Hua Hin, Thailand: Malaysia’s Gavin Green believes a top-40 result at the Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage presented by Sports Authority of Thailand will jump start his career.
The big-hitting 22-year-old, who created headlines when he became the first amateur to win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in 2014, is aiming for a successful debut at the Qualifying School, which starts on Wednesday.
“The game’s quite solid. I saw my coach, Chris O'Connell, in the United States recently and we worked on a few stuff like getting my shots more consistent and hitting it more solid. It’s been six months since I last saw him. I had a much-needed break as well and I am glad to be back here, all ready to go,” said Green.
Green, who joined the professional ranks last June, admitted it took him some time to get used to the transition from being an amateur to a professional. He, alongside 244 other players, will aim for successful outings at Qualifying School, where the top-40 and ties earn an Asian Tour card for the 2016 season.
“There are a lot of good players out here. It’s not going to be easy but if I can play some good golf, I should have a good chance. Winning on the ADT before does give me some confidence but it’s pretty different now as I’ve turned professional since. It took a bit of getting used to but I have learnt to pace myself through and not exert too much stress on myself,” added Green.
Apart from Green, retired professional tennis player and golf amateur Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand will also attempt to make the grade at the Qualifying School.
“This is my first time playing in the Asian Tour Qualifying School. I am very happy to get the opportunity to play here. I think making the mark at the Qualifying School will a great step forward if I want to turn professional. It will be a good start for me,” said Paradorn.
Paradorn, nicknamed ‘Ball’, was the first men's singles player from Asia to be ranked inside top-10 of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) rankings, where he reached a career high world number nine. He hopes to enjoy the same success on the golf course this week.
“Golf is really different from Tennis. It is more difficult on the mental side. You’re not always playing against other players. Sometimes you’re just trying to beat yourself. I will just treat this as another tournament. I will play my own game, keep to my routine and stay positive,” added Paradorn, who resides in Pattaya.
Apart from players in the region, the Qualifying School also welcomed players from across the globe with the likes of Guatemalan Jose Rolz and Juan Ignacio Lizarralde of Uruguay also eyeing coveted spots in the 2016 Asian Tour season.
“I have heard a lot of good stuff on the Asian Tour and I know there are a lot of good players out here. There are a lot of exposure and opportunities out here as well which was why I decided to come here and try it out after turning professional six months ago,” said the 24-year-old Rolz, who was one of four players who topped the leaderboard at the First Stage held at Springfield Royal Country Club last week.
“I feel like I’m out on an adventure coming to this part of the world on my own. The game’s getting along very nicely for the last three weeks. I am really excited for the week ahead. I will try my best to secure my card this week,” added Rolz.
Lizarralde, who is enjoying the company of good friend Rolz in what is his second attempt at the Qualifying School, said: “I am very happy to make it through the first stage. It has been really fun. It’s great that I get to practise with my good friend Jose (Rolz). We are staying together and I’m looking forward to a great week ahead.”
“The competition is better and the prize purses are bigger in Asia. You get a lot of playing opportunities here. I was playing at home and I thought my game was improving. I wanted to go somewhere different to get my game going and I knew I had to come to Asia,” added the 36-year-old Uruguayan, who turned professional in 2007.
A total of 245 players will feature in the Final Stage where the first two rounds will be played at Springfield Royal Country Club and Imperial Lakeview Golf Club while Springfield Royal will host the final two days. Players who finished top-40 and ties will secure playing rights on the region’s premier Tour in 2016.
All Qualifying School entrants will be eligible to compete on the burgeoning ADT, which was inaugurated in 2010 as a gateway to the premier Asian Tour. The secondary circuit staged a record total of 28 tournaments in the 2014 season.
