PUTRAJAYA: Former national football player Wong Hong Nung has shown that he is as adept at golf as he is at football. The tough-tackling fullback represented Malaysia from 1977 to 1986 before he became a professional golfer from 1989 to 1994.
He triumphed at the oversubscribed eighth qualifying round of the Astro Masters 2019 at the Palm Garden Golf Club in IOI Resort Putrajaya on July 25.
A total of 128 players challenged the Ted Parslow-designed course for two Malindo Air tickets to the Grand Final that will be held in Taipei from Sept 17 to 20.
After 18 holes played under clear and cool weather, Wong emerged victorious as the gross champion on 3-over 75.
The 4-handicapper made six birdies and even came close to winning the hole-in-one prize, the Mazda CX-9 2.5-litre SUV, after his ball stopped six inches from the cup.
“I registered for the tournament a month ago and started playing again in Muirfield after I had a spine surgery three months before that,” said Wong.
“It is a slow process of recovery and my golf is slowly progressing. So, I am very happy to have won today and I am looking forward to compete in the Grand Final.”
The 61-year-old who won the Grand Final in Oman two years ago added: “I hit the ball solid and know the course well but somehow I left a lot of putts out there.”
After the nett scores were tabulated according to the tournament’s Unique Rules of a 5-under nett cap, 11-handicapper Shahrizan Ahmad was crowned the nett champion with a score of 67.
While Wong missed his ace on the designated hole-in-one hole, an ace was achieved on Hole 7 by Mahyuddin Zainy.
Meanwhile, the A Medal category was won by Mohd Kasim Mat Adam (10) with a nett score of 68. He won a Panasonic 49” Smart LED TV.
Abdul Aziz Hassan (11) won the B Medal on 67 nett to walk home with a Panasonic 2-Door Inverter Refrigerator.
The C Medal was won by Mohd Yusaa Mohd Noor (17) on 67 nett. He won a Panasonic Inverter Oven.
In the novelty category, the Nearest-to-Line at the par-4, 320-metre 16th hole was won by four golfers for the first time in the event’s history. Amran Ariffin, Abdul Latiff Jamin, Abdul Razak Azhari and OC Tham were all on the line to win Aldila driver shafts.
The Longest Drive was won by Jacky Tan Jin Hong with a current tournament record of 288 metres on Hole 6.
The Sure-to-Win NTP prize of a Panasonic 65-inch 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV worth RM8,000 was won by Low Teck Poh. His tee shot on the 166-metre par 3, 2nd hole was closest at two feet.
The Astro Masters is into its 22nd year of running. The event is renowned for the Grand Final that is traditionally held overseas, travelling to nine countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Oman, China and Cambodia last year.
This year the Grand Final will crown the ‘Champion Golfer of the Year’ in Taipei, Taiwan.
The partners of this year’s Astro Masters are Panasonic, Prudential, Srixon, Mazda, Malindo Air, Titoni, Crest Link, The Edge, 100 Plus, VinGolf, Aldila, theSun, Ibis Styles, Jake’s Charbroil Steaks, XXIO, Spectrum Outdoor, Cowa, HealthLand, Tropicana GCC, Oat Krunch, Munchy’s, Active Guard, Fresh and White, Astro SuperSport HD, NUNATURE, David Health Solutions, Essenso Coffee, The Macallan, Sunplay, Golf Malaysia, Smart Investor and Carlsberg Smooth Draught.
