KUCHING: Nicholas Fung won his second title of the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) season yesterday when he captured the inaugural RM180,000 Taiping Closed Championship with a two- stroke victory at Taiping Golf & Country Club in Perak. The Sabahan pro shot a fourth and final round 67 for a 14-under 274 total, which left Ben Leong in second place after the latter carded a last day three-under 69 for his 276. Fung, who also claimed the Johor Championship in April, got off to a good start yesterday after birdieing the 2nd and 3rd holes, but then gave a shot back at the par-3 4th hole.
That would prove his only blemish as he went on to birdie four of the last six holes for a powerful finish. Khor Kheng Hwai posted the low round of the tournament as he signed for a seven-under 65, and that outstanding effort would have been even better had he not bogeyed the 72nd hole.
An eagle and six birdies, countered by the solitary bogey on the 18th hole, were enough to get Khor to 11- under 277 for third place. M Sasidaran, who held a oneshot lead going into the final round and was seeking a first victory on the domestic Tour, managed an even-par 72 that left him in fourth spot.
On a day made for good scoring and marked by players in the top-30 shooting over-par, Hans Jamil carded a 67 for a nineunder 279 total and fifth place. PGM general manager Mior Abdul Rahman was particularly pleased with the inaugural Tour stop in Taiping.
“One is always a bit cautious when you host an event at a venue for the first time and that was the case here,” he said.
“But everything went as well as we could have expected it. The next stop on the PGM Tour is the RM200,000 PGM Northport Glenmarie Championship, co-sanctioned with the Asian Development Tour, at Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in Shah Alam, Selangor from August 12-15.