Course familiarity takes Team Boss to top of ST & BT Corporate Golf League
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The Team Boss Competitive and Social teams. The players are (from left) Thio Wei Kai, William Tay, John Lim, Julie Yoo, Li Anne Fones, Angelina Xiong, Gabriel Tan and Henry Mo.
PHOTO: ALAN TAN
Godfrey Robert
- Team Boss lead The Straits Times/Business Times Corporate Golf League with 216 points after the second leg, leveraging course knowledge for a Tampines course victory.
- Singapore Pools' Samir Bedi scored the lowest gross (73), but CLA Global's Grace Xie won individual champion with 38 points due to handicap.
- The next leg is at Sentosa's Tanjong course on April 10; Team Boss captain Andre Huber plans to strategise and may change players.
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SINGAPORE – Course knowledge and good ball striking lifted Team Boss to the top of the table in The Straits Times & Business Times Corporate Golf League on March 27.
Fielding four players who all are members of Tanah Merah Country Club, the Boss team took the perch with 106 points on the Tampines course, bringing their two-legged total to 216 points.
John Lim (36 points on 11-over 83), Gabriel Tan (35, 82), Henry Mo (35, 82) and Thio Wei Kai (34, 88) delivered consistent displays to propel Team Boss to the lead in the competitive standings.
They stand four points ahead of a formidable Singapore Pools team, who also totalled 106 points in the second leg of the five-round series.
Presenting sponsors Singapore Pools were led by Tanah Merah CC’s star league player Samir Bedi, who scored 36 points from a 73 gross score, the lowest among 32 golfers in the competitive section for the day.
Their other contributors were Clinton Ang (36 points on 92) and Ee Hock Chye (34, 95).
Said Team Boss captain Andre Huber: “I’m really proud of my boys. I knew that familiarity with the tough course on a windy day would help the club members steer their way to respectable scores.
“The plan worked out and now I have to strategise for the next leg at Sentosa’s Tanjong course on April 10. I might retain a couple of players, but have not made a final decision on the foursome.”
First-round leaders Orchid Country Club slipped to tied-fourth with 97 points, along with Singapore Global Trust (98 points) on a 208 total.
CLA Global, cellar dwellers for the past two seasons, have revitalised their team with new players and are lying third in the standings on 209 points after collecting 104 points.
They are spearheaded by Grace Xie, who played off an 11 course handicap and returned a fabulous 81 for 38 points that made her the individual champion for the round.
Xie edged out SPH Sultans of Swing’s Jaime Ho (82) by one point for the honours, while Pools’ Samir finished third on countback with 36 points.
“Lucky, lucky, lucky,” was how Xie described her round.
Individual winner Grace Xie of Global SC teeing off on the 15th hole.
PHOTO: ALAN TAN
Only five years in the game, Xie has had a phenomenal rise through her dedicated practice and deep passion for golf.
A winner of the recent Singapore Island Country Club’s intermediate championship and a charity event at the Tampines course, Xie bagged two birdies back-to-back on holes No. 6 and 7.
“On the uphill par-three sixth, I sank a 20-footer putt and on the par-four seventh, I was fortunate to see my chip from outside the green with a 60-degree wedge find the hole,” she said.
The best player in the Social category was former national player Vincent Khua (75 gross with 38 points), who finished two points ahead of Team Boss’ William Tay (83, 36 points).
Khua also lifted the Mitsubishi Electric team to the team honours, partnering Michael Ng, Jonathan Yeo and Allan Tan for 105 points.
National player Brandon Han, representing CLA Global, claimed the Longest Drive prize with a 280m whopper.
The third leg will be held at Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong course on April 10.
