Murakami tops Asian Tour Q School

It was definitely Artemio Murakami’s show in the 2010 Asian Tour Qualifying School Final Stage. It’s now all up to him to make use of this opportunity to shine again in the upcoming Asian Tour season.

Murakami, the winner of the Iskandar Johor Open in 2007, defeated the resilient Guido Van der Valk of Holland in two playoff holes to top the four-day event which assured the Filipino-Japanese of a regular tour card this year. Murakami and Van Der Valk, who both lost their Asian Tour cards last season, returned to the 18th hole after firing a two-under 70 and three-under 69, respectively, to end up with identical 12-under-par 275s in regulation at the Springfield Royal Country Club. Both players birdied the first playoff hole. In the second hole, their balls landed into the water. Murakami recovered as his third shot landed safely on the green for a scrambling par. Van der Valk hit the water on his fourth shot to lose the hole. “From our angle, the sun was facing directly at us and we could not see where the green was! It was a really tough shot which both of us failed to make," said Murakami, who led a total of 45 players who earned their Tour cards. Mark Foster (69) of England, a one-time European Tour winner, finished tied for third with 276 alongside overnight leader and two-time Japan Tour winner Katsumune Imai (74) of Japan. Also getting their cards were Filipinos Ferdie Aunzo (71-283) and Marvin Dumandan (74-283) who wound up 28th, and Jay Bayron (70-285) who placed 40th. – Adrian Flores, GMANews.TV