Palembang, October 27 - Malaysian Nicholas Fung ended a frustrating run of second place finishes by winning the US$150,000 Palembang Musi Championship today.
He fired a final round four-under-par 68 to beat Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul by two at Palembang Golf Club.
Gunn came in with a 70 in the ASEAN PGA Tour’s richest event of the season.
The result was retribution for Fung as he was beaten by his Thai opponent in a sudden-death play-off in the previous ASEAN PGA Tour event, the Singha Esan Open in August.
Antonio Lascuna from the Philippines claimed third place after shooting a 66. He finished two shots behind Gunn.
George Gandranata ended as the leading Indonesian in fourth after returning 69.
The result meant Fung, Gunn and Filipino Jay Bayron qualify for the US$6 million Barclays Singapore Open in two weeks as they are the leading three players from the money list.
“This is fantastic,” said Fung, who finished 18 under for the tournament.
“Gunn has been playing so well so it gives me a lot of confidence. Now I get to play in the Barclays Singapore Open. It is my dream to play with Phil Mickelson.”
Fung was two shots behind playing partner Gunn at the turn but he stormed ahead with a birdie on 11 and an eagle on the par-five 14th.
While the Malaysian was charging Gunn bogeyed the 13th to see the title slip away.
Said Gunn: “It was raining for a few holes on the back nine and that really put me off. I am not used to it. It was my first time playing in rain in a tournament. I am not too disappointed as I get to play in the Singapore Open.”
Fung claimed a cheque for US$24,050, to move to the top of the Merit list, while Gunn earned US$16,465.
Fung, aged 22, also won the PGM Negeri Sembilan Classic on the Malaysian local circuit last week and will thus head to Singapore brimming with confidence.
He won the Mercedes-Benz Masters Vietnam in 2010, which was his rookie year, and following that he finished runner-up on four occasions including in last year’s Palembang Musi Championship.
Indonesia’s Andik Mauluddin, Mardan Mamat from Singapore, and Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan and Varut Chomchalam tied for fifth.
Defending champion Wisut Artjanawat from Thailand returned a 71 to finished tied for ninth.
Indonesia's top golfer Rory Hie kept improving his score and managed to finish just outside the top ten after carding a 67.
The next event on the ASEAN PGA Tour is the US$100,000 Gowa Padivalley Classic in Makassar, Indonesia.
The tournament is the penultimate event of the season and will be played at Padivalley Golf Club.
Leading final round scores (Par 72):
270 - Nicholas Fung (MAS) 68 68 66 68
272 - Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 65 70 67 70
274 - Antonio Lascuna (PHI) 69 69 70 66
277 - George Gandranata (INA) 67 74 67 69
279 - Andik Mauluddin (INA) 69 70 74 68, Mardan Mamat (SIN) 72 70 69 68, Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 71 72 66 70, Varut Chomchalam (THA) 72 69 67 71
281 - Andi Yatmo (INA) 70 71 72 68, Wisut Artjanawat (THA) 71 67 72 71
282 - Rory Hie (INA) 75 71 69 67, Clyde Mondilla (PHI) 73 70 70 69, S. Murthy (MAS) 73 70 69 70, S Siva Chandran (MAS) 68 75 69 70, Jay Bayron (PHI) 72 71 67 72, Annop Tangkamolprasert (THA) 67 70 72 73
283 - Piya Swangarunporn (THA) 68 69 69 77
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