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Choo makes amends and signs for Faldo victory in Malaysia

Having been disqualified from the same event last year after signing for an incorrect score, Wilson Choo was the hero of this year’s Faldo Series Asia (FSA) event in Malaysia, shooting a winning 36-hole total of 147 to claim a place in the FSA grand final in December.

Wilson Choo receives his Faldo Series Asia trophy

17-year-old Choo was one of only three players to shoot a level-par 72 in the final round of the FSA Malaysia final at Saujana Golf and Country Club, following a 75 in very hot conditions on day one. The four-handicapper finished one shot ahead of three players in second place and can now look forward to meeting Nick Faldo at the 2007 FSA grand final at Mission Hills, China on December 12-14.

Commented Choo, who is a member of the Malaysian Golf Association’s national back-up squad: “I have certainly experienced the highs and lows of this event after my disqualification last year. I am thrilled to come back and win this year and cannot wait to meet Nick Faldo at Mission Hills.”

Joining Choo at Mission Hills will be five other qualifiers from the second FSA Malaysia final: girls’ under-21 winner, Michelle Ting (17); three joint winners in the boys’ under-16 category, Gavin Kyle Green (14), Faiz Zudhi Adri (15) and Chan Tuck Soon (13); and girls’ under-16 winner, 14-year-old Kelly Tan.

Supported by Mission Hills, The R&A and UBS, the aim of the FSA is to develop tomorrow’s champions. During the FSA Malaysia final, over 70 of the country’s leading young golfers – boys and girls aged 12 to 21 – experienced strict tournament conditions on Saujana’s Bunga Raya course, voted ‘Top 100 Best Courses Outside USA’ by Golf Digest, while off the course they received expert advice from British PGA professional Roger Denton. Furthermore, 25 younger children from the community attended to receive free coaching from Australian coach, Tony Maloney, after which they watched the FSA players in action, part of Faldo’s drive to simultaneously increase access to the sport at a grass-roots level.

Also backed by Korn/Ferry, the Malaysia final was the seventh of 11 FSA events in 2007 in nine different countries, including three in China plus one in each of Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and UAE.

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, over 60 competitors from across Asia will qualify for the 2007 FSA grand final on the Faldo course at Mission Hills. Not only will they have the opportunity to learn from Faldo; they will also be hoping to follow in the footsteps of the 2006 champion, 18-year-old Nakarin Ratanakul of Thailand, whose victory earned him a game with Faldo, a place in the Faldo Series grand final in Europe and, courtesy of the Asian Tour, a start in the Volvo Masters of Asia and a scholarship to stage one of Asian Tour qualifying school.

Leading final scores:

Overall boys: 147 – Wilson Choo Zhe Ming (75, 72); 148 – Mohammad Iszaimi Ismail (76, 72), Muhammad Arie Irawan (75, 73), Hilmi Abdul Rahman (72, 76); 156 – Gavin Kyle Green (82, 74), Low Khai Loon (80, 76), Faiz Zudhi Adri (78, 78), Chan Tuck Soon (74, 82).

Overall girls: 149 – Michelle Ting (74, 75); 151 – Dianne Luke (79, 72), Ainil Johani Abu Bakar (78, 73); 155 – Kelly Tan (74, 81); 156 – Amanda Chin (82, 74), Isza Fariza Ismail (78, 78).

October 30, 2007