A jubilant Gu Cui-lin took top honours in the Volvo China Open Southern Qualifying at Lion Lake Country Club with a scintillating final round of 67 for a five-under-par total of 139.
Gu will be joined at the RMB 20 million Volvo China Open in April by Hu Mu, who posted a 68 to end the day at two-under par, and Chung-Shan-based Zhou Guo-wu, who squeezed in at one under par.
But the day belonged to Gu, who had failed to qualify in his previous four attempts but succeeded in convincing style today with a blemish-free round that included five birdies.
“My swing felt really good today and I played very smoothly,” said the 30-year-old. “It was one of those rounds where even if a shot ended up in a difficult spot I was confident enough to recover and make par.
Where Gu was flawless, Hu Mu mixed brilliance with disappointment. Having started the day at two-over-par, the hugely talented 22-year-old David Leadbetter protégé went on the rampage with three birdies in the first three holes and followed that with a superb eagle at the par five eighth hole where he pitched in from 60 yards. He reached the turn in 31 and looked set to take top honours but then stumbled with a messy double bogey at the short par-three 14th and then a bogey at the final hole to come back in 37.
“I’m happy overall with the result as I have made sure of my spot in the Volvo China Open,” said Hu. “I like the Binhai Lake course very much and have great memories of winning the Northern qualifier there last year.
“With so many good pros out there the competition was pretty intense today, so when I slipped up with a double bogey at the 14th I started to play more aggressively to try recover and to keep ahead of the others, but then I slipped up again on the last.
“I was just trying too hard. Still, I’m quite happy as I was six or seven shots better than when I played here last year.”
Zhou Guo-wu didn’t figure on the leader board in the early stages of the round and quietly reached the turned in two-over-par 38. But he then turned on the style on the inward nine coming back in three under 33 to secure the third and final qualifying spot.
“Before I arrived at the tournament I was feeling quite confident that I could make it through to the Volvo China Open,” Zhou said. “Today my iron play was great and I felt great mentally.
“So when my playing partner, first round leader Ou Zhi-jun, started to hit some poor shots on the back nine it made me feel like my game would get even better, and in fact it did. My wish at the Volvo China Open is that I make it past the half way cut and get to play in the final two days. That would be a great feeling.”
First round leader Ou slumped to a disappointing four-over-par inward nine of 40 to finish two shots off the third place score.
Three more qualifying events at which nine players will earn their places in the Volvo China Open are yet to be played, the next being the International Qualifying at Sanya Luhuitou GC in Hainan Island on March 6th and 7th.
2012-02-15
