IBC Legends of Golf

Tuesday 13th November 2012

A team consisting of His Excellency Cham Prasidh, Meas Seng and Chhor Marith won the 2012 IBC Legends Cup at Angkor Golf Resort on 10^th November.

Meas Seng, HE Cham Prasidh, Bretton Sciaroni, Alphons Mensdorff, Chhor Marith, Rami Sharaff.

A scintillating 7 under par 65 score playing a Texas Scramble format edged out a team comprising of Ly Hong, Johannes Backman and Gregory Tugenhadt by one shot after scoring a 66.

The rich vein of form continued with His Excellency wining the Nearest the Pin award on hole 17 and Chhor Marith wining the Longest drive on hole 6.

Team Australia 3 claims the 7th FCC Nations Cup.

Team Australia 3 with FCC Nations Cup Trophy

Ladies from Australia in team Australia 3 won the FCC Nations Cup held in Angkor Golf Resort on 20 & 21 October 2012. The team consisted Kathy Garnaut, Michelle Belcher, Rosie Emery and Alison Mighell clinched the trophy with a total of 432 points in the tournaments that played with system 36.

Thai Thanadol springs surprise.
H S Manjunath, 13 September 2012, Siem Reap.
Photo by SRENG MENG SRUN

In a rousing finish fit for the theatre, Thailand’s Thanadol Sangkoranee emerged as the Boys’ U21 winner of Cambodia’s leg of the Faldo Series Asia at Siem Reap’s Angkor Golf Resort yesterday. After ending the second round in a statistical tie at 142 with Nick Ang Xi Ee of Malayisa, Thanadol was awarded the win on the strength of his better score on the day over 18 holes.
From the moment the Thai stepped out yesterday morning in the company of compatriot Sitipong Wiangchanok and overnight leader Xi Ee, it was a three-way contest for supremacy. While Sittipong began to dawdle midway, Xi Ee and Thanadol were battling every yard of the course.

The climactic 18th hole saw unbearable drama as Xi Ee’s hopes of an outright win were buried in a bogey even as Thanadol produced an amazing approach shot from the fairway to set up a birdie and finish the hole with aplomb.

Exectutive Director; Holic Tandijono presents the 2012 Cambodia Champion Kim Dong Hyun with first prize.

The figures told the truth and conveyed the emotions far better. Xi Ee’s 70 and 72 counted the same as Thanadol’s 72 and 70, but it was the Thai aggressor’s two-under-par second round effort which clinched the deal. Xi Ee’s two birdies on the 13th and 14th cancelled out his bogeys on the third and 18th. Thanadol on the other hand birdied the 8th, 10th, 16th and 18th holes, while overdoing the 11th and the 17th.

It could not have been much closer in the Boys’ U16 event, which was won by first round leader Kim Dong Hyun, who shot a fiery 67 yesterday for an overall 139. But the South Korean had to do everything in his power to hold at bay a spectacular surge by Thailand’s Nitihorn Thippong, who tantalisingly produced a matching 67 to go down by one stroke, having gone round in one-over-par on Tuesday.

While Kim reeled off seven birdies to soften two bogey blows, the Thai challenger conjured a magical eagle on the par-five 16th to add to his four birdies. His only blemish came from a 10th hole bogey.

As was widely expected, Asha Lakshme Balakrishnan took the honours in the Girls’ U21 class with an impressive one-under-par 71 for a 144 total, finishing well ahead of her compatriot Celine Lim Shwu Ling (153). The Malaysian winner had the honour of firing the tournament’s first eagle on the opening day when she landed the prized bird on the par-five 13th.
All the three winners – Thanadol, Kim and Balakrishnan – were awarded the Faldo Series Asia passage certificates to the Asia Grand Final, which will be held at the Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzen, China, next March.

Cambodia’s only participant, Seng Vanseiha, who put up a vastly improved performance in the Boys’ U21 second round with a 74 for an overall 153, may have been disappointed with himself, but he had reasons to be happy at the end of it all.
The Faldo Series Asia presented Seng Vanseiha a special invite to participate in the Asia Grand Final in line with Sir Nick Faldo’s stated principle of having a competitor from every country in China.
Meanwhile, the Angkor Golf Resort extended an invitation to the Boys’ U16 winner Kim Dong Hyun to participate in next year’s Angkor Amateur Open.

