KUALA LUMPUR: Former Sea Games double gold medallist Ervin Chang is set to compete in his first full season on the Asian Tour next year after securing promotion from the just-concluded second-tier Asian Development Tour (ADT).
The 25-year-old accomplished the feat by finishing third in the season-ending Aramco International in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.
Ervin entered the final round at the Rolling Hills Golf Course tied for the lead but could only manage a 71 for a 16-under 275 total, finishing three shots shy of the winner, Denwit Boriboonsub of Thailand, who pipped William Harold of England to the title through a playoff.
Despite missing out on a breakthrough international victory, Ervin can still afford a big smile as the US$17,500 paycheck earned from the US$250,000 (RM1.17 million) event was enough to shoot him up from 24th to 10th on the ADT Order of Merit standings with season earnings of 30,544.82 (RM143,000).
With the leading 10 money leaders at the end of the ADT season being exempt for all Asian Tour full-field events for the following year, Ervin secured the very last of the tickets on offer.
It was a remarkable achievement for Ervin, considering he only turned professional 18 months ago, shortly after winning two gold medals at the Hanoi Sea Games, becoming the first Malaysian to do so.
Ervin had previously secured an Asian Tour country exemption through the Toyota Tour, where he finished third on the Order of Merit, but it only granted him limited access.
