Dodge Kemmer, who narrowly failed to retain his Asian Tour card by one place earlier this month, has a shot at redemption at this week’s Taifong Open – the last event of the season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), where the top-10 from the final Order of Merit (OOM) will earn playing privileges for the main Tour next season.

Following back-to-back top five finishes in the last two ADT events, both played in Saudi Arabia, he has moved into ninth place on the OOM and needs to play to well when the US$200,000 tournament tees off on Thursday at Taifong Golf Club to salvage the season.

The American has safely navigated the Asian Tour Qualifying School on multiple occasions since making his debut in 2012 but has never kept his card successfully.

He rallied to retain his playing rights this season only to lose it in brutal fashion, having finished one rung outside the top-70 cut-off mark on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, just a mere US$72 short of 70th-placed Miguel Tabuena’s season earnings of US$59,295.

Kemmer, however, has showed grit and determination as he worked his way back through the ADT.

“It was disappointing to miss out on my Asian Tour card in Indonesia a few weeks ago but I am glad I have another opportunity to earn it back now through the ADT. I played well the last two weeks to give myself a better chance coming into this week,” said the 35 year old, who won the Gurugram Challenge in India on the ADT in March.

“The Asian Tour schedule looks great next year but I will try not to think about what the results mean this week. I have had some good results, especially on the ADT. Never had a good result on the Asian Tour but I played solidly so it’s been a good year.”

Indonesia’s Naraajie E. Ramadhanputra, who won on his professional debut at the OB Golf Invitational in June and claimed his second ADT title at the PIF Saudi Open a fortnight ago, is also here looking to end his year on a high note by winning the Merit title.

“It’s been a great start to my professional career. It’s only been six months and I have had two wins already. I’ve learned so much and I’m excited to play on the Asian Tour next year. I will try my best this week and give myself a chance to go for the Order of Merit title,” said the talented 22-year-old.

Naraajie, who sits in third place on the money list with earnings of US$55,619, has partially locked up his Asian Tour card for 2023 as he is unlikely to fall outside of top-10 this week. He is bidding to become the first Indonesian player to top the money list on the ADT.

Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai, who claimed a battlefield promotion onto the Asian Tour in September following three brilliant ADT wins and leads the Merit list with a current haul of US$67,948, is also playing this week.

The Taifong Open was inaugurated on the local circuit in 2005 and has been part of the ADT schedule since 2014. It is making a welcome return to the ADT this week after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Thailand’s Donlaphatchai Niyomchon won the event when it was last held on the ADT at the end of 2019. Local hotshots Hung Chien-yao and Lee Chieh-po emerged triumphant in 2020 and 2021 respectively when the event was held locally on the domestic circuit.

Other notable past champions of the Taifong Open include proven Asian Tour winners Chan Shih-chang (2010, 2014 and 2018) and Lu Wei-chih (2007) of Chinese Taipei, Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan (2015) and Pannakorn Uthaipas (2017) as well as American Johannes Veerman (2016).

Ends.