It was a walk in the park for Malaysia’s Ng Yu Kai, victor in the U12 category which was played under the Stableford format. The winner accounted for 34 points in the second round for a total of 61. Paqo Barro of the Phillipines was a long way behind in second among just four competitors.
The Chief Executive officer of the Faldo Series, Tom Phillips, hailed the Cambodian leg as a grand success and praised the organisational excellence of the Angkor Golf Resort management. “I am confident that this event will improve year on year and will help more and more Cambodian children to access the game,” he said.

Away from the competition, a grass-roots golf clinic for students from the International School of Siem Reap was conducted by Roger Hunt, official referee for the two-day event and an advisor to the Cambodian Golf Federation. The AGR General Manager Adam Robertson confirmed to the Post that such grass-roots clinics will be held on a regular basis.

Thai, Malaysian share lead at Faldo Series Asia event.
H S Manjunath. 11 Sept 2012 . Siem Reap
Photo by SRENG MENG SRUN

On a warm and windless day, Malaysia’s Nick Ang Xia Ee and Thailand’s Sitipong Wiangchanok shared the first round spotlight in the Boys U21 section of Cambodia’s inaugural Faldo Series Asia event with an impressive two-under-par 70 at the Angkor Golf Resort in Siem Reap yesterday.
Teeing off from different sections in the morning, the two returned to the clubhouse with the day’s two best scores though both endured some adverse moments with their short game.

The Malaysian was seemingly steadier than his Thai challenger. Xia Ee ticked off birdies in the fifth, eighth and 16th holes but his green approach and putting let him down at the sixth, where he ended up with his only bogey of the round.

Thailand’s Bhenyapa Buranasiri plays a bunker shot during the opening round of the Faldo Series Asia event yesterday.

Sitipong, who ranks among Thailand’s best rising stock of young golfers, brushed aside his third hole bogey with six birdies. Up to the 14th, he held on to that splendid touch but then came a disastrous 15th where he double bogeyed. He bogeyed the next as well to let his grip on the round slacken a great deal.

Another strong Thai contestant, Thanadol Sangkoranee, produced an even par 72 to shadow the joint leaders in third place. The next best effort in a field of 10 was a 77 by Channut Buntavan.
Cambodia’s lone entry, Seng Vanseiha, who had represented the Kingdom at the Asian Games in Guangzhou and SEA Games in Indonesia last year, was further down the field with an unremarkable round of 79.

One of Cambodian Golf Federation’s long time advisers, Roger Hunt, felt that an event of this stature would have a positive impact in development of golf. When asked whether he was happy that there was at least one Cambodian competitor or sad that there were not a few more, Roger Hunt said: “We certainly need more players in such tournaments. I am happy that at least a start has been made.”

The Boys U16 event was also a tight affair with South Korea’s Kim Dong-hyun parring all 18 holes for a 72. Trailing the leader in joint second were two aggressive Thai golfers, Sirislip Phubodi and Nitithorn Thippong, with 73s.

“It was a very tight first round. An under-par score at this level of competition was really impressive. The U16 scores have also been good. We are heading for an exciting finish,” Angkor Golf Resort General Manager Adam Robertson told the Post yesterday.
Despite a rough and tumble round marred by a couple of bogeys and double bogeys, Malaysia’s Asha Lakshme Balakrishnan poached a few birdies to nearly balance the books, ending the round with a leading score of one-over-par 73 in the Girls event.

“I could have done a lot better,” was Balakrishnan’s take on the round. Her nearest rival in a small field of six is compatriot Celine Lim Shwu Ling at 76. The others shot 80s or worse.
The four-player U12 event was dominated by Malaysia’s Ng Yu Kai Victor, who heads her three rivals at 27 points in the Stableford format. One of three Barro siblings from the Phillipines, Paqo, was placed second with 20 points while his sister Laia was fourth on seven, one point behind Jerry Wijaya of Indonesia.
Professional golfer and instructor Tony Maloney, who is based in Kuala Lumpur conducted a Players Clinic at the driving range as a well-regarded side-show in the morning.

Faldo Series comes to Siem Reap.
Friday 7th Septembre 2012 . H S Manjunath.

Sir Nick Faldo and Siem Reap’s pride the Angkor Golf Resort, which carries his design imprint, will be the focus of world attention when the six-time Major winner unveils his highly acclaimed global golf development initiative for the first time in Cambodia on September 11-12.

Known popularly as the Faldo Series, the Cambodian leg, open to boys and girls in the age band of 12-21 years old and of all nationalities, will be contested over two rounds of 36 holes. The series is endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation.

