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Teenage brothers qualify for Volvo China

Teenage brothers Pan Cheng-tsung and Pan Fu-chiang of Chinese Taipei pulled off a unique double by qualifying for the Volvo China Open through International Qualifying at Discovery Bay Golf Club in Hong Kong on Tuesday.

Fu-chiang, the elder of the two at 18 years old, produced a superb seven-under-par 65 in the second round, an improvement of eight shots from his opening day's effort, for a six-under-par 138 total and finished equal third. Cheng-tsung, 15, fired impressive rounds of 69 and 68 for a 137 total for second place.

Han Lee of Korea took medalist honours, finishing on 133 following rounds of 67 and 66, while Andrew Butterfield of England, a regular on the European Tour, took the fourth and final place available at Discovery Bay after returning cards of 68 and 70, which included a birdie on his last hole.

The Volvo China Open, which is offering a record US$2 million in total prize money, will be played at Shanghai Silport Golf Club from April 12-15. While qualifying was introduced for Chinese players in 2005, this is the first time that an international qualifying was introduced by organisers to make the Volvo China Open a truly "Open" affair.

The younger Pan, the individual silver medalist at the Asian Games in Doha last December, pulled off a sensational eagle at the last hole to clinch his berth. He was in a group of five players at five-under-par at one stage, chasing the third and fourth places over the closing holes.

The 15-year-old struck a superb three iron second shot to within four feet at the 536-yard par five final hole and sank the eagle putt to jump out of the pack and into second place.

“This is much better than Doha,” he said. “Here I am playing against the pros and to finish ahead of all of them except one is a wonderful feeling. My next tournament is actually the Volvo China Open, and I will practice very hard for that and hopefully do well.”

The two teenagers are the first brothers ever to represent Chinese Taipei in international amateur championships at the same time and share the same goal. “Our ambition is to qualify for the US PGA Tour,” both brothers said.

Six places for Chinese players still remain to be won in the Volvo China Open and will be decided at the final two qualifying competitions to be held in Shanghai and Beijing within the next three weeks.

In the first qualifying restricted to Chinese players earlier this month, Wu Kang-chun made it a memorable first outing as a professional by winning the Qualifying competition with a two round total of 146 at Dongguan Harbour Plaza Golf Club.

Wu, a top amateur golfer, was always in control in the chilly conditions and finished two shots ahead of Xioa Zhi-jin of Hainan and Harbour Plaza pro, Tan Yong-zong.

The highlight of the day came from home pro Tan, who used his abundance of local knowledge to fashion a solid two over par 74 to snatch a tie for second place and so one of the three coveted spots in the Volvo China Open.

March 14, 2007