The triumphant Malaysian golf team. Picture: Malaysian Golf Association
It has been a long wait for Malaysian amateur golf; precisely 21 years.
After more than two decades, Malaysia finally won the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games team gold medal. The winning quartet comprising Ervin Chang, Marcus Lim Pang Chuen, K Rhaasrikanesh and reserve A Nateeshvar displayed tremendous nerves of steel to defeat defending champions Thailand 2-1 in the finals at the Heron Lake Golf Course & Resort. They delivered gold number 24 for Malaysia in the 31st SEA Games in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Ervin Chang won the men’s individual gold medal. Picture: Malaysian Golf Association
Jeneath Wong bagged the women’s individual bronze medal. Picture: Malaysian Golf Association
Rhaasrikanesh was hailed hero of the day when he chipped in from outside the green on the 17th hole to win by two holes over Pongsapak Laopakdee, thus sealing the deal for Malaysia.
Playing in his last SEA Games, Ervin Chang, who created history by winning the country’s first-ever men’s individual gold medal on Sunday, gave Malaysia a 1-0 lead when he defeated Weerawish Narkprachar 2-1. Marcus, however, lost his match 0-1 to Ratchanon Chantananuwat, who narrowly edged the Malaysian by one hole, allowing Thailand to draw level.
Rhaasrikanesh, the final player on the field, stepped up to win his match and the gold medal for the Malaysian team. Having had a tough week in the individual competition, Rhaasrikanesh felt that he needed to give his all to the team, and despite nerves and butterflies in the stomach, he delivered.
The last time Malaysia won the team gold in the biennial Games was in 1989 and 2001. The 1989 team comprised the late P. Gunasegaran, Johari Sulaiman, Saad Yusof and Wong Hung Nung, while the 2001 winning team included Airil Rizman Zahari, S. Sivachandran, Shaaban Hussin and Sahal Saedin.
The Philippines, meanwhile, bagged the bronze medal with a 2-1 win over Singapore.
The women’s team with their silver medals. Picture: Malaysian Golf Association
The women’s team comprising Jeneath Wong and Mirabel Ting fought hard to the finish, but in the end, they had to be satisfied with a silver medal when they lost 1.5 – 0.5 to Thailand. Jeneath, who bagged the women’s individual bronze earlier, lost by one hole to Eila Galitsky. Mirabel, unfortunately, squandered a three-hole lead to draw with Natthakritta Vongtaveelap.
All said and done, the 17-year-old girls showed excellent fighting spirit to retain the silver medal won in the last edition of the Games. 14-year-old Ng Jing Xuen is the third Malaysian women’s team member.
Like the men, the Philippines’ women’s team bagged the bronze medal beating Singapore in a playoff after the teams tied 1-1.
The two golds, one silver and one bronze medal haul, is Malaysia’s finest achievement for golf at the SEA Games.
