Ross Kellett is one of five players who have gained promotion from the Alps Tour to the European Challenge Tour next season.

The 22-year-old Scot, despite finishing down the field in the final event of the Alps Tour, the Masters 13 Allianz at Pont Royal GC, near Marseille, had done enough to finish fifth in the Tour's Order of Merit. He finished 23 shots behind Frenchman Adrien Bernadet, who won by a shot from Northern Ireland's Gareth Shaw, runner-up for the fourth time this season. In total, Kellett earned £22,168 from 17 Alps Tour events, one of which he won.

* Banchory's James Byrne produced his best performance since winning the Northern Open at the end of August when he finished ninth yesterday in the

PGM Eastwood Valley Masters,

an Asian Developmental Tour event, in Malaysia.

"I played well enough, but I didn't have any joy on the greens," said Byrne. "I plan to play the next two ADT events, in Kuala Lumpur and Taiwan, and three more events on the main Asian Tour. So I've still a lot to play for this year."

* France's Cassandra Kirkland yesterday won her first Ladies' European Tour title in China. The 28-year-old from Paris shot a final-round 70 to take the Sanya Ladies Open by two shots from compatriot Jade Schaeffer and England's Holly Aitchison at Yalong Bay.

"It was totally unexpected – I've struggled so much this year," she said. "I guess I didn't have any expectations and didn't put any pressure on myself."

Kirkland took charge of the event by holing a 65-yard pitch for an eagle 2 at the 317-yard 14th.

Scotland's Carly Booth finished 10 shots behind Kirkland after a 75 for 220, five shots ahead of fellow-Scot Kylie Walker (78).

* China's Guan Tianlang will create history next April as the first 14-year-old to compete in the US Masters at Augusta.

The schoolboy earned a place by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand yesterday. Guan held on after opening up a five-stroke halfway lead with rounds of 66 and 64 at the Amata Spring Country Club.