Hong Kong's hopes of a first Putra Cup victory in 50 years were dashed after a stirring Singapore fightback in the final round of the Southeast Asia golf team championship at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club yesterday.
Singapore, who last claimed the championship in 2008, finished on a four-day total of 846, five ahead of Hong Kong in second. Indonesia, with 860, placed third.
Trailing Singapore by two shots heading into the last day, Hong Kong fared better than their city state rivals in the early stages, with Shinichi Mizuno reaching the turn in an impressive three-under-par to help give his team the lead.
But with Mizuno's teammates - Jason Hak Shun-yat, Liu Lok-tin and Terrence Ng - struggling to find their form in the breezy conditions, Singapore - led by the experienced Choo Tsz-huang - upped their game and were able to narrow the gap. With six holes remaining, the teams were tied.
Seventeen-year-old Mizuno was in sensational form, fighting Hong Kong's cause almost single handedly. After a birdie at the 12th and a stunning eagle at the par-five 15th, where he holed a 50ft putt, the reigning Hong Kong Close champion reached six-under for his round and was within sight of not only team and individual glory but also a new course record.
But then disaster struck. An errant drive at the 17th, followed by a three-putt from 20ft, led to a double bogey, a score he replicated on the home hole after finding the hazard off the tee. Mizuno signed for a 68 and had to settle for second place in the individual competition, two strokes shy of Choo's winning total of 281.
It was terrible luck for the Nagoya-born Mizuno, a product of the Hong Kong Golf Association's junior development programme, who was understandably crestfallen after his dismal finish. But as Hong Kong coach Brad Schadewitz explained, it was more Hong Kong's failure to post three solid rounds on the final day, combined with a strong finish by Singapore, rather than Mizuno's late fall which cost them the title.
The in-form Hak battled back after a horrific start for a 75, while Liu, who fired a brilliant 67 on day three, could only manage a 76. Terrence Ng, Hong Kong's most consistent player over the first three rounds, faded to a 79.
"It's hard to take right now," admitted Schadewitz. "Singapore were able to shoot three good scores today, which we didn't manage to do - and for it to come down to the final two holes shows how close it really was.
"I'm really proud of Shinichi, he had something really great going and it was gut-wrenching to see what happened. But he'll be back. He's proved what a great player he's become."
Despite the disappointment, in finishing second, Hong Kong recorded their finest result in a team competition in a generation, something which Schadewitz acknowledged.
"It wasn't that long ago that Hong Kong were considered the whipping boys of Asian golf and were always finishing last in tournaments like the Putra Cup," said Schadewitz