Murakami tops Asian Tour elims; 3 others in

MANILA, Philippines - Artemio Murakami, who lost his Asian Tour card with a poor campaign last season, regained it in grand fashion as he topped the 2010 Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage in Hua Hin, Thailand late Saturday.

Murakami closed out with a two-under par 70 at the Springfield Royal Country Club then outsteadied Dutchman Guido Van der Valk, who shot a 69 to force a sudden death, in the second playoff hole to claim the top honors in the grueling qualifier.

Both players finished with 12-under 275s.

The duo birdied the first playoff hole with Murakami and Van der Valk dumping their approach shots on the next hole into the water. But Van der Valk failed to recover his bearing and hit his fourth shot into the water for the second time, enabling the Fil-Japanese shotmaker to clinch the win.

“From our angle, the sun was facing directly at us and we could not see where the green was. It was a really tough shot which both of us failed to make,” said Murakami, the 2007 Iskandar Johor Open winner, who thus led a total of 45 players who earned their Tour cards.

They include three other ICTSI-backed Filipinos – Ferdie Aunzo, Marvin Dumandan and Jay Bayron. Aunzo, who stood below the cut-off line with two 72s in the first two days, rallied with a 68 in the third round then closed out with a 71 to tie Dumandan, who fumbled with a 74, and six others at 28th place with 283s.

Bayron fired a two-under 70 and salvaged one of the last seven berths at 285.

Mark Foster of England, a one-time European Tour winner, finished tied for third on 276 after a 69 alongside overnight leader and two-time Japan Tour winner Katsumune Imai of Japan, who had a 74.

Singapore’s Quincy Quek wound up in joint 11th after a 74. Thailand’s Pol Kemmarat was the only Thai who earned his Tour card after a 70 for a 283.

Frenchman Jean Van De Velde failed in his second attempt at the Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage after finishing tied for 67th.

Murakami was delighted to make a swift return to the Asian Tour after posting four birdies against two bogeys in the final day.

“Overall my game clicked this week. I was struggling with my putting last year but it seems to be coming together again. It is always good to start with a victory and hopefully it will spur me on to more success this year,” said Murakami.