Koh Samui, Thailand: Nicholas Fung overcame nerves to secure a maiden Asian Tour title at the US$500,000 Queen’s Cup and dedicated the career breakthrough to his father.
The 27-year-old Malaysian, who was the overnight leader, courageously holed a four-foot par-putt on the 18^th hole at Santiburi Samui Country Club for a closing four-under-par 67 and a one-stroke triumph over Thai Jazz Janewattananond.
Fung’s 15-under-par 269 winning aggregate saw him join countrymen Danny Chia, Airil Rizman and Ben Leong as a winner on the Asian Tour. Fung is also the fifth first-time winner this season.
“It’s a new life for me now. At last, I’ve achieved a win,” said Fung, three times a runner-up. “To shoot 15-under is really good as it’s a difficult golf course. I’m always happy to come to Samui to play the Queen’s Cup as I love the golf course so much.”
“I’ve been waiting for this for quite some time. Also, it’s the best day to win as it’s Father’s Day. It’s the best gift I can give to my dad (Fung En Ping).
Jazz, 21, kept on Fung’s coattails throughout a frenetic last day, staying bogey-free for the second successive round at a tricky Santiburi Samui to shoot a 66 while Chinese Taipei’s Hung Chien-yao birdied his last three holes for a 67 which gave him third place, two behind the new champion.
With Jazz, this season’s Bangladesh Open winner, setting the clubhouse mark on 14-under with birdies on 17 and 18, Fung needed to stay calm to claim victory.
The Malaysian chipped in for birdie on 16 from off the green and then nailed a radar-guided wedge to two feet for another birdie on 17 which kept him ahead of the field. After a pushed drive and an aggressive fourth shot from the back of the 18^th green, Fung safely holed his par putt which earned him US$90,000.