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Hussain the hero in London Myanmar Open

Bagan, Myanmar, 8th March 1998 -: Pakistan's Taimur Hussain recorded a shock victory in the US$225,000 London Myanmar Open today after beating China's Zhang Lian-wei by a stroke at the Bagan Golf Resort.

Marking the first victory by a Pakistan player on the Omega Tour, and indeed the first win by a Pakistani in an international Tour event, 24-year-old Hussain fired a three-under-par 69 to claim the US$36,338 winner's cheque with a four-round aggregate of eight-under-par 280.

In what is the opening event on the 1998 Omega Tour, Zhang carded a final round 69 while third-round leader Robert Huxtable of the United States crashed to an 11-over-par 83 to end tied for 29th place.

American Ted Purdy returned a 71 to finish in third place, two behind Hussain, while India's Vivek Bhandari, fired a 74 and ended four adrift of the Pakistan winner.

In an enthralling battle between Hussain and Zhang, it was the latter who true to his reputation came out guns blazing with birdies on the second and third to take the lead.

The Pakistan player, however, not intimidated by the Chinese players onslaught played steadily over the opening holes before stunning the gallery with a pitch in from 10 yards on the ninth for an eagle three and a one shot lead.

A bogey from Zhang, playing two groups ahead of Hussain, on the 11th allowed Hussain to move two clear at the top before he consolidated his advantage with birdies from 15 feet on the 12th and eight feet at the 13th.

Typically, Zhang refused to give up and reduced the gap with birdies on 15 and 17, and when Hussain missed a four footer for par at the 15th the Pakistan player was forced to par the last three holes to secure the title.

"The key was my eagle on the ninth which allowed me to take the lead for the first time," said Hussain. "From there on in I was confident of winning. Even when I missed from four feet on 15 I knew what I had to do to win and I was confident I could par the last three holes. I think my brother Imdad, who followed me round, suffered more nerves than I did, especially when I missed on 15."

The powerfully-built Hussain has been something of a sleeping giant of Asian professional golf over the past few seasons. In 1995 he won the individual title in the Nomura Cup – the Asia-Pacific region's most prestigious amateur event which includes the top Australian, New Zealand, Japanese and Taiwan amateurs. He won the Pakistan Open as an amateur in the same year and turned professional in order to try and qualify for the Japan PGA Tour. He failed to qualify for the Japan Tour but has at last kick started his professional career with victory in Myanmar.

Although Zhang was unable to record what would have been his second Omega Tour win, after the Volvo Asian Matchplay Championship, he was not unhappy with second place.

"It's a very difficult course so I am happy to finish second," said Zhang, who collected US$25,042.

"The greens were very hard which made it difficult to stop the ball with accuracy. It is a good start to the season for me."