Kota Kinabalu, Sabah: Nicholas Fung Chee Yung continued his rise as one of the nation’s most promising young professionals with a wire-to-wire victory at the RM200,000 Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Sabah Classic today.

Playing at the Sabah Golf & Country Club, where he has been based since his tender teenage years, the 21-year-old Fung closed with a steady round of even-par 72 to finish with a tournament total of four under 284.

Two-time winner on the burgeoning PGM Tour, Danny Chia could only match his young challenger on the day, finishing with an identical 72 despite drawing level with the overnight leader on the front nine, to settle for second on 286.

Haziq Hamizan carded another top-three finish for season; a final round of one-under-71 seeing him taking third place, two strokes ahead of S.Murthy (71) and Shaaban Hussin (74) , who were tied fourth 0n 293.

Fung dropped a shot at the par-4 fourth but managed to get it back with a birdie on the par-four 13th to move back to four-under. A birdie on the 16th saw Chia move within two shots off the lead but a missed eagle on the final hole handed the initiative to the local favourite to lift his second professional title after his victory at the Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Masters.

“On the first nine, I was a bit nervous but after that I stayed calm and try not to any mistake. Today I managed to put the ball in places that I wanted, so I was not under pressure, “said Fung.

A total of thirteen amateurs participated in the tournament with Jeremiah Kim the best-placed, taking a share of with a a 19 over 307 total.

In another development, PGM chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji Abdul Hamid announced today that the PGM Sarawak Classic from September 5-8 will offer a prize purse of RM250,000.

Leading final round scores

284 Nicholas Fung (67-72-73-72)
286 Danny Chia (72-71-71-72)
291 Haziq Hamizan (71-75-74-71)
293 S. Murthy (76-74-72-71); Shaaban Hussin (71-75-73-74)
294 S. Sivachandhran (74-73-74-73)
295 Iylia Jamil (75-70-79-71); Akhmal Tarmizee (71-77-75-72); R. Nachimuthu (75-73-74-73)
297 Ben Leong (72-71-82-72)