Han Choong Ching (handicap 4) broke away from the field with 41 Stableford (modified) points to take the champion’s trophy in Division 1 of Golf Malaysia’s Eagles Championship on 18 July 2009.
The 100-strong field of eagle achievers teed off on the 6,154-metre Bukit Kemuning Golf & Country Club in Shah Alam, Selangor, for the ninth edition of the tournament, which is organised exclusively for golfers have achieved an eagle during a round of golf in Malaysia and subsequently registered with Golf Malaysia Magazine’s Eagles Club.
“This is my second time playing in the Eagles but I didn’t win anything last year. I am very happy to win today and I’m definitely playing again next year, since I will be the defending champion,” said the smiling Han, who earned, for his effort, a unique Golf Malaysia Eagles Trophy, an all-expenses-paid holiday trip to Macau for two and an armload of other rewards from the event’s generous sponsors.
Four points off the pace, at 39, were Shafie Hj Mohd Noor (10) and Lam Kong Foo (5), with Shafie claiming the second spot on countback.
Another countback was needed to break the tie between Rozaini Md Isa (9) and Fadil Dalal (7), who both returned 38 points, with Rozaini, a first-timer to Golf Malaysia’s Eagles Championship, placed fourth after the countback.
“I had a very good game today with two birdies and eight pars. The best part of my game today was my chipping. It was surprising that I won the fourth place, as I never expected to win,” said an excited Rozaini.
In Division 2 (handicap 13 to 19), Alvin Ooi Chee Hoong (13) triumphed over Mohd Ghofran Atan (13) on countback after both posted 37 points.
Ooi, who prepared for the tournament by practising at Bukit Kemuning for five days prior to this tournament, said: “My practise rounds certainly paid off! Today is certainly a good day for me.”
Despite the countback loss, Mohd Ghofran, who is from Kluang, Johor, expressed happiness with being second. “I am surprised with my win today, as this is my first time playing at Bukit Kemuning,” he revealed. “I travelled all the way up to Selangor to play, but the journey was certainly worth it. This is a good course although with a lot of bunkers – I got stuck in those sandy hazards twice! Anyway, I played to my handicap and managed a birdie and a lot of pars. I think I’m one lucky man to have won!”
The competitive Division 2 saw nine players tied at 36 points. Upon countback, Eddie Eng Khoon Hong, Dato’ Muhammad Nasir Puteh and Yusman Darmawan were placed third, fourth and fifth respectively.
“There are so many good players today and I still cannot believe that I have won something! I am very happy to win the third place, which has now made me more confident about my game,” said Eng, while Yusman, who was also a newbie to the Golf Malaysia’s Eagles Championship, disclosed that he was disappointed with his short game. “Thankfully my driving and putting was good. They actually saved my game today,” Yusman related.
Yau Wai Heng (20), last year’s Division 2 second runner-up, was victorious this year in Division 3 (handicap 20 and above). The surprised winner confided: “Actually my game today was not so good, as I think the course was a bit tough. I have played here before but that was two years ago. Although I won the Division 3, I am disappointed with my game as I didn’t manage to birdie any hole. I will definitely come back next year to improve my score!”
Yau also managed to send his golf ball two feet and eight inches from the line at Hole No. 10 to win the Nearest-to-Line race, of which he said: “I think I’m also very lucky to have won the Acer Netbook. Truthfully, I couldn’t see the line and I didn’t even give any thoughts about it, but winning was great!”
Tailing by one point were Brian Lew (20), Dr Mohar Kassim (20) and KK Seah (20). The double-eagle achiever Lew was second on countback, with Dr Mohar and Seah taking third and fourth respectively.
“I have been travelling a lot for work these one and a half years, so I didn’t manage to practise my swings. I think I played just an average game today, with three pars and lots of bogeys. So I am very surprised and happy with this win as I had no practice [before this tournament]. I think if I put in more effort, I could have gotten better results today,” divulged Lew.
Dr Mohar, who works in Perak and came to Kuala Lumpur just to play in this Eagles Championship, offered: “I am a bit frustrated because I missed my chance of winning the Longest Drive prize, but I will try again next year.”
Tight competition also appeared in the Ladies’ category, when Ann Tan (12) and Datin Noor Aini Samsudin (17) both shot 36 points. After countback, Tan went home the winner.
