LOCAL HERO, MOHD SHAFIQ NORZI CLAIMS KELANTAN AMATEUR OPEN TITLE

Sunday, July 10, 2011 - MGA Web Editor

Mohd Shafiq Norzi, Champion of Kelantan Amateur Open.

Another local player, Mohd Rozi Jusoh finished runner up

Mohd Shafiq Norzi, homegrown talent emerged from the pack on Sunday to win the 2011 Kelantan Amateur Open. Shafiq's 71-76-70 – 217, was enough to overcome a one-stroke deficit heading into Sunday.

His 2-under-par 70 was also the best score of the Final Round, capturing a three-shot victory.

The Kelantan Amateur Open 2011, conducted by the Kelantan Golf & Country Club and sanctioned by the Malaysian Golf Association, featured 173 players from across the country. The event was staged on the par-72, 6,350-metre Kelantan Golf & Country Club, the only 18-hole golf club in Kelantan. Since 2008, Kelantan Amateur Open has been included in the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking that ranks the world's top amateurs.

Shafiq entered the day in a four-way tie for second, but got off to a hot start. He moved into the lead early and never looked back.

"I was driving the ball well, hitting my irons real well, and my putting was quite good," Shafiq said.

Shafiq, who only recently played in the state open, wasn't sure what to expect coming into the Final Round.

"I was quite nervous halfway through when I jumped to the top of the leaderboard," Shafiq reflected. "But, I told myself not to dwell too much on it and just played my game. It paid off big time."

Finishing second was another homegrown talent, Mohd Rozi Jusoh with a 54-hole total of 220. Mohd Azran Othman, also from Kelantan finished third with total score of 223 followed by Ahmad Zahir Abd Ghani from Pahang with 224. Mohd Azlizam Zakaria from Kuala Lumpur finished nine-strokes back, at fifth with 226.

Top 10 results
1 111 MOHD SHAFIQ NORZI (KGCC) 3 71 76 70 - 217
2 103 MOHD ROZI JUSOH (KGCC) 2 75 72 73 - 220
3 105 MOHD AZRAN OTHMAN (KGCC) 3 72 74 77 - 223
4 106 AHMAD ZAHIR ABD GHANI (RPHGC) 3 76 74 74 - 224
5 104 MOHD AZLIZAM ZAKARIA (KGCC) 2 71 76 79 - 226
6 112 BADRULZAMAN KAMARUZAMAN (KGCC) 3 72 77 78 - 227
7 137 ADAM MUDA (KGDP) 9 72 75 82 - 229
8 101 NG CHOO TECK (KRP) 0 75 80 75 - 230
9 117 MAHADI IBRAHIM (KGCC) 5 79 76 76 - 231
10 108 FAIZAL HAFIZ (KGDP) 3 76 78 77 - 231