Clyburn Closes With Her Best Round Of The Week

Clyburn Closes With Her Best Round Of The Week
12th March2010

English international, Holly Clyburn, closed with a one over par 73 to claim a share of third place in the Girls' event at the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, played over the Faldo Course at Mission Hills Golf Club in China.

Clyburn, the 19 year-old reigning English and French Under-18 champion, from Woodhall Spa, Lincs, closed with a birdie on the 486-yard par-5 final hole to tie with Chinese Taipei's Chien Pei Yun, six shots behind wire-to-wire winner, Thidapa Suwannapura from Thailand, whose closing round of 74 gave her a four over par aggregate of 220. Chinese Taipei's Liu Yi Chen, came second, recording a final round of 74 to finish on six over par 222.

The English girl was also runner-up (on count back) in the Girls Under-21 category.

Holly shot the low score of the final round for her share of second place in the girls' U21 event.

Afterwards she said: "I am very happy with my finish in this tournament, it was a tough few days and it was a tough field as well.

"I have really enjoyed this week, it's been a good experience playing in Asia - and it is a lot different from Europe and England!"

Holly is a long hitter, but even she found the Faldo course demanding at 6577 yards - and in the wind. "There were some par fours where I couldn't reach into the wind - but being a long hitter did help with making pars."

She began the event with a 78,when her driving was not at its best, but she soon found form and improved throughout the tournament, adding a second round 75 and signing off with 73. She gave herself plenty of chances in the final round but some putts refused to drop - although she did manage two birdies in the last three holes.

Holly, an England international, claimed her place in this event when she won the girls' title at the Faldo Series Grand Final in Brazil last autumn. Brogan Townend (Pleasington) won the U16 title and also took part in the China tournament, finishing 12th in her age group.

England's Oliver Carr, from the Heswall Golf Club on Merseyside, closed with a fine one under par 71 to post a six over par 54-hole aggregate of 222 and finish tied ninth in the concurrent Boys' event, also played over the Faldo Course at Mission Hills. Jonathan Bell, the reigning Faldo Series European champion, from the Royal Blackheath Golf Club in Kent, posted a 74, his best round of the tournament, to finish in a tie for 20 th place on 231.

The winner of the overall prize at Mission Hills was Japanese sensation, Masamichi Ito, who last year became the youngest player ever to make the cut at a Japan Golf Tour event, aged 14 years and 22 days.

Ito, 14, from Kanagawa, closed with a best-of-the-day 69 to tie overnight leader, Hsieh Chi Hsien from Chinese Taipei, and then defeated his rival on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off when he hit a 219-yard 7-wood to 12-feet and then calmly 2-putted to claim a winning birdie four.

India's Rashid Khan's bid to win the title for a third successive year came to an end when he closed with a two over par 74 to finish in third place on two over par 218, four shots behind Ito.

Leading Scores

Boys'

214 - Masamichi Ito (Jap) 75-70-69, Hsieh Chi Hsien (CHT) 70-70-74 (Ito won on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off)

218 - Rashid Khan (Ind) 74-70-74

219 - S. Chikkarangapa (Ind) 72-76-71

220 - Abhinav Lohan (Ind) 82-68-71, Donlaphatchai Niyomchon (Tha) 76-71-74, Iszaimi Ismail (Mal) 75-72-74, Gavin Green (Mal) 70-76-75

Other scores include:

222 - Oliver Carr (Eng) 76-75-71

231 - Jonathan Bell (Eng) 78-79-74

250 - Daniel Owen (Eng) 84-85-81

Girls'

220 - Thidapa Suwannapura (Tha) 72-74-74