KANG IS NEW MALAYSIAN OPEN CHAMPION

PETALING JAYA (Malaysia), Feb 16 (Bernama) -- American pro golfer Anthony
Kang blasted a crucial birdie on the final hole to snatch the Seagram Trophy of
the Maybank Malaysian Open golf championship.

Kang, who was US$333,330 richer for the feat, receiving the prestigious
trophy from Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak.

He became the ninth American to emerge as the Malaysian Open champion after
finishing the final round with a total score of 17-under 271 at the Saujana Golf
and Country Club in Subang here Sunday.

"I have been playing the best golf that I have played so far. In the last
three rounds, I only made one bogey. After I hit into the water, I dropped it
and told myself, let's try to finish this off with a bogey.

"I told myself that I was playing great golf and not to put my head down.
Fortunately, I hit a good shot in there to make bogey and hit some good shots on
the 18th hole to win," said the 36-year-old American-Korean who finally ended an
eight-year title drought.

A bogey at par-4 15th hole almost caused him to play in a play-off with
four other players.

On the final round, Kang carded three birdies on his inward nine while on
the outward nine, he sank two birdies before dropping a bogey on the 15th hole
but recovered it with a birdie on the last hole, for a final round score of
five-under par 67.

Following with one stroke behind Kang were four other golfers who shared
second position with a four-day total of 16 under par 272. As this year's
championship joint runners-up, they received US$133,055 each.

They are England's Miles Tunnicliff (71-70-63-68) and David Horsey
(71-68-69-64), India's Jyoti Randhawa (71-69-66-66) and Thailand's Prayad
Marksaeng (69 -70-65-78).

"It was pretty close. I played well and couldn't have done much more about
it. I just had the rhythm this week. I didn't hole many putts the first round
and then started to feel them a little bit better and a few started to drop.

"But it is a great kick-start to the new year for me and I can go to Perth
next week with a lot of confidence," said Tunnicliff.

Meanwhile, Randhawa charged up the leaderboard in style but came up one
short in the end. He needed to hole a 50-foot eagle chance on the last to get to
17-under-par but came up short in his bid for an eighth career win.

"I had to shoot around eight under to win but I came close. I needed to make
birdies coming in but I was happy. Anthony played great, he deserves it," said
Randhawa, who closed with a 66.

Malaysia's Danny Chia settled for a share of 11th place, the best finish by
a Malaysian since the event was co-sanctioned in 1999.

Overnight leader Australia's Adam Blyth settled for 10th place, following a
73.
-- BERNAMA