This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily on March 9, 2020

SHAH ALAM: American journeyman Trevor Simsby claimed a career-changing victory in the weather-shortened Bandar Malaysia Open, coming out top after a riveting three-way play-off with compatriot Jarin Todd and Australia’s Andrew Dodt at the Kota Permai Golf & Country Club.

Starting the third and final round two shots back of overnight leader Dodt in the US$1 million (RM4.17 million) event, the lanky Simsby closed with a two-under-par 70 to set a clubhouse target of 13-under-par 203. Playing in the leader flight, both Dodt and Todd missed birdie putts on the closing hole to send the tournament into overtime.

The first play-off hole at the par-five 18th saw Todd drop out after failing to match birdies by Simsby and Dodt. On the second extra hole, also played at the 18th, Simsby got close to the green with his second shot and played a superb chip which stopped 4ft (1.22m) from the flag. He nailed the putt to claim the title, with Dodt missing his downhill 15ft birdie attempt earlier. 

Simsby was thrilled to claim the biggest win of his career in only his 12th start on the Asian Tour.

“It’s the biggest win of my career, by far. The course played a bit harder today (yesterday); you had to be really patient and it was just a really good challenge. I’m just ecstatic,” said an emotional Simsby, who bases himself in Kuala Lumpur when on tour in Asia.

Simsby finished 84th on the 2019 Asian Tour Order of Merit but a seventh-place finish on the Asian Development Tour rankings last season saw him regain his Asian Tour card for 2020.

“It’s tough playing professional golf right now; it’s very competitive and I think you just have to stay positive and keep putting the work in, and eventually good things will happen. I think it’s just my time this week (last week),” noted the 27-year-old Californian, who earned a two-year exemption on the Asian Tour and a cheque for US$180,000 which catapulted him to second place on the Order of Merit.

Simsby turned professional in 2014 and played on the PGA Tour’s secondary circuit in the early part of his career with not much success. He decided to go to Thailand in late 2018 to play in the Asian Tour qualifying school, a decision which has now paid rich dividends.

South Korea’s Charlie Wi, winner of the 2006 Malaysian Open, closed with a 69 to share fourth place with Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino and rising Thai player Kosuke Hamamoto on 12-under-par 204.

The top Malaysian finishers were Amir Nazrin and Shahriffuddin Ariffin in T38 place on five-under-par. The trophy for Best Malaysian Professional, provided by Kota Permai, went to the 22-year-old Amir on a countback.

Australian Lawry Flynn showed his immense potential by claiming top amateur honours with a T16 finish on eight-under-par, having earned his place in the event by winning the 2019 Malaysian Amateur Open. Fourteen-year-old Malaysian amateur sensation Timothy Lo Tien Ming had a disappointing final round, carding an 82 for 74th place on eight-over-par.

The Bandar Malaysia Open marks the 55th staging of the Malaysian Open, the flagship event of the Malaysian Golf Association, and is sanctioned by the Asian Tour in partnership with the Japan Golf Tour. The tournament made a return to the schedule after a four-year lapse and was played at Kota Permai for the second time.