Asian Tour qualifying school set to return to Hua Hin

The Asian Tour’s 2019 qualifying school will be held in Thailand in November and December this year.

The qualifying school comprises two stages – the first stage and final stage. The venues will be Windsor Park & Golf Club and Lake View Resort & Golf Club in Hua Hin,which returns as a host after a two-year absence.

The first qualifying stage will be played over two different weeks, beginning on Nov 26 and Dec 17.

The top-placed players from the first qualifying stage will progress to the final stage.

The final qualifying stage will be held at Lake View Resort from Dec 26 to 30.

The event will be played over five rounds. The top 70 players (and ties) will play in the crucial final round, which will be held on Dec 30.

At the conclusion of the qualifying school, the top-35 players (and ties) will earn their Tour cards for the 2019 season.

The Asian Tour qualifying school has been the springboard to success for many a player, and not only from Asia.

The alumni includes Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand, Korea’s Noh Seung-yul, American David Lipsky and Australian Scott Hend, who have all been Order of Merit champions.

More recently, Australian Todd Sinnott won his maiden Asian Tour title in Myanmar, two weeks after finishing second at qualifying school.

American John Catlin, who earned his first Tour card via the 2015 qualifying school, achieved a career breakthrough by capturing the Asia-Pacific Classic title in May and continued his winning run by capturing the Sarawak Championship last week.

Other qualifying school graduates who have gone on to become champions include recently-crowned Panasonic Swing champion Shiv Kapur, two-time Asian Tour winner Shubhankar Sharma as well as 2017 Asian Tour Rookie of the Year Micah Lauren Shin of the United States.