GOLFER Scott Vincent set himself up for a chance to gain full exempt status for the Asian Tour for the new season with a strong third round at the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School Final Stage at the par-71 Springfield Royal Country Club in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
The highly-rated 23-year-old Zimbabwean had five birdies, including three on the back nine, for a round of four-under 67 that pushed him up from 16th to a tie for fifth position at eight – under-par 205 at the end of the third round.
Vincent, vying to become Zimbabwe’s first Asian Tour golfer, is just two shots behind co-leaders Chikkarangappa S of India and American Tom Johnson, who carded third round scores of 72 and 71 respectively to share the lead on 10-under-par 203. The leading duo holds a one-shot lead over Korea’s Yikeun Chang and overnight leader Kevin McLister, who share third place on 204 after returning with rounds of 71 and 74 respectively.
After today’s final round, the top-40 players including ties will earning their Tour cards for the 2016 Asian Tour season which consists of nine exciting tournaments to be held in Singapore, Malaysia, India, Australia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Thailand. Vincent went into this week’s final stage on a good run of form after winning the First Stage Qualifying School with a wire-to-wire victory on Sunday.
The former St John’s College student recorded rounds of 65, 66, 66 and 66 at the Windsor Park Golf Club to triumph by a massive nine shots on 25-under-par 263.
