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Vernon heads Volvo China Open qualifying quartet

Unheralded American Todd Vernon kept a cool head and shot a second round four-under-par 68 to win the Volvo China Open International Qualifying in Hong Kong on Thursday.

His six-under-par 138 total allowed him to leapfrog the early leaders and be first player to claim a coveted spot for the US$2.2 million joint European and Asian Tour event.

Former Taiwan Open champion, Tsai Chi-huang also showed his class by powering his way through the field with a 67 and four-way tie for second. His 140 was matched by Daniel Im of USA, Martin Rominger of Switzerland and Guido Van Der Valk of the Netherlands. He subsequently birdied the first play off hole to secure second spot in Beijing in April.

The final three had to endure two further play-off holes before Im secured third spot with a birdie. A further play off was required before Rominger took the final spot after Van Der Valk drove into a hazard and couldn’t do better than a bogey.

Vernon’s rise to the Volvo China Open has been a long and winding one. At age 13, he started playing with friends at the local municipal course in Denver, Colorado and grew to like the game.

He then worked at a golf course in his spare time while at High School and it was there that he received some coaching from the club pro. He took full advantage of the opportunity to practice and improved so much that he became a top player in his college golf team. After turning pro in 2000, he played mini tours in the US such as Hooter’s Tour, New England and Golden State Tours but he felt he wasn’t progressing.

“I came to try the Asian Tour because doing well there means there is a much more opportunity to progress to something bigger in world golf,” he said. “My goal is the PGA Tour but I’d also be very, very happy to make it onto the European Tour.”

Volvo China Open Qualifying moves to Harbour Plaza Golf Club, Dongguan in 11 days time, where three spots and RMB225000 prize money will be up for grabs.

March 1, 2008