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.