Cambodia is pinning its hopes on the vastly talented Seng Van Seiha, who is among the 22 boys and girls from seven countries listed so far to compete in an event with a handicap range from 2 to 12. With nearly two weeks to go, there is scope for the field to expand.

Sir Nick Faldo addresses trainees at a Faldo Series golf clinic.

Young hopefuls from Singapore, Indonesia, the USUS, Malaysia, Korea and Thailand join their Cambodian counterparts in search of qualifying spots for the Seventh Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, to be hosted by the Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, southern China, next March.
A surge of passion for golf in neighbouring Thailand is well reflected in the fact that the nation will be sending a strong squad of 13 golfers, all with low handicaps.

As a new addition, Cambodia is among the 15 countries hosting the 18 tournaments which make up the 2012/2013 Faldo Series Asia. Mainland China heads the list with four events with the other destinations including the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Malaysia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand.

“Cambodia is a special place for me, so I am delighted to bring theseries here and give opportunity to the country’s young golfers,” said Faldo in a statement made available to the Post.
“I thank Executive Director Holic Tandijono and his team at Angkor Golf Resort for sharing my vision. The Series is one of a number of charitable initiatives in the country that we are working on together.”

Tandijono said they were delighted to continue their “excellent relationship” with the British golfing legend. “We believe the Faldo Series can make a real difference to golf in Cambodia,” he said.
“We will introduce a strong grass-roots element to the event to help create access to the game for local children. Hopefully they will be inspired to take up the game and return one day as competitors themselves.’’

Meanwhile, AGR General Manager Adam Robertson told the Post yesterday that they were expecting an “exciting tournament” due to the high standard of the field.
“The response from junior golfers all over the world has been breathtaking, we are excited with the prospect of watching these young golfers compete to play in the grand final in China,” he added.

Established in 1996, 37 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 27 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year. Golfers born in 1991 or later can download entry forms from www.angkor-golf.com. All participants will receive a player presentation pack courtesy of The Faldo Series.

Ly Hong runs away with golf open 

Tuesday, 07 August 2012, H S Manjunath

 

 

Enjoying a three stroke lead after firing a first round two under par 70, left-handed Ly Hong closed out with a three-over par 75 to win the Angkor Amateur Open by eight shots at Siem Reap’s Angkor Golf Resort on Sunday.

As one of Cambodia’s leading amateurs, Ly Hong had left a fine impression in the second round of the recently held Asian Tour Honda-Faldo Classic at the same venue.

Though he missed the cut then, he had earned a lot of admirers for his effort. The left-hander, who turned out for Cambodia in the 2011 Sea Games in Indonesia, just put that rich promise to great purpose in a field that hardly tested his skills. Expat Nick Toon finished runner-up ahead of Nepal’s Tashi Ghale.

The presence of Asian Tour professional Chris Rodgers was an added attraction and he produced two fantastic rounds from the black tees of 68 and 73 in very windy conditions.

 

 

AAO 2012 winner Ly Hong (right) holds trophy with Chris Rodgers

 

 

Ly Hong’s SEA Games team-mate Seng Van Seiha, who also had a run in the Honda-Faldo Classic, duly won the Nett Division snatching the honours by one shot from Malaysian expat Chris Ponniah.

Among a field of 30 golfers, Division B was a close affair with Tan Savun prevailing over Sor Chanpholin by two strokes in a battle between two Cambodians.

Division C carried a definite expat flair with Siem Reap resident Bevan Rakoia beating by one-stroke his close pursuer from Phnom Penh Jake Montross.

Evangeline Apuhin of the Phillipines strung together a polished 140 to take the ladies event.

“We are delighted with the success of the tournament while witnessing the emergence of some very talented Cambodian golfers,” General Manager of the Angkor Golf Resort Adam Robertson told the Post yesterday.

“Both Division A and B were dominated by Cambodians, which augurs well for the development of the game in the Kingdom,” he said.

In a little over month’s time, AGR will host the first Faldo Series event, marking the introduction of six-time major winner Sir Nick Faldo’s global golf development program.

 

 

FALDO SERIES coming to Cambodia Angkor Golf Resort in Siem Reap to host inaugural event.
Siem Reap, Cambodia, April 10, 2012 
 
Sir Nick Faldo and Angkor Golf Resort have teamed up once again to bring the six-time Major champion’s global golf development programme to the Kingdom of Cambodia. The inaugural Faldo Series Cambodia Championship will take place on the Faldo Design course in Siem Reap on September 11-12.

