Golf Malaysia Champion of Champions Championship 2011
Toasts to the Champions!

An eagle and more than 45 birdies were recorded in the 36-hole Golf Malaysia Champion of Champions Championship often known as ‘Malaysia’s Masters of Amateur Golf’.
Participation in the 24th year of Golf Malaysia’s Champion of Champions Championship is confined to the Men’s, Ladies and Senior’s champions of all golf clubs throughout Malaysia and Singapore. This year, the championship also extended its intake to club champions in Brunei.
Held at Berjaya Hills Golf & Country Club, March 25-26, in perfect sunny and cool weather condition, and just like the David Vs Goliath story, businessman Lee Ka Tung, restaurant owner June Yap and a club manager Mahat Bahari, all took down their opponents to emerged the Men’s, the Ladies and the Senior champion divisions, respectively.
Ka Tung and June, both former two-time champions of Golf Malaysia’s Champion of Champions Championship, showed why they were the best when they won for the third time and both credited their success to their putting.

“I am very, very happy to win again. Of course, this time is sweeter than the last two,” said Ka Tung who was participating for the 14th time. “I changed my putter to this long putter about a year ago when it started to give me good results for short putts which I used to miss a lot before that.”
June who had been practicing for quite sometimes to prepare herself for the championship was excited with her achievement, offered: “I am also very happy to win again and being able to shoot my handicap. Just days before this tournament one pro player told me to bend down over the ball a bit more on my putting when he saw me standing a bit too upright and it helped.”

And the Senior champion “rookie Mahat” confessed he never expected to win because it was the first time he entered a major tournament. “The defending champion Khamis, is a very player and he was my idol when I first started golfing 19 years ago and now, I finally managed to pip him – what a great moment!” he said excitingly.
At the prize giving ceremony the three new champions were presented their green jackets ‘Augusta Style’ from last year’s winners.

Men Champion

Playing near flawless golf, Ka Tung, a plus-1 handicap player from Sibu Golf Club, won his first two Champion of Champions crowns in 2003 at Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort and again in 2004 at Staffied Country Resort.
This year he returned with even-par 72 for a two-day total of 1-under-par 143 to eliminate Mohd Musa Fakir (2) of Danau Golf Club who held the lead briefly by one stroke. “When the defending champion Mohd Shanizam’s challenge disappeared at the 10th, I was not pressure anymore. Even when my ball was plugged by the rock on the right of the right bunker I wasn’t worried,” said Ka Tung, holding tight to his new Callaway RAZR Hawk driver and his bottle of Singleton Singleton malt whisky and ready to celebrate.

Mohd Musa, however, continued his form when he charged back strongly with even-par 72 on the final day but it was too late. Saujana Golf & Country Club’s Nathan Hauser (1) took third at two day total of 150.

After the carding 72 on the first day, things were looking bleak on the second day for last year’s champion Mohd Shanizam Mohd Mohagi (1). He played even par in the front nine but disastrous home nine were filled several bogeys including a triple bogey at the par-five 10th when he snapped hooked his tee shot into the bushes, which put the 29-year-old of Kinta Golf Club at a lone sixth with scores 81.

“After that my game went south. I couldn’t get my feel and nothing seems to work out right. Even at the last hole my third shot ended up in the water hazard behind the green. I also missed many putts,” lamented Shanizam, who was consoled with a Callaway Diablo 3 fairway wood in the Callaway Golf longest drive event when he hit the ball in excess of 320 metres from the tee.

Ladies Champion
June Yap (handicap 5) continued her love affair with Berjaya Hills course when a closing 77 gave the Saujana Golf & Country Club champion an out-right 8 strokes win in the Golf Malaysia Magazine’s annual major event.

The 49-year-old gain her third victory to go with her 2007 and ’08 titles won at Sungai Long Golf & Country Club; even though she recorded three bogeys and a double bogey of the week at the testing 18th.

