Kuala Lumpur, June 29 - Nicholas Fung overcame an edgy closing three holes to win his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title at the PGM-UMW Templer Park Masters on Saturday.
The highly rated Malaysian defeated Berry Henson of the United States by one-shot despite making bogeys on 16 and 18 for a one-over-par 73 at the Templer Park Country Club.
Henson (72) made four straight bogeys from the 14th hole to settle for second while another Malaysian Shaaban Hussin recorded a 73 for third place at the RM200,000 (approximately US$65,000) ADT event.
Vietnamese rising star Michael Tran (73) was a further shot back in fourth. Talented Filipino Miguel Tabuena shared fifth place with Malaysians Sukree Othman and Zurie Harun after posting 69, 70 and 74 respectively.
Indonesia's number 1 player Rory Hie put in another good round carding a 71. With a total of 289 he finished just outside the top ten, sharing a 5-way tie for eleventh.
The bespectacled Fung, who totalled 10-under-par 278, held his nerve on the last hole to notch his first ADT title after coming close on several occasions. His victory also propelled him to the top of the ADT Order of Merit where he leads on US$23,471.
“This feels great because I’ve been trying to win on the ADT for so long. I was feeling nervous on the last hole and I’m fortunate that I made bogey and not worst. Berry and I had a good fight but when he had the stretch of bogeys, it gave me more confidence,” said the 23-year-old Fung.
“Fung became only the second Malaysian after Danny Chia to triumph on the ADT this season and he is now setting his sights on winning on the Asian Tour, which is celebrating its 10th season this year.
“I’m getting better because I can win on the ADT. Now I’m looking forward to win on the Asian Tour. There are many international players here so it isn’t easy to win. I tried really hard,” said Fung, who earned his Asian Tour card at Qualifying School in Thailand earlier this year.
“I want to be an example to other Malaysians. I hope more Malaysians will play on the Asian Tour. If I can do it so can the other players,” smiled Fung, who won US$11,010 and earned six Official World Golf Ranking points.
Henson, a winner on the Asian Tour and ADT, rued a lapse in concentration on the closing stretch but was gracious in defeat.
“I’m going to forget about everything today. I don’t want to remember about anything on the last few holes. I was mentally exhausted and couldn’t keep it together,” said the American.
“Fung played brilliantly. He is tough to play against. He doesn’t hit it far but he hits it straight and puts himself in position to score. This win might springboard him to do better on the Asian Tour so I wish him the best of luck,” added Henson.
Leading final round scores:
278 – Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 67 70 68 73
279 – Berry HENSON (USA) 66 70 71 72
281 – Shaaban HUSSIN (MAS) 67 74 67 73
282 – Michael TRAN (VIE) 68 71 70 73
286 – Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 71 71 75 69, Sukree OTHMAN (MAS) 72 71 73 70, Zurie HARUN (MAS) 75 70 67 74
287 – Michael MOORE (AUS) 68 74 75 70, Adam BLYTH (AUS) 73 70 74 70, Kodai ICHIHARA (JPN) 72 69 72 74
289 – Rory HIE (INA) 74 72 72 71, Jakraphan PREMSIRIGORN (THA) 75 72 71 71, Mars PUCAY (PHI) 73 72 73 71, Steve LEWTON (ENG) 67 73 77 72, James BOWEN (USA) 69 70 75 75
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