NATADOLA Bay Championship Golf Club member Sam Lee has claimed the first local spot for the prestigious Fiji International in October.
Lee was the best local finisher at the Fiji Open Championship which finished at the Denarau Golf & Racquet Club course in Nadi last Saturday.
He carded 13 under par 275 in the 72 holes event.
The 26-year-old made the cut at last year’s Fiji International, but did not have enough order of merit points to automatically qualify for this year’s event hence had to compete at the Fiji Open.
The winner of the Fiji Open has an automatic entry for the Fiji International. However this year’s winner Gareth Paddison of New Zealand has status for the Fiji International because of his position on the PGA Tour of Australasia order of merit.
Golf Fiji tournament co-ordinator Vikrant Chandra said they had to get confirmation from the PGA Tour of Australasia as to who would take up the allocated spot.
“Whether it is going to be given to the next best player at the Fiji Open who does not have a status, or will it go back to the order of merit field,” Chandra said.
The Fiji International will be held at Natadola from October 6-9.
