Ai Lian tipped for another Open

28/07/1998

DEFENDING champion Lim Ai Lian will lead a field of 120 golfers for the
Malaysian Women's Amateur Open championship at the Awana Golf and Country
Resort course on Aug 4-6.
Last year, despite carding a six-over 78 in the final round, Ai Lian won
the Open with a three-day total of 222 at the Bangi Golf Resort.
Ai Lian sank birdies on the fifth, eighth and ninth holes but she
double-bogeyed the second and seventh and earned a series of bogeys on the
sixth, 10th, 11th, 14th and 18th in the final round.
"This year's tournament will be divided into three categories - Division
One (handicap nine and below), Division Two (handicap 10-17) and Division
Three (handicap 18-20)," said tournament director Badariah Mimbar.
"To date, we have received entries from six foreign countries."
India will be sending 13 golfers, including regulars Vandana Agarwal,
Nonita Lal and Urvashi Sethi.
Some of the notable names are T. Selvaratnam from Sri Lanka and Emma
Poh, Michelle Yeo and Elaine Tan from Singapore.
Taiwan have submitted 12 entries while the Philippines and Hong Kong
will send 10 golfers.
From Malaysia, the regulars are national players Koe Lai Yin and 17-
year-old Lau Sook Ping.
"Although Awana is a resort course, preparations are underway to make it
a challenging course with difficult pin placements. Two hole-in-one prizes
await the lucky golfers," said Badariah.
Last year, Indonesia's Titi Puryanti shot two-over 74 to finish second.
Titi, if not for the par-four 13th hole where she had a eight, could
have given Ai Lian some anxious moments.
Sri Lanka's Selvaratnam posted a 78 to finish third with a three-day
total of 226 while Lai Yin had the day's lowest score of 72 to finish
sixth with a total of 232.
(END)