Kemarol wins Pahang Closed thriller

In one the closest finishes on the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour for sometime now, Kemarol Baharin won the Pahang Closed Championship at Royal Pekan Golf Club in Pekan by a single stroke.

With a last day 68 Kemarol signed for a 12-under 276 total and left M. Sasidaran and Sukree Othman to settle for second place.

Kemarol deserved his triumph as he held off a tough challenge from Sasidaran, who shot a fiveunder 67 and Sukree, who had a one-over 73 but was still just a stroke shot off the pace.

Sasidaran actually lead the event for two holes from the 14th before Kemarol fought back and held on until the end.

Sukree also came within one shot of the lead with two holes to go, and that was after he had an overnight four-stroke cushion.

Sukree started the final round in style, birdieing the 1st hole to go 13-under-par for the tournament, while Kemarol also picked up a shot to move to nine-under.

But bogeys at par-5 6th and par-4 8th holes saw Sukree make the turn at 11-under, while Kemarol climbed to 10-under with birdies at 6th and 7th. He gave a shot back with a bogey at the 3rd hole.

Sasidaran, meanwhile, had three birdies over a four-hole stretch from the 6th and was nineunder at the turn. He birdied the 10th and 11th to get into a threeway tie at the top as Kemarol picked up another shot at the 10th hole.

Sasiadran then took the lead with his sixth birdie of the day at the 14th hole. He was 12-under for the tournament. His only blemish of the round was the bogey at the 17th and that let him down.

Two straight birdies by Kemarol at the 16th and 17th holes ensured him victory, even after he bogeyed the last hole.

Sukree, who had moved on to 12-under with a birdie at the 17th blew his challenge with a bogey at the last hole and tied for second place with Sasidaran on 11-under.

Sukree, who had three bogeys against two birdies in the last round, said: “I just could not get going (in the last round).