Singapore Global Trust edge out Team Boss on countback for first-round honours
Third-placed Gayatri’s Casey Tan claims individual title with 38 points as the competition gets underway
[SINGAPORE] The first leg of this year’s The Business Times Corporate Golf League is over, and already things are looking tight at the top of the leaderboard, with four teams within just four points of one another.
The annual league teed off on Thursday (Mar 6) at Tanah Merah Country Club’s Tampines course, with Singapore Global Trust (SGT), leading the nine-team table in the Competitive category.
SGT, the runners-up last year, edged out Team Boss on countback on 107 points to finish top of the table.
The trio of Winson Oh (37 points), Kenneth Oh (36) and Joey Chang (34) contributed to SGT’s impressive total.
For Team Boss, their showing was due to the performances of Andre Huber (37 points), Thio Wei Kai (36) and Gabriel Tan (34). Thio also won the “longest drive” novelty prize with a drive of 245 m.
Team Gayatri ended the first leg in third place with 104 points. They had Casey Tan to thank, as his 38 points from gross 80 also lifted him to the individual title.
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In fourth spot was OCC on 103 points and for whom Sydney Soo (course handicap 11) was their best golfer with 36 points from 83 gross.
SGT’s Winson, who represents Orchid Country Club in the Singapore Golf Association League, also had the best gross score with three-over 75 from just one birdie.
His birdie came on the 272-m, par-four ninth hole when his easy approach with a 54-degree wedge placed him about 2 m from the hole for a straight drop-in.
Gayatri’s Tan (course handicap 10), a long-time member at Warren Golf & Country Club, played well and bagged three birdies (on holes three, 12 and 13) and rued a triple bogey (fifth hole) and double bogey (15th hole).
“This was one of the best events I have played in my 23 years of golfing. There was sound organisation, a smooth flow of flights, perfect instructions and a manageable field,” said Tan, a 58-year-old semi-retired grandfather who runs an oilfield chemical business.
He added: “I took up golf for networking and business. One of the first deals I struck was with a senior official from a Petronas subsidiary while playing at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club. The BT Corporate Golf League is a perfect platform for business talk.”
Defending champions Singapore Pools, the tournament’s presenting sponsor, lie sixth on 97 points, three below hole-in-one sponsors Performance Motors.
In the Social section, Mitsubishi Electric had a resounding total of 109 points and beat Olam Group on countback. Mitsubishi’s Ke Yam Cheong was the best performer with 37 points, while Takashimaya’s Ho Kah-choy claimed the individual crown with 38 points.
The second leg will be played at Singapore Island Country Club’s New course on Mar 21. The eventual champions will be crowned on May 9.
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