Gavin, first Malaysian to win Asian tour order of Merit Title
KUALA LUMPUR: Youngster Gavin Kyle Green has created history after becoming the first Malaysian golfer to lift the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit Standings title after an intense one- year long battle with other region's top golfers.
The 23-year-old now is the second youngest golfer to win the accolade since 2004 when the Asian Tour was established.
For the record, South Korea's Noh Seung-yul was the youngest golfer to have won the merit title when he was 19 years old in 2010.
The big-hitting Gavin secured the merit title following his tied-19th finish at the Joburg Open which saw him earning US$13,277.40 (RM54,056) for a US$585,813 (RM2.384 million) total, this season.
"After 12 months, here we are, on top! It is an amazing feeling. There were so many good guys who had a chance to win it," said the jubilant Gavin who was quoted as saying in the Asian Tour website;www.asiantour.com.
"Thankfully, this week came around well. I'm going to enjoy most it," added the Kuala Lumpur-born.
His sensational feat saw Gavin earning a five-year exemption on the Asian Tour and spots at the prestigious 2018 The Open Tournament and also the WGC-Mexico Championship.
Gavin's sizzling performance started at the Indian Open in March where he finished in second place before he came in joint tied-second at the Yeangder Heritage in Taiwan in April.
Moving forward, Gavin secured another second-placed finish at the Shinhan Donghae Open in South Korea in September before finally making his breakthrough by winning his first Asian Tour title at the Taiwan Masters, a fortnight later in Taiwan.
He stands the chance to close this year on an even higher note as he will be competing at the Asian Tour season-ending US$750,000 (RM3.055 million) Indonesian Masters, this week.
The winner of the tournament will receive a prize purse of US$135,000 (RM549,880) and also a minimum 20 points of Official Golf World Ranking besides an invitation to the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in 2018.
2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit Standings Top 10:
1. Gavin Kyle Green (MAS) US$585,813 (RM2.384 million)
2. David Lipsky (USA) US$461,179 (RM1.878 million)
3. S. S. P. Chawrasia (IND) US$440,747 (RM1.794 million)
4. Scott Hend (AUS) US$439,229 (RM1.788 million)
5. Wade Ormsby (AUS) US$423,896 (RM1.727 million)
6. Shubhankar Sharma (IND) US$379,535 (RM1.545 million)
7. Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) US$364,799 (RM1.485 million)
8. Poom Saksansin (THA) US$326,678 (RM1.330 million)
9. Jazz Janewattananond (THA) US$305,925 (RM1.246 million)
10. Daisuke Kataoka (JPN) US$284,489 (RM1.158 million)
— Bernama