Quiban wrests control in Asian Tour Q-School, shoots eagle-spiked 64

MANILA, Philippines – Justin Quiban all but clinched a coveted Asian Tour card as he grabbed the fourth round lead in the Qualifying School Final Stage with a brilliant seven-under 64 at the Lake View Resort and Golf Club in Hua Hin, Thailand Friday.

In a fierce battle for control in the stretch with Spain’s Carlos Pigem, the Filipino ace eagled the par-5 No. 8 on his way home to spike a pair of 32s at the par-71 layout as he stormed ahead at 15-under 271 heading to the final 18 holes of the five-round elims for this year’s Asian Tour spots.

Pigem took the lead at 14-under with birdies on Nos. 1 and 4 but failed to match Quiban’s hot finish that included a birdie on the fifth, settling for five pars for a 67 and a 272 while local ace Danthai Boonman also shot a 67 to move to solo third at 274.

The Top 70 and ties after 72 holes stayed in the hunt for the Top 35 berths with Sean Ramos also advancing with a gutsy 68 at the par-72 Springfield Royal Country Club to earn a share of 46th at 283.

Ramos also highlighted his 34-34 card with an eagle on No. 5. He also gunned down four birdies against two bogeys to fashion out a crucial four-under round.

Lloyd Go was still in contention after hitting two backside birdies and bucking a bogey on the first hole with a birdie on the next for a two-under card. But after three pars, the Asian Development Tour campaigner fumbled with a double-bogey on No. 6 and faded with two more bogeys in the last three holes for a 40 and a 75. He wound up at tied 110th with 289.

A three-time winner on the Philippine Golf Tour who competed in a PGA Tour event, the 3M Open, in 2021, Quiban crowded the frontrunners with a four-birdie blast in a five-hole stretch from No. 13. He gained another stroke on No. 2 and hit another birdie on the fifth to atone for his lone mishap on the previous hole.

After two pars, he eagled No. 8 and parred the next to not only firm up his bid for a Tour card but also snare the lead in a strong field of bidders from all over.