US-born players may dominate the field of 207 competitors but it is a Scot who shines among those teeing-up tomorrow (December 17th) over five rounds of a final qualifier for 2025 Asian Tour membership.
All up, 42 countries will be represented competing in five rounds of over two courses at the Lake View Resort and Golf Club at Hau Hin in Thailand.
America boasts 29 players with Australia next with 20, Thailand 19, Korea 15, Japan 14, India 11, China 8, England, Chinese Taipei and Singapore each with 6, Philippines and Indonesia 5, Malaysia, Mexico, Spain, Hong Kong and Canada with 4, New Zealand, Morocco, France, Scotland, Pakistan, Germany and Ireland have 3 while Bangladesh, Vietnam, Italy and Sweden each have 2 in the field.
The following countries have a lone representative – Austria, Denmark, Brazil, Columbia, Netherlands, Switzerland, Argentina, Chile, Macau, Mynamar, Eqypt and Saudi Arbaia.
Probably, a pick in the field is Scotland’s Marc Warren a four-time DP World Tour and three time Challenge Tour winner. The now 43-year-old Warren also teamed in 2007 with Colin Montgomerie to delived the Home of Golf nation victory at Mission Hills in the World Cup of Golf.
However, it’s been a couple of tough recent fews years for the affable Scot losing his DP World Tour membership at the end of last year, and for a first occasion since joining the Tour full time in 2006. He spent this past season competing on the secondary Challenge Tour while making just six appearances on the DP World Tour but missing the weekend rounds in four.
Scot Marc Warren with the spoils of his 2020 Austrian Open success. Image – DPWT
Warren also ended the 2024 DP World Tour year with five events shy of having contested 500 tournaments.
If Warren does earn his Asian Tour membership he will follow the recent footsteps of fellow Scot David Drysdale who was in similar situation to Warren at the end of 2022 and with ‘Double D’ bravely biting the bullet and earning his Asian Tour card.
Dyrsdale is teeing-up for a second time in three years at the Tour’s Q-School after a disappointing 2024 Asian Tour year but boosted in recent weeks by a strong showing by the 49-year-old in two qualifying events Stateside in the goal to earn a Champions Tour card.
Another four-time DP World Tour winner teeing-up this week is China’s Ashun Wu who also has won twice on the Japan Tour.
Others in the FQ field include Spaniard Alejandro Canizares a two-time DP World Tour winner while there’s also the Ireland duo of Paul Dunne and Jonathan Caldwell. Dunne, who recently turned 32-years, came to prominence at the 2015 Open Championship where, playing as an amateur, he was tied for the lead after three rounds. In 2017 he had his first European Tour win, the British Masters and in the process denying Rory McIlroy.
Pick of the Aussies teeing-up is 46-year-old Marcus Fraser, a winner of seven pro events including three on the DP World Tour and two of those co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour and a Tour he’s long supported.
