Malaysia’s Leunkwang Kim clinched his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) title at the PGM MNRB ADT Championship after closing with a four-under-par 68 to win by one shot over compatriot Daeng Abdul Rahman and American Samuel Cyr on Saturday.
Kim, who opened his campaign with a 69, marked his card with one eagle and five birdies against three bogeys to seal his victory with a winning total of seven-under-par 137 in the tournament, which has been reduced to 36 holes after two days of play was lost due to the haze conditions in Kuching on Thursday and Friday.
Thailand’s Chonlatit Chuenboonngam posted a closing 69 to finish two shots away from Kim in fourth, followed by Malaysia’s M. Sasidaran (69) in fifth.
Singaporean Gregory Foo, Low Khai Jei of Malaysia, Korea’s Hyukchul Shin and Australian Adam Blyth finished tied-sixth on matching 141s following respective rounds of 69,71,71 and 70 at the Kelab Golf Sarawak.
The 24-year-old Kim was left finding for words after his victory.
“I never expected it to be honest, I’m still trying to take it in,” said Kim, who pockets RM39, 375 (US$9,397) for the win.
“I had fun out there. I hit the ball good, stayed patient and played my own game. I bogeyed 16 and 17, but birdied the last hole so it was nice. It was still hazy out there but I didn’t wear a mask because it would have affected my game.”
Kim also becomes the first Malaysian to win on the ADT circuit this year, and provide some saving grace for his countrymen.
Since the ADT inception in 2010, there has always been at least one Malaysian winner on the circuit every season.
Kim did not have the best of starts, as he bogeyed the opening hole. But the Malaysian recovered with a birdie on the third, before sinking an eagle on the par-five fifth hole.
He kept going with another three birdies on the back nine and did not let the consecutive bogeys on 16 and 17 bother him as he bounced back with a closing birdie on 18.
Daeng, who opened up a four-shot on lead with a solid 65 on Wednesday, was distraught after battling to a 73 to let the title slip away.
“I have never won an ADT event and was really looking forward to winning this. But it is difficult when you made four bogeys out there,” said Daeng.
Leading final round scores:
137 – Leunkwang Kim 69 68
138 – Daeng Rahman 65 73, Samuel Cyr 70 68
139 – Chonlatit Chuenboonngam 70 69
140 – M. Sasidaran 71 69
141 – Gregory Foo 72 69, Low Khai Jei 70 71, Hyukchul Shin 70 71, Adam Blyth 71 70
142 – Tawit Polthai 70 72, Amir Nazrin 73 69, Namchok Tantipokhakul 70 72, Seung Park 69 73, Choo Tze Huang 71 71, Kasidit Lepkurte 70 72, Amarin Kraivixien 70 72, Koh Deng Shan 70 72
143 – Shahriffuddin Ariffin 72 71
145 – Pannakorn Uthaipas 75 70, Sam Lee 73 72, Panuwat Muenlek 70 75, Sam Gillis 76 69, Erwan Vieilledent 73 72, Witchayanon Chothirunrungrueng 73 72, Nabil Abdul 71 74
For final results and earnings, please click here.
