Charlie Wi takes Kuala Lumpur Open
KUALA LUMPUR (Agencies): Charlie Wi won his first big tournament as a professional yesterday taking the Mild Seven Kuala Lumpur Open by four strokes from Chinese number one Zhiang Lianwei and Taiwan's Lu Wen-teh.
A smoky haze again settled on the Saujana Golf and Country Club but could not stop the 25-year-old Korean-American firing a four-under-par 68 to win the Asian PGA Omega Tour event with a four round total of 277, 11-under-par.
Zhang closed with a 67 and Lu a 69 but could not stop Wi getting his big day, despite having to sit through a 90-minute holdup caused by a rainstorm.
"I had to sit there for over an hour and let all those thoughts go through my mind. I was thinking about all the things that could go wrong," said Wi.
The break looked to have affected Wi after he bogeyed the eighth. On the par four next, however, he hit an eight iron to three feet and holed the putt for a birdie.
"I am a bit overwhelmed by the whole thing. To be honest I really did not play well this week. I am normally a good ball striker but at the moment I am struggling.
"The thing that really saved me this week was my putter," said Wi, who won US$48,450.
As expected Zhang, winner of the previous two Volvo Masters in Malaysia, made a bold bid for victory on the back nine.
The Shenzhen based player, fresh from his joint sixth place finish in the European Masters on the European Tour, reached eight under for the tournament after 13 holes and lay two behind Wi.
"I could feel Zhang breathing down my neck. I know what he is capable of and just how well he can putt," said Wi, who turned pro in 1995 after a distinguished college career in the United States.
Zhang, however, could not keep the momentum going and bogeyed 14 and 16.
American Clay Devers, Korean Jun Tae-hyun and Myanmar's Kyi Hla Han finished in fourth place on four under (284) with rounds of 69, 69 and 70 respectively.
The next tour event is the Yokohama Singapore PGA Championship at Raffles Country Club from Oct. 2.
Leading scores: 277 - Charlie Wi (Kor) 67-73-69-68 281 - Zhang Lianwei (Chn) 71-73-70-67, Lu Wen-Teh (Twn) 75-67-70-69 284 - Clay Devers (USA) 73-69-73-69, Jun Tae-yun (Kor) 73-72-70- 69, Kyi Hla Han (Bma) 74-71-69-70 285 - Jim Rutledge (Can) 71-72-72-70, Felix Casas (Phi) 72-69-72-72 286 - M. Ramayah (Mas) 75-71-71-69, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 71- 74-71-70, Rafael Ponce (Ecu) 72-74-70-70, Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 72-72-68-74, Chou Hung-Nan (Tpe) 69-70-71-76 287 - Andrew Bonhomme (Aus) 74-74-71-68, Hsieh Yu-Shu (Twn) 70-76-69-72, Soe Kyaw Naing (Mya) 71-75-68-73, Kenny Walker (Sco) 72-70-72-73, Craig Kamps (Rsa) 70-69-74-74 288 - Rob Stephens (Aus) 71-72-76-69, Chen Liang-Hsi (Tpe) 71-75- 71-71, Lee Petters (UAE) 71-72-72-73, Aaron Meeks (USA) 74- 69-71-74, Choi Kyung-ju (Kor) 66-76-72-74