SHAH ALAM: IT was in the Girls’ category that Malaysia opened a winning account in the AmBank SportExcel International Junior Golf tournament held at the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club here recently.
Siti Zulaikhaa and Zulaika Nurziana ensured Malaysia came out with their heads held high with wins in the Girls’ 15-18 and 11-12 categories.
Siti Zulaikhaa, who was lying three strokes behind China’s Dong Linyu in the second round, managed to overturn the deficit to clinch the title by two strokes with a total score of 230.
Zulaika, on the other hand, held her nerve to clinch the title with a final round score of 78 for a total of 230 to win the title ahead of her Thai rival Unyamanee Wongaroon. Both were locked on the same score in the second round.
There was heartbreak though for overwhelming favourite Daeng Abdul Rahman, who had led for the first two rounds in the Boys’ 13-14 age category only to see his game falter in the final round to lose to Parathakorn Suyasri of Thailand by two strokes.
The overall best players for the Boys’ and Girls’ category, who won the Tan Sri Azman Hashim trophy, were Leon D’Souza from Hong Kong, the Boys’ 15-18 champion, and Siti Zulaikhaa.
A total of 67 players from Thailand (29), India (10), Singapore (7), China (8), Hong Kong (4), Japan (3), South Korea (5) and Brunei (1) competed in the tournament.
Results (Malaysians unless stated) — Final Round Scores
Boys — 15-18
215: Leon D’Souza (HK) 72-72-71 (playoff on second hole); 215: Naoki Sekito (Jpn) 67-74-74; 218: Amarin Kraivixien (Tha) 71-75-72
13-14 — 219: Parathakorn Suyasri (Tha) 76-72-71; 221: Daeng Abdul Rahman 71-70-80; 228: Yuji Sekito (Jpn) 77-74-77
11-12 — 228: Kim Gyeong Min (Kor) 72-76-80; 229: Harshjeet Singh (Ind) 72-77-80; 231: Nattabutara Sornkaew (Tha) 74-76-81
10 and Below — 242: Weerawish Narkprachar (Tha) 81-81-80 (playoff on first hole); 242: Chanachon Chokprajakchat (Tha) 82-85-75; 244: Tunyapat Sukkoed (Tha) 82-83-79
Girls’ 15-18 — 230: Siti Zulaikhaa 76-78-76; 232: Dong Linyu (Chn) 73-78-81; 240: Callista Chen (Sin) 79-82-79
13-14 — 233: Jenny Ham (Tha) 78-77-78; 238: Pan Shan (Chn) 79-76-83; 242: Noramol Nuchsila (Tha) 90-76-76
11-12 —230: Zulaikah Nurziana 76-76-78; 232: Unyamanee Wongaroon (Tha) 76-76-80; 241: Panchalika Arphamongkol (Tha) 80-80-81
10 and Below — 248: Kokoro Ouchi (Jap) 79-81-88; 255: Phannarai Meesom-us (Tha) 84-85-86; 263: Sarah Madzri 86-93-84