Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Malaysian Hariz Hezri and China’s Liu Yujie emerged as the men's and women's champions respectively at the 119th Malaysian Amateur Open.

Played at Tiara Melaka Golf & Country Club, the World Amateur Golf Ranking event brought together leading amateurs from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Myanmar, China, Australia, Mongolia, Iraq, South Korea, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Hong Kong, China.

Hariz carded rounds of 73, 69, 75 and 70 for a one-under-par 287 total, edging compatriot Andrew Yap by one shot. One stroke further back on one-over-par 289 were Korean Choi Jun-hee, Malaysia's Zia Iqmal and rising Vietnamese star Nguyen Anh Minh.

Anh Minh was a top-10 finisher in October's Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Australia and a member of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation team that defeated the European Golf Association in August's Ryder Cup-style Bonallack Trophy in Spain.

The last Malaysian to win the Malaysian Amateur Open was Gavin Kyle Green in 2012.

The 13-year-old Liu was a runaway winner in the women's event with an impressive total of 12-under-par 276, following rounds of 69, 69, 66 and 72. Malaysian Ng Jing Xuen, the reigning Southeast Asian Games individual gold medalist, was a distant second on four-under 284. Thailand’s Thitikarn Thapasit settled for third a further two shots back.

“This year's Malaysian Amateur Open has been a showcase of exceptional golfing skills. The players displayed tremendous spirit and sportsmanship, making it a memorable event,” said Tournament Director Teoh Piek Kee.