Dubai: Last week's qualifying school in Bangkok, Thailand, for entry into the 2011 Asian PGA Tour, was far from fruitless for Dubai-born Chris Davis.
Although the 23-year-old had his hopes pinned on a full-card exemption for the Tour, four round scores of 76-74-71-73 left the Brit-Filipino just three shots shy of the decider granting him consolatory entry into the ‘development tour' — a feeder system to the Tour proper.
It means with success in the second tier this season, the youngster could fight for automatic inclusion into the Tour for 2012 without having to go through the dreaded Q-school ordeal again.
The top three from the development tour graduate automatically. Meanwhile the US-resident will be gunning for the US and European Tour Q-school as well.
Only the provisional schedule for the Asian development tour has been posted on the Tour's website with five dates and locations penciled. Davis now has to sit down with his parents and potential sponsors to decide which of these he can attend, splitting his time between the UAE, United States and now Asia.
"I'm a little disappointed not to have qualified to the main Tour, I really wanted it. But all in all it's been a great experience which I've gained so much from, so I can't be that upset," he said.
A total of 140 golfers were split across three different courses in Bangkok whereby the top 28 in each course filtered into the finals.
"I finished strong after a nervous opener getting used to the greens — made the first cut but sadly couldn't make the next to take me through to the final — I was getting stronger and more-focused by the end but it was too late."
Davis admitted: "Given my Filipino heritage the Asian Tour is dear to me, but its not just that the experience in itself is great, Thailand is the capital of Asian golf, the standard is very high and the people are so accommodating and its cheaper."
