Sentosa, Singapore: The Asian Tour’s 2019 Qualifying School will be held in Thailand in November and December this year.
The Qualifying School comprises two stages – the First Qualifying Stage and the Final Qualifying Stage. Windsor Park & Golf Club continues to host the event, while the Lake View Resort & Golf Club in Hua Hin will return as a host venue for the first time in two years.
The First Qualifying Stage will be played over two different weeks. Players have the option of entering the First Qualifying Stage on the week commencing November 26, or the week commencing December 17. The top-placed players from the First Qualifying Stage will progress to the Final Qualifying Stage.
The Final Qualifying Stage will be held at the Lake View Resort & Golf Club from December 26-30. The event will be played over five rounds. The top 70 players (and ties) will play in the final round on December 30. At the conclusion of the Qualifying School, the top-35 players (and ties) will earn their Tour cards for the 2019 season.
The Asian Tour Qualifying School has been the springboard to success for many graduates not only on the Asian Tour but internationally too.
The illustrious alumni includes Thais Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Korean Noh Seung-yul, American David Lipsky and Australian Scott Hend, all past Asian Tour Order of Merit champions.
More recently, Australian Todd Sinnott won his maiden Asian Tour title in Myanmar two weeks after finishing second at the 2017 Qualifying School. American John Catlin, who earned his first Tour card via the 2016 Qualifying School, achieved a career breakthrough by capturing the Asia-Pacific Classic title in May and continued his winning run with victory at last month’s Sarawak Championship.
Other Qualifying School graduates who have gone on to become champions include recently-crowned Panasonic Swing champion Shiv Kapur, two-time Asian Tour winner, rising global star Shubhankar Sharma as well as 2017 Asian Tour Rookie of the Year Micah Lauren Shin of the United States.
Graduates from the 2018 Qualifying School have benefited from numerous playing opportunities on the Asian Tour this year, as more than 32 events have been planned on the schedule, including 15 full-field tournaments.
In addition, players who played in the Qualifying School are eligible to compete on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), the feeder circuit to the main Tour. The ADT, which offers Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, will sanction more than 22 events in 2018 with the leading seven players on the final ADT Order of Merit earning their Asian Tour card.

“With the Asian Tour growing from strength to strength, we are expecting an enthusiastic response from international and regional golfers for the 2019 Qualifying School,” said Cho Minn Thant, Chief Operating Officer of the Asian Tour, a Full Business Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
He added: “Evident from the success of its graduates, the Qualifying School has provided the ultimate platform for golfers to become champions both on the Asian Tour and the international stage. We look forward to welcoming more talented golfers to the Tour at our forthcoming Qualifying School.”