Tournament Update
Event Review
Asistio Races to KSC Triumph
2008 Kau Sai Chau International Open 30 October – 1 November, North Course, Kau Sai Chau
HK Blown Off Course Down Under
26th Eisenhower Trophy 16-19 October Royal Adelaide GC & Grange GC
Hong Kong struggled in difficult conditions at the World Amateur Team Championship (Eisenhower Trophy) in Australia last month, ending the prestigious biennial event in fifty-third place. The team, which comprised Stuart Murray, Eric Saxvik and Mickey Chan, finished on a four-day total of 627 (47-over-par), sixty-seven shots behind champions Scotland (20-under-par). The United States placed second, nine shots back. “Each of the players prepared well for the event, but the very windy conditions blew us of track,” said non-playing captain Joe Pethes. “The team worked really hard, and we SCORES had our moments, but in the end we just put 1 Scotland 560 too much pressure on our short games.” 2 United States 569 Chan, 18, finished as Hong Kong’s best3 Sweden 574 placed player in the individual event—rounds 4= France 575 of 77, 73, 74 and 84 over the demanding Italy 575 Royal Adelaide and Grange courses earned 56 HONG KONG 627 him a tie for 106th.
Huang Crowned Yinli HKPGA Champ th
6 Yinli-HKPGA Classic 21-22 October, Yinli Golf Club
Antonio Asistio from the Philippines tamed the windswept North Course at Kau Sai Chau to record a convincing nine-stroke victory at the Kau Sai Chau International Open. Manila-based Asistio, who finished fourth at the Masters Golf Fashion Hong Kong Open Amateur Championship at Fanling the week before, fired rounds of 71, 72 and 73 for a three round total of 216 (level par). Australia’s Mark Leich and Asistio’s compatriot Anthony Fernando tied for second on 225. Steven Lam was Hong Kong’s highest placed finisher—his 227 total earning him fifth spot. “It’s a beautiful but very difficult course,” said Asistio of the Gary Player-designed layout. “But I managed to cope with the conditions and played well all week. It’s a good win for me.” Lou Isabelle Manalo made it a clean sweep for the Philippines with her victory in the ladies’ division. Manalo finished on a total of 224 to win by eight shots from Chihiro I ked a. Ta m Yi kching placed third, a further ten strokes adrift. SCORES 1 Antonio Asistio 2= Mark Leich Anthony Fernando 4 Peter Villaber 5 Steven Lam
Philippines Australia Philippines Philippines Hong Kong
216 (71-72-73) 225 (75-77-73) 225 (73-74-78) 226 (71-76-79) 227 (76-72-79)
Thidapa Cruises to Ladies Triumph
Long-hitting Thai overcomes strong field for impressive victory PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICK LEUNG
T
Chinese Taipei’s Huang Tung-liang shot a final round of 67 to overhaul Hong Kong’s Wong Woon-man and win the 6th Yinli HKPGA Classic. Huang finished the HK$860,000 event on a two day total of 141 (3-under-par) to pip Wong, the overnight leader, by just one shot. Wong, an Omega China Tour regular who carded a faultless 68 in the first round, had to settle for second place alongside Chinese Taipei’s Chen Ming-hsin. Derek Fung finished in fourth place on level par. “I didn’t have a good first round—I couldn’t get used to the greens,” said Huang. “But I adjusted on the second day and was able to hit a lot of good approach shots. I’m really happy and will definitely come back next year and defend my title.” China’s Hu Ling won the inaugural ladies’ event by two shots from Hong Kong amateur Stephanie Ho. Hu finished on a 2-under-par total of 142. Rani Pomareda finished third on 146. 18
HK GOLFER・NOV/DEC 2008
WWW.HKGA.COM
hailand’s Thidapa Suwannapura showed why she’s one of the hottest properties in Asian ladies golf with a convincing victory at the Helene et Henri Hong Kong Ladies Amateur Open Championship at Clearwater Bay Golf Club in late September. The 15-year-old was consistency personified over the clifftop course, firing a three day total of 215 (five-over-par) to outlast Hong Kong’s Stephanie Ho by seven shots. Thidapa’s compatriot Jaruporn Palakawong finished in third, a further four shots adrift. WWW.HKGA.COM
HK GOLFER・NOV/DEC 2008
19
“I’m delighted because this is a really big tournament for me,” beamed Bangkok-based Thidapa. “The field was strong and the weather on the first day made the course play very difficult. I knew I had to perform really well to have a chance.” She certainly wasn’t wrong about the weat her. High winds—t he remnants of Typhoon Hagupit, which had locked down much of Hong Kong only a day before—caused a delay to the start of the tournament—and, more significantly, made low scoring really hard to come by. But Thidapa, whose powerful swing enables her to drive the ball in excess of 260 yards, was rock solid throughout in her opening 73 and she was able to follow up that fine effort with matching 71s to coast to her maiden Hong Kong triumph. Although she didn’t win, Stephanie Ho can be justifiably proud of her second place finish, which was one of the best performances by a Hong Kong player in recent times. Ho, 15, is proving to be something of a Clearwater Bay specialist, having finished runner-up at the MacGregor Junior Open earlier in the summer, and she can look forward to contending again for this title in the years ahead. I n t he M id A mateu r Cha mpionsh ip, which was played concurrently with the Open Championship, Rani Pomareda continued her rich vein of form with a comfortable victory. Rounds of 80, 75 and 76 gave the Balineseborn Pomareda a twenty-four shot margin over second-placed Felicia Louey. Franziska Hu placed third, two shots further back. “Our great thanks to Doris Wong and all her staff at Linkway for their consistently great support for the Ladies Open over the years,” said Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Golf Association Iain Valentine. “ The Cha mpionship cont inues to grow a nd we’re delighted to welcome so many golfers from all around Asia and further afield.” For a full list of all the results visit www.hkga.com OVERALL TOP TEN 1 Thidapa Suwannapura 2 Stephanie Ho 3 Jaruporn Palakawong 4 Huang Hsien-wen 5 Pavarisa Yoktuan 6= Regina de Guzman Chen Suz-han Ainil Johani Abu Bakar 9 Raniasih Pomareda 10 Kuo Tzu-chen 20
HK GOLFER・NOV/DEC 2008
THA HKG THA ROC THA PHL ROC MAS HKG ROC
Clearwater cast (clockwise from above): Jaruporn holes at the eighteenth; Stephanie Ho tees off at the scenic third; Rani Pomareda collects her Mid-Amateur prize; Kitty Ho, Division Two champion; Tiffany Chan having some tree trouble.
215 (73-71-71) 222 (75-75-72) 226 (80-71-75) 227 (77-74-76) 228 (84-72-72) 230 (83-74-73) 230 (83-72-75) 230 (79-74-77) 231 (80-75-76) 232 (84-73-75) WWW.HKGA.COM
WWW.HKGA.COM
HK GOLFER・NOV/DEC 2008
21