KUALA LUMPUR: Sea Games champion Ng Jing Xuen added another feather to her cap after triumphing in the Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open (MLAO) at the Templer Park Country Club in Rawang on Thursday.
The 15-year-old did it in style by firing a hole-in-one on the par-three eighth hole en route to closing with a two-under 70 and signing off with a two-under 214 total.
It earned her a comfortable five-stroke victory over her three closest competitors, including national No 2 Mirabel Ting, who won the Vietnam Ladies Amateur Open a fortnight ago.
Jing Xuen is also the first local winner in six years after Nur Durriyah Damian in 2016.
Mirabel fired the tournament's lowest score of 69, but it came a little too late. She was left rueing a pair of dismal 77 and 73 in the opening two rounds.
Joining Mirabel in a share of second place on 219 were Singapore's Inez Ng (70) and compatriot Charlayne Chong (72).
Liyana Durisic closed with a 71 to clinch the fourth spot on 221 while Sea Games bronze medal winner Foong Zi Yu made it five Malaysians in the top six, three shots back following a 74.
"My game went quite well from tee to green today. Everything just came into place," said Jing Xuen.
"Playing on this beautiful golf course certainly helped because it gives you good vibes.
"The hole-in-one, I used a nine-iron from 127 metres. The ball took one bounce, and it rolled in."
A pumped-up Jing Xuen hopes to achieve back-to-back victories when she competes in the RSGC Ladies Amateur Open at the Royal Selangor Golf Club next week.
Leading final round scores (Malaysia unless stated)
214: Ng Jing Xuen 72-72-70;
219: Mirabel Ting 77-73-69, Inez Ng (Sin) 72-77-70, Charlayne Chong 73-74-72;
221: Liyana Durisic 75-75-71;
224: Foong Zi Yu 75-75-74;
227: Hailey Loh (Sin) 78-75-74, Lau Hoi Ki (Hkg) 80-70-77;
228: Sung You Chuan (Tai) 78-75-75, Chen Xing Tong (Sin) 72-76-80;
230: Napajira Luesattha (Tha) 76-75-79.