Thailand’s junior golfers representing ISF walk away with ten top prizes
KUCHING: Although Thailand failed to defend their boys and girls overall champion titles, they still managed to grab a lion’s share of spoils as 13th Sarawak Chief Minister’s Cup International Junior Golf Championship ended at Sarawak Golf Club (KGS) yesterday.
The golfers representing International Sports Federation of Thailand (ISF) walked away with ten top prizes, winning the Boys Special, Boys B, C and D as well as Girls C titles.
Malaysian Golf Association’s (MGA) Paul San Weng Yau and Aretha Pan Herng of Malaysian Ladies Golf Association (Malga) ensured the overall champions stayed in Malaysia, breaking the dominance of the Thais who have won in previous years.
Paul San won the Boys A category with a three-day total of 221 while Aretha Pan was the winner of Girls A with a three-day total of 237.
The Thailand team, which fielded new faces this year, won the Boys Special through Chakraghorn Jullamon who scored 251, finishing 17 shots ahead of Yoo Dae Hee from Sarawak Junior Golf First Association.
Thanakorn Torsee Frank took the Boys B title with his three-day total score of 238, followed by local challenger from Kelab Golf Miri Jordan Jude Tay (242) and another Thai golfer Aran Sinawiat (252) on count back with Kim Bunjin of KGS and Aaron Lau Zhun Min of KGS with a 258 score.
The Boys C title went to ISF’s Kittaporn who scored a line of 78, 83 and 85 for a total of 246 to win by four strokes.
Second was team mate Psitchai Thippong while KGS’ Immanuel David was third with 263 and fourth to fifth finishers were Aziel Teo of KGS (275) and Nicholas Chong of KGM (277).
The most outstanding Thai performer was 10-year-old Thongpipat Rattanayanon who clinched the Boys D crown in style as he carded a three-day total of 208 to win by 38 strokes.
KGM’s Malcolm Ting improved his score yesterday with a 74 for a total of 238 to pip Andre Chong of Keppel Club from Singapore (239) to second place while fourth and fifth were Victor Ng Yu Kai of KLGA (248) and Ryan Chee Hong Zu of KGM (268) respectively.
Pajaree Anannarukarn of ISF led from start to finish the champion in Girls C with her total score of 241 (78, 82, 81), with Ashley Lau Wen Jen of Kelab Golf Bintulu (252) in second place and Aishley Loh Leanne (Seletar Country Club) was third with a 266.
The fourth and fifth finishers were Nur Aini Azman from Malga (276) and Aletha Cordlia Alphonsus (KGM) with a score of 284.
Malga collected two more titles through Diana Tham Shen Yen in Girls Special and Winnie Ng Yu Xuan in Girls Group D while MGA’s Loy Hee Ying won the Girls B title.
In the team contest, Aretha Pan, Diana Tham and Tham Soot Yuet (Malga 1) emerged the girls champions with gross total of 761 while Paul San, Afif Razif and Malcolm Adam Tay (MGA) won the boys team event with their combined score of 668 over the three days of competition.
The championship also witnessed two eagles being scored by Thanakorn Torsee Frank of ISF at Santubong Hole 12 and Victor Ng Yu Kai of KLGA at Santubong Hole 10.
A total of 82 golfers from various golf clubs and associations in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand took part in the championship organised by KGS and sponsored by the Sarawak government.
