LT Sports

Little known outside Asia, Seung-Yul Noh has made quite an impact with the Golf Betting Odds over the last month after winning his first European Tour event and then securing a place at The Open Championship in International Final Qualifying.

The worldwide qualifying system for St Andrews has now produced 10 more entries for the 2010 championship, but Noh’s rise to glory is the most impressive of the lot, coming as it did on the back of his triumph in the Malaysian Open.

The teenager from Korea was quite superb in holding his nerve in Kuala Lumpur as a series of more experienced rivals challenged his lead throughout the day, most notably US Tour veteran, and countryman, KJ Choi.

Choi birdied the last hole to draw level with Noh, who then drilled his second shot to the par-five well wide of the green, but he remained calm and chipped to four feet and holed the putt to claim first prize.

He continued that form at Saujana just a couple of days later, going 66-68 to tie for second place with Danny Chia as Hiroyuki Fujita claimed medallist honours – all three plus amateur Eric Chun stamped their card for July’s tournament.

“I’m really happy but honestly it hasn’t settled in yet. I’m not going to let it get to my head,” said Noh in an interview for the Asian Tour’s website. “I treat every tournament the same and I’m looking forward to playing against the world’s best.”

The Asian tournament is one of five to be held for places in the draw – two remain in Texas in May and finally at Sunningdale in England just four weeks before you can place an Open Championship Bet in June.

The first qualifier, held in Australia, produced three home qualifiers in Kurt Barnes, Ewan Porter and the vastly-experienced Peter Senior.

The second qualifier was held at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington, where South African trio Darren Fichardt, Jean Hugo and Josh Cunliffe progressed to St Andrews.

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