Close at the Close
Mimi Ho claimed her second MacGregor Hong Kong Junior Close Championship title in three years after a nail-biting finish at Discovery Bay Golf Club in mid-April.
Ho, 16, who held a one-shot lead heading into the final round after a splendid 72 on day one, overcame fellow international Kitty Tam on the first play-off hole after the pair had tied on a total of 147 (five-over-par). Discovery Bay member Ho calmly two-putted for a par to clinch the win in sudden death after a resurgent Tam missed her approach to the green and made bogey. Isabella Leung and Michelle Lee tied for third, six shots back.
Ho first won the title at the rain-shortened 2010 edition at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club.
In the boys' category, a superb 69 by rising talent Fritz Lo gave the 13-year-old a comprehensive eight-shot win over Jackie Chan in second place. It was the Elegantia College student's first Junior Close title and comes two months after he triumphed in his age division at the Hong Kong Schools Team Championship. On this showing, however, it won't be his last. Lo's two-under-par effort was the lowest round of the championship by three strokes. Michael Regan Wong and Shinya Mizuno – the younger brother of former Hong Kong Close champion Shinichi – tied for third.
Photography by Daniel Wong
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Hong Kong, represented by Tiffany Chan, Kitty Tam and Michelle Cheung, earned a share of eighth place at last month's Queen Sirikit Cup – otherwise known as the Asia-Pacific Ladies Invitational Golf Team Championship – at Sunrise Golf & Country Club in Taiwan.
This year's edition of the Hong Kong Junior Close Championship, sponsored for the first time by le coq sportif, was one of the most closely fought in history
Luo Xue-Wan becomes the first winner from China as Hong Kong youngsters put in an impressive showing at Sir Nick Faldo's prestigious youth tournament at Mission Hills
Fourteen-year-old Leon D'Souza has been rewarded for his fine play during the 2012 EFG Bank – HKGA Junior Tour season with a stay at a summer camp at one of Switzerland's top boarding schools
Discovery Bay member Rungnapa Winchester used her local knowledge to great effect to win the gross division of the Spring Ladies Tournament, which was held at the Lantau club in early March
Dr Brian Choa reports on an intriguing final match for the Hong Kong Golf Club's most prized title
Amateur Michelle Cheung became the first Hong Kong golfer in history to play in – and make the cut at – a Ladies European Tour event last month when she put in a brilliant performance at the World Ladies Championship on Hainan Island. Here, Michelle, who will head to Wisconsin University-Madison later this year on a golf scholarship, recalls the experience in her own words
Discovery Bay Golf Club defeated reigning champions the Hong Kong Golf Club to win the 2013 InterClub Championship on 17 February.
Charles Schwab, Hong Kong, Ltd., the local subsidiary of US financial services giant Charles Schwab, has renewed its sponsorship of the HKGA Rules Seminar, which will take place at the Hong Kong Golf Club on Saturday 23 March.
