Play-Off Delight for Coby at Faldo Series Asia Grand Final

Hue, Vietnam: Coby Carruthers brought the curtain down on his amateur career with a dramatic sudden-death play-off victory in the 17th edition of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.

The 21-year-old Sydneysider rolled home a 16-foot birdie putt at the first extra hole – the par-five 18th – to pip New Zealander Yuki Miya and write his name into the record books as the first Australian winner of the championship.

“I was shaking intensely on that final putt,” said Carruthers, who closed with a two-under-par 69 in uncharacteristically breezy conditions at the Sir Nick Faldo Signature Course on Vietnam’s Central Coast.

Miya, who made a birdie on the last hole of regulation play to tie Carruthers on 11-under 202, had a chance to extend the play-off. However, his attempt from 12 feet missed to the left.

“Two years ago I came here and fell just short, finishing fifth. I’m very happy to win this time – my last tournament as an amateur,” said Carruthers, who was drenched in water by his Australian team-mates who raced onto the 18th green to celebrate.

On a thrilling day at the award-winning venue, a play-off was also required to determine the outcome of the Girls’ Under-16 title with Lee Su-min defeating fellow-Korean Yang Aye-on after both finished on five-under 208. Like Carruthers, Lee made a birdie at the first extra hole to secure victory.

Vietnam’s Nguyen Trong Hoang, the first-round leader, fired a 73 to finish seven shots adrift of Carruthers and Miya in joint fifth place in the overall standings on four-under 209. He had the consolation of winning the Boys’ Under-16 division, ahead of Japan’s Daichi Hayashi.

Japan’s Nana Fujiwara carded a third-round 69 to top the leaderboard in the Girls’ Under-21 category, two shots in front of Le Chuc An, the top-rated Vietnamese female.

Matthew Faldo, Director of the Faldo Series, said: “Congratulations to Coby on becoming the first Australian to win the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final. Kudos also to all our age-group winners.

“It’s been another fabulous week at this wonderful venue. Sir Nick was desperately sorry not to be able to be here following a recent surgery. But he’s been following the action closely and I know he’s been hugely impressed with the quality of the golf that we’ve been treated to.

“My father is thrilled also that we’ve signed a contract extension with Laguna Lang Co that means this venue will remain the ‘Home of the Faldo Series Asia’ for at least another three years. Laguna Lang Co holds a special place in the heart of Sir Nick and he’s very much looking forward to being here in person for next year’s Grand Final.”

Carruthers began the final day with a two-stroke lead from Miya with Trong Hoang a further shot back. At the turn in round three, the Australian and New Zealander were locked together, prompting a fascinating duel over the back nine, the latest in a long line of Trans-Tasman sporting rivalries.

Carruthers edged in front again with a birdie at 10, only for Miya to draw level with a birdie of his own at 13. Once more the Australian went ahead with a two at the short 14. Back came Miya, holing from nine feet for a birdie-three at 16.

Carruthers appeared to have dealt the decisive blow when he struck a nine-iron approach from 131 yards to within tap-in distance at the difficult 17th. “One more hole, one more birdie,” Miya said to his caddie as he headed to the 18th tee. He duly delivered on that promise to post a four-under 67 and take the contest to extra time.

“It’s been a great tournament, but it’s disappointing to lose out like that. If I want to continue in this game, you have to get used to moments like this,” said the 20-year-old, who matched the runner-up performance of his elder brother, Hiroki, in the 2018 Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.

Among the first to congratulate Carruthers was David Northey, the Director of Golf at Concord Golf Club, who has been a guiding light for the player over the past six years. “Our goal was to come here and win. I’m very proud of Coby for achieving that,” said Northey.

Leading Scores

Overall

202 – Coby Carruthers* (Australia) 70-63-69; Yuki Miya (New Zealand) 71-64-67
208 – Lee Su-min (Korea) 73-67-68; Yang Aye-on (Korea) 71-70-67
209 – Nana Fujiwara (Japan) 70-70-69; Nguyen Trong Hoang (Vietnam) 66-70-73
211 – Le Chuc An (Vietnam) 73-69-69; Brodie Ferguson (New Zealand) 73-66-72
212 – Daichi Hayashi (Japan) 67-70-75
214 – Prince Bainsla (India) 69-70-75

*Carruthers won sudden-death play-off at first extra hole

Boys’ Under-21

202 – Coby Carruthers* (Australia) 70-63-69; Yuki Miya (New Zealand) 71-64-67
211 – Brodie Ferguson (New Zealand) 73-66-72
215 – Kim Joon-ho (Korea) 71-70-74
216 – Aiden Kel Ahmed Shaharuddin (Malaysia) 75-74-67
219 – Ooki Nakayama (Japan) 74-72-73
220 – Jung Eui-suk (Korea) 71-71-78
222 – Nam Pham The (Vietnam) 73-74-75; Saad Habib Malik (Pakistan) 74-71-77 

*Carruthers won sudden-death play-off at first extra hole

Boys’ Under-16

209 – Nguyen Trong Hoang (Vietnam) 66-70-73
212 – Daichi Hayashi (Japan) 67-70-75
214 – Prince Bainsla (India) 69-70-75
218 – Jun Tian (Hong Kong, China) 71-72-75
219 – Muhammad Afham Bin Othman (Malaysia) 78-69-72; James Nicholas (Australia) 69-71-79
222 – Nguyen Quoc Bao Huy (Vietnam) 76-74-72
223 – Lee Sol (Korea) 79-74-70; Nguyen Hoa (Vietnam) 72-74-77

Girls’ Under-21

209 – Nana Fujiwara (Japan) 70-70-69
211 – Le Chuc An (Vietnam) 73-69-69
217 – Sania Talita Wahyudi (Indonesia) 71-74-72
218 – Emma Zheng (New Zealand) 78-71-69; Chloe So (New Zealand) 73-73-72; Keerthana Rajeev Kumar (India) 71-72-75
220 – Chloe Ng (Singapore) 73-71-76

 Girls’ Under-16

208 – Lee Su-min (Korea) 73-67-68; Yang Aye-on (Korea) 71-70-67
215 – Nguyen Khanh Linh (Vietnam) 66-74-75
217 – Priya Kumari (India) 71-74-72; Jasmin Bradley (Australia) 71-73-73
224 – Anna Le (Vietnam) 74-76-74; Lynn Choi (Korea) 73-75-76
225 – Doris Sung (Hong Kong, China) 74-78-73
226 – Nguyen Bao Chau (Vietnam) 72-74-80

 *Lee won sudden-death play-off at first extra hole