PARIYA ENDS THREE YEARS WITHOUT A WIN AT SELANGOR MASTERS

NEWS RELEASE FROM ASIAN TOUR

Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia: Pariya Junhasavasdikul holed a pressure-packed five-foot par putt at the last hole to win the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters by one stroke on Sunday, ending a frustrating three-year winless run.

The 29-year-old Thai completed a wire-to-wire triumph following a one-under-par 70 at the Seri Selangor Golf Club to edge India’s Anirban Lahiri, who challenged with a 68 in the RM1.2 million (approximately US$400,000) Asian Tour event.

South Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun, who held the lead up till the 15^th hole, settled for third place after dropping a double bogey and bogey on 16 and 17 to finish alongside another Thai, Namchok Tantipokhakul, who stormed up the leaderboard with a 65.

Chinese Taipei veteran Lu Wen-teh took fifth place while there was plenty of admiration for 19-year-old Malaysian amateur Gavin Green, who tied for the lead on the front nine, as he settled for a share of sixth place after a 73 which included a one-stroke penalty which he called on himself when his ball moved on the 11^th green.

Pariya, who pocketed US$68,954 for his second Asian Tour victory, raised his fist in delight after he coolly got up and down at the closing hole to grab victory following a day of high drama.

“I’m still shaking right now. I can’t describe the feeling. Like in Taipei (when he won the Mercuries Taiwan Masters in 2010), it just hit me when I was in the car heading to the airport. Walking down the last three holes, there was tremendous pressure,” said Pariya, who ended the week on nine-under-par 275.

The 22-year-old Baek, who is Pariya’s regular practice partner and roommate, was striding towards his first Asian Tour title but the 16^th hole, which he triple bogeyed on Saturday, got to him again as he lost his ball with a poor drive for a double bogey 6 which gave Pariya the lead.

With Lahiri in the clubhouse on eight under after producing some sublime golf, Pariya was forced to get up and down for par on the last hole but he calmly rolled in his winning putt.

“I didn’t think about it (the last putt) too much. I saw Baek’s line was left to right, and Gavin had putted before me and they showed me the line which was half a ball outside the edge. It was a downhill putt and all I had to do was to put a good stroke in. Luckily, I didn’t feel any pressure then. I kept to the routine and got it over with,” said Pariya.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 284 (4x72) Yardage 6,927

275 Pariya JUNHASAVASDIKUL (THA) 66-68-71-70.

276 Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 73-68-67-68.

277 Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 72-74-66-65, BAEK Seuk-hyun (SKOR) 67-68-71-71.

279 LU Wen-teh (TPE) 70-72-70-67.

280 Scott HEND (AUS) 70-73-70-67, Peter RICHARDSON (ENG) 69-73-69-69, Wade ORMSBY (AUS) 68-70-72-70, Gavin GREEN (am, MAS) 68-69-70-73.

281 Marcus BOTH (AUS) 73-69-70-69.

282 Adilson DA SILVA (BRA) 74-70-70-68.

283 Javi COLOMO (ESP) 74-68-71-70, Stephen LEWTON (ENG) 73-70-68-72, Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA) 75-67-67-74.