Shanmugam Wins Faldo Series Brunei
December 1, 2011

Kumaresan Shanmugam of Malaysia won the first ever Faldo Series Brunei Championship at The Empire Hotel and Country Club to claim his place in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in China. Brunei’s Muhammad Hariz Hashim finished third to earn a Grand Final spot as the top-placed national player.

“This is my first win in a major tournament so I’m pleased by how well I coped with my nerves today,” said 18-year-old Shanmugam after shooting rounds of 71 and 73 to finish on two over par and win by two. “I’m very excited about going to China for the Grand Final and picking up tips from Sir Nick Faldo.”

Malaysian resident Joshua Gibbons, 16, finished second overall on four over par to top the Boys’ Under-16 division and join Shanmugam at the sixth Grand Final, which six-time Major Champion Nick Faldo will host at Mission Hills Golf Club on March 14-16, 2012.

Also travelling to the World Amateur Golf Ranking event in Shenzhen will be 20-year-old Hashim, who finished six shots further back in third place, and Malaysia’s Jaclyn Chen Jin Yi, 13, who won the girls’ category with rounds of 78 and 79.

Brunei’s best young golfers aged 12 to 21 competed alongside overseas competitors for the inaugural Brunei Championship at The Empire, venue for the 2012 Royal Trophy and recent winner of Best Golf Resort in the 2011 Asian Golf Monthly awards. The competitors also spent time with Jonathan Wallett during the two-day tournament, receiving expert advice from the PGA elite coach in order to aid their golfing development.

A group of local children aged 11 and under took part in a fun ‘Faldo Mini Series’ tournament, part of a drive to simultaneously create access to the game for a younger audience. The winner over two rounds of nine holes was Brunei’s Qawi Aslimon.

Established in 1996, 35 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 25 countries worldwide with over 5,000 golfers participating each year. Past winners include Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Yani Tseng.

The Faldo Series Asia is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A, official golf wear partner UFL and official suppliers TaylorMade and Tricor. It is endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation (APGC).

The 2011/2012 Faldo Series Asia schedule features 17 tournaments in 13 different countries including five in mainland China plus others in The Philippines, Vietnam, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Brunei, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand.

Leading final scores: Boys’ Under-21: 144 – Kumaresan Shanmugam (Mal) 71-73; 152 – Muhammad Hariz Hashim (Bru) 73-79; 154 – Quwim Aslimon (Bru) 79-75; 155 – Khairul Kamis (Bru) 81-74. Boys’ Under-16: 146 – Joshua Gibbons (Eng) 73-73; 156 – Jesse Atlas (USA) 78-78; 162 – Muhamad Azizi Junaidi (Mal) 84-78; 164 – Qazzri Aslimon (Bru) 81-83. Girls’ Under-21: 157 – Jaclyn Chen Jin Yi (Mal) 78-79; 162 – Abigail Chong (Mal) 80-82; 176 – Almas Syadzwani Kamis (Bru) 86-90.