Teenage South Korean wins

Rhys Davies finishes joint 3rd

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE ASIAN TOUR
Kuala Lumpur. South Korean teen sensation Noh Seung-yul secured a dramatic one-stroke victory over illustrious countryman K J Choi at the Maybank Malaysian Open after pulling off an audacious final-hole birdie today.
The 18-year-old Noh produced the unlikeliest of birdies at the par-5 634yd 18th hole to close out the US$2 million tournament with a final round four-under-par 68 and a 14-under-par 274 winning aggregate.
“This is more special than my first win,” said Noh, who was triumphant at the 2008 Midea China Classic en route to becoming the Asian Tour’s Rookie of the Year that season.
Standing on the 634yd 18th tee with a one stroke advantage over Choi, Soren Hansen, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Rhys Davies, Noh hooked his drive wildly onto the 10th fairway. With Choi and Hansen playing in front of him, and Aphibarnrat and Davies playing alongside him, Noh was under huge pressure as he fired his drive miles left off the tee.
His three wood second shot also stayed well left, flying over the Maybank hospitality unit to the left of the 18th green and eventually coming to rest on the concrete cart path, some 30 yards from the green. As spectators flocked around his ball, Choi, a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour, tied Noh on 13-under with a five foot birdie putt and pile the pressure on Noh.
After being granted relief from the cart path, the young South Korean stayed cool under pressure and hit a sublime chip shot over the left-hand bunker to within 18 inches of the hole to send the crowd into rapturous applause before tapping in for his second Asian Tour and maiden European Tour success.
Edinburgh-born Welshman Rhys Davies finished joint third.
“It was fun competing with the top players in the world and defeating someone I look up to. When K.J. birdied the last hole and became the co-leader, I thought that if I parred (18) I would get into the play-off. And if I lost in the play-off, it wouldn’t disappoint me too much because I was competing against K.J. And if he won, then I would also be happy because he is from the same country.
“It was so hot and I wasn’t in the right mind to think. I just kept it simple and I wanted to get it on the green on 18 and make par. The fact that K.J. made birdie and I was able to come out with a win is very special to me.”
The experienced Choi, winner of the Iskandar Johor O pen in Malaysia last October, tipped his cap to his young compatriot, saying Noh was truly a star in the making. “I’m not disappointed at all,” said Choi, who signed off with a 69.
“I played well and tried my best. My hat off to Seung-yul as he played well and had a fantastic round. I’m happy with how my game has improved and I have a lot to look forward to. The pin positions were tough but I held my game and managed to be in contention. Noh played brilliantly and I have no complaints.
“He is one of the most powerful young talents coming up. The way that he controls and hits the ball is like no other and I think he has a very bright future. He’s got a very good heart as well. I feel like he is going to develop in all aspects and in the near future he is going to be on the world stage,” added Choi, who is an honorary member of the Asian Tour.
Co-overnight leader Kiradech, chasing a maiden Asian Tour victory, fought hard but eventually settled for a share of third place with Hansen and Davies on 276. The Thai and Davies signed off with a 71 while Hansen shot a 70.
“I guess that 15-under would have been the winning score. I was 13-under at one point but bogeyed the eighth and I birdied again after the turn and thought I was on course to a win. But I made another bogey on 13 which was disappointing,” said the 20-year-old.
