Quiban regains Asian Tour card, ties for 3rd

MANILA, Philippines -- Justin Quiban skidded in a final round meltdown that cost him the Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage top honors but hardly spoiled his bid for a Tour card as he tied for third with a 73 at the close of the five-round elims in Hua Hin, Thailand Saturday.

Kristoffer Broberg struck from out of nowhere to clinch the low medal honors with a rare three-eagle feat at the par-72 Springfield Royal Country Club on his way to a 66. The power-hitting Swede seized control with a birdie-eagle-birdie start, also at Springfield, then bounced back from bogeys on Nos. 8 and 11 with eagles on Nos. 12 and 18, both par-5s, to close out with a 33-33 and finish on top of the class with an 18-under 340.

He edged Shogenji Tatsunori by two after the Japanese pooled a 342 after a 67, while Quiban rallied with two birdies in the last seven holes to salvage a one-over card and share third place with Aussie Justin Warren and Spain’s Carlos Pigem at 344.

Warren fired a 68 while Pigem matched par 72.

Thirty two others secured their Tour cards for the new season, but Sean Ramos missed out by a single stroke. He shot four birdies against two bogeys but his 70 could only net him a 353 total.

Japanese Tomoyo Ikemura fought back with a 69 as he tied Kiwi Nick Voke, the first round leader who turned in a 72, compatriot Taihei Sato and Chile’s Matias Dominguez, who matched 73s, for the last four berths at 352.

Pulling ahead of the pack with a 64 at Lake View Resort and Golf Club Friday, Quiban birdied No. 3 but fell off the leaderboard with four bogeys in the next seven holes. The three-time Philippine Golf Tour winner, however, finished strongwith birdies on the last two long holes.

As a full-card holder, Quiban is now set to participate in the Asian Tour’s kickoff leg, the $1-million Malaysian Open, slated February 15-18 at the Mines Resort and Golf Club, joining the likes of Tour regulars Miguel Tabuena and Angelo Que.

Quiban posted a best joint-14th-place effort in the DGC Open, won by Tabuena, in India last year but lost his card after up at No. 86 in the Asian Tour Order of Merit rankings.