Noh secures dramatic win at Maybank Malaysian

Korean teen sensation Noh Seung-yul secured a dramatic one-stroke victory over illustrious countryman K.J. Choi at the Maybank Malaysian Open after pulling off an audacious final-hole birdie on Sunday.

The 18-year-old Noh produced the unlikeliest of birdies at the par five 634-yard 18th hole to close out the two-million-US dollar Asian Tour event with a final round four-under-par 68 and a 14-under-par 274 winning aggregate.

“This is more special than my first win,” said Noh, who was triumphant at the 2008 Midea China Classic en route to becoming the Asian Tour’s Rookie of the Year that season.

Standing on the 634-yard 18th tee with a one stroke advantage over Choi, Soren Hansen, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Rhys Davies, Noh hooked his drive wildly onto the 10th fairway.

With Choi and Hansen playing in front of him, and Aphibarnrat and Davies playing alongside him, Noh was under huge pressure as he fired his drive miles left off the tee.

His three wood second shot also stayed well left, flying to the left of the 18th green and eventually coming to rest on a concrete cart path 30 yards from the green. As spectators flocked around his ball, Choi, a seven-time winner on the PGA Tour, tied Noh on 13-under with a five foot birdie putt, adding to the pressure on Noh.

After being granted relief from the cart path, the young Korean stayed cool and hit a sublime chip over the left-hand bunker to within 18 inches of the hole, sending the crowd into rapturous applause before tapping in for his second Asian Tour and maiden European Tour success.

“It was fun competing with the top players in the world and defeating someone I look up to. When K.J. birdied the last hole and became the co-leader, I thought that if I parred (18) I would get into the play-off. And if I lost in the play-off, it wouldn’t disappoint me too much because I was competing against K.J,” said Noh.

“It was so hot and I wasn’t in the right mind to think. I just kept it simple and I wanted to get it on the green on 18 and make par. The fact that K.J. made birdie and I was able to come out with a win is very special to me.”

KUALA LUMPUR, AFP