Sir Nick Faldo with Adam Robertson, General Manager of Angkor Golf Resort in Cambodia.

“Cambodia is a special place for me so I am delighted to bring the Series here and give opportunity to the country’s young golfers,” said Faldo, who opened his course at Angkor Golf Resort in 2008 and is designing another 36-hole project in Phnom Penh.”

Holic Tandijono, Executive Director of Angkor Golf Resort, said: “We are delighted to continue our excellent relationship with Sir Nick and we believe the Faldo Series can make a real difference to golf in Cambodia. We will introduce a strong grass-roots element to the event to help create access to the game for local children. Hopefully they will be inspired to take up the game and return one day as competitors themselves.”

Faldo added: “I thank Holic and his team at Angkor Golf Resort for sharing my vision. The Series is one of a number of charitable initiatives in the country that we are working on together.”

Open to boys and girls aged between 12 and 21 of all nationalities, the first Cambodia Championship will be played over two rounds at Angkor Golf Resort, located near the famous Angkor Wat temples in Siem Reap and host to this season’s Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic on the Asian Tour.
With the field divided into four age-groups – two for boys and two for girls – the winners will join Faldo for the seventh Faldo Series Asia (FSA) Grand Final in China next March.
 
Established in 1996, 37 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in 27 countries worldwide with more than 7,000 golfers participating each year. Past winners include Major champions Rory McIlroy and Tseng Ya-ni.

The FSA is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A, official golfwear partner UFL and official suppliers TaylorMade and Tricor. It is endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation. Asian Golf Monthly is the Media Partner.

A full 2012/2013 FSA schedule will be announced in the coming weeks. Last season featured 17 tournaments in 13 different countries including five in mainland China plus others in the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Brunei, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Indonesia and Thailand.

Malaysian defies 67 million-to-one odds with double ace outing at Angkor Golf Resort.

Posted by Asia Pacific Golf Group on 9 April 2012 | Written By: Asia Pacific Golf Group Team

 

Siem Reap, Cambodia (April 9): A Malaysian golfer has beaten odds of 67 million-to-one by scoring two holes-in-one during the same round.
Borhan Bin Ujang, a 10-handicapper, carved himself a unique place in the history of Angkor Golf Resort by achieving the double ace while on a trip to Cambodia.

Borhan Bin Ujang had two aces in the same round at the Angkor Golf Resort.

Hitting a Phoenix Lynx eight-iron from the white tees, the Malaysian aced the 139-yard 12th hole with a Titleist #2 ball. Changing to a seven-iron and a Srixon #3 ball, remarkably he repeated the feat at the 156-yard 17th on the Nick Faldo-designed course.It was the first time that Bin Ujang had visited the course that hosted the inaugural Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic last month.

In total, there have been just 13 holes-in-one recorded at the Angkor Golf Resort, of which four occurred at 17 and two at 12. In addition to bragging rights, Bin Ujang’s reward for the double ace performance was a return flight on Vietnam Airlines.

According to various insurance companies, the chances of an average golfer making a hole-in-one are calculated at approximately 12,500-to-1. For a Tour professional, the odds are 2,500-to-1. For the same player to score two holes-in-one during the very same round the odds are said to be 67 million-to-1.

 

Lipsky grabs maiden win at Cambodian Classic

Monday, 19 March 2012 - H S Manjunath

American rookie David Lipsky kept his heart warm and head cool when cupping a sensational chip-in birdie in the first playoff hole to nose out  Elmer Salvador of the Philippines on the way to victory in the inaugural US$300,000 Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic at the Nick Faldo-designed Angkor Golf Resort in Siem Reap on Saturday.

David Lipsky of the US celebrates winning the 2012 Handa
Faldo Cambodian Classic on Saturday at the Angkor Golf
Resort in Siem Reap. Photo by The Asian Tour

Six-time Major winner Sir Nick Faldo was a witness to the unfolding drama as the 23-year-old of Korean descent produced an unbelievable chip in the shoot-out to pick up his maiden professional trophy since turning pro last year.

It was a case of history cruelly repeating itself for the veteran Salvador, who was beaten at the post in a playoff at last year’s 2011 ISPS Handa Singapore Classic.

