Airil rizman receives his prizes from PGM Tour chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid after winning the Tiara Closed Championship in Melaka yesterday.
KUCHING: Airil Rizman secured a two-stroke victory at the Tiara Closed Championship to shoot to the top of the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour’s Order of Merit in Melaka yesterday.
The 32-year-old from Perlis, who now resides in Kuala Lumpur, fired a fourth round 68 at Tiara Melaka Golf & Country Club to finish with a nine-under 279 total – two better than Khor Kheng Hwai, who blitzed the course with an impressive seven-under-par 65.
Rizman’s win was his second of the season, following his triumph at the Perlis Closed in June.
It also marked his fifth victory on the Tour and took him ahead of R Nachimuthu on the Order of Merit.
The champion moved to RM173,713 on the PGM’s Official Money List, while Nachimuthu climbed to RM159,448, following his tie for 13th yesterday, for which he won RM2,544.
And while the lead on the Order of Merit might have changed hands today – it is not over – something both players would almost certainly concede.
There are two events to go and both big ones.
The MIDF Championship at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club from Dec 3-6 and the PGM Players’ Championship at Impian Golf Club from Dec 10-13, carry prize money of RM250,000 and RM350,000, and so there is still a lot to play for.
Khor Kheng Hwai carded the low round of the tournament yesterday and his 65 was no big surprise as he has been consistent for some time now.
His third round three-over 75 put the span in the works for him, after he shared the lead on the opening day and was still in the hunt at the halfway stage.
Khor picked up a cheque of RM18,080 and moved into fourth place on the Order of Merit with RM105,949, not much behind Shaaban Hussin who moved to RM109,281 after his third-place finish here.
Shaaban, who won in this city last month when he clinched the Melaka Closed Championship, fired an even-par 72 to finish on four-under 284.
Kenneth De Silva, co-leader after the first day, shot a 70 for a tie for fourth on 286, alongside S.
Murthy (71) and amateur player Low Khai Jei.
Low would have banked RM7,920 were he not an amateur.
Akhmal Tarmizee (70) and Irfan Yusoff (74) were joint seventh on one-under 287.
Speaking after his win, Rizman said he was to close out the event when he took the lead after Friday’s third round.
“I knew I had to keep calm,” he said.
“I was in the lead (by one stroke) and just kept doing the right things.
In the end it worked well for me and I am happy to have won a second tournament this season – my fifth on the Tour.
” Turning to Order of Merit, he said his focus was on winning tournaments, before adding that if he did that, the issue of the Order of Merit would “take care of itself”.
Shaaban said his first round 74, during which he struggled to find any rhythm with his swing, was a huge setback.
“But I am still happy with how I played,” he added.
“This is a topthree in Melaka and that comes after a win here in October.
” Shaaban, like a few of the other players, said he was looking forward to the closing two events, which he added, should be “exciting”.