Lim Beng Keat of Kelab Golf Miri and Winnie Ng Yu Xuan of Malaysian Golf Association posing with their trophies after winning the boys’ and girls’ overall titles in the 18th Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup International Junior Golf Championship at KGS yesterday
KUCHING: Lim Beng Keat of Kelab Golf Miri (KGM) and Winnie Ng Yu Xuan of the Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) were crowned the overall boys’ and girls’ champions in the 18th Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup International Junior Golf Championship that ended at Kelab Golf Sarawak (KGS) yesterday.
Beng Keat, 16, who was trailing Matthew Peregriine Ong by a stroke on Tuesday and three strokes on Wednesday, shot a three-over 75 yesterday for a three-day total of 223 strokes to win in Boys’ Group A.
It was also the best score in the Boys’ A-B and that won him a champion’s trophy, golf goodies and the Sarawak Chief Minister Challenge Trophy.
Two strokes adrift in second place was Victor Ng of MGA and KGM’s Liew Yih Seng third on 237 strokes.
This is the third title win for Beng Keat this year after lifting the Boys’ U18 title in the Nick Faldo Series in Sabah last month and the Men’s Overall title in the KGM Open in Miri recently.
“I feel good and happy with the win and achieving my target. This is also the first time I won the overall champion title in the Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup,” said the fourth former of SMK St Columbus in Miri.
In fact, he was under a lot of pressure as many had expected him to win again in Kuching this week after the victory in Miri.
The Boys’ B title was won by Malcom Ting of KGM who overtook first and second day leader Matthew Peregriine by returning a three-day total of 224 to pip Matthew by two strokes. Third was Izzat Syazmin of Danau Golf Club Selangor whose score was 236 over three days of competition.
The Boys’ Group C was dominated by KGS juniors Elden Sim who beat Saxen Hii in a play-off after the duo were tied on 254 for the first place.
Completing the KGS sweep of the top three places was Mohd Aiman Al-Hakim with a 261 score.
Anson Yeo of KGS was the champion in Boys’ Group D with his score of 210, followed by International Sports Federation (ISF) Thailand golfer Montprach Tunwannaraux (219) and team mate Pongpanot Jeenakul (228).
Meanwhile, Winnie Ng bagged her first Girls’ Overall title in Kuching after topping the Girls’ A competition with 223 strokes. It was also her third win in this championship after winning the Group D when she was 10 years old and the Girls’ Group B last year.
The student of Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar Mantin in Negeri Sembilan finished in 77th place in the Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia championship this year and represented Malaysia in the British Junior Open in Scotland from July 11-13 and the Asean School Games from July 28-30.
Second and third in Girls’ Group A were Geraldine Wong of MGA (230) and Eliza Mae Kho of KGM (238).
The champion of Girls’ Group B was Jirsuda Khunarak (242 strokes) of ISF while Angel Hii (246) of KGS was second and third was Sharifah Aiyshah (249) of KGM.
KGM picked up another title in Group C through Mirabel Ting who posted a three-day score of 252 to finish ahead of Boonsita Boonto of ISF (271) and Asha Nabeela of KGS (320) respectively.
Thai golfers made a one-two finish in Group D, with the title going to Teemapat Pateetin (237), second was Inseol Jiamanukoonkit (290) while Rania Dato Rafify of Bukit Jalil Golf and Country Club came in third with a 316 score.
Inseol was also named the most hard working girl while the most hard working boy was Joshua Lim of KGS.
SGA secretary Shahary Alias and KGS Club Captain Dr David Sylvester Ling gave away the main prizes.
More than 100 junior golfers from 16 golf clubs from Singapore, Sabah, West Malaysia and Sarawak took part in the championship organised by the Sarawak Golf Association (SGA) and sponsored by the Sarawak government.