Singapore: India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar yesterday qualified for playing in this year’s British Open by carding a four-under-par 67 to win the Major’s international final qualifying event for Asia.
Bhullar’s two-day, six-under-par score of 136 ensured that one of the Asian Tour’s brightest young talents will join the world’s elite at Turnberry, Scotland, where the Open will be played in July.
The other qualifiers included China’s Liang Wen-chong, who fired a sparkling 66 for a two-day score of 138, to secure his second appearance at the Open, and Australia’s Terry Pilkadaris, who ended on 139 with 72 on the second day.
Australia’s Tim Stewart, meanwhile, had to survive a gripping play-off to earn the last of the four tickets at stake, with nine players tied at two-under 140 at the Sentosa Golf Club’s Serapong course.
Starting the day in tied-eighth and four shots off the lead, Bhullar knew that he had to play the game of his life to stand any chance of making the trip to Scotland.
“I actually set a target of five-under for today, although I managed to finish in four-under. But it’s okay. I’m really happy now that I’m on my way to the British Open,” said Bhullar, who scored four birdies in a bogey-free round.
“I’ve been watching the British Open since I was a kid and to actually get to play there is truly a dream come true,” said the 20-year-old from Kapurthala.
Liang, who last year became the first mainland Chinese to play in all four rounds at the Open, was delighted with the chance to return again.
“I played really well today. My tee shots and putts were all spot-on and I couldn’t ask for a better performance,” said Liang, whose card included an eagle and three birdies.
“I hope to continue playing well and hopefully put Asia on the world map with a good showing in July,” said Liang, Asia’s number one in 2007.
Pilkadaris, who made his first Open appearance at Carnoustie in 2007, was relieved after a second round that he thought had cost him his chance of making the grade.
“I played horrendously today. I put myself under lots of pressure by hitting into the trees with my drives and was always scrambling to recover,” said the three-time Asian Tour winner.
The Australian, who teed off on the back nine, got off strongly with a birdie on the 11th but then fell apart with bogeys on 12th, 13th, 15th and 16th holes, making the turn in three-over.
Pilkadaris scored two more bogeys, an eagle and two birdies on his inward nine to return with a 72 for 139 and third place.
Stewart, with a score of 70 in regulation play, said he had already booked a taxi to the airport when he was called back for the playoff.
“This performance definitely ranks right up there at the top for me,” said Stewart after a nerve-wracking playoff. 
* Former badminton world number one Ye Zhaoying is trading her racket for a set of clubs this week in an attempt to become the first woman to qualify for the China Open.
The twice world champion is one of four women in a field of 93 players teeing off on Wednesday in the hope of claiming one of the last three spots at China’s $2.2mn national Open, which is co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
Ye, one of the best shuttlers of all time, ended her 16-year badminton career after winning a bronze medal in controversial circumstances at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Team coach Li Yongbo later admitted he had instructed Ye to lose her semi-final to compatriot Gong Zhichao, who was considered to have a better chance of beating Dane Camilla Martin in the final.
“I needed to take up another sport after I retired from badminton and quickly got hooked on golf,” the 34-year-old amateur said in a news release.
The leading three scorers over 36 holes at the Honghua Golf Club this week will qualify for the April 16-19 tournament at Beijing International Golf Club.
The China Open is also sanctioned by the new OneAsia Tour and the China Golf Association (CGA). - AFP