2005 China Tour Zhuhai Leg - Round 3: Liang staves off Li's revolution to take Zhuhai Leg

The 27-year-old won in style in his native province, shooting a one-under-par final round 71 to finish 11-under for the three rounds. In doing so Liang resisted the challenge of China's rising star - Beijing Leg winner Li Chao - who held the lead at the turn but couldn't resist Liang's five birdies in the last eight holes.

Li shot a one-over-par 73 and finished on seven under par for the tournament, one shot ahead of Chinese legend Zhang Lianwei. He then promised he would continue to challenge the big guns by quoting the famous dying words of the Sun Yat-sen, the man regarded as the founding father of modern-day China.

"The revolution has not yet succeeded. Comrades you must carry on!" the 25-year-old exclaimed.
Liang, was marginally less poetic and a good deal more pragmatic, as he savoured only his second win of the year.

"I'm delighted I've got the trophy, but winning is like eating meals. I'm a professional golfer. After this event I will go the next tournament and start again," the Guangdong native said.

It had looked extremely unlikely that Liang would be tasting victory at all as the strongest winds all week made finding the trickily-placed pins resemble a game of hunt the thimble.

Having started bogey-bogey, Liang's first birdie at the short par-four fourth was instantly forgotten as he triple-bogeyed the par three fifth hole. Finding water off the tee, his third caught the wrong side of a hump on the green and the Japan Golf Tour regular three-putted from no more than 20 feet.

"At the very beginning I was overconfident, and at that time the wind was very challenging, so I didn't play well," he explained.

"Once I lost the lead I calmed down. At the ninth hole I saw my father. Maybe my mother and father brought luck to me, but I'm not sure about that. At the ninth I got a birdie. Maybe on the back nine I was a little bit lucky, but in the end I got the championship."

Five birdies in six holes suggest that Liang, who was born in nearby Zhongshan, is being modest. Certainly Li Chao thought otherwise.

"On the back nine "Brother" Liang played very well," he said respectfully.

"Zhang also played well, but he has a small problem with his driver. In all the other aspects his game is good.

"I'm very happy; very happy. Losing is not a great pity. I also played well. I was only one over. Although I missed some chances to win, overall it was a good round. It's just my score wasn't ideal. Paired with Zhang and Liang, I felt a lot of pressure. I didn't play that well, but I got second place."

The trio, benefiting most from the fading wind, were the only players to finish under par for the tournament, and only three other players edged their way under 72. Another Guangdong golfer, Yuan Hao, lead the rest of the field. The 35-year-old, who recently won the Royal Orchid Classic in Shantou, dropped his only shot of the back nine on the last to drop to one over par.

China Tour - Zhuhai Leg

Leading final round scores Par 72

205 - Liang Wenchong 68-66-71
209 - Li Chao 69-67-73
210 - Zhang Lianwei 71-69-70
217 - Yuan Hao 71-70-76
218 - Huang Yonghuan 69-74-75,
219 - Xiang Xiaoxuan 74-72-73
220 - Liu Guojie 74-73-73
221 - Qi Zengfa 74-74-73, Shang Lei 72-76-73, Wang Huiqiang 67-76-78, Zheng Wengen 70-81-70
222 - Liu Xin 77-71-74
223 - Deng Yonghong 75-73-75, Wu Ashun (A) 75-69-78
224 - Liu Anda 76-76-72
225 - Feng Xu 72-84-69, Huang Mingjie 73-74-77, Liu Peiguo 75-73-77, Wu Weihuang 74-76-75
226 - Tang Jinchang 76-78-72
227 - Deng Yuchao 75-76-76, Gu Cuilin 71-77-79, Liao Guiming 73-83-71, Liu Qiang 73-79-75, Meng Qingpeng 76-76-75, Tan Yongzang 74-74-79, Xia Zhengrong 78-76-73
228 - Liu Anlin 78-76-74, Zheng Shaoguang 72-80-76
229 - Fu Tai 77-72-80, Su Dong (A) 80-73-76, Xiao Zhijin 75-79-75

October 15, 2005

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