Amateur Isaac Lam eyes Asian Tour Q-School after upstaging pros in inaugural Fanling Trophy
- Lam hopes to test his game at a higher level by trying out for the Asian Tour qualifying school ‘when borders open and things return to normal’
- Fellow amateurs Alex Zhuo and Markus Lam also finish ahead of the pros in second place as players seize opportunity amid Covid-19 pandemic
Amateur Isaac Lam upstaged the pros with a come-from-behind victory in the inaugural Fanling Trophy at Hong Kong Golf Club on Thursday.
The 21-year-old was consistency personified as he fired a two-under 68 to claim the title by two shots from fellow amateurs Alex Zhuo and first-round leader Markus Lam.
The 36-hole tournament, which featured the top male and female players from the Hong Kong Professional Golfers’ Association and the Hong Kong Golf Association, was hosted by the Hong Kong Golf Club and marked the return of competitive golf after a year severely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It feels great to win,” said Lam. “The field was strong with the pros and some really good amateurs here, which made getting the victory harder. But I’ve been working on staying in the present and not overthinking. I had a game plan and I was able to execute it, which I’m really happy about.”
Lam, who made his debut in the Hong Kong Open in January after finishing second in the qualifying tournament, hopes to test his game at a higher level by trying out for the Asian Tour qualifying school “whenever the borders are open and things return to normal”.
It wasn’t to be for 15-year-old Markus Lam, the overnight leader, despite making a spectacular eagle at the sixth after holing out from 95 yards.
“I tried to stay relaxed today but I lost a bit of concentration,” said Lam. “Playing against the pros and top amateurs has given me a really good benchmark as to where I am with my own game. I did exactly what I wanted to and I’m going to take confidence away from this.”
Terrence Ng, 26, finished as the top professional in overall fourth place, while amateur Kitty Tam and professional Isabella Leung were the top female performers, ending the tournament in a tie for 14th.
“It’s been a tough year for all us pros, so I really appreciate the Hong Kong Golf Club holding this tournament, which has helped us a lot,” said Ng, who picked up a cheque for HK$20,000, his highest earnings since joining the paid ranks at the beginning of 2020.
“I didn’t play that great, but just being able to compete again is a really good feeling,” he said.
