KUCHING: The 6th Sarawak Amateur Open Masters Golf Championship which teed off at Damai Golf and Country Club (DGCC) yesterday saw the battle between the three Lee brothers who fought for the lead in the opening day.
Defending champion, Lee Kah Tiong from Bintulu Golf Club (BGC) tried hard to starve off the challenges from his eldest brother, Lee Kah Tung from Sibu Golf Club (SGC) and younger sibling, Lee Kah Ming from Sarawak Golf Club (KGS).
Kah Tung, playing with zero handicap however returned the day with a par 72 game to lead his two younger siblings and the rest of the top local golfers vying for the Tan Sri Datuk Dr James Masing Challenge Trophy.
Kah Tung was the champion in 2009 and 2010 while Kah Ming had just won the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Sarawak Satellite Tour two weeks ago.
Aw Yong Jhie Jgin, a three handicapper from BGC who was on the same flyte with Kah Tung returned the day just two strokes behind the former champion and finished second spot while Jason Ling, handicap 4, was third with 75.
“He was unstoppable,” said Aw on Kah Tung who carded a three under 33 at DGCC’s Mountain Nine but failed to keep up with the pace over the Ocean Nine which was affected by a brief downpour that started after he teed off from the first hole.
Kah Tung who will be competing in a golf tournament Keningau, Sabah next week said he did not feel any pressure despite facing the stiff challenge from his two younger siblings and also from Lau Chin Leong, another title contender from Sibu.
Lau who won this year’s Sarawak Merdeka Cup Golf Championship at DGCC returned the day with a 5 over 77 while Kah Tiong was three strokes a drift and Kah Ming, came back from a disastrous outing with four strokes behind with a 80.
Despite his age, Kah Ming’s marker, Hoan Kee Hock, captain of Sarawak Senior Golfers Society had fared better and returned the day with a 79.
In the nett event, Abang Samsudin Salleh playing with handicap 16 was in the lead with 71 but he is expected to face stiff challenge from the other golfers when the three-day tournament resume today.
Meanwhile, the two Harley Davidson motorcycles with total value of RM200,000 are still up for grabs in the hole-in-one challenge at the designated par 3s at the tournament venue.
Exclusive wrist watches with total worth RM50,000 and RM20,000 worth of golf equipment are also up for grabs to those who can achieve the ace during the tournament.
Sponsored by Blessed Builders Sdn Bhd, over RM18,000 prizes are offered for the top 12 winners including those in the VIP and invitational category which tees off on Sunday.