Golf: Tauranga pros earn tour cards for lucrative China events

Hayden Beard, left, and Luke Toomey have gained their China Tour cards along with Kieran Muir. PHOTO/FILE

Luke Toomey won his first professional event at the China Tour International Qualifying stage to earn full exemption on the China Tour for 2018 alongside fellow Tauranga-based professionals Kieran Muir and Hayden Beard.

The leaderboard was topped by two Kiwis, with Toomey winning by three shots over Muir, while Beard completed the four-round event in a tie for 16th.

With rounds of 74, 73, 69 and 70 it was clear conditions were tough but for Toomey it was an impressive victory. Muir had rounds of 77, 70, 72 and 70.

The China Tour regular season starts in early March with the first event clashing with the ISPS Handa New Zealand Open. With the NZ Open likely to take priority for these three, they will look to start their China tour season with the next two events from March 26-April 1 and April 9-15.

The China Tour can provide a good opportunity for prize money with all these events offering a healthy purse of $290,000.

To see three more talented New Zealand golfers secure tour cards is sensational news and offers them some much-needed stability as they look to grow their careers. It also reflects well for the Jennian Homes Charles Tour which provides the perfect platform for Kiwi players to gain event experience.

Toomey, Muir and Beard will join players such as Fraser Wilkin, Dan Pearce, Mat Perry and Tauranga's Josh Geary who won for the fourth time on the China Tour last year, but with his full European Tour Card Geary will be seen less in 2018.