Vijay Kumar seventh on
Davidoff merit list

Vijay Kumar's victory at the Royal Challenge Indian Open has moved him up to seventh place on the Davidoff Tour Order of Merit.

The 33-year-old Indian, who triumphed by two shots at Delhi Golf Club on Sunday, has accumulated US$58,250 from playing in two events this season. His maiden triumph on the Asian PGA-run Davidoff Tour was worth US$50,000.

Canadian Rick Gibson was the other big mover, jumping from 10th to fourth place on the Order of Merit after finishing runner-up to Kumar. The 40-year-old Gibson, winner of the Casino Filipino Philippine Open two weeks ago, won US$33,090 in India and took his season's earnings to US$68,380.

India's Arjun Atwal still leads the merit list by over US$100,000 from Thai star Thongchai Jaidee.

Atwal, winner of the European Tour-sanctioned Caltex Singapore Masters last month, has banked in US$173,188 from five events while Thongchai, last season's Davidoff Tour Order of Merit winner, has picked up US$71,714.

Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand is third on US$69,569, followed by Gibson and India's Harmeet Kahlon, who is fifth on US$64,618.

Kumar, a three-time winner of the Indian Tour money list, said after his victory he would venture outside his country to play more regularly on the Davidoff Tour. "I can now invest some of the money that I've won in myself," said the former caddie.

His only other appearance on tour this year was at the Hero Honda Masters on home soil in February where he finished joint seventh.

The Davidoff Tour takes a five-week break before heading to Korea for the first time this season. The US$400,000 SK Telecom Open will be staged at Lake Side Country Club from April 25 to 28 followed by the US$350,000 Maekyung LG Fashion Open at Nam Seoul Country Club from May 2 to 5.