Hua Hin, Thailand: Making the most of receiving an Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) exemption, Hong Kong's Taichi Kho has secured his playing rights for this year’s Asian Tour.
Runner-up at the 2021 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), Kho tied for 22nd at the Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage.
In so doing, he was one of 35 players to earn rite of passage onto the Asian Tour this year for what promises to be the most lucrative season in the circuit’s history.
Taimur Hassan Amin, Chairman of the APGC, said: “Congratulations to Taichi and the Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA) on this fabulous achievement.
“I am happy that the APGC was able to provide Taichi with this opportunity – and that he took full advantage of it.
“Taichi is a fine young man and we wish him the very best of luck as he embarks on a new and exciting phase of his journey in golf.”
Danny Lai, the HKGA’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “Our thanks go to the APGC for offering Taichi the spot into the Final Stage of Qualifying School. Taichi has done himself and the APGC proud.”
Victory at the Qualifying School went to Australian Jack Thompson, another player who participated in the AAC during his amateur days.
In his sole AAC appearance, Thompson tied for 21st place at Shanghai’s Sheshan International Golf Club in 2019. He turned professional in 2021.
On a tension-filled day at Lake View Resort and Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thompson closed with a five-under-par 66 for a five-round total of 22-under, two shots ahead of compatriot John Lyras and China’s Bai Zhengkai.
Thompson, now aged 24, made it into the event by claiming the final qualifying berth at the First Stage Qualifying Section C tournament at Blue Canyon Country Club in Phuket at the start of the month. Prior to that he had not been able to practice for three weeks because of a wrist injury.
Said Thompson: “This is great! It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It’s been a long week and it’s a relief to win. There is always concern coming into an event if you can do it or not.
“I hadn’t really had the best prep coming in. I hurt my wrist playing a shot in the Vic PGA last year so I could only hit one bucket of balls in three weeks. It slowly got better and better.”
Thompson’s promise first revealed itself when he won the Gippsland Super 6 Match Play in just his fifth start on the PGA Tour of Australasia in 2021 and his Asian Tour Q School success suggests more great things are to come.
“I have tried a few Q Schools before and missed out so it’s really nice to have somewhere to play overseas now. I had a great group of Aussie guys here this week and that really helped,” added Thompson, who rose to a high of 31st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
In Hua Hin, nine players, tied on eight-under, competed in a sudden-death play-off for the last two cards which eventually went to Thomas Power Horan from Australia and England’s Ben Jones, after they both birdied the first.
China’s Bai, who tied for ninth on his only AAC appearance in Singapore in 2018, said: “This is great. I played Korn Ferry Tour 2020 to 2021, DP World Tour and Challenge Tour last year, and this year I’ll be trying the Asian Tour.
“I played well the last few days. I was feeling good, getting more familiar with the course and attacking more pins,” said Bai, who has been based in Orlando in recent times. He returned to China once in 2021, but had to serve 28 days quarantine in a hotel. Last year he opted to stay on the road most of the time.
Like Kho, Singapore's James Leow received an APGC exemption into the Final Stage of Qualifying. However, with a 72-hole aggregate of two-over 286, he missed out by five strokes on making it through to the final round.
