Zen turns pro after third-place finish

Saturday, 19 January 2013 00:00 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

PETALING JAYA: A third-place finish at yesterday’s PGM Satellite tournament at the Kinrara Golf Club has prompted Zen Dharmaratne to turn professional.

The 22-year-old is set to feature alongside those in the paid-ranks of the PGM Tour’s next event the PGM CCM Rahman Putra Masters at the Kelab Rahman Putra in Selangor from 30 January to 2 February.

Zen was in his element yesterday, shooting a four-under 67, for a six-over 219. Playing as an amateur, he shot identical 72s in his earlier two rounds.

Winning the event S. Tamilchelvan scored by shooting a 70 for a three-day total of 216. The overnight leader Muhammad Azry Ashraf Noor Azam, could only manage a 74 as he finished second on 218.

Zen, a one handicapper who first picked up a golf club at the age of six, was pleased with his performance. “Everything just came together today. I learned a lot after the first two rounds. I kept the ball in play and holed a few good putts,” a final year IT student Zen said.

“Being in my final year has given me a lot more time to play golf. It is really great and now I can turn pro and play the PGM Tour full-time,” he added.

Final round scores

  • 226 Zaidi Majid (am) 74-77-75; 227: Zamri Sariff 71-76-80
  • 224 Hilmi Abdul Rahman 77-76-71, Idzwan Marappan 77-72-75
  • 219 Zen Dharmaratne (am) 76-76-67
  • 216 S. Tamilchelvan 70-76-70
  • 218 Muhammad Azry Ashraf Noor Azam 70-74-74
  • 223 Tommy Chin 75-76-72, Mohd Musa Fakir 73-74-76
  • 225 Rahizam Ramli 78-74-73, Gwee Li Jun (am) 73-77-75, Alan Chin 73-74-78
  •     228 V. Arumugam 78-76-74, Muhammad Rabbani (am) 77-75-76.

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