(L-R) – William Harrold, Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, Naoki Sekito, Ervin Chang, Denwit Boriboonsub, Pattaraphol Khanthacha, Ho Yu-cheng, Charng-Tai Sudsom and Aaron Wilkin received their Asian Tour cards for the 2024 season. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
Malaysia’s Ervin Chang’s determination paid off when he clinched the final spot on the Asian Development Tour’s Order of Merit (OOM) to secure the coveted 2024 Asian Tour card. His brilliant form in the ADT’s season-ending Aramco Invitational Tournament in Saudi Arabia saw him finish in sole third spot after four rounds of three 68s and a final day 71 for total 13-under-275, three strokes apart from the eventual winner.
Thailand’s Denwit Boriboonsub clinched the title after beating England’s William Harrold in a playoff at Rolling Hills Golf Club after the pair were tied for the lead after 72 holes.
Denwit Boriboonsub of Thailand. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
The win for Denwit, who overcame a poor start to force himself back into contention in the final round, was also enough to clinch victory in the season-long Order of Merit table and be the first to claim an Asian Tour card for next season.
And the boosted prize money at the US$250,000 Asian Development Tour event meant that Harrold, who began the day in 21st place on the OOM list, was also successful in securing his card for next year, eventually finishing in fourth spot.
Australia’s Deyen Lawson, the OOM leader coming into the tournament, was forced to retire due to injury after the first round, but his accumulated prize money meant he hung on to second spot and will also be teeing it up on the Asian Tour next year.
William Harrold of England. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Development Tour.
Ho Yu-cheng of Chinese Taipei, winner of the PKNS Selangor Masters in early November, may have missed the cut in this event but the win in Malaysia and other results through the season were enough to to secure third place on the OOM list and lock in the prized Asian Tour card for 2024.
Australia’s Aaron Wilkin, who won the BRG Open Golf Championship in Vietnam in August, was in contention throughout the tournament but could only manage a one under par 71 today. Nonetheless, it proved good enough for fifth place in the OOM table and a place on the Asian Tour for next year. He tied for fourth spot in the tournament today with Minhyeok Yang (67) of Korea.
Former ADT OOM champion Naoki Sekito of Japan clinched sixth spot in the list having played 11 of the 12 ADT events this year, and Thailand’s Charng-Tai Sudsom, who played every event, was also rewarded for his consistency with seventh place on the list and guaranteed starts on the Asian Tour for 2024.
Eighth on the OOM is India’s Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, followed by Thailand’s Pattaraphol Khanthacha, and rounding out the top ten finishers was Malaysia’s Ervin Chang, who played solidly all week and a fine third place in the tournament was enough to secure the final sport on the OOM qualifiers list.
For Chang, his elevation to the top tier of Asian Golf for next year is testament to his determination and desire to improve.
Having turned professional in 2021 after winning an individual gold medal at the SEA Games, he has repaid the faith of the officials who picked him this year as the first recipient of the inaugural Kyi Hla Han Future Champions Award.
Vietnam’s Chi Quan Truong made his best finish on the ADT this year, his final round score of 70 was enough to secure him solo sixth spot and while it may have been his best single payout of the season, it was not enough to move him far enough up the table.
Thailand’s Sarun Sirithon shot a bogey-free seven under par round of 65 to lift himself up the leaderboard, overcoming a poor start to the tournament to force himself into contention on the final day. He finished in a tie for seventh place alongside Japan’s Shinichi Mizuno (68) and fellow Thais Charng-Tai (67) and Pattaraphol (69).
Also tied for the low score of the day with 65 were Thai compatriots Amarin Kraivixien, who finished on nine under par in 11th spot, and Puwit Anupansuebsai on eight under par in a tie for 18th.
Joining Amarin in 11th place were India’s Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (67), Berry Henson (69) of the USA, early tournament leader Harley Smith (70) of England, Sweden’s Calle Strandberg (70), Naoki Sekito (72) of Japan and Thailand’s Nopparat Panichphol (68).
