GAVIN BAGS ASIAN TOUR ORDER OF MERIT

Malaysian wins Asian Tour Order of Merit

PETALING JAYA: Golfer Gavin Kyle Green (pic) was over the moon after making his way into the history books as the first Malaysian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Gavin’s accomplishment after an intense 12-month battle with several of the region’s best golfers is a watershed moment in Malaysia’s golfing history as no player from the country has ever come close to laying claim to the honour of being Asia’s number one golfer.

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

South Korean Noh Seung-yul was 19 when he won the title in 2010.

The big-hitting Malaysian opened up an unassailable lead on the Order of Merit list following a tied-19th finish at the US$1.2mil (RM5mil) Joburg Open in Johannesburg, South Africa yesterday.

Gavin earned US$13,277.40 (RM54,070), which gave him a total of US$585,813 (RM2.3mil) 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. Thankfully, this week came around well. I am going to enjoy most it,” said Gavin.

By finishing on top of the Order of Merit, Green has earned a five-year exemption on the Asian Tour and berths at next year’s The Open in July as well as the WGC-Mexico Championship in February.

Gavin will also get to represent Team Asia at the upcoming EurAsia Cup at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club in January 2018.

Gavin’s season started on the back of a promising year in 2016 where he won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) before finishing second on the ADT Order of Merit to secure his Asian Tour card for 2017.

After finishing tied 59th, 68th and 47th at the Singapore Open, Myanmar Open and Maybank Championship respectively early in the year, his season came alive with a second-placed finish at the Indian Open.

That performance in India sparked a brilliant run of form where he would go on to secure a tied-second finish at the Yeangder Heritage and was tied-10th at the Thailand Open.

His maiden Asian Tour win finally came at the Taiwan Masters in Taipei.

Gavin then took over the lead on the Order of Merit, a position he has never relinquished since.

India’s Shubhankar Sharma won the Joburg Open in style, closing with a three-under 69 for an impressive winning total of 23-under 264 at the Randpark Golf Club.

Sharma defeated home favourite Erik van Rooyen (66) by three shots while two-time Asian Tour winner Shaun Norris (65) of South Africa and Tapio Pulkkanen of Finland settled for third place.

The Joburg Open was extended to Monday after thunderstorms forced officials to call off play on Sunday.