HONG KONG, 30 Jan 2017, (HK Golfer News Wire) - D’Souza fired closing rounds of 69 and 67 to win his Hong Kong Men’s Close Amateur Championships on the New Course at Fanling over the Lunar New Year holiday.
In doing so, the national team player can now look forward to joining the pros at the 2017 UBS Hong Kong Open. The former Hong Kong Open Amateur champion carded a course-record nine-under-par 61 in the first round to move into a five-shot lead. D’Souza not just broke the course record but also his personal tournament record lowest scores so far, which paved the way for him in the early stage.
Defending Mid-Amateur champion Max Wong was even more consistent with rounds of 66 to put himself on top of the leaderboard after second round finished. D’Souza had a disappointing three-over-par 73 on day 2. But he came back strong with rounds of 69 and 67 on the final day to finish at ten-under 270. Max Wong shoot 73 in the final round and finished at six-under 274, which was good enough to defend his Mid-Amateur title for players aged 25 and above. Oliver Declemy finished twenty back on 294 for second.
D’Souza’s national squad teammate Wu Sho Wai finished on 279 for third place overall. Defending champion Terrence Ng finished one further back on 280 for fourth.
With the Hong Kong Men’s Close Amateur Championship on the ‘Road to Mercedes Trophy Hong Kong 2017’, D’Souza also secured a spot in the prestigious Mercedes Trophy Hong Kong event back at Fanling in May.
Leading final scores:
270 – Leon D’Souza (61, 73, 69, 67); 274 – Max Wong (66, 66, 69, 73), 279 – Wu Sho Wai (66, 70, 75, 68); 280 – Terrance Ng (68, 70, 69, 73), 285 – Taichi Kho (71, 70, 73, 71); 292 – Chris Mun (78, 72, 68, 74); 294 – Oliver Declemy (72, 76, 74, 72); 296 - Stuart McKinnon (73, 74, 78, 71), Darren Choi (72, 73, 74, 77)
