Shah Alam, Malaysia: A brilliant opening-day performance set Alan Chong Chek Fei on the path to victory in the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club (KPGCC) annual Club Championship.
Chong put down an early marker with a first-round of even-par 72 over the award-winning venue that is a Golf Course Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
That was four strokes ahead of Zakaria Mohamad with defending champion Jimmy Chia Kee Joo in third place after an 80.
But it was one-handicapper Chia who took the honours on day two with a 75 while Chong carded an 80 and Mohamad returned an 83.
On a tense final day, five-handicapper Chong fired an 82 for a 54-hole total of 234 to stave off the challenges of his rivals and earn himself a green jacket.
With a closing 78, Zakaria finished second on 237 with Chong settling for third a further stroke back.
The men’s nett title was won by Dato’ Suresh Kumar on 216, ahead of Tan Vi Kung and Mohd Hezri Md Hassan.
In the Ladies’ division, Dato’ Azlina Abdul Aziz made a successful defence of her title. The eight-handicapper’s 36-hole aggregate of 169 was one shot in front of Elvina Wong Hee Hua and four ahead of Doris Yee Shoo Feng.
Chou Li Hsueh triumphed in the Ladies’ nett category with a score of 145. Tan Lee Chu was runner-up on 147 with Fong Poh Choo third (149).
The most exciting climax came in the Seniors division where Tajudin Supian edged out Pua Yii Shiuan on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off. The duo could not be separated after 36 holes, both carding rounds of 81 and 77. Defending Senior champion Zakaria Mohamad finished third, missing out by one shot on joining the play-off.
The Nett category saw Lim Chee Gap take first place on 139, one ahead of Chan Heng Voen with Phang Ah Kheon third on 141.
Tang Meng Loon, Director, Club Operations & Townships, said: “Our golf course was primed for battle with greens running at 11.5 on the Stimpmeter and tough pin positions to keep our championships at a high standard.
“The months of planning that have led to the championships have been nothing short of exciting for the Kota Permai team. Every year is a new challenge for us in the sense that we have to keep pushing ourselves to present a better championship.”