Golf: Taiwan amateur among quartet to book British Open spots as Koh collapses

(REUTERS) - Chinese Taipei amateur Pan Cheng-tsung was among four Asian golfers to book a spot at the 2014 British Open on Friday, after a two-day qualifying tournament in Thailand.

The 22-year-old fired two rounds of two-under-par 70 to finish one shot back of Japan's Hiroshi Iwata, who won the 75-man event at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi with a 139 total and will return to the British Open for the first time since 2008.

Singaporean Koh Dengshan, tied for second after day one with a 69, crashed to a 77 in the final round to be tied for 30th on two-over 146. Mardan Mamat was the best Singaporean finisher with rounds of 71 and 72 to share 15th spot.

Lam Chih Bing ended tied 54th on 152 with scores of 77 and 75, while Quincy Quek shot 78 and 77 to be joint 65th on 155.

In round two, Koh started off well with a birdie on his second hole to reach four under for the qualifier but his game went downhill all the way after that with six bogeys in the remaining 16 holes.

Taiwanese Pan, who attends college in Washington, finished 45th at the US Open last year after making the cut at Merion.

China's Wu Ashun matched Pan's score to grab the third qualifying place, while Japan's Yoshinobu Tsukada needed to go through four play-off holes to grab the final place at the expense of compatriot Masahiro Kawamura, American David Lipsky and home favourite Jazz Janewattananond, after all four ended on 141.

The 2014 British Open will be held at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake from July 17-20.

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