Martin Liu held his nerve to clinch his maiden Mizuno Hong Kong Close Amateur Championship - and with it a berth in this year's professional Hong Kong Open - after an accomplished performance at Fanling over the Lunar New Year holiday.
Liu, 25, fired a final-round 71 over the New Course to finish three shots ahead of second-placed Terrence Ng, 19, on a total of 281 (one-over-par) after a topsy-turvy day which saw the lead change hands multiple times.
The long-hitting Oliver Roberts, who headed the field after a sublime 66 in the morning, could only muster a 76 in the afternoon final round to share third alongside the defending champion, Max Wong Chen-kun, on 285.
"I really can't describe it," said Hong Kong Golf Club member Liu, a graduate of George Washington University. "I was just trying to focus on my own game and get myself in a position to win ... I had no idea I had done it until the final putt dropped."
Liu started his final round solidly, turning in level-par 34, but still had plenty of ground to make up on the closing nine as both Roberts, as impressive a ball-striker as you’re likely to see in the amateur game, and Ng, who had got himself back into the reckoning with six birdies over the first 11 holes, surged ahead.
But the final stretch would prove decisive, with Liu keeping his composure admirably over the difficult final holes, while his adversaries fell back with a succession of dropped shots as the pressure began to tell.
"I've come close before, so to win the event and earn a place in the Hong Kong Open is a truly great outcome," said Liu, who made a crucial birdie at the par-5 14th to take the lead on his own. "I struggled a bit coming in – I was getting pretty tired and missed a few shots – but I stuck to my routine and managed to make a few putts at the end. It's a great feeling to have finally done it."
As well as the coveted Hong Kong Open berth, Liu also earned a place in the Hong Kong qualifying final for the Mizuno Dream Cup, a pan-Asian series of events that culminates with the Gateway To The Open Mizuno Open, a Japanese Tour event to be held in May, as well as the MercedesTrophy Hong Kong Tournament 2013, which will take place on 23 May at Discovery Bay Golf Club.
