Casas regains Tour card; Pucay, Luna also make it

Reigning Philippine Open champion Cassius Casas regained his Asian PGA Tour card with an explosive windup yesterday as the ace Filipino shotmaker fired a 69 to finish joint 17th at the close of the final Qualifying School for the 2002 season in Malacca, Malaysia.

On the brink of elimination with so-so rounds of 75-74-74 in the first three days, Casas bucked the pressure and redisplayed the form that made him the top Filipino player on the local tour in the last three years, shooting a three-under par card under and finishing with a 292 aggregate at the Orna Golf and Country Club course.

That paved the way for the continued stint by the Philippine Airlines-backed pro on the Davidoff Tour following a dismal campaign last year that dropped him out of the top 60 in the Order of Merit ranking, forcing him to pass through the qualifier.

Casas tied compatriot Mars Pucay, whose 69 in the third round cushioned the impact of his closing 76.

Fil-Am Rhey Luna, the 26-year-old former member of the national team, likewise made the grade on his very first try as he matched par 72-296 to tie for 34-40th places.

A total of 40 players from the original list of 148 earned their cards on the Tour, which is currently the faster growing circuit in the world.

But Rodrigo Cuello, a two-time winner on the Tour, failed to regain his card as he fell by one stroke with a 297 after a 73. However, the burly pro can compete in some legs on the Tour by virtue of his country exempt status.

Casas, Pucay and Luna thus join Gerald Rosales and Danny Zarate in this year’s Asian PGA Tour, which tees off at the $1.5 million Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth, Australia next week. Casas and Rosales, both managed by IMG, will play in the event as sponsor invitees.

American Jim Johnson edged Australian Terry Pilkadaris with a final hole birdie to finish top of of the class on his first trip to Asia. Johnson had a 69 for a 282 while Pilkadoris carded a 74 for 283.