Pang spearheads Malaysian invasion

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John Anderson (left) presents the Green Jacket to Pete Pang.
John Anderson (left) presents the Green Jacket to Pete Pang.

PSC Golf from the Pattaya Links Golf Society

Monday, Oct. 22, Pattavia – Stableford

A Flight

1st Masa Takano (9) 39pts

2nd Marco Beer (18) 39pts

3rd Chris Barker (13) 36pts

B Flight

1st Mike Firkin (24) 40pts

2nd Tony Browne (19) 37pts

3rd Dave Arataki (27) 35pts

This course has gained an admirable reputation of almost always presenting in excellent condition, and that’s the way we found it today.

Recent rains have enabled the fairways to be well grassed and with some run. We played ‘lift, clean and place’, but there were few muddy spots to worry about. Good news, the marshall gave us a two-tee start.

The greens, having now been through the low season maintenance, have come back to their quick and tricky best.

A week ago Mike Firkin had a round to forget, but since then he has come back strongly and today he outdid himself with an excellent winning score of 40 points to top the “B” flight and claim the Green Jacket.

Tony Browne has made it a point of never again wearing the “wig’ and put in another impressive round to take second place with 37 points, while Dave Arataki has been in good form and took third with 35 points.

The “A” flight saw a race in two which needed a countback to separate them. Masa Takano had the better back nine to edge out a much improved effort from Marco Beer and go top. Both had scorecards of 39 points. Masa thought he had the Green Jacket for sure. Maybe next game! Chris Barker was, once again, in the placings, and held third spot with 36 points.

Near pins went to Kevin McEntee (2), George Mueller and Tony Browne.

Wednesday, Oct. 24, Khao Kheow – Stableford

A Flight

1st Pete Pang (17) 47pts

2nd Marco Beer (18) 44pts

3rd Masa Takano (9) 40pts

4th Bill McGarvie (14) 37pts

B Flight

1st Herbert Leong (19) 42pts

2nd Mike Firkin ( 24) 40pts

3rd Darren Beavers (20) 36pts

4th Tony Browne (19) 34pts

Henry Loh had such a good time when he was last in Pattaya to play golf, he was full of enthusiasm back at his home golf club and tried to encourage some friends to come and try. He ended up leading a group of nine to play at a couple of Societies as well as on their own.

Today they came to Pattaya Links Golf and swept up some of the prizes.

Khao Kheow once again came up to expectations and even though the course had received a drenching the night before, still played well, albeit with not a lot of run on the fairways.

The greens are in really good condition considering the rain, and ran true.

We played ‘lift, clean and place’ on the fairways as carts were restricted to the path only.

A Flight was won by one of the visiting Malaysians, Pete Pang who scored a jaw dropping 47 points. That sort of score is almost unheard of at Khao Kheow.  Another amazing score came from Marco Beer, a regular here, with 44 points. Masa Takano, still waiting for his Green Jacket had 40 points and then Bill McGarvie scored 37 points for fourth place.

B Flight was no less amazing as another of the visiting group, Herbert Leong, made a big 42 points to beat Mike Firkin, who really has it going at the moment. He scored (only) 41 points. Darren Beavers is back after a slump and amassed 36 points for third and Tony Browne, who continues practicing, took fourth with 36.

Near pins were claimed by Kevin Rogers, Tim Dale, George Mueller and Kim Foong.

Friday, Oct. 26, Treasure Hill – Stableford

A Flight

1st Marco Beer (18) 38pts

2nd Chris Barker (13) 34pts

3rd Masa Takano (9) 33pts

4th Ed Wykoff (15) 32pts

B Flight

1st Ray Cody (19) 32pts

2nd Howard Bland (19) 30pts

3rd Len Jones (29) 29pts

4th Dave Arataki (27) 27pts

The society ended the week with a dose of pain at Treasure Hill. In extremely sultry conditions with the course offering little run and with greens still recovering from maintenance, therefore running at a slow pace, seven playing groups took to the yellow tees immediately on arrival.

With two flights, cut at eighteen and under, there was everything to play for and in the second flight Dave Arataki again found some form with a fourth place finish, albeit with 27 points. In third with 29 points was Len Jones, stewarding the day in place of the absent Maurice and Phil. Second place went to Howard Bland with 30 points and the winner was Aussie Ray Cody with 32 hard earned points.

The top flight, as usual, scored better with Ed Wyckoff making his presence felt in fourth place with 32 points, one behind the consistent Japanese golfer Masa Takano. Chris Barker managed second with 34 points and an uncharacteristic “blob” on the final hole spoilt a fine card. The winner with the best points total for the day was Swiss golfer Marco Beer who followed a splendid round two days previously with 38 points to take the green jacket.

Near pin awards went to Andrew Purdie, Ron Matthews, Ed Wyckoff and Ray Cody.