Golfer Marcus Fraser takes lead for Asian Tour Order of Merit
Marcus Fraser had been threatening all week to produce something special and he did just that on the final day, as a six-under 64 rewarded the Australian with outright third place - and the outright lead in this season's Asian Tour Order of Merit.
The 34-year-old had arrived in town US$80,486 behind Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant, and the US$125,200 earned for his share of third was enough to see him leapfrog his rival, who finished tied for 22nd on four under.
Fraser walked off the course a happy man, but was quick to concede the overall title to Thaworn after revealing he wouldn't be taking part in the three events left on the Asian Tour this season. He expects his current lead of US$24,213 to evaporate.
"I knew I had to have a really good week to get back in the mix, but I'm not going to play the next two events in Thailand and possibly Johor," Fraser said. "I'm pretty sure Thaworn will bank some dollars in Thailand and the Order of Merit will be his."
Fraser was one of many in this year's field to be frustrated by the gusting winds over the first three days, saying he had struggled for consistency and with putting himself in position for birdies. But all that changed yesterday as the wind dropped and Fraser found his scoring touch with seven birdies, offsetting a single bogey five on the ninth.
"I had felt that I had played pretty ordinary in the last three weeks, and then my coach came up this week and turned my game around immediately," he said. "It was a big turnaround, that's for sure. It's good fun here, the golf course is probably my favourite of the entire year."
