Unheralded Thai tops RWM golf

CARMONA, Cavite—In a wild final round dominated by long shots as the pressure told on the grizzled veterans, a 21-year-old Thai with the least pro experience in the talented field showed everyone how it’s supposed to be done.

Natipong Srithong, in just his fifth pro event, played with steely resolve and brandished the touch of a true master to complete a comeback from four strokes down and win the $1 million Resorts World Manila Masters by a shot over Jbe Kruger of South Africa.

Hardly mentioned in the same breath as fellow youngsters Lee Chieh-po and Hung Chien-yao of Taipei after three rounds, Natipong stepped on the gas by firing six birdies in the last 13 holes for a closing five-under-par 67 at the Masters layout here.

The Thai, on the final year of his law studies, tallied 273 over the well-manicured layout to bring home the $180,000 champion’s prize of the Asian Tour event hosted by Manila Southwoods.

“I still have a year left,” Natipong said of his law studies. “I will have to come home and talk to my dad about it, because for now, I would like to play in Vietnam (the next event).”

Natipong was steadiest when circumstances demanded nothing but the best from the front runners as Kruger dropped three shots in a two-hole stretch bridging the two nines and Hung, the overnight leader, simply succumbing in the final hole to finish tied for third.

One off Hung at the start of the day, Kruger, the pocket-sized, long-hitter from Johannesburg, blew a three-shot lead starting from No. 9 and barely missed a chip for eagle on the 18th to forge a playoff.

He closed out with a 71 for 274, a stroke ahead of Hung, who literally couldn’t hold it together in the final hole.

The 23-year-old Hung, from the way he rebounded from a four-over start in his first six holes, had a great chance of winning it only to make a mess out of the easy par-5 18th hole and sign for a double bogey and a 73 that left him tied with Lee, who fired a 71.

Hung had picked himself up from that forgettable start by going five-under in a 10-hole stretch from No. 8, highlighting a hot run with an ace on the 241-yard 13th hole with a utility iron.

And with the 18th reachable for almost everyone, Hung, who came to the finishing hole tied for the lead, drove it way right into a hazard to eventually crumble and hand the title on a silver platter to Natipong.

“I thought I was just too uptight and couldn’t play my best (in the 18th),” said Hung, who was playing four from 116 yards on the 18th but still missed the green short and wide to the right.

He pitched to more than 20 feet past the cup from the greenside rough and two-putted.

Miguel Tabuena and Angelo Que were the best-placed Filipinos after finishing tied for 24th at 280, turning in closing efforts of 70 and 72, respectively.