Asian Tour's finest battle it out for Open spots

International Final Qualifying Asia for this year's Open Championship gets underway this week at the Amata Spring Country Club.

A field of 72 will compete for four places at Royal Lytham & St Annes in a two-day, 36-hole, qualifier in Thailand.

Among them will be Singapore's Mardan Mamat, who won the ICTSI Philippine Open earlier this month to claim his third Asian Tour title and now bids to make his third Open appearance.

Mamat, who played in The Open in 1997 and 2005, said: "I've played twice in The Open and had a very good experience there. It is one of the Major tournaments that all professionals golfers love to play in including myself.

"I haven't played well at Amata Spring yet. It is a good course to play on with very strong finishing holes. I'm looking forward to two good rounds."

Thailand's main hopes are Chawalit Plaphol, Prom Meesawat and Prayad Marksaeng, who have a total of 10 Asian Tour victories between them.

America's Ben Fox, India's Anirban Lahiri, Scott Hend of Australia and Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh will also feature.

Rahman, who started playing the game with a makeshift seven iron tied to a metal rod, is hoping to be the first Bangladeshi to play in a Major championship.

The 27-year-old said: "I was here last year. I remember shooting six-under in the first round and didn't do so well on the second day. I'll definitely aim to finish the job this time around."

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama will also be bidding for his first appearance at The Open. He is joined by Asian Amateur Championship runner-up Lee Soo-min of South Korea.