HONG KONG, 10 Apr, 2015 (HK Golfer News Wire) - In the boys' division, 16-year-old D'Souza frittered away a five-shot overnight lead after an erratic performance on the front nine before finding his form down the closing stretch to claim a two-shot margin of victory over Michael Regan Wong in second place. Yue Yin-ho claimed third, a further six shots adrift.
"I've won overseas but to win at home after many years is very special," said the in-form D'Souza, who finished with a three-round total of 216 (three-over-par). "I felt OK but I just wasn't swinging well on the front nine, so to come back after being down is a very good feeling."
It was much the same for 15-year-old Leung, who carded a fine 69 in the penultimate round to open up a big lead before toiling to a lacklustre 87 to fall into a play-off with the fast-finishing Queenie Lai. A par on the first extra hole – after Lai missed a four-foot putt – was enough to give the Yew Chung International School student her maiden Close title. Leung's elder sister Emily finished one shot back in solo third.
"It's a big relief," admitted Leung. "I didn't play well but I'm pleased with the way I coped with the situation mentally. It was my first play-off so to win feels great."
Boys' Division
216 – Leon D'Souza (72 68 76)
218 – Michael Regan Wong (76 69 73)
224 – Yue Yin-ho (76 73 75); Taiga Iwasa (75 71 78)
226 – Humphrey Wong (75 72 79)
Girls' Division
232 – Estee Leung*(76 69 87); Queenie Lai (78 79 75)
233 – Emily Leung (74 76 83)
243 – Virginie Ding (83 80 80)
246 – Hu Jing (85 75 86)