Best-ranked Malaysian golfer Nicholas Fung.
PETALING JAYA: Nicholas Fung, fresh from capturing his third win on the PGM Tour, is looking to strengthen his position as the best-ranked Malaysian on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) to secure a spot at the lucrative CIMB Classic next month.
Nicholas, currently the highest ranked Malaysia at No. 471 on the OWGR, won the Malacca Classic last week and he will be playing at the RM200,000 PGM MNRB Sarawak Masters, which tees off on Wednesday.
The Sarawak Masters is part of the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and the race to finish inside the top three on the Order of Merit is still very much alive.
The top three players on the Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn Asian Tour cards for 2014 and Nicholas is looking to strengthen his position as the best-ranked Malaysian.
The highest-ranked Malaysian in the world will be given a spot in the US$7mil (RM22.4mil) CIMB Classic, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and US PGA Tour. The cut-off date to qualify is on Oct 7.
“It would be an honour if I have the chance to play with the US PGA Tour players in the CIMB Classic for the first time,” said the 23-year-old, who is currently ranked third in the ADT Order of Merit.
“Hopefully I can produce a decent finish on this week’s ADT to strengthen my world ranking and secure my spot for the CIMB Classic,” added Nicholas.
American James Bowen, who has two victories on the ADT this season, leads the Order of Merit after battling into a thrilling playoff at the PGM-UMW Sabah Classic on September.
Despite losing to Taiwan’s Chan Shih-chang on the third extra hole, Bowen managed to oust Malaysia’s Iain Steel to take over the lead with a haul of US$37,545 (RM120,144).
Steel, also with two wins this season, is second with US$35,444 (RM113,420). Nicholas is third with US$28,681 (RM91,779).
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