Natipong beats Burmese rival to win Singha Thailand Amateur Open boys title

The 18-year-old Natipong, who will represent the country in next month’s Indonesia SEA Games, signed off with an excellent 66 for a four-day total of 277, one stroke ahead of Burma’s Maung Maung Oo, to clinch the prestigious King Rama VII trophy in the country’s oldest golf competition.
Natipong’s national teammate, Ratanon Wannasrichan, bagged third, a further stroke back in a strong field featuring players from 10 countries.
The win was a timely confidence booster for Natipong, coming barely a month before the SEA Games, where he will face Maung Maung Oo again in a battle for regional glory.
“After winning the match play event in Hua Hin, I wanted to taste glory in the stroke play competition. Now, I’ve done it.
“It was really heart-pounding stuff on the final hole. Fortunately, I came through it safely. My next tournament is SEA Games, where I hope to win both the individual and team titles,” said Natipong.
In the girl’s division, Filipino Dottie Ardina, the gold medal winner in the Games’ previous edition in Laos, mixed three birdies against two bogeys for a 71 and a trophy-winning total of 294.
“I’m really happy to win on my tournament debut. I think the course is really great. I next compete in the Singha Junior World in Hua Hin before playing in the SEA Games,” said Ardina.
Asama McKenzie, 15, from Hua Hin shared second place with Japan’s Chihiro Ikeda on 295, one stroke adrift off Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras and Sherman Santiwiwattanapong in third.