KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 11 — Youngster Gavin Kyle Green has created history after becoming the first Malaysian golfer to lift the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit Standings title after an intense one- year long battle with other region’s top golfers.

The 23-year-old now is the second youngest golfer to win the accolade since 2004 when the Asian Tour was established.

For the record, South Korea’s Noh Seung-yul was the youngest golfer to have won the merit title when he was 19 years old in 2010.

The big-hitting Gavin secured the merit title following his tied-19th finish at the Joburg Open which saw him earning US$13,277.40 (RM54,056) for a US$585,813 (RM2.384 million) total, this season.

"After 12 months, here we are, on top! It is an amazing feeling. There were so many good guys who had a chance to win it,” said the jubilant Gavin who was quoted as saying in the Asian Tour website; www.asiantour.com.

"Thankfully, this week came around well. I’m going to enjoy most it,” added the Kuala Lumpur-born.

His sensational feat saw Gavin earning a five-year exemption on the Asian Tour and spots at the prestigious 2018 The Open Tournament and also the WGC-Mexico Championship.

Gavin’s sizzling performance started at the Indian Open in March where he finished in second place before he came in joint tied-second at the Yeangder Heritage in Taiwan in April.

Moving forward, Gavin secured another second-placed finish at the Shinhan Donghae Open in South Korea in September before finally making his breakthrough by winning his first Asian Tour title at the Taiwan Masters, a fortnight later in Taiwan.

He stands the chance to close this year on an even higher note as he will be competing at the Asian Tour season-ending US$750,000 (RM3.055 million) Indonesian Masters, this week.

The winner of the tournament will receive a prize purse of US$135,000 (RM549,880) and also a minimum 20 points of Official Golf World Ranking besides an invitation to the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational in 2018.

2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit Standings Top 10:

1. Gavin Kyle Green (MAS) US$585,813 (RM2.384 million)

2. David Lipsky (USA) US$461,179 (RM1.878 million)

3. SSP Chawrasia (IND) US$440,747 (RM1.794 million)

4. Scott Hend (AUS) US$439,229 (RM1.788 million)

5. Wade Ormsby (AUS) US$423,896 (RM1.727 million)

6. Shubhankar Sharma (IND) US$379,535 (RM1.545 million)

7. Phachara Khongwatmai (THA) US$364,799 (RM1.485 million)

8. Poom Saksansin (THA) US$326,678 (RM1.330 million)

9. Jazz Janewattananond (THA) US$305,925 (RM1.246 million)

10. Daisuke Kataoka (JPN) US$284,489 (RM1.158 million) — Bernama