Oh So Close

Hong Kong showed they have the talent to become a force in Asian golf, despite a heartbreaking loss to Singapore in the HK Golfer-sponsored Southeast Asia Team Championship at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club in early September.

A first Putra Cup victory in 50 years slipped out of Hong Kong's hands in the final few holes, allowing Singapore to fight back and claim the championship by five shots. Nevertheless, Hong Kong, who were hosting the event for the first time since 2002, still recorded their finest result in a team competition in a generation.

"It wasn't that long ago Hong Kong were considered the whipping boys of Asian golf and were always finishing last in tournaments like the Putra Cup," national coach Brad Schadewitz said at the end of an absorbing day's play. "Not winning today is disappointing – we had a great chance – but we've made very good progress in recent times, there's no question about that. We're certainly heading in the right direction."

Trailing Singapore by two shots heading into the final day, Hong Kong fared better than their city state rivals in the early stages, with Shinichi Mizuno reaching the turn in an impressive three-under-par to help give his team the lead.

But with Mizuno's teammates – Jason Hak, Liu Lok-tin and Terrence Ng – struggling to find their form in the breezy conditions, Singapore upped their game thanks to the experienced Choo Tsz-huang and were able to draw level with six holes remaining. Mizuno, 17, fought Hong Kong's cause almost single-handedly. The reigning Hong Kong Close champion reached six-under for his round after an eagle at the 15th, where he holed an incredible 50ft putt, and was within sight of not only team and individual glory but also a new course record.

However, an errant drive at the 17th, followed by a three-putt from 20 feet, led to a double bogey, a score he replicated on the home hole after finding the hazard off the tee. Mizuno signed for a 68 and had to settle for second place in the individual competition, two strokes shy of Choo's winning total of 281.

Singapore, who last claimed the championship in 2008, finished on a four-day total of 846, five ahead of Hong Kong. Indonesia, with 860, finished third. Hong Kong have claimed the Putra Cup only once before – at the inaugural championship in 1961, when they romped to a 33-stroke win at the Royal Selangor Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur.

It was terrible luck for Nagoya-born Mizuno, a product of the Hong Kong Golf Association's junior development programme, who was crestfallen. But Schadewitz said it was Hong Kong's failure to post three solid rounds on the final day, rather than Mizuno's late fall, which cost them. Hak, who had been magnificent on the second day when he fired a course record-tying 65, battled back after an horrific start for a 75 in the final round, while Liu, who had a brilliant 67 on day three, could only manage a 76. Terrence Ng, Hong Kong's most consistent player over the first three rounds, faded to a 79.

"It's hard to take," Schadewitz said. "Singapore were able to shoot three good scores today, which we didn't manage to do – and for it to come down to the final two holes shows how close it really was.

"I'm really proud of Shinichi. He had something really great going and it was gut-wrenching to see what happened. But he'll be back. He's proved what a great player he's become."

Although Thailand finished down the standings in the main event, they claimed both the under-18 boys' Lion City Cup and the ladies' Santi Cup, which were held concurrently with the Putra Cup.

51st Putra Cup Team Standings

1 Singapore 846
2 Hong Kong 851
3 Indonesia 860
4 Malaysia 862
5 Thailand 880
6 Philippines 883
7 Myanmar 885

Written by The Editors

Photography by Daniel Wong

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