SINGAPORE'S Lam Chih Bing will be hoping to go one better at this week's Volvo Masters of Asia after finishing second at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open on Sunday.

The in-form Republic's No. 2 golfer claimed his highest Asian Tour finish to date when he came in second to eventual champion Thongchai Jaidee, who won his second Asian Tour title in a row, reported asiantour.com.

Lam, who will be joined in Bangkok by compatriot Mardan Mamat, is among 18 golfers making their debuts in the season-ending Asian Tour event won by Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng last year.

India's young gun Gaganjeet Bhullar was the last man to qualify for the US$750,000 ($1.1m) event starting on Thursday at Thai Country Club when he shot an impressive eight-under-par 64 in Cambodia to finish tied for 11th place.

Motivation

The result saw him pip Australian Adam Groom by a mere US$681 for the final spot in the top 65 of the Order of Merit.

In the process, he also secured his playing card for next season and earned a place in the Volvo Masters of Asia.

Groom finished tied for 39th in Cambodia and now faces the prospect of returning to qualifying school next month.

'The motivation of making it into the top 65 kept me alive,' admitted Bhullar, who earned US$82,825 this season.

'It was quite a tense experience for me. There was a lot of pressure especially after missing the cut in Vietnam.

'I realised that my yoga exercises have definitely helped me a lot.'

Two-time Asian No. 1 Thongchai is the man to beat this week after posting his second consecutive win on Sunday and his 10th Asian Tour title overall - matching the feat established by his fellow countryman Thaworn Wiratchant.

Thongchai is enjoying a strong finish to the year where he reinforced his position at the top of the total career earnings category with US$2,854,881 won from the 118 events.

Top-ranked

Indian star Jeev Milkha Singh is the world's top-ranked Asian player in the field.

Besides Lam, the other Asian golfers who will make their first appearance in the event include the South Korean trio of Bae Sang Moon, Noh Seung Yul and Kim Kyung Tae; Malaysia's Ben Leong; Indian duo Bhullar and Digvijay Singh; Thailand's Somkiat Srisanga; Philippines' Mars Pucay and Japan's Kodai Ichihara.

Among the foreign debutants are Australians Darren Beck, Mitchell Brown, Neve Basic, Rick Kulacz and Andrew Dodt; Wales' Rhys Davies; Fiji's Dinesh Chand and Holland's Guido van der Valk.

Dodt is among the promising newcomers who has made an impact this season.

He lost in a play-off in Vietnam two weeks ago and has secured four other top-10 finishes this season.

'It's been a great year and I've enjoyed the experience playing on the Asian Tour. I've secured my card and I'm now looking forward to the Volvo Masters of Asia,' said Dodt.

Wire Services