TIGERS UNITED

Thai hotshot Pannakorn Uthaipas gave himself the perfect birthday gift by securing a three-shot victory for his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title at the US$160,000 Taifong Open on Sunday. The talented Thai, who turns 27 in three days, overcame a shaky start where he traded two birdies against two bogeys in his opening five holes with three birdies on his way home for a closing three-under-par 69 and a winning total of 13-under-par 275 at the Taifong Golf Course. Local hero Lin Wen-tang held a one-shot lead after nine but an errant tee shot on 14 saw his title hopes dashed as he stumbled with a double-bogey. He bounced back with a birdie on the last to share second place with Australia's Marcus Both (68) and Gunn Charoenkul (69) of Thailand. Thailand's Nattawat Suvajanakorn marked his best efforts of the week with a bogey-free 67. He settled for fifth place on 279 alongside countryman Phanuvich Onchu (71), local talent Hsu Hao-sheng and American Blake Snyder , wh...

Malaysia's Nicholas Fung overcame nerves to secure a maiden Asian Tour title at the Queen's Cup on Sunday, and dedicated the career breakthrough to his father. The 27-year-old Fung, who was the overnight leader, courageously holed a four-foot par putt on the 18th hole at Santiburi Samui Country Club for a closing four-under-par 67 and a one-stroke triumph over Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond . His impressive 15-under-par 269 winning aggregate saw him join countrymen Danny Chia , Airil Rizman and Ben Leong as winners on the region's premier Tour. Fung is also the fifth first-time winner this season.   Jazz, 21, kept on Fung's coattail throughout a frenetic last day, staying bogey free for the second successive round at a tricky Santiburi Samui to shoot a 66 while Chinese Taipei's Hung Chien-yao birdied his last three holes for a 67 which gave him third place, two behind the new champion.   The slightly-built Fung paid tribute to his father, En Ping, who wa...