The 42-year-old was within one birdie putt at the last hole to win outright during regulation play on Saturday, but missed from about three metres to card a final score of 68, even as Lipsky caught up with a stunning seven-under-par 65 for a 15-under total of 273.

“My putting was sometimes good, sometimes bad. On [hole] 14, I had a putter-length chance for a birdie, but I didn’t get it in. On 18, I charged my putt and my line was not good. That was my chance,” Salvador reflected on those baying moments.

“It was a good chip by Lipsky, it was like a billiard shot. The way he stopped the ball [into the hole]. Can’t do anything about that.

 “I still feel happy. Two times losing in a play-off now, I don’t know why. I’ll keep trying.”

When he set out to break his maiden ranks on Saturday morning, Lipsky was seven shots off the pace. It was a frenetic chase as the lead rotated among six players and the prospects of a blanket finish seemed certain. But it was Lipsky and Salvador who elbowed the rest for asprint to the line.

“I really can’t believe I’m here right now,” said a jubilant Lipsky, who earned US$47,550 and an equally valuable winner’s exemption on the Asian Tour until the end of 2014. Lipsky’s test of mental toughness had come at the 15th hole of his final round.

“I won Q-school, and I knew I had the game in me. I’m happy it showed up here. On 15, I saw that everyone was bunched on 13-under. I had a 50-foot putt [for birdie] and I jarred it and thought I could have a chance to win,” said Lipsky, who went on to birdie the 16th hole to pull ahead of
the rest. “This is phenomenal, as it opens up so many doors for me. Apparently, I’m in the winner’s category now, and I didn’t know what that meant. I guess I’ll find out.”

The sensation clearly is yet to sink in for Los Angeles-based Lipsky, who credits his victory to his coach and words of advice from Luke Donald via Twitter.

Impressive Irishman Niall Turner was one putt shy in the end of forcing his way into the playoff after an even-par 72. He had to settle for third place, which gives him a spot in the sixth leg of the Asian Tour, The Panasonic Open in India, beginning in two weeks’ time.
“It wasn’t meant to be. I just couldn’t get a putt to drop. I guess I was trying too hard to make the putts instead of letting it happen,” the lanky Irishman said.
 “That was my goal, to finish top five. I guess I accomplished that. But having a chance to win, that’s disappointing. But I’ll take a ton of positives from this; it’s been a great week.”

Into his second season, Finland’s Kalle Samooja, who shot a closing 65, touched his Tour best with a tied fourth placing in the company of early pace-setters Thailand’s Chinnarat Phadungsil and Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun on 275.

Carrying a one-shot, third-round lead into the final day, Kim Hyung-sung slipped on a banana peel to end up joint seventh, signing off with a sloppy 75, a far cry from his three previous fiery rounds.

 

PRESS RELEASE

MAJOR WINNER FALDO TO GRACE HANDA FALDO CAMBODIAN  CLASSIC AT ANGKOR GOLF RESORT

Siem Reap, March 1: The HANDA FALDO CAMBODIAN CLASSIC will make its debut on the Asian Tour from March 14 to 17, 2012 with six-time Major Champion Sir Nick Faldo set to grace the inaugural tournament and initiate a charity drive in the country.  

Sir Nick Faldo will be playing  at the Handa Faldo Cambodian Classic

 

The US$300,000 tournament will be played at the Faldo-designed Angkor Golf Resort in the historical city of Siem Reap while the tournament’s Pro-Am will be staged in Phnom Penh on March 18. Faldo will attend the tournament and play in the Pro-Am.

The tournament, which was conceived by Japanese philanthropist and businessman Dr Haruhisa Handa, will also be held in conjunction with the 8^th Asian Economic Forum and will attract the Asian Tour’s top stars who hail from over 30 different nationalities.

“This tournament in Cambodia will inspire more young Asian golfers,” added the former world number one.   “And in the true spirit of Dr. Handa it will also support the Cambodian Red Cross and people of Cambodia who have made quite an impact on me in my visits to the region.  For those reasons, I am honoured to lend my name and my voice to Dr. Handa in all his efforts."

The HANDA FALDO CAMBODIAN CLASSIC will support the Cambodian Red Cross via the Handa Foundation where various activities are being planned to raise funds for deserved organisations around the country.

“While it is a privilege and honour for us to launch a brand new professional golf tournament on the Asian Tour in Cambodia, we will be using the HANDA FALDO CAMBODIAN CLASSIC as a means to support the local communities through various charity initiatives” said Dr Handa.