Nilai, Oct 17: In the opening round of the Alphard Cup at the Kota Seriemas Golf & Country Club, Ervin Chang, the pre-tournament favorite, showcased his skill and secured a one-stroke lead.
The 24-year-old Toyota Tour leading money earner delivered an impressive five-under 67, teeing off from the back nine, and completing a bogey-free round with birdies on the 1st, 3rd, 11th, 13th, and 14th holes. However, the competition remains tight, with only four strokes separating the leader from the 15th position.
Khor Kheng Hwai, Kenneth De Silva, and Galven Green are one stroke behind Ervin, also displaying flawless scorecards. Galven, who played in the same group as Ervin, commented on the challenging conditions, saying, “Boy, it was hot out there.”
While Ervin expressed some dissatisfaction with his shot-making, he couldn’t complain about returning the round’s best score. He also had an exciting near-hole-in-one experience at the short par-three 14th, where the ball landed in the hole and jumped out.
One stroke further behind are Kenneth Tobuse, Shaifubari Muda, and Camry Cup champion Daeng Abdul Rahman.
Daeng, who carded an eagle and two birdies, commented on his game’s overall performance, saying he could have gone even lower if his putting was more accurate.
Veteran Shaifubari, satisfied with his 69 and only two shots behind the leader, emphasized the importance of playing smartly and maintaining a consistent game plan.
The Alphard Cup is part of the Toyota Tour organized by Professional Golf Malaysia and delivered by MST Golf Group, serving as the penultimate leg before the season-ending ADT Toyota Tour Championship scheduled for November 15-18 at the Saujana GCC.
Geraldine Wong Leads Ladies Championship
In the Ladies Championship of the Alphard Cup, Geraldine Wong took the lead with a two-under 70, establishing a three-shot advantage over Order of Merit leader Aretha Pan.
The Camry Cup Ladies winner at Forest City two weeks ago scored four birdies against two bogeys and expressed her satisfaction with her approach shots.
Geraldine commented on her performance, stating that she provided herself with several birdie opportunities, leaving room for improvement in the upcoming rounds. One stroke behind Geraldine is Genevieve Ling, followed by Jocelyn Chee and Lana Aswadi, who shared the fourth position at three-over 75.
The 54-hole competition concludes on Thursday afternoon at Kota Seriemas GCC. This golf club is part of the Seriemas township, covering 2,400 acres, and was developed by Seriemas Development Sendirian Berhad, a subsidiary of PNB Development Sdn Bhd.
Leading Scores (Men):
- Ervin Chang: 67
- Khor Kheng Hwai, Galven Green, Kenneth De Silva: 68
- Shaifubari Muda, Daeng Abdul Rahman, Kenneth Tobuse: 69
- Zurie Harun, Jonathan Wong, Lim Leun Kwang: 70
Leading Scores (Ladies):
- Geraldine Wong: 70
- Aretha Pan: 73
- Genevieve Ling: 74
- Jocelyn Chee, Lana Aswadi: 75
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