2009 King's Cup - Round 3: Just one more round to keep the card

For guys like Mitchell Brown, Artemio Murakami and Yoshinobu Tsukada, they will have one last throw of the dice on Sunday and pray for the right numbers to appear at the King’s Cup.

The trio will have one more round to salvage their seasons and keep their Asian Tour cards at the US$300,000 event which is the final tournament of the season.

Mitchell Brown

Brown shot a level par 72 in the third round at the Singha Park Khon Kaen Golf Club for tied 47th position to keep alive his slim hopes of improving his current 68th place on the Order of Merit.

Murakami, who reckons he needs a top-three to break into the all-important top-65 to keep his card, shot a 70 to lie in equal 25th place with 18 holes remaining while Tsukada shot a 72 for 47th place.

The top-65 players after the King’s Cup will earn playing rights for next season and after the 65th-ranked Shaaban Hussin of Malaysia missed the cut by one shot on Friday, it left players like Brown with a chance to force their way into the elite bracket.

“For sure, I’ve got something to play for now,” said Brown, who skipped the Australian Open this week to focus on his efforts to keep his Asian Tour card.

He entered the week with his form and confidence in tatters and has been trying to fix his swing throughout the week. He trails Shaaban by approximately US$3,000 and needs to finish inside the top-25 to have a chance of overhauling the Malaysian.

“Today, the front nine was pretty poor (where he shot 38),” said Brown.

“But on the back nine, I fiddled with my swing and it was really good. It was quite windy and I got it to two under there which was pretty good. I’ve got to get out there tomorrow and hit a few good shots. If I can shoot three or four under, that would be great. I’ve not felt any pressure at all this week but maybe a little bit now. I might be a bit nervous tomorrow but I just have to go out and play,” he said.

Japan’s Yoshinobu Tsukada, who is ranked 68th on the merit list, also shot a 72 but is not discounting his hopes of finishing in the top-six finish to have a chance of breaking into the top-65.

“I’m trying hard but sometimes when I try hard, I make bogeys.

"It’s okay, I’ll keep trying to enjoy it. I think I’ll need a 62 or 63 tomorrow. There’s still a chance, 18 holes to go. I’m going to drive hard and aim at the pin tomorrow. I’ll have a few beers tonight and have a good sleep to prepare for tomorrow,” said the Japanese veteran.

Murakami needs at least a top-three to have a chance and is ready for one final push.

“There’s one more day to go. I finally got my swing back. I’ve been stroking the ball well but have had some misreads. Hopefully, everything will go in tomorrow. The past few months have been very stressful until I have stomach ache! I feel like crying every week but this it the reality.

"If I don’t make it, I’ll go back to Qualifying School. My putting has let me down all season. It affected my golf swing but there’s one day to go,” said the Filipino, who won the Iskandar Johor Open in Malaysia in 2007.

December 5, 2009

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