“This course is quite difficult for ladies, but I managed to overcome it. My short game saved me. I’m very happy to win this tournament,” said Tan, who was fourth in the 2008 edition of the championship.
Datin Noor Aini, the runner-up, said this of her play: “At first, my 3-wood didn’t do justice to me at all. I stopped using it and changed to my 5-wood, and my game became better.”
Chin Phet Ha (22), who settled for third two points back, attributed her win to luck, as there were very few ladies in the field.
After winning the Invitational category by posting 19 points on the first nine and 17 on the closing, Moh Kam Wah (12) from Acer Malaysia had this to say: “I think I was lucky to have won because I wasn’t playing that well. Thankfully I had a few lucky breaks in between!”
Moh, who also won a Nikon digital camera for being the one to send his golf ball nearest to the bunker at a distance of nine feet on Hole 4, added: “Wow, I won the Nearest-to-Bunker Novelty event? I thought there would be other players who would do better than me, as the area was wide! I got an eagle a few years back but I didn’t register my eagle with Golf Malaysia magazine. I am now targeting to achieve another so that I can play in the Eagles Championship, not as an invitational player, but as a participant, as the prizes are great!”
In the remaining novelty events, Lam Kong Foo earned the Longest Drive with an impressive 252-metre smash at Hole No. 16. Chow Meng Fatt clinched the Nearest-to-Pin by stopping his shot seven feet from the cup to win a Nikon Laser Rangefinder while Rozaini Md Isa was the Bull’s Eye winner at Hole No. 13 to gain a Nature Valley hamper.
There were no takers for the hole-in-one prize of a Panasonic Panaboard and a Nikon digital camera (for aces achieved on the first nine) or Acer Aspire One Netbook (for a hole-in-one on the second nine). The field eagle achievers also did not manage to add any eagles to their résumés and thus no one claimed any of the Nature Valley hampers up for grabs.
Jean Daniels, a 14-time champion of the Longest Drive Challenge, treated participants to a special demonstration during lunch with tips that are sure to add distance to their drives. Two fruitful lucky draw segments were also part of the post-tournament activities, making everyone a winner.
Joining Golf Malaysia to make the tournament a resounding success were the following sponsors: Nikon, Acer, Heineken Beer, Macau Government Tourist Office, Svenson, Men’s Skin Centres, FusionExcel, Avène, Nuvafemme, Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars, SunPlay, Isomax isotonic drink and Daisy Springs mineral water.
Golf Malaysia’s Eagles Championship 2009 Results
Division 1 (0 to 12 handicap)
1. Han Choong Ching (4) 43 points
2. Shafie Hj Mohd Noor (10) 39 points ocb
3. Lam Kong Foo (5) 39 points
4. Rozaini Md Isa (9) 38 points ocb
5. Fadil Dalal (7) 38 points ocb
Division 2 (13 to 19)
1. Alvin Ooi Chee Hoong (13) 37 points ocb
2. Mohd Ghofran Atan (13) 37 points
3. Eddie Eng Khoon Hong (15) 36 points ocb
4. Dato’ Muhammad Nasir Puteh (16) 36 points ocb
5. Yusman Darmawan (16) 36 points ocb
Division 3 (20 and above)
1. Yau Wai Heng (20) 36 points
2. Brian Lew (20) 35 points ocb
3. Dr Mohar Kassim (20) 35 points ocb
4. KK Seah (23) 35 points
5. Wee Hen Cheng (22) 34 points
Ladies’ Division (0 to 30)
1. Ann Tan (12) 36 points ocb
2. Datin Noor Aini Samsudin (17) 36 points
3. Chin Phet Ha (22) 34 points
Invitational Category
1. Moh Kam Wah (12) 36 points ocb
2. Jashpaul (18) 36 points
3. Imran Mohamad Nor (14) 34 points
Novelty Events
Eagles’ Longest Drive (Hole 16) : Lam Kong Foo (252 metres)
Nearest-to-Line (Hole 10) : Yau Wai Heng (2 feet 8 inches)
Nearest-to-Pin (Hole 6) : Chow Meng Fatt (7 feet)
Nearest-to-Bunker (Hole 4) : Moh Kam Wah (9 feet 0 inches)
Bull’s Eye (Hole 13) : Rozaini Md Isa
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