The first leg of the inaugural Ericsson Corporate Golf League Hong Kong became the Rob Chipman show, with the six handicapper winning almost every prize and leading the American International Underwriter (AIU) team to victory at the Hong Kong Golf Club last week.
Chipman, 44, managing director of Global Silverhawk removal company, won the STAR TV longest drive and Johnnie Walker nearest-the-pin contest as AIU shot a five-under par 65 on Fanling's 6,531-yard New Course.
A team from DHL and an invitational media team also had 65s, but AIU won the Texas scramble format based on a count-back on the back nine.
AIU also included Ross Matthews, president and managing director of AIU, David J. Plate, AIU's regional manager of business development and infrastructure projects Southeast Asia, and Steve Marcopoto, president of Time Inc Asia.
The team had five birdies on the back nine, including four in succession from the 13th to the 16th holes.
Chipman, an Arizona native who grew up with PGA veteran Tom Purtzer, said his team was not in contention until the 508-yard par-5 10th when it made its second birdie.
