The winners of the various categories in the Golf Malaysia Ace of Aces Championship.
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KUALA LUMPUR: Over 120 golfers, all who have scored a hole in one in courses across Malaysia, gathered for a duel at Golf Malaysia magazine's Ace of Aces championship at Impian Golf & Country Club in Kajang recently.
Michael Lee Tiam Soon (handicap 9) carded three birdies and nine pars to emerge champion of the A division (0 to12 handicap) while Vincent Tan Hong Joo (9) finished runner-up.
Lim Boon Kiet (10) came in third on a countback while Azlan Mohd Isa (10) was fourth.
Lee, a first-timer at the Ace of Aces Championship, said: "I didn't expect to be the champion at all. This was my first time playing at Impian -- the greens were challenging and it was not easy to score on any of the four par-3s.
"I surprised myself when I managed three birdies to win the championship."
Tan nearly had a hole-in-one at the 12th hole (which would have won him a Suzuki SX4 sedan) when his ball rolled and stopped about eight feet from the cup.
"It's just not my luck... I didn't become the champion and I couldn't drive the Suzuki SX4. But then, I had a lot of fun," he said.
Ramli Maulot (14) posted two birdies and four pars to clinch the B division title (13 to 18).
"I have been playing golf for 25 years, and I only achieved my first hole-in-one in August this year.
"Luckily I registered my ace, or else I wouldn't be able to participate and win today," said the cheerful Ramli, who received an armload of prizes, including a RM345 watch and a Nature Valley hamper.
Alley Tan (14) was certified as the runner-up in the B division on countback while Chan Teng Chow (13) ended up third.
The tight battle spilled over to the C division (19 to 24), won by Shamsuar Mahmood (20).
He said: "It feels really exciting to have won! Although I have 20 years of golf, this is my first time in the Ace of Aces, and it won't be my last. I'm already looking forward to next year's tournament."
Three players, Lam Chin Foo (20), Wan Mohd Kamal (19) and Wan Hashim Wan Yahya (19) were involved in a countback. Lam was placed second while Wan Mohd Kamal and Wan Hashim had to settle for third and fourth respectively.
The women's division title went to Jessie Teng Kim Hong (20) who fired two birdies and seven pars.
"Playing in the Ace of Aces Championship is like a tradition for me. I have joined this annual event without fail for more than 10 years now.
"I blew my first hole but thankfully I managed to make some good shots with a few pars," said Teng.
Her victory was made sweeter with another win in the Nearest-to-Pin challenge, when she sent her ball 90cm to the cup at Hole No. 12 to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Macau,
"That shot was very nearly an ace, and I could have also won the Suzuki SX4 sedan," she said.
Laila Hafidah Mohd Ali (14), who came in second, felt her game was not up to her own expectations.
"My silver lining was my birdie on Hole 16, as it was a long putt although it is a par-3," she said.
Cynthia Ng Chee Heng (15) and Annie Yew (23) came out third and fourth respectively. Loh Lai Kuan (23) was fifth.
In the invitational category, Englishman Simon Naylor (20), who took the top spot, said: "Although I have lived in Malaysia for six years, this is my first time playing at Impian. I think it's a very nice course even when I had lots of double bogeys and only one birdie."
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