Koh Samui: Malaysia's Nicholas Fung overcame nerves to secure a maiden Asian Tour title at the Queen's Cup yesterday, and dedicated the career breakthrough to his father.
The 27-year-old Fung, who was the overnight leader, courageously holed a four-foot par putt on the 18th hole at Santiburi Samui Country Club for a closing four-under-par 67 and a one-stroke triumph over Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond.
His impressive 15-under-par 269 winning aggregate saw him join countrymen Danny Chia, Airil Rizman and Ben Leong as winners on the region's premier Tour. Fung is also the fifth first-time winner this season.
Thai rising star Jazz, 21, kept on Fung's coattails throughout a frenetic last day, staying bogey free for the second successive round on a tricky Santiburi Samui course to shoot a 66 while Taiwan's Hung Chien-yao birdied his last three holes for a 67 which gave him third place, two behind the new champion.
Juvic Pagunsan (69) of the Philippines finished fourth on 272 while Thaworn Wiratchant (70) was a further stroke back.
Two-time champion Prayad Marksaeng (69) was tied sixth with India's Rashid Khan (70) and Angelo Que of the Philippines on 275.
"I started even par on the front nine but managed to shoot four under on the back nine and managed to get a win. It was very exciting," said Fung.
The slightly-built Fung paid tribute to his father, En Ping, who was with him on the holiday isle on what was also Father's Day yesterday around the world. With Jazz, this season's Bangladesh Open winner, setting the clubhouse mark on 14-under with birdies on 17 and 18, Fung needed to stay calm to claim victory.
"It's my first win and I've been waiting for this for quite some time. I'm very happy. And also it's the best day to win as it's Father's Day. It's the best gift I can give to my dad. This first win means a lot as I've been playing on the Asian Tour for four or five years. I've always tried to win and finished second a few times.
"It's a special gift for my father. I won an ADT event in Malaysia which was on my mum's birthday and this week, winning on Father's Day is important. I'm sure he's very happy. We did it on the right day."
Fung chipped in for birdie on 16 from off the green and then nailed a radar-guided wedge to two feet for another birdie on 17 which kept his nose ahead of the field. After a pushed drive and an aggressive fourth shot from the back of the 18th green, Fung safely holed his par putt which earned him US$90,000.
Fung has now moved up to 13th place on the Order of Merit with $122,007. He finished 12th on the Merit list last year for his best career finish yet.
Jazz produced his second-best finish of the year with his runner-up finish here. He won the Bashundhara Bangladesh Open earlier in the season for his maiden Asian tour victory.
"I didn't have a good round on the second day [shot 72]. I'm happy with three good rounds though. I played really good but Nicholas deserves the win. He had four good rounds, I had three good rounds. You can't compete against that. If my second round was better, then I could have competed better," said Jazz.