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15 February 2009 Kuala Lumpur, February 15: Anthony Kang ended an eight year victory exodus in the most thrilling fashion after a day of relentless drama at the Maybank Malaysian Open.
The Korean-American held his nerve after bogeying the 15th to produce a majestic birdie on the par five 18th hole of the Saujana Golf and Country Club to ultimately resist the challenges of David Horsey, Gareth Maybin, Prayad Marksaeng, Jyoti Randhawa and Miles Tunnicliff after an unforgettable final round.
Kang's five under par 67 ensured a 17 under par 271 total and the first prize of US$333,330 with Horsey, Marksaeng, Randhawa and Tunnicliff finishing just one behind the champion and Maybin a further stroke back.
"I've been playing here since 1996 or 1997 and to finally win this event, I'm speechless," smiled Kang. "Malaysia feels like where I started playing golf. To win this tournament is great.
"I've been playing the best golf that I've played so far. In the last three rounds, I only made one bogey. After I hit into the water on 15, I dropped it and told myself let's try to finish this off with a bogey.
"Regardless of after that, I told myself that I was playing great golf and not to put my head down. Fortunately, I hit a good shot in there to make bogey and hit some good shots on 18 to win it."
What a final round it proved to be with birdies flying in all over the golf course to create the most electrifying atmosphere around Saujana.
As the leading players approached the end of the final round, there were eight players within three strokes of the lead, all of them pushing themselves to the limit to create a sensational days sport.
Kang held a slender lead as he teed off the 15th but saw himself fall back into the pack as he found the greenside lake with his approach to make a bogey five. That seemed to hand the initiative to Maybin and Horsey who were rampaging their way through the back nine.
Northern Irishman Maybin picked up five shots in six holes between the 11th and 16th to pile on the pressure, while Horsey was on his way to compiling a stunning back nine of just 29 strokes - including three birdies over the last three holes - to set the clubhouse target of 16 under.
Maybin's momentum crashed to a halt as he bogeyed the 18th to finish on 15 under, but by that point Marksaeng - playing alongside Kang - and Randhawa were making their moves, with the Indian almost holing an eagle putt in the last from 50 feet to leapfrog Horsey on the clubhouse leaderboard.
His ball stayed above ground though and he finished on 16 under, the same mark that Marksaeng had gotten himself to with birdies on the 13th, 15th and 17th.
Kang had been the steadiest of all the final round challengers before dumping his ball in the water on the 15th. That bogey had taken him back to 16 under, giving Tunnicliff the belief that he was the man for the title and inspiring the Englishman to birdie three of the last four holes to also move to 16 under.
But, amongst the mayhem, Kang kept his cool to play a beautiful drive down the 18th, allowing himself the chance to go for the green in two - a chance he grasped with both hands to produce a piercing three-wood approach from 260 yards to 45 feet.
He still had work to do but he made light of a daunting putt by leaving his ball just 18 inches from the hole to set-up a tap-in birdie that saw him take the title and end his eight year wait for a third career victory.
Kang revealed after receiving the trophy that he had dreamt of victory on Saturday night, although instead of winning the Maybank Malaysian Open trophy, his prize was that he had to "kiss a guy!"
"So the dream on Saturday night turned into a bit of nightmare for me," he laughed. "I actually dream of winning tournaments quite a lot, but it hasn't happened that often. It feels great to have beaten a strong field here to win - it hasn't quite sunk in yet but it is an amazing feeling."
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| Maybank Malaysian Open debuts at the newly remodelled Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in 2010 Thu, 11 Jun 2009 | | Kang is king at Maybank Malaysian Open Sun, 15 Feb 2009 | | Blyth holds slender lead at action-packed Maybank Malaysian Open Sat, 14 Feb 2009 | | Blyth grabs lead in Maybank Malaysian Open Sat, 14 Feb 2009 | | Danny's déjà-vu sees him lead in Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Fri, 13 Feb 2009 | | Chia soars on eagle's wings Fri, 13 Feb 2009 | | It's the Noren and Noh show at the Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 | | Thongchai bids for record-equalling win in Malaysia Wed, 11 Feb 2009 | | The King and I: Kim gets Royal treatment in Malaysia Tue, 10 Feb 2009 | | Kim aims to be King of Maybank Malaysian Open Tue, 10 Feb 2009 | | Maybank Malaysian Open prepares for tee-off at Saujana Golf and Country Club Mon, 9 Feb 2009 | | Local golfers out in force at the Maybank Malaysian Open Fri, 6 Feb 2009 | | Testing the Cobra for the 9th time Thu, 5 Feb 2009 | | European stars make their way to the Maybank Malaysian Open Wed, 4 Feb 2009 | | Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng aim to continue their winning form in Malaysia Wed, 28 Jan 2009 | | Results of National Qualifying Tournament for Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Tue, 20 Jan 2009 | | Day 1 of National Qualifying Tournament for Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Mon, 19 Jan 2009 | | Callaway Golf announced as Official Equipment and Ball partner for Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 in February Fri, 16 Jan 2009 | | Anthony Kim coming to Saujana for the Maybank Malaysian Open 2009 Thu, 8 Jan 2009 |
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