PGM Penang Classic

Date: 23 – 26 May 2011

Venue: Penang Golf Resort

Nachimuthu Eagles His Way To Title

M. Nachimuthu put together an eagle and seven birdies against two bogeys on the final round to clinch the PGM Classic title at Penang Golf Resort, Bertam, Penang on Thursday.

The final round was quite a thriller because the lead had changed hands from Sasidaran to Anis Helmi and finally to R. Nachmuthu who won it with the last birdie putt on the last hole.

His 7-under 65 on the final day was also the best.

Nachimuthu carded a 7-under 65 on the final round and 16-under 272 to beat Anis Helmi and Shaaban Hussin by one shot.

Anis and Shaaban carded a 5-under 67 and 15-under 273.

Nachimuthu began his brilliant final round with an eagled the the par-5 491-yard 2^nd hole followed by birdies to add to his string of birdies at the 1^st, 8^th and 9^th.

^{He bogeyed} the 3^rd and 4^th bogeyed to card a 3-under 33 in the first nine.

Nachimuthu won the tournament with a birdie at the last and was helped by Anis Helmi who was leading by one at the time had bogeyed the par-3 17^th.  

His second nine was a bogey-free game with birdied at the 11^th, 15^th,16 ^th and the 18^th for a seven-under 65 and 16-under four-day total to beat Anis Helmi and Shaaban Hussin by one shot.

Nachimuthu who began the final round two shots behind overnight leader M.Sasidaran, said:”I said to my caddy that if I birdie the last hole, I am confident I would win this tournament.

“Overall my game is good today I did not do any silly mistakes.” Nachimuthu said his RM18,000 prize money would help finance his participation in future events.

Anis Helmi said:” Although I came joint second I am happy with my game and fifteen under is my best game so far. When I heard the cheers on the 18^th I knew that I had to birdie the last hole for a playoff. I thought my 40-footer putt on the last was good but it just missed by a whisker.”

“Today’s game gave me a lot of confidence. I hope I can be in contention in the future events,” said Anis Helmi who received RM11,000.

Shaaban who was champion of the PGM Trengganu Classic who began one shot behind overnight leader M.Sasidaran, made some good putts to stay in the hunt despite putting one tee-shot into the water but still managed to save par.

He bounced back with an eagle at the 8th, followed by back-back birdies on the 10^th and the 11^th.

Final Leaderboard:

-16 R. Nachimuthu 72-69-66-65 272

-15 Anis Helmi 72-65-69-67 273

-15 Shaaban Hussin 68-69-69-70 273

-10 M. Sasidaran 69-69-67-73 278

-10 Md Rashid Ismail 72-64-71-71 278

  -9 Chan Soo Keong 69-68-73-69  279

  -9 P. Gunasagaran 72-72-69-66 279

  -9 K. Kemarol Baharin 65-74-71-70 280

  -8 S. Sivachandran 71-67-72-70 280

  -8 Airil Rizman 71-73-68-68 280