Global Golf Post - January 18, 2010

Jean Van de Velde was still able to smile while
considering his options in the burn at Carnoustie.

Asian Tour Q-School’s Out ...
And So Is Jean Van de Velde
HUA HIN, THAILAND | Artemio Murakami of the
Philippines defeated the Netherlands’ Guido Van
der Valk in a playoff at Palm Hills & Springfield Vil-
lage to be the top graduate Sunday from the 2010
Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage.
Frenchman Jean Van de Velde, notorious for
squandering the 1999 Open Championship at Car-
noustie, did not get his card.
Murakami and Van der Valk, who both lost their
Asian Tour cards last season, birdied the first playoff
hole, which led to a dramatic second. Both their
approaches found the water, but while Murakami’s
second attempt found the green, Van der Valk’s
found the water again. Murakami went on to make
his putt for par and the victory.
“From our angle, the sun was facing directly at
us and we could not see where the green was,” said
Murakami. “It was a really tough shot that both of us
failed to make.”
Murakami, the 2007 Iskandar Johor Open
winner, led a total of 45 players who earned their
Tour cards. Among the others were Mark Foster of
England, a one-time European Tour winner, who
fired a final-round 69 to finish tied for third at 276.
Alongside Foster in third was the overnight leader
and two-time Japan Tour winner Katsumune Imai of
Japan, who fired a final round-74.
Headlining the group that that did not get their
cards was Van de Velde, who tied for 67th. It was his
second failed attempt to get his Asian Tour card.
“My game is quite unpredictable,” said Van de
Velde. “I haven’t played and practiced for quite a
while so it is hard to say where my game is right now. I
have shortened my swing a little bit and I feel like my
putting is getting back to where it was in the past.”
Make no mistake, Van de Velde isn’t running from
his past. He is not in Asia trying to escape the demons
of Carnoustie and the eyes of the press.

Stephen Poole, of Aiken, S.C., fired a final-round
2-under-par 70 to win the Hooters Tour Carolina
Series event at the River Hills Golf and Country Club
in Little River, S.C. Poole earned his first victory of the
season with rounds of 73-70-70 for total of 3-under-
par 213. Tony Parish, of North Myrtle Beach, S.C., also
fired a final-round 70 for a 1-under-par 215 total and
his second straight runner-up finish. RESULTS

James Vargas shot a final-round 6-under-par 65

Thursday at the Forest Lake Golf Club in Ocoee, Fla., to
take home Hooters’ Bridgestone Winter Series Week
Nine title. Vargas, 25, carded rounds of 67-67-65 for a
three-day total of 14-under-par 199 and a one-stroke
victory over Michael Thompson, of Birmingham, Ala.,
and Will Wilcox, of Pell City, Ala. Thompson and Wilcox
both shot 5-under 66s to finish at 13-under 200. RESULTS
HARRINGTON POSTS 2nd WIN IN 3 GATEWAY STARTS

BARNES PACES AUSSIE QUALIFIERS FOR BRITISH OPEN
Kurt Barnes, of Australia, shot rounds of 70-64 for
a 10-under-par 134 total to win the International Open
Championship Final Qualifying at Kingston Heath Golf
Club in Melbourne, Australia. Barnes carded nine bird-
ies to one bogey in his final round to take the title by
two shots. Also qualifying for the Open Championship
were Ewan Porter, of Australia, who fired a pair of 68s
for an 8-under-par 136 total, and Aussie Peter Senior,
who shot 69-70 for a 5-under 139 total. RESULTS