Two Canadians make the final stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School

RAYONG, Thailand – Canadian Tour members Darren Griff and Chris Baryla were among a group of 87 players advancing to final stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School today.

Also advancing were Canadian Tour affiliate member Stephen Reed and Australian Mitch Tasker.

Baryla, who played the Nationwide Tour from 2006 to 2008 before injuries slowed him down, was in fine form with rounds of 73-70-68-76-287 to share fifth spot at the St. Andrews layout with Tasker who fired steady rounds of 71-70-72-74.

Tasker, 23, joined the Canadian Tour at the Spring 2008 Q-School with a tie for seventh at Montreal his best finish.

Griff played the Asian Tour in 2005 and enjoyed his best Canadian Tour season in 2006 with five top tens including a runner-up finish at the MTS Classic.

The Nanaimo, B.C., native has played professional golf all over the world and represented Canada at the 2004 World Cup alongside Stuart Anderson.

Reed played the Canadian Tour’s Latin America swing in late 2008 and played his college golf at Texas A&M University.

“It seemed to me, with all the best players in the world coming to the States to play, it was time for me to outsource my talent, as well,” Reed told Dave Seanor.

“I need to think outside the box and beyond the borders and maybe back-door my way onto the PGA or Nationwide Tour.”

Daniel Im will be joining the quartet at the Final Stage next week, which will be played over five rounds with the Top-40 and ties earning playing privileges for the 2009 season. Im qualified via his finish on the Canadian Tour's 2008 Order of Merit.

Jim Seki, John Shin, Michael Choi, Andrew Johnson, Will Yanagisawa and Dean Kennedy were in the field but failed to advance.

In the Clubhouse

Half a world away in Johannesburg, South Africa, Wes Heffernan, Alan McLean, Ryan Cairns and Graham DeLaet are in the field. DeLaet, fresh from his World Cup experience shot a solid 66 in the second round to climb up the leaderboard while McLean fired a 65.

Heffernan – who partnered DeLaet in China - and Cairns both shot 73 and will miss the cut.