The winners join Karim (sixth left), Morshidi (fourth left) and (from second right) SGA secretary Shahary Alias, Ong, KGS captain Henry Chuo, Hii, Hoan, Anwar and officials for a group photo after the prize presentation. — Photos by Teo Chi Wei
KUCHING: Lawry Flynn of Australia and Natasha Andrea Oon of Malaysia were crowned men’s and women’s champions of the 117th Malaysian Amateur Open Golf Championship which ended at Kelab Golf Sarawak in Petra Jaya yesterday.
The Australian posted a three-under-par 69 for a four-day total of nine-under par 279 while Low Wee Jin of Singapore finished second after recording two-under-par 70 for eight-under-par 280 total.
Flynn shot birdies at hole #2, #6, and #9 on the front nine with a bogey at hole #8 and he carded three birdies and two bogeys on the back nine for 3-under-par 69 on the final round to lift the Men’s Division Challenge Trophy.
“My short game was really good all week,” he said.
“My game feels really good right now. I’m just going to try and keep it up and get ready for the next tournament.”
“I hope I can continue playing well in Saujana. To be able to win back to back would be awesome,” added Flynn.
Sitting in third place was Indonesian challenger Narajie Ramadhan who carded two-under-par-70 for a four-under-par 284 total.
Sarawak’s Malcolm Ting Siong Hung who shared the lead on Day One and Two, tied for fourth after shooting one-over-par 73 for one-under-par 287 tournament total.
He shared the fourth spot with Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho who carded three-under-par 69 yesterday for a 287 total.
After a phenomenal third round of eight-under-par 64, Natasha breezed through in the final round to clinch the Ladies’ Division Challenge Trophy.
The Malaysian Golf Association (MGA) representative’s final-round three-over-par 75 gave her a tournament total of 12-under-par 276 and a six-stroke victory.
She recorded only one birdie, two bogeys and one double bogey to win the championship.
“It’s great to win our National Amateur Open. I hope to continue my winning streak for the rest of the golfing season,” she said and described her feeling as “ecstatic.”
Natasha’s teammate Putri Alyaa Abdul Ghanny settled for second place with one-over-par 73 for a six-under-par 282 total.
“It’s great to finish second as this is my first time playing in this Championship,” said Alyaa who hoped to be selected for the SEA Games 2019 in the Philippines.
Meanwhile, Low Wee Jin and Lucius Toh of Singapore took the Men’s team title with a combined score of 290 strokes on count back with Gabriel Manotoc and Luis Miguel Castro of the Philippines while Narajie Ramadhan and Almay Rayhan Yaguta of Indonesia were third on 295 strokes.
The Ladies Team title went to Natasaha Andrea Oon and Putri Alyaa Abdul Ghanny of Malaysia whose combined score was 274 while compatriots Winnie Ng and Warda Amira finished in second place with 299 strokes and Chabon Maria Sofia Rafaella-Mariel Isabella Tee of the Philippines scored 301 strokes to place third.
Sarawak’s Sukma shadow team golfer Aziel Teo Ken Yi was the only participant to ace an hole-in-one in the championship at Santubong Hole 17 on the first day to bring home a golf iron set.
A total of 157 men and 38 women golfers took part in the four-day event jointly organised by SGA and MGA, with the Sarawak Government as the main sponsor.
Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports (MTACYS) Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah closed the event and presented the challenge trophies to the champions.
Also present were KGS deputy president and also State Secretary Tan Sri Datuk Amar Mohamad Morshidi Abdul Ghani, permanent secretary to MTACYS Hii Chang Kee, MGA president Tan Sri Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor and Sarawak Golf Association president Hoan Kee Hock and Sarawak Sports Corporation CEO Dr Ong Kong Swee.
RESULTS
Top 10 (Men)
Lawry Flynn (AUS) 70, 75, 65, 69 – 279
Low Wee Jin (SIN) 73, 68, 69, 70 – 280
Narajie Ramadhan (INA) 77, 69, 68, 70 – 284
Taichi Kho (HKG) 73, 73, 72, 69 – 287
Malcolm Ting (MAS) 70, 70, 74, 73 – 287
Luis Miguel Castro (PHI) 70, 71, 71, 76 – 288
Yung Hua Liu (TPE) 73, 75, 69, 72 – 289
Jake William Hughes (AUS) 71, 69, 76, 74 – 290
Jordon Jung (AUS) 76, 71, 77, 66 – 290
Lim Beng Kiat (MAS) 76, 74, 70, 71 – 291
Top 10 (Ladies)
Natasha Andrea Oon (MAS) 70, 67, 64, 75 – 276
Alyaa Abdul Ghanny (MAS) 69, 68, 72, 73 – 282
Winnie Ng (MAS) 75, 74, 72, 68 – 289
Liyana Durisic (MAS) 71, 72, 73, 74 – 290
Amalia Shahzan (MAS) 73, 77, 71, 70 – 291
Mirabel Ting (MAS) 73, 72, 73, 73 – 291
Audrey Tan Wei Yen (MAS) 72, 75, 69, 76 – 292
Grace Chin Jun Liiban (MAS) 74, 71, 78, 73 – 295
Warda Amira Abd Rawof (MAS) 79, 71, 71, 74 – 295
Zulaikah Nurziana Nasser (MAS) 75, 74, 74, 74 – 297
Lu Yui Ping (TPE) 72, 68, 77, 80 – 297