Tan's sensational 290m drive is first-leg highlight

Singapore

THIS year's The Business Times Corporate Golf League got off to a rousing start last Thursday with the main talking point being the 290 metres drive by Tan Lee Hong at Sentosa's New Tanjong Course.

On the 511 metres, par-five hole with a lake hugging the fairway on the left all the way to an island green, he smacked a massive drive that easily won him the Hugo Boss Longest Drive prize.

Never in the history of the popular competition, now into its ninth year, has anyone whacked a drive that long.

But a modest Tan said: "I could have hit a sprinkler head and the ball also took a good bounce. That is not my normal distance."

With that magnificent drive, a feat even better than those by the local professionals, Tan looks the hot favourite to claim the eventual prize of being suited by Hugo Boss for the longest drive in the six-leg series.

Tan's team Proelect was also the subject of discussion as it snatched the first-leg honours with a total of 111 points (best three totals to count from four golfers).

Making their debut in the annual tournament, Proelect finished a point ahead of Team Boss and four ahead of joint-third-placed Audi Sport and Emerio.

All four players of the Proelect team were single-handicappers, namely Tan (7.9), Ng Chai Choy (9.8), Wong Yee Seong (4.8) and Lau Wing Cheok (6.7). Their 111 total came from Ng (38 points), Wong (37) and Tan (36).

Hugo Boss's 110 total came from Christopher Taw (37), Ivan Chua (37) and John Lim (36).

However, the day's individual honours went to KPMG's Justin Tan (handicap index 8.0, gross score 78), who amassed 38 points on countback from Ng Chai Choy, Manish Mahajan and Joey Chang.

Team Centurion's Eugene Oei (handicap index 4.8), a highly-recognised face at the BT League, shot the day's lowest gross score of three-over 75 on the scenic layout.

From Sentosa, the event moves to Singapore Island Country Club, Island course (July 24), Sembawang Country Club (Aug 7), Seletar Country Club (Aug 23), Warren Golf and Country Club (Sept 5) and Tanah Merah Country Club, Garden course (Sept 21).