68
(Rodgers won playoff in extra hole)
275- Lee Sung-man (KOR) 68-64-70-73
277 – Iain Steel (MAS) 71-69-68-69, Ahmad Dan Bateman (CAN)
71-68-70-68
278 – Park Jun-won (KOR) 68-72-68-70
279 – Anthony Brown (AUS) 72-65-65-77, Brad Kennedy (AUS) 62-69-71-77
280 – Ari Savolainen (FIN) 69-73-69-69, Michael Wright (AUS)
69-70-72-69, Mohamed Shabbir Iqbal (PAK) 70-67-69-74, Garth Mulroy
(RSA) 68-68-74-70, Jason King (AUS) 66-70-74-70
281 – Jamnian Chitprasong (THA) 70-74-69-68, Seuk Jong-Ryul
(KOR) 70-72-70-69, Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 71-71-65-74, Gavin Flint
(AUS) 70-70-73-68, Rowan Beste (AUS) 71-68-69-73, Anton Haig (RSA)
71-68-69-73, Martin Rominger (SWZ) 73-66-68-74, Martin Maritz (RSA)
68-70-68-75, Kang Ji-man (KOR) 71-66-70-74.
January 14, 2006
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