Go gets going in International Series Qatar golf tilt

MANILA, Philippines – Lloyd Go hopes to make an impact in the International Series Qatar as a full-pledged Asian Tour card holder, joining compatriots Miguel Tabuena and Angelo Que in the title hunt in the $2.5 million championship beginning Thursday at the Doha Golf Club.

The 28-year-old Go is coming into the 72-hole event brimming with confidence after a runner-up finish in last week’s The Country Club Invitational. The rising Cebuano star secured playing rights for the region’s premier circuit this year by finishing seventh in the Asian Development Tour in a stint highlighted by a couple of runner-up finishes, including a playoff setback in the BRG Open in Vietnam.

But this week’s battle will require more than momentum and confidence as Go will slug it out with some of the world’s leading players, including Dodge Kemmer of the US and Korean Sangpil Yoon, whom he’ll be playing with at 7:50 a.m. on No. 10 of the long par-72 layout.

Meanwhile, the ICTSI-backed Tabuena seeks to cash in on his strong finish in last week’s International Series Oman where he tied for 13th as he kicks off his drive at 7:40 a.m., also at the backside, with Thai ace Prom Meesawat and Darren Fichardt of South Africa.

Que, on the other hand, goes all out to snap out of back-to-back missed cut stints in Saudi International and Oman, drawing Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand and Japanese Mikumu Horikawa at 6:40 a.m. on No. 10.

Former Masters champion Charl Schwartzel heads the 132-player field, clashing with Sihwan Kim of the US and Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand in a marquee matchup at 7:20 a.m. at the backside of the wind-raked layout.

Others tipped to contend are Thais Sadom Kaewkanjana and Jazz Janewattananond, Korean Bio Kim, Aussies Scott Hend and Wade Ormsby, Taiwanese Chan Shih-chang and former Philippine Open champions Berry Henson of the US and England’s Steve Lewton.