hk close championship
A Changing of the
Guard
16-year-old Steven Lam came of age at the Montrose Fine Wines Hong Kong Close Amateur Championship but it was the presence of other junior golfers in the top-10 that signalled a defining shift in men’s amateur golf in the SAR. STORY BY ALEX JENKINS PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLES McLAUGHLIN
W
e had all seen it coming, of course. Since bursting onto the local scene four years ago, Steven Lam has been considered the next big thing in Hong Kong golf. The only problem for the likeable Lam was that he had failed to translate his success in countless junior events into tournament victories Lok-tin with his caddie/father in the men’s bracket. There had been significant performances. A stellar debut for Hong Kong at the Eisenhower Trophy in 2006 was followed by a runner-up finish to Max Wong in the Close Championship the following 15-year-old Liu had finished with brilliant year. But in this game it is wins that count and, by his own admission, Lam, rounds of 67 and 70 to take the clubhouse had flattered to deceive when playing against older opposition. Until now. lead on a four round total of 289 (nine-overIn winning the Montrose Fine Wines Hong Kong Close Amateur par), Lam reached the par-3 17th with a two Championship over the Lunar New Year, the stroke cushion. An errant tee shot into the 16-year-old showed a composure that has been front bunker resulted in a bogey and his lead In trouble... lacking from his game in the recent past. Five was cut in half. Knowing he needed to par the shots behind overnight leader Stuart Murray last to win, Lam guided his drive down the entering the final thirty-six holes, the St Joseph’s fairway to leave himself 165 yards from the College student overcame an indifferent display pin, which was cut tight to the right side of the with the putter to fire consecutive rounds of 69 green. Choking down on a 7-iron, Lam struck a to grab the title by two from fellow junior Liu majestic approach that cleared the large bunker Lok-tin and seven from defending champion that fronts the putting surface and checked up Roderick Staunton. As performances go, this just eight feet short of the hole. If he had looked was arguably his best. uncomfortable on the hole before, Lam played “I wasn’t nervous,” said a typically confident the 18th like a champion. Two putts would have Lam afterwards. “I had been playing well; done, but he calmly stroked his birdie putt into I’ve been hitting my irons really good but my the centre of the hole and celebrated with a fist putting was letting me down. It feels great to pump and a hug from his sister/caddie, Sharon. finally win.” “Playing in the UBS Hong Kong Open last Lam sealed his victory in some style. After year really helped me,” admitted Lam, who 16
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...until his masterful finish
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earned a return invitation to the European Tour event in November thanks to this win. “I learnt a lot from watching the professionals. They were very calm on the course and never got angry, even if things went wrong. I’m trying to follow their example. It’s very exciting to know I’ll be going back to play again this year.” The results from the Close Championship would have made great reading for Brad Schadewtiz, the HKGA’s national junior coach. Five of the top nine finishers were juniors, including Anthony Tam and Terence Ng (tied for seventh) and Shinichi Mizuno (ninth). But it was the performance of Liu Loktin that really caught the eye.
At 6 foot 4, Liu has long had the ability to crush the ball vast distances, but he hasn’t always been as solid in the short game department. That all changed during the final two rounds of the Close where he outplayed everyone, including Lam. After opening up with rounds of 73 and 79, the 15-year-old went on a birdie blitz in his third round of 67, which could have been even better had it not been for an unfortunate double bogey at the 16th. A composed 70 over a pressure-packed final 18 holes was equally impressive and one thinks that if he can continue to show the same mental strength in future tournaments, he’ll be a Close champion sooner rather than later. I n t he M id-A mateu r Cha mpionsh ip, which was played concurrently with the Close Amateur, Doug Williams defeated Stuart Murray on the second hole of a sudden death playoff after the pair finished on a total of 295 (15-over-par). Williams and Murray, both former Close champions, made birdie threes at the first playoff hole, before Williams’ solid par at the second won him the title.
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Montrose Fine Wines Hong Kong Close & Mid Amateur Championships 2009 Please quote your HKGA membership number to receive 10% discount on all wines
HKGA 2008/2009 Order of Merit 1 Steven Lam 77 points 2 Doug Williams 59 3 Liu Lok-tin 41 4= Stuart Murray 40 Roderick Staunton 40
Montrose marvels (from top): Roderick Staunton made a stout defence of his title; Doug Williams accepting the MidAmateur Championship trophy; former champion Stuart Murray had a final round to forget.
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HK Amateur Close 2009 – Leading Scores 1 Steven Lam 74-75-69-69 287 2 Liu Lok-tin 73-79-67-70 289 3 Roderick Staunton 74-72-73-75 294 4= Doug Williams 70-75-77-73 295 Stuart Murray 73-71-73-78 295 6 Adrian Leung 75-78-73-77 303 7= Anthony Tam 75-75-80-77 307 Terence Ng 73-76-76-82 307 9 Shinichi Mizuno 76-72-77-83 308 10= Donald Nimmo 74-77-82-77 310 Michael Stott 75-75-82-78 310 Tang Kei-hin 74-76-81-79 310 John Ball 79-77-78-85 310 18
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