“Both days, I ran out of fairways and double bogey the 18th. Come to think of it, I was just too greedy. Maybe I shouldn’t have use the driver; but still, it’s a great feeling to win the Champion of Champions title; and I really like Berjaya Hills golf course and definitely will have a special feeling when I play the course again,” said the mother of two and the God mother of Malaysia’s national player Kelly Tan (2009 women champion of champions).

Kelab Rekreasi Tentera Udara (KRTU)’s Irene Lam Kui Moi (2005 women champion of champions) started the final day tied even par 72 with the Saujana champion. Although the long hitting Irene had a great opportunity to steal the limelight from June, but she faded early in her round after several missed putts which included a double bogey on the first hole.
As she quickly picked up pars on the par 5s second and fifth holes, with a birdie on the sixth, the contest was virtually over after she wobbled with a costly double bogey on the par-3 11th giving June a seven shot lead.

The KRTU champion finish with an 85 for a 161 total for second place and later revealed her aching back was the cause of her loss of concentration. “My putting was also a problem,” she offered.

Pulai Springs Golf Resort’s Leow Mee Yek is third at 167.

The 2010 Ladies Champion Janice Ling Hui Shin (6), finished rounds of 86 and 85 to tied for sixth place with Labuan Golf Club’s Shirley Lee Suk Len (89, 82) at 171. “I am quite disappointed I couldn’t put on any challenge, partly because I was quite tired because my group on the first day took a long time to finish. So I was quite tired,” said Janice.

Seniors Champion
It was a close tussle at the top between Kelab Golf Perhidmatan Awam’s (KGPA) Mahat Bahari and Nilai Springs Golf & Country Club’s Datuk A.S. Khamis, who battled tooth-and-nail for supremacy.

Mahat 59, was glad his competitor ran out of holes at Berjaya Hills’ 5,471 metres (white tees) layout. The KGPA captain who played his first Champion of Champions, was able to clinch the title by toppling last year’s Senior champion Datuk A.S. Khamis (7) with a narrow margin of one shot for his two day total of 160 (80, 80).

“Having being KGPA club champions for few times, this is the biggest major tournament win for me. The fact that not everyone can be invited to play in this event unless they are a champion makes it more memorable to me. My club members were all very happy and proud of me, especially when they saw the champion’s green jacket and trophy,” said the new champion a week after the event.

Datuk Khamis finished in second place on a 161 total after having started the second day six strokes behind Mahat, to somewhat stormed home convincingly closing with a strong 75.
“I played really solid to catch up, so I am a bit disappointed. It would be nice if I could win this title back to back like I did at Nilai Springs and Seri Morib some years ago,” he said. “But I am glad to have participated in this event that has been recognised by all golf clubs as THE event of the year where all the champs meet and culminates with the crowning of the Champion of Champions. The field is the best we could ever have and the game itself is of very high standard.”
Glenmarie Golf & Country Club’s Hamdan Zambahari finished 9 strokes back at 170 for third place.

Invitational Champion
In a battle at 2,200 Feet Above Sea Level, the gathering of the Golf Malaysia Champion of Champions Championship is further complimented by the attendance of the presidents and captains of participating clubs. Eight handicap player Salehan Othman, from Royal Seri Menanti Golf Club carded a two day total nett score of 151 to emerge champion; while Haji Sazali Md Hasni (10) from Sri Morib Golf Club shot 152 nett for second place with Dato’ Lian Chin Boon (18) from Pulai Springs Golf Resort in third at 155 nett.

Novelty Events
Mazda2
No one won the Mazda2 car for a hole-in-one at hole No. 11.

Callaway Longest Drive winners
Mohd Shanizam Mohd Mohagi (Kinta Golf Club) boomed a distance of 320 metres and Irene Lam Kui Moi (Kelab Rekreasi Tentera Udara) smacked a distance of 240 metres.

