THE PHILIPPINES’ Sam Martirez drilled in a 12-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole, then watched Warda Rawof of Malaysia flub her own bid from close range to snatch the RSGC Malaysia Junior Championship crown in Kuala Lumpur Friday.
Martirez rallied from three shots down to close out with a 75 for a 54-hole total of 223 like Rawof (76) and Kellie Kan (75), another Malaysian, and set up the three-player playoff at the par-73 RSGC Golf Club.
The top The Country Club bet could have clinched it outright but muffed a five-foot birdie putt on the 54th hole. But she held her own on their return to the par-5, hitting an approach from 120 yards that landed 12 feet off the cup.
“This win was special as Sam and her teammates struggled in the opening round and had to fight back from big deficits,” said TCC coach Bong Lopez.
Overnight co-leader Calista Ong of Singapore carded a 77 for fourth spot.
Martirez, who improved on a 78 with a tournament-best 70 in the second round, followed up on her third-place finish in the recent Taiwan LPGA and ICTSI LPGT pro event at Southwoods.