Seremban: Thailand’s Kwanchai Tannin extended his lead at the top of the ASEAN PGA Tour Order of Merit after claiming victory at the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) ASEAN Negeri Sembilan Masters on Saturday.

The 27-year-old preserved his one-shot overnight over teenage compatriot Rattanon Wannasrichan, closing with a six-under 66 at the Seremban International Golf Club for his second ASEAN PGA Tour title of the season.

Rattanon had threaten early on with an eagle at the sixth but made a double-bogey five on the par-three 12th to hand the lead the back to Kwanchai, who held strong to finish with a winning total of 18-under-par 270.

Singapore’s Choo Tze Huang (67) was also very much in the hunt with four consecutive birdies on the front nine but was unable to catch the Thai frontrunners to settled for third. His countryman Mardan Mamat returned a 68 to lie a further two strokes adrift, ahead of Zurie Harun, who was the top placed local after his 276 total earned him fifth place.

Kwanchai is  US$10,732 ahead of second placed Namchok Tantipokhakul in the Merit list with only the season-ending Sabah Masters left to play.

“My driving was not that good but my putting helped me to win here.  I am very happy to have won here in Seremban and its just a continuation of the great season I’ve had. With only one more event on the schedule, I’m confident that I can finish as the new number one,” he said.

Despite coming up short of a maiden win on Tour, Rattanon also said that he was happy with his performance and aimed to use it to do better in the future. “My second place finish is the best so far, so I am pleased with the way I played,” he said. “My best placing before coming here was fourth, so this second place is an improvement and I will hope to gain confidence from it and do better in the future.”

Leading Final Round results:
270 – Kwanchai Tannin (THA) 67-68-69-66
271 – Rattanon Wannasrichan (THA) 71-65-69-66
273 – Choo Tze Huang (SIN) 68-69-69-67
275 – Mardan Mamat (SIN) 69-71-67-68
276 – Mohd Zurie Harun 70-68-68-70
277 – Koh Dengshan (SIN) 71-71-66-69
278 – Iylia Jamil 67-72-71-68
279 – Mars Pucay (PHI) 73-67-70-69, Mohd Sukree Othman (MAS) 68-73-67-71, Mohd Azman Basharudin 72-68 66 73
280 – Namchok Tantipokhakul (THA) 79-69-65-67, S Sivachandhran 66-70-77-67
281 – M Sasidaran 72-69-68-72, Airil Rizman 72-70-65-74