“The win was there for me because I was playing very well. I had many up and downs but I struggled with my putting on the back nine. I seem to always lose it on the last day, I don’t know why,” he added.
*Aged 18 years and nine months, Noh is the second youngest winner ever on the European Tour. The only younger winner was New Zealand amateur Danny Lee, who took last year's Johnnie Walker Classic aged 18 years and six months. Noh was playing his 13th European Tour event. His debut came in China when he was 16 - and he finished eighth that week.
ALL FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
274 Seung-yul Noh (South Korea) 69 70 67 68
275 K J Choi (South Korea) 67 70 69 69
276 Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Thailand) 68 69 68 71, Soren Hansen (Denmark) 70 67 69 70, Rhys Davies (Wales) 65 69 71 71
277 Danny Willett (England)72 69 68 68
278 Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 66 71 69 72, Johan Edfors (Sweden) 69 69 69 71
279 Jason Knutzon (USA) 73 67 72 67
280 Rahil Gangjee (India) 68 75 66 71, Angelo Que (Philippines) 70 67 72 71, Peter Lawrie (Ireland) 69 72 71 68, Mark Brown (Nzl) 71 71 72 66
281 Alejandro Canizares (Spain) 67 69 71 74, Ignacio Garrido (Spain) 65 72 71 73, Shingo Katayama (Japan) 76 69 68 68
282 Wei Chih Lu (Thailand) 74 70 68 70, Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 69 73 70 70
283 Gary Boyd (England) 72 71 71 69, Ashan Wu (China) 73 70 68 72, Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 68 74 72 69, Dae-hyun Kim (South Korea) 66 73 70 74, Chapchai Nirat (Thailand) 69 70 75 69, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (India) 69 72 72 70
284 Daniel Chopra (Sweden) 71 70 71 72, Wen-chong Liang (China) 75 70 71 68, Thaworn Wiratchant (Tha) 70 72 70 72
285 Marco Ruiz (Paraguay) 71 71 74 69, Arjun Atwal (India) 72 69 75 69, Darren Beck (Australia) 69 75 71 70, Scott Barr (Australia) 68 71 70 76, Fredrik Andersson Hed (Swe) 77 65 68 75, Hyung-sung Kim (South Korea) 70 74 70 71
286 Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 71 70 68 77, Nicolas Colsaerts (Belgium) 68 74 72 72, Scott Strange (Australia) 69 73 72 72, Chih-bing Lam (Singapore) 72 70 75 69, Steven O'Hara (Scotland) 74 71 71 70
287 Brett Rumford (Australia) 71 67 76 73, Gaganjeet Bhullar (India) 72 71 70 74, Andrew Dodt (Australia) 72 71 74 70, Terry Pilkadaris (Australia) 73 71 68 75, Chinnarat Phadungsil (Thailand) 67 74 73 73
288 Anthony Wall (England) 74 71 71 72, Anthony Kang (US) 73 71 72 72, Mars Pucay (Philippines) 75 70 70 73, Guido Van Der Valk (Netherlands) 72 72 71 73, Gregory Havret (France) 71 72 72 73
289 David Gleeson (Australia) 71 73 72 73, Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) 72 69 75 73, Joost Luiten (Netherlands) 72 73 71 73, Mark Foster 67 77 71 74, Hideto Tanihara (Japan) 73 71 74 71, Mark Purser (Nzl) 74 71 72 72, Marcus Fraser (Australia) 70 72 75 72
290 Mark f Haastrup (Denmark) 67 77 75 71, Antonio Lascuna (Philippines) 72 72 73 73, Simon Khan (England) 71 74 76 69, Matthew Griffin (Australia) 72 69 73 76
291 M Sasidaran (Malaysoa) 69 73 74 75, Sang-moon Bae (South Korea) 69 74 74 74, David Horsey (England) 72 72 76 71, Danny Chia (Malaysia) 71 71 78 71, Digvijay Singh (India) 69 75 75 72
292 Robert Rock (England) 68 75 72 77, Markus Brier (Austria) 70 73 76 73, Chris Rodgers (England) 70 75 73 74, Hiroyuki Fujita (Japan) 72 71 75 74, Paul Broadhurst (England) 75 68 73 76
293 Juvic Pagunsan (Philippines) 74 70 73 76, C Muniyappa (India) 73 72 72 76, Julien Quesne (France) 74 71 76 72, Wen Teh Lu (Taipei) 69 76 73 75
294 Unho Park (Australia) 70 73 76 75, James Kamte (South Africa) 74 71 78 71
295 Ross Bain (Scotland) 68 77 76 74
298 Steven Jeppesen (Sweden) 72 72 72 82
301 Scott Hend (Australia) 73 72 81 75
303 Tony Carolan (Australia) 73 72 78 80

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