Noh targets Open spot

09 Mar 2010 - 15:01:11

Maybank Malaysian Open champion Noh Seung-yul heads the 72-man line-up at this week's Asian qualifier for the 2010 Open, with four places at St Andrews up for grabs at Saujana Golf and Country Club.

The 18-year-old held his nerve to edge out veteran compatriot KJ Choi by one shot to claim a second career title in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday, and the South Korean teenager has quickly turned his attentions to the start of the two-day qualifier in the Malaysian capital on Wednesday.

Noh is one of the favourites to advance along with Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Andrew Dodt of Australia and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnratm, who finished tied for third last weekend.

"My confidence is high and I'm still feeling good. Playing in a major is every golfer's dream and it is no different for me," said Noh.

"I have good memories of the course and I know this course. It will be difficult this week so I must not take things lightly. Hopefully I will be in the top four."

Dodt, who missed out by a stroke at last year's qualifier in Singapore, added: "This is the one everyone is talking about. Everyone wants to play at St Andrews, so you just have to go all out and not hold back.

"I will be trying my best and hope to be one of the top four after 36 holes."

Chinese rising star Wu Ashun, Singapore's Lam Chih Bing and Malaysian duo Danny Chia and Iain Steel are also set to challenge, while there is a strong Japanese line-up headed by world number 80 Hiroyuki Fujita and Tetsuji Hiratsuka, who is a five-time winner in Japan.

Steel, whose father is Scottish and mother is Malaysian, holds the distinction of being the first Malaysian to play in the Open in 1996 and he hopes it will be third time lucky this year after narrowly missing out over the last two years.

Korean amateurs Han Chang-won and Eric Chun will also be in the mix after finishing first and second at the inaugural Asian Amateur Championship in China last November.