Red Bull Nearest to Sun
The six winners were: Azmi Mahmud, Son Tong Leong, Janice Ling, Mohat Bahari, Ruzanah Baba and Chia Kim Sin.

100Plus Nearest to Bunker
The six winners were: Joan Chin, Haji Sildin Sidol, Ibnu Tahir, Rozana Baba, Jacqueline Ng Sau Peng and Haji Sazali Mohd Hasni.

Results

Men (Top 10)
Champion Lee Ka Tung (+1) Sibu Golf Club 71, 72 143
2nd: Mohd Musa Fakir (2) Dauau Golf Club 75 72 147
3rd: Nathan Hauser (1) Saujana Golf & Country Club 76 74 150
4th: Azmi Mahmud (4) Kelab Golf Titiwangsa PDRM 73 78 151
5th: Ahmad Redzaudin Ismail (6) Kelab Rekreasi Sri Mahkota 76 76 152
6th: Mohd Shanizam Mohd Mohagi (1) Kinta Golf Club 72 81 153
7th: Chia Kim Sin (3) Pulai Springs Golf Resort 80 75 155
8th: Ali Sahabuddin (8) Kelab Golf Kuala Kangsar 77 79 156 ocb
9th: Mohd Pizul Hazmi (3) Royal Pahang Golf Club 77 79 156 ocb
10th: Hj Soldin Sidol (4) Staffield Country Resort 77 79 156 ocb

Ladies (Top 10) Club Scores
Champion June Yap (5) Saujana Golf & Country Club 76 77 153
2nd: Irene Lam Kui Moi (5) Kelab Golf Tentera Udara 76 85 161
3rd: Leow Mee Yek (9) Pulai Springs Golf Resort 84 83 167
4th: Ireen Teng (8) Tropicana Golf & Country Club 85 85 170
5th: Shirley Lee Suk Len (11) Labuan Golf Club 89 82 171 ocb
6th: Janice Ling Hui Shin (6) Clearwater Sanctuary Golf Resort 86 85 171
7th: Stella Chau (10) Bukit Jalil Golf Club 94 81 175
8th: Sue Wong (10) Kelab Golf Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah 87 90 177
9th: Bong Moy (9) Palm Resort Golf Club 88 81 178
10th: Doris Yee (7) Kota Permai Golf Club 85 93 178

Seniors (Top 5)
Champion Mahat Bahari (4) Kelab Golf Perhidmatan Awam 80 80 160
2nd: Datuk A.S. Khamis (7) Nilai Springs Golf & Country Club 86 75 161
3rd: Hamdan Zambahari (7) Glenmarie Golf & Country Club 88 82 170
4th: Michael Hon (8) Monterez Golf & Country Club 83 89 172
5th: Abd Ghani Midi (11) Sungai Petani Golf Club 102 89 191
Invitational – Best Nett Over 36 holes (Top 5)
Champion: Salehan Othman (8) Royal Seri Menanti Golf Club 88 79 151
2nd: Hj Sazali Md Hasni (10) Sri Morib Golf Club 87 85 152
3rd: Dato Lian Chin Boon (18) Pulai Springs Golf Resort 93 98 155
4th: Othman Wanchik (11) Sungai Petani Golf Club 89 94 161
5th: Ahmad Danial Mohd Zahaki (14) ILSAS Recreational Club 92 103 167

Overall Best Nett Champion
Ahmad Redzauddin Ismail (6) Kelab Rekreasi Sri Mahkota 140 ocb
Organised by Golf Malaysia and hosted by Berjaya Hills Golf & Country Club, the championship is co-sponsored and supported by Callaway RAZR Golf (Official Equipment and Golf Ball), Heineken (Official Beer), Singleton of Glen Ord (Official Single Malt whisky), ONLY Golf (Official Apparel), SUNPLAY 130 (Official Sun Block), (Red Bull (Official Energy Drink), 100 PLUS (Official Isotonic Drink) and ICE Mountain (Official Mineral Water).