With arms aloft and the cheers of the adoring home crowd ringing in his ears, Mardan Mamat created history as the first Singaporean to win on The European Tour when he held off the defending champion Nick Dougherty of England for a one stroke victory in the OSIM Singapore Masters.
A final round of 71, one under par, at Laguna National Golf and Country Club took Mamat to 12 under par 276 for a wire to wire victory as he stood firm against the spirited challenges of Dougherty, Charlie Wi of Korea and England’s Ross Fisher.
Victory earned the 38 year old €138,560 along with a two year exemption to The European Tour after the biggest win of his career in the event jointly sanctioned by The European Tour and the Asian Tour.
“This is what I have dreamed of, to win as big an event as this in Singapore, especially a European Tour co-sanctioned tournament,” said Mamat. “It is a very big achievement in my life. Things went my way this week. I hope I have inspired all the young Singaporeans to achieve what I have achieved. It is such a good feeling I cannot express it.”
Mamat started the final day one clear of Dougherty and when the 23 year old Englishman fell back with three dropped shots on the front nine, Mamat pulled further ahead.
Dougherty, in the manner of a true champion, clawed his way back into contention with some gutsy play over the back nine. He birdied the 11th but remained three behind with four to play. A magnificent second shot on the 15th left Dougherty with a ten foot eagle putt but the putt refused to drop and Mamat got up and down to match his birdie.
Dougherty then birdied the 16th to move within two as they walked to the par three 17th, the most difficult hole on the course. Both players missed the green but saved par, leaving Mamat two clear playing the last.
Dougherty applied pressure by making birdie on the final hole for a 71 but Mamat held his nerve, getting up and down from the rough at the back of the green to secure a one stroke win.
“It just all went horribly wrong for me on the front nine,” said Dougherty. “I fought back well but it was not enough in the end. Mardan finished off very well. It is tough to hold off a bunch of us and I think he did himself proud today.”
Dougherty won €92,376 and climbed two places on The European Tour Order of Merit to fifth place.
Wi, winner of the Maybank Malaysian Open last month, also threatened but ultimately came up two short, a bogey on the 17th proving costly. He too finished with a 71 to finish two shy of Mamat on ten under par 278.
“I had my chances,” said Wi. “I hit it to three feet on the tenth and four feet on the 11th. You have got to make those to put pressure on Mardan but he played really solid. I can't take that away from him. When you win, you have to make those clutch putts. I was just disappointed.”
Fisher secured his best finish on The European Tour by finishing joint third after he too shot 71 despite two double bogeys on the front nine. For Fisher it was the third top ten of an already impressive rookie season and moved him up to 28th on the Order of Merit.
The Challenge Tour graduate showed great fortitude after the setbacks on the second and eighth holes, where he hit it in the water on both occasions on his way to double bogeys, and gave himself chances on the closing stretch but it was not quite enough.
“It was always going to be tough on the last day but I felt really comfortable with my game,” said the 25 year old attached to Wentworth Club. “I’m pleased with the way I came back and to birdie the last was a great end to a great week.”
England’s Jonathan Lomas came in with six under par 66 to share fifth place with Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat on nine under par 279.
