BANGI, July 6 — Mohd Afif Fathi and Low Wee Jin hold a slender one shot lead over Galven Kendall Green heading into the final round of the prestigious Selangor Amateur Open to be played at Danau Golf Club tomorrow.
Low, who hit a hole-in-one on the sixth hole yesterday earning him a Callaway iron set, was 3-under at one point and made the turn at 2-under after starting on the 10th tee box.
However he closed out the front nine in 2-over Par after losing his ball on the fourth hole, three putting the fifth and made a double-bogey on eight to finish with an Even-par 72.
“Definitely struggled on the front nine,” Low told Malay Mail.
“Not my fault what happened on the fourth hole. I hit a good drive.
“But the ball got plugged and I couldn’t find it so I had to re-tee. I eventually made bogey which was good but I three putted the fifth and made bogey again.
“Tomorrow I’ll take it a hole at a time and a shot at a time. You have to strategise pretty well here and keep yourself on the right spots to win,” added the 26-year-old Singaporean.
Overnight leader Afif rued missed chances. He was hitting his irons beautifully and even made an eagle on the 15th hole to go with a solitary birdie on the 10th hole.
His four bogeys made him close out with a 1-over par 73 which puts him Even-par, tied with Low.
“My putting let me down,” Afif told Malay Mail.
“The greens were in fact slower than yesterday and after a while everyone was attacking the pins unlike yesterday when the greens were so fast and unpredictable.
“I’m going to work on my putting and try to find my touch and tomorrow will be more of the same.
“Be conservative when you have to be and attack when can,” added the 19-year-old University of Toledo, Ohio freshman.
Galven could have had a better round today but said his short game let him down.
“I was struggling with my chipping all day,” Galven said.
“On five or six holes I messed the short game up and I’m still trying to find my rhythm,” he added after his round of 1-under 71.
“I’m still confident and I’ll just go out tomorrow and play my normal game,” said the second years student at University of New Mexico.
On the women’s side three close friends and national team members are tied at 1-over Par.
Liyana Durisic had four birdies and an eagle to finish with a 3-under 69, Natasha Andrea Oon played 7-under 65 in a round consisting five birdies and one eagle while overnight leader Winnie Ng Yu Xuan made a 1-over 71 to all be tied on 1-over Par after two rounds.
“A lot of my putts weren’t dropping which was frustrating since the greens were slower today,” said Winnie.
“Either way the three of us are all friends in the national team and whomever can cope with the pressure will win it tomorrow.
“I personally hope to play well so I can show my college coaches I’m good enough to play in the collegiate team,” added Winnie who is heading to the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle in September this year to study and play gold.
UW has one of the best golf programs and teams in all of USA.
