Fifth Time's the Charm

The Korean-born Australian Unho Park claimed his fifth FTLife HKPGA Championship title in six years with a stylish display over the dramatic clifftop course at Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club

Unho Park’s love affair with the FTLife HKPGA Championship continues

First Round – 4 January

No local player has triumphed at the championship since Dominique Boulet in 2004. And that was the 51-year-old, a two-time winner of the event, fired a three-under-par 67 over the New Course at Hong Kong Golf Club to hold a one-stroke advantage over defending champion Scott Barr and Hong Kong’s Wong Woon-man at the top of a crowded leader board.

Four-time champion Unho Park of Australia and three-time Asian Tour winner Anthony Kang of the United States lie in a share of fourth on one-under, while former Hong Kong Amateur champion Steven Lam returned a solid 71 in his first round as a professional.

Wong, who sits alongside Barr on two-under, had arguably the most remarkable round of anyone in the field. The burly 36-year-old holed out from the fairway twice in successive holes for back-to-back eagles at the fifth and sixth on his way to a 68. His weren’t the only fireworks, however, with fellow Hong Kong professional Wong Hoi-kin making a hole-in-one at the par-3 eighth in an otherwise lacklustre round of 80.

51-year-old Dominique Boulet rolled back the years to take the first-round lead

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Written by Louie Chan

Photography by Daniel Wong

Click here to see the published article.

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